The Steele Brothers (Completed)

31. Ash

I had been aware of a number of looks our way from the moment we stepped onto campus this morning, as we had split up, the murmurs had quieted a little but it wasn't until I left my third class anyone was brave enough to approach.

"Hey Ash" Jack said falling into step beside me.

"Jack?"

"So, that girl, she's really Raven's girlfriend?" he asked and I stopped and faced him, other students flowing past us.

"She is" I looked at him and he shuffled uncomfortably "Why?"

"There's a rumour going round that St John has disappeared and three girls including her floor monitor have been expelled, people are blaming her" he mutters out.

I look at him "And what do you think, for Christs sake, she has only just started here, do you really think she could do all that"

"No, but... I mean, you guys and Raven, well... Yes"

I laugh, Jacks not wrong that we could but not this time "It wasn't her and it wasn't us, however the girls broke in and vandalised her room, she was out with Raven and he found it and called the Dean, she's been with him since and aside from St John getting in her face at the dorms, where Raven stopped him, she has had nothing to do with him"

"Oh, oh, that's good" he pauses and I can see he has something more to say.

"Jack, something you want to tell me?"

"Sigma Beta had a meeting last night...  she was top of the agenda, they are stepping up their campaign, its not good, they know she's been seen a lot with Raven and first to get her away from him now gets the betting pool" he pauses again "and anyone who can get something incriminating on her, photos, information also gets a reward... a financial reward"

"Fuck" I swear, pulling out my phone and calling Leo. "Where are you?" I ask bluntly.

"What's happened... Viri?"

"I have some news" I tell him, conscious of Jack at my side.

"I've just left the Deans office, I'll come to you" he replies.

"I'm..." I start but he cuts me off.

"I know where you are" and he hangs up.

"Erm.. I need... go to class" Jack starts to say and I look at him and can see the nerves starting to show.

"Stay here" I tell him and by the time we had moved to the side of the hallway, Leo was striding towards us.

"Ash...thats!" I hear Jack whisper out and grin.

"Leo, this is Jack, he's just given me a very interesting update on Sigma Beta.  Jack, this is Leo, tell him everything"

I watch as Jack stutters everything out again, hiding my grin at his obvious fear of Leo, who he had recognised, I made a mental note to ask him how, but it would have to wait till later as Leo waved him away, turning to face me as Jack rushes off.

"Looks like they are stupid enough to try something, I'd better let Dom know" he cracks his knuckles and grins and I can feel the menace in his words. He lifts his phone to call Dom.

"Fuck!" I hear him exclaim, his hand coming up to stop me and I felt a flash of fear...Viri.  he hits speaker and I hear Raven say...

"Campus Police have just arrested Jett, he said Sigma Beta are involved before he was cut off, he was due to meet Viri at the end of her class, she'll be unprotected"

"Go!" Dom tells him,  "You heard?" he ask Leo.

"Yes, we can head that way now, Ash is with me, we just heard some news, also about Sigma Beta, let's focus on getting Viri safe and then get Jett free" he tells him before hanging up and we are running across the campus towards Viri and Jett's building.

Raven is already there, Viri's bag and phone in his hand, the gazes of shocked students watching him as he questions the professor.

Leo's phone rings again and I hear the mention of tracker, Leo steps back from the door and opens an app on his phone, i'm torn between watching Raven and Leo.

Grey hurries down the corridor towards us, his phone to his ear and from his words I know he is speaking to our father.  He hangs up as he reaches me. "Where?" he starts and I point through the open classroom door. "Damn it" he grunts before going in to retrieve Raven.

I hear him apologise to the professor, guiding a very angry Raven out of the room and closing the door.  "We have to go back home, Dad wants us to pick up Jett and wait for him there, he says they have a lock on Viri and they will bring her back to the house" he tells us, his gaze going to Leo who is back on the phone to Dom.

"Leo?" I ask and he nods.

"I've got the same instruction, back to the house, stopping only to pick up Jett" he tells us, sliding his phone into his pocket as Raven rounds on him.

"Where is she, I know you can track her, show me" he demands and I see a small smile cross Leo's face, he's feeling aggressive and a fight with Raven would make him feel better.  I couldn't let that happen, we needed to be strong for Viri, to be ready for when she came back.

"Stop it both of you" I hissed at them "Lets go"

I pushed Raven ahead of me, the rest following behind, heading for the car park and making sure Raven and Leo were in different cars as we headed for the campus police station.

Jett was waiting in the lobby, his face showing his anger and worry "Viri?" he demanded when he saw us.  I shook my head.

"Not here, wait till we are in the car" I told him and he growled at me in anger but followed me back to the cars.

"Viri was taken from outside her classroom, they left her phone but Gus and Luca are tracking her and will get her back, we have to go back to the house and wait for them to bring her home" I tell him once we are on our way.

"Fuck, Fuck, fuck" he slams his fist against the seat "who!" he growls out.

"We think Sigma Beta, I saw Jack just before and he was telling me they had been discussing her"

"I'll kill them all, take me to their house!" he shouts, trying to open the door as Leo keeps driving.

"Stop Jett, come on, you know we all want to go and beat the shit out of them but we've got to be clever about this or we put Viri at risk,  Luca and Gus are bring her home, we have to be there"    I tell him and relax as I finally see him nod.

"They took her on my watch, I failed her" he whispers out  and I hear Leo sigh from the drivers seat.

"Get over it, we were on guard as well and they got past all of us and her team, trust me, we all feel guilty and if I let anything happen to any of you, Viri will kill me, so we are going back to your home and we will wait for her to come back, and she will come back, Dad and Uncle Gus would not let anything happen to her" Leo tells us both, slowing to turn into the drive, Ravens car in front of us and Dom car just pulling up.