A/N Okay guys just a heads up so you know updates will be slow for a while, I got a lot more work to do in college than I thought and my first assignment has already come up. So if I miss a week update it means you'll have two the next week, but I will get the chapters up, it just may take a while. Thanks for all the reviews guys. =)

Chapter 4

Max's POV

The reason I threw a hit at the person who I logically knew was the one trying to help me didn't seem to register in my brain. I even knew him, Fang, ironically sounded like a fight name. And the fact that I had spent the entire day hearing whispered giggles and blatant admirations about him, his dark eyes, brooding nature and physique had annoyed me to no end, so yeah, I packed a little extra wallop into my punch. Maybe that was wrong of me.

But it turned I wouldn't have to feel guilty once I had time to think about my actions because Fang managed to dodge out of the way of my fist. I admit, I was impressed.

I pulled my clenched fists down to my sides to keep away the instinct to keep fighting till everyone around me was bloody. I was still tamping mad cause my siblings had been put in danger.

I turned to glare at the two men on the floor. They had threatened me, fine. But they had also threatened Angel and Gazzy, I would show them a whole new meaning of the term pain. I grabbed the biggest one the one who'd thrown a punch to my face and hoisted him up with a grip to the back of his neck. These were the two brothers I'd taken down in a fight the other day. Brothers. Skin heads and both had a horrible temper issue.

I slammed my fist into his gut, his body bent in half as he gasped for breath, I jerked him up so I could lock eyes with him. "Listen here punk, you may be older and stronger but that means nothing if you don't think. You know about me, I'm vicious and I don't give a damn. So if you think your coming up on my home turf and threatening my family, you better pray to god that you die before I get my claws on you next. But my boss wont be happy, normally I wouldn't give a hell, but this once I'm giving you and your brother a chance. You vanish and you don't even come here for business no more, cause if I see you one more time. They'll be finding pieces of you both across the state. Our transaction is over."

I straightened and sent a sharp kick at his temple, he spun around halfway and then crashed to the ground unconscious. Using the same motion I nailed a punch at the one next to Fang who was picking himself up. He went down for the count and I huffed glancing around the street. No one was around and even if there was everyone would look the other way. Well…..Fang hadn't. I levelled a look at him."Why'd you interfere?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Is that the thanks I get for helping you?"

"I didn't need your help." I felt Angel and Gazzy move up behind me, Angels hand gripped the back of my shirt and I felt it shake slightly.

I reached down to pick her up and rest her on my hip. "Lets head home. Come on Gaz." I turned and walked down the street, Gazzy clinging on to my jeans belt loop.

"At least let me give you a lift home." Fang called after me. I ignored him.

A few minutes later a cars rumbling engine started and Fang followed parallel to me on the road, the car crawling at a mile a hour.

"Will you just leave!" I growled annoyed.

"Now I cant do that, what if you're attacked again? What kind of gentleman would I be if I let that happen? You know we should phone the police and report this."

I stopped walking and placed Angel down, Gaz took her hand and lead her to the house we'd stopped outside of. I waited till I heard the front door click shut behind them before turning to Fang in his expensive car, I leaned on the open window.

"Listen new kid, you may not be used to this place but this is how things work. You deal with your own problems yourself, you take no trouble from anyone. And you never ever get the police involved. One they don't help much and two, the last person around here who reported to the police woke up with his house on fire."

Fang turned his car off. "So what, you're going to deal with this on your own?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Why do you even care? Just go back to your happy rich life and stay the hell away from me. Unless you want to be one of my enemies."I saw something flicker in his eyes and for a moment I thought he was going to get out of the car and ….do something. Instead he shook his head and turned the engine back on. "I'll check on you sometime, make sure your not missing or something. See ya."

And just like that he drove off, I felt a rush of a different annoyance then stamped it down turning to walk into my old run down house. I refused to feel ashamed. A high society jerk had seen my neighbourhood, with its cracked pavements, spilt trash and shabby houses. My house had old flaking white paint hat resembled more of a gray colour, the front porch had wood rot and looked slanted at a angle, and the front door hung awkwardly on old hinges, the unkempt lawn with the sofa pushed against the fence, the old bikes and car parts. They weren't ours but they still ended up in our garden. I wouldn't feel bad though, just because Fang had seen the state of where I lived. No, I didn't care what he thought of me.

The moment I closed the door I was tackled by two little kids and I knelt so I could hug them to me tighter.

"Hey, hey now, its fine. Its all okay I promise."

"But Max those guys hit you, they found you here." Gazzy said quickly obviously shook up by the whole ordeal. Angel was just so quiet burying her head in my neck under my hair.

"I know Gaz, it wont happen again. Trust me." And with those simple words they both smiled at me, it was shocking to realise just how much they relied and believed in me.

"Right guys go do your homework, leave it on the bed for me to check and then I'll call you for dinner."

I god eager nods of agreement and I grabbed a few pots to get started on dinner. I hummed to myself as I put some chicken pieces in the oven, cleaned up the table and laid three settings, and boiled sweet corn and some potato wedges. Getting a minute to myself I picked up the phone and dialled, holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder I stirred the sweet corn for a minute as the other end picked up.

"Hello?"

"Lucas its Max."

"Ah Max its your night off isn't it? So don't tell me you want a extra fight? Cause some Scots are coming in to town tonight.""No, you remember the brother from the other night? Well they tracked me down to my home and took me on in a street."

"And this actually bothers you? I thought you were tougher than that."

I opened the oven door to check on the wedges then closed it a little harder than necessary. "Normally no, but they got me when I was with Angel and Gazzy, they threatened them."

"Ah." That one word from Lucas and I knew he understood. Either he dealt with them or I did and probably get arrested and he's lose a top fighter. Despite Lucas's attitude and personality dealing with illegal fights, he took his fighters care seriously. Almost like a sick twisted version of a father figure.

"Don't worry about a thing, I'll deal with it. And this wont happen again."

"It better not." I replied getting the plates out of the cupboards. Just a few weeks of fighting and I had paid off the rent for the next month, including what was owed, and had even managed to get the kitchen fixed up so the cupboards no longer squeaked, our cutlery and china was no longer chipped. It was a start to a better life for Angel and Gaz.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow night, don't forget to show up early so we can sort a few things out." He spoke quickly and sharply, all back to business.

"Yeah yeah sure. Just send someone round to watch the kids while I'm gone or I'll make a no show."

"I'll send Peter around at seven and then Hendrix will pick you up in the car. Where something nice."

I snorted as we both hung up, no pleasant goodbyes or dancing around, we were both straight talkers.

As I dished out the grub and checked to see if Mum was in her room, she was passed out tangled up in filthy sheets, I had to roll her onto her side and rip off the blankets and replace them with new ones as well as clean up the bottles, I called the kids down.

They ran into the kitchen and sat in a chair as I placed the plates down in front of them, they were grinning and flushed red cheeks from whatever they had been playing upstairs and we had a pleasant meal. I was happy myself despite the days events, Lucas would handle the two brothers, and I wouldn't have to see Fang until Monday, that gave me the weekend to sort out my mix of emotions over his interference and why I was slightly glad he had helped and I had gotten a chance to talk to him. Damn it, I had a stupid crush. Despite seeing how horrible relationships could be, and my mother was certainly evidence of the damage they could cause, I still couldn't stop myself from feeling fluttery inside that a good looking guy had helped me. I closed my eyes and mentally coated my emotions in ice and locked them up behind the thickest walls imaginable. The last time I'd allowed my emotions to rule me I had gotten nothing but hell. Not this time though, the only ones I'd show my love to would be my brother and sister, and no one else.

A/N Thanks for reading, leave a review please! Or the bat gets it!

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