Heading over to the hottest, new nightclub, TRUTH ended very differently than anticipated for me.
TRUTH was a three-way business between James St. Patrick, Tommy Egan and I that was set to open tonight and was expected to be a full house.
As I make my way over to TRUTH in the early hours of the morning, so I can finish the lasts touches that need to be done for tonight, I still had the cash in my bag from my latest drop off not too far downtown. I thought it would be fine to carry on me as I wasn't too far from the safety of TRUTH and the security Ghost had hired but the last thing I was expecting was to cowardly be attacked from the back by three thugs with your cliché, black masks over their faces.
I groaned as one of them pulled my hair back, nearly ripping the strands out of my scalp and grabbed my wrist, holding them tightly together whilst the other two rang around the front of me, circling me like hungry hyenas.
"Oh, real tough guys. Why don't you pull off your masks, you fucking cowards?" I asked. I couldn't help myself. I was getting madder by the second and wasn't thinking straight even to know to not open my stupid, fat mouth when I am completely unable to defend myself.
I should have been expecting the harsh punch I received to the eye after mouthing off but it made me even more angry.
The guy that had punch me slowly slid his mask off revealing who he was. I'd never heard of my dear friend, Miguel Alvarez. He was obviously new to the game and didn't know enough to not mess with me and my business.
"We're going to take what we came here for and then leave you without any more harm, if you keep your filthy mouth shut." Miguel announced as he raised his gun to my head.
"How about you get your friend here to get the fuck off of me, and keep on walking?"
The hard hit from the handle of Miguel's gun threw me of guard, knocking me to the ground. Whilst laying on the ground, I heard a car screech beside the road as Miguel's side bitch kicked me as hard as he could in my ribs whilst the dick that held my hands grabbed the cash and ran off towards the car.
"Thank you for your time, Vanessa Stone. Pleasure doing business with you." Miguel had the last word as the car sped down the street.
I tried to get up as soon as the car disappeared down the street but didn't have enough energy after the hard knock to my head. I decided to lay on the side of the road for a little longer, until I was well enough to stand and continue on my journey to TRUTH.
I had to let Ghost and Tommy know ASAP about my run in with Miguel Alvarez. I try to call Ghost on my prepay but get no answer whereas when I call Tommy, he answers on the first ring.
"Yo Ness, how you going?"
"Not good, Tommy. Look, I'm just walking up to TRUTH. Can you meet as soon as you can please? It's important." I try to speak with urgency to show how much I need to see him right now.
"On my way." Tommy hangs up.
"What the fuck you mean?"
"Tommy, please. I've got a massive headache. Would you mind not being so loud?" I ask as I try to wash blood off my face. The handle had really cut on top of my eyebrow and a black eye was already forming. The punch sure didn't help.
"This fucker needs to pay. How dare he steal from us and just walk away like nothing? How dare he hurt you when you're entirely defenceless?" I could practically see the steam coming out of Tommy ears, as I stared at him through the mirror.
I turn around, now finished with cleaning most of my blood off. "I know a pretty good way to get our money back as well as have a little fun seeing Miguel suffer." I pause. "But first, I need you to help stitch me up."
Tommy and I had been able to track down Miguel a little too easily, if you ask me. He had taken my phone with the bag of money, so we tracked down my phone and found him in bed with his fiancee, Maria.
Now, we stood in the basement of TRUTH with a crying Miguel and a scared Maria. I was still yet to see or speak to Ghost about the situation.
Tommy grabs Miguel by the throat. "You think you can fucking steal from me and just walk the fuck away?"
"I didn't do anything, man! She don't know nothing!" Miguel yells as Tommy walks up the six steps to me, as I stand next to Maria laying on the cold concrete.
"Okay, look! Hey, look! Hey, I stole from you!"
"We fucking know that, you moron!" I finally spoke up. I was sick of hearing his voice.
"Look, it was me. Okay? It's not her fault." Miguel continues.
"You're right, Miguel. It's not her fault but you have the perfect opportunity to make this right. All you have to do is tell Vanessa and I where you hid our shit."
Miguel started whispering "I can't" over and over again.
"He's not listening to me, Maria." Tommy started to speak.
I grabbed my gun from the side of my leather jacket, having enough of the talking with no answers. I push Maria onto her side so she is facing Miguel. "Maria, you talk to him. Tell him to tell us where the money is."
As she started telling him, I go to speak but am cut off by the sound of heavy doors opening.
"What the fuck is going on?!" Thank God, it's only Ghost.
Tommy takes over. "Ghost, meet Miguel Alvarez and his fiancee Maria. Vanessa was walking to TRUTH when this motherfucker jumped her, beat her around a bit -"
"So he got -"
"- The money! A whole day's paper."
"I'm going to go lay down in your office, Ghost. I don't feel too good." I start to feel faint and don't wait around to hear if anyone replies as I quickly hurry out of the basement. It's not that I couldn't take seeing how the rest it goes down, I definitely could. It's just that the knock to the head was starting to get to me, mixed with all the yelling. I was exhausted.
I walked past Shawn on my way up the stairs and stop him.
"Hey Shawn, would you mind bringing a bottle of water up to Ghost's office? I need to go lay down."
"No worries, Miss Stone." I would usually correct him and I tell him 'please call me Vanessa' but I was too tired.
I woke up, feeling like I just started drifting off, to Tommy shaking me awake. I could hear the thumping of the music in the club echoing into Ghost's office.
"Come on, Ness. I'll take you back to my place. You probably have a concussion and shouldn't be sleeping without me checking up on you."
I didn't have the energy to argue and just let Tommy lift me up by my arms. I staggered as I walk, still being half asleep but had Tommy by my side with his hand around my waist, keeping me upright.
Once we made it outside of the club, I could see his blue mustang parked. Tommy holds the door open and I slowly slid in the passenger seat, eyes feeling heavy.
"I'll be right back. Don't go to sleep."
I could see Ghost standing just down from the car, exactly where Tommy was heading to. Probably going to talk about what went down tonight. I still needed to ask Tommy what ended up happening with Miguel and Maria. If they're dead? If Miguel told us who put him up to stealing the money?
I saw Tommy and Ghost do their handshakes they've been doing since we were young.
I rolled down the window, needing some fresh air, catching the last part of the conversation.
"You got some fine-ass looking girls serving drinks in there, by the way." I heard Tommy say. I was meant to be the bar manager but seeing as how bruised my eye was becoming, I thought it was best I didn't scare off our new customers.
"There was this one - red hair, tall. What's her name?" Tommy continued. This comment hurt me a little bit. Tommy and I had always been friends with benefits since we were teenagers and he took my virginity. Sure, we've both slept with other people but I've always had feelings for Tommy but never said anything because it makes business complicated.
"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah." Ghost pretended like he was about to tell Tommy, but I could see right through it. "Her name is... don't touch the merchandise, motherfucker." I had to laugh at that.
Tommy repeated what Ghost had said whilst laughing.
"I guess I'll just have to ask Ness when she gets well enough to work." Tommy shrugs as he walks back to the car.
We arrive back to Tommy's studio apartment. There is not much furniture but enough to know that someone lives here.
"We should get you in the bath and then some cleans clothes. How does that sound?" I just nod.
I slowly follow Tommy into the bathroom. As he starts to fill the bath up, I start to undress. I'm not shy in front of Tommy. He's seen it all before.
I take my shoes off easily and start to take my black dress off but struggle as I feel a soreness when I start to lift my arm. I make a noise of pain that catches Tommy's attention.
"Here. Let me help you, Ness" Tommy starts to lift my dress. "Shit, Vanessa!"
I had completely forgotten the hard kick I had received from Miguel's side bitch until I felt Tommy push on my side.
"OW!" I yelled as I turned to mirror to take a look. I took the rest of my dress off, being able to see my body in full better. "Did you have to press on it?"
"Sorry. How did it happen?"
"One of Miguel's side bitch kicked me when I was knocked down." I said as I stepped out of my panties and unclipped my bra.
Tommy just shook his head and helped me in the bath. He knew that if he started getting angry, it would only stress me out more.
Tommy helps me wash my hair, getting out left over blood that had gone through my hair. When he was done, he helped me out of the bath, passing me a towel whilst he went and grabbed some fresh clothes so I could finally feel comfortable.
Honestly, what was better than being in a guys oversized hoody? Nothing. Especially when it smelt like Tommy Egan.
After getting dressed and assuring Tommy that I would be perfectly fine to go to sleep now and that telling him how much he also needs to sleep, I dragged him by the arm to the bed. He undressed down to his boxers and jumped into bed.
I was feeling cold and decided to silently curl up to Tommy, pulling his arm around my body. I don't think I was awake enough to be able to listen to him tell me all about what went down once I left and what was going to happen in the future so I was just going to wait until morning comes.
"Goodnight, Thomas. Thank you for always taking care of me." I whispered.
I waited for a reply but I just met with the soft sounds of his snoring.
A/N - I hope you like the first chapter and the introduction to Vanessa. Thank you for reading.
This is just part one of the first episode. I didn't want to shove it all into one chapter without being too long.
(EDITED)
