Darkness

1. Cain

One

Cain

“If I die, then I can be with you.” The words escape my lips with no hesitation. Just so I can be with her, I’d happily die tonight.

“And I would love you to be with me, but it’s not your time. You have too much to give.”

“Without you, what is there?” I stare into her beautiful eyes. She will never leave me. I won’t let her. She’s my world, my life, my air.

“Life. A life you should cherish, one which I can live through you.”

“Without you, I don’t want a life.”

“Are you planning on drinking yourself to death today? I’ve buried my brother, not planning on burying you too before I die,” I hear Uncle David say. He pats my leg, making me open my eyes. I stare at the woman dancing around the pole. “You’re drinking more and more.” He takes the glass from me and finishes my whiskey. “It’s not even five yet.”

I finally turn my head slightly to look at him staring at me. “The Pit couldn’t kill me. I don’t think anything can.” I look around the floor, the VIP area of the club. Parts are open, parts are closed, some are half and half. From my seat I can see the entire floor, but I’m still hidden from people around us. You can only get this floor if I approve it. I’m not letting some asshole come up here when my staff walk around naked, some will be dressed in sexy lingerie, not just the women but the men, too. It’s the floor where things happen, and with the woman dancing in front of me, I can say customers are happy with what they get. This has been my business, Skyline.

“You can leave,” Uncle David stops her from dancing. She looks at me, waiting to see if I’m happy with her leaving. Giving her a nod, she gets up and grabs her robe, which all my staff have to wear on this floor. If they aren’t working, and walking around, they are to wear the club robe. “Are you planning on fucking all your staff?” I laugh at him, shaking my head a little.

“I haven’t fucked all my staff. I fuck two of them when I need to fuck someone. Other than that, I don’t plan on fucking anyone.” I lean forward, refill my glass with two fingers of whiskey and drink the whole thing in one go, before he can take it off me.

“Your dad always said that in our line of work, having a good woman next to us will always-”

“Uncle David, do we need to have this talk again?” I cut him off. I’ve lost count the amount of times he has told me my dad’s words. . I know our family believes they can live the full American dream-– get married, have children and think nothing will happen.

But it’s all a lie. I lost my dad to this world because my mom didn’t believe in the family. I lost my mom to this world because she didn’t believe my dad could save her, and then I lost my girl to the same thing.

So what does having a girl get you? Nothing but death.

“Cain, you’re always alone. You don’t come over to the house. Your mom is worried about you. I’m worried about you, son.” I lean back on the seat and say nothing, because there is nothing to say. “Cain-”

“Uncle David, I’m not backing away. I’ve always been like this since I came out of The Pit.” I attend one or two family functions a month. I only see Mom out in public, but there’s a reason for that.

“When are you going to make us part of your life, Cain? I did everything I could when you got out of The Pit. To make things-”

“Stop!” I shout, pressing my thumb and finger into my eyes to ease the pain shooting through them. I can feel the stabbing rushing through my head. Fucking hell, this headache is starting to kill me. The Pit couldn’t kill me, but the aftermath might. “You know why.” The words come out a little quieter this time.

“And you think we can’t look after ourselves? In this family, we know how to fight.” I chuckle to myself.

The family business which grandad started, then dad and uncle David took over, then got passed to his sons. They’re learning the ropes for it, and I think they’ll do a good job. But they’re not ready to go out for their first job yet. I should know I’m the one teaching them.

The family has the Crawford Rehab Clinic, one of the best clinics in America. There is always someone who needs help detoxing for something. But behind every good business, there is always some darkness which lingers.

To the world, I’m Mr. Cain, a good businessman. If only they knew what I’m hiding. I have more demons, more darkness than anyone could ever imagine.

The same way Grandad built the clinic, he also built up. The Crawford hitman, the Fixers. No matter who the target is, or where they are, we will kill them no questions asked. Well, not me. Once I got out of The Pit, I never took part in that family business. Uncle David and his sons run that side of it all.

The system has worked for years. Uncle David knows I want nothing to do with that business. The stubborn man refuses to listen and keeps saying if my dad was alive, I would have been part of it.

After about a year of coming out of The Pit, he finally stopped telling me about what was happening, yet the man still had money put aside for my share of the business. I never asked him to do that.

“I know you can. But I have more targets on my back to last me five lifetimes. I won’t have anyone else’s blood on my hands. Because of me, I’ve lost one person I’ve loved. I’m not losing anyone else.” I thought the worst day of my life was seeing my dad being shot between the eyes. Even after twenty years, I still see my dad’s body hit the ground, and cold blood runs through me.

But in The Pit, I lost my best friend–the man who wouldn’t let me go down there alone, because he needed to protect his grandson. All that got him was an early meeting with death.

“Cain-”

“Uncle David, stop!” I shout. He doesn’t want to know how I really feel about the family business and what they can do with it.

They kill people when asked, but yet no one knows who they are. grandad told me stories about how our name was built and why so many families stay away from us. Yet, our name couldn’t save me. Couldn’t protect me once dad was killed. My dad made a lot of enemies, and every single one of them would have come for me. Grandad knew I wasn’t going to be safe, not as a little boy, anyway.

But the fucked up thing about all this. They thought that when entering The Pit, you can leave when you want. No, you fucking can’t. You leave in a body bag, or you fight to be the leader.

And that’s what I did.

The Pit belongs to me now. I’m the king of The Pit, and now I have targets on my back for that too.

“Won’t say anything else, but your Aunt Jane is going to kill me if I go to the Clinic without you.” He lets out a small laugh, which makes me turn to him. “And we both know I love her, but she will go crazy, as she’s been planning this for a while now. Your mom too.” He pats my leg again as he stands up, and I follow him out.

“Don’t know why I need to be there. No one knows who I am.” I try to fight with him about going, but both he and Aunt Jane made me promise I’ll be there. To stay involved in the family business— and partly so I can see them without people knowing he’s my uncle, I gave money to open a new wing at the clinic. That way. If I'm ever seen talking to them, people will think it’s just a business meeting.

I make sure every person who means something to me has a reason to talk to me. So anyone who is looking into me will think it’s only for business purposes. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep this up for. I know which families are after me, and once I get rid of them, I can live a little more freely.

“Because it’s your wing-” he stops when I raise my brow at him. “-you know what I mean, now come on, before she starts-” he stops and I laugh. “Too late, she’s calling.” He throws the cell at me. “You made me late, now you can tell her why.” We both leave the room, and I answer the call.

“I’m sorry Aunt Jane, we’re on the way now.”

“Cain, please don’t push us out.” Now she’s going to make me feel guilty, if only that stuff worked on me.

“I’m not. We’re leaving the club now.”

Time to play happy family. But from afar.

***

I stand on the other side of the room from my family, avoiding a picture with them. Yet I know my uncle will mention my name in his speech, even though I told him to say it was an anonymous donation, but Aunt Jane wouldn’t have it.

Uncle David tells me not to worry. He has a story ready to share as to why I am helping the clinic. This will be interesting.

I feel my mom staring at me. She hates that she can’t stand next to me. It’s just the way it needs to be at the moment.

“My brother is a man who loved to help people.” I lean against the wall as my uncle continues talking. “He always told me that helping others is something special, and no matter how hard it is, everyone deserves a second, third or sometimes even a fourth chance. I believe this is the reason the clinic has helped so many people.” I look around at all the businessmen here, ready to give money to help anyone who walks through the door. Most likely it will be their kids, because rich kids get spoiled. The clinic doesn’t need their money. With the amount the family charges for people to be here, there’s no financial trouble.

My eyes move to the photo behind my uncle on the white textured wall. My grandad, dad and uncle, the founders of the best clinic in the country, and only one is alive today.

“My brother, Richard, always wanted to open a new wing to the clinic— something he never got to do himself. This new building is for our younger group, a place they can go once they reach a certain stage.” Placing my hand on my pants pocket when my cell vibrates, I dig it out of my pocket. My uncle continues with his speech. I’ve blocked it out because it’s nothing I want to listen to.

Pit

He’s asking for you. Won’t shut up.

Cain

Leave him, put him in the box.

There are only five men in The Pit who ever want to talk to me, and Logan’s dad is always one of them. Since I put him down there, I haven’t seen him. I have no plans to either for a while. The man can fucking rot as far as I’m concerned. There is another guy, or should I say family, who have been trying to talk to me. They want their son out, but it’s not happening.

They’ve forgotten about the rules, and I think it might be time to remind them of how I run The Pit.

“We would like to thank Mr. Cain for the donation to open the Richard Crawford Youth Center-” Now, I look up, wanting to hear what he has to say about me. “He heard about our clinic from one of his staff members, and how we helped them go from nobody to someone who now has a job, friends, and a boyfriend. Mr. Cain came to visit us the following day, wanting to know more. I think we did a good job in impressing him, because we now have this new wing. Mr. Cain, thank you.” He doesn’t point toward me, which I’m happy about. But I have a few people looking my way with a smile, which is also my cue to leave.

I don’t want people talking to me, asking a thousand questions.

After leaving the party, I make my way up to the office in the club, wanting some peace and quiet. The flashing lights are giving me a headache. They always give me a headache. I seem to be getting them all the time these days. I just need a few minutes in a dark room.

Closing the door behind me, I sit at my dad’s desk. Uncle David hasn’t changed anything in this office since my dad died. Twenty years have passed, and it still smells of his whiskey and cigar. The scent is fading, but I can still smell it, and it always brings a smile to my lips. Memories come flooding back of when I was little playing in here while he was working.

As I lean back in the chair, I close my eyes, letting the pain shoot around my head, something which is beginning to be a part of my day more than I would like. No matter how many pain killers I take, nothing is working.

“Are you okay?” Tessa wipes the blood from my lips.

“It was worth it. I get to spend five minutes with you.” I take hold of her hand, and plant a kiss on it.

“You got all this-” she waves her hand over my face. “-so you get five minutes with me.”

“Definitely worth it.” I lean in closer to give her a kiss, and she smiles. A smile which makes me think she’s shy around me, but there is always a sparkle in her eyes which brightens my day no matter what’s happening to me. “What?” I ask her. I knew the moment I saw Tessa she was going to be the woman I was going to spend the rest of my life with. I was only six years old when I fell in love with her. Then life throws you into a fucking hell hole, but I know I’ll be with her again. The plan is to take over The Pit, then marry her.

“Five minutes always goes so fast. It’s out of your hands I know, but-” Tessa stops and wipes the tears away. I hate seeing her cry, it kills me.

“I’m working on getting more time, I promise I am.” To get these five minutes is hard enough. The things they make me do, even then I’m on a rope, which if I’m even a second late they will pull, and it will drag me down with a hard hit to the ground. Fuck knows how many feet down it is. But it never kills you, fuck if only it did. You only die when The Pit wants you dead.

“I don’t want-”

“Tess, I promise. We will spend more time together. I have a plan, it’s going to take me some time, just have faith in me.” I pull her closer, all I want right now is to hold her. Have a moment of peace with her, before the fire blazes around me again. Having faith was the one thing dad always used to say to me. Have faith in the family, in me and nothing will ever go wrong.

I hear the door open, keep my eyes closed, they don’t need to be open to know who it is. “Hello, Mom.”

“How did you know it was me?” Her soft, gentle voice hits my ears.

“You always wear the same perfume. Dad got it for you on your birthday, along with the necklace you never take off.” I open my eyes and a small smile hits my lips as I see my mom. The woman I lost and didn’t see for twenty years.

“He gave me this necklace the day you were born.” She sits down and looks around the office. “Your dad wanted to paint the office black. He said white was a clean color and there was nothing clean about him.” Well, I don’t blame him, he had the most kills in the family. He knew how to use a gun, knife, was the best sniper I’ve heard about. You name it, Dad could do it.

“The white is too clean.” I sit up and lean forward, placing my elbows on the desk. “How is the bakery?” I ask.

“Are you ever coming to see it? Or come to my house for dinner? How much longer are we playing this game?” I take in a deep breath, because it’s the same fucking conversation with her, Uncle David,, Aunt Jane. The conversation is always the fucking same.

“Mom, it’s to keep you safe. I don’t want to continue this conversation, Mom. You know I don’t.” I stop when she looks at me, shaking her head. “Plus, I’ve been over for dinner.”

“Once a month, and.never mind. How are you?” I know it pisses her off, but if she knew even half of what happened in The Pit, she would understand. She doesn’t need to know, no one does.

“Same as always, busy with work. How is the bakery?” I ask again.

“Busy, got a wedding party this weekend. It’s a big order. Have you spoken to Logan?” Now, I do smile with a small laughter escaping my mouth, because she knows I haven’t. Logan wants nothing to do with me, no matter how much I try to talk to him. He said he would look after the business whenever I needed him to, but it was more Travis, because he needed my help to find his girl. Mom keeps trying to get us to bond, yet it’s not working.

“No.” I dig out my cell from my pocket as the message alert sounds. “The only time he talks to me is when we have dinner, or he needs something from me.” I look down at my message, and at the top of the screen at the time.

Lincoln

You need to get to the club.

Cain

Why?

Lincoln

A problem.

Cain

On my way.

“Are you leaving?” Mom asks. She looks around the office and stops when she sees the happy family picture of mom, dad and me. If only things would have stayed that way.

“I am. Something is happening at the club that needs to be fixed.” I get up from the chair, and pick up the photo frame that she was looking at, and I smile. “All you needed was a little faith.” Putting the frame back down, I look at my mom staring at me, she knows what I mean. She knows the family motto.