The Shadow Wolf

Five

Rip:

    "She's been talking to this guy for months now. I think they're getting serious," Ezra smiled as she looked over at her sister in a nearby booth. She has a smile on her face and is twirling her hair as she talks into her cell.

    They close the cafe at one to open up at seven p.m. again. This place gets packed. I had been a witness to that the other night. This place is big. The part that is a cafe is used as a VIP section. The other half is closed off with a massive black glitter curtain that separates the rest of the club. There's a stage and smaller booth areas. The dance floor lights up. This place is amazing and really goth.

    "What about you do you have a boyfriend?" Mikhail asked her.

    "No, I don't do that," she shook her head, waving her hand in her sister's direction.

    "Why?" I asked.

    "I'm kind of awkward and I spend a lot of time in the kitchen watching Charmed reruns so that I can come up with new ideas for new drinks and clever names for the breakfast specials,"

    "I don't sense any awkwardness in you," I scoffed. "I know awkward,"

    I looked over at my brother as he spun his phone with his index finger.  He looked towards Lina and then glanced from his phone to me and then to Ezra. The phone bounced off the table and onto the seat next to him. When he reached for it the tips of his fingers smacked the phone out across the floor. 

    "f**k," he whispered going after it.

    "Oh. my. god," Ezra giggled.

    "Like I said I know awkward,"

    "It's broken," Mikhail groaned before giving me the puppy eyes.

    "Let's go get you a new one," I sighed shaking my head.

    "Want to come?" he asked Ezra. She looked at me questioningly.

    "Yeah, Mikhail can sit in the back alone where he won't spaz out and almost kill us," I laughed. "It's happened,"

    "Shut up, Rip," he growled so that only I could hear.

    "Yeah, I'll get my bag," she beamed.

    As she got out of the booth her foot got caught at the end of her chair. Had Mikhail not been watching her like the creeper he's going to start being she would have probably broken her nose against the floor. He caught her. She looked up at him embarrassed. She straightened herself up and walked away. I think I might have spoken too soon. Maybe they both belong in the back seat together. 

Ezra:

    Lina walked in after me laughing. She couldn't even stop to make a coherent sentence. How embarrassing. I totally spazzed out in front of Rip and her super cute brother. Why do I have two left feet?

    "He's just as bad as you are," she finally choked out in between laughs. "It's like the gods made you two for each other,"

    "Shut up, Lina," I groaned, grabbing my jacket and satchel.

    "God, I have never seen the spaz radar surpass your level until now. He literally threw his phone across the room for no reason," she laughed. "And you. You just had to trip,"

    "f**k you, dude," I sighed smacking my head on the locker.

    "Gage is coming over to the loft. So, buzz like a lot before you come up," she laughed before walking out. "Lock up. I forgive you for this morning,"

    "Gross," I sighed shaking off her comment.

    "Ready?" Rip asked as I walked out after Lina. She has a smile on her face like she had heard our entire conversation. "Mikhail is already by the car,"

    I locked everything up and stepped out with her only to stop in front of her car. Mikhail is leaning against the matte black beauty. This is literally my dream car. The Honda Civic Type-R is the cutest import I have ever seen. Having Rip's hot brother leaning against it is just a bonus.

    "You're a fan?" Rip asked and I just nodded. "My brother or the car?" she whispered. I felt my face heat up. "Both then?"

    "Shut up, Rip," I whispered. She gave me a big smile.

    "It's okay, Ezra. So is he," she smirked. The comment wiped the smile from my face as she unlocked the car. 

    We went into the mall for Mikhail's new phone and we all walked out with a new one. As the day progressed Rip and I started to figure out just how alike we were and by that I mean we were both major fangirls. We totally fangirl a lot of the same things just for different reasons. I've never met a girl that I could get along with like this. I somehow always end up being on someone's s**t list when I try to make friends.

    Mikhail just stayed back watching us. It's like he's enjoying us having a good time. Which makes sense after what happened to Rip. He might just like the fact that she's finally smiling. I like making her smile. She deserves it in my opinion. She's too pretty to have a scowl on her face. Everything was going perfect until they took me home.

    "We have to go," Rip announced, glaring at the two figures standing outside my loft building.

    "Hey, that's my sister and her new boyfriend. Come meet him," they both looked at one another skeptically.

    It was Mikhail who sighed and motioned her out of the car which is weird. As we approached, Gage pulled my sister closer to him and looked me over once before he looked up at Mikhail who is significantly bigger than him. I feel like Mikhail is sizing him up. 

    "You... Umm, this is Lina's boyfriend," I stuttered.

    "Demarco a little lost?" Mikhail asked his tone seems like he's very angry.

    I tried to look over at him to see his expression but he is way too close to me. Rip pulled me out the way and then pushed me behind her. What the hell is this? Why are they acting this way?

    "You're a little far away from mommy and daddy. Especially you, princess, shouldn't you be hiding behind your daddy right about now?" Gage asked mockingly.

    "Funny. Typical of your kind to assume things they have no business assuming," Rip answered, her tone just as bad as Mikhail.

    "How's Steve huh? Cozy?" I felt her tense.

    "Steve will soon learn his place in the world," she sighed. "Maybe you should too,"

    "Last time I checked visiting my girl is where I belong," Mikhail looked back at me. His expression was dark and hurt.

    "How do you guys know each other?" Lina finally spoke up.

    "My dad took over his dad's company a few years back. His dad was embezzling money and a bunch of other illegal s**t. If it wasn't for my family hundreds of people would have lost their jobs and probably their families," Rip answered without taking her eyes off of Gage. Her angry tone doesn't match her calm features.

    "Your dad is f*****g liar. He's a f*****g leech just like the rest of you good for nothing pricks," Rip gripped Mikhail's arm before Mikhail moved forward to hit him. Which is a bit of a disappointment, the prick kind of deserves to get hit.

    "Mika, he isn't worth it. Besides he's probably already out past his curfew. His mommy might spank him," Rip chastised.

    "You live with your parents?" Lina asked looking at him. Gage looked away. "So, that's why you don't want me to go over?"

    "Why don't you go play with your little paintbrushes Ripley?" Gage shot back.

    "I will and when I'm done maybe I'll sell it to your sister for a couple of stacks. My paintbrush set it's worth more than your f*****g house," Rip shot back, stepping forward. "Maybe I stopped Mikhail so I can tear you apart mother fucker,"

    "Mikhail?" Lina warned sidestepping them both to coming over to me.

    "Do something Rip. Show your friends how it is you earned your name," Gage challenged.

    Rip's hands balled into fists her knuckles drained of color turning white. She stepped closer to him. If she were to do something he might hurt her. He's taller and bigger than her, but she's meeting his challenge head-on or head to chest. Since she's so much smaller.

    "Rip, that's enough," Mikhail scoffed and she stepped back.

    "Oh. Does big brother own the leash now?" Gage laughed.

    Rip's fist sent Gage stumbling back until he landed on his ass. He stood up and backhanded her. She didn't even flinch. Lina tried to rush forward, but I held on to her as she began to shout at Gage. Mikhail stood there as Rip stalked forward and hit him again. The sound of her fist coming down on his face echoed loudly over Lina's shouting.

    "Mikhail, stop her," Lina finally shouted. He laughed and lifted Rip like she weighed nothing.

    "Alright you got what you wanted, Rip," he smiled putting her down.

    "How could you have hit her?" Lina shouted hysterically.

    She went over to Rip. I hadn't seen him hit her back, but the blood coming out of her mouth and the red spots along her jaw starting to form said he had hit back. Not like he was trying to push her off but like he fought her. A girl. He hit a girl after provoking her and Mikhail allowed it. I looked at Gage angrily, but he's in worse shape than Rip. She did that to him. Who even is Rip?

    "I take it this is the last time we see each other then?" he laughed.

    "f**k you, Gage," Lina cried out hysterically.

    "I did for a few hours," Rip rushed forward again landing another hit on him making him stagger back. Mikhail held onto her this time.

    "Get the f**k out of here Demarco before I step up, ass hole. Rip won't be able to stop me," Mikhail stated calmly. "Not that she would try,"

    Gage backed away and got into his truck. Mikhail turned to look at Rip examining her face and then her hands. She looked at him calmly like she wasn't covered in blood that was coming out from her mouth. Gage messed her up but neither Mikhail nor Ripley look surprised.

    "I have to get her to the ER," Mikhail chuckled before turning to look at me. "Will you two be okay?"

    "Yes," Lina spat angrily. "Then when you two crazies are okay get your asses back here and f*****g explain what happened,"

    "Gage is Stephen's cousin. Our families are kind of angry for what Stephen did. Since he left Rip, his family thinks she wasn't worthy of him and our family sees him for the f**k he is," Mikhail shrugged handing Rip a handkerchief. She took it and began to clean her mouth with it. "They work for us,"

    "That was a rush," Rip smiled, moving her jaw around. The blood staining her teeth make me want to cry.

    "Don't do that it could be out of place," Mikhail warned her. "We'll see you ladies later,"

    "Later?" I asked.

    "Saturday, I want to see if Crossroad Nights get rowdy," he smirked pulling Rip with him like he had all of a sudden become the adult.

    He waited until we walked inside before getting into Rip's car. He looked around almost like he was expecting something to come out of nowhere. Lina began to get dressed for work I just kind of sat on my bed thinking over how our day ended.

    "Hey, are you still in shock?" she asked snapping her fingers in front of me.

    "No, I'm not in shock Lina. He baited her like he wanted her to hurt him. Like it meant more than it really was. Mikhail didn't even try to stop her. He let her beat the s**t out of him. He said it like she had done it before. Lina like what the f**k you know? Has she, you know, beat others up worse than that. It looked like she was holding back too," 

    "Okay, you're in shock and overthinking. Obviously, she has been super stressed from Steve leaving her, he baited her, and when she was about to turn tail he pretty much sucker-punched her with that insult. I would have tore him apart. Rip grew up with a brother she's obviously had to deal with worse s**t look at the size of her brother. You used to fight guys in high school like you were part of the wrestling team," 

    "You're probably right," I nodded.

    "Duh, I was a Psychology minor," she smirked, shoving my head. "Okay. Tonight get dolled up and I'll see you later,"

    "Are Amber and Ashley coming in tonight? I can help if you want,"

    "Yes, they'll both be there. You just have fun," she waved before rushing out.

    I picked up my new phone and sent Rip a text. She replied almost instantly telling me she was fine that the doctor said she'd be a little bruised up nothing else. I let out a sigh of relief before I got in the shower to get ready like my sister oh so humbly requested. A little bruised up? It looked like she was going to be bedridden for days. Maybe I'm just seeing things that aren't really there.