In the Middle - Book One

Chapter 33

I hadn't slept at all last night. I was cuddled with Julian and his body kept me warm but I couldn't do it.
What had I done? I was freaking out, had I given in? Was I apart of the mob now?
Ezra had made it clear this entire time I had been apart of a mob. I just hadn't known it.
I choose them, no. I choose Julian. I didn't regret my choice.

Whatever my biological father was messed up in wasn't my home. It wasn't my burden, but this... this all felt like mine now.

'Hey, you okay?' Julian asked. It was ten o'clock and I was chilling on the couch downstairs again.
'What?! Oh uh, yeah. I'm good.' I answered.
'You know you're like the worst liar?!' He smiled and sat down beside me.
'I'm not lying, really I'm all good.' He bit his lip, he was looking at every inch of my face but my eyes.
'Is this about what Ezra said yesterday? The mob stuff? I'm kinda worried about it too. I don't want them doing anything I'll kill them for later.' He spoke.

'What are you talking about?!' He shook his head.
'I'll talk to them okay?' He stood up and walked over to the closet door. What was he doing? He flicked something and opened it.
What the fuck?
He walked into it. I stood up and followed him.

It hadn't been a closet. A small hallway let to another door, Julian had already gone inside. The second door was silver, small keypad on the side.
What the fuck was going on? I thought. I moved closer but far enough away I couldn't be seen.

'What? You look like you wanna fight someone!' It was Ezekiel. Maybe, the twins sounded a lot alike.
'I don't want Zoie in any of this!' Julian spoke. His voice strong and deep.
'Julian...'
'I'm serious, I don't want her to be involved. What the fuck was all that yesterday anyway?'
'We had to know which side she is on!'
'She's on my side, with me, cause she is my girlfriend.'
'Yeah? And what if Romeo and Juliet break up?'

This person was definitely Ezekiel. His voice had always been sharper, plus he'd been the bigger ass.
'Why do you say shit like that?' Julian questioned.
'You two break up and she goes running off to her dad. To his mob! She knows shit about us Julian, that's why I didn't want her in any sort of way attached to this family in the beginning.'

'You don't get to choose that!'
'Yes I do!' Someone threw something loud, metal. It made a clash. I jumped and pressed myself against the wall.

'I am the one dealing with all this shit! I'm the one fucking fixing everything!'

'You don't know anything about her!'
'You're right Julian. We don't know anything about her, so we don't know what she'll do.' Now it was Kaden speaking. His voice softer than the twins.

'You don't even try to know her.' Julian defended.
'If she is anything like her father....'
'She's not!'
'If she is..... she is bad for business.' Ezra said.
'That's all you think about?'
'That is what we are running here Julian! We are running a business. It's nothing personal.' Ezra continued.

Nothing personal. The twins hated me and they knew it.
'It never is with you two.' Julian spoke. Silence filled the room. It seemed to make time stand still.

'Of course were not going to Julian, we aren't going to use her for anything. She doesn't know shit! You think I'm gonna put my business on the line to what? Give her a week of experience she'll put on her college applications? We just had to know what side she is on.' Someone spoke, softer and calmer than before. I stepped back into the living room. Sitting down before Julian came out.

A door slammed and then he came out. Red faced and mad. He ran a hand through his hair and over his face.

'You okay?' I asked.
'Yeah.' He nodded. He sat beside me in the couch.
'I'm sorry.' He said. I sat confused.
'Wh...why?'
'For ever getting you caught up in all of this.' I shook my head.