Farbe - Black Family

Part 3 - Welcome to Third place

Hunter stood in her mirror with her chest bare from her shower as she fixed her braids. She ran her hand over her shaved sides and grinned at the tribal tattoos. They were a gift from Lilith. A sign she was the strongest the Black Family had to offer.

Hunter took out one bobby pin from between her lips and pushed it into her hair.

She was destined to be the Second of the family... a true symbol of strength for the Blacks, but who got the position?

A snot-nosed brat who barely knew how to run his studies.

Hunter slammed her hands onto her dresser, causing a picture frame to fall over. She picked it up and there within the wooden border, was a snapshot of her and Lilith.

It was taken as a memento to honour Hunter joining the Black family. Back then, she barely had her chiselled physic or the constant smell of grease that has become infused into her body. Those were simpler times when all she had to do was pretend to be Damian's bodyguard as he played in the garden and parks. Her responsibilities extended to only her ensuring the little brat got home alive and in one piece.

But times change.

With each year she grew, so did her role in the family. Before she even knew it, she wasn't holding toy guns anymore. Instead, she had shot her first victim three years after joining the family – best twenty-first in her opinion.

It didn't stop. She gathered underlings, ran her gangs and finally, just as she was ready to become the Second. Her title as 'the strongest within the Black family' was firmly secured.

Yet, Lilith chose Damian.

With the upcoming meeting, it was more adamant than ever that she was just the Third, the muscle.

She loved the family and will protect them with her life. But there was a thrill in commanding weaklings.

There was a knock on Lilith's door.

"Ma'am, I am here to clean your room," a male voice croaked out.

"I know it's you, Johnny."

A man, tall and slender with long light-brown hair, strutted into her room. As he combed through his oily locks, Hunter was reminded of how disgusting, but fitting his family name was. His eyes widened at Hunter's exposed chest, but he only stuck his tongue out as Hunter rose her fist.

"I warned you," another man, this one twice the length of Johnny, stepped into the room. He turned her gaze to the ceiling upon seeing Hunter's body. Dustin was an ex-marine that made you fear what he had brewing behind those eyes of him. "Hunter knows. I've tried it before too."

In truth, there was not much behind them.

"Oh, will you hurry up!" Cal shouted from the doorway.

Cal... Hunter wished she knew more about them, but they were more of a mystery than half the people inside the Black family. They had secrets that Hunter almost feared to unearth.

"Is he with you?" Hunter asked Cal.

Two big doe eyes peeked out from the doorframe where Cal was standing but quickly dived back down into the hall.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Hunter threw on her blazer that barely covered her exposed upper body. She pushed passed the men inside her room and passed Cal in the doorway. Azrael stared up at Hunter with his big doe eyes, his hands clutching around a laptop.

"Move."

Azrael stamped away, Cal quickly catching him and pulling him along. The five marched down the hallway of the Black family. Hunter in front, Dustin, and Johnny behind her, with Cal and Azrael behind them. They walked with strong strides through the halls to the garage.

Hunter threw her leg over her bike, while the rest climbed into one of the black Mercedes parked in the garage.

She may be the Third...

Hunter's motorbike roared to life, and she spend out of the garage once the doors opened. The black Mercedes followed behind her.

... But to her crew, she was the first.