𝐁𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐄

23

"Mindy?" I whisper, slowly turning around, my hands up.

We're the only ones outside, the only vehicle besides our own an even older pick-up truck from the 90s. M herself had told me the guy manning the register was well into his 80s with a hearing aid on each ear.

I wasn't going to be saved anytime soon.

"It was either Dieson's life or our lives, NJ's life or you and I's lives, and your life or me and NJ's. It would break NJ if I turned Dieson over, so you see how easy the decision was."

A black sedan crawls from between two bushes, and two of my father's guys hop out, strapped with large guns, and mean expressions.

"I've known NJ longer, and now he's shot. I-I couldn't just let him die behind you. You didn't even care for him. I know your sights are on his brother-

"That was before," I try to defend myself, but she steps closer with her gun.

"It doesn't matter now. NJ will go to the hospital and this drama will be all behind us. You owe me and NJ that. Especially after you brought us into this shit."

"I warned you that this would be dangerous-

She brushed the barrel against my lips, staring at them, her eyes low and a smile curving onto her own. "I like danger. But even I know when it is too much."

"NJ thinks you're a hero. Now I know you're just another person," I hiss.

"NJ thinks right," she steps back from me, holding both hands up and laughing, "I am a hero, to those wronged by the rich, to those who were disadvantaged from the start. But you, Courtlynn. You can't be saved. And I'm not quite sure that you should be. Each Robin Hood can never be perfect."

My shoulders tense and I slowly drop my arms.

She cocks her gun, and I hold them back up.

I knew I didn't like her weird ass mama, should've known her daughter was weird too.

"Take her. And leave me and NJ alone," M declares, nodding at the two guys my father sent. I'm grabbed up and they yank me back to the vehicle. My eyes search for NJ in the truck, but he's passed out, strung off whatever M could have given him. He'll never know what she did to take me away, and likely, he'll resent me for it forever.

I let out a small cry, trying to fight the security but they easily overpowered me and eventually I was thrown into the back of the sedan, chained to a seat with only a bowl next to me and a full bottle of water that rolled around.

I think that we make it back to my father's mansion by early Monday morning. The guards throw me into the familiar, white hallway and yawn as they walk away out of view. So they hadn't moved house, the location was still here.

And unfortunately, my corrupt father was still alive.

But is he so corrupt if he just wants his money back? a small voice in my head thinks.

"Court!" Amina rushes from her bedroom. A long, muscled arm stops her, and I come off my knees to see Ali. "Don't. Father wants me to take her immediately to him."

My eyes flick away from his bruised face. I had thought he wouldn't make it from the crash. Maybe some part of me even hoped that he hadn't.

He isn't gentle with me. I'm roughly grabbed by the arm and nearly dragged to my father's study with no regard to my shorter legs or the slight limp I've developed.

I'm flung before my father's desk on the ground and the study door is closed behind me. I expect to find Ali exited from the room, but he stands by the door with a blank expression, so impassive in its nature, as my father comes around, his eyes burning with anger.

"I spent so many resources on you girl! How dare you disobey me?"

The sound of the slap hits me before the sting does.

I've had worse, it hardly hurts in comparison. I hold my head down, my body trembling as he comes to stand before me.

"You will go back into the operation and do as I say."

"You give them a little bit of freedom, and they take away much more, Father," Ali said from the door.

"That's right," my dad agreed.

"Only to the club and back," my father pointed down at me, then a slow smile spread over his face, "Such a Cerbey. Ali was sixteen when he first ran away. He got pretty far. Kentucky in one night. Then we found him," his smile instantly dropped, his face cold, "And he never did it again."

My father gestured for me to come with him and Ali yanked me back to my feet. We walked down the too bright hallways until we reached a grand room I had yet entered. The walls were the same deep eggplant color that I had seen my father and step mother wearing the first day I came here.

"The family color," Ali supplies, noticing me looking.

It was antiquely furnished like the rest of the rooms, and held a grand fireplace with artful fire pokers along the sides of the ornate mass.

"Ali. Tell your sister what I did with the fire poker," my father instructs, leaving the room as Ali's face paled.

Puke fell into the bucket Ali hurriedly had to place under my mouth. "Mother will be upset if you ruin the rugs. They're family heirlooms, I guess," he shrugged.

I shuddered, the things Ali told me poisoning my mind. Once I was done, I stepped back from him as he sat the bucket by the door. A guard I hadn't even noticed was in the room, picked it up and called for a maid to do away with it.

"Are you gonna...do that to me?" I ask him, backing away.

"No. I would never...but, Father has changed since I was younger. He would never scar us permanently."

Not physically anyways.

"Ali, I'm so sorry he did that to you," I tell him genuinely. "Nobody should ever have that done. Was rhe poker...hot when he stuck it-

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," he says quietly, "Please. And...Amina doesn't know. She's a daddy's girl," a soft smile came onto his face, "Let's keep her happy, right?"

I could tell that he cared for his twin a lot, but the things he told me. How would they ever stay inside my head without making it explode?

I wiped at my eyes. "I'll do whatever he says. But I have to leave once this operation is done."

Ali only shook his head. "I don't know if that'll be a given after everything that's happened."

"I'm sorry for hurting you...today," I tell him meekly.

He only stares at me.

"I've never gotten an apology before. A genuine one." He touches his chest, "I hope you aren't too soft for this family, Courtlynn. It's...really nice having you around, and I'd hate for Father to order me to kill you."

I blink, trying to figure out if that was a compliment, if this was Ali's attempt at being nice.

"Uh," is all I say.

"Rest up. Tonight you have work," he reminds me, leaving the large room, and me behind.