Harden's P.O.V.

"How is the new batch  coming along?"  I asked Freddie over the phone, as Hunter dealt with the Wyatt  Industries receptionist to organize another meeting with the CEO and COO.

"Good, we have just begun harvesting the material from the plants." He replied, "I think we will have Bliss ready for you." Bliss, the new drug that our gang, and Freddie's gang, the Blue Haven have been working on. The dealer that Vince and Eli had contacted was just a minor member who was clearly expendable because as soon as I replayed the message to Freddie he sent me a picture of his dead body lying on the floor.

"Where did the other batch fucking go?" I ask leaning back as I blow out smoke into the air, "Where did Beck send it to?"  That 5o million-dollar batch has gone missing, we do not know where Beck stashed it or sent it to. Apparently during the conversation, he refused to disclose the other buyer, but the wrinkle in that lie is, that only Freddie and I knew about this new drug we were cooking up. So either someone from our gang leaked the information to the others, or someone from his dad.

"No fucking idea," He answered, "I have my men on the hunt, but this fucking wrinkle is costing us a lot. If that other fucking dealer gets bliss on the street before us, then he. claims it."

"That can't fucking happened." I say firmly,  "I will send my men over to your base, inform them about everything, and then we will go from there."

"Sounds good."

"Alright." I hang up the phone and sit up, "This is bad."

Hunter nodded, "I know, this fucking receptionist has had me on hold for the last hour." I rolled my eyes at him.

"That is not what I am talking about Hunter." I stood up, holding a glass of whiskey in my hand, "The missing container of Bliss, Freddie and his men still have no fucking leads."

Hunter put his feet down listening intently now, "Was Back an informat?" His brain went straight to the police, "You know like-"

"Stop," I said shaking my head not wanting to talk about the weak link in our family. "No,  that is not a possibility because Beck was fully vetted."

"Yeah, but even then." Hunter said, "Come on, Noah was our own blood, and even he became an informant." There he goes off with his big mouth. "I know no one likes speaking about Noah in this house but he still played a huge part of everything going down the shit hole three. years ago."

Clenching my jaw, I light up another cigarette, "Alongside Scarlett, she got into his head."

'He was filling police eith-"

"Fuck off," I didnt want to hear it. "He was my little brother Hunter, so stop fucking shitting on him." Hunter quickly backed down. "Scarlett got into his head, and that is the end of the fucking story." Hunter cleared his throat, looking down at his computer. "He was fine before they met."

"Right," He sighed, "Sorry."

"Good." I throw my cigarette to the side of the room after putting it out. "Now get through to the. fucking receptionist, and let me know when the meeting is set up for." Walking out the room, I head up the stairs to check on Eliza. I open the door without knocking to find her and Vallie gossiping with one another. "Can I get some alone time with my girlfriend?" I ask scaring both of them.  I wanted to forget about that conversation I just had with Hunter downstairs, there was a reason Noah was a forbidden topic in this house, even though he was blood.

His mention brought up way too many ugly memories.

Vallie looked back at me, "You could know you know." She answered standing up, giving me room to sit on the bed, once where she was sitting. Breathing out heavily I walk past her, as. Eliza smiled at me.

"How you. feeling?" I ask gently holding her hand.

"Fine," She replied,

"She is more than just fine." Vallie chuckled, "She almost just fucked up Scarlett."

I look at Eliza confused, "What?"

"Um, I guess anger got the best of me." She shrugged, "As soon as the morphine kicked in, I went to her room, and just showed her who was in charge."

"I told both of you not to go into her room without Hunter or I." I told them, "She is smart, and. cunning, even though she acts innocent."

"Tell me about it." Vallie said, "She managed to pick through her cuffs." I stood up immediately turning to face her. Her smile fell as she saw how mad I looked. "B-But they are back on."

"Babe," Eliza said softly, "Babe, what she did was a moment of courage, she didnt do anything to us." But she could have, and I am not about to let her take another family member away from me.

Ignoring their calls I stormed into her room, scaring her to sit.up from her bed. I looked down at the chains and they were locked. "Where the fuck is the pick?" I seethed angrily,

"I dont have it," Scarlett said firmly. She looked so thin, it had been three days since she had come into our captivity, but it looked like she hadn't eaten for longer. I swear she was talking weirdly too, or did she always have that lisp?

"Scarlett," I say taking a step towards her, "Why are you talking like that?"

Her eyes startled at the query, "I-I am talking normally." No, she's not. I knew she was crafty, but not THAT crafty. Filling in the distance between us, I take her chains and drag her up until she is kneeling on the bed, "Where are you hiding it?" I leaned closer to her as she slowly tilted her body back to get away from me. Growing agitated, I grip the back of her neck and hold her motionless. "I am asking you something."

She kept her mouth shut. I raise an eyebrow at her, "You don't want to talk?" She moved her head from side to side while heavily breathing. frantically. My eyes focused on her mouth, and with my other hand, I gently gripped the sides of her face, causing her lips to open slightly.

Scarlett tried to take her face out of my grip but I kept her sturdy with the hand behind her neck, "The more you struggle, the more it will hurt." She stilled quickly, "Open your mouth." Her eyes narrowed at me angerily, "Open your mouth." Squeezing alittle harder I felt her flinch, "Do it."

Scarlett clenched her teeth harder, keeping her gaze fixed on mine. "Fine," If not this way, I had other ways. My lips pressed against hers, and I felt her still against my body. "Mhm!" She shouted against my lips, exactly what I wanted. Slipping my tongue in, I search about for the pick. Her hands fiercely struck my chest, "Mhm!" Tightening my grip, I feel something chilly on the side of her mouth. There it is, and I move my tongue towards my lips, ignoring the metallic taste. Pushing her away from me, I let her fall onto the bed while holding the metal bobby pin between my teeth with a smirk.

She  frantically began rubbing her lips as she sat up, "Ew!" She spat out, "You fucking asshole!"

Taking the bobby pin out of my mouth I lazily sat down beside her, "I asked nicely,"

"You did not have to kiss me!" Scarlett said still rubbing her mouth. I grabbed her hand, "Let go!"  She snapped panicked, "Seriously, Harden."

"Stop," I say firmly, gripping her hands. "You are going to draw blood."

"Yeah, at least then I can get your disgusting germs off of my lips." Her eyes held pain, "You had no right to kiss me, do you understand?"

I clenched my jaw, "You weren't opening your mouth."

"Ugh!" She groaned, "Just let go!" Tired of her whining I let go of her wrists standing up, "Seriously just fuck off!"

I cross my arms, "Stop acting like that was the first time you. ever kissed someone." Scarlett looked up at me with anger clear in her eyes. 

"The only other person. I kissed was Noah." She admitted,  "I am not some whore who goes around kissing random men. Unlike you Harden, I have some fucking self-respect." Did she just call me a whore?

Grabbing the back of her head once more, I tighten my grip on her hair; her hands immediately came up to cover mine, attempting to pull them off. "Girls don't get away speaking to me like that," I say through gritted teeth. "In fact, no one gets away speaking to me like that, so I suggested you pipe the fuck down." To my surprise, she didn't back down. She was very different from what I imagined. "Do you understand?"

"You are hurting me,"  She replied,

"I said understood?," I repeat myself just as sternly.

"Understood."  Scarlett confirmed, "Now get away from me." Doing as she said I step away from her letting go of her hair. She rubbed the spot I had held, "You and your girlfriend really do like pulling my hair."

Rolling my eyes at her, "Then stop fucking around."  She really needed to stop testing this family's patience,  otherwise it would not end up good for her.

Walking out of her room, I make sure to lock it behind me. I inhale sharply tiredly I begin making my way to my own room. I had paper all over the place. . from our legal and illegal business.

"Harden," Hunter said knocking on the door.

I can't have a minute to myself, "What?" I say through the door.

"I got through, the meeting is set up for tommorow." He told me.

"Okay," I reply, "Just give me ten, I'll be out to prepare with you soon."  I just need some peace and quiet.

"Okay." I heard his footsteps fade as I pushed all the paperwork to the ground, before flopping down on my bed.

Finally, some peace and quiet.

.  . .

"Noah!" I exclaim as I find him snooping through my personal computer, "What the fuck are you doing?"

Noah stood up cautiously, "N-nothing." Stumbling over to him, I turn the laptop around to see the tabs are cleared. "I was just using it for research."

"Research?" I questioned him, "What happened to your computer?"

He breathed out shakily, "I-um." He was looking for excuses, "My laptop, I can't find its charger."

Squinting my eyes at him,  "Noah, find a better fucking excuse." I turn the laptop around for him to use, "Now sit down. and show me. what you were looking through." This was bad, all the information about the new drug Freddie and I had come up. with was on here. I wanted results before I could pitch it to Dad, but if Noah saw it then. . .

His hands shook as he hacked into my computer, "This,"  He pulled up the link, and there it was. 

"A word to. anyone about this."  I say threateningly, "I will personally gut you." Noah swallowed nervously,  "I mean it."  I didnt actually mean it,  maybe rough him up alittle, but not hurt him too badly.

"What is this?"  Noah asked softly,  "Why are you creating new substances, Harden?"

"It's business."

"Business?" Noah never liked what we did as a family, he always had. a problem with it. He never even learned how to drive a motorcycle, because of how dangerous it was. Dad never really understood why he was so different, now one did, he wasnt always this vocal about it, but now, it was as if everything was an argument. "This is wrong."

"Noah." I said tired of his bullshit, "This." I point to the screen. "Is why you have food on your fucking table and a roof over your head."

"There are other ways" he argued.

"Noah," I sigh, "what the fuck has gotten into you?"

"Nothing." He said standing up, "I just have someone in my life now who thinks like me. Who doesn't like this world like me."

I cross my arms. "Who?"

"I can't say,"

"Who?" I repeat my question.

Noah took a deep breath in. "I want out Harden." I stand stunned in front of him. "I mean it." Walking past me he left me alone in my room.

I turn to watch his figure disappear out the door.

Who the fuck is in his life?

. . . The Next Morning. . .

"Harden?" I hear knocks on the door jolting me awake from my dream. I had planned to only take a nap for an hour but when I looked over at the time on my phone it was 10:00 in the morning.

Groaning in dismay I lift my body away from the mattress. "Harden!" The knocks get frantic.

Getting off my bed I open the door. Hunter and Vince look at me with worry in their eyes.

"What?" I ask firmly

"The container," Hunter said. "It's been located."

"Okay? That's good news." I say confused.

"Empty," Vince said.

What the fuck!