Broken

||Chapter Four||

||Destine||

After I left I headed straight for the car, started it and left. For the second time, I wondered if I should've left Amelia alone in the house. I kept thinking about what if she finds or sees something she isn't supposed to. She isn't a naturally curious girl as far as I can see, crass, uncouth, stubborn and laid back maybe, but not curious.

I decided to take my mind off of her for a bit and focus on my task at hand, I pulled up to a stoplight and took the chance to reach into my jacket pocket and take out a small envelope containing some money. After checking that it was all there I sent a quick text to Simon saying I'll be there in a few minutes. I never planned for this to happen, I really never wanted to be apart of this. I need this to end, and I need to tell Simon that.

The light then shone green and I took off down the road. This was it, I hand them the money, I'm in and I'm out. I turned a couple more corners when my phone rang. It was Simon. I deftly answered while keeping my eyes on the road.

"I'm almost there," I said bluntly.

"Could you speed it up? Dan and his cronies are getting impatient." He sounded nervous.

"Calm down and tell them I'll be there in literally two minutes."

"OK OK!"

I cut the call and sighed. This better be it, I thought. I finally was pulling up to an abandoned factory. I parked and walked out where I was greeted by a familiar bulky man in a black t-shirt and black jeans.

"Follow me." He ordered.

"Oh do I have a choice? Can I lead the way? Of course, I'll follow you, you don't need to say it, stop trying to be all ominous Greg."

"I told you not to call me that." He said exasperatedly.

"Why, is it because it's not menacing enough? Run everybody! Greg is coming!" I chuckled while I saw his face turning red with anger.

"Shut up you--" He lifted his hand opting to hit me.

"Starfire what are you doing?" Spoke yet another familiar voice.

"It's Red-fire." He said annoyed like a petulant child. He was turning red again. "She was--"

"What? Being mean to you?" He said mocking a cry-baby tone. "Grow some balls, you're 32 for Christ's sake."

I laughed as I watched him mumble something and step back. I then stepped forward to an old face.

"Dan, how you been?" I smiled sarcastically. Dan is a tall, balding, forty-something to fifty-year-old man. He was donned in a mismatched suit and looked like he could use a shave.

"Cut the chit-chat, you bring any cops?" He said glancing behind me.

"Now you know I won't do that, I'm just as deep into this as you are." I started firmly. I do my best never to show any kind of fear around these men, fear makes them intimidate me. A lack of fear makes them respect me, especially Dan, I've known him for as long as I've been a part of this so about almost four years. It doesn't stop him from killing me in a heartbeat if I don't have what he asks for.

"Got the cash?" He said looking at my trench coat.

"Where's Simon?" I glanced behind him looking if he would be around there.

"Your brother's fine. He almost pissed his pants around here so he's out back taking a whiz." He chuckled a bit. "Now. My money." His tone got serious in a heartbeat. He held out his hand looming over me.

I kept eye contact reaching inside my pocket I took out the envelope and handed it to him. "It's all there."

"We'll see." He passed it to one of his cronies and turned back to me.

"Are we done here? This was to be my last settlement." I never wavered eye contact.

He chuckled, as he fiddled with his cufflink. "Not quite, something... Unexpected turned up at our dock. A fresh shipment came and we're gonna need to cover that."

"What the hell? I don't know anything about that!" I yelled. Whatever the hell came in that shipment I am in no way related, so this needs to end today. I want a normal life, I need a normal life.

"Tough luck honey, it came in Morgan and Julia's name, so you need to pay up."

I was speechless. Why didn't I know about this shipment? I had all the shipment dates written in my itinerary. This was supposed to be the last one.

Just then Simon came around a corner. "Hey um, what's... Going on?"

"We just let your sister in on the big news," Dan said turning in Simon's direction.

"Sy you knew about this?" I spoke with hurt in my voice, I felt betrayed.

He nodded. "Look, I only found out yesterday! I was just as surprised as you." His tone was remorseful it made me ease off a bit.

"You still should've told me Sy." I closed my eyes tightly and took a deep breath holding back tears. I wasn't even sure why I was crying. I just really thought this would be over for good, I really thought this was the last time I'd be out of the business. But no. I'll have to put off my last year of college once again to suit them, put my life on pause once more.

"Is the familial quarrel over because I need that money by the end of November," Dan spoke harshly, asserting his dominance.

That was three months from now.

"How much?" I asked, my voice cracked slightly, I covered it by clearing my throat.

"A hundred grand." He simply stated.

"A hundred--that's double what I'm paying now!"

"What the f**k Dan?!" Simon added as he stepped up closer.

"This is a large shipment alright, someone needs to cover it, you could simply stay in the business and once it's all sold you get the--"

"I told you, Dan... I'm not staying in this business, I want out. You'll get your money." I was pensive, adamant.

I started walking off, I've had enough for one day. "You better watch your attitude in this world little girl." I heard him say from behind.

I heard footsteps running up to me, I quickly turned around. "Hey wait up!" It was Simon. "Look, I'm sorry you still have to be doing this and all but... Where are you gonna get so much money from? Mom and dad... Only left so much."

"My college fund..." I stated.

"No! You can't do that! Your last year of college--"

"It doesn't matter... Until I'm out of this I don't want to go back to college, I want a clean slate. When I did my three years in France and heard that mom and dad both passed both of our lives have been a living hell. They killed your girlfriend because she was connected to you, she was your weakness. I can't go back to college and have them kill someone I care about." I was beginning to tear up, I could only be strong for so long, but i can't break down here, not now.

"Go home and rest your mind D," Simon said as he hugged me.

"Well, I doubt that's going to happen," I said pulling back. "I kind of have a guest staying over for a while." I half smiled.

"Are you blushing?" He laughed. "Who is she?" He added. "I thought you didn't want to get too close to anyone, risk factor remember? He then quickly whispered.

" This is safe Sy, I'll tell you about it some other time, just get yourself home OK?" I kissed him on the cheek and started walking over to my car. Simon walked a good distance away from where he parked his Civic and got in. We both drove off in opposite directions.

I continued my drive with the thought of what Amelia could be doing at my house right now. She may be crass and unreasonably loud but she's the only person aside from Sy that I trust.

I pulled up in front of my loft and perfectly parallel parked. I got out turned on my alarm and made my way inside. I walked in to see her sprawled out on the couch sleeping. Has she been sleeping the whole time? That nap would drain her. I walked over to her and knelt down in front of her face to examine her features, if she has been sleeping for a while REM sleep would be taking place by now.

Her eyes weren't really moving under her eyelids so maybe not. I started examining other features of her face and strayed to her lips, in that moment I wondered how they tasted. Her cheek bones accentuating her features making her look somewhat of a goddess to me as she slept so peacefully. I dared to move in an inch closer. She breathed deeply in her sleep, as if she felt my looming over her, I couldn't do it. She doesn't know me and frankly, this was being a little bit creepy, so I decided to wake her.

"Amelia? Amelia wake up, I've been gone for over an hour." She shuffled slightly. I took that as a sign of her waking up. "Have you been sleeping the entire time?" I said not moving from my current position.

She visibly recoiled at the realization of my closeness. It hurt me to think she's that repulsed by me, either that or she's uncomfortable. "Did you have to be so close?"

So she was uncomfortable. "I was merely examining your facial features." It wasn't a whole lie. I got off my knees and sat next to her on the couch.

"Whatever..." She shrugged. At that point she drifted off, she was in deep thought about something, I could see it in her features, she was pondering something.

"What are you thinking about?" I decided to ask.

What came next... I wasn't ready for.

"Who are you?"

She said it with so much conviction it threw me off. No humor to her voice, she seriously wanted to know who she was living with...

And I can't tell her.

"W-what do you mean?" I said trying to sound oblivious. It was unconvincing.

"You do speak English don't you, Frenchie?" She asked sarcastically.

"Well yes of course I do, I also speak Polish, Spanish, Italian, German, a bit of Japa--" She cut off my tactic to change the subject.

"We get it, you're multilingual, congratulations. Now stop trying to change what we're talking about here." Her tone was pensive.

"Well, uhm... You see, I.." There was only one thing that could come to mind to do to throw her off.

I grabbed her and kissed her. I kissed her until she stopped resisting, her lips soft and velvety on mine, we started moving in sync, I felt myself getting lost, my heart was racing a mile a minute, my head was spinning, this was intoxicating. I needed to stop, I want supposed to enjoy this so much. It was a ploy to distract her.

I quickly pulled away and it took me a few seconds to open my eyes and recompose myself. When I did I looked at Amelia she looked just as shaken up.

"I... Um... Wow." She said then licked her lips.

I quickly got up and ran upstairs.