Their Rose Petal

Chapter Twenty Five

Just a heads up, I had surgery on my arm today and I'm unable to move one. If there's a lot of typos just ignore it, when I have full use of both hands I'll come back through and edit it.

Thank you all, enjoy.

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Kinsley dances around the empty house, seeing as the boys left for work hours ago. Music blares and food is being cooked, and it smells delicious. My stomach rumbles as it sizzles in the pan.

She hands me a plate, and we sit down and eat. It's peaceful, and I have time to be in my own head.

"I'm going to rent out Bills house." I decide, eating a spoonful of my food. I hum in happiness as the flavors bubble around in my mouth.

"What about his stuff?" Her faces scrunches.

"I'll put everything in the basement and keep it locked."

"How do you know it has a basement?"

"The lawyer told me the floor plan," I shrug.

"If that's what you want." She hums.

We sit in silence for a bit, finishing up our food.

The music turned off halfway through our meal. I hear a knock at the door, and Kinsley perks up. "The fuck," she mumbles. Who would be at the boys house without them here? Maybe it's Mateo's sister.

Kinsley opens the door and Neil rushes in. He looks fuming, and his gun is in his hand.

"What's wrong?" My heart thumps, wondering if my boys are alright.

"Has anyone knocked on the door? Have you heard anything outside?" He throws questions at me. His eyes bounce around the house, looking for an intruder that's not here. Anxiety starts to rile up in my core.

"No, we've had music playing. What is going on?" Kinsley answers for me. He sighs, taking out his phone. He brings it to his ear.

"Boss," he greets, to whom I'm assuming is Mateo. "We've got a problem. I went to pick up the package and brought it back to your house." I can't hear Mateo's response. "Someone has been here. How do I know? Well. I won't look again but you'll see when you get back. Get back now, no disrespect." He quickly adds the last part after seeming demanding.

"What is it?" I snap.

He shakes his head, nodding for me to follow him. We walk out the front door and I gasp.

Pictures are scattered all across the front of the house. I scan through them, my hand over my mouth. All of us at the mall, us in the car. Pictures of us walking to and from the house. Kinsley is in some, even Damien. Noah is in one. One even has me on the concrete in front of my burning apartment. It's a distant photo, so the photographer had to have tried to be hidden. My eyes fall on the left side of the house. I run up to them and rip them down, just staring. It's me, bent over while Mateo plowed into me on the side of the road that one night. How the fuck didn't we notice? Another of us in the restaurant. Even a picture of me butt ass naked laid across a table at my restaurant. All of the pictures cover the house like ornaments on a fucking Christmas tree.

"How in the fuck," I'm cut off by tires squeaking. My body doesn't budge, too focused on analyzing the pictures before me and running through mind to see if I remember anyone who looked suspicious. My mind draws a blank. The majority of these were taken when I was basking in the newfound happiness the boys have brought me.

"I want footage loaded, and someone find that bastard Alaric before the end of the day or so help me God every man here can kiss their left nut goodbye." Mateo slams the car door shut. Elias and three of his men follow suit, another car pulling up with even more of his men. "The fuck is everyone still standing around for? Anyone caught looking at these photos will be castrated. I will let the neighborhood cat use your fucking dick as a scratching post. If you think I am by any means joking or exaggerating, by all means take a gander." He cocks his gun back and then they get the memo. They scramble about, quickly falling into action, averting their eyes from anywhere but the house. Kinsley stares at him with her mouth wide open.

"Baby, are you okay?" Elias rushes to my side. Mateo punches the mailbox, and the top of the box goes flying. I jump a bit, but nod my head. "You're safe baby, I'm sorry." He holds my face in his hand. I look down at the intimate photos I hold, his eyes following. "What the fuck?" Rage takes over him as well.

"How the fuck did we miss this? Any of it? All of it!" Mateo kicks what's left of the mailbox down.

"Mateo." Is all Elias says as he takes the pictures from my hand. Mateo snaps his head towards us, veins bulging at the top of his forehead and neck. Mateo snatches the pictures from Elias, his hands shaking. I can't lie his demeanor right more is extremely frightening, but the anger isn't aimed at me. It's aimed at whoever did this. It rolls off of him in waves, the warmth from his skin causing his face to be flushed in anger.

"Fuck!" He yells, ripping the papers to shreds. "I'll kill however did this, baby. I swear to you I will skin them a-fucking-live." He grabs me roughly, pulling me into a tight hug. I hug him back, my face laying flat against his broad chest. It brings me an odd feeling of comfort.

"So, are you gang leaders or something?" Kinsley speaks up. We all just glance at her. "Not the time, right. I would like to know what in the hell I got myself into whenever is is appropriate though." With that she walks back inside, shrugging with her back turned.

Kaleb walks up to us, phone in hand. "Three males, approximately six foot. All wearing ski-masks and sunglasses." He pulls the video. They had walked up the driveway, careful to not use a car to gain attraction. All in black sweatsuits and gloves. Nothing to show identification. "I'm sorry, not to overstep but how did you not see yourselves being followed in all of these places? Why didn't you bring a man to be a lookout for you?" He wonders, seeming concerned. His tone isn't condescending. His mind is just trying to piece missing pieces together.

"Because we love her." Elias groans in frustration, the words not coming to him easily. "When she's around she's all we are focused on. It's easy to suspect and defend her from immediate danger, not a fucking stalker. It's something we didn't consider, and for that we're at fault." His anger starts to bubble despite his continues efforts to keep it at bay. "Fuck!"

"And that's why you take an extra man to watch for what you can't see, man. I'm glad you two love her and you're overcoming your selfish bullshit." Kaleb sighs, running his hand over his face. "She has to be your main priority for as long as your lifestyles are the way they are. This is what you two are in, she's just an innocent bystander that fell in love with two drug dealers."

"We don't need a lecture on how to treat our woman, Kaleb. Watch your fucking tone." Mateo steps up to him. He has a deathly look on his face, his upper lip slightly tugging upwards and his eyebrows drawn together.

"It's not a lecture." Kaleb grunts. "You've never had this, the lifestyle and the woman. You've only had to protect yourself before this moment."

"He's right, Mateo. He isn't talking shit he's bringing things to our attention that we can't see, clearly." Elias decides.

"I don't want to be a burden or cause anyone harm." I mumble, running my hands over my arms.

"Baby, you're far from it. If anything we're the burden, this shit wouldn't be happening if we didn't do what we do." Elias mumbles.

I look down to Mateo's quickly bruising hand. I have my own burdens, if they can face mine I can face theirs.

"I knew what I signed up for, it's not y'all's fault." I shrug.

"Like hell it isn't. Our sole job is to protect you and maintain your happiness, Michelle." Mateo clenches his fist in thought.

I cautiously walk up to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. "I'm fine, Mateo. It's just pictures." He reluctantly takes a deep breath, hugging my back softly. "It'll all be alright." I reassure him.

I'm not so sure I believe my own words. They aren't just pictures, as much as I'd like to believe it. They're images into my personal, intimate life. They violate not only my personal life but also everyone I love. Me at my most vulnerable is plastered on paper and more than likely on some perverts laptop. What if there's videos? What if there's more to it and this is just the beginning?