I am the dragon

Debts and drugs

We had a few outstanding payments that we needed to go collect. I hated it when people paid late because it meant that I had to go see them personally and collect my money by any means necessary, which normally just involved threats, but sometimes we had to get physical.

Darwell Montgomery, a notorious drug dealer, owed me fifty thousand dollars. He had made the loan as a start-up for his nightclub and he'd paid back almost all of it except the last fifty grand. The last time my men were there he had just made excuses and his time was up tonight.

I still had some pent-up anger and I decided to go see him myself tonight. One way or another, I'd get that fifty grand. I checked the rest of my emails and worked for a few hours, going over paperwork and financials.

At eight pm, we left the house and took one of the SUVs and drove to Darwell's night club. I had already gotten word that he was upstairs in his VIP section sucking face and drinking. Jax parked the SUV and we climbed out.

"Evening Mr. Grey," the man at the front entrance greeted me. He worked for us and spied on Darwell and I smiled as we walked inside. He might not work there after tonight though.

We made our way through the club and up the stairs. Another man looked at us as we neared the VIP section and stepped in front of us. Rev grabbed him and I opened the curtain and walked to the couch where Darwell was laughing and licking salt off a woman's stomach.

"Get out," I said to the woman as Darwell's head snapped up.

"What the fu…" he began to say as my fist connected with his jaw. The woman ran out of the room with big eyes and I kicked Darwell off the couch as he leaned forward holding his jaw.

"You're going to get up, walk to your office and get my fifty grand from your safe," I said to him as I sat down on the couch watching him.

"You son of a b***h!" he yelled at me.

"A deal's a deal, Darwell," I said to him, and pulled him up by his collar.

"You're going to regret this kid," he said to me as I pushed him out of the VIP room.

I followed him to his office with Jax while Preston and Rev watched our backs. Jax leaned against his table and eyed him with a smile. Darwell was muttering under his breath as he opened his safe and started counting money.

"As an example to others, I think we should just take everything," Jax said, and Darwell glared at him.

"He owes fifty and another ten for having me come down to his seedy night club," I said as Jax moved forward and pushed him out of the way.

"One of these days, Lucas, you're going to meet your match," Darwell said as Jax took the money and placed it in a large envelope.

"It won't be you though," I said to him, and opened the office door.

"Have a nice evening Darwell," Jax said and followed me outside.

We walked back downstairs and Preston took two bottles of scotch from behind the bar as Darwell's men eyed us. Rev followed last and his eyes missed nothing. He was as tall as me and built like an ox, he was as strong as one too and his eyes looked a little crazy. He scared people and he knew it. The fact that he almost never spoke just made him seem more like a lunatic in their eyes.

"Josh, you're done here," I said to the man working at the front door.

"Thank f**k," he said and followed us down the steps, leaving the door unmanned as people started pushing inside.

We were about to leave the parking lot when my phone rang and I saw it was Chris. She knew we were busy with collections, which meant that this was an emergency.

"Chris," I said as I answered the phone and listened to the music in the background.

"I need your help," she said to me.

"Where the f**k are you?" I yelled at her.

"I'm at that school party with Rory…" she began to say.

"What the f**k, Chris! How can you be this stupid?" I yelled some more as Rev just watched me.

Jax had already started driving towards the lower side of Aurora where that school party was being held, having heard what Chris had said.

"Just listen to me!" she yelled back, "Rylee's here and she's drunk and I can't find JD. I heard some guy making remarks about taking her upstairs."

"s**t," I said, "don't leave her side, I'm ten minutes away."

I ended the call with Chris and slammed my fist down on the dashboard as Jax looked at me warily. Rev's fists were clenching and unclenching in the back seat and even Preston sat up straight. Jax was tense because Chris had snuck out of the house and now it seemed that Rylee had gotten some unwanted attention.

"What do you want to do?" Jax asked me.

"You two get Chris out of there, I'll get Rylee, Rev, you've got my back," I said to them and they nodded.

Jax stopped in front of the house and I could see the front door as I climbed out of the car. They followed me up the steps and I pushed the door open. Music, sweat and alcohol flooded my senses as we stepped inside the dimly lit living room.

This was Josh Hartley's house. He wasn't part of either group but sort of like the middle man among all the social circles and his parties were open to everyone. He wasn't a bad guy, although his parties were notorious for their drinking and girls losing their clothes.

I saw Chris instantly as she stood with her back against the wall and I followed her eyes as she watched Rylee dancing. Rory stood next to her and his eyes widened when he saw me but Preston put his arms around his shoulder before he could escape.

One guy stood behind her and another one in front of her and both of them had their hands on her. Her eyes were glazed over and I could see that she was wasted. She had no clue what she was doing. I saw Jax as he reached Chris and she looked relieved when she saw me.

I walked straight towards Rylee and a few heads turned as kids from our school recognized us. One guy stepped back and raised his hands as soon as he saw me, but the other guy hadn't noticed us yet.

"Get your hands off her," I said close to his ear and he turned his head towards me.

"s**t," he said and his hands fell to his sides.

I bent slightly as I picked Rylee up over my shoulder and her body was relaxed as I made my way back to the front door. As soon as we stepped outside she realized she was being carried and she started yelling at me.

"Put me down you oaf!" she said as her words slurred.

I ignored her as she hit my back with her fists and I saw that Chris was already in the car with Jax. Rylee became quiet as Rev opened the back door for me and I lowered Rylee and saw that she had passed out. I climbed in with her and kept her on my lap as Rev sat on the other side of Chris and Preston took the front passenger side.

Jax drove off without saying anything and we sat quietly as Chris gave me apologetic looks. I have no idea what Preston had said to Rory but he had looked pale and scared shitless. I would deal with him later.

"Rev, take her up to my room," I said as he took Rylee's unconscious body from me, "Chris."

"Lucas just hear her out first," Jax said as he put his hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Chris said as she lowered her head.

"What the hell were you thinking?" I asked her calmly as Rev returned and nodded at me.

"I was going to be back home before you got back," she said, and sat down on the couch.

"Chris, you were in the lower district, you know how unsafe it is for you there and where the hell is Jay?" I asked her.

"I climbed out of my window and met Rory down the street," she said in a small voice.

"At least she did the right thing in calling you," Preston said as he watched us.

"So tell me about how Rylee ended up drunk out of her mind," I said to her.

"She was fine, we were talking for a bit and then she and Sharon went to the kitchen to get water and fifteen minutes later she was dancing and laughing and drunk," Chris said.

"Spiked," Rev said and slammed his fist into his open hand.

"Probably," I murmured.

"I know you're mad, Lucas, but you can't keep on treating me like a little girl," Chris said as she stood up.

"I am mad, you have no idea how mad I am, you can't go to the lower side, you know this!" I said to her angrily.

"And I'm sorry I did, but you never let me do anything!" she said loudly.

"Because I'm trying to keep you safe!" I said loudly too.

"It's been a long day, maybe we should talk about this tomorrow morning when everyone's calmer," Jax said as he looked from Chris to me.

"Fine," I said and stood up.

"What about Rylee?" Chris asked me.

"What about her? She's passed out and tomorrow she's going to feel like crap but that's tomorrow's worry," I said and headed to the stairs.

"So you're going to keep her in your room? Don't you think she's going to freak out when she wakes up next to you?" Chris asked me.

"Someone has to make sure she doesn't choke on her own vomit," I said, and Preston laughed.

"Are you sure that's the only reason why she's in your room?" Jax asked, and I stopped on the stairs.

"Do you want me to show you what Rory's going to look like when I find him?" I asked him and he stopped laughing.

"No," he said and sat down.

"Lucas! Leave Rory out of this, I snuck out on my own," Chris said.

"I warned him and you," I said to her.

"At this rate I'm going to end up as a spinster!" she said angrily.

"You can start dating when you're thirty!" I said, angry too.

"Rylee's just a year older than me but it's okay for her to be in your bed but not for me to just go to a party?" she asked me.

"Rylee's not my sister," I said and Rev shook his head as he looked at me.

I went up to my room and closed the door behind me. Rylee was lying under the covers on her side and Rev had placed the trash bin next to her on the floor. I smiled and shook my head as I headed for the closet and grabbed sweatpants and a t-shirt.

I showered and put the sweatpants on and made my way to the other side of the bed. I pulled the t-shirt over Rylee's head and pulled the strapless dress down her body and covered her with the duvet again. I climbed in next to her and she turned to face me with her eyes open.