“Are you ready?” I asked her shakily. She nodded again and started counting softly.

“One.”

I looked at the men. Most were talking while others fiddled with the camera and lights. My eyes connected with the man again to find him watching me. If he knew what I was up to, he didn’t show it. He couldn’t know anyway.

“Two.”

I looked over her naked body. The sight of her bruises made my throat close.

“Three.”

If I did this…

“Four.”

She would never have to feel pain again.

“Five.”

Lily’s piercing scream ripped through the air. I didn’t think any more of what I had to do. I waited patiently for the guards to react.

“What the hell?” The man fiddling with the camera looked up with a fierce expression. “Someone shut her up!” he bellowed when everyone continued to stare.

When the first man came forward, I sucked in a breath and held it. My eyes never left his and Lily continued to scream. Some of the men cursed and yelled while others laughed with ugly leers plastered on their faces. I hated them all.

“Shut up, girl, or you’ll get more of today right now.” When he reached the bed, and Lily continued to scream, he spit out a harsh curse and leaned over the bed to grab her. It was the opportunity I needed.

It was now or never.

“I said shut up!”

He was dumb enough to carry his gun in the front of his jeans with his shirt tucked behind it. It provided easy access for me. With his eyes focused on Lily, I was able to snatch the gun and flick the safety just as they’d shown me many times before. I willed my arms to be strong enough to hold the gun steady in my hands and aimed at the man’s head before he could react.

He jerked back a second too late, and when he finally registered his gun in my hand, his eyes widened in surprise a split second before a sneer marred his features.

Lily continued to scream, but I could feel her eyes watching me as well as the eyes of the unknown man across the room. I didn’t dare take my eyes or aim off the worker. He could take this gun from me without much effort if I looked away for even a second.

“What are you going to do with that, boy?”

“What you taught me to do.” I re-aimed the gun, and without hesitation, I squeezed the trigger.

The room was now silent, and my beating heart slowed to an ethereal cadence.

* * *

PRESENT DAY

“Keiran, I need a favor.”

These impromptu meetings with Mario would have to end. The school’s parking lot in the middle of the day was hardly the place to plan mass murders or acts of conspiracy.

“And by favor you mean something I’m likely going to regret agreeing to?” Mario was constantly involved in numerous dealings that required more than a few favors. Many times, he hinted at recruiting me into his business, but the idea of organized crime bored me.

“Call it an act of good faith,” he grinned jovially.

“Spit it out.” The answer was already no, but whatever it was, I needed to hear. I didn’t trust Mario. He wore too many faces.

“It’s my daughter.”

“You have a kid?”

I didn’t bother to conceal my surprise. As long as I’ve known Mario, he’s never once mentioned a daughter. What else was he hiding? It occurred to me that I hadn’t been doing my homework thoroughly. If all this were going to work in my favor, I would need to ensure all the cards were on the table.

“Yes. She’s a little older than you are, but not by much. With Arthur out for blood, I can’t keep as good of an eye on her.”

“Where is her mother?”

“She’s never met her. Her mother was a crack whore and not a very good one because she’s dead.”

“What does this have to do with me?”

“I need you to keep an eye on her until the heat dies down.”

“No.”

“Keiran—”

“I’m not running a babysitting service. I have my own shit to deal with.”

“And how much do you expect to accomplish if I’m weighed down? Remember, you need me just as much as I need you. This can and will work out for all of us,” he stated harshly.

Did he just threaten me?

I stared at him long and hard, weighing my options. There wasn’t a chance in hell that Mario scared me, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t pretend.

“Where is she?”

Could I really be entertaining the thought of babysitting his daughter? She may have been older, but her life was essentially in my hands. Mario wouldn't take that lightly.

“She’s on standby. Somewhere safe for now where my men are watching her.”

“Like the men who watched Trevor and Anya?”

“Look, I still have guys on that to find out what happened. I’m just as shocked as you are. No one is talking, but I promise you on the life of my daughter that I did not order the hit. It was a freak accident at best.”

“Someone poured gasoline on two of my classmates and set them on fire and you’re calling it a freak accident?” He still had yet to explain how Trevor and Anya were killed under his watch. Not only were they killed, but they also managed to make it fifty miles away from where they were being held and burned alive just outside of town.

“I know how it sounds, but what would you like me to say? The men on guard were taken care of.”

It was always the same response, and eventually, I would start to do my own digging. If I found out he was responsible, it would tip things in another direction. I didn’t care at all about what had happened to them, but my freedom was on the line.

“How long?”

“Come again?”

“How long do I need to be your daughter’s bodyguard?”

“Until we can find her a safer hideaway or until this is all over.”

“Fine. Let me talk to my uncle. Is she ready?”

“My men have her on standby. She should arrive in a couple of weeks.”

“Fine.”

I turned on my heel and left him standing alone in the parking lot. Lunch had just ended when I entered the building, and I knew Monroe would be looking for me soon. She never admitted it out loud, but she was always on the lookout for me. I wondered if it was only fear that still drove her to search me out. Whatever it was, something told me she wasn’t running anymore.

* * *

I missed Monroe after lunch. Two classes later, I trudged into last period after class had already begun. Mr. Lawson looked down his too long nose at me as I entered the classroom.

“Mr. Masters, it’s great to have you back, but please try to be on time. Tardiness will not be tolerated.”

Bite me.

A smile spread my lips when I repeated Monroe’s favorite expression. She was already rubbing off on me in ways I never would have imagined. I nodded in his direction and took my usual seat.

Monroe was back to sitting in the front again with Willow and Sheldon flanking her. Her back stiffened at the sound of my name, but she didn’t turn around. She wouldn’t dare.

I wanted nothing more than to grab her up and keep her close, but I wasn’t allowed to approach her. I wasn’t keen on obeying some piece of paper they called an order of protection, but I wasn’t stupid either. I also had to admit it pleased me she had someone to look out for her. Five months ago, and even long before that, I would have tried to do anything in my power to take away her security and protection. I wanted to keep her isolated because then I could better control her. Now I was more than grateful that she was never alone. As much as I hated it, I couldn’t always be around. There was no way in hell I would ever let her know everything I did now was to protect her. She already wanted more and had no problem demanding it. I smiled again even though my blood boiled when I thought about her little so-called threat. Jealously apparently was a trait none of us could escape. I really did mean it when I said I would kill her before I let anyone else have her. It was the very reason why I was no good for her. The days of my bullying her were long gone, but I was still the same person who pushed her off those monkey bars, and even more tragically, I was still the same person they trained me to be. It wasn’t until her I realized how fucked I really was and how my life before was so much worse than I could have imagined. People like her had it good. They never suffered or did a bad thing.