Village of Roses

Chapter Eight [V.o.R]

"Survival can be summed up in three words – never give up. That's the heart of it really. Just keep trying." – Bear Grylls
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Breathing was the only thought Ryder could focus on as she stared the barrel of a gun down. Ryland stood a few feet in front of her and the man she'd known as Darnell moved no inch as he stared at Ryland. It was a man who looked somewhat similar to Darnell that held the gun out at her. The man who grilled her even when she hadn't spoke to him, Harlem's friend she would say.

The standoff created a tension that stiffen the whole mall as other shoppers feared they would witness a murder, while the sisters only feared for each other.

Pointing his gun at Ryland as his eyes narrowed, Darnell stepped closer, "was dis yo plan all alone? To find out whea I lived and set us up, cause if so you was wrong. Dead wrong cause we got'chu and yo alliance first."

Squinting her now hard eyes, Ryder stared at her sister confused. Why was he acting as if, Ryland had done something to him, then it clicked. These were the people Ryland ran from yesterday. She was afraid of them? Scoffing as she sneezed again, Ryder groaned and moved to sit when York glared her down.

"Look man, if you're not going to shoot me I will be sitting. I have a cold and better things to do. Now explain what me and my sister have done so terribly wrong." Crossing her arms as she sat on the chair from a food court table, Ryder waited patiently for her reasoning for being held at gunpoint.

Rising a brow in amusement, York grinned and took in the woman he had under his gun. She was beautiful he'd give her that and she was only a few inches shorter than his five foot eleven frame. He couldn't see himself killing her but, he would never let the mistake TJai made happen twice.

Darnell spoke up as Ryland started sweating, "yo sistuh was on'a west side yesterday. She was being jumped and I took'er to get checked out by my sistuh. She know whea my daughtuh stay and she from da east– bof y'all for da matter. Only way you over here is if Benny or King sent you. So who sent cha'll?" The question broke Ryder out into a fit a laughter.

Ryder and Ryland owned Benny and King, those two couldn't tell them what to do. Not if they loved their lives. Katrina and Chris gave King and Benny the power over the Vice King's in their will after they'd been murdered, because they hadn't wanted the girls to live a life they hated themselves. Ryder and Ryland could travel to Italy and hang with the Italian mob before Benny and King ever said something.

"You're funny, I like that but, I owe you no explanation of who I am. My sister and I live on west but are and will always be east side by association, birth, and will. Now get the gun out my sister's face before you start unnecessary problems." Standing up Ryder met the tip of the gun with her forehead as she stared at York.

The men in front of her stirred an emotion in her she didn't have control of; her anger and when she got upset it was never good. The feeling of hot blood pumping throughout her caused her body to radiate its from her skin. She was challenging York to shoot her now that she had spoken her reasoning for being on the west side. They would never shoot one of their own but, would they shoot an East sider who lived on the west? Confused York pulled his bottom lip in between his teeth, his finger was ready to do the pulling of the trigger; a notion he was all too familiar with, but his mind was at conflict. To shoot or not to shoot, which would he do? The mall waited in suspense as they all waited for the hot head to make his move.

Slowly removing his gun, York opened his lips and showed his teeth, "I don't like you. Move before I change my mind," walking up more to close the distance, Ryder smiled and placed a hand on his torso.