Chapter 21

"Oh shit!" Drew exclaims when he walks into his apartment to see two people. After the whole Paul and Dawn fiasco at Hayden Mansion, the Hayden Family is experiencing more problems. Of course Drew never has to be at these meetings, but he feels like the moment he quits going, that's when Hayden Family will oust him for good.

"I found her!" May happily chimes as she rushes up to the man closing his door.

"Can you at least text me when you'll be over? My heart can't handle this right now." Even though May has a key to his apartment, and she would come over at times, the situation with Hayden Family right now is keeping him on edge.

May frowns when she notices how stressed out Drew looks. He has bags and a few wrinkles on his normally perfect skin since Drew cares about his image. Even his hair doesn't look as luscious as he likes to pride himself in. "What's wrong, Drew?"

Seeing as how there's another person in the room, Drew doesn't respond. He just flashes May his usual smirk and hair flip before walking over to the black haired woman eying him. Extending a hand to her, he continues smirking. "The name is Drew. I'm guessing you must be Misty." May had said she found her, and the only women they're looking for are Leaf and Misty. Since this definitely isn't Leaf, Drew figures she must be Misty, but just with dyed hair.

Misty, though, doesn't shake his hand while her eyes stay on his. She doesn't trust any of these people, and while she knows she can take on May, she doubts she could fight this man. "I'm just here for Ash."

Chuckling, Drew withdraws his hand back into his pocket as May walks over to them. "That's how this all started." He shrugs, earning him a hit from May. "Ow!"

"Stop being an ass, Drew! We have bigger problems than your arrogance!"

"Can you really trust a stranger, May? Just because she knows Ash! You're gonna put your trust with anyone who claims they know Ash?" What if this woman isn't Misty? What if she was sent by Matthew to kill them, and with May not knowing how to fight, she should've been dead by now. Does May not understand the gravity of their lives right now?

"I said I'd find her!"

"Find her! Not physically be around her! We would've done that for you!"

"Look, are we doing this or not?" Misty is annoyed with their bickering because this is not why she agreed to help May.

Sighing, Drew throws his hands up in the air in defeat while shooting May another glare. "I'm gonna shower. Make yourselves at home." Although he wants to hear their information, he's too irked right now to listen. Maybe a nice shower will calm him down. Though, Drew is still very irritated with how reckless May is, even if that's in her character. The man can't help but smirk slightly at his oblivious crush's willingness to trust people.

Flashback

Since Drew heard there's a new technician working for the Hayden Family, he decides to see what sort of tool Matthew has added to his team too. Drew is glad that Ash and Paul don't worship Matthew as much as everyone else. During training today, Ash had told Drew about the new technician. Apparently she's their age, and she's easy to talk to, but that's probably because Ash can talk to anyone. He even talks to Leaf who no one speaks to unless for business.

Opening the door to the small technician room, Drew's emerald eyes meet her sapphire ones as she turns to the door. She really is young. How is someone like her working as the lead technician? She must be knowledgeable about technology then. Putting on his usual smirk, Drew flicks his hair before extending a hand to her. "Drew Hayden."

May gives him a smile and shakes the hand. "Hello, Mr. Drew. I'm May Maple the new technician."

Seeing the light pink tint on her cheeks makes Drew want to tease her. He is a playboy afterall, which is the only perk he's had for being a Hayden. After his parents were murdered by Galactic Gang, he's had no interest in the money or fame. Flirting and sleeping with different women has been pretty interesting though. Maybe he can get this woman too so he can use her technical skills whenever he wants?

Winking at her, Drew suggestively asks, "Why don't we get out of here after work?"

He's surprised when she says, "Why wouldn't we get out of here after work?" However, the way she asks it seems like it's an obviously innocent question, making Drew's cool demeanor falter slightly.

Clearing his throat, he replies, "We can go to my place."

The brunette fidgets nervously while telling him, "I don't have a reason to go there."

Did Drew Hayden just get rejected by a woman? He never gets rejected due to his family's money and fame. Plus, women fear the Hayden Family too, even though Drew would never force a woman to be with him. However, this woman is blatantly rejecting him without hesitation. Who is she?

"I'm there." Drew attempts to respond seductively.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Drew, but that just makes me not want to go there even more." She then turns back to her computer monitors. "If you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

Furious at the rejection from this nonchalant woman, Drew walks over to sit on the side of the desk where he's in her field of view. Of course, May doesn't look up from her typing, but she does notice the persistent man in the corner of her eye. Although Drew is younger and better looking than Junior, May will just have Matthew kick him out like she had with Junior. Last week Junior tried making advances at her, but May isn't here for that. She's only here so that Matthew doesn't harm her family back in Hoenn.

After a few more minutes of Drew just staring at her, May is becoming uncomfortable, so she turns in her chair to directly face him. "Shouldn't you have work to do?"

"I will when you come over tonight." he suggestively winks, making her inwardly cringe.

As much as May fears the Hayden Family, she will not allow herself to be taken advantage of. "Not interested."

"C'mon, Ms. Maple. I'll make it worth your while."

"A no is a no. Don't you understand that?"

"I don't think you understand what I want." Drew has realized that this woman must be good with computers because she's dense at everything else. How had it taken her this long to realize he wants her in his bed?

The annoyed May glares at him, which surprises Drew because no one glares at a Hayden. "Leave or I will call Matthew."

"My uncle won't do anything."

"He got Junior to stop visiting, and I know the Hayden Family doesn't think highly of you."

When May says this, Drew tries not to show any hurt, although he knows her words are true. It's not like she's trying to hurt him but trying to let him know that Matthew can make Drew stop bothering May. "Why are you having Matthew fight your battles? Are you sleeping with him?" Drew asks with an arrogant smirk he hopes can hide the pain in his chest.

This is the last straw. May will not listen to this arrogant man treat her like some sex object just because she's a woman. Standing up, she angrily closes in on him until they're inches apart as sapphire meets amused green. "I can fight my own battles, grasshead!"

Grasshead? Drew narrows his eyes at her now. How dare she call him, the great Drew Hayden of the Hayden Family, a grasshead? "I could kill you if I wanted to."

Even though May knows Matthew wouldn't allow that, she doesn't want to use his name to defend her again. He is the one threatening her family too, so she doesn't want to rely on him. "Then do it." May taunts the outcasted Hayden who she knows has no power.

The two continue to glare at each other with neither one backing down until Drew decides that this woman isn't worth his time. He'll find some model to sleep with tonight since this nerd isn't even close to the type of woman he spends his nights with. Sliding to the side, he walks away from the fuming May. "I'm gonna make you regret today."

Knowing his words hold no weight, May laughs at him, angering him more. "Don't ever come back."

That night, Drew hasn't contacted any woman to visit him because he's been stuck thinking about the annoying brunette from earlier. How can that woman not fear him? Even if he doesn't have any power in the family, he is still a Hayden. He is still charming and irresistible, but she doesn't care. Frowning, Drew glares up at his ceiling because he's never met a woman like her.

While Leaf and Drew do playfully flirt as conversation, Leaf has never challenged Drew. He figures it's because she actually fears death. This technician, though, she glared at him and called him a grasshead! She insulted him while taunting him! Oh, Drew is definitely not going to let her get away with it. He makes a mental note to drop by tomorrow to torment her again.

As Drew drifts off to sleep with his new plan to annoy the woman, he can't help but smirk at the situation. It's nice to have someone to argue with freely without either person worrying about any repercussions. Maybe Ash is right? May isn't so bad, but Drew will find that out for himself. She's already proving to be a down to earth person. However, Drew needs to see just how much she worships Matthew before deeming her okay to hang out with, like Ash and Paul.

Flashback Over

When Drew walks into the living room after his shower, he sees May and Misty eating on the couch. Usually, he'd tease May about his expensive furniture, but he doesn't feel like it's appropriate right now. He spots a plate of food on the table, which he assumes is for him. Giving May a grateful nod, he sits down next to her with the plate and eats it.

"So what's the plan?" Misty asks because she's tired of having to stick around May. Even if May wants to rescue Ash, Misty doesn't fully trust her. Now with Drew in the picture, Misty feels more hesitant.

"We still don't know where exactly Ash is…"

"Basement of Hayden Mansion." Drew mutters nonchalantly between bites causing the women to look at him in shock.

"How do you know that?" May exclaims at him who shrugs.

"I heard it today after the whole Paul and Dawn incident."

"What Paul and Dawn incident?" May shouts worriedly. As the lead technician, she's supposed to be notified of these things, but she hasn't. Is Matthew planning to get rid of her already?

Seeing the panic on her face, Drew sets his plate down before ruffling her hair with a sincere smile. "You know I won't let anyone hurt you, right?"

Misty warily watches the two since she hasn't figured out if they're friends or dating. May did say he's a colleague and that there are no friends in Hayden Family. May also explained that, despite being a Hayden himself, Drew hates his family. "I don't see how this is relevant to Ash."

Sighing, Drew removes his hand from May to pick up his plate of food again. Facing the stranger, he tells her, "Paul and Dawn are also on our team. They got into a situation at Hayden Mansion today, and it made people start panicking. I then heard news about how Ash is in the basement, so I'm assuming Matthew has been keeping him there for awhile if people are starting to let the news slip. Matthew may move him soon though."

"Wait!" May interrupts the two. "What happened with Dawn and Paul?"

"They pissed off Junior. That's all I know. Just like how I don't know where in the basement Ash is."

"Isn't that your mansion?" Misty angrily asks. "Shouldn't you know where they keep prisoners?"

Coming to his defense, May exclaims, "Drew isn't like them! So they don't tell him anything! He's nice and kind and cares about others, unlike the Hayden Family!" The man can't help but focus on his plate as he hides his blush from hearing all the nice things May has to say about him. Gosh, he likes her too much.

This response just makes Misty more suspicious of them because how would the lead technician and a Hayden not know of any places where the Hayden Family keeps prisoners and dead bodies? Standing up, she heads to the door. This was a waste of time, but now that she knows where Ash is, she can figure out how to infiltrate Hayden Mansion.

"You'll die without us." Drew tells her before she reaches the door. When Misty pauses, Drew knows he has her attention. "Help us save Ash, and I'll guarantee you and him will walk away into the sunset together."

Misty really wants to smack that smirk she's pretty sure is on his face right now, but she knows Drew is a better fighter than her. With the way her solo mission is going right now, Drew is right. She'd just end up dead along with Ash. As much as Misty hates to admit it, these Hayden Family workers are her best bet at making sure Ash lives.

"I gotta call Paul, but I'll let you ladies talk." Drew winks at May before getting up and walking down the hall with his phone.

May expectantly looks at Misty who has now turned around. Giving the former detective a smile, May says, "Ash is...my friend, Misty. I want to save him."

Sighing, Misty looks at the ground. This is for Ash. Fucking Ash Ketchum who has tormented her thoughts since the first time he unexpectedly left her. When she finds him, she will make sure he never leaves her again. That asshole. "The papers."

Raising a confused eyebrow at her, May asks, "What about them?"

"They're evidence to incriminate the Hayden Family for good." Misty knows Ash and her were working on gathering enough evidence to take down a fully powerful Hayden Family, but Ash disappeared before that all happened. With the evidence they currently have, it's not enough to fight the Hayden Family. " We just need to weaken the family enough so that they can't fight back."

Veilstone City Neighborhood

After some time, Dawn notices they're leaving the city and entering the suburbs. Where is he taking her? Her hands are still shaking, but the tears are at bay. She won't let him see her weak. Dawn Hikari Berlitz is strong. That's what she told her mother when she left for this big city far from home to pursue her dream.

When Paul finally stops the car, Dawn sees a small house. He slams his door shut before storming over and swinging hers open. "Get out."

"Why?" She glares at him. Why is he so angry at her? She's the victim here!

"Do you want to die?"

His cold tone makes her flinch. There's almost a hint of fear in that voice. Is he scared for her? Well, he did promise to protect her. Shaking her head, she steps out of the car and follows Paul inside. He walks behind her the whole time, like he's watching her. Dawn notices that this is a small single level three-bedroom house, though it is bigger than Paul's house.

"Where are we?" She whispers. This is a new environment, and with everything that has just happened, Dawn is scared. She's very scared.

Paul sighs as he sees tears start to fall from her eyes. "My house." She furiously tries to wipe her tears with her shirt, which makes Paul awkwardly run a hand through his hair. He isn't much for consoling people. He's also not sure why he brought her here.

Yes, Junior is an asshole who deserves to get hit by Dawn, but that doesn't mean Junior can just do what he wants with her! Besides, Paul knows Hayden Family is out of assassins with Leaf and Lucas having run off, and Kimmy and Brenden being dead. Why did Dawn even agree to go to the mansion? Why'd she even agree to work with a Hayden? No one in this city will! He clenches his fists angrily. She doesn't deserve this, but now she's heavily involved.

This woman is so troublesome! Paul hates the ache in his chest as his heart continues to rapidly beat from his fear of losing her. He can't lose her. Not when she makes him feel whole again. Not when she makes him feel happy and normal. Paul mentally curses himself for letting her get involved in the first place. He, Drew, and May should've been more careful, but then again, he would've never met Dawn if they were. Even though Paul knows he's put this woman in this situation, he feels very fortunate to have her with him.

Glancing over at the fidgeting woman sitting in the living room, Paul sighs. Of course he'd risk his life for her because she deserves it. She deserves this meaningless life of his where all he's done is been some tool for the Hayden Family. With the way Dawn treats him like a human being, Paul will protect this little bit of normalcy in his life.

He walks over to sit beside her in silence, and he's glad that she isn't sniffling anymore. Rather, she seems to have mustered enough strength to look around the mostly bare room. Paul hasn't been in this house in years, but he felt the need to buy it a few years ago.

In a whisper, she asks, "Why don't you live here?" This is a much bigger house than his, and it's closer to the city for his work with the Hayden Family. Hayden Family. Dawn flinches at the thought, though she's surprised when Paul wraps an arm around her shoulders. She melts into the warmth of his sides, which makes her glad she met him. Even though her life is at risk right now, she's surprisingly okay with it as long as this gangster is in her life.

Paul lets out a breath from her question. Although he put his arm around Dawn due to seeing her freeze up, he also did it to comfort him. He finds comfort in this little weak woman, and this thought makes him sadly smile. "I don't wanna."

"Why have it then?"

Sighing, Paul finds himself pulling her closer as he buries his face in her blue hair. He's supposed to be consoling her after her encounter with Junior, but he is getting comforted by her. She's not saying anything to make him feel better, however just being with her helps ease his heartache. What is it with him just wanting to let this woman into his life? This is how he felt the day he told her his name, and every time they met afterwards, he allowed himself to let her learn more about him.

"I grew up here." he mutters into her hair.

Dawn lets out a breath before turning and enveloping the large vulnerable man in a warm embrace. She's always known Paul was hurting even when he wouldn't show it. No one can be that cold to the world for no reason. Squeezing him tighter as her face is pressed into his chest, Dawn fights her tears. Tears for today and for Paul's past. This sweet man doesn't deserve any suffering he's had to endure, which makes her want to protect him from more.

After some time of the two quietly holding each other and finding comfort in this simple gesture, Paul finally pulls away for fear of doing more than just hugging. Despite telling Dawn he has no feelings for her, he knows he can never lie to himself. However, these feelings are insignificant right now with the large problem they're facing.

Standing up, Paul grabs Dawn's wrist and leads her to a bedroom where he collects some clothes and a towel to hand to her. Still teary eyed, she looks up at him worriedly. "What are these for?"

"You're staying the night. Go shower."

She blushes and furiously shakes her head. "No way!" Although she has spent the night alone with Paul before, her situation with Junior early has her traumatized.

"You just pissed off the wrong person, and he likes killing people who piss him off."

"But he tried to rape me!"

"I know! But he has the power to do that, and it sucks!" Paul shouts at her. Why is this woman being so difficult? Does she not know how much danger she's in? "Shower with the bathroom door open. I won't come in unless you scream for help." He sits on his bed and glares at her, which makes her reluctantly walk into the bathroom.

Paul then calls Matthew because, as much as Paul is assisting in taking Matthew down, Paul needs to not draw suspicion right now. He needs to continue acting as normal as possible towards Matthew, which means communicating with the head for issues like these involving Paul.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Paul?" Comes the slick voice of the head of Hayden Family.

"Call off Junior's hit." Even if Hayden Family is out of assassins, they can still hire mercenaries. Moreover, with Junior knowing Dawn is with Paul, then he'll soon find this house.

"Why would I do that?"

Paul clenches his fist in frustration. Of course Matthew will be this difficult and sly. "She's no one. If she dies, we'll get unwanted attention again."

"Well, if she's really no one, then why'd you help her? You've never helped one of Junior's sides before." There is a pause where Paul glares at the ground. "Unless you know her?"

"Just call off the hit." Paul angrily mutters at Matthew's knowing voice.

"You forget who's in charge here, Paul." Matthew's true sinister colors are starting to show in his tone now. "Why do you care so much about her?"

"I don't. I just care about my job, and it's gonna be harder if another innocent person turns up dead!" Paul remembers the day when Leaf killed an innocent woman who happened to just be at the wrong place at the wrong time. There was a lot of media backlash where all gangs were speculated. Any gang affiliated company was put on hold as their stocks plummeted for some time. This was also the time when Paul and Hayden Family had to halt their actions for months until the media died down. Apparently, the woman Leaf murdered was from a famous family.

"You drive a hard bargain, Paul. I'll do it, but just know, you owe me." The call ends and Paul punches his mattress. Why is he going through all of this trouble just for one nameless troublesome woman? Why is he so scared for her? Paul Shinji never gets scared! Groaning, he looks towards the hallway already knowing the answer to his questions as his heart continues rapidly beating and his cheeks remain flushed. They're both in too deep now, so he's got to protect her.