The 6 Greatest Errors of All Time | ✓

IV. i can't trust you

Pierce laughed.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my legs as I leaned back in the couch with a bored expression. "I get it, Billy. You don't have to rub it in. I had a thought."

He wiped his eyes and leaned forward with elbows propped on his knees. He grinned as he said, "You thought I was one of the members of T6-GEO@? Are you out of your mind?"

My eyes twitched. "Yes, I must be." I mumbled inaudibly as I scratched my head out of sight.

Pierce shrugged and fell back into his seat. "Heard of them. I don't really care for what they do, however. Doesn't concern me and people crazing over them just makes me irritated. So they fight crime, whoop whoop."

I balled my hands up in a fist and moved as if I was going to puncture his head for the insult, but I did it out of sight. I'm not a fan of them, I wanted to snap in his ignorant face, I am one of them. I was so utterly wrong for thinking even for a split second that this man, who obviously doesn't even care for my team, would be Beta, our team leader. What a joke.

The team right now must be losing their marbles over me disappearing on them. And here I was losing my marbles on why I didn't inform them regarding Pierce. I guess we really only connect on a business relationship, and occasionally a few stories of our lives are exposed as jokes. Speaking of relationships, I hope Beta's surviving the hell that the team prepared for him. He let all of us down.

"You hate them that much?" I snapped back to reality when I began feeling a little tired.

Pierce pursed his lips. "Hate is a bit strong."

"You hate them," I stated simply.

"You said it not me," he shrugged.

"Great, noted," I concluded, "Let's begin the interrogation process."

"Lovely," he sighed, "Here we go."

We both got comfortable in our seats and I gave the man my full attention. "What happened to you tonight? Why the sudden visit?"

Pierce clasped his hands together and very briefly glanced at the door. "I got in a street fight."

My brows raised at his answer. "Street fight, you say?" I repeated, skeptical, "And a street fight made you end up like that?" I whirred my hand towards his wound areas and he buttoned up the shirt I gave him that was my cousin's leftovers, cautious of me staring. I let out a small scoff and shook my head. "Chill. I have more important things at hand than to fantasize your chest."

Pierce shook his head too. "Whatever. To continue, yes. I'm on unhealthy terms with many people. And the guys wanted to take a hit on me today."

I frowned as I tried to remember if I've seen him around. "I don't recall you ever in the neighborhood. Let me guess, the excuse is that you just moved here?"

"Pretty much," Pierce nodded, "I live alone. My father paid the expenses for me to come here back to our old house."

"And you live with?"

"Lived with," he corrected me and I raised my eyebrows for him to continue. "Old Gramps Johnson."

My lips parted with a small 'ah.' Mr. Johnson just passed away a week ago. I'll give some credit to his alibi.

"And why exactly were you beaten up?" I frowned curiously, "We've been talking for a bit and while sometimes I want to have a go at you, you seem pretty decent."

Pierce gave me a weirded-out side-smile and replied with, "I did some bad stuff. Betrayed some people. It's all that dirty business that I'm a part of, the details aren't so important."