Page 17 of Rough Diamonds

Evie

10 years ago

The streetlights turn on as I walk home. It’s quiet, almost an eerie silence. I swear something’s behind a bush or something. I push my headphones into my ears and turn up the music as loud as I can. I tuck my hands into my pockets and hold on to the knife I just recently bought. I decided it’s time to learn some new tricks, I need to be able to defend myself better. With all this shit going on every day and night. The guys aren’t able to walk with me tonight. Something about a meeting or something. I’m starting to get really tired of this. If I’m in this gang, why aren’t I ever invited to anything? Why do I feel more alone than ever?

I listen to the lyrics of Numb from LINKIN PARK. I lose my mind to the music and swing my arms from side to side as I walk. I close my eyes for one second to open them back up, just as a bag goes over my head. I thrash and start yelling as a hand comes down on my mouth.

“Shut up, you little bitch.” The man’s voice has me quieting. He places a hand over my mouth through the bag. I have learned that the best thing to do is to act like you're not a threat. My hands get tied behind me. I hear a car pull up as a door opens. It must be one of those creepy vans you think about with a guy driving with giant glasses from the 80s and a mustache. I’m thrown into the van as my knees hit the cool interior.

“You couldn’t upgrade to a carpet van?” I'm kicked in the ribs. I wince.

“We wouldn't want to upset the Demon princess, now would we?” The guys giggle like some schoolgirls.

“Well then, would you guys tell me what the fuck is going on?”

“Nahh, only time will tell. It looks like you’re pissing some people off, though doesn’t it?” I start to weigh out my options. I could scream to death, but then that’s just gonna tire me out or I could get ready to ambush them when they open up the door. I mean that sounds way better to me. I silently wait, I click my tongue and count. I try to remember the turns, just in case, honestly though with this bag over my head, it’s hard. Nausea and panic make my heart drop in the pit of my stomach. I wonder if the guys would even go looking for me, do they even care? They’ve been so distant, it’s been so weird and I have no idea what’s going on. They keep trying to give me this bullshit that it’s better off this way and they’re only trying to save me save me from fucking up what my life was already to begin with. The scene that makes no sense is my stepdad already has his own gang. So, technically, I’m already affiliated anyways, so why does it even matter? They act as if they’re saving me from some kind of life, when all I wanted to do was get the tattoo to show them that I am loyal to them and that I wanted to be theirs for a lifetime. Honestly, their reactions were a smack to the face.

I don’t know if I dozed off or what, but my head is so twisted right now. The van comes to a stop and I abruptly wake up. Shit. I forgot there is a bag on my fucking head. My hands are tied. Ok. I feel like it’s time, I crouch down and get into a position before they open up the doors. I’m gonna use my legs full force. This has to work right. I mean, I have no other options so I'm going for it. I hear the guys jump out of the car. The gravel crunch is underneath their boots and then they stop, the door opens up slowly and I push with all my might making contact on the way, then I start running. Honestly I never thought it would be so hard to run without my arms. I start to stumble a little bit and instantly regret it. This is gonna be my downfall. I keep going and going, two large arms wrapped around my body and pick me up. I start kicking and thrashing using everything I have, to come in contact with theirs.

Unfortunately, this is where I wish I could say that I actually got out of my predicament. But this just means I gotta start working harder, because whoever the fuck this is, is going down next time I fucking see them. That’s all I can think about as a fist collides into my temple. As I slowly come back too, I no longer have a bag over my head. My legs are both tied to the metal chair at my feet. My hands are tied behind my back, duct tape crosses over my lips, and I wince as my head throbs in pain. I tried to look around and look up. To see where I am. All I do is see horrible fluorescent lights. That makes me so nauseous. I wanna vomit right here. I try to breathe in through my nose. Everything‘s OK. Everything‘s all right. I keep telling myself over and over again.

I’ve already been in too many situations, not to add another one to my list matters. I kind of wish for that life, the one that normal kids have, normal people have. I never had anything normal. I never had a mom and a dad who just loved me for me. No one to send me off to school in the mornings, no one to see me do any school activities, not like I wanted to anyways, but it would’ve been nice if someone cared. I tried to wiggle the seat, to see if I could move it around a little bit. I realize I still have my hoodie on, if I could just get to that knife, I can get out of this.

My eyes finally focus, there’s cheering and plotting honestly. I don’t know what the fuck is going on. I’ll look around and notice that we are in some kind of warehouse. The walls are covered with different colors of graffiti. I take a second to enjoy the art then I see it, DEMON. Shit, that’s the only thing I can think of. Fuck Evie, what did I get myself into this time? I feel like I’m always getting myself into one thing or another, not necessarily intentionally. I just feel like it follows me around everywhere I go. Next time Marcus and I spar, I’m gonna ask how to get out of a situation like this. I snicker to myself, yeah if I make it out of this one.

More and more people start crowding around me; they’re all dressed in their street clothes. I'm not gonna cry. I’m not gonna cry. This would be like the worst place to have anyone see me have any emotions. There’s one thing I know about gangsters, you’re not gonna fucking cry in front of them. Suck it up, little buttercup, cause this is it. I knew something like this was going to come up eventually.

“Evie, Evie, Evie, what are we going to do with you? Do you think you’re just gonna run around town acting like you’re the Demon princess or something?” I'm really starting to get tired of that. Why do they keep saying that shit to me? I know who this man is. Because he's the spitting image of his son. Or his son is a spitting image of him. Damion’s dad isn't here. No, this is Marcus’s dad, he gets the grunt work. He stands tall and looks down at me. With those cool blue eyes, and the same blond hair. He smiles at me crookedly. You'd think he would be taking me to dinner or something. I drop my head for one second carefully.

I discreetly look over at everyone and there are all five of my men standing with their arms crossed over their chest. Damion has a look of disgust on his face. It makes me cringe from the inside out. I look over and see Marcus‘s eyes glowing just like his father’s. I know he’s infuriated. Sylus stands with his hands, tucked into his jeans, dark eyes look deep within my soul. I feel like he’s tearing me apart from the inside out. Emmit smirks, but it’s not the joyous kind that he usually has. This is the kind that he hides behind; it's a mask of sorts. Treven won’t look at me, but I know he knows I’m here because he keeps his eyes averted to his phone. What the fuck? Why are they acting like this? They haven’t been acting the same lately. I know they are upset about the tattoo. I intently stare at each one. I hope they know how pissed I am, because when I get out of this, I’m fucking shit up.

“I knew the boys took a liking to you. Letting in a stray and all.” I can’t stand looking at this man any longer. He makes me feel like tiny little answers are eating me all over. “Anyway, see, Miss Evie here wants to be a part of the gang and you better introduce her.” For some reason I don’t think introducing me is going to be a good thing. “You have nothing to say.” He looks at me in question. “Oh, that’s right.” He tears off the duct tape. I wince, but look the man in his eyes.

“I don’t get what the big deal is. I have been a part of the guy's life for years.” The urge to hack up a loogie and spit it at the man is really high right about now.

“You have to earn that right, Evie. Unlike your fathers’ hand, we do things differently.”

I shake my head profusely. “Not my father.”

“We’ll take responsibility for Evie, one hundred percent.” Marcus stands up to his father with the others flanking. About fucking time. I was wondering what was going on with them.

“No need for that.” To say I’m getting a little pissed off, would be an understatement right now. I am about to freak the fuck out on everyone here. I don’t know what is going on, unless the guys are scared of him? Now that’s a thought.

“She has to be accepted by us all. Show her worth. If she wants to play big boy games then she can take it like a man.” I can’t help the snort.

“She is right here, still tied up.” Emmit pulls out a joint. I prefer blunts for the taste, but whatever. “Here Babydoll, you might need this.” Emmit smiles just a bit showing me it’s ok. He places the joint between his lips. With one hand around it to block any air and the other with his black lighter he winks and lights it up. He sucks in and holds leaning over to me. I open my lips as he places his on mine and pushes all the smoke in. Inhaling, he leans back and gives me that smirk of approval. I cough a little as I choke up. Shit, I needed that.

“Take her down to the creeks.” Marcus pushes through with a blade in hand, he flicks his wrist as it slices through the ropes. “Knees.” He yells.

“Jeez, so serious.” I smirk and look into his eyes. It’s going to take hell of a lot to tame my fire. Damion‘s callus fingers scrape against my neck, pushing me down forcefully. “I suggest you do as he says, love.” The endearment itself has me melting like a puddle. What’s up with this hot and cold?

Damion pushes me to the floor, raising my chin up with two finger fingers, to meet Marcus in those cool blue eyes. It gives me chills down my spine. The resemblance to his father is crazy, but unlike his father, I see something more. I see the love that he truly has for me.

“The guys and I take full responsibility for Evie. She will listen to us and she will obey us at all times, right Evie?” I can’t help but to snort, almost choking on it because I’m about to laugh my ass off. Sylus comes up by Marcus’s side reaching out and gripping my throat.

“That’s not how we do things, Sweetness.” He grips harder as I try tapping on his hand. His dark eyes lock with mine. I gasp.

Sylus means business. “Strip.” He licks his lips, and loosens his hold, before he lets go.