Sold to the Gang Leader

Chapter 42

Kara's POV

I lean back into Levi's chest as we lay on the sand, staring towards the ocean waves in comfortable silence. The moon lighting up the night sky. A feeling of tranquility from the sound of the waves pushing and pulling. It was his idea to come here after we had finished dinner. He laid out a red blanket before we sat.

I glance down at my left hand and the promise ring weighing down my finger. I inspect it, almost being blinded by glistening diamonds.

Levi takes my hand and slowly pulls it up to his lips, kissing the jewelry. His arms wrapping tighter around me.

He's never been this sweet before than today. I've seen him change a lot in the last few months I've known him and I can easily say I have fallen in love with this man.

"Levi?"

"Hm?" He hums against my cheek.

I hesitate before asking the question. "What was your childhood like?"

He pauses before pulling back and I turn my head to see an expression of shock written on his face. "Where's this coming from?"

I bit my nail. "I don't know. I just realized that I don't know much about you."

Yet, you're completely and utterly in love with him.

"You don't need to know about that stuff. Just that I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you." He breaks eyes contact.

"I love you, too. Please answer the question."

His eyes move back to mine and he stares for a few seconds before sighing. "My childhood was very short. Being the son of a gang leader, I was forced to grow up fast." He let's go of his hold on me and puts a bit of distance between us. It's only a few inches but it feels like he's trying to put up a huge wall. "I-I killed for the first time when I was nine. I had walked into my dad's office unannounced and he was just about to do it himself before he order me to "finish it". I didn't want to disappoint him so I always did what he told me to."

"Oh, Levi..." I place my hand on is arm.

"Truthfully, I never saw much of a problem with it. I assumed that what we did was normal. My sister did it, my uncle did it, my mom did it, my cousins did it. My entire family participated in this and that was what I became accustomed to. Right before my dad died in a gun fight, he handed the 'business' over to me. I was shocked. His reason was Bella wasn't very responsible and wasn't fit to lead the gang. I knew it was partly true. Bella wasn't known for being very responsible." He chuckled bitterly. "But I know his real reason for putting me in charge was because he didn't want a woman running the gang."

"Wow.."

"Yeah, my father was very old school. Still believed women belonged on the side, behind a man. I never spent much time with my mother. Sometimes I feel like I don't even know her." He gulps hard. "I was sixteen and naive so I didn't fully understand why I was taking over instead of my sister but I was still very happy and proud my father chose me. Although, he was wrong about the reason for not promoting Isabella to gang leader, I know he did her a favor. Isabella was very upset and confused for a while and I'm mad at myself for not being able to comfort her then but she forgot about it pretty quickly. She would never admit it even to this day but she would have been miserable as the leader of this gang. Hell I was fucking miserable, but I know how to hide it well."