The Gang Ch. 01

She was walking down the platform along the yellow line. The little girl was holding her hand and licking a sweet strawberry ice cream while moving her tiny feet, her pigtails tucked neatly behind her shoulders. Their steps were echoing between the empty and hollow walls of the deserted underground station. Emily knew this place wasn't safe but she had no choice, it was getting dark and she had to get her niece home as soon as possible. She quickened her pace and squeezed the girl's hand; she wanted to leave this place.

Suddenly she heard multiple footsteps behind and blood froze in her veins. She knew that there was a war going on between the local gangs and apparently she just found herself in the middle of the upcoming battle. She knew that if she were by herself, she could run and get to the surface but not with the little girl by her side.

Her heart started to beat faster.

She pulled the tiny hand she was holding and with a few steps left she hid behind the corner with her back to the wall, right hand over the girl's mouth and her eyes fixed on the swinging lamp giving off a cold and faint light. They were both breathing heavily, listening to the loud voices coming closer to them with every second.

There were more than 20 men shouting and cursing at each other. She couldn't tell what they were saying but from what she heard, they belonged to two different groups, both picking up a fight. She was too terrified to look behind the corner and check what's happening, but apparently the fight had begun and she could swear she heard breaking bones and tearing skin.

Suddenly, her heart jumped right to her throat when she heard some footsteps quickly approaching her hiding spot and about a dozen men passed her, running along the tracks and luckily not spotting them. That's when the last one, the one chasing them she guess, stopped to her right and looked her way.

He was well built and extremely good looking. His head was clean shaved and he was wearing a long, black coat. Something in the way he looked at her touched her and she shivered under his gaze, still holding the girl in a steel grasp.

She knew who he was.

Everybody's heard of Daniel, the leader of Gators, the gang that caused most trouble over the last couple of months. They were known for their ruthless scuffles and liking of blood. They were ruling and everybody was too scared to stand out.

He was standing there looking at her and for a couple of songs their gazes looked. She knew she should look away but she couldn't, there was something magnetic in him, something irresistible, a raw manly power oozing through every inch of his brawny and perfect body. However, his handsome face didn't express anything, not even a flicker of emotion; and when he turned back and walked away, he looked as if he even forgot she was standing there.

She did not for a long time.

***

It was a summer evening but it wasn't dark outside yet. Emily was sitting by the table and listening to the guy talking. She didn't even remember his name but when he asked her for a drink she thought he was rather in her type and perfect for a one-night stand. Who knew what the night would bring...

She'd never done it in her life. She used to date guys with a future and a perspective for life. But what she most hated about them was sex and their lack of imagination. Even in bed they treated her as if they were in their office e-mailing companies abroad and making boring calls. With this guy she finally saw a chance for an adventure but with every minute spent with him, she noticed that they have absolutely nothing in common and now her plan seem ridiculous to her.

That's when the door to the pub opened and a few guys came in. They walked past her and sat by the table in a far corner. She had a perfect view of hem despite the smoky and heavy air inside. They ordered a few bears and were having a great time laughing loudly but people knew better than to tell them anything.

She also noticed that Daniel was there too.

He wasn't wearing his coat this time but a T-shirt and she liked it even more.

And when he looked at her he didn't lower his gaze at all but kept staring at her hungrily with a stone face. She knew that this time she was playing with fire and under the pretext of using the bathroom she grabbed her bag and left not knowing that the moment she closed the door behind her, Daniel got up and followed her.

She decided to walk the longer way as the evening was nice and she was unlikely to get into any trouble at this time of the day. She was walking rather slowly down the old narrow street, passing the re-brick houses. She was about to cross the street when suddenly he emerged from her left and blocked her way with his arm on the wall.

She couldn't move stunned and terrified until she tried to go around him and he stopped her with his other hand.

"I'm afraid you're not going anywhere for now" he said in his sexy voice just as she had imagined.

"Really? And why is that?" she got over her shock and was trying to get her breath back.

A faint and seductive smile appeared on his marble lips.

"You're that girl from the tube from the other day. You're sure brave" he looked at her curiously.

"What do you want from me?" now she was looking straight into his eyes and he effortlessly fought it back.

"Are you afraid?" he stepped closer to her, almost whispering to her ear.

"Should I be?" she didn't know why but at this moment, here, with him, she felt... safe and in the right place.

"You should be careful. There are worse things on the streets at night than me" he said and with one swift move stepped around her.

"See you soon" he murmured and disappeared in the deepening darkness.

Her heart was racing like crazy and she didn't know why, but she didn't want to walk away for another ten minutes.