I snuck downstairs and checked to make sure that the front door was locked. I fastened the chain, switched on the porch light, and waited for Josh to call me to tell me that he was here.

Sal was watching me sleep. I couldn't help but feel violated. What the hell? Has he done it before tonight? Why was I way more freaked out than when I found Tate actually in my room?

My text tone sounded and I glanced at the screen of my phone. Josh was here. That was really fast.

I checked the peephole and saw not only Josh, but Tate and Conner as well.

I opened the door.

Tate glared at me and pushed his way past Josh into my house. Who pissed in his Coco Puffs?

"Are you okay, Luna?" Josh asked me, ignoring Tate. He looked concerned.

"I'm fine. My mom is sleeping, so you guys have to be quiet. C'mon." I walked through the living room, where Tate was lounging on the couch, and towards the stairs.

Was it smart to lead three gang members up into my room? No, probably not. Did I do it anyway? Yeah.

Conner was the first one in my room. He went straight to the window and peered outside. I didn't see how that would help, but whatever sails his boat.

I really have to stop with these Dad-like phrases, not that my Dad ever said anything like that.

"Why don't you have a lock on your window?" Conner asked me.

I shrugged. "I wasn't the one who installed the window? How would I know?"

"Princess is a little cranky." Tate sneered from across the room. I didn't even see him walk in.

I glared back at him. "It's two in the morning. Excuse me for not being super-duper chipper." I said sarcastically. "No one asked you to be here anyway, Wall-e. You are more than welcome to leave."

"And rob your average-self of a chance to be in my godly presence? Even I'm not that evil."

I bristled at the word 'average'. I know he's just trying to make me mad and it's working.

"Listen here, you, moody son of a b-" The sound of a cellphone ringing cut me off.

Tate reached into his back pocket and answered his phone.

"Hey, Jacky-boy. I was just having the most interesting conversation with your little bestie." He spoke into the phone, his emerald eyes not leaving my mundane brown ones.

The snarky look on his face dropped and a serious one replaced it.

"Okay. Make sure you are out of sight. Text me the address and I'll call home and see what they want us to do." Tate hung up and started typing on his phone without looking up.

Conner and Josh stared at him, patiently waiting for an explanation.

Tate didn't glance up from his phone until he put it back to his ear. "It's Marks." He said after a few seconds. "The little runner, Salvatore Lee, was peeping on some girl and Jackson just happened to be walking by. The chick woke up and scared him off. Jackson followed Lee. Long story short, Jackson thinks he found one of their warehouses."

I'm smart enough to figure out that Tate was talking to one of his superiors whoever that may be. I did appreciate the fact that he didn't bring my name into it, but was it true that Jackson was outside my house? I'm not really surprised, but if he saw Sal creeping on me, why didn't he stop him? Where is Jackson now? Is he safe? My mind raced with questions and thoughts.

"Okay, yes sir." Tate hung up and smirked. "We have a job, boys."

"Finally!" Conner exclaimed, cracking his knuckles. I flinched, hoping he didn't wake my mother up.

Josh just nodded and waited for more details.

"Unfortunately, we have to remain out of sight. We'll meet up with Jackson outside the warehouse, sneak in, and see what we can find out." I couldn't help but admire the way that Tate took charge of the situation. I hate the guy, but no one is 100% unlikeable, except Frankie Grande. I hate that guy. "They want to know what's in the warehouse and who's in charge. Josh, you should focus on counting guys. If the stuff is good, back up is going to arrive in a few days and we get to go on our first raid." He bumped fists with both of the guys and even Josh had a sparkle in his eyes that wasn't there before.

All three of the guys get up at the same time. "Wait! What if Sal comes back and kills me or something?" I asked. There's no way I'll be able to get back to sleep.

"You are coming with us." Tate stated as he opened my closet. "Conner, get the clothes from the back or the car. Josh, go call Jackson and let him know what is going on." Both boys left the room.

"Um, get out of there. There's no way I'm going with you to some creepy building filled with gang members and who knows what else. I value my life."

Tate pulled out my black skinny jeans and picked up my black sweatshirt from the back of my desk chair. He threw both of them at me. "I can't leave anyone here with you and it's not safe for you to be here alone."

"It's not safe for me there either!" I argued.

He rolled his eyes. "You are safer with me, Luna. Can you just not fight me on this or do I need to get Josh in here to ask you, since he seems to be the only one you listen to?"

"What are you even talking about? You hate me. Why would I be safer with you?" I protested, but I knew I was already relenting because whether I liked it or not, it would drive me crazy being left behind. I would be extremely paranoid and jump at any and every sound. Plus, I would be worried about Jackson. I'm mad at him, but he was still my childhood friend.

Tate must have recognized victory when he saw it because he just walked out of the room, leaving me by myself to get changed.

*

Twenty minutes later we were all decked out in black and in the car on the way to some unknown rival gang's warehouse.

Conner was driving, Tate was sitting shotgun, and Josh was sitting in the back with me.

Conner pulled the car over by a dark alley and my door opened. I jumped, but relaxed when I saw Jackson. He slid me over to the middle seat and sat down.

"The warehouse is a block up the road. There's only one guy outside and he's been on the phone, begging someone named Maria to take him back." Jackson smiled.

It's official. All of these boys are getting off on this. Adrenaline junkies maybe?

Tate tensed. "How close did you get?"

Jackson shrugged sheepishly and looked down, guiltily.

"You've got to be kidding me! You follow orders. It's as simple as that. If the higher ups heard about this, they would kill you. You are not in charge here! I am." Tate ranted. "I'm going to let it go for now because we need to focus, but if you defy orders again, there will be consequences."

Jackson nodded, but didn't say anything.

Tate pulled out his gun and the other three did the same.

I looked around wide-eyed. How long have they been carrying guns? Are they even legal? Knowing them, probably not.

I don't like guns. In fact, I hate them. I feel like unless you are in a warzone or hunting, there shouldn't be a reason to have one. However, right now, I understood the need to have them. If they are armed, shouldn't I be armed too?

"Where's mine?" I asked.

"Have you ever shot a gun?" Tate shot back. I shook my head. "No gun is safer than having a gun if you don't know what you are doing, but," He opened the glove compartment and pulled out a pocket knife. "You can have this. Just be careful, it's sharp."

I ignored the last sarcastic sentence and grabbed the knife. Obviously, this wasn't going to help me if bullets were raining down, but it's better than nothing.

"Just be silent and follow me." Tate was talking directly to me and I was so nervous, I couldn't even get annoyed that he is bossing me around.

We all got out of the car.

I followed right behind Tate like he told me to. I was practically shaking. You hear of heroines in books and movies being brave and badass in situations like this, but that's not reality. I'm going into a dangerous situation and I have a right to be terrified. I could die tonight.

We made our way towards the warehouse. It looked like it was only two stories, but it was massive. We snuck easily past the guard that Jackson was talking about. He was still focused solely on earning Maria's forgiveness.

We all followed Tate towards the side of the building. There was a huge crate sitting under a broken second story window. Well, that's convenient.

The boys moved smoothly almost as if they've done this a thousand times. Tate interlocked his fingers to make a step so Josh could boost himself up onto the crate. Next was Jackson and Conner. Then, Tate gestured towards me.

I sighed. No going back now.

I put my foot into Tate's hands and reached up to grab Jackson's hand. Jackson pulled me up onto the crate. Tate jumped up and Conner grabbed his hand and pulled him up too.

Tate assessed the broken window. He, as quietly as he could, knocked a shard at was sticking up from the bottom of the window.

We all slid through the window one by one.

The second floor wasn't really a second floor. It was just a platform that stretched around the perimeter of the warehouse. So, from there we could see the entire first floor, which was a maze of crates.

We all crouched low and observed.

Sal was standing almost directly under us surrounded by a group of eight men. He prideful voice echoed through the entire warehouse. "I've called in the big man. He'll be here any second. If any of you guys make me look bad, I will end you."

"No need for threats, Lee. We all know you can't carry them out without my say so." A familiar face walked towards the group.

My face went pale. "Dad?" I whispered.