Chapter Thirty-one

What a fucking night.

One minute I was dancing with the one girl who brings me to my knees and the next I ended up in a middle of a gang war surrounded with gunshots zipping throughout the house and stepping over their classmates' blood as it drained from their lifeless bodies.

"Who told him she was at the party?" My low angry voice breaks my concentration as Eminem's "Darkness" raids my thoughts.

"What?" Ash asks in confusion. I glance between him and the road in front of me, so I won't lose sight of the girls.

"Who told him?" I roar, punching my fists on the dash..

"Dude! Stop." Ash pulls my arms away before I fuckin deploy the airbags.

I lean back in my seat, running my hands down my face, trying to stay calm. "Those fuckers showed up because someone told that asshole of Shorty's whereabouts. When I find out who it is, they're gonna wish I'd killed ‘em." Ash snaps his head in my direction, taking in what I just said. My fists rest on my thighs as I continue to look straight ahead while my breath grows thin and ragged.

"You're kidding, right?" He asks in an incredulous tone.

I don't answer.

"Donnie. Fucking talk to me, man."

Again, I don't respond.

I just stare straight ahead, trying to contain this anger within me. It's the same feeling I had when I found out Shorty was supposedly dead, and I was just a fucking kid then. Now, at eighteen, I'm one lethal motherfucker.

That's how getting involved in the underground fight club began. People would say I could kill a man with my bare hands.

"Donnie. You can't go around saying shit like that. Don't do something you're going to regret—something she can't forgive you for."

I slowly turn to face him. "Are you fucking kidding me right now, Ash? She got shot at because she was with me!" I hit my chest with my fist.

"No, that's not the reason. It's not your fault," he tries to convince me.

"I couldn't save her when she was getting her ass beat by her own father. Now some fucked up ex is after her. I can't fucking protect her, man, but I can't seem to stay the fuck away." My voice comes out broken.

I feel defeated, struggling to win this war that keeps coming between me and my girl. This whole thing with Shorty has fucked me up so bad I can't even think straight when it comes to her.

"None of this is your fault. Get that through your fucking head. It wasn't our job to protect her as kids. And tonight, that is not on you either. Shorty survived all this time without us. Did you see her tonight?" He asks as we take an exit leading us off the highway.

"Yeah, I have eyes, asshole."

"Ok, smart ass. I didn't mean how fucking hot she looked; I'm talking about how much stronger she is than what we give her credit for." I lean against the window, watching as we pass the rundown homes.

"Those guys are loyal to a fault. They will keep protecting her no matter what."

"That's just it. She shouldn't need protection. She should be happy and living her life like any other normal teenager."

"Yeah, well, that normal card wasn't what she was dealt with. Even in this fucked up life, she manages to survive whatever fucked up nightmare she's been living," he argues. I sense the change in his tone.

"Yeah, you're as fucked up as I am when it comes to her," I huff with a smile.

"Stop blaming yourself because she is going to need us more than ever, brother. We can't let her down. Take all that pent up anger and use it to protect her, not to do something stupid and landing your ass in jail. How the fuck are you going to look after her if you're locked up?" Ash shakes his head in frustration as we pass a corner store that reminds me of all the times we wandered to one for our weekly sugar rush. We were like kids on crack.

"So, what's up with you and Tia?" I change the subject.

"I don't know man. She's hot but feisty as fuck." Ash rubs his hands through his slick hair. Don't know what the hell he was thinking, that going as Danny Zuko was a good idea. Never in his life has he ever used gel that feels like oil plastered all over his head.

"Yeah, she is. But she's good for you. She doesn't buy into your bullshit." I look over at him and he has a huge ass grin on his stupid face.

"As opposed to what?" He turns the heat down, giving me a quick sideways glance.

"As opposed to an uptight and moody asshole when you were with Liz."

"I don't want to talk about her, D. Don't mention her name to me," Ash snaps.

"Whatever, man. I'm just saying Tia brings the best out of you just like Shorty does for me." I look away for a second and quietly laugh. "You know we're fucked, right?"

"Yep."