ALLAGRUGOUS

Chapter Fifteen- A plumper version of Mr. Clean

I harshly swallow before rapidly pushing him with all of my energy, causing him to stagger slightly. "Don't ever put your goddamn hands on me again, and for the record, don't go around telling people I'm your girl," I say with a sneer.

"Well, for the record, you don't need to be here and I only said that so you wouldn't have to get stuck with giving the doorman a blowie after the show." No name was spoken with a glare.

I gaze back at him with equal intensity when Finn interjects, "Why don't we go watch the show before all the good seats are taken?"

I merely nodded and started walking down the corridor, following the boys. What is this place, and what show are they discussing? I sincerely hope I did not follow my brothers to a strip club. As we progress further into the building, we come to a large open space that resembles a courtyard, with staircases on either side to view the show from a well as people with their backs against the wall on the lower level. There are plenty of people here, which causes my heart to race, but I take a deep breath, attempting to steady it. I follow the boys up the staircase into a corner and study the people below, hoping to find my brothers while also making sure my brothers don't see me.

Stage lights come on and focus onto the center of the courtyard as a bald man who looks like a plumper version of Mister Clean comes out and announces, "The blackbird and the Knight are tonight's entertainment. Knowing what amazing talent we have here, all of you should start making your bets, as the show will begin in five minutes.

"What show is he talking about?" I ask no one in particular.

"You don't know? Have you never been here before?" Wren asks.

"I've never been here before and no, I don't know what he is talking about," I say while putting the word show in quotation marks.

"How do you not know when you're b-"

"-shut it. The show is about to start and she will find out when it starts." No name interrupts Wren. No name looks at Wren and the not-so-subtle glances in my direction and stiffly shakes his head every so slightly. I open my mouth before Mr. Clean starts talking.

"All bets have finally been sent in and the show is now officially starting." He says with a smile and a not-so-courteous bow.

My mouth involuntarily falls agape in disbelief. The recipient of the blow retaliates by launching a series of punches, resulting in a brief exchange before one of them seizes the other and forcefully slams him onto the ground. What the fuck? Why are my brothers here and why the fuck are they watching this? I cannot tear my eyes away as these two individuals mercilessly pummel each other. Gradually, I manage to close my mouth, but an overwhelming dryness engulfs my throat like it is the Sahara desert.

Glancing beside me, I observe that the boys are all captivated by the unfolding spectacle below. Their expressions betray a mixture of excitement, except for No Name, who appears rather constipated or lost in deep contemplation. It seems as though he is meticulously studying every move, as if preparing himself like he is going on stage next. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as if someone is watching me. I look around the crowd and I don't see anyone that is paying me any kind of attention before I avert my eyes back to the men that are fighting. My breath catches in my throat as I notice all four of my brothers stationed at the table where wagers were placed. I watch in silence as one individual at the table hands a substantial sum of money to James, followed by my other brothers, who promptly trail behind him into a nearby room, shutting the door behind them.

What the fuck is going on? Is this how we have been getting money? Why would they do this? I start to feel a raging headache and my stomach do summersaults as I try to process all of this new information. How could they be doing this and how long has this been going on for? My breathing starts to pick up as I realize what my brothers have been hiding from me for god knows how long. "Where is the bathroom?" I ask while trying not to look like I have not just uncovered what my brothers do for work.