PRESENT

I was freezing my ass off.

But I didn't give a shit because I had the softest and most beautiful girl in my arms.

A group of people walked by, whistling and hooting at us. I broke off the kiss and breathed hard. I didn't want to display Arisa like this.

I raised my head and was about to tell her that we should head back to the car, but then I caught a few guys watching us from across the street.

No, they were watching me.

Fuck.

"Do you mind starting the car for me?" I asked Arisa, handing her the keys. "I forgot something in the restaurant."

"No, go ahead," she said. "I'll turn on the heater."

"Thanks." I smiled, pecking her lips. "Here," I added, putting my scarf around her instead.

She let out a small smile and left.

I watched until she was far away before I turned around and crossed the road. There was about five of them, and they were obviously waiting for me.

"What's the message this time?" I asked.

One of them smirked, while two of them grabbed me. They dragged me to a nearby alley. Shit, no witnesses here. Ah, I was fucked.

I could've ran away, but I didn't want them near Arisa. I just wanted to get this fucking over with.

"This is the message."

I was able to dodge the first blow. But with five grown motherfucking thugs coming after me at the same goddamn time, I wasn't able to avoid every hit. The best I could fucking do was block their attacks to the more fragile parts of my body, where they could do some real damage.

Someone laughed. "He said you'd be a tough one. But shit, this is fucking easy."

I almost lost my balance when one of the dickwads punched my face. I leaned a hand on the brick wall, trying to get my bearing. I couldn't let myself fall down. If I did, it was the fucking end for me.

'Yo, you really gon' let some lowlifes fuck you up?' Kurt's voice rang in my head.

'C'mon, man,' Oz's voice said this time. 'You can fucking take them. What the fuck's stopping you?'

I spat the blood I tasted in my mouth.

What was stopping me?

I told myself that these fuckers were experienced with shit like this. I told myself that I couldn't take them all at the same time. I convinced myself to believe that bullshit because a part of me believed I deserved this hell.

"Who sent you?" I asked them, my voice raspy.

"Mauri Santiago."

My jaw clenched, and I shook my head. "Who the fuck sent you?"

"I already fucking told you," the one in the middle taunted. "It was Mauri Santiago."

"Don't make me drag your face against the wall."

At that, they laughed. Fuck this. I was done being fucking pathetic.

I raised my feet and kicked the nearest to me on his knee, making him lose his balance. I lowered my head when someone came at me and I punched his gut. When he doubled over, I grabbed his face and jammed it to my knee before shoving him to the ground.

"Hold him!"

A pair of arms went around my neck, while another one got ready to knock me out in front of me. I kneeled down, dragging the one holding me and making him crouch. I grabbed his legs from behind me and swung him around. I went all fucking WWE and slammed him down with his fellow dumbass.

"Get up, you morons!"

The one I kicked got to his feet and ran towards me like a bull. Ah, he was gonna tackle me. Cute.

I crouched to his level and waited for the perfect timing. When he was close enough, I lowered myself even more and hugged his knees before pulling him up and flipping him over.

Trying to catch my breath, my eyes landed at the last one standing. The adrenaline was still rushing in my veins. Fuck, this was all gonna hurt later.

I stalked towards him. He scowled at me, baring his teeth. He reached out to his back and pulled out a pocket knife. I sighed.

"I just want a name," I said.

"Mauri Santiago."

"Mauri's dead."

I was fucking there when he died. I wasn't allowed to go to his funeral, but even the whole goddamn nation knew that he was dead.

"Even if it ain't him, someone sure as hell doesn't want you to forget about the dead kid."

"Who?" I asked, through gritted teeth. My frown deepened. "You don't know, do you?"

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter. We get paid to do a job, and we do it."

They didn't have any idea who the hell was paying them. Who could afford to go through all this shit? Mauri was a scholarship kid. He didn't come from money. Just who the fuck would bother?

"I'll pay double," I told the cocksucker. "Whenever he hires you to get to me, you tell me."

"Make it triple and we got a deal."

"Fine," I deadpanned. "But send me every fucking communication you had and the number he used."

"Got it, boss."

"If he renegotiates, just know I can triple it every goddamn time."

Grinning, he put his pocket knife away and nodded to me. Everyone had a fucking price.

"For now, just tell him you got the job done."

We exchanged contacts and names. I knew there was a high possibility of him double-crossing me, but I let the money talk. For people like him, their loyalty was to the one who could pay them more.

I tried not to wince as I walked back to the car. I should've made the deal before I let them beat me up. Yeah, that was a dumbass move.

I opened the driver's side and got in.

"Oh, my God! What the heck happened to you?!"

"It's nothing. I just—Ow, fuck!" I whipped my head and pulled away from Arisa before she could poke my face again. "Don't do that, babe."

"What happened?"

"I slipped."

"Into what, the fists of hell?"

"Huh, felt like it."

Her eyes traveled down my body and studied my state, before turning into slits. She removed her seatbelt and unlocked the door.

"What're you doing?"

"Get out. I'm driving." Without waiting for my reply, she stepped out of the car and went over to my side. "Out."

"I'm fine."

"I'm not asking, Alfred."

Sighing, I climbed out and stared at her. I thought about debating further, but the determined look on her face stopped me. Instead, I only kissed her on the forehead before walking to the other side of the car and got in the passenger's seat.

"You have first aid at your place, right?" she asked.

I snorted. "Byron made sure of it."

"Good. I can't take you to my apartment looking like that. Audrey will ask questions."

"She might just think you're the one who beat me up," I said, grinning at the thought.

"So you got beat up."

Ah, shit. Me and my big fucking mouth.

"I let them beat me up," I corrected. "There's a difference."

"You let them?"

"Yeah, but then I got over being Mother fucking Theresa and knocked them out instead."

"And why did they attack you?"

I didn't reply right away.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"I will," I breathed out. "Just not while you're driving. Let's go home first."

After hearing that, Arisa stepped on it. Within fifteen minutes, we arrived at the apartment. Byron's car wasn't here, so I figured maybe he was at Noah's.

When Arisa was done parking my car, she helped me out. The adrenaline was gone and my body ached. It wasn't worse than what those Yale fuckers did to me at the last game, since they did that all damn night. But this time, I had no gear and those thugs got me in the face.

I grabbed the frozen peas from the fridge and slapped it on my face while Arisa got the first aid kit. I walked towards the couch and dropped on it.

Shit, I forgot the advil.

But it was upstairs in the medicine cabinet in my bathroom. Yeah, not gonna get those right now.

Arisa sat on the coffee table in front of me and placed the kit beside her.

"Let me see," she said, lifting my chin and letting out a sigh. "Your lip is cut."

"Don't worry, I can still kiss you."

She rolled her eyes and ignored me. "Take off your clothes." I opened my mouth to say something, but she beat me to it. "I wanna check how bad it is."

She transferred to the couch beside me so she could help me remove my suit. Ah, fuck. My muscles were sore as hell.

Her cold fingers softly touched my skin, making me close my eyes. I'd always fantasized her fingers on me, but not like this. It didn't stop my dick from getting a semi-hard on, though.

"Just bruises," Arisa decided. "I'll get the ice packs. You need lots of it."

"They're in the cupboard below the island," I said. "I use them after a game."

I opened my eyes and watched her go to the kitchen. Seeing her take care of me like this brought a shit load of unfamiliar feelings I didn't expect.

"Lie down," she ordered, when she came back.

I did as I was told and let her place those ice packs all over my body. My eyes raked over Arisa's serious face. It was obvious that she was dying to ask me about what happened but was waiting for me to open up the subject.

"Someone paid them to do it," I said.

She looked up and our eyes locked.

This is it. Truth time.

And so, I told her everything.

I told her about the messages I received last year. I told her about the random threats. I told her about the packages with dead birds. I told her about the game two weeks ago. I told her about tonight.

"That's why you sent me away," she concluded.

"Yeah." I nodded, releasing a sigh. "I didn't want you to be caught in the crossfire."

She frowned. "That's also why you pretended the kiss didn't happen after you got the package."

"Are you mad?"

"No," she admitted. "How can I be angry when I know you're only protecting me?"

Thank fuck.

"But I don't understand. This has everything to do with that person who died in Florida?"

"Yeah."

"I don't get it." She shook her head. "Why are they coming after you? His death wasn't your fault."

"Might as well be," I muttered, closing my eyes. "I pushed him to drink that night. He didn't want to, but I pushed him."

"Did you put the bottle in his hands?"

"No."

"Did you force him to open his mouth and drink?"

"No."

"Then, how is it your fault?"

"I'm his big brother. He's my responsibility."

"Maybe you played a part in it, but don't take all the blame. Don't treat him like he was a baby. He was old enough to make his own decisions, too." She paused. "What happened to him was sad, untimely, and tragic, but how could you honor him if you're too busy blaming yourself for his death?"

I kept quiet, not knowing what else to say. She had a point, but she wasn't there to witness how shit went downhill real fast.

We got off easy because there was no evidence that it was a drinking contest between the pledges. We were forced to say that Mauri drank on his own accord, to save the fraternity.

I felt Arisa down on the carpet to get closer to me, her fingers caressing my cheek. It was a small gesture but fuck if it didn't comfort me.

"And you never thought to find out who's been sending you these messages?" she asked.

I opened my eyes. The truth was, I was waiting for the mastermind to show himself.

"I thought they'd stop eventually," I said instead.

"Yeah, a dead animal sure is a white flag."

I sighed. "I just wanna move on."

"Ignoring this isn't moving on."

"I know."

"Swear to me you'll find out who's behind this."

"You mean look for the one who wants me dead?" I chuckled humorlessly. "I already struck a deal with the dumb fucks who ambushed me tonight."

"I want to help," Arisa said, biting her lip. "But I feel like this is a battle you need to face on your own."

I nodded and smiled. "Thanks."

"I didn't say I'd help."

I laughed, and it hurt. "I know, and yet you're still here. Thanks for being you."

"Who else would I be?"

"Arisa Emilia, I'm trying to be sweet here."

She gasped playfully. "That's you being sweet?!"

"You're impossible," I murmured.

Her laughter filled the room. "Hey, Alfred."

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to spend the holidays with me?"

I blinked, whipping my head to her so fast that I think I cracked my neck.

"What?"

"I want you to come with me and my family to the Philippines for the holidays."

"Are you serious?"

"As serious as a Filipino on Christmas."

"But this is your family trip."

She shrugged.

"What, you'll just tell your folks you found a stray and decided to bring him along?"

"No, I'll tell them I didn't want my boyfriend to be alone for Christmas so I'm taking him with us."

The corner of my lips turned up. "Boyfriend?"

"Oh, sorry. Would you rather be my pet?"

I chuckled, ignoring my sore arm and reaching for her. My fingers snaked around her neck and pulled her towards me.

"I'd rather kiss you right now, girlfriend."

_____________

Also unrevised.

From here on out, there will only be chapters set in the present. No more past chapters!