Chapter Two - Target

Judah Jackson's P.O.V.

I wake up and immediately groan at the bright sunlight filtering through the window. Stretching my hand, I block the sun from hitting my eyes and inhale deeply only to grimace at the smell of sweat, smoke and a sickly-sweet perfume. With a raspy grunt I sit up and rub the area where I was shot eight months ago.

I spot the blonde woman snoring softly on my right and frown when I realize I'm in an unfamiliar bedroom. But my raging headache soon reminds me about last night's party. What was her name? Alex? Alexandra? Hell, was it Abby? Fuck it...who cares anyways, I think to myself. With a big yawn I clamber out of the bed as quietly as I can before getting dressed.

"Mason?"

I freeze before turning around with a sweet smile. I faintly remember giving her a fake name. "Hey sweetheart."

"Where are you going?" The woman rubs her eye with a confused frown.

"Just going to make us breakfast." I murmur as I step closer and stroke her hair. "Go back to sleep. I'll wake you up when it's ready."

"You're so sweet." She smiles sleepily before laying back down.

I wink at her before leaving the room with no intentions of sticking around. Snagging an apple on my way out of the unknown woman's apartment I take the lift downstairs. The sight that greets me outside, however, makes me want to turn right back. My shoulders sag and I release an overdramatic groan as I come to a stop.

"Get in fucker!" Kenzo yells loudly as he hangs halfway out of the car.

I roll my eyes and slip inside without a word. Aiden, who's in the driver's seat, merges in with the traffic on the busy streets of London. As soon as the traffic clears though Aiden's green eyes meet mine. I all but plead him with my eyes not to start his lecture on me being careless.

He runs a hand over his braids before shaking his head. "You need to be careful...especially now that Quintana has eyes on you."

"Well, thankfully I finalized my will ages ago." I reply with a nonchalant shrug.

"Who gets the properties and cars?" Kenzo asks excitedly.

"You guys."

"Fuck off! Really?!" He shouts as he turns to face me while gripping the headrest.

"No." I smirk and his grin quickly switches to a scowl.

"Bitch."

"He's got his parents and five brothers dumbass! Of course, you're not going to get anything!" Aiden slaps the steering wheel as he laughs loudly.

I look out the window with a content smile as they argue. Me, Kenzo and Aiden became friends at college when I came to London. We were in our first year trying to fit in and became close when we sat by each other in one of the classes we shared. Kenzo had muttered a rude remark about the lecturer to himself which made me and Aiden laugh, he had turned around to us and we just got to talking.

Kenzo grew up in Seoul, South Korea but his dad who's from the UK got a better job and moved them back here when Kenzo was ten. He's muscular with pale skin, dark brown eyes and black hair. His features are a mix of his mum, who's South Korean, and his dad who hails from here.

Aiden, on the other hand, is an African American who came to London when he was thirteen years old. His parents would move around a lot for work but eventually settled down here. He's a slim guy with deep brown skin and black hair that he mostly keeps in braids.

"You drank way too much last night. Lay off and keep your eyes open. There's a lot of his men in London looking out for you to relax." Aiden starts again as his eyes survey the road before he makes a turn to leave the city.

Eight months ago, I threw myself in the middle of helping my sister-in-law, Charlotte, get away from a psycho ex-boyfriend. It ended up with the FBI raiding many of Santos' drug cartels and sex trafficking rings in Mexico but some of Quintana's men from Venezuela had also been caught during a raid of the weapons shipment they were trying to get through to Santos.

Santos fled Mexico immediately but was soon caught in Cuba. Charlie's ex, Liam, was one of his men but the fact that I was seen with the police and ruined everything caught Quintana's interest. Now I walk around with a target on my back. I'd do it again in a heartbeat but the aftermath has been a little frustrating to deal with.

I have been attacked a few times by Quintana's men so the three of us have been on high alert. I always notice them outside my office building but I enter through a private lift in the garage at the back now which they haven't caught on to yet. They did end up getting near my home three months ago so I put that up for rent and moved into another one of my properties a few neighborhoods away.

"I'm flying out to Toronto tonight so nothing to worry about." I mumble as I rest my head back and close my eyes.

"For the love of all that's holy please get a security team." Kenzo mumbles as he types away on his phone.

"I don't need one." I snort as Aiden parks and we get out of the car.

They scoff as they follow me inside the house we live in together. It's outside the city but near enough to my office which is exactly what I want. I bound up the stairs to take a shower and get changed while hearing them turn on the television behind me. I turn on the water and strip before taking a quick shower.

Wrapping a towel around my waist after I'm done I step back into my bedroom before catching sight of the neighbor's kids playing in their garden. I watch their mum call them inside and stare at the boy walking inside with an iPad in his hands. With a devilish smirk I make my way to my bed and grab my laptop before getting to work.

"Judah?" Aiden catches my attention suddenly as he steps inside my room minutes later.

I slam the laptop shut before realizing how shady that looks. Staring at Aiden in a more composed manner I lean back slowly. "What?"

"Were you..." He trails off as he gestures to the laptop and does a jerking off motion with his hand.

"No!"

"Are you pissing off the neighbors again then?" He asks with narrowed eyes.

"They broke my greeting gnome...so I'm messing with their TV and Wi-Fi."

"All over a gnome?!"

"Hey! Benjamin had so much life to live still!" I snap before grabbing my clothes and going into my bathroom to change.

"You've got issues brother." He shouts before I come back out. "Anyways do you want to order dinner before you leave for the airport?"

"Sure, pizza?"

"No, we had that two days ago!" He exclaims as we make our way downstairs. "I say we try that Asian fusion restaurant that's opened up."

"I want Indian food." Kenzo states absentmindedly as he plays a video game. "We haven't had it in literal years –"

"We had it two weeks ago Kenz." I mutter as I click the delivery app on my phone.

"Well, it feels like –" He's cut off by the lights going out and we hear his scream next. "No! What the fuck?!"

"Kenzo..." Aiden trails off as I turn my phone's torch on. "Did you pay the electricity bill?!"

There's no response and I point the light at Kenzo to see him standing there with a sheepish expression. "I'm so sorry –"

"You fucker! This is the third time this year –"

"I'm calling them now!" He screams as me and Aiden tackle him to the ground. "Guys! I'm sorry – they've picked up! Get off me!"

We leave him be and he sits up with a huff before telling the representative what happened. I lean back on the sofa as we wait for him to finish. It takes a while but eventually he pays and they tell us our electricity will be back soon.

Kenzo gets up from the floor and there's a pause as we look at each other before sprinting outside to the car. I shove Aiden to the ground and laugh evilly as I get to the driver's seat first. Aiden dusts himself off before getting in and slamming the car shut with a heated curse. We both stare quizzically at Kenzo who saunters out of the house at a leisurely pace.

"Why the hell does he look so smug?" I mutter as he rounds the car to my side and pulls the door open.

He leans down with a cheeky smile. "When's your flight Jude?"

My jaw drops when I realize I only have two hours before I need to be at the airport and I still need to pack before we head into the city to eat. I clench my jaw as I slam my head back while both guys holler and laugh in my face.

"Fuck!" I roar as I hit the steering wheel angrily.

"Indian it is!" Kenzo cheers as he drags me out.

"At least you can handle spice!" Aiden grins as I march back into the house.

I run upstairs to pack all my things before panicking when I can't find my passport. I make a mess of my room before finding it in my bathroom of all places. Just as I've grabbed my jacket though I get a call and smile widely when I see that it's Ella facetiming me.

"Hello my love – ugh, it's you!" I sneer when I realize it's Ryder.

"Is there ever a moment when you're not flirting?" He deadpans with a roll of his eyes.

"When I'm asleep...oh wait...never mind I take that back." I smirk and he makes a disgusted face before moving on.

"I forgot to ask when you're coming over to ours?"

"The night I land." I reply as I grab my things before going downstairs. "I need to head to the office opening then attend a few meetings first."

"Alright text me when you're boarding and when you land." He replies before picking up Mila.

"Hi uncle Jude!" She chirps which instantly brightens my day.

"Hi, my sweet angel girl!" I coo as I put my bags in the boot before getting in the car. "I can't wait to see you!"

Kenzo and Aiden greet her which causes her to shyly hide her face in Ryder's chest. Aiden grabs the phone from me and they start talking to her as we drive towards the city. Me and Ryder scowl deeply when Mila can't stop blushing and giggling. It's clear that she has a crush on both my friends which would be cute...if it weren't my friends.

"Okay that's enough!" I grumble as I snatch my phone. "I'll see you soon Mi. Love you!"

"Love you more uncle Judah!" She waves with a sweet smile. "And you too uncle Aiden and uncle Kenzo!"

"Love you sweetheart!" They both shout which has her giggling again.

I bid goodbye before hanging up and shaking my head at them as they laugh. Kenzo drives us to the restaurant we usually visit and we quickly place our orders before discussing how I'm going to get to my brother's place safely in case Quintana's men catch wind of me being in Toronto.

"It'll be fine. He won't even know I was there until I'm back in London." I shrug half-heartedly as our food arrives.

"Still...switch cars a few times and take a different route to throw them off so that even if they're keeping an eye on you they won't track you to Ryder's place." Kenzo advises and I nod in understanding.

Little did I know what awaited me in Canada.

Update schedule is: once a week whenever I find time!

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