Dangerous Lies

Chapter 15

“Stop and get gas here, Monica. We’ll be stopping in the next town over. I've got questions that someone’s going to answer.”

Monica does as I ask but looks over at me, “Where have you been, Erin?”

I frown, “I'm sure it’s no secret by now that my father isn't a good man. My brother’s dead, Monica. But before he died, I guess he use to run with a gang and then the Romero’s took over for them. Through that, I guess he met Ricky Romero. Jace has always had a target on his back and because of that, I do too. People want me dead. Some of it’s to get at Shawn and a little payback to my brother even if he’s dead. I guess now the Romero’s have a special interest in me too so I'm a target to anyone who wants to use me as leverage.” I sigh, “My father, he started drinking and there might have been a bit of drug use too. But whatever the case, he started running in the wrong circles and I...I did something that’s got them coming after me. This isn't stupid shit, Monica. They want me dead. But I'll give myself up before I let them hurt you again.”

“What do they want with me?” she asks quietly.

“Someone must have told them you were close to me, I guess. Most likely is they’ve been watching me for a while. They will do anything to make an example of me.” no matter what they did to me, I was still a target. It didn’t matter what the circumstances were. I had a target on my back and they wouldn’t rest until I was six feet under.

We filled up and then drove into the town that I'd recently been dragged out of. I had questions. These questions can only be answered by Jake himself. But I'm not going to be stupid. No way did I think I was safe. But I have no other choice. I had to keep her safe and I would kill anyone to do it. I'd sleep with anyone to achieve it. I'd do anything to keep her safe. I won't fail like I did with Jace. Not this time. I owe her more than she will ever know. It was my fault these people where even looking at her. It was now my responsibility to look after her and take care of her. I owe her.

“You don’t even know what they did to me.” she states. “Why do you even care so much? Like you said, I'm nothing to you.”

I snort bitterly, “Monica, I don’t need you to tell me what they did to you. I know these men; I know what they do and how they do it. Everything they’ve done to you they’ve done to me.” more times than they’ll ever have the chance to do to her.

Her eyes snap up to mine and there is so much anger in them if I hadn't been there before already, hell if I wasn’t living that fury every day, I’d have cringed or flinched. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. I knew how she felt and I hated it. “They raped me, Erin! They held me down and took turns until I told them where you were. But I didn’t know.” tears fall down her face, her hands shake and her face just crumbles in a haunting look.

I look away from her and stare ahead. “I've been here before, Monica, the pit of misery, anger and wanting to end it all. Fuck, I live in that world. God, I even hate myself. Those same guys came to my house, walked into my room and took whatever they wanted from me, whenever they wanted. My father didn’t give a damn. As long as I suffered—” I cut myself off and clear my throat, “if you believe in anything anymore, believe in this. I won't let anyone hurt you again, not while I'm still breathing. I won't fail.” not this time.

We’re silent for a while. Just sitting still in her car as we both compose ourselves and take in everything that’s been said. “I trust you, Erin. Whether I should or should, I don’t care but I do.” she says quietly.

“First lesson, Nic, you shouldn’t trust anyone.” I tell her before changing the subject altogether. “When we get to this next stop, do exactly as I tell you. I need to talk to Jake and it won't be a good one. Don’t speak to anyone, don’t look at anyone and stay with me. Jake runs this town and he is involved in big time gangs. If I tell you to leave, you leave and you leave me behind.”