Sweet Fall (Sweet Home 2)

Walking behind Axel, I gripped his arms and wrenched him back. “Back the f**k off, Axe,” I ordered as Axel stumbled back. Looking over Axel’s shoulder, a pair of huge green eyes glanced up at me, and I stilled.

Hell. It was that cheerleader. The one I’d spoken to after the game.

I tipped my head up to the sky. Someone up there really f**kin’ hates me.

Axel was suddenly in my face. “The bitch saw too much. She needs to know she can’t talk. I gotta deal with this shit now! Can’t have no loose ends,” he hissed out, his hands fisted at his sides as the cheerleader seemed to sink her tiny body back even farther against the wall, eyes darting everywhere but on us. She was crying, for f**k sake. Her black makeup was all over her pale face.

“She won’t.” I looked at the chick. “Will you?” I practically growled. She was frozen with fear. “Fuckin’ tell him!”

More water filled her eyes and she began shaking her head. “I-I-I won’t.”

Spinning Axel around by his arm, I said, “The cops are just about here. You need to split. I’ll make sure she doesn’t squeal.” Axel spit on the ground at her feet before pushing past me, but not before I grabbed his bicep again, my mouth at his ear. “You and me need to talk. You’ve f**ked up, brother—Levi dealing for the crew, bringing this to my school, everything! I’m not gonna let this shit go.”

Scoffing a laugh at my threat, Axel ripped his arm from my hand and marched off in the direction of the parking lot. I watched him go, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I wasn’t getting a good feeling about something. Like some big f**kin’ omen was following my brothers. It was obvious Axel was getting in deeper with the crew, moving up, getting in tighter with Gio, and by the looks of things, dragging Levi with him.

Dragging him straight into hell.

A shuffling sound from behind me pulled my attention.

Shit. The chick. I’d almost forgotten about her.

Just as I turned around, I caught her edging away, trying to make her escape. That is until she saw me watching and froze, like a damn deer caught in headlights. I had to sort this shit quick, protect my family. No matter the cost.

“What the f**k did you see?” I snapped coldly.

“N-nothing, I saw nothing…” she whispered, all huge eyes on her tiny face. She must have only been about five feet flat.

“You’re lying,” I said coldly.

“No… really…” she whispered. I could see her pulse slamming in her slim neck.

What the f**k was she doing here in the quad, on her own, at this time of night anyway? Only reason I was even lifting weights this late was because Rome and me always put in extra sessions, way more than anyone else.

I pushed my chest against her body and heard a short sharp inhale of breath. “You saw my brother. What was he doing? And don’t f**kin’ lie.”

I knew she knew what was going down, of course, but I needed her so fearful of me that she wouldn’t say shit even to her closest friends. I had to make sure she kept her mouth shut. Couldn’t go spreading rumors around campus.

With a slump of her shoulders, I saw the fight leave her body. “Drugs. I think he was selling drugs.” She sighed in defeat. “No. I know he was selling drugs.”

Breathing in through my nose, I tipped my head back.

Fuckin’ A.

Bye-bye, scholarship.

“I won’t tell no one, I swear… Just… just let me go, please,” she begged, her soft voice cracking with fear. I stared her down, all black clothes, skinny as f**k frame. And she was a first-string cheerleader. I’d see her at every game, every f**kin’ game of the season. Home and away.

“Carillo, please, let me go.”

I caged her in farther against the wall with my arms, bending down to place my mouth at her ear. “You forget what you seen here tonight. If you do, we’ll be good, no consequences. But if you even speak a word of this to anyone, and I mean anyone, you won’t like the ton of f**kin’ bad shit that comes your way. You have no idea what you’d be screwing with. With people who will do anything to keep you quiet. And I mean anything.”

I heard her sniff and she nodded her head meekly, hearing my warning crystal clear. Backing away, I folded my arms across my chest and flicked my chin. “Go. Get the f**k away from here.”

A second later, the cheerleader began sprinting across the quad, her legs flying across the dried grass. I felt like the biggest prick to grace the Earth. She’d been petrified of me.

Damn shame she was now collateral damage.

Over one thousand days.

Over one thousand days since I’d left the crew, made a new life for myself here at UA, and left all that dealing shit behind.

And over one thousand a days until it came back to bite me in the ass.

Rubbing an anxious hand across my forehead, I fell back against the Denny Chimes. Axel’s gonna be pissed at her witnessing his coke deal, and he isn’t someone who forgets. He never leaves witnesses without making sure they don’t talk. The Heighters don’t tolerate anyone snitching on Heighter business—Gio’s orders.

Noticing a cop car’s headlights flare in the distance, I watched as it stopped not too far from where I stood. I froze and held my breath.

Just as I was about to cut and run, the cop got out of the vehicle, disappearing around the corner from view. Then a minute later, he reappeared, walking a chick back to his car… that skinny chick who could bring us all down.