A Deadly Affair

Twenty

"I hate carrots." Ryan tells me. Once he'd cleaned my face, and I'd told him everything that happened with Simon and at work, he ordered takeout from our favorite Mexican food place. Now we're seated on the couch, where we've been eating quietly for a few minutes until this stunning confession. What a let down; is he stalling? Because that is so not going to work. I give him a look, but he ignores it. "I grew up in New York City with my Uncle Chris, and my sister, Skye." He continues, before taking a long swallow of water. I watch his Adams apple bob, wondering if he's nervous. I don't know how to feel about that revelation; should I be nervous if he is? Or is he nervous because what he's going to tell me might change our relationship?

"Why'd you move back here?" I ask, not in the mood to beat around the bush. I'm done playing games, and I'm done being lied to because obviously he hasn't been telling me the truth.

He takes his time chewing his food, contemplating his answer before he looks at me. "My Uncle is Chris Griffin, he's the leader of a prominent gang." He tells me, watching my face the entire time. My mind swims for a second, and I look toward the TV where Alabama plays soundlessly on the screen. His Uncle raised him. His Uncle is a gang leader. I swallow the lump in my throat, turning to look back at him.

"So, not a mob member." I half heartedly joke, causing Ryan to smile but it doesn't reach his eyes.

"No." He confirms, "The gang was based out of New York City: so I don't know why they're here. The only thing I can come up with is that my uncle has a score to settle."

"A score to settle?" I blurt, turning my body halfway to him, suddenly not hungry. "What are you talking about?"

"My Uncle trained me, that's how I got so good at fighting." He admits, another lie squashed. Just how many did he tell? "I grew up learning under him because he wanted me to take over for him. I hated every minute of it: but there was nothing I could do until I turned eighteen, then I got my out of there, along with my sister and Ben."

"Ben?" I blurt. I rub my temples, of course that would be how they met. This is what Ben was telling Ryan to tell me about the other night when they thought I was asleep. Ben knew exactly what we were dealing with, and he wanted me to be prepared.

He nods, his face grim. "He got involved in his first semester of college. I helped him get out of a fight at the bar after he used a fake id. Chris was there, and he invited Ben to the hideout. It was too late then; when you're in the gang, you either know about It and join, or you know about it and die." He states this so matter of factly, while I feel like my lunch is going to come up. Ryan and Ben have been lying to me. Ryan's Uncle is after him for reasons unknown to me, and I've been attacked by some guy who apparently has ties to the gang; also, if you even know about the gang and aren't a member, you die.

"So who is Simon?"

Ryan sighs, leaning back on the couch. "One of Chris' minions. He has a handful of guys who do dirty work while he waits to make his move. He's a dramatic bastard."

"So your cut last night," I raise a brow, and he looks over to me; those beautiful green eyes guarded.

"Simon and the minions. They ambushed me; I can handle five guys at once, but when someone pulls a knife it throws me off a bit, slows me down." He elaborates, and I inhale, trying desperately to wrap my head around all this. I'm dating an ex gang member- but he didn't want to be one. He lied to me, but he was going to tell me; yet, I can't look at him.

"Why are they coming after you?" I ask again, wanting to know everything he knows, so we can finally be on the same page.

He frowns, before rubbing his chin. "I did a good job of keeping underground for a while. I enrolled Skye at the University of Georgia under a different name; I use my female alias in any documents the gang could find. It's why I work from home, and Mack doesn't require any official documents. In the past month though, they somehow found me." His eyes turn serious and he takes my hand. "I never would have allowed you to be my roommate or bring you into this if I knew they'd find me: but after I had you-" He pauses, setting his jaw. "It was selfish and I'm sorry."

I nod slowly, allowing this information to settle in my mind. He squeezes my knee, then collects his empty plate and my mine, with my half eaten dinner, and heads into the kitchen, leaving me with my thoughts. I'm still so frustrated that he lied, and yet, the understanding part of me realizes how he had to grow up. He lost his parents, and was forced into a life he didn't want; a life of drugs, and God only knows what else. I can't imagine growing up that way. Having to live a way because if you didn't, your guardian would kill you? Having to be on the run, ensuring your sister can live a normal life. Having to guard everything you do. My heart breaks when I imagine a young Ryan being forced to live that way, that he wanted nothing more than to get away from. I stand, watching him as he washes the dishes quietly. My feet move without hesitation and I wrap my arms around him from behind, resting my cheek against his back and closing my eyes. He sighs in relief, gripping my hands in his, then kissing them. "Everyone has a past, right?" I repeat what he told me the first time I brought up Miles. He turns, wrapping me in his arms, holding me close. Who knew I would go from a control freak to an ex gang member?