This is a double update as per usual- Chapter 29 was uploaded before this so please make sure you read them in the correct order :)

♕Harley Anderson♕

It feels different waking up the next day. Less hopeless, I suppose. Now that I have a goal in mind- which is to help the Kings take Jack down- there's a newfound sense of determination in my heart and I only hope I can help it grow so that it burns every inch of me. After dinner last night, Danté and I returned home. We didn't speak too much about it but I think we both knew what the other was thinking- that we made the right choice but a dangerous one nonetheless.

Despite this, it now means that I have to involve myself more in the gang, make a point of hearing more, which is the only thing I really don't like about it. The reminder of why exactly I'm going to do it though is enough to make me push through and walk into the gang with a new mindset.

However, instead of Isaac waiting for me in the room like usual, he is nowhere to be seen and I frown before I catch sight of Katalina beckoning me over. Although my heart tells me I can trust her, my mind still seems to feel the need to remind me that she lied about her true intentions and it is that reason that my guards seem to involuntarily go up. Yet, my feet take me to her, my boots making clicking sounds on the wooden floors.

"Hey," I greet when I reach her and she smiles widely.

"I've got good news." She says, her voice light- as if we weren't having dinner last night with the "enemy". With my eyebrows knitting together, I cock my head to the side in question. I rest my hip against the bar table where she leans her elbows on.

"Good news?" The same words leave my mouth and she nods, a few pieces of black mane falling in front of her face.

"Yes. Isaac says that your training is over."

My eyebrows raise in shock and I let out a relived laugh before taking a seat on one of the bar stools. However, I can't help but shake my head in annoyance.

"The jackass couldn't even tell me himself." I mutter in somewhat amusement but mostly irritation. Katalina snorts, scratching the side of her arm.

"To be real, I think the less Isaac speaks to you, the better. The guy is such a moody ass." She remarks with a smirk twisting her lips and I nod my head, shaking my index finger at her in a 'good point' manner.

"That's fair." I respond and she chuckles before we lapse back into silence although it's still filled with the noise from the rest of the members in the room.

"Do you think that Xavier will eventually stop training Cameron?" I find myself asking and Katalina shakes her head.

"Honestly? Nah. Xavier doesn't stop training any of his fighters. But maybe with Cameron it'll be different," she shrugs and my heart deflates a little. My conversation is cut short with Lina when a presence is suddenly looming behind me and I roll my eyes before glancing at her.

Charlotte's hair is in a mess of curls with her septum piercing shining in the light. She reeks of smoke and I scowl at the look of smugness on her face. "Hiya Harley," she drawls out before glancing at Lina, "Katalina." She says distastefully. "Mind me joining?" Instead of giving us time to respond, she takes a seat on the chair between Lina and I anyway. Subtly, I scoot a little further away.

My eyes meet Lina's across Charlotte and it seems I'm not the only one unhappy about the brunette's presence. Casually, she pulls out a cigarette and places it between her lips before lighting it up. Taking a long drag, she exhales a cloud of smoke and I look away to avoid breathing it in.

"So," she begins, leaning on the table and looking between me and Lina with a sort of feigned interest "what are you two talking about?"

"Not sure why you're suddenly interested in our conversations Charlotte." Katalina says, not bothering to hide her disdain. Either Charlotte doesn't notice or she does and just doesn't care because she lets out a high-pitched giggle.

"Okay, fine. Since we haven't all had a decent and civil conversation before, I'll initiate it." She says, exhaling more smoke. She flicks the ash into a built in astray before smiling at me. "How's Cammy Harley?"

The nickname she uses makes me scowl but it's the sickly sweet tone that makes me narrow my eyes. "Not sure why you care." I respond cautiously and she rolls her eyes playfully.

"Obviously I care. But whatever." She shakes her head. "Anyway, so the other day I was out at a club with Ryan and there was this guy. He was really hot. Like, fucking hot. And despite my preference, I didn't decline when he invited me to his place." Charlotte begins and I frown, not understanding why exactly she's talking to us as if we're her friends. "So we get there and I'm like, okay, let's get on with it. We started making out and shit and suddenly he's bringing out whips and ropes and degrading me. And I was thinking- this is so not my thing." Charlotte shakes her head, taking a pull once more. "But then another thought hit me- I would be into it if Cameron was the one doing it to me. You know, whipping me, tying me up, showing me no mercy as he fucks my brains out."

My body stiffens, my blood running cold as I swallow hard, hoping that I don't snap. However, Charlotte goes on and makes it harder for me not strangle her.

"But then I had this epiphany that guys like Cameron only like girls who open their legs for attention, y'know? The girls who just think the sun shines outta their ass and everyone should bow to them. Overall... just... scum." She shrugs before turning to me and smiling and I'd believe it was genuine if not for the evil glint in her eye. "And then, I thought of you."

Before I can react, she's pressing her cigarette to my skin and I yelp out in pain before I hear her let out her own shout of pain as she lets go of the cigarette. My eyes immediately move to the knife that's in her hand, keeping it stuck to the bartable. Blood drips down it but Katalina's hand doesn't move from where she grips the handle of the knife.

"You better lift that fucking knife Katalina." Charlotte grits out and Lina smiles, pulling it out before gripping Charlotte's hair and forcing her face up and pressing the knife to her neck. The blood of her hand drips down her neck and Lina presses the knife harder against her skin. Frozen in shock, I can't do anything but watch the act in front of me with an open mouth.

"Next time," Lina says dangerously low, warningly, "have more respect for not only Harley but also Cameron. I'll slit your throat open Charlotte and best believe that the only person who will miss your ugly ass is Ryan."

"Fuck you, Katalina."

Lina smirks devilishly, "Oh I know you'd love to, considering the fact that you're not exactly the type to go for guys." Charlotte lets out a growl and Lina shakes her head with a breath of a laugh before shaking her head. "Espero poder derramar tu sangre algún día." Slowly, she lets go of Charlotte and steps back. The girl lifts her hand up, clutching it to her chest before sliding out of the seat and walking away, but not before giving us one more dirty look.

As soon as she's gone, I drag my eyes to my hand that now has a perfect round burn mark on it and I let out a sigh.

"Are you okay?"

I look up at Lina who is watching me contently, the blood she is now smeared with seemingly unfazing her and I frown before nodding.

"I hate Charlotte. She's an absolute bitch." She mutters and I let out a grunt in response. I notice then that a few other members in the room are watching us and I squirm uncomfortably. Lina seems to notice the same thing because she stands up, wiping the blood on her pants and glancing around once more. "Come on, let's get out of here. The last thing we need is bumping into Ryan."

I nod my head in agreement before sliding out of my own seat and following Lina out of the bar. The sun beats down heavily on us and I wipe away a trail of sweat that trickles down my forehead.

"Don't ponder too much over what Charlotte said by the way." Lina says over her shoulder, "She's all bark and no fucking bite."

Slowing my steps down to a halt, it forces Katalina to turn around to face me expectantly. The Latina in front of me doesn't show any signs of the fact that she just stabbed someone and threatened to kill them with the way she keeps her hands in her pockets casually. The only thing giving away what just happened is the now red marks on her black denim pants.

"What did you mean when she said she wasn't one to go for guys?" I enquire. "Charlotte's gay?"

Katalina lifts her shoulder up in a lazy shrug, her nose scrunching up slightly in thought. "Something like that, I guess. She's only really into girls but she'll fuck a guy. Sometimes."

Absorbing the information, I absentmindedly nod my head. I assumed that maybe her and Ryan maybe had something going on but I suppose the chances of that actually being true now that I know this, is fairly small.

"Trust me when I say that she doesn't mean what she said about Cameron. Besides the fact that doesn't really fuck guys, those that she does are..." Lina chews on her lip as she tries to come up with the right word, "submissive."

My face contorts into something along the lines of distaste but that doesn't stop Lina from sliding a smirk my way. "And I have a feeling that Cameron isn't exactly one to enjoy being in that position."

Despite myself, I let out a laugh and roll my eyes playfully before walking over to Lina's car and taking a seat on the hood of it. She comes to join me after, pulling out a lollipop from her somehow magical pockets.

"If you want to know about my sex life, you can just ask y'know." I tease with a smirk and she laughs, peeling the wrapper off of her sweet before placing it in her mouth.

"Is it anything erotic?" She entertains the topic and I chew on my lip before shaking my head and she lets out something close to a snort. "And here I was thinking you were into BDSM."

"No." I respond, leaning further back. I'm all for having an interesting sex life and I'm open to having fun while doing it, but BDSM is a little far for me... with the childhood I have, I don't find any pleasure in pain and it's that reason why there's certain territory I won't venture into in all aspects of life, not only sexually.

"I guess we learn something new everyday." She jokes, playfully bumping my shoulder with hers and I shake my head as I let out a breath of a laugh. Silence envelopes us then, the only sound really being that of the lollipop moving around in Lina's mouth. My hand is still throbbing lightly and when I look down to the mark on my hand, a thought comes to mind- one that I feel a sudden desperate need to ask. However, when I open my mouth, no words come out and I begin to look like a fish out of water.

With a raise eyebrow and a slightly amused expression, Lina says: "What is it?"

I let out a frustrated sigh. "I want to ask you something but I don't think... here is a very good place to discuss it."
Catching my drift, the amusement falls from Lina's face and she nods before getting off of her car.

"Follow me to the mall?" She suggests and I look up in surprise.

"There's a mall around here?" I say in shock. With my main focus being on the gang, trying to avoid getting killed by the Kings and not having time to really go beyond the territory I'm in, I forgot the normalcy of a place like a mall. Katalina lets out a snort.

"Obviously." She laughs. "I mean, it's a bit far for a mall but we're both free and I think you deserve the taste of something normal."

"Tell me about." I mutter before agreeing to follow her there. The drive is about half an hour- longer than the ten minute drive I had to the mall back in Oregon- but it doesn't bother me. The mall is in a seemingly normal area- one not polluted with gang violence- and its like breathing in a gust of fresh air. The mall isn't as big as the one I went to back home but still big enough to be of entertainment. After parking in the covered section, Katalina and I enter the mall. The sound of people bustling about and shopping creates a buzz in the air and I'm almost certain that Lina and I look like hoodrats with our mainly dark, leather attire.

"There's a great doughnut place in here." Lina says and I smile.

"A doughnut would go down really nice right now."

Chuckling, we take the escalator to the second floor before stopping at a cute little store on a corner where a selection of doughnuts lay on trays, waiting to be eaten be fellow customers.

"Can I please have a jam doughnut." Katalina says when a girl with braces comes to serve us before she looks at me expectantly.

"One with white icing and sprinkles please. And can I have a Pepsi?"

The girl gets to arranging our orders when I glance around once more at the high ceilings and huge windows letting in light.

"Do you come here often?" I ask Lina, still looking around.

"When I have time, I try and get out of Concord as much as I can. But with the rising conflict... it's been hard lately." She confesses, giving me a grim smile and I frown.

"Here ya guys go." The girl says, handing us our orders. With a quick 'thank you' sent her way after paying, we depart, eating the doughy goodness as we walk.

"I used to go to Pittsburg a lot." She tells me as we walk. "I just love the way people live there- it's just so vibrant. A contrast to things here. But obviously it's far, so I can't do it too often. But I like coming to this side of Concord. It's so isolated from the gangs." Katalina explains. "But it's also a very small section of Concord so there's only so much for me to do here."

"How come It hasn't been taken by Jack yet?" I question. It's close to their territory anyway so why not spread this side?

"He's planning on doing so. From here he'll be able to spread towards Pittsburg and gain access to the harbors which will be convenient with trafficking. That's exactly what we're trying to prevent- spreading the violence that comes with gangs."

"Jack does trafficking?" The words escape me in a hushed voice and Lina glances at me briefly with a frown.

"Yeah, of course he does."

Swallowing hard, I find the courage to ask: "what?"

Katalina shrugs but I sense the tenseness of the action, the attempt at nonchalance.

"Animals, weaponry, drugs, people..."

"People?" I exclaim, my footsteps coming to a standstill. Lina chews on her lip as she turns to me.

"Yes. People."

"What kin-"

"It doesn't matter Harley." She cuts me off. "Whether it's women, children or men- it's sick. It's taking things too far." She turns her back to me and begins walking and I'm forced to catch up with her. I risk a glance at Katalina, slowly eating my doughnut.

"Do the Kings take part in trafficking?"

"Only weaponry and drugs. Nothing more." She says, shoving the last of her doughnut into her mouth and tossing the box it came in into a nearby trashcan. After finishing my own, I open the Pepsi I bought and take a sip of it before we walk into a shop. Katalina looks through various clothing items, singing softly to the song playing on the radio. I almost laugh at the sight of her doing something so... ordinary. Can other people see that she's a gang member? That the marks on her pants is blood? Or that beneath that friendly smile is a scowl that can bury someone six feet under? Can people tell that there's scars on my back? Or that there's a few on my wrist under the bangles I have on? Can they tell that I have blood on my hands? That I'm barely standing? Can they tell? Or does the smile on my face make me seem less broken? Less of a murderer?

"Oh fuck," Katalina exclaims suddenly, pulling a dark purple shirt off of a rack. She holds it up then and I see it as a tight-fitting long sleeve shirt that somehow has a deep cut to show cleavage. "This would look stunning on you, Harley."

I'm suddenly taken back to a day that I went shopping with Audrey while still suffering a major hangover. She had handed me a beautiful black top and forced me to try it on. The only problem was that it showcased the scars on my back. Sadly, I lied by saying it didn't fit. One could almost say it's hilarious how things have changed, how we've changed. Shaking the memory away, I raise a brow at Lina.

"It's summer?" I ask, picking up the long sleeve in a pointed gesture.

"You buy it and save it for winter, obviously." She says and I continue to look at her dubiously so that she rolls her eyes and let's out a huff. "Alright, fine."

I chuckle at her reaction before looking at the items on my own.

"Say," Lina says a little while later when I'm nearly done with my Pepsi, "what was it you wanted to ask me?"

Remembering the question, I close the bottle of the drink and scratch my neck. "What's our initiation?"

Katalina stares at me for a moment, eyes not revealing a thing that she's thinking but still unnerving me somehow. Eventually she looks away, picking out a denim jacket and looking it over before putting it back.

"You won't be needing to take part in it."

Immediately, confusion washes over me. "Wait, what? Why?"

The girl beside me shrugs. "The timing is too dangerous. With you guys being eyes and ears, we can't risk you having any marks that could give away what you're doing. It's for protection purposes." Fingering a pair of shorts, she says: "I want to try these on."

Nodding dumbly, I follow her to the change rooms but before she can enter, I grip her forearm. "How are the other members of the gang supposed to take Cameron and I seriously? Or even accept us?"

Katalina smiles at me. "They will if Enrique says they will. And he has." She nods at me reassuringly. "The minute you sat down at that dinner table you became one of us." My hand releases its grip on her and she enters a stall before pulling the curtain closed behind her. Turning around, I run a hand through my hair, not knowing what to make of the slight warmth blooming in my chest.

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