Lastly (L.T.)

Chapter 13

Neither Louis or I said anything for several seconds, his icy blue eyes were searing into my violet ones. His eyes were cold and fearless, I wondered what was going on behind them.

His voice was sharp as a glass edge when he spoke, it had none of Tommo's flirty heat, "where's Liam?"

He kept his gun pointed at me but his eyes scanned the room, likely looking for Liam's body. It took me a moment to notice how panicked he was, he must really care about Liam.

I shrugged, keeping my smirk glued in place, "he's just fine. A little tied up with a bit of a headache but nothing more."

Louis's face showed no emotion, but his shoulders relaxed a bit with relief.

Now for the fun part, I stood up casually, holding my empty plate in one hand and keeping the gun trained on Louis with the other. I dumped the plate in the sink, and lifted myself up onto the counter casually where Liam had been sitting.

I was expecting Louis to look at least a little angry from my cocky actions, Jay had said he had a temper after all, I mean he had killed one of his own men.

Niether of us spoke for several seconds, and I was surprised when Louis broke the ice a second time, "why did you stay here waiting for me?"

"Cat was out of the bag," I told him truthfully, "I wanted to have a halfway honest conversation." I couldn't stop my tone turning slightly bitter at the end.

He raised an eyebrow, "every conversation we've had has been honest, love."

My temperature raised when he said the word love, and I moved to snap back at him, before he realized he was right. We had both used our real names, and we had both agreed. We had both just chosen to leave our professions out of the matter, but he had lied to me at one point.

"It wasn't a gang raid like you said." I pointed out.

He rolled his eyes, "technically it was, he's a member of my gang, so it's a one-man raid."

My eyes widened as he realized what he meant, "you let me shoot one of your men just so you could figure out how accurate of a shot I have?!"

"He was stupid anyways."

I was a killer and a bad person, but the little amount of respect for the lives of his own members made a twist in my gut that I didn't like.

I frowned at him, "if you already knew my reputation, who I was, and why I was here, why didn't you just kill me when you first found me in the store? Why did you bother testing my abilities?"

His lips curled up into a sinister smile not unlike the one I had just given him.

"Because I wanted to make you a deal."

I frowned, I had been under the impression that he would not want to make a deal, that was why I had made the decision to kill him. I had miss read this man, he was smart. Too smart. I was guessing at his next move when I should have been three steps ahead. Why would he want to make a deal? I was supposed to be the one negotiating, but I didn't have time to question his motives. I was here to save my gang, and if Louis wanted to make a deal in order for that to happen, I was going to have to agree.

"Okay."

"Wonderful." He responded simply, and clicked his safety back on, and slipped his handgun back into the waistband of his pants.

I slowly lowered my gun, keeping the safety off but pointing it at the ground, away from him.

He relaxed a bit and walked around me to the outside of the counter top, pulling a chair away so it sat backwards, and sat down straddling it.

He cut right to the point, "I want to begin trading again with your gang, but I want something in return."

He was giving me exactly what I wanted, but the fact that he knew I couldn't tell him no was disconcerting. I would have to agree to whatever he wanted, I had to save this trade agreement.

"Well what is it that you need?" I tried to keep my voice sharp but I could hear a hint of doubt show through.

He paused for a second, as though he was deep in thought, "I want you to complete one year's worth of missions for me and my gang."

I frowned deeper in shock, "you want me to work for you?"

"You have a particular skill set that I've never seen in another fighter. So I will reinstate the trade agreement, and you will come with me and my gang for one year.

Then it clicked, "You're telling me, you pissed off Jay, murdered two people, and staged a fake gang raid all with the purpose of getting me to work with you for a year?!"

His sinister smirk reappeared, "problem, love?"

I rolled my eyes.

"So we have an agreement?" He raised an eyebrow.

I had no choice. I had no idea what he wanted with me, but it was clear that his unwillingness to trade, the gang raid, his appearance as Tommo, all of it was a ruse to get me. I had no idea what he wanted me for, but I was going to have no choice but to agree. I would be his for a year, doing fuck knows what missions for his gang, in the middle of England.

"Yes."

"Wonderful, feel free to let Mr. Jacques know the terms of our deal. " He pulled my phone out of his pocket and set it next to me on the counter, then put the chair away and walked out of the room without another word.

I picked up the phone, man Jay was going to hate this.

He picked up on the first ring when I called him, "Kestrel, any news?"

My heart saddened at how worried he sounded, knowing it was about to get so much worse.

"Jay, I was able to reinstate the trade deal. Louis Tomlinson will work with you again."

"Well done Kestrel!" He congratulated, "I knew you could do it! I-" He tried to keep talking but I cut him off.

"I struck a deal with him Jay, and there's a price."

His voice dropped several octaves to a frightening growl, "what is his price?"

"I have to work with him for a year. For his gang, and then I'll be home. Just one year, it's okay." I tried to comfort him.

"That BASTARD!" He roared into the phone, and I flinched, moving the phone away from my face, I was going to need to give him time to simmer down.

"I'll call you back later. The gang is safe, and that's what matters."

I hung up.