Keola’s hand is gripping my knee tightly, like that’s going to do anything. I’m not overly thrilled with him right now.
“I told Keola and the rest to not tell you, not to involve you with all this.” She says, straightening up, not letting her guard down.
The rest of the men sit there quietly, each one of them waiting for explosions. I’m not naive, Tessa and I are the only ones sitting at this main table. “Church” was called previously, but after the main circle stayed behind.
I sat quietly as Keola, Jackson, and even Tessa explained to the club the full details of what we know and that our goal was to find Cedric, bring him home with the hope that he would divulge any helpful information to end the Falcon’s drug trading and recruiting. Yet, I sat quietly, letting the anger bubble in me because I was led blind. The Wolves have a bigger part than I imagined, the running feud and territory battle.
I’m the sheep that trusted a wolf and his pack.
“Lottie,” Tessa sighs, sorrow in her eyes, she starts to fidget with rings, the way she always does when she’s nervous or trying to find the right words, “I didn’t want to involve you because you have Finn to think about and this shouldn’t involve your family.”
“Teresa,” I begin, rarely ever using her name, “you’re going to pull that crap with me like I wouldn’t understand the impact it would have on him? No, it’s not that you didn’t think I understand, you underestimated me, you didn’t trust me. I am hurt, but I’ll get over it. Not the first time.” The anger that kept being fueled is finally spilling over.
Tessa’s my friend, someone I know I can count on, but this hurts. “Don’t you think from day one when y’all thought about suspicions or when Marcus came home that involving me wouldn’t help? Leaving me in the dark to figure out what’s going on, fighting with the different schools, or hell even bringing Brayden as a second pair of eyes… Teresa we could have done so much more and possibly prevented all of this.”
“Honey, you couldn’t have prevented this,” rumbles the silver fox, Rawlings.
I throw my eyes at him, like daggers, “And how the fuck do you figure, gramps.”
There’s a few snickers from the other side of the table including the blonde giant and D.R. But quickly stops when Rawlings sends a grunt towards them. Keola stiffens, gripping my knee even tighter, possibly leaving bruises there.So much for being a good girl. Fuck that shit.
Rawlings takes a sip of a dark liquor, before he speaks, commanding the room again, “Because you’re one person and if you’re anything like Keola describes you as, you’re impulsive, explosive, and the Falcons would trample you and even keep as their toy, breaking every ounce of power out of you. You have a mouth on you, which explains why Tessa kept you around,” he leans back in his chair.
The blonde giant speaks up, “Listen. You love this community as much as the group, perhaps even more. But this isn’t a David and Goliath story, not when Goliath has firepower and more influence than we give them credit for. Mistakes were made, but we have to put things in the past if we want a better future.” He speaks as if from past experience.
I sit there quiet, again.
I knew things were too good with Keola, him helping me, following me around when I left the foundation. But no, they knew more than me for months. This has gone from a snowflake to a fucking avalanche.
Question is, do I keep fuming right now or will I focus on what I need; which is Cedric to come home safe and end the Falcon’s recruiting, keeping my students and my family safe?
“Say something,” Keola says softly, yet commanding.
What do I say to this group? How did Tessa handle this? Especially when a man is making you feel like you’re naive, in a way, weak.
I choose my words carefully, “Are you willing to bring Cedric home?”
Rawlings scoffs, “Why? The way I see it he screwed you over. Broke your trust.” Maybe he’s right. I should be angry and internally, I am but more about that he felt like he couldn’t come to me. They don’t know him like I do.
I narrowed my eyes, standing my ground, “What if it was one of these men here? Or Tessa? Would you fight for them? Because you trust them, you know them. You call yourself a family, from what I hear you protect your own. Well, Cedric is my own.” I fold my hands on the table. “Therefore I protect my own.”
“Joaquin, has anything come up on the background check?” He ignores, talking to the olive-skinned man who has been quiet. He runs a hand through his short dark hair. He shakes his head, adding nothing to conversation but a confirmation.
“You seriously ordered a background check on one of my kids,” I yell, the urge to stand up is strong.
“If it makes you feel any better they did one on me too,” Tessa speaks up. I don’t know how I feel about that. Whether they are cautious or paranoid.
Rawlings jumps in, “We do it for everyone.” Now I know who’s paranoid and mistrusting. “Just because he’s one of yours, doesn’t mean he isn’t one of ours,” he says.
“Pres, can I speak?” Jackson intrudes, Rawlings nods.Asshole.“Lottie is one of us,” he says.
“Just because Keola is sticking his dick in her, doesn’t fully make her one of us,” Rawlings growls out. “Careful of throwing that term around.”
“Excuse me,” both Tessa and I exclaim.
“You want to try that one again.” Tessa challenges him, “Rawlings, apologize. You can shove that high and mighty attitude where the sun doesn't shine. If someone has claimed a person, it’s law,” That’s how she does it, challenging him.
“Prez,” Keola says. “She’s mine. She has our protection.”
