Do You Know Your Enemy?
Chapter One - Coming and Going
Runaway - Ed Sheeran (song to listen to while reading)
Ellie's POV:
As I stuff my lighter and bottle opener in my purse, I look out the window at my suburban street one last time... I'm not going to miss this place one bit. I've grown up here in the slum suburbs of New York and not once have I stayed over night in the city, let alone moved there for an entire summer. Luckily for me, my older sister Paige has all her shit together -- sort of. Her apartment in Brooklyn is to die for and I am so excited to spend the next three months there, I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with myself and all this freedom I've finally been given.
"I can't believe you're leaving me for the whole summer." My dad sighs, standing in the frame of my door with the smallest smile tugging on the corner of his lips. He's trying really hard to be positive about this, I'm sure of it. He works in the city, so he thinks he's got it all figured out. It's not some big dangerous dark hole that steals purses and rapes 21 year olds on every corner, but he just doesn't seem to get that.
"Daaaaad," I whine while running over and wrapping my arms around his shoulders for a hug, "It's going to be fine! I'm staying with Paige, in her apartment, and Louis and Liam are going to be staying there too!" I remind him, and feel his body's tensity loosen. He trusts Liam, my best friend, and Louis, Paige's other half, both who work for him at his business.
"I know El, but it's the city..." His voice trails off as he pulls away and shakes his head. "You know it's not safe out there." My dads voice has a serious undertone that only I understand.
"You think I don't know danger?" I smirk, and he stiffens against the wall. I waltz back over to my suitcase and continue packing up last minute things around my room that I don't even need to bring, probably just a nervous tick.
"All I'm saying is--" He starts, but I cut him off.
"Dad, all I'm saying is that I'm twenty-one years old. You can try to protect me from this big bad world all you want, but I need to learn to fend for myself." I snort and flip my blonde hair to the side, and he doesn't budge.
"Ellie." He remarks, as I slide past him with my suitcase in tow and purse on my shoulder. I hit the sunglasses that are sitting on top of my head down and look up at him, this time with a big smile.
"Daddy. It's going to be fine. If something goes wrong, or if something about your 'business' comes up, I will call you immediately. I'm not a dumby, and Louis and Liam are going to be there. It's all going to be fine!" I shout, just as the front door swings open.
"Did I hear shouting?" Liam asks, coming inside like he's an on duty police officer.
"Chill." I chuckle, and he rolls his eyes.
"Don't tell Liam to 'chill.'" My father praises Liam's instincts, and I want to barf. "You should be more like him! Ready for anything, at all times. Right Payne?" He assures Liam, and he nods.
"Yes sir." Liam responds matter of factly.
"Let's not forget your a coffee shop franchise owner, Carla's Cup! and you Liam, you're a fricken barista!" I remind them, and my father ignores my comment meanwhile Liam grabs my suitcase handle with an amused smile.
"That's just the day job, love." He laughs, and I hear my father grumble something under his breath as Liam exits the house and takes my things to his truck.
I know that my father's real concerns stem from his actual business, and his actual business is something that I know more about than I should... But really dad, if you didn't want me involved, then how about you don't hire mine and my sisters two best friends? The mob has kept us financially stable -- let me rephrase that, the mob has made my father filthy fucking rich. He owns territory in New York all over the place, and all other mob families know not to mess with him. Why would they? He can be lethal, and that's something I've had to accept.
"So I guess I can't stop you from leaving." My dad sighs, putting his hand on my shoulder.
"I'm going to be fine, you worry way too much." I chuckle as he pulls me in for a hug.
"Don't you think I have a reason to?" He mumbles, and I shrug at his question. I suppose he can be lonely at times without me, and he will spend his days worrying but that's just a part of life.
Sometimes I feel bad about leaving him alone, to be by himself for all this time. He has friends sure, but he hasn't been the same since mom left. He even named the fucking franchise after her, so how could I not feel a twinge of guilt in the pit of my stomach?
"I won't be doing much anyway... Just hanging out with Paige." I try to reassure him, but it's a lie. I plan to party my ass off, considering I just turned twenty one a month ago. It's June, summer and I want to have a good fucking time during my stay in the city.
"You can work at shop if you want... to earn some of that cash I've been handing to you since birth. Plus, it's only like 5 blocks away from the apartment!" He smirks, and I open my mouth to protest but can't. He's right. He has given me so much through my life, so working at Carla's shouldn't be that bad.
"I guess I could do that." I smile and give him one last tight squeeze. "I love you dad, I'll call you when I get there, okay?" I say, and head out the front door before he can get in another word.
I rush down my front steps and climb into the front seat of Liam's giant black truck. He looks at me with the biggest, fattest smile ever and I can't help but laugh.
"What!" I say, and he rolls his eyes and pulls out of my driveway at at least 50 miles per hour opposed to 10.
"This is going to be a good summer." He smirks, and rests his hand on my bare thigh. I lean over and turn up the music so loud that it's more than obnoxious to drive through the city with -- just the way I like it. In less than an hour I'll be at Paige's, moving my shit it and starting my summer life there... This shit's going to sick.
Harry's POV:
"You better behave yourselves this summer, all of you. This is our third location this year alone... And it's June." My dad shouts at my friends and I, but I just nod my head and roll my eyes -- this is nothing new to me. Niall and Zayn look at me, holding in their laughter.
"Yes sir." Niall says, looking down and avoiding eye contact. I don't know how I ever got wrapped up in my dad's business, but that's the way it is. It's lethal, its vile, but it's in my blood. It's who I am, it's who we have all become. We are the mob.
"We are going after new territory in the New York area... And it's a dangerous family. Scott Spencer is the most powerful man in New York, and he's got more money than any of us put together... It's going to be a big operation but his hit-men and team are weak." My father explains, and we all start to get a bit more serious.
"If their team is weak, then it shouldn't be too hard." Niall expresses, and my father rolls his eyes at his comment.
"If it's so easy, then why have our last attempted take overs been nothing but failures?" He shouts, and I can't help but chuckle at the two of them.
"Now listen up, we've got a lot coming up this summer, so I need you focused. I don't want you fucking around with girls, partying, or doing any sorts of drugs and that kind of shit, alright? Alright Malik? Harry?" He bangs his hands down on the table, and we nod robotically.
"Alright, then this meeting is dismissed. You're new apartment is in Brooklyn, and the new Pizza Parlor which we of course named Daniel's, is opening next to the enemy's coffee shop, Carla's Cup. They don't have a fucking clue we're coming, so we have that on our side. Be secretive, be attentive, and be ready for action. Dismissed." He says, and immediately exits the room on his cell phone.
"He's even more of a hard ass then he was last summer." Zayn laughs, and Niall and I do the same.
"Harry, are we really not going to parties and shit this summer? I've gotta see girls... I've gotta drink, man I've gotta live!" He shrieks like a whiny bitch, and I can't help but mock him.
" 'Are we really not going to parties and shit this summer?' Of course we're going to parties. Who the fuck do you think I am?" I let on a devilish smile, and they do the same.
"Good, because Brooklyn in the summer seems like a good fucking time to me." Zayn smirks a menacing grin, and I do the same.
"I couldn't agree more."
Ellie's POV:
As I stuff my lighter and bottle opener in my purse, I look out the window at my suburban street one last time... I'm not going to miss this place one bit. I've grown up here in the slum suburbs of New York and not once have I stayed over night in the city, let alone moved there for an entire summer. Luckily for me, my older sister Paige has all her shit together -- sort of. Her apartment in Brooklyn is to die for and I am so excited to spend the next three months there, I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with myself and all this freedom I've finally been given.
"I can't believe you're leaving me for the whole summer." My dad sighs, standing in the frame of my door with the smallest smile tugging on the corner of his lips. He's trying really hard to be positive about this, I'm sure of it. He works in the city, so he thinks he's got it all figured out. It's not some big dangerous dark hole that steals purses and rapes 21 year olds on every corner, but he just doesn't seem to get that.
"Daaaaad," I whine while running over and wrapping my arms around his shoulders for a hug, "It's going to be fine! I'm staying with Paige, in her apartment, and Louis and Liam are going to be staying there too!" I remind him, and feel his body's tensity loosen. He trusts Liam, my best friend, and Louis, Paige's other half, both who work for him at his business.
"I know El, but it's the city..." His voice trails off as he pulls away and shakes his head. "You know it's not safe out there." My dads voice has a serious undertone that only I understand.
"You think I don't know danger?" I smirk, and he stiffens against the wall. I waltz back over to my suitcase and continue packing up last minute things around my room that I don't even need to bring, probably just a nervous tick.
"All I'm saying is--" He starts, but I cut him off.
"Dad, all I'm saying is that I'm twenty-one years old. You can try to protect me from this big bad world all you want, but I need to learn to fend for myself." I snort and flip my blonde hair to the side, and he doesn't budge.
"Ellie." He remarks, as I slide past him with my suitcase in tow and purse on my shoulder. I hit the sunglasses that are sitting on top of my head down and look up at him, this time with a big smile.
"Daddy. It's going to be fine. If something goes wrong, or if something about your 'business' comes up, I will call you immediately. I'm not a dumby, and Louis and Liam are going to be there. It's all going to be fine!" I shout, just as the front door swings open.
"Did I hear shouting?" Liam asks, coming inside like he's an on duty police officer.
"Chill." I chuckle, and he rolls his eyes.
"Don't tell Liam to 'chill.'" My father praises Liam's instincts, and I want to barf. "You should be more like him! Ready for anything, at all times. Right Payne?" He assures Liam, and he nods.
"Yes sir." Liam responds matter of factly.
"Let's not forget your a coffee shop franchise owner, Carla's Cup! and you Liam, you're a fricken barista!" I remind them, and my father ignores my comment meanwhile Liam grabs my suitcase handle with an amused smile.
"That's just the day job, love." He laughs, and I hear my father grumble something under his breath as Liam exits the house and takes my things to his truck.
I know that my father's real concerns stem from his actual business, and his actual business is something that I know more about than I should... But really dad, if you didn't want me involved, then how about you don't hire mine and my sisters two best friends? The mob has kept us financially stable -- let me rephrase that, the mob has made my father filthy fucking rich. He owns territory in New York all over the place, and all other mob families know not to mess with him. Why would they? He can be lethal, and that's something I've had to accept.
"So I guess I can't stop you from leaving." My dad sighs, putting his hand on my shoulder.
"I'm going to be fine, you worry way too much." I chuckle as he pulls me in for a hug.
"Don't you think I have a reason to?" He mumbles, and I shrug at his question. I suppose he can be lonely at times without me, and he will spend his days worrying but that's just a part of life.
Sometimes I feel bad about leaving him alone, to be by himself for all this time. He has friends sure, but he hasn't been the same since mom left. He even named the fucking franchise after her, so how could I not feel a twinge of guilt in the pit of my stomach?
"I won't be doing much anyway... Just hanging out with Paige." I try to reassure him, but it's a lie. I plan to party my ass off, considering I just turned twenty one a month ago. It's June, summer and I want to have a good fucking time during my stay in the city.
"You can work at shop if you want... to earn some of that cash I've been handing to you since birth. Plus, it's only like 5 blocks away from the apartment!" He smirks, and I open my mouth to protest but can't. He's right. He has given me so much through my life, so working at Carla's shouldn't be that bad.
"I guess I could do that." I smile and give him one last tight squeeze. "I love you dad, I'll call you when I get there, okay?" I say, and head out the front door before he can get in another word.
I rush down my front steps and climb into the front seat of Liam's giant black truck. He looks at me with the biggest, fattest smile ever and I can't help but laugh.
"What!" I say, and he rolls his eyes and pulls out of my driveway at at least 50 miles per hour opposed to 10.
"This is going to be a good summer." He smirks, and rests his hand on my bare thigh. I lean over and turn up the music so loud that it's more than obnoxious to drive through the city with -- just the way I like it. In less than an hour I'll be at Paige's, moving my shit it and starting my summer life there... This shit's going to sick.
Harry's POV:
"You better behave yourselves this summer, all of you. This is our third location this year alone... And it's June." My dad shouts at my friends and I, but I just nod my head and roll my eyes -- this is nothing new to me. Niall and Zayn look at me, holding in their laughter.
"Yes sir." Niall says, looking down and avoiding eye contact. I don't know how I ever got wrapped up in my dad's business, but that's the way it is. It's lethal, its vile, but it's in my blood. It's who I am, it's who we have all become. We are the mob.
"We are going after new territory in the New York area... And it's a dangerous family. Scott Spencer is the most powerful man in New York, and he's got more money than any of us put together... It's going to be a big operation but his hit-men and team are weak." My father explains, and we all start to get a bit more serious.
"If their team is weak, then it shouldn't be too hard." Niall expresses, and my father rolls his eyes at his comment.
"If it's so easy, then why have our last attempted take overs been nothing but failures?" He shouts, and I can't help but chuckle at the two of them.
"Now listen up, we've got a lot coming up this summer, so I need you focused. I don't want you fucking around with girls, partying, or doing any sorts of drugs and that kind of shit, alright? Alright Malik? Harry?" He bangs his hands down on the table, and we nod robotically.
"Alright, then this meeting is dismissed. You're new apartment is in Brooklyn, and the new Pizza Parlor which we of course named Daniel's, is opening next to the enemy's coffee shop, Carla's Cup. They don't have a fucking clue we're coming, so we have that on our side. Be secretive, be attentive, and be ready for action. Dismissed." He says, and immediately exits the room on his cell phone.
"He's even more of a hard ass then he was last summer." Zayn laughs, and Niall and I do the same.
"Harry, are we really not going to parties and shit this summer? I've gotta see girls... I've gotta drink, man I've gotta live!" He shrieks like a whiny bitch, and I can't help but mock him.
" 'Are we really not going to parties and shit this summer?' Of course we're going to parties. Who the fuck do you think I am?" I let on a devilish smile, and they do the same.
"Good, because Brooklyn in the summer seems like a good fucking time to me." Zayn smirks a menacing grin, and I do the same.
"I couldn't agree more."
Notes
hi readers!! i finally decided it was time to start a new story... not really sure where this is going or what it will become, but if you liked it please let me know by commenting/rating it and then I'll update as soon as I can!do you like the song in the beginning? this was just like the pilot, the introduction chapter! SO MUCH IS TO COME WOW ok i'm excited bye
It's good to be back on the site :) x
