His

Chapter 1

Ryder Hayes growled and slammed his fists into his desk. "What?!" He yelled at his informant. He bowed his head in fear, "Laughing Coffin blew up Milton's truck, and he was in it." Milton, Ryder's second hand man.

Jorge came rushing into the room, "Is it true? Milton's dead?" Jorge was heart broken, his fiance now gone. "I'm sorry Jorge." Ryder told his friend truthfully. Milton was a good man, with his heart always in the right place. Tears began to trail down his face, "What the hell do I tell Brittney?" He muttered it softly as he paced but Ryder heard him.

"Who is Brittney?" He asked him. "His sister." Jorge told him. "The reason Milton joined the gang in the first place." Jorge clenched his fists, "He wanted the best for her, to make sure she didn't step foot into this godforsaken city!" "Leave the room Craig." Ryder said to his informant. Craig shut the door behind him. "Who else knows he has a sister?" "Besides me, you and Craig." He replied. "Does she know about the gang?" He asked Jorge. Jorge nodded, "He told her everything, in case something like this happened. She wanted to ask us to leave, but she didn't, knowing we made great friends and family here and she didn't want to take us from that." Jorge wiped the tears from his eyes. "He was her only family."

"Where is she?" Ryder asked him. "Highland Hills." Jorge answered. Ryder nearly choked, "How does she afford that? Milton making money on the side?" Jorge shook his head, "She's a famous violinist and dancer. Folks in this part of the world wouldn't know her, but leave this city and she's the shit. All the money Milton made went to her going to dance and violin lessons. He wanted her to make something of herself, and because she was so grateful, she did. On nights we disappeared, it was to go to her concerts. Milton never missed a show that was close. All the others were recorded and burned on to a DVD for him to watch."

Ryder nodded and stood, "I think it's best we go inform her in person." Jorge nodded and they left together, with Jorge driving. Ryder sat in silence, hating these visits. Any time he lost a man, he went in person to inform whoever their family was. This was the first time he had to go outside the city.

The mansion they pulled up too was large with white columns, reminding Ryder of the Parthenon. Jorge punched in a code in the gate and it swung open. Jorge rang the bell and the door was opened by a man in a tux. "It's a little late for a visit don't you think Master Jorge?" The butler asked. Jorge nodded, "I know David, but this is an emergency." David nodded and stepped back, letting them in.

"We'll be in the living room." Jorge told the butler, leading Ryder through the house. Ryder had expected priceless paintings and vases. Instead the walls were decorated with beautiful Disney watercolors with a quote near the top. They got to the living room and he saw many pictures of Brittney, Milton, and Jorge together. Jorge and Milton lived two lives both light and dark. Jorge paced the living room as they waited for Brittney.

A woman with blonde and blue hair came in wearing only a pair of purple pajama bottoms and a dark purple sports bra. "Jorge, what's wrong?" She asked him. Jorge's eyes filled with tears, "I'm so sorry Brit." His voice broke as he spoke. She took a step back, her eyes filling with tears. "No." She said. "He can't be gone." "I'm sorry." Jorge told her again, stepping forward.

"You-You promised!" She screamed at Jorge. "You promised me you'd protect him!" He pulled her into his arms, despite the fact she began to fight. "I know. I know Brittney, and I'm so sorry." She then stopped fighting, and clutched to him, as if she were hanging on for dear life. She cried into his shirt and he held her.

Ryder would never get used to seeing the pain and agony a family goes through once the news has been broken to them. After a few minutes she pulled away and looked at Ryder. "You're Ryder Hayes, the leader of Stone Edge?" Ryder nodded, "I am. You have my condolences." "What happened?" She asked him.

"Brit, you don't want to know." Jorge tried. "I do." She snapped. "My brother is dead, and the police down there won't do shit to find his killer." Ryder saw a fire ignite in her eyes. "He was at the grocery store when members of Laughing Coffin attached a remote activated bomb to the underside of his truck." Ryder told her. 

"And what are you doing to find who did it?" She asked him. "Whatever it takes." Ryder answered her. "I never let one of my men's death go unavenged." "I want to help." She told him. "You can't." Jorge snapped at her. "I can!" She snapped back. "He was my brother." "And he was my fiance." Jorge told her. "And I know damn well you're going to get to help, no way in hell am I sitting on the damn sidelines waiting for results."

"It's gang business." Jorge told her. "You're not apart of it." "The moment those bastards strapped a bomb to my brother's truck, it made me a part of it." She countered. "Don't let Milton's hard work to keep you out of that city be for nothing." Jorge threw at her. "If our roles were reversed, he'd want to find my killer and you know he'd do it come hell or high water."

Jorge looked to Ryder, "It's your call boss." Ryder looked to her, "How prepared are you to do what it takes?" "Very prepared." She said, head held high. He studied her and could see she meant it. "You can come, but if shit goes south, you won't have any protection, unless you join the gang."

"If it takes me joining the gang, then so be it." She told him. Jorge ran a hand through his hair, giving up the fight. They both wanted blood for Milton's death, so together they'll go after it.