Chapter Eleven

"He's a little controlling isn't he?" Erin's looks at the door in longing and confusion. I guess I'm not the only one missing my boyfriend right now. Boyfriend. I can't believe I can now call Kayden West my boyfriend! 'Can you actually call him that in public though?" my subconscious questions bitterly, making me frown. I guess I probably won't be able to be public with him, considering his...lifestyle. We'll probably have to pretend that we don't know each other when we're in public.

What has he done to make enemies? I mean, has he killed one of the other gangs members? Maybe another gang leader's girlfriend? Would he do that? Would he kill an innocent girl just because she is dating a gang leader? Kayden wouldn't do that, he wouldn't kill an innocent women, would he?

"Drew? Are you listening to me?" I look up at Erin, realising that I have been staring at the table, deep in my thoughts. "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing, sorry. What were you saying?" I shake my head, wincing as the ache returns. I really should check on it, make sure that it doesn't need any stitches.

"Why does Callum have to watch you? Is he worried that Tom will come for you again?" the alarm in Erin's voice is obvious. I can see the worry in her eyes, but I know that I can't tell her anything. Seth hasn't told her yet. Will he ever tell her? Kayden did say that she wasn't in danger because of Seth's status in the gang, or lack thereof, but is anyone really safe? I don't know much about gangs, but I doubt that anyone is truly out of the way of danger.

"I don't know, Erin. He's had Callum watching me since his and Tom's fight last month," I shrug, hoping that Erin will believe that I don't know anything, but if I know Erin, which I do, she won't let this go lightly.

"That's a bit creepy, Drew," I chuckle a little at her scrunched up face. I wonder if she would call it creepy if she really knew who Kayden is. Do I even really know who Kayden is?

"Do you trust him, Drew?" I lift my head to look at Erin, her eyes pinning me to the chair. Worry and apprehension clouding her emerald eyes.

"I can't explain it, Erin," I sigh and look down at my hands on the table, fiddling with my fingers nervously.

"I barely know him, I've never really spoken to him properly until this morning, and yet, I feel like I have known him for years, He makes me...feel things I have never felt before. He makes me feel safe, safer than when my parents were here, safer than when I was with Aunt Emma and Uncle George. I don't know how, or why, but I trust him, with my life," I close my eyes, shutting out Erin's piercings eyes. How am I supposed to explain how I'm feeling when I don't even really know how I'm feeling?

"That's what happens when you fall for someone, Drew,"

"That's ridiculous, Erin, I barely know him," I shake my head at her, pushing myself out of my seat and moving further into the kitchen. I busy myself with filling the kettle up, reaching into the cupboard to grab two mugs, tea bags and sugar.

"How are you and Seth doing?" Erin's face lights up as she launches into how Seth asked her to be his girlfriend; he asked her out on a date, bought her favourite flowers and took her to an expensive restaurant and then asked her to be his. Ever since, he has been kind, giving her flowers every week, giving her mother flowers, and just being the gentleman that he is.

I wonder if Erin really knew who he is, would she stay with him? I mean, he seems to be treating her well, he hasn't done anything that would suggest he has put her in danger, and Kayden did say that the two of them don't have to worry about people targeting them. It must be so nice for them to be able to go out in public and not worry about anyone seeing them.

Kayden seemed so...jealous when he was talking about them this morning, like he almost envies Seth for his lack of status in the gang. I wonder if it is because he would like to be that public with me? 'He probably wasn't jealous, he was probably annoyed that he now has to worry about your weak ass all the time.' He does seem to have everything he could want in life. He can get any girl that he wants, he seems to have a lot of money, he has status and authority over a lot people; why would he want to jeopardize all of that? It just doesn't make any sense.

None of this makes sense though. Gangs, Dons, kidnappings, torture, murder; it just doesn't seem real. Maybe I hit my head harder than I thought and I am just imagining everything. That would make a lot more sense than believing that any of this is actually real. Maybe I am still dreaming! That must be it! I'm probably in a coma or something from the bang to my head!

I look down at my hand, pinching the skin between my fingers. Ow, okay so I'm not dreaming. This is all real, the danger, the looming fear of being kidnapped and tortured hanging in the air like a thick fog.

"Drew, I have to go home now. I promised mum that I would help her make dinner tonight," I nod at her, absentmindedly as we walk towards the front door.

"You sure you're okay?" Erin turns to me as I reach for the door.

"I'm fine Erin, just a little tired," I smile at her weakly as she glares down at me, suspicion clear in her eyes.

"You call me if you need anything okay?" I gasp as she pulls me into a strong hug, her arms squeezing me like a snake would squeeze it's prey, hoping to suffocate and kill it. I don't mind though, I find comfort in the familiarity of her warmth and smell. These arms have hugged me more than parent's ever have.

"Love you, Drew," she whisper softly into my hair, and it makes tears well in my eyes, a lump forming in my throat.

"Love you too, Erin," I whisper back just as quietly. I hug her tighter to me, wishing that I would never have to let her go. She is the only family that I have left, and I can't lose her again.

"Okay, I'll come by tomorrow to check on you," Erin pulls herself away from me, and I sigh, the loneliness crashing down on top of me like a brick wall. I open the door for Erin, but freeze when I see someone stood with their back to it.

"Hey, Drew. Everything okay?" I sigh, relaxing once I notice that it is Callum. He's pretty intimidating at six foot tall, short, well trimmed black hair, scrutinising brown eyes, he's muscular, much like Kayden, but not quite as well defined as he is. He's wearing a black hoodie, black jeans and a pair of black converse. To someone just passing by, they would think that he is trying to rob the place!

"Everything's fine, Callum. I was just heading home," Erin answers before I am even able to think about his question.

"See you later, Drew!" Erin's waves at me from the end of the drive, running off into her house, leaving me alone at the door with Callum.

"You don't have to watch me you know, I'll be fine on my own," I mutter more to myself than to Callum, not lifting my eyes to look at him.

"Kayden would kill me if he knew that I left you alone," Callum chuckles as he turns back around, his back facing me again, but I can hear the tenseness of his voice. His posture is straight, his muscles tight, and I can tell that he isn't joking. I open my mouth to ask him questions about Kayden, but I can't bring myself to actually speak words. I huff, closing the door. Will it always be like this now? Me left alone in my house with Kayden's goonies stalking me?

I slump down into one of the sofas in the sitting room, closing my eyes. How did my life come to this? One minute I'm having fun with Erin and Tom, teaching him how to fight and win, and the next, I'm being held prisoner in my own house because some criminals are now out to get me, all because some guy has a deep need to protect me.

I wish my Aunt and Uncle never left, my life would be so much better if they were still here. They loved me. They treated me like I was their own daughter. My Aunt found out that she wasn't able to have children when she was thirty. She was devastated, so when I moved in with them when I was six, I think she saw me as her opportunity to finally be a mother to someone. She was a brilliant mother as well.

She used to take me out for ice-cream after every fight my Uncle had, telling me how I was natural at taking care of people. She was so different to my mother. My mother never let me have sweets, she said that they would make me into a spoilt little girl, and my mother hated spoilt children. Now that I think about it, I don't think my mother liked children at all. I don't think my father did either, or maybe they just didn't like me.

They never taught me love, never showed me kindness. Whenever I cried they would tell me that strong women do not cry, that it is a weakness and shows people how vulnerable you are. I was a baby, barely even able to speak A child should not feel afraid to cry in front of their mother, a child should be able to run up to their mother in tears and bee calmed down by her, told that everything will be okay.

Aunt Emma gave that to me, she would tell me that its okay to cry, that its okay to show your emotions, 'emotions show that you are human,' she would always tell me that. I haven't heard from them since they moved away, just like my parents. The only form of contact I have with my parents is the money that they put into my account every month. They don't call on my birthday or Christmas, they don't check to make sure that I'm okay. I mean I could be dead for all they know.

I'm broken out of my thoughts by my phone dinging on the kitchen counter. I frown over at it. I don't remember bringing it down from the bedroom. Its probably just Erin. With a sigh, I push myself out of the sofa and walk over to the little device sitting so innocently on the counter.

'Don't talk to Callum. He will be outside of your door until I get back. This is not up for negotiation.'

I scowl down at the phone. Of course Callum told Kayden that I didn't want him outside of my house.

'I don't need a bodyguard Kayden.'

I type my message out with furious fingers, sinking back into the sofa, tucking my feet up underneath myself. I reach for the television remote, turning on Netflix. Another ding from my phone catches my attention.

'While I am not there, you do. Callum stays.'

'Kayden, I am not a child who needs a babysitter 24/7. I can take care of myself.'

I throw my phone to the other end of the sofa. Is he always going to be this controlling? Why can't he see that I am able to look after myself? I mean I did beat him at a fight, so, surely I would be able to fight against anyone else. Kayden is one of the best fighters that I have seen fight in awhile, but yet I managed to beat him so easily. Did he let me win? I scowl at the thought. He let me win to prove a point, he thought he would hurt me if he tried to fight against me! Ugh that boy!

I am broken out of my thoughts by my phone again, but this time it is ringing. I stare over at it, swallowing the lump in my throat. I crawl over to where it is lying face down on the sofa, praying that it is only Erin checking up one me.

Kayden's name is flashes across the screen. With shaky hands I lift the phone to my ear.

"Do you not understand the meaning of the word non-negotiable? " Kayden's deep voice booms down the phone, making me shiver. His tone is stern and I can tell that he is running his hands through his hair.

"Kayden, I-"

"No, you will not argue this, Drew. When I am not with you, you will have someone at your door, whether that be Callum or someone else. I will not let you be alone in that house without someone to protect you,"

"I can protect myself, Kayden," I mumble into the phone.

"What if someone came in with a gun? What would you do then? You know how to fight against an unarmed man, that I do not doubt, but you can't fight against a gun, Drew" his voice is hard and tense, I can hear it in his voice that he is beginning to lose his temper. I suppose he has never had a girl fight against him before; he has probably had no one go against him before.

"Does Callum have a gun?" the other end of the phone is quiet and I know the answer.

"Drew, please just stay inside, I will be back soon," and with that, he hangs up the phone. I sigh, flopping back into the sofa.

I close my eyes and soon find myself drifting off into a sleep filled with gangs, guns and bright, blue, blazing eyes.