Dominic

I held up my finger. "That is where you're wrong, dear boyfriend. He randomly told me the other day that I was growing on him and not just because I'm hot," I grimaced at the last part of my sentence, making Dominic snort.

"That is unheard of for him, babe. He never talks to girls much, unless he is hitting on them or fucking them."

I swallowed. "I'll consider myself very lucky then."

Dominic grinned at me. "You should. You're important to me, and he knows that. You don't know how happy it makes me feel knowing that my brother is coming out of his funk, and it's because of my girl."

I shook my head. "I don't think it's because of me, I think it's because he sees that you're in a relationship and are happy-"

"I'm with you, and I'm happy because of you, so it's still down to you that he is coming around," Dominic cut me off smiling.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, well, I'm just happy he is thawin' out."

Dominic sighed. "I don't think he will thaw out completely, that shit with our parents and Trent really fucked him up."

I swallowed, then chewed on my lip a little before asking, "Can I asked why he…"

"Killed Trent?" Dominic finished my question for me.

I nodded my head and settled into his side when he motioned for me to do so.

"We turned fifteen two weeks before our parents were killed, over three and a half years ago, and Trent stood by us through it all. Carter did too for a time, but he was more of a loner unlike Trent. The three of us were practically best friends; we were raised together in the same environment, so he thought like we did and accepted the shit we had seen and done as normal. The only difference with him and us was that he enjoyed all the evil things, and we didn't. We never voiced it, because we didn't want to appear weak, but Dame and I talked some nights, and we both agreed the life our dad and Marco led wasn't for us. We were going to tell our dad that we wanted to leave New York and go anywhere else the day they died." Dominic frowned as he played with my hair. "Damien didn't want to leave the compound we lived in after that day. All the things we talked about were forgotten because he wanted no part in them if it involved him leaving New York. He started to pull away from all of us, except Trent and Nala."

The female name peaked my interest. "Who is Nala?"

"Nala was Damien's girlfriend, but before that she was just the cute Asian chick who followed us everywhere," Dominic said, and he smiled like he was reliving a memory with Nala in it.

I smiled also then asked, "Is she a nice person?"

Dominic shrugged. "Her dad was into the same shit as my dad and Marco but she hated what he did for 'business' like Damien and I did. She was quiet but nice, and she had the hots for Damien. She said it was his blond hair that attracted her to him and that his - our - beautiful face had nothing to do it."

I snorted. "You vain fucker, you're makin' that up!"

Dominic grinned. "Okay, she never said we had a beautiful face, but she was obsessed with Dame's hair colour. I think all Asians like light skin and hair, and that's what they get with Damien. He has slightly paler skin than me and his hair is white as snow naturally, so Nala was his number one fan. She came to the compound when we were all around ten. Damien had a crush on her as well so when he asked her to be his girlfriend when we were thirteen, and she said yeah, it wasn't a surprise. The only thing that was a surprise was that Trent hated them together. I think he had a thing for Nala as well and was just jealous of her and Dame, but I'm not really sure if that is the exact reason." Dominic shrugged then stretched and settled back next to me. "Dame and Nala were still together after our parents were killed but he eventually grew distant from her as well. No matter how hard she tried to help him feel better, she just couldn't. Trent was sort of her shoulder to lean on through that time; he made the mistake of trying to kiss her one night though. Damien saw the whole thing and went crazy. He attacked Trent and beat the shit out him for touching his girl."

Dominic looked up to the ceiling then and tightened his hold on me. "I think he loved Nala. I know we were only kids, but they were dating for a solid two years and knew everything about each other and did everything together. They were literally the others half and were happy until all hell broke loose. After Trent tried to kiss her and Damien kicked his ass, he spewed a lot of bullshit towards Damien, and that only made him angrier. He said Damien wasn't good enough to be Nala's boyfriend and that he belonged in the ground with our traitorous father."

Dominic shook his head. "It was a bad thing to say to a friend over a girl. Don't get me wrong, Nala was great, but she was still a girl, and I found it stupid that they were fighting over her. Loyalty wise, though, I was pissed at Trent for trying something with my bro's girl. I didn't care what he called our dad but when he wished Damien were dead, I got my turn at kicking his ass. It was the first time I was ever in a fight, and I beat the shit out of him. Damien got me off him though because he wanted to do it himself. I was fine with that 'cause I had gotten a few hits in. Trent got to his feet after Damien got me off him, and the crazy fucker pulled out a gun, a real fucking gun." I rubbed his arms when he started to get a little bit twitchy as he spoke. "I wasn't afraid of being shot by him, I was afraid for Damien though, because Trent looked at him with such hatred before he pointed the gun at him. It was then that I knew how much he truly was like Marco. If Nala hadn't jumped on Trent's back and caused him to drop the gun, there is no doubt in my mind that he would have shot and killed Dame; I feel sick just thinking about it."

My eyes were wide. "Oh, my God, where did he get a gun from?" I asked.

Dominic shrugged. "The compound we lived in never kept weapons or product onsite because we got raided a lot, but my guess is he swiped the licensed gun Marco kept in his office. After it was knocked out of Trent's hand it somehow ended up in Damien's hand, and that was when I started to panic. I still remember crying like a bitch for him to throw the gun away and that we weren't like our dad or Marco. He was listening to me as well until Trent laughed at me and called me a bitch like our dad, who deserved to be six feet under with lead in his head. Trent had already knocked Nala off him so when Damien fired the gun and hit Trent, she was safe from a follow through bullet. Trent was hit either in his heart or his shoulder. I couldn't tell because the blood that came from his wound soaked his shirt, so I couldn't pinpoint where he was hit. He wasn't moving so I guess Damien got him with one shot." Dominic shook his head then and cleared his throat. "Shit hit the fan after that. Everything went by fast, Marco had his boys clear the courtyard and wash away Trent's blood while he called the doctor, but it was too late. We were told he was already dead by the time the doc got there. Ryder being the oldest out of us met with Marco to 'discuss' things. Ryder, Kane and Alec were already involved in the business but after Dame killed Trent, they we in even deeper. We weren't stupid; we knew that the meeting with Ryder and Marco was to keep us all alive. When Ryder came out of Marco's office he told us Damien was safe, but we had to work for that safety. I knew Marco wouldn't give anything unless he received something out of the deal, so I was game for working once I knew it would keep Dame safe."

I was surprised when he snorted but didn't interrupt him.

"I was expecting to run product and sell it or some shit like that, but Marco had certain 'jobs' for us all set out. I was apparently his main man; he is really into gambling and making his money in an exciting way, and it was around that time that underground fighting got big. He wanted a fighter in the underground to represent him, and after he watched the CCTV of me kicking Trent's ass that's what I became. We have been to more countries than I can remember in the last three and half years. It seems every couple of months Marco calls me and tells me about a new underground circuit that he wants me to represent him in."