Devil on the Rooftop [Book 1]

Chapter 40 - Khaleel.

Pinecrest Grove was completely out of the way for us. We had to call a cab just to get there. I led my boys through the newly developed neighbourhoods, full of unfinished homes and dirt roads. It seemed like the perfect place to hold a hostage but there were a lot of variables to consider. Construction workers were one and homeowners were another. I was sure Doberman wasn't taking those things into consideration. I was sure he was too busy plotting revenge to think someone might hear the ruckus we were about to cause.

Dobberman said he wanted to talk in person but I knew better than to believe him. The guy was a coward. He loved acting like he was in charge, but when it came down to execution, he couldn't man the strings alone.

We filled Zander in on the drive over, but the more we disclosed, the angrier he got. He yelled at Hino for being reckless and chewed me out for keeping secrets. I could tell he was mad at Loyal the most, for preaching honesty while withholding information.

"Which way?" Zander asked, pissed.

"This way," Hino directed, using the GPS on his phone. Zander got ahead of us, passive aggressively, and went off on his own.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes."This is why I don't tell him things."

We were all fuelled and driven by different things in life; independence, ambition, freedom, and our parents expectations of us. Zander, on the other hand, was rooted by his erratic emotions and sensitive heart. There was no doubt in my mind that he would sacrifice the world for it—for Tomasia. When he got older, I was sure he would be the most emotionally mature idiot to come out of our little group.

Hino picked up his pace. Loyal and I followed suit. A couple minutes later, the GPS directed the four of us to an unfinished house with a brick roof, big clean windows, and a newly constructed porch. It was getting dark but the night couldn't conceal the group of guys lounging on it. As expected, Dobberman was not around. This was definitely a trap. Another set-up to hit us where it would really hurt. Not that it mattered. We weren't leaving without Arisa.

I strolled up to the house with my boys, determined to avenge those Dobberman had wronged over the last couple of days, and years. It took his crew a few seconds to stop talking about the best action movie to ever come out, and notice us crossing into their territory. Hino, Loyal, and I deadpanned at them. It was better to let them come to us, instead of rushing in to attack, but Zander had other plans.

"Come out, Dobberman!" the idiot shouted at the top of his lungs. "Man up!"

Our opponents assumed their positions off the porch and lined up to take us down. There had to be at least ten of them. The odds weren't in our favour, but we had been in enough fights to handle this, especially with Hino on our side. Even on his worst days, he was able to take a hit, and walk away with his head intact.

"Khaleel," Loyal spoke.

"Yeah?"

"We follow you today," he told me. "You're the fastest and strongest right now. Break through and find Arisa."

I winked at Hino. We were evenly matched when it came to brute strength and speed but I had no problem taking lead today. Especially since Hino was walking around with an arm sling. I knew it wasn't going to slow him down in the slightest; he would probably find a way to use his handicap as an advantage. That was just the kind of fighter he was.

I cracked my knuckles. "You got it."

Loyal stepped up, grabbed Zander by the back of his jacket, and pulled him aside. I zipped past my friend, ignoring his bewildered expression, and went in for the first attack. My knuckles collided with the first face it could find. The impact awoke something dark and twisted inside me, something I had learned to suppress over the years. I didn't want to go full beast on them, but I had enough pent up aggression to give them a taste. I grabbed a hold of a wrist and twisted it before tossing my prey aside. I kicked another guy in the stomach, so I could dodge the one coming at me from behind. I turned and whacked one more across the head and showed teeth to the rest standing by.

"Come on," I encouraged. "At least make it a challenge."

Zander escaped Loyal's clutches and hurdled in to lend me a hand. Hino and Loyal followed.

That was my cue to press on. I hit a few more ugly faces coming out of the house, and tossed them over the porch. I was about to enter the property when a haggard looking Arisa appeared in front of me. Her beautiful blue eyes flashed up to catch my gaze. For a moment, I lost myself in them. For a moment, I forgot where I was and what I was doing. Her wheat hair was a mess and her shirt looked like it had been ripped open, exposing her cleavage, and belly button. I moved my hand behind her back and brought her close to my chest. I could smell fear on her. I could feel her entire body quivering in my arms.

These fuckers didn't just deserve a taste—no, they were about to get the full course meal of my rage. I glanced at the bald guy standing by the wide staircase. He looked almost as haggard as Arisa and I could only guess it was because she gave him a run for his money. It wasn't good enough. Not by my standards. He was going to learn what happened when he messed with one of my own.

"You've done it now," I said, relaxing my shoulders. "I haven't let lose like this in a minute."