Burning Desire

Chapter 4

Hale

I ran from Sky's apartment as fast as my two feet could carry me. My face burned hot in anger and shame. I couldn't believe he'd laugh at my confession like that. I admitted to loving him and he laughed. Tears streamed down my cheeks and I swiped at them angrily. I shouldn't be sad over that asshole. I've only loved him for about fourteen years and kept my secret out of fear of exactly this reaction, but whatever.

I threw the door of my car open, practically fell behind the wheel and sped away from his posh little apartment complex as fast as I could. Fuck him and his rich people problems. Yeah, I know that he didn't ask for all the money his dad made and he didn't flaunt his wealth, but it still stung that he would do this to me.

Sky had been my best friend for as long as I could remember, but things in our lives have changed considerably over the years and he doesn't know me half as well as he thinks he does. If he knew the countless secrets that I kept buried away in the dark, he would never want to speak to me again. He probably didn't want to speak to me again, anyway.

I sped towards the other part of town. The part that people like Sky referred to as the 'bad' part of town. I thought I'd left this place for good after highschool. I went off to college and thought I'd rid myself of my past. But you can never truly be free of the events that had shaped you. I returned five years ago when Sky's dad passed away. I'd vowed never to abandon him when he needed me and I always kept my promises. When I saw what a state he was in, I couldn't leave him.

That was when my past had caught up with me. The people from the life that I'd once thought of as 'my old life' tracked me down, sunk their claws in deep and made sure that I had ample reason to stay and do their dirty work.

My apartment came into view. Alright, perhaps 'apartment' was a bit of a stretch. I lived in an outbuilding smaller than Sky's whole bathroom back at his place. It was cheap and it was useable. It was also on the property of the house that belonged to the leaders of a gang that was destroying this city. The Vipers. But desperate times called for desperate measures and it was really all I could afford in my current financial predicament.

Of course, Sky had no idea where I lived. I'd always made some excuse to ensure he wouldn't have reason to visit me at home. Work, loud neighbors, dirty laundry on the floor. It's been five years and my excuses were running out. Sky could never know. Sky would want to help me financially, or have me move in with him. He would never understand how truly deep my ties with these people ran. I've spent all this time to ensure he would be safe.

I parked my car next to the house. My heartbeat sped up when someone jumped from the back porch of the house and came sauntering over to me. His hands were in his pants pockets specifically to put the gun tucked into the waistband on full display. I rolled my eyes. Yeah, tough guy, I thought bitterly. Whatever makes you feel better.

"Hale! Where the hell have you been?" his breathy voice filled the air as soon as I opened my door. The smell of cigarette smoke stuck to him like an aura. "It's the middle of the fucking day, boy!" He jabbed a finger into my chest. "You can't just leave when you like. You've got a job to do, or have you forgotten? Maybe we should find your pretty friend to give you some incentive."

My hands balled into fists. "Leave Sky out of this, you piece of shit," I ground out through clenched teeth.

"Touchy, touchy. Get back to work, faggot." The man turned and started walking away before yelling over his shoulder, "And don't let me catch you lazing again. We both know who will pay the price."

My body shook as anger coursed through my veins. They've been threatening me with Sky's safety for so long now. I don't think I would've done half the things they asked me to if Sky's life wasn't in danger. If I was only fighting for myself, I would have given up long ago. I couldn't do this anymore.