Pain, Love & Desire

Chapter 7| The Secret Don Marello

I sat in front of the coffee shop, The big brown letters that were on top of the building read "Cafe Corzant"

I laid my head on my steering wheel causing my horn to honk. I quickly jumped up and sighed. I was regretting asking Jace for coffee. I would more than anything want him to go back to not wanting to speak a word to me. I had a couple of reasons why I didn't want to be attracted to him. 1. being even though I wasn't talking to Ryan, he was my boyfriend. I was having a hard time being in a committed relationship but I was in one either way.

Reason number two being he's my fucking best friends ex boyfriend. No matter how long they were dating, They still dated. It felt close to illegal to even think Jace was attractive. But those eyes, they did something to me. But that was it, it was just attraction. Nothing more. I turned off my car and got out pulling on my sweater.

When I walked in the coffee shop a bell dinged causing everyone to turn there heads and quickly look away turning their attention to the back of the cafe. I scanned the cafe trying to see what everyone was so focused on, only to see him holding Ryan against a wall choking him. Ryan was trying to wiggle out of his grip. His face began to turn purple.

I rushed to the back of the cafe. "Jace what the hell let him go!" I shouted.

Ryan's shirt was rising up and I saw the same tattoo I saw when I went to Jace's front door last week. Are they in some type of cult?

Jace turned to me his face covering with guilt for a quick second before turning back to the wall. "Try something like that again and your a dead man." Jace growled finally letting go of Ryan.

Ryan fell to the floor out of breath. I got on my knees looking him in the eyes. "Are you okay?" I say, "Do you need to go to the hospital I can ta-" I started. "Get away from me." He snapped. I was frozen in that moment. Ryan had never been aggressive to me but right now, it seemed like he wanted to punch my head through a wall.

I assumed the coffee date was over until I looked up seeing Jace order two coffees. After this I couldn't began to understand how he could be in the mood for coffee.

I gave Ryan one last defining look before walking to join Jace.

He sat with his arms on the table. He had a leather jacket with a white tee., His muscles ripping through.

"Jace" I say.

"Mmmhm?" He prodded. His body language acted as if the ordeal that happened not even five minutes ago did not happen.

"Why were you choking my boyfriend? Are you crazy?" I whisper shouted.

"I don't do anything to people if they don't deserve it. and he deserved it."

"So you do this all the time?" I ask.

"Yeah, its my job." He responds.

"and what exactly is this job?"

"Your overstepping into shit that has nothing to do with you. Why do you care?" He answered.

"Sorry" I mumbled.

It was silence for a few seconds until Ryan walked up to the table. "Don, Carmen just moved the packages. Your dad is about to meet him" Ryan stood there waiting for a reply to his statement but Jace remained staring at his phone.

"Is there something else you need? If not why the fuck are you still standing here?" He said looking up at Ryan.

Ryan was infuriated. His veins were pulsing through his head. He was muscular but not as muscular as Jace. His hair, straight with a middle part undercut. Nevertheless he walked away.

Why did he call him Don? Who is Don?

"Is Don your real name?" I say

"No, Jace is my real name. You and Syd are the only one I haven't shot in the head for calling me by that name." He replies.

"Would you prefer I call you Don?"

"No. I'm sure you don't know what the name means, no need for you to say it. I like the way Jace rolls off your tongue anyway."

I rolled my eyes. I had so many more questions about the interaction that happened between Ryan and Jace. were they working together? Who is Carmen and what packages are they talking about.

"Before you start bombarding me with questions, I have to go meet my father." He clarified

He handed me $10 to pay for our coffee when the tab came. "Oh no I can pay for my own cof-" I started.

"Bye Scott" He yelled pushing the door of the Cafe open.

I giggled to myself and paid the tab with my own money and used the money Jace gave me for my coffee as a tip.

We got nothing accomplished but, I would worry about that another day.

Tonight I planned on going to the beach with Asher, Kehlani and Sydney So I wore a bathing suit under my outfit. I knew that Syd was driving with Asher so I drove straight to the beach. The wind got stronger as I reached the beachfront.

When I got out I stripped into my bikini. I was the first to arrive and soon everyone else arrived.

"Hey Key!" screamed Sydney. I rushed to hug Asher and Key.

"I brought food." exclaimed Asher.

"Of course you did" I said. I sat in the sand. The sun was beginning to set. I looked over at Asher who only had a pair of trunks. His chest was covered in sand but you could still see the same gorilla tattoo on his chest. The same tattoo that Jace and Ryan have.

It isn't a coincidence, they are all apart of something. And it's starting to freak me the fuck out. I walked to Asher, he was standing up looking over the water. I jumped on his back pointing to his chest. He stumbles a little bit before chuckling.

"What does this tattoo mean?" I ask brushing my fingers across the small tattoo.

"Just something symbolic." He replies vaguely.

"What does it symbolize?" I ask

He stood a few seconds without saying anything before running with me on his back to the water, dumping me in.

I knew immediately that is was something he was scared to talk about. I laughed it off coming up for air wiping my eyes to get the salty water off.

I should let it go. Maybe it really isn't any of my business and I'm crossing boundaries. I just want to have fun at college. Not worried about stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with me. I already had enough to focus on. I was calling this club the Musical Therapy Club. I already hung up flyers and a number to call and people were actually calling.

I never want anyone to experience what Alyssa was experiencing alone. I never want anyone to feel like that and not have a outlet.