Trust Me

Chapter 10

“What part of me wanting no part of this did you not understand?” Aidan demanded as he stood before the two.  Barely any street light was able to reach them in the dark alley where they had called him.  No one would be able to see them against the brick wall that backed the small passage between buildings, especially not behind the trashcans and dumpsters that lined the walls before them. 

“Of course you want a part of it, Aidan,” Evan hissed, taking another step towards him.  “Why wouldn’t you?  It’s your chance to redeem—”

“You just don’t get it, do you?” Aidan cut in, louder this time.  The three stared at him in slight confusion, waiting for him to continue.  A slight breeze picked up, sending the scent of decaying garbage further back into the alley to accompany them. 

“What is there to get?  Take care of the dirty work, favor owed, we’re good as gold.  How could you not possibly want that?  I know that you’ve changed, but that’s no excuse,” Samantha demanded. 

Aidan closed his eyes and shook his head, taking a step back to lean against the brick wall.  Another shadow filled the alleyway as someone else came down the path, blocking what little streetlight they had.  Darkness filled the narrow alley, hiding Aidan, Samantha, and Evan from each other, as well as the mystery addition to their meeting.

“So, Aidan, how has the past week been treating you?” the mysterious person questioned, suddenly bringing her identity to the surface.  Aidan recognized that voice anywhere.  He had heard it all his life, as recently as last week when she had called him to the apartment.  Lexa. 

“I think it’s been going pretty well.  Though, it’s not like it’s your job to keep a tab on where I’ve been or who I’ve been with,” Aidan pointed out. 

He removed the box of cigarettes from his pocket and slid one of the cigarettes into his mouth, quickly cupping his hand around the end to light it.  Gray smoke started to drift upwards from the glowing tip while he pocketed the box and the lighter.

Lexa coughed and took a step backwards.

“You’re going to get so sick off those things,” she complained.

“Unlikely,” Aidan replied coolly, taking another drag from the cigarette.  He puffed the smoke in her face with an evil grin on his face.

“So, I take it you’ve been spending your time with Ash Mara, then?” Lexa questioned, leaning up on the brick wall beside him.  He lifted a single eyebrow, curving the left side of his mouth into a smirk.  A single nod of his head to confirm her suspicions, but no real reaction to keep her from losing her calm.  With all of the things he was dealing with, Lexa getting angry wasn’t going to be one of them.

“I thought I told you to stay away from her!” she demanded, slamming her fist forwards into Aidan’s gut.  He doubled over for a moment to hug his arms around his waist, closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath.  With the cigarette still lit, he managed to pull it from his lips and thrust it into Lexa’s leg, successfully burning a hole through her jeans and burning her leg until she cried out in pain.

“Like I said,” Aidan stated while trying to stand up straight once more.  Lexa was a lot stronger than she looked, and her punch was powerful.  “It’s not your job to monitor my life.”

“It is when your life is interfering with my work!  You’re going to ruin everything, and then where will I be?  All that work for nothing, and not anywhere close to redemption.  I don’t care if you don’t like me.  Think about Samantha and Evan.  Do you really want to keep them from what they want?  From their redemption?” Lexa continued to rub saliva on the cigarette burn on her leg in hopes of soothing it.