CHAPTER ONE:

↳ 2006

DESPITE THE WARNING FROM Alison, Caden DeSantos found herself involved with the Serpents. It had all began that same night where the Serpents had walked into Pop's diner and sat in the dark haired girl's section.

It was midnight when Caden closed up the shop, all of the other workers left since her table lingered. She had quickly gotten her closing side work done and triumphantly stared at the clean diner. She could finally leave— before coming back again at 6 am.

Caden jangled the doorknob after locking the door, making sure it was locked. There was a noise behind her and the young girl spun around, dropping her keys and purse onto the ground.

In front of her was a man on a motorcycle and it took Caden a moment to recognise who it was. The stranger from her table. She breathed in sharply, gaining back her composure as she bent down to retrieve her dropped items.

"H—How long have you been there?" She managed to get out, wishing she didn't sound so frightened. Caden usually was a strong young woman but she was second guessing herself in the presence of a gang member.

"Need a ride?" He ignored her question, leaning forward on the handles of his bike. His large hands were curled around the handles and for a moment, Caden wondered if he would kill her with those hands.

Caden felt her heart stop at those words, she should've been glad that's all he was doing here so late at night. "N-No, I'm fine, thank you."

"Really?" Scepticism drilled from his tone and both knew she wasn't fine. It was common for Caden to walk home from work. And he knew that she didn't have a ride by the lack of vehicles in the parking lot.

"I—I've done it before, it's not a big deal."

"It is, especially when a pretty girl like yourself is walking in Serpent territory."

Caden paused to think, she didn't want to make this man angry, he was a Serpent for God sake. She hesitantly approached him, pushing her curly hair behind her ears.

"I'm FP, by the way." Caden sent him a nervous smile as she straddled the motorcycle. She stared at his broad back, realising she would need to touch him. Cautiously she let her hands rest upon his wide shoulders, curling on top of his leather jacket. Her eyes focused on the back of the jacket and the logo that was there— the serpents.

FP started the engine, causing the bike to jolt forward. Caden shrieked in surprise, her hands wrapping around his waist tightly. She closed her eyes in embarrassment as she tried unraveling herself from him. His hands stopped her though, holding onto her warm hands. His voice was normally gruff but in this moment it turned soft— as if matching the delicate young girl behind him.

"Don't let go."

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new face claim! decided emmy was a better fit :)