Look After You | Colby Brock

Pay Up

The smell of pizza fills the car as Colby hands me it over before sitting back in the driver seat. The warm feeling on my lap makes me feel cosy as we drive through the dull rainy weather. "I guess we can stop somewhere and just eat in the car." Colby looks at me and I nod. "This is basically our second date huh." I wink at him and he chuckles quietly, "Well, girlfriend, there will definitely be plenty more pizza dates." I smile at his comment.

He pulls up into a warehouse car park after driving for a while in downtown LA. I lift a brow at him as he turns to me in his seat and lifts the pizza box onto the dashboard. "What?" He laughs quietly, "This is kind of creepy?" I say, grabbing a slice of pizza. "Suits me then huh."

I eat quietly as Colby plays some music from his phone to fill the air, "Do you normally park in abandoned warehouse car parks?" I ask, wiping my mouth from any sauce. Colby swallows the food in his mouth before answering, "It's broad daylight. I don't usually till it's dark" He laughs at his own comment causing me roll my eyes. "You're definitely a creep." He gasps.

Just as I take a bite out of the second slice of pizza I glance through the window of the car, luckily Colby left the wipers on so we can see our surroundings despite the rain. "What the.." I mumble, looking at the warehouse as the large doors open and a couple of what looks to be younger boys run inside wearing all black. Colby clears his throat and attempts to change the subject "Pizza is hot.." I frown. "Did you see that?" I look at him and he looks ahead at the warehouse before looking back at me, "They probably own it." I scoff at his response.

I finish the second slice of the pizza keeping my eyes peeled on the warehouse that has had no movement in a while as Colby types away on his phone. It is rather strange for Colby to act sketchy as two men run inside a abandoned warehouse dressed like they have just robbed a bank. I jump as Colby's phone begins to ring, taking me from my thoughts. He looks at me before wiping his hand he was eating pizza with on his jeans and stepping out the vehicle, answering with a "What" as he picks up the phone.

He paces around the car as he speaks down the phone, I close the pizza box as I lose my appetite, Colby can finish it if he wants to stop standing out in the rain to talk to someone on the phone. I sit up in my seat as the two gentlemen from earlier appear back at the warehouse doors, although this time one of them has a tight grip on another boy who looks..hurt? Just as I'm about to get out the car Colby places a hand on my window to tell me to stay before running in their direction. I gasp, fiddling with my seatbelt before climbing out, remaining behind the open door.

"What the fuck!" Colby shouts, taking the injured person from the two other guys, one of them pulls the scarf from his face, suddenly my heart begins to beat out my chest as I see Brennen. "If you can't do it then I'll need to. Take him to the hospital and don't fucking say a word. Not even to your little girlfriend." He tells Colby, I look from Brennen to the other boy who is staring right at me, the more I stare the more apparent the person becomes, it's Jake.

Colby doesn't fight back with Brennen as he grabs the injured individual and comes towards the car, Jake continues to stare at me before turning on his heel and following Brennen back inside the warehouse. I rush towards Colby to help the boy, his face seems familiar but I can't quite put my finger on who it is just yet. Probably because blood is coming from his lip and nose and the bruising is making everything unrecognisable. "What is going on?" I almost yell at Colby as I help him put the individual in the back. Colby sighs, climbing into the drivers seat. I look from the car to the warehouse, part of me wanting to rush in there for answers since Colby is just going to be blunt. But decide against it.

"I need answers you know." I mumble, buckling up my seatbelt as Colby speeds out of the car park. "I know babe. Listen, my priority here is to get this guy to the hospital before he..I don't know, dies in my back seat." He says, concentrating on the road. "You're still working for him?!" I yell, Colby shakes his head.

"No, fuck no. I know which days people are due to pay up, I tried warning this idiot and he didn't listen. I came hoping I could maybe stop the beating but Sam called me and told me Brennen was there today so I didn't know what to do." I look from Colby to the guy in the back who groans as he wiping the blood from his nose to his pants.

"What is Jake doing there?" I ask, "We used to be friends A. Back in Kansas and you know I told you a little while ago something happened and we stopped talking, we've been hanging out a bit since I know you and him are good friends and I wanted that drama to be gone for your sake. But Brennen probably offered him a shit ton of money." He looks at me sympathetically.

"What the fuck." The guy in the back seat groans, I look at him as he pushes himself up. "You're fine. We're nearly at the hospital." Colby tells him, "Shit..you were right." He responds. "I warned you Mitch." He sighs. Mitch, he's the same guy that Will was fighting with at Kat's party, that must be where I recognise him from.

"Text my girl will you, they took my phone." Colby helps Mitch out the car into the emergency department of the hospital. I sigh, waiting patiently for Colby to return to the car. Thoughts are swimming in my mind. This is pretty serious shit.

"I'm sorry." Colby says as he climbs back into the car, pulling up Mitch's girlfriends number to send her a text. "How did he know you were there to clean up his mess?" I ask, Colby places his phone back into his pocket and fastens his seat belt before answering. "Kat was texting me and Brennen caught up with the fact I was around, Kendall apparently was spending the day with Kat." I nod. "Jesus Christ, this shit is intense." I chuckle quietly. Colby nods, "That's exactly why I need your help." He looks at me and I suddenly realise he's being serious. "With what?" I mutter, he nods "We need Brennen to stop this shit. Permanently." I look away from Colby who has tightened his grip on the steering wheel. I can tell he's angry that Brennen has hurt so many people, I just hope he doesn't take matters into his own hands and actually goes to the cops.