Sides

Five

<David>

I had taken her to the hide out, where she was safe and sound.
She fell asleep on the couch in the back room almost as soon as we got in. Her eyes fluttered shut and she drifted slowly.
I pulled a blanket over her smaller body, tucking her in like a child.
"Goodnight princess."
I left a delicate kiss on her forehead before leaving her be.
I made my way back through the house to the front where Ramsey and Westin were.

"She's making you soft Dobrik," Westin shot, looking down at his phone. "Not good for us."

"Maybe so," I replied, keeping my tone down.
"I said that's not good for us."
He stood in one swift moment, walking closer with every word.
"She's making you into a softie and we can't have a softie in this. We have worked too damn hard to throw it away because of some girl."

My eyes flickered to the side, feeling ashamed.
These boys were my brothers and there was no way I could let them down. But Liza was special. Her presence spoke louder than the rest, and she was my safe place.

"Unless she is on our side, then she can't be around."

I looked back at the boy in front of me.
"What do you mean?"
My eyes flashed with fear. He can't make her leave.
"I mean if she rats us out, about the things we do, then you have to drop her. But if you can talk her into it, we could use her."
"She's not an object of submission Westin."
"She would do it for you."
"Subject herself to our lifestyle? Yeah fucking right. She won't even cross sides at school, what makes you think she'd do it out here?"

He flashed a devilish smile and looked towards the door of the back room.
"I know that you can be quite persuasive when it comes to women David. So let her do a line, maybe she'll loosen up a bit. And if she refuses, talk her into it."
My eyes widened.

"Are you insane?! She has everything going for her! If she even touches a drug, she could ruin her life!"

"Do you want her around?!"
I stepped back at his words.
"Yes, of course."
He crossed his arms in dominance.
"Then you give her a line. Force her to take it if she refuses."
My eyes flickered away again. But this time, towards the room she was in.

"There you go David. Do what you need to do."
He walked outside lighting a cigarette.
Ramsey looked over at me. "You want her don't you?"
I hung my head. "Is it that obvious?"
He laughed a little and nodded slightly.
"I see the way you look at her Dave."

"I just want whats best for her dude, she's so... innocent."
He laughed again.
"What.."
"That's what you think."

He stood up and ran a hand through his hair.
"What do you know.."
"I used to tutor her brother, and you could hear her moaning."

I bit down on my lip.
"There wasn't anyone else there either." He raised his eyebrows and walked outside with Westin.

I smiled to myself at the thought.
I walked into the kitchen and pulled a small baggy of cocaine out of the drawer and poured it out, lining it with my credit card.

I walked into the room she was sleeping in.

"Hey Liza?..."