Stumbling (H.S. / A.U.)

Chapter 54

Monday, October 2nd - THIS IS A FEW DAYS EARLIER

Ross's POV

Harry and the guys gave me a lot to think about.

I had been replaying parts of the conversation with so many red flag pinging in my head. They want me to cut off all my runners. That way Alexander and Everett start to panic and lose control. If that wasn't enough, they gave me any and all rights to overthrow the east coast warehouses. There were four that I personally knew of, two large, and two small ones ran out of houses. 

Niall had told me he only knew of one large warehouse in Florida right now, but with Alex and Ev there is always hidden shit.

Liam suggested getting rid of the warehouses all together. Strip it, rob it, ruin it, anything. However, if the guys fail that is a huge target on my back.

No it isn't. You're already dead remember?

I decided to go for a walk to the gas station to get something to drink and really try to understand it all. I hoped I would come home with answers but I was just as lost by the time I got back.

I stumble over the threshold between the kitchen and living room to find Cleo sleeping directly next to her water bowl. Poor gal, she sometimes forgets to come back to the bed at night. That's what you get when you adopt a dog that is both deaf and blind, not to mention over twelve years old.

I quietly creep over to her, just in case she feels my footsteps and gets nervous. She didn't wake up this time. I lean down slowly to bring my knees to the ground and place a hand on her back. I give her a small squeeze to let her know I am there and then bring my hand closer to her nose so she can sniff and realize it is me.

Her eyes flutter open and she sits up fast before sniffing my hand. The moment she realizes who it is you can see her start to calm down again and lean her head on the ground. I know she can't hear me but I talk to her a lot, because in my mind she can just sense it and feel the vibes. "Hey pretty girl. You look really good today. Your coat is so golden you sunshine." I pet her back and give her one more squeeze before getting up to give her some more water just in case she thought it was empty.

I roll my head because my neck has felt really stiff this past day. For a guy who is now gonna' be dead I am sure feelin' it right now. I chuckle to myself while heading back into the living room because the dead jokes I keep making to myself are really.... killer. 

"Killer. Dead. Haha. Get it." I mutter to myself.

I wasn't expecting anyone to answer me because when I left  earlier Cammie was in the bedroom asleep. It wasn't shocking because yesterday was up rolling till six am and then she crashed hard. I figured when she finally does wake up she will realize she needs some food, hydration, and a shower.

When I snuck out of the room she was splayed out in her underwear and a baggy shirt. Her curls were becoming one big mess on her head at this rate and she still had on some make up remnants from who knows when. I love Cammie and I will till the day I actually die, but the girl is a bit of a trainwreck.

Cammie wasn't always like this.

That's the problem though. Cammie wasn't always like this. She got like this because of me. I noticed Cammie back in high school and I thought she would never notice me. I was right. I pinned after her and tried my sophomore year, but she was hot, and she knew it, she rejected me instantly. During senior year a lot changed. I got my braces off, I learned how to style my hair, I got a side job fixing up cars and had enough money to dress better, and I even started working out. As far as make overs go I was the ugly duckling turned into a goddamn swan. Cammie noticed finally. I expected everything to be perfect and us to run off into the sunset, but I didn't think about the fact that I had a few extra curriculars that might stand in the way of that.

I was already developing a pretty nasty habit of using and abusing. That slowly turned Cammie into wanting the same. Once she developed a decent enough addiction we were both struggling to get by and the better deal was to get in on it because if you can't beat them I guess join them. So I asked Li to cut me in. I told her I needed to be a part of it and he helped introduce me to Harry, Louis, and Niall. It was then that I started, but I kept wanting more and more.

When I got the opportunity to meet Everett myself and start making real deals I took the chance instantly. I felt important somehow. Maybe this was the first time I felt like I was achieving something, even if that something was fucked up like just making enough money for Cammie and I to survive by being a fucking drug dealing shithead.

Cammie was needing some sort of high to get through the day always.

I was hurt that she started loving the drugs more than me, but what was I going to do, leave her? I was the reason she was like this. I fucked up her life by bringing her around it and introducing her to this lifestyle. If you ask me, anyone in our career path should never fall in love, never date, and be alone because it is the only thing we deserve.

That's the only reason I started fucking up these days, but I was hoping that it would somehow go under the radar. After the shocking and fucked up visit from the guys I realize I was never being sly and it was really obvious how much I was skimping Ev and Alexander. I fucked up.

I head back towards the bedroom because I knew I had heard Cammie reply to me talking to myself, but the closer I got I noticed she was talking, but it wasn't to me.

I pause in my steps in the hallway, hoping Sugar won't notice me since I know Cammie won't. She was on the phone, which, is only odd because Cammie never answers phone calls. She avoids them like the plague.

"I swear it was them... Yes. All of them... Don't patronize me right now. I am the one with the information so... Maybe. Maybe not. What does it mean to you?... I want more..." There was a long pause and I was unsure if she was done with her call or not, but as I am about to head in and ask I hear her let out a small chuckle and start again, "Alexander that sounds ridiculous, if you want it you know what I want. Ross is here, I am here, and you know clearly your boys are here but not for long... Okay sure... Pleasure doing business with you."

I push the bedroom door open and see Cammie sitting cross legged on the bed, my phone in her hand, her other petting Sugar who is partially laying across a pillow. "Hi there baby," she says to me in a raspy voice trying to sound like she just woke up.

"Who were you on the phone with?" She looks at me confused. "You have my phone in your hand, I heard you on the phone with someone. Who were you on the phone with?"

She tosses my phone on the bed and uncrosses her legs to stretch them out. "No one. You are imagining it babe. Can we get some chicken nuggets? I am hungry."

I tried to hide the annoyance I was developing because I clearly heard her on the phone and for some reason she was trying to lie to me. 

"Yeah sure. Go shower." I tell her. She looks happy for a moment and springs out of the bed to head into the bathroom. I hear the water running and wait a few minutes to make sure she was actually in it before I reach over and grab my phone. First step, I check the recent call log....

The most recent call is from yesterday when I called one of the guys I met up with for a deal. 

I'm not fucking crazy right now. I heard her.... I swear. Maybe my brain is playing tricks on me and I am paranoid because of the recent events of seeing the guys, pretending to be dead, and just all the shit I am doing shady that it is making me lose it a little. Cammie wouldn't do anything to.... no. No, what am I thinking. I am just being stupid right now.

***Author's Note Below***

This... this is not good.

<3 -T