Chapter 13 |
Chapter 14 |
After our week at the lodge we returned home and our friends seemed less surprised by Jeff finally asking me to be his girlfriend then I did. Beth and Amy told me that they had been waiting for him to grow a set. It was official after six months I had tamed the player. We started back to school and I noticed that Ken was staring daggers at me more and more and sometimes I would catch him mumbling things as I walked by him. I had Marco start digging because something was bugging me about this whole situation.
It was after a month of digging that Marco finally found something of use out for us. It seems that Ken’s cousin who was in our rival gang had somehow dragged Ken into it. That Ken had been “training” with the said gang to be part of it and earning his rank. Marco was able to find out that Ken had quickly proved himself and moved up the ranks and rumor had it he was playing a big role in planning an attack on our guys. This really began to bother me because Ken hated my mafia ties so why was he so gung ho with joining the rival one. If all this was done because I wouldn’t sleep with him then the boy had mental issues. My dad made sure my security detail stayed in place he did not trust anything he was hearing on the streets. One night after much begging and pleading I got my dad to agree to let Beth, Amy and I go out to eat with only Marco has a chaperone. Marco had agreed to sit far away from us so that we could have some girl time without him listening in on the conversations. My family owned an Italian restaurant and that is where we decided to go eat dinner. We had just finished placing our food order when I caught sight of Ken and two other guys come into the restaurant. They were thankfully not seated near us and I could see Marco go on alert, he was texting someone one his phone more then likely my brother and my boyfriend. I couldn’t help but think to myself there goes girl’s night. The girls and I kept trying to act like everything was normal and that we didn’t notice the guys at the other table who all kept looking our way. Ken didn’t even try to cover the lust in his eyes as he looked at me. The looks he was sending me gave me the creeps. Before long the door opened and it was like the whole restaurant tensed at one time. I looked up to see Lance, Jeff, and Steve standing there. I was thankful it was only the three of them however they were still a powerful force. Their confidence as they entered was staggering. They were oozing power. I also couldn’t help but thinking that my boyfriend was super sexy standing there in a pair of low slung jeans and a tight fitting v-neck black T-shirt. I almost wanted to jump him right there in front of everyone but I controlled myself. The guys acknowledged us but joined Marco at a booth where they could keep an eye on us and on Ken and his buddies. The nasty looks passing between the two groups of guys were not pretty and I could see other patrons getting nervous. It wasn’t long until most of the restaurant was cleared out except for our two groups and the staff. I was feeling a little apprehensive at the mood in the room and wanted dearly for this not to be happening. I had this gut feeling it was about to get ugly and fast. I somehow got the girls to agree to go to the bathroom with me and noted that most of the staff was now hiding in the kitchen. I made the girls promise me to stay in the bathroom until they got an all clear to come out and made my way back into the main room. I kept my eyes on Ken as I moved past him and went over to Jeff and sat down on his lap wrapping my arms around his neck and whispered loudly so all the guys would hear me “Guys don’t be stupid whatever is getting ready to be happen be smart about it be in control don’t let emotions get in the way” I noticed the four nod there heads in silent agreement with me letting me know that they understood what I was telling them. I gave Jeff a long lingering kiss before getting up and starting back toward the bathroom where Beth and Amy were. I had just made it into the hallway when I heard loud voices and I could tell it was Lance and Ken yelling at each other. For some strange reason instead of heading back to my friends I turned around and went back toward the guys. I could see all of the standing facing each other and waiting for someone to make a move. Ken noticed me first when I came back into the room and made a remark “Lacey care to join us out here. After all you are the main reason we are all here like this.” I silently walked in heading toward my brother. Before I could reach his side though I was roughly grabbed by Ken and he slung me to one of the guys with him and told them to hold me. I was fighting the guy off me and I must admit he was strong but those months of training with Marco and then the guys was helping me to fight back. I noticed Ken bring out a gun and begin waving it around and felt my heart drop deep into my stomach I knew that whatever happened it was not going to be good. As he aimed the gun at Jeff he spoke “I think you are the one I want. After all you are the one who stole my girl” I let out a loud laugh at that. Ken quickly turned toward me and I went still in the arms of the guy holding me and began calmly speaking “Stole your girl? As if! You lost me as your girl way all on your own. All you cared about was your precious image at school. You hated my family was the mafia.” I noticed at this point Ken had begun shaking with anger and you would think I would have been smart and kept my mouth shut but nope I am a Santiago. “You started bragging to your friends that all you wanted was the bragging rights to deflowering the Mafia princess” I saw shock cross his face but he quickly hid it. “That’s right Ken I heard you talking to your friends about it. Then you started getting stupid jealous and possessive over me and that’s how you lost your girl. The best thing is I almost immediately let someone else having the honor of deflowering the mafia princess because I was never going to let it be you” I think I may have gone to far when I threw the last part in because Ken was shaking violently and was close to losing control. The guy who had been holding me had let go and was backing away from me while the other guy was trying to talk Ken into calming down. I was scared to some extent I would have been stupid not to be scared but something else was motivating me anger. I was seething with anger, After two years as Ken’s girlfriend and months of his abuse I was pissed. I was pissed at myself for being so naïve and I was pissed at Ken for being such an ass. I saw Lance, Marco, Steve and Jeff looking at me with a mixture of shock and awe. I started to open my mouth again when Lance yelled out “Don’t Lace! Don’t make it worse” I should have listened but then I was never good at listening to my brother “Oh and Ken I let Jeff fuck me good and he has been fucking me good ever since” The next few minutes blurred together as I heard the sound of gunfire, and then felt a burning searing pain in my chest. I reached my hand to my chest and saw the blood pouring through my fingers. I looked at Ken and even through the pain I smiled at him because I knew I had won and that was the last thing I remember other then hearing my name being shouted as the world went black. I opened my eyes to see that I was in the back of an ambulance but the pain was so strong and I heard a voice tell me that I was on the way to the hospital and the world went black for me once again. In this state though I was having a dream this time I guess it was a dream. I could see my life flashing before me in snippets from childhood to present. I smiled as each memory passed because each one meant so much to me. They were all special memories. The ones of Jeff made me the happiest and I felt myself relax and blackness and peacefulness enveloped me and I was once again out. The ambulance rushed on carrying Lacey to the hospital she had a gunshot wound to the chest and no one knew if she was going to make it or not. Until a doctor looked at her, the extent of her injury was not known. Had the bullet hit anything major or was she spared. In the car following the ambulance were four very distraught mafia members. Marco the bodyguard drove everyone to the hospital trying to keep his calm facade. Lance, the twin brother, trying to avoid thoughts of losing his other half and not caring that tears came down his cheeks. Steve the best friend since diaper days, normally the jokester of the group had a somber face wile tears pooled behind his closed eyelids. Finally Jeff the bad ass player who was unashamedly crying silent tears scared to lose the first and only girl he had loved while trying to keep his anger in check. He was afraid to let the anger take control because if he did then he would go to the police station and find a way to kill Ken and didn’t care if he was in jail or killed for it himself. The only thing keeping him from doing that was that his princess needed him and he was going to be there for her no matter what it took. Beth and Amy sat in the car as well huddle together crying for their best friend. She was always the tough one of the three and was the one to protect them. What would they do without her? They couldn’t be without her it was just too painful for them think about. With great relief they arrived at the hospital and all six went rushing into the ER to await the fate of Lacey, the Mafia Princess. |
I kept hearing a beeping noise and it was really annoying the hell out of me. Why can’t someone shut it up? Why are my eyes so heavy? And why the hell does it feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest? I feel a hand in my own and wonder whose hand it is and I gently squeeze, realizing even that took a ton of energy.
I hear my mom’s voice call out “Lacey” My eyes begun fluttering and I open them quickly closing them again as the bright light hits. I hear my mom begin crying and then she says through her tears “Oh my baby I was so scared. I am so happy you are finally awake” She must have pushed the nurses button because soon a flurry of activity was in the room. I was poked and prodded and had a Dr asking me a ton of questions about how I felt. I can promise you I did not feel like unicorns and rainbows at this point in my life. In fact I felt like someone had thrown me under a bus not once but maybe ten times. Soon it was just my mom and I in the room again and I saw her smiling down at me. “Mom” I croaked, “What happened after I was shot?” Yes I remembered everything up to being shot after that everything is black literally. My mom told me that I was rushed to the hospital and was immediately operated on to remove the bullet that was done successfully that lucky it had not hit any major organs etc. I was going to have a sore chest for a while and might need a little physical therapy and would have a small scar as the wound healed but I had been very lucky. The police had Ken in custody and he was being held for attempted murder. Dad had been in touch with my uncle Tony and some guys from Chicago were coming down to help with the rival gang problem we were having. She went on to explain that I been in four day medically induced coma and that today was the first day she had gotten Lance or Jeff to go home and shower. Those two had not left the hospital since I was brought in. I smiled; I do love those boys of mine. She told me that she had already called and they would be heading back with Dad and my Uncle Tony in just under an hour. She suggested she help me fix up a little for my visitors. I nodded in agreement. Mom had a nurse come in and help give me a shower and then she went about pulling my hair until a neat bun on top of my head. Then she began putting on some light make up. She offered me a mirror when she was done and was pleased by the changes in my appearance. I also was pleased by how just getting cleaned up made me feel so much better. My dad and Uncle Tony were the first to show and I was greeted with warm hugs by both of them. Of course they were very gentle with me. I hope they don’t go back to treating me like fragile grass. Lance and Jeff showed up next and again I was greeted by both of them with warm but gentle hugs. After awhile everyone decided to give Lance some alone time with me and then Jeff would have a turn. As soon as everyone left Lance grabbed me into a hug again and said, “Don’t ever fucking do that to me again. I was so scared to lose my sister. I know I am suppose to be a big tough guy but you are my other half” We both had tears at this point and after our touching moment we started joking around. It finally ended with Lance saying something to me about being shot. “I can’t believe my sister got her first gunshot wound before I did.” It was at that moment Jeff walked into the room. I saw him pause for a bit at the door before finally coming in and standing beside me quietly. Lance took this has his cue to leave, “Think I will just go down to the cafeteria” and he walked out the door. Jeff finally looked at me and I could see pain and anger in his eyes. I wanted him to say something or me to say something but neither of us seemed to know what to say. I finally spoke up “so you going to perve on me all day” he gave me a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. I did not like how this was going at all. “Jeff, talk to me” Instead of words coming out of his mouth he leaned over and crashed his lips into mine. I could feel every emotion as it went through the kiss, anger, hurt, guilt, love, and regret. To be honest the kiss made me nervous because its like it was telling me something that my brain was not registering yet. We broke from our kiss and he finally said “I love you Lacey I really do! But I can’t do this with you anymore it fucking tore me up to see you get shot and then I come in here and you and Lance are joking about you getting a gunshot wound first. There is nothing funny about this!” he finished in a low yell. I was looking at him stunned, completely speechless. I saw where this was going and I didn’t like it. “Jeff” I called out to him softly, my voice quivers a tad. He started backing away from me. I reached out for him and as I touched his arm he flinched like my touch had burned him. I felt tears start welling up. “Jeff don’t do this…” all I heard was his faint whisper of “I love you and I am so sorry” before he was out the door. I am not sure how long I was alone before my mom came back into the room. She found me in the exact position I had been since Jeff had walked out the door and it wasn’t pretty. I was frozen except the silent tears pouring out of my eyes. My mind was a mess. I couldn’t process what had just happened. Jeff kissed me told me he loved me and then walked away. I knew by his tone and mannerisms he wasn’t coming back any time soon either. I felt the bed dip beside me as my mom sat down and soon I was wrapped in her embrace and she cooed to me “Shh baby it will be alright”. How the hell is it going to be all right my boyfriend just basically dumped me after telling me he loved me. Stupid prick. If I could I would hunt him down and kill him for being so stupid. I knew all this was motivated out of fear, fear of losing me so he pushed me away instead. Lance came back to my room shortly took one look at my face and mumbled “I am going to kill the mother fucker when I get my hands on him” and stormed out the door. A few hours later Lance came back to see me; he was a little calmer then when I saw him last but not by much. My mom left so that Lance could talk to me. “Lacey, I went looking for Jeff and I don’t know how to say this but he is gone. All of his stuff was packed up at our house and he didn’t go to his parents either. It’s like he just vanished.” I felt the tears coming again and soon I was wrapped in my brother’s embrace. I felt myself tense and looked up at my brother “Want to tell me I told you so now?” “What Lacey? I wouldn’t and you know that.” “Yeah well you were the one who told me I would get hurt and guess what I did. Guess you were right about that.” Lance didn’t say anything he just continued to hold me. Lance told me that he had Marco looking for any signs of Jeff. I knew he was going to get out of town. He knew if he stayed he would be to weak to resist me. I told Lance I was sure he would go somewhere that he could still be part of the gang but not be near me. I went on to tell Lance that even if he did find Jeff not to tell me where he was because I knew I would just follow him and drag his ass back. However I knew that if I were to ever be with Jeff again it would have to be because he came back to me not because he was forced. Lance understood what I was saying and told me he would keep the information from me and made sure others would as well if they found out where Jeff was. Lance agreed to stay the night at the hospital with me and slept holding me on the bed through the night. I know he didn’t get much sleep. I kept waking up from nightmares that Jeff had left me. As I would awaken I would remember they weren’t nightmares but were actually the truth. Jeff had left me. Each time I would think that the tears would flow again. Would I ever stop crying? I didn’t even know a person had so many tears in them. Two weeks went by with me in the hospital recovering. By the time I left the hospital I was pretty much back to normal except for the deep red scar on my chest. The pain was tolerable and I could move with out too much hassle. Lance and our friends had been with me through out each day and each night. Lance and Steve took turns staying with me in the hospital at night. Each of them getting to be lucky enough to comfort me after each crying fit I had over Jeff leaving. I really wanted to hunt that bastard down. I would kill him, bring him back to life and kill him again for what he was doing to me. Uncle Tony had stayed in town for the last couple weeks and tonight would be his last night with our family. We were sitting at the dinner table that night and everyone had been watching me pick at my food. I really was trying to eat but I would think of Jeff and my appetite was gone. At one point during the meal I realized everyone was looking at me and I looked around the table and harshly bit out “What?” I knew I shouldn’t take my bad mood out on them. It wasn’t their fault that Jeff was acting like a total douche. Uncle Tony finally spoke up, “Lacey I was thinking you have Spring Break in about three weeks right?” I nodded my head silently. “Why don’t you come to Chicago and stay with your favorite Uncle?” “You’re my only Uncle” I deadpanned at him. I saw him smile and give a slight chuckle. “I know princess but I was thinking it would be fun. Marco can come with you and I will take you shopping and whatever else you want to do and then Marco can take you out to some of my clubs at night what do you think?” I sat quietly thinking about a trip to Chicago. It might be good to get away from everything and everyone here at home even if it was just for one week. It might help me get my mind off how depressed I was. Everything in my room reminded me off Jeff right now. Lying in the bed I had made love to him in was so hard. It was killing me a little inside each day. I was getting weaker not stronger. It was then I made up my mind. “Uncle Tony I would love to come visit you in Chicago for Spring Break. I will let you and my parents handle all the arrangements” This was going to be a Spring Break I would remember forever. I was going to forget about Jeff and have some fun. |