VICIOUS
Chapter Seven
I let things ride for three days, figuring Friday was an excellent day to go and see Spot. I figured I'd stay in Brooklyn for the weekend and go back to Manhattan after selling on Monday.
It was a good plan. A sound plan.
But I was still steaming incredibly from the goings on with Desiree and it spilled over into my attitude towards my friends. I was constantly apologizing for being a bitch to them. It wasn't their fault that my arch nemesis was obviously trying very hard to steal away my boyfriend. I wouldn't stand for it.
I sold my papers in record time for me, and hightailed it to Brooklyn, after saying a quick goodbye to my friends. I jogged across the bridge and onto Poplar Street, using the few minutes that I had to think.
"Queenie's back!" Sneak cried in delight as I shuffled along the docks. I smiled and gave him a quick hug, without breaking stride.
I passed Silver on my way to the throne room, who tipped his hat at me. I gave him a rude hand gesture and then climbed up to the rafter throne, tugging my hat off and smiling. The afternoon sun felt nice on my face.
It felt really good to be back in Brooklyn. It felt like home. And then, I waited. I didn't mind all that much. I lounged back and surveyed the Brooklynites who were lounging around themselves. It must have been too early to start swimming, or perhaps the water was a little too cold right now.
I liked the Brooklyn boys. They were as loyal as their king, really, and they fought until they couldn't anymore. I knew that, and I was proud of the fact that Spot had gotten to this place. Honestly, I was hideously proud of him, no matter what his father wanted from him.
I wasn't sure how long I waited for him, but I smiled slightly when I saw the king arriving, looking as fierce as ever, cane in hand, his face a blank mask, and his eyes cold and ice colored. The newsies who were on his good side greeted him jovially and some of the others stayed quiet. It was funny how some of them were good with him and the others were just terrified of him.
He greeted them the same, tipping his hat but saying nothing. His face remained firmly cold and in place.
I wondered how early it was, though. It was unlike him to be back so soon. Spot was either off his game, or didn't buy too many papes that morning.
Either way, it was odd.
"Conlon, 'bout time ya showed up," Silver said, his own greeting. Silver was possibly the only newsie in New York who actually got to talk to Spot Conlon the way he did. Anyone else would've gotten soaked.
On the spot.
No questions asked.
But not Silver. Nope. Silver was allowed to be a bastard and all Spot would do was give him a shove and grin.
"No kiddin'," Spot agreed and the two friends spit-shook in greeting. "Been thinkin' about payin' Angel a visit."
"She beat ya to it."
I took this as my cue and I slid to the ground, taking a few steps since I still was terrible at jumping down from the throne. Not everyone could land so sinuously like Spot Conlon.
I shuffled across the space between us, shoving my hands in my pockets after replacing my cap on top of my head.
"Nice of you to join us, doll," Silver said and I gave him a dirty look.
"So, didja really miss me that much?" Spot asked, giving me his trademark smug-ass smirk.
"Nope." I smiled. "I came here to see Silver."
"Damn straight," Silver readily agreed and pulled me to his side, giving my cheek a giant kiss.
I laughed and blushed. Silver was much too good to me.
"Well, as long as ya can share, Silv, we ain't gonna have no problems," Spot said, playing his little game without any malice in his tone.
Silver nodded. "Good. You can have her now, Conlon. She's mine tonight, though," he grinned and then shoved me towards Spot.
I smiled and took his hand, leading him towards the Lodging House. I felt his whole body relax a little more when my hand slipped inside his. I wondered if I made him feel less tense now that I was here.
"I've missed ya, Angel," he said softly, when we were far enough away from his newsies.
I smiled slightly. "I've missed you, too."
He squeezed my hand and I followed him up the stairs of the Brooklyn Lodging House. Once we reached his room, he kicked the door shut and I found myself against the wall with his mouth on mine.
I had no problem with that, though, but it did actually surprise the hell out of me.
I forgot why I came, really. All I cared about no was this warm body and the warm hands on my waist which was effectively diverting my attention from whatever it was that I came here to discuss with him.
His arms came around my waist and his mouth left mine. He kissed me gently on the cheek and I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder. His chin sat atop my head. It felt so right.
"Ná fág arís," he murmured gently into my hair and I sighed. How I wished I didn't have to leave.
"Caithfidh mé, sa deireadh," I whispered back, looking up when he lifted his head to look at me.
We stared at each other for a long time before he led me over to his cot, and we sat down together. I leaned my head against his shoulder and his arm curled around my waist, drawing me into him.
"What's 'a mattah, Angel?" he murmured. "Why'd ya come?"
I frowned and closed my eyes. "Ya know I don't like her, Spot. Why let her stay here?"
He sighed and I felt it.
"I don't live to torture ya, Angel, but this is somethin' I gotta do," he said gently. "But she ain't me newsie."
I lifted my head and stared at him. "What?"
Spot frowned and looked away, taking his arm from around my middle. I sat up and frowned.
"What aren't you tellin' me, Sean?" I pressed. I didn't like secrets. Secrets were terrible things.
"She's been... spying on Johnny for me," he said reluctantly. "She's got an in there. Johnny likes her, I guess. So he don't s'pect nothin'."
"You mean… like a birdie?" I asked.
The birds weren't 'low class' in Brooklyn hierarchy, but they weren't too high up on the list, that's for sure. I wondered if Desiree knew that.
"Sorta. She only spies on him and then brings back the information to me. So yeah, guess she is." Spot looked over at me, frowning. "Word is that he's plannin' something. Didn't wanna scare ya, so I didn't tell ya. I've had a bird watch ya every single second after I found out."
I chewed my lip and looked away. I felt a wave of anger sweep over me. He had his birds watch me? What was I, seven? I didn't need policed. I balled my fists in my lap and glared at the floor. He noticed it, and placed a hand over my fists.
"I know ya don't like me lording over ya, but I gotta keep ya safe, Angel. I have to. I promised me dad I would," he said gently.
I'd never heard him use this tone with me. It was one you'd use to talk to a snarling dog when you wanted him to calm down and trust you.
I blinked. That got to me. "You promised your father you'd keep me safe?" I smiled a little up at him. "We were children."
He looked away, smiling wistfully. "Yeah, I know that. But I always hear me dad sayin' to me: 'Sean Albert Conlon, you look aftah that girl o' yours. Make sure she's healthy and happy and make sure nothin' bad ever happens to 'er again. You understand me, boy?'"
I laughed. "He called you by your full name and called you 'boy'? He must've been serious," I teased him and snuggled up close against him again when he laughed as well.
"He was," Spot agreed. "But I'm going to listen to him. No matter what, I am gonna keep you safe, Liss. Even if it means I gotta keep a bird on your trail."
I nodded slightly. I still didn't like that, but I made sense now. As long as I didn't see the birds, I would be all right. I knew they were there, but I wouldn't be looking over my shoulder for them at every turn. I hated feeling jumpy on the street. It was too much like back at home in Ireland, when I was terrified to get out of bed because I didn't want to be cornered by my handsy father who, somehow, always knew when I was awake.
"Spot?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you think Johnny would kill me?"
He looked down at me, probably surprised, but I didn't return his gaze. It was possibly the only thing that made me nervous. I didn't really want to die.
"Nah, don't worry, Angel. Johnny's too much of a coward," Spot said, a smile in his voice.
"I ain't worried," I grumbled. "Just… not happy."
"I know Desiree ain't the person ya woulda picked for this job," he said, leaning down to kiss my shoulder. "Hell, she ain't me favorite either, but I need her to know what Johnny's doin'. Can't have ya gettin' hurt over a fight between me and him."
I wanted to ask him what they were fighting about. It must have been a big deal. Spot was very serious about whatever it was that Johnny was planning to have to have the birds trailing my every move. I figured, though, it probably wasn't any of my business. I'd ask when it seemed important to know.
"I just thought I'd ask you myself, since I don't want her all over you and all that," I said quietly, embarrassed.
"Are ya jealous, Angel?"
I looked up at him and glared playfully at his self-satisfied smirk. Oh, he was such a bastard.
"No," I said seriously. "Nothing she has is worth me being envious of."
He laughed and gathered me in close, kissing the part in my hair. Well, at least he's happy, I thought dryly.
"Well, Angel, Queens is comin' tonight to play poker," he informed me. "How long were ya plannin' on stayin'?"
I snuggled into him gladly. "Oh, I dunno. Probably leave on Monday after sellin'."
"Good." He smiled at me. "'Cause tomorrow there's some shindig at Medda's. We should go together."
"Are ya askin' me on a date, Conlon?" I teased him.
"Like hell I am," he snapped playfully. "Why? Do ya want it to be a date?" he murmured against my ear.
I shrugged. "I guess we'll find out, won't we?"
He gave me a playful shove. "Damn minx!"
We decided to go to lunch after that, at Mary's Deli, which was beginning to become my favorite place. Nobody else went with us there; it was always just me and him. I wasn't sure it that was silly of me or not.
He slid his hand into mine and I suddenly felt a little foolish. He'd never held my hand before and it seemed kind of odd. I looked around at the distinguished couples that passed up and wondered.
"Spot, do you ever wonder what it would be like to be rich?" I asked him. He looked over at me, brow knotting together, probably because I'd pulled him from his own thoughts.
"Why?" was all he asked.
"Well, I was just wondering, since your father told you to make a good life for us. You know?"
Something like hurt flashed across his face but it was fleeting and gone when I blinked. It was surprising.
"Ya don't think this is a good life?" he asked so quietly I almost missed it.
I shook my head, frowning. "You misunderstand me, Sean. I just… wanted to know if you ever thought about it."
He looked away, possibly thinking but he was hideously quiet. It frightened me. Had I insulted him?
"Of course I thought about it," he said finally. "But I can't just drop everything with me boys, Angel." He pressed his lips together and I was sorry I'd opened my mouth. "Kinda thought this life was good enough for ya."
I stopped dead in my tracks, making him stop since his hand was laced with mine. He looked down at me with questions in his eyes.
"This life is the best I've ever known, Sean Conlon," I said quietly. "I don't need fancy clothes or hot food every day of my life."
"Then what do ya need, Lissa? Somethin' I can't give ya, I'm sure," he said, removing his hand from mine to take off his cap and run his fingers through his hair, exasperated.
I put my hands on my hips and stared up at him. "I need safety."
"Oh, yeah? And do ya got that from me?" His eyes flashed quietly.
I didn't flinch under his glare. I was not going to be intimidated.
"Yes," I said boldly. "I do have that from you."
His shoulders dropped a little and the ice was gone from his eyes. He looked away from me, frowning like he usually did.
"My father made me promise that I'd protect you at all costs," he said quietly. "And I will protect you, Alyssa. I can't let my father down."
"You have protected me," I encouraged quietly. "I've never felt so safe in my life, Sean."
"But you want somethin' I can't give ya. Like money and a big house and all."
I frowned, too. "I only want you."
He smiled but it didn't touch his eyes. He bent down to kiss my forehead and I followed quietly after him when he started walking again, back to the docks. I left him alone after that, preferring to throw stones into the river with Fire. We talked and got to know each other better, which was nice. And I learned I would meet her brother that night when Queens came to play, since he'd be back from the tracks with Race by then.
I admired Fire, to be perfectly honest. She was fiercely independent and Spot was right. She handed shit right back to the dirty-mouthed Brooklyn boys. One boy stuck his foot out to trip her and she shoved him in the water, clothes and all. It was funny. I wished so desperately that I could be like her.
Queens came with whisky and cards and it was a full on party. I had to admit that I was disappointed when I didn't see Piper, Iz and Charlie, since they'd come from Queens originally and Pip was a Queens newsie at heart, but I stuffed it down.
I embraced Fee when she found me through the throng and Patch and Spot spit-shook in greeting. I played poker with Fee and some of the boys and won three hands but it quickly got old, so I retreated to an old couch with Silver, sharing cigarettes with him with my legs thrown over his lap.
Desiree kept her distance, talking and flirting with some of the boys from Queens. The entire time, she made sure to stay on the other side of the room from wherever Spot was. Most everyone would've thought this was a good sign. Desiree was keeping good on her word about being over Spot but I wasn't convinced.
I was practically suspicious by nature of some things and this was one of those things. Who was she fooling? I wondered. Definitely not me. If anything, her staying so far away from him only tipped me off more that she was definitely not 'over' him.
And I was determined to prove to everyone how big of a phony she really was.
Ná fág arís - Don't leave again.
Caithfidh mé, sa deireadh - I have to, eventually.
So this chapter is my apology for bringing the last chapter so late. xD. No real OCs this chapter, but you all know which OC is yours. Thanks for letting me borrow them and play with them. xD.
If you like it, then review, friends. I love you all.
CTB!
xx Wicked
