Devil on the Rooftop [Book 1]

Chapter 44 - Khaleel..

I managed to get a lot of information out of Doberman's lackey. It only took a few more beatings and me threatening to crush his fingers for him to sing like a canary. According to the bald fuck, Doberman was holding grudges against Loyal and Zander, for a number of reasons. His feelings for Tomasia hadn't settled yet, and he was determined to win her over one day. He wasn't planning on making any serious moves against the group because he wanted to stay in Tomasia's good graces, but when he heard Hino was looking for the sum owed, he got pissed. Apparently, he thought it was laughable for us to get paid when we got him expelled from Jackheights.

As if he didn't deserve it.

After a long, exhausting night of overusing my knuckles, I was able to clear out of the Pinecrest Grove with Arisa's phone. The drive back to Loyal's place was short and quiet. I didn't have anything constructive to add and I had a feeling my friend felt the same. By the time we got to his place, we learned Arisa was given a bath, offered some clean pyjamas, and taken to the guest bedroom. "Have we contacted her mother?" Loyal asked Tomasia in the foyer.

"She was too exhausted to," his sister replied.

I took Arisa's phone out of my pocket and handed it to Loyal. "It needs her thumbprint to unlock but we can do it for her," I said.

Loyal wiped the blood that had transferred from my fingers to the device. "You're welcome to stay the night, if you want," he offered.

"I should head home," I said. "It's a full-house with Arisa here."

"I was going to ask you to watch over her for the next little while, anyway," Loyal added. "If you stayed over then you could start doing that tomorrow."

Look after her? Like a bodyguard? I didn't think that was a good idea but I couldn't say no to my friend. "If that's what you want," I replied.

Upstairs, we knocked on the guest bedroom door. Matilda opened it, her solemn expression souring at the sight of us. I guessed she was pissed about almost getting kidnapped with Arisa. Loyal didn't pay any attention to her angry reaction. He shoved past her to Arisa's bedside—I followed suit. I watched my friend grab a hold of her hand and gently hold it in his. He brought the pink phone up to graze her thumb. A loud click echoed in the room, indicating the locked screen had opened. Loyal offered the device to Matilda, who had rushed by me to accept it.

"Call her mother and tell her she's alive," he instructed. Matilda reluctantly obliged and walked off. Oof—I had seen her upset before but nothing like this. It was a little unnerving. I took a slow step forward and caught Loyal stroking Arisa's hair. I think for a moment, he forgot he wasn't alone in the room. Maybe he didn't care anymore. Maybe this was him declaring that Arisa was his and nobody else's. I should have excused myself. I should have walked out right that second but my feet froze in protest. That heavy feeling on my chest returned and my palms began to sweat, dampening my bloody fingers.

"Please," I could hear Arisa muttering in her sleep. "Please, don't leave me again."

My heart fluttered as I recalled that vulnerable expression she wore when I found her in that fucking house. She held onto me so desperately, as if she was begging me to stay with her. I assured her that I wouldn't go anywhere. I assured her that I would never let anything like this happen to her again—and I did it all with a single look.

"Shh," Loyal soothed. "It's okay, I'm right here."