Chapter 2

Saint POV

The day before.

The airport was crowded, each person going about their daily activities, while the only thing on my mind at the moment was finding where the fuck Tequila was and making sure I made him regret ever crossing me.

“Do you see them?” I asked one of my men who walked beside me. 

“Yes, boss, over there,” he replied, signalling to where CJ and the rest of the gang stood. 

“Anything yet?” I asked CJ as we got into the car. 

“Nothing. We're still trying to track him”. 

I puffed out some smoke before putting off the cigarette and throwing it out the window. 

“Let's head to the red bar then.” 

We drove through the back of the bar into the garage leading to the bar's basement, somewhere we used as our hideout most times. 

Getting there, CJ gave me a briefing on the business and how Tequila had ruined things. The more I looked at my shattered hard work, the more I promised myself I was going to kill him. 

“I hear his dad and his two cousins are his only family. His mother is nowhere to be seen.” CJ said. 

I gulped down the remaining alcohol and stood up, ready to leave. “Let me know when you find something more about them.”

We drove off, and as we passed the bar, one of the hostesses caught my attention. 

She had bumped into someone, breaking the glass cups and spilling the drink everywhere.

 She was getting scolded, and she looked downwards, saying something. I was guessing she was apologising. 

Her bright red hair, which was packed in a ponytail, bounced with each movement of remorse she made. She turned to go over the counter, and as I saw her face, I was mesmerised. She was fucking beautiful. And instantly, I wanted her. 

“Who's that?” I asked, still looking keenly at her. 

“Oh, she's a newbie. Started working barely a month ago. She's just a bit clumsy. Nothing to worry about,” CJ replied. “Why?” 

I shook my head at him. “Let's go,” I said, glancing at her one more time. 

***

*The present day*

After CJ had informed me about finding one of his cousins, we headed out to the bar again. It seemed luck was on my side because she worked at my bar.

I'll go check what is happening,” CJ said, then went to peek around. 

 A few seconds later, he came back to the car.

 ”Saint, It's Matrix. And he's got Tequila's cousin.”

I puffed out some smoke angrily and threw the cigarette to the floor. “Why did he show up all of a sudden?” 

“Surprises me too,” CJ said, reloading his gun. 

“Do we take him down, too? He's not got a lot of men in there.”

I got out of the car, signalling to the other car filled with my men to get out and head inside.

 ”Not today. Matrix is quite sneaky. The girl is the priority today.”

As much as I hated Matrix and had a long history with him, I wasn't going to settle our differences this night. At least not yet. 

“Keep the girl alive!” CJ called out to my men as we trooped into the bar. 

 I walked into an unexpected surprise of seeing the red-haired girl from yesterday sitting in front of my archenemy, Matrix, looking like she was going to pass out any second, while he held a gun to her temple. 

I stalled for some time while I thought about the smartest move to make, knowing that if Matrix left with her that night, she'd be as good as dead. I cocked my gun at him and shot his hand, making him stagger behind. 

As my men fought his, I looked up to see the girl attempting to run away, and before I could reach out to her, Matrix knocked her out. He shot a gun in my direction and then fled before I could reach him. 

I signalled to CJ to get the girl and take her to the basement while the others finished the work there. 

***

Jade POV

I opened my eyes slowly and looked around, an unfamiliar sight in the almost dark room was staring back at me. A faint headache floated at the back of my head, making me moan in pain and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. 

Where was I? 

I sat up suddenly, my hair falling onto my chest and arms. I still had my uniform from the red bar, and the last thing I remembered was trying to escape from death and getting knocked out. 

The door opened, and the light flicked on. I saw a guy with blonde hair whom I hadn't seen previously seen before walk in. 

“She's awake, boss!” He called out, walking out, and in seconds, a different guy walked in, anger visibly on his face. His man bun made me remember him, and if I was correct, his name was Saint. 

“Where's Tequila?!” He asked in a loud tone, making me jerk up. 

Why the fuck was everybody asking me about Tequila? Who the fuck was he? 

“I don't know who that is,” I replied quietly, looking at him and watching as his frown deepened. I sank into the bed, gripping the sheets as my hands started to sweaty. 

It was as if my answer infuriated him the more because the next thing I saw was a glass cup hitting the wall beside me and shattering all over the floor.

 I felt a little piece slide softly across my cheek, and a little pain followed. 

I was still shaken from that before the next thing I knew, he had strided to where I was and had his hands on my neck, choking me. 

“How the fuck don't you know your fucking cousin?!” He said in a louder tone as I struggled to breathe, kicking the air and scratching his biceps. 

My cousin? Was my cousin called Tequila? 

“Ma..mar..” I started, attempting to speak. 

“What the fuck are you trying to say?!” He shouted, loosening his grip a bit. 

“Marc... Marcel?” I asked, finally getting the words out. He stopped, released his hands and stepped back, folding his arms. 

I coughed, finally breathing. “I don't know where he is. I haven't heard from him in three weeks.”

Saint punched the wall and turned to glare at me. His brown eyes stared like he could see my soul. 

“I'm not letting you go. You're mine now until I find Tequila. Or Marcel. Whatever you know him as.”

“I didn't do anything wrong, I'm rea -” I started in an attempt to plead with him before he cut me off. I was still in hiding from my uncle, and I honestly didn't want to get involved with this whole thing. 

“You'll get everything you need,” He said, then called in the guy who was previously there.

“Rex will guard you and also drive you wherever you want to go.”

“Can I at least still go to the bar? I need Betty by my side, and my sister comes unannounced from time to time,” I pleaded, watching as he gave it a thought for some time. 

He insisted I wouldn't, which I continued pleading to. 

“No,” He said, “And that's final.”

Rex passed something to Saint, who threw it at me. I looked down to see my phone, slightly cracked on the screen. It wasn't like that before. 

“Someone has been blowing up your phone, " he told me, then turned to leave. 

I turned it on to see Betty's missed calls, and before I could even call back. She started calling again. 

“Jesus Christ, Jade. Are you okay? Where are you?!” She screamed immediately, and I picked up, making me relieved to hear her voice. 

“I'm fine,” I lied, trying to hold back my tears. 

I heard her sigh over the phone. “I'm so glad you are. On my way out, I saw a man in his mid-forties with a bunch of dudes asking around for you. They told me y'all are related.” 

My heart skipped a beat. 

Had my uncle finally found me?