Chapter Fourteen

After speaking with Austin about it all, I agreed to join him for dinner with Markus. Knowing what I know now, I knew I didn't really have much of an option. Austin still felt so bad that he's brought me into this, I kept telling him what's done is done and we can't change that now. I will come up with a plan to get us both out of this, I just have to be careful due to how Markus is. There was someone I wanted to tell and ask what to do, but I knew Austin wouldn't want me to do that. Also, he would immediately tell me I would need to tell someone like the police, but with the little I know about Markus, I would not be doing that. If you haven't already guessed who I'm talking about, it's Roman. He's only been away for coming up two weeks now, I just hope that all of this is out of the way by the time he gets back. We can't have Markus thinking Austin and I are a thing, then he'll see me with Roman! That's just more drama and chaos that I really don't need in my life right now, it will just add onto the chaos that's all already going on! Sometimes I wonder if I should have agreed to leave with Roman, he did continually ask me. But at the time I thought the two months would go quickly, life wouldn't change that much so it wouldn't feel like much has changed. But with everything that's happened since he left, it feels like his been away for months! But then I start to think about Austin, if I did agree to leave that would mean he'd have to face this all alone. Yes, he's been dealing with this for months without me knowing, maybe the slight fact that I do know and have been fully brought into this whole thing, is giving him stress. But I think in a sense he's dealing with it because I'm here, he promised Roman he'd look after me while he was away so I know that's what his mind is focused on. Also, he and I wouldn't have gotten this close if I would have left. I can't help but feel thankful for the friendship he and I have now, we're not at each other's throats constantly. Austin told me the dinner wasn't casual but it wasn't formal, I somehow had to find an outfit that was in between. I decide on short black skin tight dress, where the scraps crisscrossed over the chest. I didn't want my full top half to be too exposed around Markus, so I chose my red leather jacket to go over top pairing it with my red heels. I look at myself in the mirror with a sigh, what would past me think of the situations I'm being put in right now? Austin shouts from the kitchen we need to go which snaps me out or my thoughts, I grab my phone and keys before leaving my bedroom. "Is this outfit okay?" I ask as I walk into the kitchen, Austin was wearing black jeans and a white dress shirt, that was actually the perfect in between outfit. "You look perfect as always" he smiles looking over at me, this does make me blush a little at his comment. "We won't stay there for too long, I know being around Markus makes you uncomfortable" he says as I walk towards him getting ready to leave, I wish I didn't have to spend any time being in Markus's presence, but I didn't have much choice. "It's okay, I know you won't let anything happen to me" I smile sweetly walking towards the door, Austin was close behind me but as we opened up the door, two police officers stood there. "Sorry, we don't mean to disturb you or hold you up. But we were hoping we would be able to talk with you for a few minutes" one of the men say as Austin takes my hand from behind, I knew he was internally panicking right now. "Yeah of course, we were just heading out to have some dinner with friends, but we can stay for a couple of minutes" I smile over at the men, I knew Austin wasn't going to speak much. "Would you like to come in?" I ask with a smile moving out the way, while taking Austin's hand and walking him into the living room. The two officers follow us into the living room, where I push Austin to sit on the sofa. He was the one that was involved in all of this, yet he's the one freaking out and I'm having to run the show! The officers sit on the sofa across from us, pulling their notebooks out. "You both are probably aware for us coming here, we thought that we spoke with everyone that would know something. But we got word a few hours ago that you two might know something" he says which does scare/confuse me, is this some kind of trap? I take a confused look to Austin, would he know who would have told them we know something? But from his expression, he didn't have any idea either. "I have no idea why that person would tell you we know something, we actually didn't see anything as we immediately, ran to safely when we realised what was happening" I say which was kind of true, we didn't see anything but that doesn't mean we don't know anything, we definitely do. "Witnesses have said that the two men that were involved in the shooting came to your door, before quickly running away" the other officer says which makes my heart sink, how are we supposed to get our way out of this one? "That was the two men that died?! They did come to the door while we were eating dinner, I didn't have a clue who they were and told them they needed to get lost. They kept rambling that they needed money and food, I told them where to go and locked the door" Austin explains finally joining the conversation, I thought I'd have to do all the talking here. "And you had never seen them before this point?" The officer asks as I take a look down at Austin, he had definitely saw those two guys before that point. "Not at all, that's why I told them to get lost and closed the door. I wasn't having two random men in my house, luckily I didn't let them in with what happened" he sighs looking down at the floor, either he's a very good actor or what happened to those men have really affected him, even though he's trying to make it seem like it didn't. "Did you see or hear anything while the incident was taking place?" The other officer asks while taking down notes in his notebook, I thought I already told him we didn't. "The broken window is probably an indication that our house was in close proximity to the incident, but as Payton told you as soon as we heard at the time we thought were gunshots but we couldn't be sure. I grabbed her by the hand and took her into the back room, I only discovered the broken window the morning after which is why it's boarded up now" Austin explains with a smile, which was true he did take me to safety and boarded up the window before I could see it, so we're not lying about everything! "I wish we could help you but we generally don't know what happened, I'm sorry whoever phoned in kind of wasted your time" I smile hoping to get this all wrapped up with, this whole encounter was bringing me a lot of anxiety. "You don't have to apologise, in a case like this we have to follow up all the leads, we're sorry for wasting your time" the officer says as they both get up from the sofa, I smile leading them towards the door thankful that we were about to hide everything. Austin hangs up in the living room while I see them out, I think he also needed to calm some from all the stress. Just before they leave though, one of them turns around and gets close to me. "We know some gang things are happening around here, I'm not pointing fingers or assuming some things. But I've been in this business for many years, I can tell a liar when I see one" he says placing one hand in his pocket looking behind me slightly, which I knew meant he knew Austin wasn't being fully truthful. "I know when people are in that situation, loved ones are scared to come forward in fear something will happen to them and their families. But listen to me, if you ever remember something or need to give me some information, just give me a call" he smiles reaching my hand to shake his whilst I feel a card being placed in there, he doesn't want Austin or anyone else seeing him give me his card. "I'm sorry we couldn't be anymore help, have a lovely rest of your day" I smile with a wave, making sure my other hand stayed closed. They wave me goodbye while I close the door, finally being able to release the sigh I was holding in. "We don't have time to discuss what happened, Markus will be pissed if we're late" Austin says walking passed me and out the door, which left me alone in the house staring down at this man's card. I shout I need to grab my phone before running to my room, I hid the card somewhere before leaving the house. I didn't want to call that man just in case Markus found out, but I needed to keep my options open. But that meant hiding the card from Austin.