Secret Haven (HIATUS)

Chapter 15~Mistakes

Killing isn't easy, it never has been. But, after you do it for so long, it almost feels like a muscle memory. You do it so often that the shock and adrenaline slowly fades away into familiarity.

That is why, I'm standing here, just outside of the woods, scouting the area, ready to kill anyone that could be threatening.

After going to my classes and watching David all day, I hurried out here to arrive earlier than our agreed meeting time.

Making sure that no one is around, I slowly make my way into the woods, watching my surroundings, knowing I could very easily be walking into a trap.

Keeping close to the edges of the small clearing where I was told to meet, I watch from afar, waiting for something, or someone, to do something.

To say I'm surprised is an understatement when I see my older brother, Steven, walk into the clearing. I stare in shock, for the second time in a row, at who had walked out of the shadows.

"Layla, come on out. I know you're there," Steven says, looking around the forest.

I walk out from my hiding spot slowly, putting my gun in the waistband of my jeans, just in case.

"Hello, Steven," I drawl, walking to him slowly.

He jumps at the sound of my voice and spins around to face me.

He eyes me suspiciously and I notice immediately how nervous and jumpy he is. Even though he quickly puts on a mask portraying a more calm and collected version of himself, I'm still able to see how tense he is.

"Hello little sister. Aren't you looking all grown up?" he asks, trying to act smug, but when he looks over his shoulder, it loses its effect.

"And you're looking just as shady as ever. How's the guard job doing?" I ask, almost amused. Keyword, almost.

"It's been better. I have to say, you really did a number on me. I almost got killed because they blamed me for his murder. But hey, he was probably going to kill me anyways. His buyer found out that I was stealing shipments. So, you kind of did me a favor," he says quickly, chuckling nervously.

"I didn't do it for you, but okay," I pause, looking at him expectantly. "Well? I got your message and here I am. What do you want?" I ask, tired of his games.

"Straight to the point I see, same as always."

"I won't ask again."

"Yeah, okay. So I need your help. I need to hunt someone down. And, since I know you're going to ask, I would ask literally anyone else, but all of my contacts have mysteriously gone missing, one by one. I think I know who it is, and I need you to help me find him."

I almost laugh. "No."

"No? What do you mean, no? You know I wouldn't come to you unless I had something to offer. You don't even want to hear what I have to say?"

"Not really. If that's all, I have better things to do."

"No, wait! Please, I have no one else. If you're mad about what happened when we were kids, I'm sorry okay? I had no other choice. They had to die," he says panicked, talking almost too quickly for me to understand him.

"Stop that. I don't care about your reasons. It was just business. It doesn't matter anymore. If anything, I'll quote you on this, 'You kind of did me a favor'. They were holding me back. Now they're not."

He only stares at me for a few moments before shaking his head. "What did they do to you? 'It's just business' don't give me that. I killed our family, and you stand there and say that it was just business?"