I needed a drink.
I filled my wine glass then made my way to the said table. I picked a random chair and sat, waiting nervously. I quickly regained my composure when four handsome men walked towards me.
I leaned on the chair and sipped from my glass, plastering a smile
and watched them. This was going to be fun.
Three of them sat, looking at me intently.
I shifted my gaze to the one standing. He had on a blue dress shirt, the first four buttons down. The rest of them had leather jackets. Thought they made them look cooler. Pathetic!
"I think you've misplaced me, babe." The dress shirt guy said, flashing a huge cute grin.
"You can sit on me. I won't mind." I said.
The four laughed.
"Why can't it be the other way round?" He asked.
I shrugged my shoulders, setting down my glass, making myself seem so sweet.
"I prefer chairs." I confirmed, smiling innocently.
The other three jeered while the dress shirt guy scratched the back of his neck.
"Bro, you are having it rough." One of them seated said. He was a dark skin and had a bruise on his nose, probably just broke it before he made it here.
"What do you want, babe?" Dress shirt asked.
"I'll tell you but on one condition."
"Sure! My car's just outside." He said, hurrying to take his keys out from his jean pocket.
I placed my hand on his by the pocket and locked my eyes with his.
"No! My terms handsome."
He shared a look with his companions and each gave out a dirty smirk. I mentally laughed.
Perverts!
I moved my hand up his torso to his collar and slowly brought him closer, our faces inches apart.
"Hand me your phone, please!" I said seductively, tracing with my finger the crook of his neck.
"Anything for you baby." He said, not hesitating to give me. Jerk!
"Good!" I said.
"You, get our make-out session on video." I added, throwing the phone to the dark skin.
"Ready!" He confirmed.
"I need answers first."
"Then I get that kiss?" He asked desperately.
I wondered if the guy really belonged to the Mafia. He was just not tough but stupid.
"Why not?" I asked, giving him a wink.
"Why the hell did the police want to arrest you?" I asked in a whisper but loud enough for the others to hear.
"I knew it! The hot ones are always..." One of them with a fringe started.
"Shut up!" I cut him off, giving him a glare.
"Answer me!" I said softly, putting on a deceiving smile.
"We were caught with illegal drugs. We..."
"Man, you can't just tell her." The fringe guy complained.
"Let-him-finish." I said warningly.
"We were importing them from Mexico illegally and selling them illegally."
"What about the first time you were caught?" I said moving closer to his lips, licking mine seductively.
"How do you know all this?" He asked, agitated.
"If you want that kiss handsome, you have to make this quick." I said, tightening my grip on his beautiful dress shirt collar.
"Fine!"
"Dude!" Dark skin complained.
"S-some of our men killed police officers. To make it worse, they used stolen guns. We were caught, yes, but we threatened the police with pictures." He admitted.
"Can I get that kiss now?" He asked.
I turned to the three seated.
"Did you get it?" I asked.
"I'm not stupid, doll. I ain't giving you this phone." The dark skin said, holding it firmly.
I smiled. Now he proved to be a Mafioso.
The game was just beginning.
I turned back to the dress shirt guy.
"Do you want to sit or the kiss?"
"Both!"
At his position, I stood up, kneeing him on his groin and throwing him on the chair.
"Have your seat first." I said, straightened his collar then turned to the others.
He groaned in pain, his hands protectively covering the area.
Sorry, hon, damage's already done.
"The phone!" I demanded.
The three stood up laughing. I really didn't find the situation funny.
"You are outnumbered doll. Look around. What are you going to do?" Dark skin said. He was such a loud mouth.
"I'm going to kick your arses." I said.
Shit! I cursed mentally.
Why the hell did I say that?
They burst out in laughter. I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms.
"Are you done?" I asked coldly.
"A girl against three gang members. You've got to be crazy." The silent one said, his voice deeper than the rest.
"I'm not just 'a girl'." I confirmed.
"Yeah right!" He said, rolling his eyes and removing his leather jacket, exposing a wolf tatoo on his built right upper arm. Hot!
Wrong words you chose my man.
With just the blink of an eye, I took the dark skin guy by the collar, banging his head on the table, making sure I snatched the phone from his hand.
I tried to lay him a punch but he held my fist in mid air, bringing me closer to him. I had to rely on my head. I head-butted him straight on his forehead and finally delivered my punch. I made a mental note to take some painkillers later.
The other two didn't let go. The silent one held my arm and I smiled for the opportunity he had just given me. I elbowed him right on the nose before hitting him hard on the abdomen but he didn't give up. He charged towards me and I jumped, crossing my legs around his waist. He pushed me to the wall several times. I felt sorry for my back.
I head-butted him too, getting to my feet and kneed his groin following with an elbow on his hard back. He fell on the ground close to the other two down, crying in agony.
I bent to tuck the phone into my right boot for safety but as I stood, a chair was heading straight to my face. I slid ontop of the circular table, flipping it, spilling its contents, climbing it and balancing on its edge. I advanced towards the fringe guy karate style sending both of us down.
The phone fell off my boot but I didn't have time to grab it. I chocked the guy with my feet to unconsciousness then stood up to get the phone. Shit! It wasn't there but I wasn't too late to notice a waiter running outside with it in hand.
Before I could follow him, I was brought off my feet by someone behind me who then threw me harshly to the ground and got ontop of me. I heard a crack. I hope it wasn't my ribs.
It was the dress shirt guy.
He threw a punch on my face. I raised my legs, squeezing his hard body between them, moving to the side so I could be on top. A knife fell off his sleeve.
I moved close to his ear.
"You're not as brutal." I whispered then stole a kiss, reaching out for the knife. I grazed his cheek with the knife as I continued kissing him then stabbed him on his side.
"A promise is a promise." I whispered then stood up and quickly ran outside. My ribs were sore.
I really didn't care of the scene I had created. I had one goal in mind. Help Marlon, get the evidence.
The waiter wasn't that far off when I stepped out. I just hoped he hadn't had time to delete the video. I climbed on a fallen barrel and jumped on him, bringing him to the ground with me. I laid a few punches on his face before struggling the phone out of his hand.
"I'm not just a girl." I said, getting up to my feet and moving away before the guy got any ideas of tripping me.
I was panting like a dog because of my unplanned extravaganza. Had to catch my breath.
I turned to go back inside when the waiter stood up.
He looked familiar. Very familiar.
Where have I seen him before?
No!
"Uncle!"
I stared at the beaten man in front of me. His jet black hair was scruffy, his brows a bush over his eyes and had a dirty line of shaven moustache under his nose. His nose looked broken one too many times as it faced the left.His white dress shirt and pair of black dress pants were covered with a layer of dust from when I tuckled him to the ground.I didn't have time for him
"Becca!" A voice, low, deep but soft, called.I closed my eyes even tighter not wanting to wake up from my dream where I was the queen of the dark, sitting on a black acrylic royal chair with a gold wood finish. Every morning I woke up, I would walk to the mausoleum connected to my palace by an underground tunnel, clanking my heeled boots along the cobblestone tiles as I checked on my prisoners. Each cell had someone who had crossed my line one way or another. It wasn't until I walked to the end where two cells were separated from the rest. The cells
I knocked on the old, all too familiar oak wood door, memories of the last moments I had there flooding my mind. They were still fresh and bruised just like a wound from a bicycle fall.My foster mother opened the door. Shocked to see me, she called my foster father then moved to hug me."I can't believe you are here. We left off on the wrong foot. I never thought you'd come back." Shamali said pulling away just as Ian appeared beside her."Becca! It's so great to see you." He said, hugging me too then ushered me inside.I walked in the newly renovated house. What used to be a polished wooden floor was replaced by a stone vinyl cushion. The wood on the stairs was evenly polished and shiny, a brown carpet running all through only allowed to expose the sides.Just by the door, there was a long, raised stool cabinet that gracefully held three picture frames. Two of them were of Shamali and Ian in Venice while the other one, between the two was of me whe
I stopped at the red light and nursed my cut, using an Elastoplast to cover its ugliness. It was best to keep off dust and air from the cut.I wondered if my parents were looking for me or they had given up with their search. Sewing my name on the dress was clever, making that as their first lead but there was no report of a missing child over all the years. Were they dead? Did they think I was dead?
"Becca, I can-let me make this up to you.""Don't you give me that threadbare crap." I scolded as I picked myself up."You've known all this time we were related, haven't you?" I asked as I forced him by his arm to face me. He still didn't spare a glance, instead his ga
Jeremy's POVBecca's father removed his flannel after a failed attempt of the mother ripping her skirt off. The flannel was all bloody from the contact of his hands which he had used to apply pressure on the gunshot wound. Well, that was the purpose it was supposed to serve, so I took the flannel begrudgingly and pressed on the wound to prevent further bleeding."Open your eyes, Becca! I'm here. Please! Look at me!" I solemnly begged.It was my fault."Call the ambulance!" I demanded."It's on its way." Her father, Joe, if I remembered correctly from her memory, replied."Will she survive?" Her mother asked, apprehensive."If the ambulance makes it on time." I said, pushing on the flannel harder, mentally smacking my head for my stupidity for some ulterior motive.I tried to be honest with myself. Becca was different in every which way. Cold, brutal, definitely, and her not trying at all to please anyone made h
"Spill!" Xander interposed, walking into his office where I had hid myself. He made himself comfortable on one of the armchairs across from me and crossed his legs. He was still on his scrubs since two hours ago."What do you want me to say, father?" I asked, meeting his eyes."Why you got Becca shot. She just got a life back and there you are on the verge of ruining it." He said, raising voice."What do you mean? She was perfectly alright." I asked frazzled, furrowing my eyebrows."After the surgery she came to feel again. She could now decipher things and make decisions without being stoic, violent or repulsive. She was just starting to become the person she was in the first place. Did you know she went back to her foster home after thirteen years, where they had kicked her out? She wouldn't have if she didn't feel anything."I leant back on the chair, silent."Jeremy!" He called lowly, concerned."Fine!-Dan shot her.""Dan?
"Becca, come with me!" A man called, his voice low, soft and warm.I looked to my right where the voice had emanated from.I scurried off towards the hand stretched out for me to take. I felt excited, happy, like a burden was lifted off my shoulders. I then, more than willingly, took the hand before confirming its owner.The hand was calloused against my soft one when I finally took it, yet it all felt like a counterfeit. It felt like a dream.I traced the muscles, up its shoulder to the owner, Dan!"No! Becca! Don't!" I shouted as I watched myself do the exact opposite.I saw myself smiling up at him and so did he, leading me to God knows where."Don't trust him! Gawd, are you listening to me?" I shouted harder, bitterly, my throat growing dry."She can't hear you." A calmer voice beside me said suddenly. I turned to my left to see, me? For the first time, I had worn a plain white jumpsuit, my feet b
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when the skies are grey..."The song reveberated from the radio as we entered Marlon's house. It felt familiar but at the same time, I couldn't remember it. The embers of my mind were blocked, preventing me from riding futher down that lane."Your parents really enjoy this song. Ray Charles and Bing Crosby's 'You are my sunshine'." Marlon told me as he led me to his living room.His bungalow was really spacious with black and red interior. Everything possessed the colour red or black apart from his gold coated chanderliers and grey refrigerator. He sat me on the couch before sitting next to me, holding my hand."I've never heard it before but I think I know it. It seems familiar.""Because it was the lullaby we used to sing to you every single night before you went to sleep," ! heard my mother say behind me.I stood up as I waited for her to walk up to me. She engulfed me in
I scraped a chair against the floor and settled it before Jeremy. I wanted to set things straight before I did anything rash.Xander thought it best to sit him up. He would be able to communicate and eat without much of a struggle for him and for us by sitting him up every now and then. As long as he remained tied up, I didn't have much of a problem.I sighed softly, leaning back on the chair and crossed my legs. A toilet flush resonated in the room, breaking the heavy silence then Xander walked out, zipping his fly. Marlon was also present, stood casually behind me, his body leaning against the wall.Jeremy chuckled, annoyed, shifting his eyes to each one of us."Let me guess, you found out," he stated, voice throaty.I observed him, furrowing my eyebrows."Found out what, exactly?" I asked, honestly.His story wasn't adding up."You wanted to avenge your brother, Justin, but it all rounded up to get rid of me. You chose to pr
The pen fell from his grip as his eyes widened, walking towards me. I slipped on my thong that he had removed earlier as I waited for him to process the information. It was probably a lot to take in. I didn't blame him. It was the least he expected to hear."What!" He asked, shock pasted all over his face."Dan is my uncle. My bully!" I went on."That's why I am opting to take down the gang. I can't allow my bully to run along these streets and he ruined my life," I seethed, walking past him, my back turned against his."That's why he was looking for you. He had pressured some of the members into the assignment of finding you, that it was really urgent.""Jeremy happened to fall from heaven, bringing me to him," I remarked sarcastically.I wanted nothing to do with Jeremy anymore. He used me. Even after I offered help, he remained stubborn, ready to hurt all those around me to get his life back. Dan's death would be the key, not my life.
WARNING!Mature content ahead.Cold air kissed my skin as I walked towards the entrance. I looked over my shoulder to make sure Marlon was still in the car and put. He gave me a thumbs up before I nodded and walked inside.The air was full of alcohol and cigarette smoke. I massaged my exposed wound as I took out a cigarette from inside my dress pad. I walked up to the bar and ordered for a lighter before I flipped my hair and made the bistro my audience.I felt a presence beside me, warmth and a strong wave of cologne radiating from his body. I puffed my cigarette, looking ahead. I let smoke escape my pouted lips, waiting. Waiting for his first move."Veterans only!" He confirmed, his voice gravelly.I puffed another, waiting for more. I knew he had so much to let on than what he was putting forth. Smoke flared out of my nostrils as I shuffled my feet. Music blared from behind the bar, filling
“Becca! We have to visit the bistro,” Marlon whispered.We had decided against taking Jeremy to the station. He was our golden key to taking down Dan. We needed him. So, the guest room was his cell. We tied him up on the bed, arms and legs parted and mouth gagged, seeming as if he was ready for some kinky sex.Marlon and I were stood by the window, trying to figure out our next move. He had disclosed earlier that the bistro was the gang’s daily hangout and if his suspicions were right, their layout was close by.Xander walked in, a bottle of water in hand. He didn't even spare a glance towards his son. His expression was stern, exhausted and hurt. He walked up to us, handing me the bottle.“Drink up!” He ordered.I suspired, taking the bottle.“You are welcome, by the way,” he added, rolling his eyes.“Why?”“Your house hasn't been reduced to a pile of ashes. Next time
I could feel my adrenaline rush through my veins. I was in no condition to fight but the situation was forcing me to.Xander moved to hide behind the sheers, still observing outside.“What's happening?” I asked, slowly pulling the duvet off my body.“Jeremy's here. At least he cleaned up.” He confirmed.“I need to go.” I said.He snapped his head to me. Shock was written all over his face, his eyes screaming 'no'.“Oh, hell you are not. You are not in any condition to step out of your bed. Your wound might reopen.”“Well, I can't just sit when he's here to kill you all in front of me.”A gunshot blasted outside, destroying the tranquility of the afternoon. The noise reverberated two more times and I couldn't hold on any much longer.“Two down.” Xander said. Taking that as my cue, I yanked the drip from the back of my arm.“Hey! You
It had been three days and Jeremy hadn't left my room. My warning was only beneficial to Xander and a male nurse. The rest of the nurses came to work only to be sent to their own wards suffering gunshot wounds in various parts of their bodies. I tried stopping Jeremy but he forced me quiet, claiming I had no right to interfere as I was the one who placed him in that position.I just hoped Xander understood what was going on and inform my parents to stay as far away as possible from the hospital. Dan was aiming to get rid of my parents and he was buying afterlife tickets for others in the process.“You don't have to be his slave, Jeremy. You're hurting yourself for…”“For you! I'm doing this for your safety. Dan is the worst person I've met and you wouldn't want to be under his wing.” He cut me off, saying in clenched teeth.The room was starting to stink because he hadn't showered for days. He was sat on the chair beside the
I was just about to have my first bite of the hospital’s scrambled eggs, but my appetite took off like a plane to China when he walked into the room. I thought I had less to deal with until the doors had to just swing open for him to walk majestically, as if he wasn't responsible for my state. I placed down the fork, pushed the tray aside, fluffed my own pillow and rested my head on it, closing my eyes. I put on imaginary headphones and pretended to listen to classical music.“Can we talk?” I had him ask but my pretend music was still playing. I moved my head in the imaginary symphony.“Becca, please!” He begged, his voice sounding close.I heard the scrape of a chair against the floor and a presence beside me. Why didn't he just give up? Couldn't he get my message? I wanted to be alone.“Open your eyes and look at me. Maybe you will heal faster.” I heard him say.I mentally rolled my eyes.
The lips were soft, and the breath tasted of mint. The person was gentle and slow as he forced his lips on mine but funny enough I kissed back. My hands remained limbly on my side, not making any move. I was afraid of opening my eyes and hate what I would see.A manly hand found my cheek as the person continued, in attempt to deepen the kiss but suddenly pulled back. My eyes remained closed as the heat went along with his body."I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry!" He whispered.The last person who kissed and apologized to me was Jeremy!No! It couldn't be him. The kiss was different, a lot genuine and soft. Jeremy's was rough, deep and lacked passion. It was like a forced kiss, a planned one."I should have come by earlier but work took its roots." He whispered again. He then sighed and shuffled his feet against the floor. Was he nervous?I finally but cautiously opened my eyes. The moonlight had ceased allowing the security lights