Thirty-Nine
“MOM, DAD, JUST STAY calm,” Gladys is whispering in our ears. “I just need a little time.”
“My, my,” Rose says, smiling with the same malevolence she entered the room with, “aren’t you two all dressed up for a night of fun?” Her eyes narrow when she looks at Chrystal. With a flick of her head, she signals one of her goons—I decide to call him Goon 1—and he grabs Chrystal by the arm and pulls her off the bed.
“Hey! Don’t you—” I start to say, only to be cut off by Goon 1 backhanding me. I fall to the floor, stars floating in my eyes, the metallic taste of blood in my mouth.
Charlie walks over and pulls me to my feet. “You should have listened to Gus, old buddy,” he says to me. “You just should have listened.”
“Yes, Father,” Rose says with a sneer. “You should have listened
