Of Ravens & Moonlight
Chapter 4: Setting the Standard
Entry 38
Hey, It's been a while since I was able to write to you but things have been pretty hectic. For starters, Beck and some of the others have really been acting weird and, if I can be honest, I don't like how he looks at Trina. It seems like ever since you left, they both have been getting friendly with one another and that is strange in and of itself. Normally, she was viewed as annoying to the point that he did little to nothing to help her before you and Rashad's arrival. I know I'm probably the last person you'd think to hear from but, I'm not as dumb as I look and I notice things when people think I don't. At this point, I'm really missing you and how kind you were to me even when others treated me like a pest rather than an equal. For now, I'm hoping that you come back soon. It's really boring nowadays and I miss the runs we used to take to the bakery down the street from your place. See you soon, KK?
Silverton
Beck sat at a cafe, lost in his thoughts. First, he'd received word that Cross, his former superior, was in his city. Before he could even address that, news that other crews were getting more and more greedy despite the 'fair' deal he cut with them. To cap it all off, a ghost from his past shows up by the name of Liam. He thought that he was rid of the only person who would expose him back in Rockport. He went in undercover to get information on the Blacklist and even staged his capture at the hands of Razor. Cat, his partner at the time was not supposed to be involved but he kept going in order to fully infiltrate and subsequently bring down the Blacklist for good. He was doing well until found himself the 'victim' of corruption; at least that's what he told himself.
Razor had figured out that Beck wasn't just another street racer and in exchange for his freedom, he would give Beck everything he needed so long as he would look the other way. Beck agreed and soon found himself living a lie. He would feed the force false information about Razor while selling out his friends. However, as time went on, he ran into two roadblocks. The first was Cross who, like Beck, was looking to bring down the Blacklist in order to further his career. At first, it was simply a race to bring the racers to justice but all of that changed after his and Razor's agreement. Cross was beginning to link him to the criminal gang so he decided that his rival had to go.
He'd find a way to stage the biggest set-up in Rockport history as he orchestrated every way for his friends to escape the city while leaving Cross disgraced. With that, he managed to further add insult to injury when he pinned the entire operation on the bounty hunter forcing him into a life of exile.
The second obstacle was Liam with whom his connection was a bit more complicated. When he and his brother arrived in the city, he liked the guy. But unknown to the new guy, his success was a major contribution to Beck's failure. Razor wanted him gone but it would be difficult without revealing his secret. So he waited for an opportunity to rid himself of the gifted racer while retaining his guise. It came in the form of Trina, whose curiosity opened the door for him. The bitter argument between his current girlfriend and the current bane of his existence, set into motion the plan that, at the time, would rid him of Liam for good. Or so he thought...
The race.
The crash.
The hunt.
It was all Beck.
It wasn't until a few hours ago, that he found out that Liam was basically in his backyard. He thought that he would rot in the slammer or at least stay as far away from him. Fortunately, he was able to think on the fly by using Liam's past to ensure his own future. Seeing Trina's harsh rejection towards him was just the icing on the cake. Soon, he would be the king of Palmont and he'll use his rival to get there.
"Beck?" a familiar voice dragged him from his dark thoughts.
Looking up, Beck saw Trina sitting across from him. Seeing her frustration, he smiled softly.
"Hey, babe. I see you're back. How'd it go?"
"It was whatever," she responded nonchalantly. "I'm still upset that I was the one who had to take him to the drop off point. You could've taken him yourself.."
The air of irritation was palpable. Beck could see that she was struggling to keep her emotions in check and in a weird way, he liked it. He knew that she was in love with Travis still but he only needed her to complete his goal, grant it, he did have feelings for her that developed after the two left Rockport behind. "Trina, I did that to test your loyalty."
Eyes widening, her face paled several shades. "Beck I told you before, I'm in your corner."
"I know." he stood to his feet and walked towards her. Her nervous aura could be felt as he took her hand. "But, actions speak louder than words, Trina. I needed to see just how loyal you were." the Latina felt herself being pulled close to her boyfriend. "I'm pleased to see that you've exceeded my expectations."
As the two shared a soft kiss, their moment was interrupted by the footsteps of one Tori Vega. A satisfied Beck gave his girl one final kiss on the cheek before heading out of the cafe. Tori felt uneasy and her sister could tell. Both were outfitted in beige trench coats over their clothes symbolizing to everyone that they were members of the Stacked Deck crew. The duo ignored the murmurs and stared at one another; one's eyes showed defiance while desperation filled the others.
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
The next morning, Liam allowed a yawn to escape as his sense tried to adjust to his surroundings. The peace of a small breeze flowing through the window calmed his mind. The few rays of sunlight warmed his face. He began to stretch his arms, noticing then that he was alone in his bed. Groggy and confused, he slowly rose up and inspected the room.
There was no sign of Jade West anywhere.
"Maybe I dreamed it all." he clutched his head, pushing his locks back.
"Do you always dream about a sexy goth chick in your bed?"
Needless to say, he found himself looking up at the half-naked form of his visitor.
"Do you always disappear without a trace after a romantic encounter?" he asked, a sly smirk gracing his lips.
Jade returned his expression and crossed her arms under her now bra covered breasts. "I had to go to the bathroom. But we have more important matters to discuss."
Nodding, he got out of the bed and quickly got cleaned up. Jade decided to do the same once her roommate exited the bathroom. She enjoyed the soothing water rushing down her body but wasted little time to get clean and dressed. Once she was outfitted in her standard black skirt, black leggings, black top and matching combat boots, she returned to find him in the garage area.
He was standing next to his stock Mitsubishi Lancer, Jade could hear his frustrated groan.
She held back a giggle before approaching the clearly disgruntled Liam. It was obvious that he was none too pleased with having to start over. "You'll have plenty of time to sulk over your ride." Jade interrupted his sulking. "But, like I said last night, we need to discuss what's going on." She took his hand, leading him to the makeshift living room. The two then took a seat, Jade on the couch and Liam in a nearby chair. "From what I learned from Vega, you know that there are multiple crews in the city looking to claim territory. Aside from this borough, four areas belong to crews. Downtown is controlled by Kenji's Bushido crew. They're pretty good in terms of control with their tuner cars on tight turns. The T.F.K. crew are the top speed kings. Led by Wolf, they rule the Fortuna district with Exotic cars. Kempton is held down by a chick named Angie and her 21st Street crew. She loves to get up close and personal with her muscle cars and if you don't watch out, she'll leave you at the starting line."
Liam, though focused, was processing everything. Jade took notice of this and decided to finish up.
"Obviously, you know that... Beck watches over Silverton. It's the biggest borough and as I'm sure you've noticed, he's well rounded in the skills of the other crew bosses."
"Yeah, considering I've seen those skills firsthand," he grumbled. "Now, about paying him back... We'll have to get me some races soon so I can get some cash right away." The determination in his eyes didn't go unnoticed by Jade who resisted the urge to bite her lip. "The faster I get paid, the faster Beck gets off of my back."
"Alright then. We'll start tonight with some simple races so you can get that stock ride fixed up." she nudged him in the ribs playfully which he responded by softly poking her side. "In the meantime, we'll get you started with forming a crew, not to mention, you'll be doing more than just racing."
"A crew?" confusion was evident in his voice.
"Yeah. I already mentioned the big four crews but there is a multitude of smaller crews that vie for small territories throughout the boroughs owned by the bigger crews. You'll need help if you plan to get this over with..."
"You make a good point. I wouldn't mind you joining up with me for a race."
"Well since you requested..." Jade pushed her body against the now blushing Liam "I'll be your wing-girl."
She then placed a soft kiss on his cheek and then left out of the garage with an extra sashay in her walk. She kept his attention until her form disappeared around the corner. When his brain finally reloaded, he focused on the Mitsubishi Lancer in front of him with a fierce gaze. He'd made up his mind the moment he ran into Beck. He wouldn't be content with just paying him back...
I'm going to get him back...
That evening, Tori decided to go for a drive to clear her head. Conflicted feelings plagued her thoughts as she tried to make sense of everything that happened over the last 24 hours.
Why was Beck dating Trina in the first place? Why didn't she speak up about it? Where had Liam been and why return now? Why did she snap on him last night?
These questions and more banged inside her head like a cup of dice as she made a right at a stop light and pulled up in an old parking garage. She continued until she reached the top level where two other vehicles sat near the far end under the twilight sky.
Pulling her vehicle to a stop, she waited for some form of signal to clarify if the two were friend or strangers. Sure enough, the closest car flashed its front lights five times in six-second intervals. That was the code Tori had been looking for as she let out a sigh of exasperation. "Thank goodness." She mumbled to herself. After settling next to the two other cars, the farthest one being a silver Mercedes Benz and the nearest a pure green and black Dodge Neon, she stepped on wearing her traditional trench coat over a pink tank top and jeans. The other two drivers, one male, one female, stepped out and the trio walked over to the ledge surveying the street below.
"So.." she started. "...it's been a while, hasn't it?"
"You know the answer to that, Tori." the response, coming from the male, was tough though lacking venom. "It's been months since we've heard from you and that's the first thing you can say to us?" The young man was rather tall, standing at 6'4", and well built. He sported long locs that flowed down to the middle of his back.
Tori, though hurt, never took her eyes off of the street down below. "I'm sorry, but it's difficult with Beck always being paranoid all the time. Plus, he's had me running 'errands' for him throughout Palmont to support his bid for power."
"That's all good and all but let's get to it." a short woman with red hair interrupted with patience nowhere to be found in her tone. "Why did you call us after all this time?"
While there was no problem between Tori and the male, the tension was clearly apparent between her and his partner. The young woman had fair colored skin and her crimson hair was now shaved on the side while the other half was styled in a lock/mohawk combo. Over her left eye sat an eyebrow ring while the right corner of her bottom lip sported two smaller rings. Her tanned skin accentuated her fiery brown eyes that matched her temper. Tori had to take a moment to harden her resolve before continuing.
"I asked you two to come because..." she bit her lip. "...We found him." Both flashed looks at Tori Vega, one of confusion and the other, frustration. "Look, he's in a race right now that'll end here. Just wait until he passes this light and you'll see what I mean." The Latina made her way to her candy red Dodge Viper. "Just promise me that you won't approach him yet. He's indebted to Beck right now and he doesn't need any distractions while trying to pay him back."
Before either of the two could inquire further, the car screeched as it disappeared down into the lower levels of the parking garage.
"What was that about?" the African-American man leaned against the ledge, watching as Tori sped off down the vacant street. "Sometimes that girl doesn't make any sense."
The girl huffed in annoyance. "Who knows? Tori always likes to speak in riddles just to piss me off." she ran her fingers through her hair trying to keep calm. "I don't see why you won't let me deck her one good time across her perfect little cheekbones."
The male chuckled softly. He then reached out and pulled the young woman into his strong arms. "Now, we both know why. She's still a good friend of mine, even if she's gone down a dark path. Besides..." he caught her chin between his index finger and thumb, bringing her lips in contact with his own. "...I'm sure whoever this person is, Tori believes he's important to the both of us. So let's just relax and find out who our mystery person is." He leaned in and kissed her neck eliciting an involuntary moan.
"Andre, stop that.." she giggled softly before capturing his lips with her own. "You know what that does to me."
"Calm you down?" he interrupted only to receive a punch to his arm for his troubles.
"I'm serious, Andre. I don't like when Tori gives us a bunch of pieces expecting us to just figure it out as we go along. Between her and her sister, I'd rather they both crash off the side of Carbon Canyon..."
Andre's eyes widened in shock. "Cat! That's dark, especially for you."
This did little to change her stance. "I mean it. Ever since we ditched Rockport, I've felt nothing but pure hatred for that bitch, Trina."
"I know.. You blame her for that night right?" she nodded without a word; her face covered by her hair. "What about Tori? What's your beef with her?"
Cat Valentine continued to stare at the pavement as tears welled up. "She of all people knew right from wrong and yet.." she bit her lip.
Andre was used to moments like this. He knew his girlfriend had a vulnerable side that she hid very well from others. Without fail, he wrapped his arms around her as she silently huffed into his chest. Anybody else would consider her unstable but to him, she never coped with her loss. "It's okay.." he whispered in her ear. Seconds later he could feel her breathing slow to a steady pace. "...I'm here for you."
The two just stood there in one another's embrace until the sounds of speeding cars echoed in the night. "Seems like it's time." he turned his head to find four vehicles in a dead heat. Two were from a second rate crew called the Rotors, and the third was a silver charger with a purple lotus on the hood. The couple quickly recognized it as Jade's car which prompted their curiosity even more. "If that's Jade, then who's that?" Cat asked while eyeing the stock Mitsubishi Lancer. Her heart instantly dropped as she watched the racers near the finish line. The two rotor members continued to hound the unknown driver, ramming him on both sides.
Jade shifted into the right lane as the rotor member on the left was going in for another hit. She bum-rushed the tail end and zoomed past as the driver swerved into a fire hydrant, totaling the car. "Keep going." was all she said to her partner while hitting her nitro reserves. Soon she was was neck and neck with the other two and in a stunning turn of events, hopped off of the gas and trailed behind the remaining crew member's ride. "Push into her and I'll take care of the rest. We have to time it perfectly or we'll lose."
On the rooftop of the garage, Andre and Cat watched closely to see the conclusion of this race.
They watched as one of the members crashed and were intrigued to learn the victor of this contest. Soon, they watched as the purple RX-7 began to pull away despite the heavy pressure from the Lancer. Unknown to everyone, Jade was hoping for this. Once she saw enough room, she rammed into the tail end of the Lancer. Despite the significant damage, it had a domino effect as the car crashed further into the RX-7 causing it to shift sideways until it collided with a street light effectively taking it out of the race.
"What the hell?" Andre muttered as they witnessed the wreckage. Fortunately, both the Lancer and Charger managed to cross the end of the street; the latter crossing first. "That was insane." he clenched his fists. "At least they won... I guess."
However, she didn't care about the no-name rotor drivers. Her mind was firmly on the identity of the driver in the now dented car.
Jade stepped out first and helped the other driver out of his vehicle. Although they were far up, she could still make out certain details on this guy. He was brown skin, had locs, and had the exact demeanor of someone she knew. "It couldn't be..." she whispered. "...Liam?" her voice broke a little at the idea of the man below could be someone dear to her. Andre wanted to object but it wasn't until they noticed the two hug that he too suspected the same thing.
Unfortunately, they didn't have long to ponder the idea as sirens rang in their ears. "Let's go, Cat," he called out. She turned to him, clearly upset but did as she was told. Jade and the figure they thought to be Travis had the same idea as they disappeared into the night. Cat and Andre managed to escape the area just as the Palmont police arrived to inspect the damage.
San Juan
Instead of going directly home, Jade led Liam to another safe house located nearby. Once inside, they left the cars there and headed back home to get some sleep. It was frustrating during that race considering the Mitsubishi Lancer didn't have nitro yet. They nearly lost but in the end, Jade's plan was just enough to squeak out the win.
"That was insane!" she hopped on his back. "The way those two crashed was wicked."
"I'm just glad we got the win," he muttered. "Although, it's also refreshing to see you light up at the sight of potential pain and suffering."
"Can't I enjoy a bit of mayhem every now and then?" she bumped hips and hopped on his back before noticing the stoic expression on this face.
Jade's good mood deflated and she hopped off of his back just as they entered the garage. She knew why he was upset and it wasn't because of the state of his car. It was still the state of his heart. Every race won brought him closer to paying Beck back for bailing him out of the situation with Cross. Unfortunately, it was a constant reminder of what he lost. He walked straight to his room unaware that Jade could read him like a book.
Surprisingly the only one besides his own brother who possessed this ability.
"Liam..." she walked him and hugged him from behind.
She could feel him slightly trembling as if he was holding in every bit of pain while giving him comfort. Somehow the two found themselves sharing his bed again. This time though, his head was resting on her lap. No words were spoken. None were needed as Jade stroked his head lovingly. There was no denying that aside from Trina, Jade was the only other woman he had an intimate relationship that allowed him to drop his defenses. "I wish I could take your pain away. You don't deserve the hell you're going through."
He then sat up and gave Jade a hug in response. "Jade, you've done so much already." his voice was a little raspy but otherwise was nearly back to normal. "I'm glad it's you that's seeing me like this. I don't think I could trust anyone else at this point."
They remained in that position for what felt like an eternity though it was only several minutes. Soon, fatigue began to set in as Jade and Liam turned away to undress. They had locked eyes again. Just like the first night, Azure and Emerald captivated each other. This time, they tried to focus on other things besides each other.
"I could always go to... my room." the pale-skinned beauty spoke up.
Turning around, Liam grinned softly. "I um... I'd rather have you stay here. You shouldn't have to sleep alone."
Now it was Jade's turn to grin as she placed her clothes on the nightstand then crawled under the covers. Liam followed suit and soon they have cuddled up once again. Neither spoke a word as sleep dragged their consciousness into a slumber filled vacation. Both knew what was happening, but at this point, was there a need to resist this? In Liam's mind, he took into account Trina's decision to be with Beck, her attitude towards him, and even how far she went to act as if he didn't exist. Maybe it was time to move on?
Jade too was conflicted. After leaving Rockport, her then-boyfriend, Ambro, and she broke off their engagement after it was discovered that he was actually involved in a terrorist cell bent on destroying certain key areas in the country. After that, she didn't bother trying to date unless it was to get a good lay. Now here she was free to explore her feeling for Liam and yet.. she felt off. Deep down inside, she liked Liam and wanted to be with him but the only thing stopping her was his connection to Trina.
I'm so gonna kick Vega's ass if I get the chance. she thought while turning over so that he was now spooning her. In the end, they both felt it would be best to let things progress at its own pace. Once their respective minds were made up, they finally conceded to sleep.
Downtown
A red 2014 Dodge Viper cruised down the nearly empty street. It was about 4 am and the curvy Latina was just eager to get out and either race or sort her thoughts out. To be honest, she preferred the former of the two. She passed by a local mini-mart in hopes that some dumb racer was eager to lose the contents in their wallet. Unfortunately, the roads were bare and Trina pulled into a vacant lot that oversaw the crystal clear lake just five miles away. She stepped out of the car and leaned her body against the custom hood. She had been taking various pills in order to calm her nerves but this time, they proved ineffective.
"I wonder... was this supposed to be, Liam?" she asked nobody in particular.
"We could very well ask you the same question."
Trina turned around to see Andre and Cat, the latter who was none too pleased to be anywhere near one of the Vega sisters.
The duo stepped towards Trina, whose nerves were truly out of wack now, only for the former to stand directly in front of her. Andre started to say something but stopped when he noticed the red-haired girl had decided to continue on towards a small gate, where she leaned against the fence. Breathing a sigh of relief, Andre took solace in the fact that his girlfriend decided to ignore Trina's existence rather than start another battle in the ongoing war between her and the sisters. Trina was so preoccupied that she forgot the dark-skinned man was mere inches from her.
"Trina, we know he's here.." Andre's voice broke her from her thoughts.
"I don't know what you're talking about.." she replied in a carefree tone. "What are you doing sneaking around anyways? Stalking much?"
Andre, who glanced over at his frustrated girlfriend, turned his attention back to Trina Vega. He knew that she was trying to remain nonchalant about the situation, but at the risk of things escalating beyond his control, he was willing to overcome his typically relaxed demeanor to get the answers he sought.
"Don't give me that bullshit, Trina!"
"A-Andre I-" she trembled from his sudden outburst of rage.
"No, you know as well as I do that you and Beck know something about Liam's appearance here in Palmont." He interjected. "You used to love the guy and yet now, here you are literally trying to hide the fact he's returned. And for what? Pleasing Beck?"
Trina could only look at the ground as Andre's words hit close to home.
"Back in Rockport, you two were damn near inseparable but now, you're acting like he doesn't exist and for what reason Trina?" He practically roared. "Now look at you... You don't even live your own life without his permission."
The look in Andre's eyes left no room for rebuttal as his words weighed heavy on the young woman's conscious. Cat had turned around at this point with interest flashing behind her eyes. The circumstances surrounding her dear friend's reappearance along with Andre's intervention were enough for her entertainment. Unfortunately, the fun would end once she watched the Latina brushing past her boyfriend. Fury began to rush through her veins at the sight of the woman she'd grown to hate literally began walking away without another word. Fortunately, she wouldn't have to do anything as Andre once again spoke up.
"Trina, at least tell us where he is... for Cat. Even you must admit that she deserves to know what's going on with one of her closest friends."
She simply froze for a moment; she was about to head into her car and drive off when she heard him call for her. To make matters worse, she turned to see the stone cold look from Andre and the surprising gaze of desperation in Cat's eyes. "Fine..." she huffed half-heartedly. "Listen, he's currently staying in the San Juan district. It's a neutral territory so here's the address." Reaching into the vehicle, Trina grabbed a pen and paper from the glove compartment and scribbled the information needed. She handed the small note to the young man and without another word, sped off into the night leaving the couple to wonder what they would expect. "1538 Payne Ave. I know that place." He took a moment to think before they hopped in their respective vehicles.
Liam wiped some oil from his forehead after changing various parts under the hood. He let out a grunt as he tried to place a new transmission in the Lancer. Across from him, Jade was working on new designs for her tattoo shop. Suddenly a thought ran through her mind; a sly grin followed soon after.
"Hey, you never told me about that tat on your arm."
She heard a powerful laugh come from under the car much to her annoyance. Her icy eyes shined with a new fire only to find him wiping off more oil from his arms and hands. A frown formed on her lips as he threw the towel over his shoulder. His eyes then trailed down to his right arm where the yakuza style wolf tattoo rested.
"Would you believe me if I said that this was my badge of honor?" His tone was a bit darker but still, he retained his smile. "Back in Rockport State Prison, I had to fight day in and day out to survive. I was alone and angry all the time. Day after day, the same routine only seemed to solidify my mundane existence." His eyes darkened and Jade could tell he was fighting with something internally. "The only thing that kept me going was getting back to… her but I guess that was time well wasted…"
Each word appeared to weigh heavier on him as he spoke. The Goth's scowl softened as he took a breath and continued. "Eventually, I ran into a prison gang and soon I was indoctrinated as a member inside the walls." He let out a forced laugh. "That's where I got this tattoo…"
He attempted to walk past but was stopped when Jade grabbed his arm. It was a good thing that the two had grown closer as the days went by or else she would've punched him for getting her to this point of intimacy. The two stared into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity only for the gazes to be broken when a tap was heard on the garage door. Liam suppressed a low growl but nodded for Jade to answer the door. "I'll be back..." he whispered to Jade as the knocks seemed to get louder. This time, Jade herself barely suppressed a growl as she walked past his car only to hear a familiar voice.
"Hey! Jade are you in there? It's Andre!"
His response was a groan and he soon found himself the main target of her annoyance.
"What do you want?!" she asked through gritted teeth at her cowering friend.
Andre swiftly ducked behind his girlfriend who rolled her eyes before approaching Jade. The two stared at one another for a few minutes before a sigh escaped the lips of the punk girl. "Jade…" she started. "...we know he's here. Please..." Tears threatened to spill out. "…I need to see him." Ryanna watched as Jade nodded and stepped to the side, allowing the couple to enter her home. The couple looked around the garage but, despite scanning the entire room, they found that Liam was nowhere in sight. This wouldn't deter Cat though as she continued deeper into the house. Unfortunately, no matter where she looked, she just couldn't seem to locate Travis. She checked the main room, the bedrooms, and even the bathroom and yet there was no sign of him anywhere. Andre hugged his girlfriend as tears began to descend down her face while Jade just looked around confused.
"I don't get it.. he was just.."
"Hey, Jade..." Liam walked through the back door unaware of the company in his home. "...I'm about to head out for a bite. Do you want... Anything?"
Travis looked up from his phone and nearly fell out. His jaw dropped as the young woman rushed into him without a second thought. A loud thud echoed in the room as the two crashed onto the hard floor. The remaining friends decided to take their exit, allowing Cat and Travis to reconcile.
"Big brother..." she whispered amidst tears streaming down her face. "...You're really back!"
The rain crashed brutally against Tori's window as the Latina entered the bedroom of her luxury apartment, draped in only a towel. She let out a yawn as she began drying her hair. For the first time in a while, she was relieved to take some time from racing and focus on herself. She then put on her bra and panties before grabbing her favorite book. Unfortunately, her reading would be postponed as she heard a knock on her door. She rolled her eyes before getting up. She made her way through the hallway grumbling the entire time until she arrived at the front door.
"Whoever this is at the door is going to catch my wrath..."
She opened the door only to see someone she'd rather not see this night. His smile was calm and yet unnerving. His piercing gaze left her nearly petrified and his smirk sent shivers throughout her body. Despite knowing the person standing at her doorstep for so long, Tori found herself inwardly cowering from the figure before her.
"Aren't you going to let me in, sunshine?" he asked in a silky tone.
Tori trembled a moment before stepping aside, allowing the man to enter her living room. He took a moment to inspect his surroundings before hopping on the couch. His dark brown hair hid his most of his face as he turned on the television. Sounds of various voices echoed throughout the apartment while and yet the tension caused by their awkward silence towards one another. After nearly half an episode of some sitcom had passed by the time one of them even decided to speak up.
"You mind telling me what you're doing here this late at night?" Tori crossed her arms in irritation.
The young man simply chuckled.
"Tori, you know as well as I do why I'm here. Between you and your sister, I always took you for the smart one."
At that moment, she knew what was about to happen. It had been done many times before that Tori had become used to it at this point. The long nights, that dirty feeling she'd get during these nights, the awkwardness she'd feel after it was all over, it all would culminate in her nearly choking on her own vomit once she gets a good look at herself in the morning. Soon, she found herself lying on the bed with her "guest's" body draped over her naked frame. Soon she felt the ever familiar feeling of penetration but there was nothing enjoyable about this. She gasped sharply as he began to slowly thrust his hips forward until he was buried completely inside of her.
There was no pleasure.
She didn't enjoy herself in the least.
She let out moans that, while appeared pleasurable, were just sounds that came from the motions.
Fortunately, she was able to shift her mind to other things...
It'll all be over soon... she mentally chanted.
The storm quickly progressed through Palmont as Andre and Jade watched the rain come crashing down on the asphalt. The two thought it best to leave Liam and Cat to catch up with one another in private. While the siblings conversed, the two best friends decided to do the same.
"So... what have you two been up to since we split?"
Andre simply chuckled bitterly to himself.
"It's been a trip, to say the least. We've been staying in the downtown region ever since we arrived here. To be honest, it's been weird since then..." Andre groaned softly before returning his gaze to the pouring rain. "Back in Rockport, we were all so close. But then Liam disappeared and everything went to hell. She became so distant and you completely went off the radar after a few months. No one's seen Robbie and, according to Beck, there's no trace of Rashad anywhere either. Tori and Trina have been working with Beck in Silverton with the latter currently dating him. I have no idea why or how that even happened."
At this point, Jade's body had tensed up as she let out a low growl that, thankfully, went unnoticed by her longtime friend. It was no secret that she and Trina never saw eye to eye, but it remained a closely guarded secret about her feelings for Liam. It was bittersweet knowing that her emotions were reciprocated only due to the unfortunate events in the past. She fought back tears as her heart sank from the realization of her greatest fear. She was opening up completely to Liam and the idea of Trina coming back and taking away the one person she loved.
Jade was pulled from her thoughts when she heard the door open behind her revealing her lover.
"Hey, Andre? Cat fell asleep not too long ago..." he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry. I guess we both lost track of time."
Andre simply stood to his feet and placed a hand on Liam's shoulder.
"Don't sweat it... she deserves a good rest after reuniting with her 'big brother'." Jade allowed a smirk to grace her lips as she looked on. "I'll just pull the car into the garage and take her home."
"No." Both guys turned to look at Jade questionably. "Listen, I'm not thrilled to say this, but it wouldn't be fair to kick you too out into the oncoming storm."
"Thanks, Jade. But I'm sure we can make it home before the full brunt of the storm-"
Andre was cut off by the crashing of thunder and the flash of lightning. The already pouring rain came down so hard that it literally blocked their vision of the local pizza shop across the street with only blurred colors remaining.
"You two can take my room and I'll crash with Liam for the night." Jade retorted with a matter-of-fact tone along with her signature smirk. "Just be sure not to stain my sheets or you'll get a close and personal look at my scissor collection."
The porcelain-skinned girl hummed softly to herself as she stepped inside hers and Liams' home leaving the two to just watch her blankly.
Later in the night, the storm had let up leaving only light traces of rain along with the fading rumble of thunder every so often. The usually content and carefree Liam decided to go for a walk. He grabbed his a black sleeveless hoodie and quietly tiptoed out through the front door. As he ventured throughout the borough, he allowed himself to calmly take in his surroundings. The sounds of cars sloshing through the puddles, the rather loud conversations from a small group of drunks outside of a seedy bar, and even the cold droplets that gently touched his skin were enough for him to get lost in his thoughts. However, his thoughts would soon drag him to the dark corners of his mind.
First, he was found and confronted by former Sergeant turned bounty hunter, Cross only to wind up indebted to a former friend in Beck. If that wasn't enough, he was finally reunited with Trina only to find that she'd not only moved on but with said former friend. Tori hadn't spoken to him since helping him acquire a new ride. All of these events would culminate in him living with Jade, which turned out to be the only bright spot since arriving in Palmont up to the point of running into Andre and Cat. A small grin formed on his lips as he followed his memories of hanging out with the Goth girl. He wouldn't lie and say that there was no attraction to Jade West... They seemed to click on multiple levels and that brought him happiness that he'd thought to be long gone.
But, there lies the issue.
He knew that his heart still loved Trina Vega but now it seemed his feelings were now split evenly with his feelings for Jade. Before becoming a couple back in Rockport, Travis would find himself at war with his mind and heart about the two. It was easy back then... He and Trina were happily together while Jade was dating someone as well. There was nothing conflicting between them due to their respective relationships but once he'd gotten to jail, he realized that while he loved the older Vega, there was another face that invaded his daily thoughts and nightly dreams. In the midst of his thoughts, Liam realized that he was in the middle of a park.
"Never thought I'd see a place like this in Palmont..." he chuckled to himself as he continued further. He adjusted his jacket and looked around the misty park. Unbeknownst to him, he was being followed. Pushing onward, Liam again became engrossed in his thoughts. This time, a vivid memory flashed clearly in his mind causing him to have a sinking feeling in his chest.
Flashback- 1 year ago
It was an interesting day.
Liam had just defeated the #12 Blacklist racer Taz and was racing to a location where Trina was allegedly being held.
Fortunately, all of the units hunting him were busy taking care of the crazy racer he'd left behind. He found himself parking in front of the boatyard and rushing inside. That proved to be a mistake as he was met with a solid punch to the jaw by a random thug. After picking himself up, he narrowly dodged another punch and launched a knee to the thugs gut, dropping him effectively. Pushing forward, he was met by two more thugs who immediately rushed him. He wasn't going to be caught off guard again though as the first thug swung a pipe at his head. He managed to duck the shot only to receive a sidekick that launched him into some crates.
"Damn..." he groaned.
The thug holding a pipe swung again only for Liam to kick him in the knee. He then launched a punch to the groin, dropping him. The other one was a burly guy with a scar over his right eye. Other than that, there was nothing that really set him apart from your run of the mill lackey. What was significant though was what this man was holding in his hands; a rusty biker's chain.
He took special notice of the object, registering its destructive potential before attacking. He'd have to time his movements perfectly or else he'd be suffering some severe damage. The wannabe guard scowled and made a mad dash towards him, swinging the chain straight down. Predictably, he hit nothing but the already damaged crates. Liam rolled behind him only to get sucker punched by yet another random thug bringing his opponent count to three. Spitting out a little blood, he felt himself getting more and more annoyed. 'The clown with the chain is bad enough to deal with.' he mentally grumbled. 'Now I gotta take out these jokers too?'
He received his answer in the form of the two unarmed men lunging at him from both sides. He managed to sidestep the one on his left, sending him crashing into the wooden beam spine first. The second guy proved not to be too much of an issue either as he threw several punches only to hit nothing but air. Keeping in mind the man with chain, Liam caught a left hook and pulled the now scared flunky into a flying knee that landed square on the jaw. The first thug had just gotten to his feet but only managed to catch a glimpse of a size 12 boot that became planted with his face, no doubt resulting in him needing future reconstructive surgery for what was to be expected as a broken nose and jaw.
"Two down, one to- gaahh!"
Before he could catch his breath, the burly thug had wrapped the chain around his neck. Though he was strong, his assailant was clearly dwarfing him in the power category as he was brought down to his knees from the lack of air. He scratched and clawed at the chain but only felt the links sinking deeper into his skin. Soon, he felt the sensation of unconsciousness begin to flood over him as his vision was unfocused. He dropped down to one knee as it appeared he was done for. The grunt chuckled as he enjoyed his handiwork. "I'm not stopping until I see your eyes pop out of your head."
Unfortunately, Liam didn't hear a single word as he unwillingly welcomed the darkness. As the life drained from his face, he happened to see Trina's face. Her soft brown eyes and her adorable smile brought upon a soft smile internally until the image appeared to fade. It took a moment for him to notice that only half of Trina's face was disappearing. 'What the hell is going on?' he thought to himself. Soon another image began to form on the other half of Trina's face to reveal: "Jade?" It was true as on the left side, half of Jades' face was now visible. The contrast between the two was beyond noticeable but it didn't matter at that point. The knowledge of both Trina and Jade in danger seemed to be what was needed to wake him up.
Outside of his mind, the large man had begun unraveling the chain from Liam's bleeding neck. The wound itself wasn't deep enough to cut the jugular but the lack of oxygen appeared to be enough to accomplish the kill. He smirked and walked away from the seemingly lifeless corpse. Unbeknownst to him, Liam was literally dragging his weighed down form off the cold concrete floor. He was barely able to get on his knees before coughing up a small amount of blood, alerting his attempted murderer.
"Huh.. seems you're not dead yet," he noted while cracking his large knuckles. "That's too bad..."
Even though his vision wasn't 100% clear, he could still make out the large frame of the man and launched a solid straight right to his jaw. The force, though not enough to drop him, caused the thug to stumble back. "Seems this one's still got some fire in him." With a tight fist, he cocked his left arm and swung with an immense amount of torque only to have the punch blocked by the forearms of a still wobbly Liam. The impact alone caused a shock wave of pain to surge through his body, but he still kept a grin on his face. No clever words were said as he delivered a headbutt, effectively breaking his opponent's nose in the process. Struggling to breathe, the man didn't see the next few punches and kicks before they landed on their designated targets. He threw punches blindly but only accomplished in hitting the air.
Liam was fighting on pure instinct alone as each attack connected with deliberate intent to injure. Several punches broke the jaw and orbital bone. A well-placed knee cracked a few ribs while one to the sternum knocked all the wind from his lungs. Soon the man was nothing more than a heap on the ground; blood pouring out from any means of an exit. He'd won...
Once that was confirmed, he stumbled around as he was still in the process of recovering. It took some time but the muffled sounds helped him significantly while he carefully approached one of the backrooms. Fortunately, he didn't run into any more 'guards' and opened the door slowly. Inside though wasn't Trina Vega. He saw the pale-skinned woman bound, gagged, and blindfolded in an office chair. He shut the door behind him and first removed the blindfold allowing her the ability to see again. Jade's eyes widened as her icy eyes began to focus on the weak smile of Liam who was working on untying her.
"Hey there, Ivory." he joked softly as he loosened the main knot in the ropes.
Jade quickly removed the tape from her mouth and, surprisingly, hugged her savior tightly. This was the nature of their relationship as she silently sobbed into his shoulder. He shook off the feeling of uncertainty and wrapped his arms around his friend, trying his best to comfort her. Nobody had ever seen Jade sob, not even her then-boyfriend, Ambrose who was on a separate rescue mission of his own. Feeling his warmth, Jade West soon began to calm down, though the tears still flowed freely. He didn't mind though as he managed to put her on his back and carried her out to his car. She began to panic as he set her down and clung to him tightly. While he tried to explain that he was going back to rescue Trina, she lunged at him and their lips met for the first time. It was a surreal feeling pouring through Liam's body before he pulled away. No other words were exchanged as he shut the door softly and ran back inside leaving Jade to contemplate her actions.
What did I just do?
He's dating that Vega chick...
You're dating Ambrose, you idiot.
How could you be so stupid?!
Unfortunately, she never finished her mental berating as she soon found herself fast asleep only to wake up hours later in a warm bed. This wasn't her bed though... Jade took a moment to inspect her surroundings and found she was in Liam and Trina's room. She was in their bed, lying next to one Trina Vega who was sleeping soundly with her back to the Goth. A scowl formed on her lips before sliding carefully out of the bed. Once she exited the room, she found that everyone was asleep in the large garage. Everyone except for Liam...
At that time, he was at Camden Beach, enjoying some personal time knowing that everyone was safe. Especially the two young women he'd come to care deeply for. He listened to the crashing waves and attempted to get lost in the cool breeze when his phone rang. He accepted the incoming call knowing full well who it was.
"Hello?"
"Hey, tiger..."
"Jade? Shouldn't you be asleep with the others?"
"I um... I just woke up, to be honest. Besides, I could say the same about you."
He simply chuckled softly though he couldn't shake this uneasy feeling creeping up on him. Uneasy yet, enjoyable...
"Y-yeah. I just needed some fresh air after everything that happened today."
"I understand completely." Jade tried her best yet failed in hiding the sorrow in her tone. "Listen, I wanted to tell you personally: Thank you for rescuing me along with Vega."
"It's not a problem. I couldn't save one without the other, you know?"
"Well it's good to know that you still see me as important." she giggled softly, something she'd never do around anyone else.
The big picture though wasn't in their spoken words. The truly relevant parts of the conversation were hidden between the lines. Both of them figured out what the other was saying despite their dialogue being so casual.
"You know I wouldn't feel right rescuing one without the other, right Jade?" "You know I couldn't just leave you there, right? Probably just as much as I like Trina."
"I know, but it's good to have you assuring me all the same." she joked back with him. "I know and I guess like you as much as I like Ambrose too."
Liam let out a soft laugh as he made his way inside of his car. He enjoyed their personal talks and their strong friendship.
"I'll be back in a few. Get some rest in the meantime and I'll see you in the morning, Jade."
He could hear a huff from the other side of the phone before a gentle sigh. "Fine. But you owe me a friends night out too, alright?"
"Of course. There's a concert coming up at Rockport Stadium in a few weeks. We can hit that up if you'd like."
"Sounds like a plan." she smiled behind the phone before a yawn crept out.
"Good. Now get some sleep and don't kill my girlfriend." he half-joked.
"Yeah yeah... no promises."
"Goodnight, Jade."
"Night, tiger."
Back in the present day, Liam left out a sigh of frustration. He and Jade never brought up that day again but they both knew why. That was the day everything they both felt was solidified. It was apparent when he found out he was to be paired with Jade in the San Juan district, that Jade was single again. He figured that now was the perfect time to take a chance though nothing more than a kiss and cuddling came out of it.
"I'm such an idiot..." he groaned while leaning against a railing.
"So it's not just my own opinion then." a sultry voice responded, prompting his eyes to widen. "Good to see you didn't run off again."
He turned around to see none other than a scowling Jade West. Though her face signified that he wasn't in any immediate danger, though he still exercised caution. For now, he'd just let things play out in hopes that things didn't go south.
"How long have you been here?"
"Long enough to see you spaced out like an idiot. I could ask you the same question..." she retorted while resting her hands on her hips. "I figured you'd gone wandering off once I noticed you left me alone in bed."
All he could do was scratch the back of his neck nervously while trying, and failing, to suppress a blush.
"Sorry..." he looked down at the ground, unable to meet her glare. "...I just had a lot on my mind."
"You know, you don't have to find your answers alone..."
The two stopped and realized what had happened at that moment. Jade had initiated the taboo without even knowing and Travis was about to press forward though he opted to ease into it.
"I know Jade but... what if I don't like the answer? What if the answer doesn't favor any one person?"
"Liam, you've never been a genius but even you know that nothing is truly perfect and... ah to hell with this...!" Jade swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "You're an idiot!" she screamed at him. "I never wanted you to forget Trina! I only wanted to know was there still a place for me in your heart!"
Liam was stunned and broken to see Jade like this.
"I'm sorry, Jade. I didn't-"
"No! Let me finish!" at this point, a tear began to form in the corner of her eyes as she bit her bottom lip. "I know you still have feelings for Trina. Hell, it's only been a few weeks since you came into town. I never expected you to just forget about her and remove her completely from your heart. But what I want to know is..." She stopped for a moment as the tears she so desperately tried to push back, flowed like a river. The tiny droplets that fell from her cheeks glistened under the light of the moon, which had appeared through some breaks in the clouds. "Do you still feel the way you did back then? Do you actually see me as someone you could build a future with? Can you ever feel the same way for me as you do for Trina? Or is this all just a figment of my imagination?" Despite the pain in her voice, she continued. "Throughout that time, I watched in frustration as Trina had everything I could ever want. She was the one member whom everyone would cut slack for. She was pitied because of her past and being Tori's sister. I had to actually work to get what I had and yet she was just handed things on a silver platter. Then you came along and even though I wanted you then, I watched helplessly as she claimed another thing effortlessly while I just sat and watched. I hated how you defended her simply because I wanted that myself. I know it sounds selfish but... I wanted you first..."
The young man never took his gaze off of his best friend and lover. Her body was shaking almost as violently as the day he found her in that shipyard. It was time to make a decision. Without saying a word, he walked up and hugged her. His right arm rested on the small of her back while his left hand pulled her head towards his chest. "Jade. I thank you for telling me this..." he began stroking her raven hair. "To answer your questions: No.. I don't feel the same way as I did back then."
He felt her body tense up almost instantly yet he didn't loosen his grip.
"I can't feel the same way because... back then I was in a relationship and so were you. I feel much more than what I did back then Jade. I definitely see you as someone I can have a future with. The way I feel about Trina is nothing that can be explained but all the while, the same can be said about my feelings for you." She lifted her head to see his eyes moist with tears of his own. "Jade, I wish I had known about why you did and said the things you did but I can't say I blame you. You deserve to be treated with love and affection. You deserved to be protected. You absolutely deserve to be seen as the queen that you truly are in my eyes." The two stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. "I want to give you that..."
Jade simply pulled away but placed her pale hands in his chocolate palms. "Do you really mean that?" he nodded. "What does your heart say about Trina?"
"To be honest? I don't know." his gaze darkened for a split second before returning to a more relaxed look. "What I do know is that I want you Jade West. Trina is with Beck and I assume she's happy. My feelings for her then will be established and she'll always have a place in my heart. For now, though, she's not a factor in my life. When it comes down to confront those feelings, I'll handle them."
Jade smirked softly and hugged him again. "You're such a dork sometimes, you know that?"
"Hey, you like this dork though." he returned the gesture.
"No. It's much more than that."
Liam thought for a moment and smiled at what she meant.
"I like you, Jade."
"I guess I like you too, tiger."
The two then leaned in and shared a romantic kiss, their first as an official couple. However, it seemed their private moment had been observed by an unknown figure, who seemed intrigued at the events that had unfolded. Once they separated for air, the couple intertwined their fingers and made their way for home.
"That's an interesting move you made, Liam. I didn't expect you to have grown in such little time." the rather masculine voice noted before walking back into the depths of the park.
While Andre slept soundly, Cat decided to stalk in the dark to raid the fridge after using the bathroom. She smacked her lips at the sight of leftovers from various takeout joints and decided on a barely touched cheeseburger. She eagerly shoved her midnight snack in the microwave setting the timer and waiting for it to be ready for consumption when she heard a strange noise. She stopped the machine and listened intently only to hear pure silence again.
"Must've been my imagination," she muttered to herself.
Just as she was about to restart the timer, she heard it again. "What the hell?" she whispered.
She skulked around, checking the garage first only to find it was completely empty. Cat then heard it once more and without mistaking it, figured it to be moaning. Forgetting her pilfered burger, she checked every possible location before settling on one final room.
"Big brother?" Step by step, her heart began pounding harder and harder with questions pertaining to the sound. Did Jade bring someone else over? Did Liam? Every variable flashed in her mind.. all except for one. She opened the door and narrowly suppressed a gasp at what she saw. With wide eyes filled with shock, she backed away slowly only to bump into a groggy Andre.
"Babe, what are you doing up so late?" he asked/yawned.
Not a word was said, only a finger pointed in the direction of Liam ' bedroom. Cat watched as her half sleep, half confused boyfriend poked his head inside. It didn't take long for him to adopt her expression as they both shuffled back to 'their room' for the night. Neither knew what to say but agreed to touch on it in the morning. Meanwhile, a naked Jade yawned and stretched a bit before settling in again on top of Liam, nuzzling his chest. He too yawned from exhaustion but had the presence of mind to grab the comforter, pulling over their nude forms. Once he was sure that they were both warm enough, he allowed his eyelids to droop shut once more but not before saying again: "Goodnight, Jade."
The pale skinned goth simply grinned in her sleep as they both dreamed of the future that awaited them.