Burnt Lies

Alonso

Alara

I didn't know what compelled me to say what I did, but what stuck me more was how much I had meant it, I couldn't imagine anyone else getting on one knee for me and if it came from Cameron it would mean so much more than if it came from anyone else. 

I still remembered his words when he so coldly tossed me the ring that was still lying on my finger, glimmering beneath the fluorescent lighting of the hallways as we walked away from the training rooms. 

I bend for no one darling.

His words rang true in my mind, I could not imagine Cameron Grayson bending for anyone, but a girl could hope. We had become inexplicably closer with everything that we had been through, and the ghost of his lips pressing against mine was permanently etched into my mind but so was the image of him covered in someone's blood not an ounce of regret in sight. 

If I knew anything about the gang world it was you had to be careful of who you trusted, and though the school girlish part of me begged me to believe that somehow Cameron was my Prince Charming, the more rational side of me knew what this world entailed and it was juvenile to convince myself otherwise. 

Cameron must have noticed the pensive look on my face, as he turned back and made sure to entangle his fingers with mine, pulling me to his side, in a gesture of comfort, and for a moment, I let myself fall into that delusion, that this would be my perfect life, that everything would work itself out, but the threat of his father still loomed over me. The weight of being wanted for a diamond that I had no part in, that I didn't even want, I knew what it felt to be hunted and even if trust was a scarce commodity in my life, if I could trust anyone it would be Cameron. 

How many times had he saved my life now? Countless times, and I had saved his too in some ways we needed each other, we relied on each other. 

His words rang through my head over and over, until I couldn't bear it anymore. 

Why would every waking moment be thinking about you and only you?

The look in his eyes when those burning words had left his lips, they told me that that was the truth, that a lie could never be burnt upon a mouth that exalted the truth and only the truth. 

Sure we were both rough around the edges, each with our own trauma to overcome, but if there was anyone I would want by my side it was Cameron, the way he pulled me to him made my heart melt, made me forget all the hurt of the previous days. 

I smiled softly up at him, trying not to catch his gaze as he looked into the distance, I always wanted to know what was on his mind, he was hard to read but I was getting better at it. 

We turned into the computer rooms, and as soon as we entered Echo leapt from his seat, "You're here, I've been trying to call you like crazy," he chastised gesturing for us to sit near his computer. 

"Sorry, we got a bit caught up with Leo proposing," Cameron explained.

Echo didn't even bat an eye rushing out a 'congratulations' before sitting back down at his computer and typing furiously away. 

"You're never going to believe this," he began pulling up multiple files. 

"So you found him Alonso, my friend?"

"I didn't just find him," Echo pulled up a photo of this Alonso, it was grainy clearly from some security footage, he looked like the stereotypical mobster, with a long black coat and dark briefcase clasped in olive toned hands.

"Yes that's him, did you find a contact number?" Cameron leaned forward his shoulder brushing against mine as he did so. 

"No, I didn't,"

"But you said-"

"Cam, I didn't find a contact because he contacted me," the room fell silent at the revelation confusion melding its way onto all of our faces. 

"Echo what do you mean he contacted you?"

"I don't know," there was nervous energy in Echo as he began to type once again dark fingers flitting over keys too fast for anyone to track, "You're friend Alonso, he must have a good team of his own hackers, he must have realised the unprecedented traffic towards articles, and pages about him, even though I used a proxy and took all the precautions this guy is good, but the message is where things get wild,"

He pulled up a message that looked like it had been hastily typed out in notepad rather than in a traditional email, "He didn't send it as e-mail did he or a traditional shared file did he?" I began, finally thinking my computer science knowledge was coming in handy, "He did the classic, edit the notepad and then you edit the answer, a fool proof way of making sure messages can't be tracked, and something we used to do in Secondary IT,"

"You're right," Cameron looked at me a little impressed by my input and I would be damned if I didn't let that get to my head a little. 

"The message is for you Cam,"

It read:

Dear Cameron Grayson,

This is Alonso you're old time friend if times were different I would congratulate you on your recent engagement to Alara Mortello but as you know the whole Dark World is looking for her, including my higher ups. 

There is a secret I have kept for far too long even as we knew each other I vowed to never reveal this information to anyone but times have changed and as a friend I believe it pertinent to let you know. I do not want to cause you harm but circumstances have had me backed into a corner. 

You may have heard rumours of Il Venditore, the Italian Black Market seller, who has been tasked to track down you're soon to be wife.

This message I am about to tell you must stay and die with you, only your trusted members should know and no one else. 

I am Il Venditore.

I am giving you a days warning before I will have to come for Alara Mortello, though it pains me to say that is all the time I can give you at risk to my own life. 

You must take her to a place I will never be able to find, but I will have to come for her with my full force and power, I cannot afford to lose my standing, as it will put my own family in jeopardy but I cannot forsake the kindness you showed me and my family. 

So this is the only favour I will pay back, take Alara far away a place I will never look and when I come for her with my full force and can't find her I will be able to keep my standing and say that I tried my hardest to find her. 

Take care mio amico,

From tomorrow we can no longer be vicini come fratelli

Alonso Torres

We all silently stared at the page, unable to say anything until Leo broke the silence. 

"Well shit."