You Know Too Much...

Anger and pity formed a lump in my throat as I watched Chris writhe under John's knee with Eyeball's shadow looming ominously above him. They were a couple of stores down, outside the rear exit of Irby's Billiards, a notorious dive bar frequented by gambling addicts and inebriates - or so Patty claimed. I'd never been inside the place myself yet, even in the daytime, I would see grizzled old men loitering out the back, their raucous banter mingled with interesting smoke smells wafting in our direction. It was undeniably the most squalid area along the backstreet, and seeing Chris's nose pressed to it was nothing short of degrading.

I badly wanted to barrel down there and pull him out, but charging in blindly and being so arrogant as to assume Icouldget him out seemed reckless. Despite his discomfort, Chris appeared to be uninjured, so I clung close to corner of the alcove, willing myself to hold off until I had some idea of what was going on.

John Merrill leaned down to Chris's ear. "Don't even try to fuck with me. I know it was you who told him. It couldn't have been anyone else."

The kid breathed in dusty air stirred up by the struggle. "I had good reasons."

"Who else you been blabbing to? What about Lachance?"

"I haven't told Gordie anything."

"You think we gonna believe you?" Eyeball sneered. "You tell that little bitch everything." He unrolled the pack of cigarettes from the sleeve of his T-shirt and scratched a match to light one.

I was annoyed at him for subjecting his own brother to all of this but not entirely surprised.

"Come on, admit it," Eyeball said, clouded in smoke.

John's knee went in deeper, making Chris wince. "I don't tell himeverything.I'd never tell him about this. I only told…" His voice trailed off.

John ripped the kid up off the ground and shoved his back against the brick, knocking his head.

"What'd you say, kid?"

"I said Eyeball wouldn't listen to me! I thought Keith might be able to talk some sense into him!"

John looked over his shoulder at Eyeball. "You knew this little shit knows our business, and you didn't tell me?"

Eyeball went slightly pale. "I was gonna, Ace..."

"This is too risky, even for you guys," Chris said. "Our ma already has one son doing time. Two would destroy her." He looked straight at Eyeball when he said that, and Eyeball's gaze dropped to his feet as he took a long draw on his cigarette.

Ace leaned in closer to Chris. "And what would your ma do if she had one dead son? Did you think about what might happen toyouonce I found out you've been letting your mouth run loose?"

"Gee Ace, you still don't get it, do you?"

The muscles in Ace's jaw tensed, and his grip tightened on Chris's T-shirt collar. "Watch what you say next, kid. You know where it got you last time."

Chris locked eyes with his tormentor, his steely gaze filled with defiance. He swallowed dryly, his will too strong or too stubborn to back down. "Our mothers should come first, always. All of them. Even if they're not our own. Didn't you learn anything?"

Eyeball's bottom lip fell open, causing the cigarette to slip from his mouth, and he caught it just in time. "Chris, you need to take that back, right now!"

"Too late," Ace spat.

With an iron grip on Chris's T-shirt collar, Ace hoisted him up against the wall, suspending him in mid-air. Chris made a sickening choking sound as the taut fabric strangled tightly across his throat, and he clung to Ace's wrists with his sneakers slipping on the smooth brick as he desperately searched for something, anything, to hold him up.

My own sneakers hit the dirt as I sprinted down the alley towards them screaming. "Let him down!"

Ace didn't even flinch at my presence, and Eyeball stood frozen to the spot, wide-eyed and mouth agape as Chris's beet-red face swelled and started to turn purple.

"Are you gonna do something, or what?!" I yelled at him.

Eyeball took one step forward and then halted, hesitant to interfere.

"John!" I screamed. "I mean, Ace! For God's sake!"

Ace's eyes were narrowed with acute focus, his nose scrunched as tightly as his fists. His face was overcast by a vacancy that made him appear disconnected from the reality that was unfolding for the rest of us. It was evident there was some rocky history fueling his intense desire to make Chris suffer, but what happened exactly, I did not know.

I reached out and touched Ace's shoulder, feeling his muscles tremble beneath my hand as surges of energy rippled down his arms. "Listen," I said softly. "I understand he insulted you, and badly, but you've gotta let him down."

Ace's gaze briefly flickered to my hand before meeting my eyes. A vacant glaze still veiled his expression, but he stared at me straight through it. For a split-second, I got lost in there, noticing flecks of darker hues amongst the paleness, like sparks riding storm clouds. Eyes are windows to the soul, they say. I wondered what his eyes had witnessed in their lifetime, and how it all brought him to this point, to this moment in time.

I gently squeezed his shoulder to reinforce my words. Ace shifted his gaze back to young Chris and grunted, irritated. Still with his fists gripped on Chris's T-shirt, he yanked him away from the wall and swung him around 180 degrees before releasing his grip. Chris was flung like a sack of meat across the back road, tumbling down and rolling into the dirt until he came to a halt, lying motionless on his side.

I darted to where he lay in the dust, falling to my knees and shrouding him, tucking my arm under his head to elevate it. He coughed and whooped gusts of dust and air into his lungs, and the relief that washed over me was like nothing I had ever felt before.

"Can you breathe okay?" I asked him.

My entire soul trembled as I helped him stand, and it took him a few moments to find his balance. His white T-shirt was dusty and dirt-streaked from front to back, the neckline stretched beyond repair, and though the purple swelling had faded from his face, there was still a deep-red flush cast over his fair complexion.

Rubbing at his throat, he raspily told me he was fine, but I wasn't about to let him leave my side until we were well clear of the place. Scanning the scattered books and belongings from his satchel, I quickly gathered them up and slung the bag over my shoulder, ready to get him the hell out of there.

"Come on," I said, holding him for support.

One step - that was as far as we got before Ace's imposing figure blocked our path. His dark glare set on me as he firmly folded his arms and silently shook his head.

"What?" I asked, reading his features. "You wanna talk?"

He nodded. "Yep."

"I'll just get Chris inside and I'll-"

"Eyeball, get your brother outta here," Ace commanded.

Eyeball jolted at the request as if being awoken from witnessing the surreal events unfolding before him. He sucked down another lungful of smoke as if his sanity depended on it, before dropping the cigarette and snatching the young one from my side. I tried to snatch him back, but Ace extended his arm to block me, and Chris slipped from my grasp.

"Ace, you asshole, let her leave!" Chris's voice was still raspy as he struggled against his brother.

"I'm okay, Chris," I tried to assure him, managing to pass him his satchel. "Rich, put him through any more strife and I'll hate you for life."

Eyeball looked at me, surprised that we weren't already past that point, and that surprised me because I thought he probably wouldn't care. "I ain't gonna do nothin', sweets. Come on you little runt."

He dragged Chris down the back road, his grip on Chris's arm tight as if he were dealing with a disobedient child. "Why you always gotta do shit like that, huh?" he grumbled to him.

All the while, Chris was trying to free himself from his brother's grip and get back to me.

"She'll be okay, numb nuts," Eyeball muttered.

As they reached the end of the back road, Chris glanced at me, eyebrows lowered with concern before a final shove from his brother sent him out of my sight.

Ace's dark glare locked onto me, his eyes scanning me with cold precision. "How much did you hear?" he asked.

I blinked, momentarily confused. I was still so rattled by what he'd just done to Chris that I had almost forgotten about their earlier conversation. But it quickly came back to me. "If that's what you're worried about, don't be. It's none of my concern—"

Ace suddenly moved toward me, catching me off guard. I stumbled as he backed me up against Irby's back wall, his large hand slapping the brick beside my head. He loomed over me, his menacing stare boring into mine. My eyes rolled from one broad shoulder to the other, not missing one inch of the ample amount of chest that radiated warmth around me.

"Just answer the question."

"I didn't hear details."

"I don't believe you."

"OK - so, you guys are up to some seriously risky shit, but what that shit is, I have no idea. But maybe next time you'd be wiser not to discuss private business in public where anyone could be listening."

Ace tilted his head, his gaze cruising down the length of me. "What are you doing here, Cassie?" he asked, reading the tag pinned to the bust of my uniform. "If I find out you're trying to move in on my town, I'll have you thrown out of it before you can serve your next milkshake."

All I could do was stare at him dumbly with my mouth hanging half open as I tried to comprehend what he'd just said. "What?"

Ace smirked, his satiny-soft voice emitting a smooth chuckle. "You think I don't remember you? We bumped into each other that time outside Diego's."

Diego. A shiver ran up my spine the moment he said that name, yet I couldn't pinpoint why. I didn't know anyone named Diego… but somehow, it stirred something deep inside me, like a half-buried memory clawing its way to the surface. An overwhelming feeling of dread washed over me, cold and unrelenting, and just hearing it made my pulse quicken with a fear I couldn't explain.

"I'm just a waitress. That's it."

"And I bet you've got everybody fooled," he said, flicking the collar on my uniform.

"I'm not trying to fool anyone-"

Ace leaned in closer, his rough fingers clamping my jaw and tilting it to one side. His breath, warm and tinged with the faint scent of whiskey, brushed against my ear.

"Whatever you heard, keep it to yourself, and I'll do the same," he said. "But, if I ever find out you've been running your mouth off, I'll air your dirty laundry all over town - you got that? It'll be the front page fucking news."

"Get the hell off me."

He smirked as his fingers trailed down the soft skin of my throat. My breath hitched under his touch, a shiver running through me as my heart raced, my body betraying me in the worst possible way. Ace watched my reaction intently, his smirk deepening into a low, knowing chuckle that sent a ripple of shame and anger through me.

"Asshole!" I shoved him with my shoulder, the pressure barely budging him and earning me another round of chuckles, his voice dripping with that infuriatingly smooth arrogance.

I scuffled down the back road towards the diner, holding my head high with my bony knees wobbling under me. The fresh spring breeze brushed against my burning cheeks, but not even an ice bath could have cooled me down fast enough.

I reached our little alcove and glanced over my shoulder. He was still there, leaning casually against the brick wall, one leg crossed over the other. The sunlight caught his slicked-back blonde hair, setting it ablaze with a golden glow.

I hated him. I hated the way he treated Chris, and I hated that he thought he had some kind of power over me.

He lit the cigarette hanging loosely between his lips with a brass Zippo, his eyes wandering down the length of me. As a stream of smoke blew away with the breeze, he flicked the Zippo shut and pushed off the wall. With a final, arrogant glance, he strutted down the back road, his buckled engineer boots crunching against the gravel.