Fifty Nine

***Adonis***

It was beginning to annoy me… the fact that I was frequenting the gang’s hideout a bit too much.

Grunting as I jumped off the last step of the ladder, I recalled how I made the decision to leave the Xylem gang. I made sure to drill it into my head that I wasn’t going to step foot on their cursed grounds anymore but it seemed the future had other plans. The future mocked my then present.

But it was fine. I was not doing it because I wanted to take revenge or because I was helping Maximus and his boys force people to cough out their gold. I was doing it because someone dear to me could get hurt.

It is a new thing for me… protecting someone with all my might.

All my life, I have never gotten protection, not even from my parents. I learnt to safeguard my life all by myself ever since my father sold me to Maximus father. I used crude methods to secure my safety. I made sure I was feared no matter what. Anything to make sure I wasn’t walked over by people.

So, it is strange that I am doing this. But as my head played the earlier scene where Bryan had his hands on Ruby, I felt a surge in my emotions. Not only did I want to protect her, I would get rid of that psycho no matter what.

And now that he has refused to pay for his crimes and die, it was time for me to fully play a part and make sure him and the unknown forces after Ruby pay for the deadly thoughts in their head.

Thankfully, there was no dangerous sport going on. The peace and quiet that welcomed me as my footsteps advanced towards the room Maximus was likely to be made my lips tug out a small smile.

It didn’t seem like that troublesome lady was there either.

Good.

After a few steps, I was in front of the room where Maximus was likely to be and on pushing the door open, I walked into a meeting among the big men of Xylem gang. The unseen forces that were the forces behind a lot of situations, in and out of the gang and sometimes within the country.

As my eyes scanned the faces that occupied the dimly lighted room that also accommodated a woman doing her job of entertaining the small crowd with her pole and soft background music, it occurred to me that I could use that opportunity to know who the higher power was in Ruby’s situation.

My eyes locked with Maximus’s whose right arm was wearing a cast signed by his so called uncle who supposedly has a hand in Ruby’s issue.

“Isn’t this the prodigal Adonis Klaus?” One of the silver-hiared men in the room asked a bit too delightfully.

Another scoffed. “There is nothing prodigal about this one. I heard he has his ass whipped because of a high school student.”

“Who knew he liked them pure and innocent?” the first man asked and the rest laughed apart, from Maximus and a bald man who didn’t look familiar to me.

“What is going on here?” I asked sternly. “Is this some meeting to decide someone’s fate?”

“We always have these meetings to decide people’s fate,” Maximus’s uncle finally spoke, his eyes twinkling with bad intent. I could see right through him and I couldn’t help but smirk. “Don’t tell me you have quickly forgotten those days we spent together deciding who needed to die or live.”

I walked in, closed the door with a bang, had most of the men flinching and with a smirk, I grabbed a chair, placed it beside Maximus and sat down.
“How will I forget those days? They haunt me to this very day.”

“Are you finally back from your break? Or you are here for something else?” Matt Xylem asked.

“I am here to issue you a warning but it seems I might catch some fun before I do that.” My head gestured towards the strange man in the gathering. “Who is he?”

“You mean you don’t recognize him?” Maximus finally talked, his voice wearing surprise.

“Am I supposed to?” My sight drilled into the man who was seated as calmly as possible. “Have I met him before?”

“You don’t remember?”

My head darted in Maximus’s direction sharply. “Kill the suspense dude and just tell me who he is.”

Matt chuckled where he was and when our eyes met, his lips wore a bigger smile. A smile that was way too sinister for my liking. “You don’t need to know who he is, you will find out soon enough.”

“Is he my replacement?”

“Why would you think that’s the case?” he asked with a mocking voice and I scoffed. “Okay, since you want to know so bad, he is our key to getting Ruby Powers in our hold.”

I folded my arms instantly as the urge to jump at him filled my soul. I didn’t intend to ruin my chances of gaining information, so I kept myself in check. “Why do you need Ruby Powers?”


“Why do you think we need Ruby Powers?” Matt began to test me. His eyes were now narrowed at me and I could read his challenge.

“I can think of two things.” My back relaxed into the chair and my legs stretched to find more room. “One, you have a deal with Bryan Lockwood. two, you want something from Ruby’s father.”

Matt sneered. And I said, “I can tell that I am right.”

“You didn’t figure out the last two reasons. But I’ll give it to you, you are still as smart as always. Too bad you decided to run away from your fate.”


“And I have to point out…” I didn’t let his disdain-filled words get cold. “You still don’t listen to advice. Apparently, you still haven’t realized how terrible having tattoos on your skin is. You still look like a bag of rice trying to look evil.”

Matt’s laughter filled the room.

‘Why did you let Bryan go? He killed your nephew.”

“Bryan is an important person to me, he is more important than my nephew.” his reply had most of the men sharing looks among each other.

With the corner of my eyes, I watched Maximus’s jaws clench hard and I finally understood Bryan’s escape. “Matt Xylem…” I got off my seat and slowly approached the man. My action must have been intimidating, the music died immediately.

“How dare you call me by my name?” Matt asked sternly but there was so much fear in his eyes, it made my job easy.

On getting to his seat, I caged him with my hands holding on to each side of the couch. “Matt Xylem…” His back could have dissolved and mixed with the dark colour of the couch if it could. “What secret of yours does Bryan know? What is he using against you?”

“Wh-what are you babbling about? I don’t have any secrets!”

“Really?” I glanced in Maximus’s direction for some seconds. “Are you certain? You don’t have anything to tell Maximus?”

As I watched Maximus frown, I faced the man who was visibly frightened. So much for being high and mighty.

“What do you think you are saying? I don’t have any secrets!”

“Alright then! I’ll keep that in mind when I begin to check for facts.”

“What do you plan to do?” he asked a si walked back to my seat.

“Don’t be stupid Matt. You know what I’m going to do.”

“You won’t find anything,” he claimed, his so-called confidence re-surfacing.

“I hope I don’t. Because if I do, I’ll make sure you have no choice but to leave Ruby alone.” My eyes locked with his and I put a more decisive punctuation to my statement. “I promise you.”

”You won’t find anything.”

”Oh, trust me, I will. I might no longer be part of you guys but I still remember how things worked and I am definitely going to trace my way to the truth you are hiding, Matt Xylem.”

“This is bullshit!” The man suddenly got up. “This is absolute crap! You can’t come inside here and run your mouth like you run this place. Gentlemen, let’s leave this place and have our conversation in a sane place.”


I chuckled heartily as I read devastation all over the man. I definitely got to him good and I was going to use that to my advantage.

“What was that about?” Maximus whispered to me as the men rushed out of the room.

“What happened to your arm? Bryan?”


”That boy is a beast. He needs to be put down. But…” His eyes flew towards the door.

“He has too many powerful men behind him.”

“So, what’s the deal with my uncle? I knew something was off when he commanded me to release Bryan. I was so close to getting that bastard.”

“I have a feeling that Bryan wasn’t the only one involved in your beother’s death.”

Maximus frowned as he processed my words. “Why would my uncle murder my brother?”


”To create a rift. Remember I left the gang after that incident. It might have not been part of his plan but that action of mine worked in his favour.”

Maximus nodded. “You have a point. He has been eyeing the throne even before my grandfather died. It makes sense that he wished to create a rift.”

“You should keep an eye on him. I might hate what the gang does but I don’t wish for it to crash when you are there. I know how much it means to you.’

“You sound so weird. Almost like you have become a softie, but I know that gangster blood is still inside you.”

“Please…” I chuckled.

“You should be careful, Bryan really does have a lot of powerful men behind him and he uses them to his advantage.”

“I know.” I sighed. “But I am more concerned about Ruby. She doesn’t deserve any of this drama.”

Maximus assured me with me a simple pat on my shoulder. “I know you will do a good job protecting her. You always do a good job when it comes to things you like and this Ruby won’t be an exception.”

I nodded as his words assured me some more. Few seconds later, I got up. “I should leave. I have to get up early tomorrow.”

“You and I know that you will still get to that school late.”

I smiled. “You are right about that.”

”How’s the job as a teacher going?”

“Oh, you know, sometimes its nice, sometimes its tiring. But it is fun with her around.”

”Just don’t do things that would put her in trouble,” he said as he walked me to the door.

“I wouldn’t dare to dream about that,” I responded and he could tell that I meant it.
I could tell it too.