Teenage Blue|| Reddie

Chapter Twenty Seven- Protect the Ones you Love

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 27 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

"I want to know why a missing kid is locked in our cellar."

A gut turning silence cut through the air. Wentworth's piercing eyes stared right through Richie.

"Tomorrow. Your going to the bar with me." He set his can down and headed towards his room, "go to sleep"

His bedroom door slammed and Richie was frozen in place. His breathing got heavier and his chest heaved. He spun on his heels and went straight to his room where he laid in bed.

He didn't sleep very much.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Richies eyes opened and he immediately remembered what happened the night before. He shot up from bed and opened his bedroom door to face Wentworth who was leaning against the opposite wall.

"Ready to go?" He simply asked

Richie nodded and followed him out to his truck where they drove to the bar. His phone was already receiving texts asking where he was. He ignored them for now.

The bar was busy as always. Filled with leather jackets and the scent of alcohol. As they passed people greeted them as 'boss' and 'prince'. Went took him into his office where he sat behind his desk and Richie sat on the couch in front of it.

"I want to know dad."

"I know son. You'll have to know eventually. You are in line to be the next leader." He pulled out a file of papers from his desk drawer and set it on the table, "This, is top secret."

"You can't tell anyone. Remember the rules." Wentworth had never sounded so serious.

"A King never betrays his own, I got it" Richie nodded, reciting the rule.

Wentworth hummed with approval.
" We aren't what people say we are. But we've done things just to survive. Things that can never be heard by anyone else." He looked at Richie to make sure he was listening. Richies eyes stayed trained on Wentworth.

"When I first became the gangs leader, I had my first taste of what the rest of my life would be like. Your grandad sent me on a job. I had to be the hired gun. A deal didn't work out and I.... I ended up killing a man..."

Richie swallowed hard and his eyes widened. So it was true.

"But after that I changed the rules. After watching a life die from my own two hands, I knew that I couldn't make you do the same. You were just a baby when this happened, and your mom left right after she found out I killed em'. Now, no King will ever kill a man unless it is a life or death situation. We don't run our business like that. But with fear, we do. Sometimes the rumors are helpful, makes other gangs afraid to mess with us. But other times it turns people we love against us"

"When your grandad died, he left a will for me to follow through. I promised him on his death bed that I would do his jobs and have my son," he laid a hand on top of Richies,
"do the ones I couldn't finish. But I don't want you doing the work I do. I want things to change for the gang so we don't have to hurt anyone else."

"What else did you do..." Richie hesitated to ask, not sure if he wanted the answer.

Wentworth closed his eyes, "we have enemies. Rival gangs. And there's been times when it's them or me. And I chose myself to keep protecting my family, this gang, the town. Because if we're gone, other gangs move in and this town will be destroyed. Shit, Derry is lucky to have us. Even if they don't realize it."