♛Cameron Dawson♛

I grip Harley's hand tightly as we enter the bar, ignoring the looks from the various guys looming around it. Their eyes slide over Harley, observing her tight black jeans that make her legs look long and the leather jacket that fits her snugly and covers the blue shirt she has on underneath. They basically fuck her with their eyes and I suppress a growl, not wanting to make any enemies before I get a chance to even join the damn gang but Harley doesn't seem to care as she scowls at them which earns her a wink and laughter.

I ignore it as I push the door open and step foot into the bar. The scent of alcohol is the first thing that hits me and then the air conditioning. I glance around and notice the size of it, coming to the conclusion that this place is huge for a bar. Two doors are in each corner and between them is the bar table that has velvet bar stools behind it. Men and women drink together as they sit there, laughing and talking. Most of them are tattooed and some are wearing a particular leather jacket, one which has a long green stripe going down on either arm and the face of a snake with its mouth open and fangs sticking out on the the right shoulder blade.

And I instantly know we're at the right place.

Across the room is a small stage and against the walls are couches with tables in the centre. Pool tables take up a large space next to the stage and it seems as if a group of boys- no older than fifteen- are playing a game of pool when they should really be in school, getting a damn education.

Then my eyes meet a pair of all too familiar grey ones and my posture straightens before Percy slides out of her seat and saunters up to us. I am still amazed at her height- she's nearly the same as me- and I raise a brow at the disgruntled look on her face.

"Now that you two are done analyzing the front," she says in greeting, "let's get what you really came here for over with, yeah?" She doesn't wait for a response before turning on her heel and walking to the door on the far right. I take it as our queue to follow her and so I do, Harley's hand tightening around mine.

The hallway is long and a door is visible right at the end.

"Back door." Is all Percy says when she catches me staring. We continue walking on the red plush carpet before Percy opens a door on the right and enters. The gang is then revealed to us. This room is a little emptier with a small bar in the corner and mostly chairs in the room. However, men and women, teenagers, which all have that leather jacket on are in here, talking amongst each other. The minute they notice Harley and I, the room quietens down and I wonder how big this gang is if this is only part of it when there's at least thirty people in the room. As my eyes slide over all of the unfamiliar faces in the room, I take the time to observe them. Nearly everyone is wearing that particular leather jacket I saw other's with out front. Most of the people before me have tattoos and piercings and shaved hairstyles- everything that one can expect gang members to have. There are a few who look like reasonably average citizens but it's the cynical glint in their eyes that give their real identity away.

"Persephone," someone in the crowd- a tall man with feline features and crooked teeth- asks, "who are these people?"

The attention that we are given is unwelcome and I pull Harley closer to me. Before anyone has anything to say though, the door opens and closes and in comes Jack who frowns when he notices the stiff atmosphere and the murderous look on his members gazes before he notices us and he breaks into a smile.

"I see you've all met two of our newest members."

****

When the crowd had started murmuring, Jack pulled Harley and I out of the room and through another door before we went down a set of stairs to his office, it seemed. From the steps, it didn't look like a lavish office would be below and yet there is.

"Sit." Jack instructs when we enter his office which smells distinctly of cigar. Harley passes me a hesitant glance but we both slide into a seat. Jack relaxes into his own, lazily clasping his hands in front of him. "It's good to finally have you here."

We don't respond.

Jack sits up. "Alright. Let's get everything clear." He begins, face the epitome of seriousness. "First thing you both need to understand is that our rival gang is The Kings. They're on the West side which means its their territory. You don't overstep that boundary unless I say so." His face is a mix of anger and deadly calm. "But, if they even put a fucking toe over into our territory, you beat them. Beat them- until they wish you would kill them- and send them back. Cut their tongue out, take a finger or two, skin their arm- I don't fucking care- but you don't let them come near us without consequences being enforced. And if you don't do anything to the member, you will bear their consequences because you're as much our enemies as them if you let one of those... bastards go unscathed."

Harley's face is a ghostly pale, her hands trembling slightly so that she grips the chair hard and I see her gulp. This isn't what we're supposed to have to deal with. She can barely cope with the death of Frank, how is she supposed to do all that Jack is asking? If she sees a member from the opposing gang, I can almost guarantee she won't do this. She can't. She doesn't have it in her- hear heart is too good, too kind. And I know that Harley won't do it even if it means that's her only way to survive. She'd rather hurt herself than do that to someone who hasn't done anything.

Jack glances at us before letting out a breath. "Now that the jist of that has being cleared, let's get down to the real shit." He turns to me. "Xavier will assist you in the fighting Cameron. He's in charge with regards to that. I want you fighting as many nights as you can, as many times as possible."

"And how much is that?" I ask incredulously. Jack shrugs casually.

"I'd say every night and at least two fights a night but Xavier will give me his opinion with regards to that. I might lead this gang but he knows more about the fighting than I do. Which is why I suggest you don't try anything stupid, Cameron. Xavier can kill you with one blow.

"A lot of money is placed on my fighters which is why if you lose, I lose. And let me tell you, losing doesn't make me very happy. You're going to work your ass off to beat your opponents. The last thing I need is my members looking weak."

I try to digest what he has said before he turns to Harley who seems like she's going to pass out.

"And you'll be racing every night-"
Harley opens her mouth to protest but Jack holds up a hand to silence her. "I don't care what you have to say, Harley. You're racing and no matter what you say, that's not changing. You can put a bullet through your brain to prevent it and I will resurrect you just to put you in that fucking car." Harley flinches and I growl. "Isaac is in charge of anything relating to the racing so you're answerable to him, as well. And he, too, can be rather... sour when he loses. I know you raced back in Oregon but the track here is different. And you will also be forced to go against our rival gang and you better make sure that you win or so help me, you'll regret it."

I want to yell at him for talking to Harley like that, like she's beneath him. I want to wrap my hands around this man's throat and choke the air out of him but I cannot. Not when he has Harley's future right in the palm of his hands.

"I can't race Jack." Harley grits out eventually and I cast her a warning look. "I'll never win."

A sadistic smile slips onto Jack's face and he leans forward so that he leans against his desk.

"Isaac can help you get back into the swing of things." He says just as the door opens. "Oh! Look who's here."

A tall man stands by the door with blonde hair and green eyes. He seems about my age and rather lean but when his eyes meet the girl beside me, I notice something off. When I look over at Harley, her face is whither- if that's even humanely possible- and she's no longer sitting down. This time she's standing up and she's pressing herself against the wall as if trying to escape the man's presence. But it's the tears in her eyes that makes me stand up and place myself between her and whoever this guy is.

"Harley?" The man says, his dark eyebrows drawing together before he looks at Jack in question. "What is she doing here?"

Confusion washes over me but a sneaking suspicion wraps itself around my throat.

Jack smiles as he glances at Harley. "These are our newest members. Well, they will be after initiation, Cyrus."

I'm about to ask what the fuck 'initiation' refers to when I notice the name.

Cyrus.

Harley's brother. This can't be a coincidence.

Cyrus glances back at Harley and then me and I have to restrain myself from beating his face in. Every time Harley has ever spoken about her pathetic excuse of a brother, I've wished I could just give him a taste of what he deserves and now that he's standing in front me, I still can't do that. Not with Jack here.

"Harley-"

"Don't." She hisses venomously at her brother, so much so that even I'm unnerved. "Don't even try. I don't want to hear it, okay? I don't fucking want to hear it!"

I'm taken back by the raw emotion in her voice- the hurt and anger. Her brother left her. He left her with their father who used Harley as a punching bag so that he could join a gang? So while he was living his life, Harley was getting locked in a basement and getting beaten to a pulp.

"Cyrus, I'll speak to you later."

It's a subtle way of Jack asking him to leave and Cyrus looks at us with one last lingering glance before he leaves the room. I hear Harley's ragged breathing behind me and I come to the realization that this is going to be a lot harder than I thought.

****

Jack gives us the keys and directions to an apartment building which seems to be in moderately good condition when we arrive at it. It's not too far from the gang and Jack lets us know that various Slither members live in it- including Harley's brother- which made me more uncomfortable than anything.

And then he went on to explain initiation. Initiation wasn't supposed to happen to anyone being forced into the gang but he mentioned it would raise questions from the members if we didn't do it. I already knew that taking part in the initiation was the quickest way for us to earn respect- and loyalty- from the gang. But he didn't get into it which now leaves me with a million different ideas of what the initiation consists of.

The apartment is themed green and black when we enter, making it dark and gloomy- a contrast from our house that was grey and white and very airy. It's simple- good enough for Harley and I until we find a new place. I'm interrupted from observing the kitchen and living room that's an open-floor setup when I hear a door slam shut and then the sound of heaving. I immediately drop my bags and head to the bathroom where I push the door open to see Harley leaning over the toilet and I purse my lips as I grip her hair and keep it away from her face.

When she's emptied her stomach into the toilet bowl and there's nothing left to bring up, she leans back against the wall, closing her eyes for a moment. I watch her in silence before I finally break it:

"Are you okay?"

She faces me with a solemn look before exhaling. "No."

I don't know what else to say so I simply sit beside her, shoulder to shoulder while she sits silently.

"He told me he left me because he got involved in some other mess that he didn't want me a part of." She eventually says, eyes focused on her hands. "And then I find out he's a part of a gang. Something he had a choice over and, yet, I'm still getting dragged in."

The hurt is evident in her words and I find myself pulling her into my side. I can't imagine what she's feeling. Her own brother didn't return to her because he chose a gang over her and left his own sister with the same man who beat him. And then he still had the audacity to ask for forgiveness when he saw her all those months ago at the diner.

"I don't want to hate him, Danté." She mutters hoarsely. "But I... I just..."

"He hurt you Harley. He betrayed you. You have every right to resent him." I cut her off and she pulls away to look at me.

"But that's the thing- I wish I didn't. I wish I didn't have a reason to hate him. But I do."

I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"He doesn't deserve your love." I tell her and she looks away.

"Yeah, well, he clearly felt I didn't deserve his."

My eyebrows draw together and I clip her chin as I force her to look at me. "Hey," I say, looking between both of her eyes. "Don't let him have the power to hurt you again. It's okay to love him because he's your brother but hate him because of what he did. But it's not okay to let him push you back to square one when you've finally started healing from that part of your past."

Harley nods and I see the tears she's desperately trying to blink away before I pull her into my chest. She sighs into my shirt and I kiss her forehead, wishing that I could take her pain away more than anything. It seems that that part of her past will always be a sensitive wound and loom over her head, no matter how hard she tries to move on from it.

We sit like that for a while before she pulls away from me, twisting her hair into a makeshift bun at the bottom of her head. However, due to the length, pieces fall out to frame her face and I take the moment to admire how beautiful she is. She then stretches her legs out in front of her and glances at me.

"You okay with fighting?"

I chew on my lip. "You okay with racing?"

A grim smile twitches her lips as she stares at her boots.

"Honestly? No. But I don't have a choice." She responds and I sigh before she shakes her head. "But you fighting... I don't know how to feel about that."

I do.

Sure, I box to keep in shape and I'm not too bad in the fighting department but it's not something I've focused on and I'm not sure I'll be able to beat guys who train to beat people to death. The ring is going to be ruthless and I can't help but think that I'm not strong enough for them. I've never being trained for this. But I, too, have to do what I got to do. Even if it might just kill me.

"I have to do it." I shrug.

Harley sighs. "I know."

It's quiet again.

"Promise me you'll be careful?" She asks hopefully and I give her a small smile.

"I promise."

When my back starts aching from sitting on the floor, I stand up and offer Harley my hand before pulling her up. We leave the bathroom and we head to the bedroom which is still themed green but has white included. There's a double bed pushed in the middle with a desk in front of it. Cupboards line the left hand side and a barely-there balcony is on the right.

"This bed is tiny." Harley mutters when she enters. "Guess we're giving sex up along with our freedom."

I toss her a wink. "I'm sure we can make do."

"Sure." She responds sarcastically.

"You didn't complain about space the last time in my car so...?"

She rolls her eyes before she begins unpacking her clothes into one of the cupboards and I make sure to shove the guns under the bed, underneath a bunch of clothing. When we're done unpacking, we both collapse on the bed and I pull her against my chest as I rest my head in the crook of her neck.

"See... it's not so bad. And it'll be even better when I'm on top of you. Or you on top of me. Either way is fine with me."

She slaps my chest before giggling and then drifting off to a soundless sleep while I keep a tight grip on her, hoping that she doesn't float away.

•••
Don't forget to vote and comment if you enjoyed the chapter!
This chapter was quite eventful and you've all finally seen Cyrus's part/role at the moment. You'll definitely be seeing more of him :)
Also, two chapters will be uploaded every update instead of one because I'd like to complete this story earlier this year <3 so chapter 8 is up too!

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