black Dahlia|| Craig Cody

29

Dahlia's pov
i go into the house to hear smurf "LEAVE SEE HOW LONG YOU ALL LAST!" i huff stressed by the whole day already. i go and grab a beer. my first beer since i've gotten clean. i take a sip "what the fuck is happening?" their heads whip to me. craig says "babe" i drink more "you're all walking? and what? waited to do so until i leave?" craig gets up and says "stop that. you're clean. sober" taking the drink from me.

i look to him "walking is stupid" "i'm not walking baby. not without you." he says kissing me softly. smurf days "smart idea craig" i look to pope and deran. and they give in "we're with her. always was always will be. we don't work for you baz. she's our sister. why would we want to work for you after what you did to her. you're on your own with this one. if she decides she wants to walk. then we'll walk with her. her. not you baz" pope says. coming over and kissing my temple. he says "smurf we don't listen to you. we listen to her. you said she's the boss now? well she's the boss. you two can work together and shit but we take orders from her no one else. she handles the money. splits it" looking to me for approval asking if i want to do this.

don't really have a choice now considering he's bartering for it. i nod and craig says "what? no way. she's got enough shit goin on. she does not need to be worried about running this family too! she just came back for a job! and now you're laying every fucking thing on her! she's getting clean!" smurf says "she won't be doing it alone" to craig. craig shakes his head "no, not fucking happening." "craig it's the only way this shit works. we don't want to work for baz. and we don't want to work for her, not completely anyway. this is the only way" deran replies.

craig says "you know the shit she's been through! she's just recovering from not being medicated and shit from that! she does not need this shit right now" anger in his voice. i grab his arm "hey" he turns to me and i say "i can do it" he shakes his head his eyes begging "you can't" i take his hand "come with me" he nods. i tug him with me giving the guys a 'give me a minute' look. they nod and lead him to our room. he shakes his head "you can't do it" he makes me look at him his fingers in my hair "you can't, look at me. if you do this you won't be able to leave. we...won't be able to leave. have a family. it'll all be a pipe dream if you take over like this"

i stroke his face "i have to do this craig. our family that we have now is falling apart. god knows what baz is going to do next. if i refuse they walk. and start doing jobs. if they have a fucked up crew they'll die out there. i can't leave anyway im smurfs power of attorney. they need us. need me to do this. for all of us" he says "this could mean being trapped here" i stroke his face "there's nowhere else that i want to be more than by your side living this life together" he says "you said you wanted kids"

"i do" i tell him gently. he asks "you think a kid will be safe with this life we have?" i say "i know ill kill anyone who ever thinks about touching him or her" he smiles "i will too. are you sure about this baby? i just want you safe, clean," kissing my lips. "i'm clean. and we know our life has never been safe. and with the shit i've done i don't think my life ever will be" i tell him. he says "i'll kill anyone who tries to hurt you again" kissing my forehead "why did you start drinking?" i tell him "went out texted ren to meet" he reels back "what?"

i shake my head "sobriety has...brought me some clarity. every time she shot me up....she watched me and texted someone. every time. she was hired to do that to me" he furrows his eyebrows "what? by who? i want fucking names baby. right now" i say "baz. he thought that if i was fucked up...you'd leave me, and she could get you back...and baz will clean me up and i'd go crawling back to him like he didn't cheat on me, with cath and have lena, with your sister, with lucy in mexico. like he didn't rape me and terrorize me after. she was telling the truth. got it out of her as i beat her ass and choked her" he makes me look at him "he dies. soon. very fucking soon. what did you do to her babe?" i look up at him "what i said id always do. made a call and rid of the body with hal"

he sighs "after your revenge is done i dont want you doin that shit anymore...what if you get caught?" "have a ticket out craig" i remind him. he kisses me softly "it eats at you baby. i don't want you doing that unless it's absolutely needed" i nod "promise" he nods "alright. you drinking again?" "just needed the edge of the day taken off" i sigh. and he nods "so you're really doing this?" i say "what do you want craig this changes your life too" he strokes my hair "i just want you. the rest doesn't matter" i kiss him "okay we do this" he smiles "yes we do"