For What Its Worth...Lust

Rocky

I don't think I've rushed to a place faster. I didn't even think to ask if she was in her apartment before picking up my gun and running out the door. Probably would've ended up leaving Nick if he wasn't right behind me.

But, who the hell would break into her apartment. I know she has a smart mouth and all but would that really warrant a break in. Maybe she just got unlucky and it was a random robbery. I can hope that was it.

When we arrive my men tell us that she hasn't gotten home yet, thankfully. Then the guard I had watching her at the store let us know that she hadn't left yet. We tell the guy to head out to check the outside of the building for any clues while me and Nick head up to check every inch of her apartment ourselves.

Walking in nothing seems to be out of place, except for the door wide open and somewhat off its hinges. Sadly this is my first time here so I have nothing to compare it to. And I don't have her number so it's not like I can ask her.

"What do you think happened? Everything seems to be exactly where it should be."

"We've barely looked at the place yet. Stay on the lookout for anything and everything. As to what happened. I'm praying for it to just be some kind of random robbery." That hope quickly dies as I step into her bedroom. It's a mess, luckily nothing seems broken so we should be able to clean it up before she comes home. Most importantly all her books seem to be intact. I can't even imagine what she'd do if they weren't, especially after seeing how expensive they are. Not that I wouldn't just replace them all myself, anyway.

That's when I see that one thing that stirs all the feelings I buried deep inside me a long time ago. Right in the middle of her bed I find a red spider lily with a note attached. Tears start to prickle my eyes. I haven't seen that flower in 10 years. Not since finding it on my mothers dead corpse. Immediately I know who we're dealing with and I know I've officially ruined the life of an innocent girl I barely even know. The air becomes dense, almost suffocating. How could they have known? I was so careful every time I went to see her. Only two people knew about her, the two I trust the most. Ones that I know would never betray me no matter what. Clearly I wasn't as careful as I thought and now she's in danger because I couldn't stay away. Because I refused to admit that she's more than a game. That she means so much more. If only I did. I would've stayed away and this wouldn't be happening again. A single tear runs down my cheek. I wipe it away quickly as I hear Nick step into the room.

"Hey man. You find anything in he-" His words trail off, stunned at the sight before him. "Please don't tell me that's what I think it is. . . Did you read the note?" I don't respond. I don't even move. How do you tell the only person that has ever called you a friend, a brother that because of your own choices history is about to repeat itself and you're terrified that if it does you won't be able to recover.

"Do you want me to read it?" With the little energy I muster I tell him no. This is my burden to bear. I slowly reach for the flower and retrieve the note. In bloody red ink it reads:

The sins of the father.

Paid for by the son.

A debt remains.

"We need to clean this up and get out of here." I can't do this right now. What has she done? Was this what the drive was supposed to be for? To pay the price for what he did. And now they're trying to pay it with a girl who doesn't even know anything about it. I feel Nick 's worried gaze but I can't afford to break down right now. The stakes just got astronomically higher. "We can talk about this if you want. I know what that flower means to you"

"Nick please. We need to get this done." He gets to work not even acknowledging the please. Fuck. One stupid little flower has broken down all the walls I've worked so hard to build.