Chapter 11

The Torrens sisters gabbed on about the latest decorations of the club they were going to. Francis did not speak much just nodded as they talked. Bubbles sat in the back seat straightening than straightening again the long sleeved shirt he had on. Julian sat next to Francis sipping his drink without response to anything. They turned and the sister driving pared it waving to the valet waiting with a casual ease. "Thank fuck...I hate trying to park. It'll make it easier when we leave here...Francis don't worry Angelo will be thrilled to be done...several of his clients were disappointed at the rumors.."

"Rumors?" Francis heard Bubbles speak and looked at the second sister shaking her head. "I don't care….what good will rumors do me...I just want him to give up and let me go with what I deserve.."

"Babe if I were you..I'd take everything...but then you know me...one man at a time..it's a slow pace for girl living fast.." The second sister winked at Julian as she got out straightening the impossibly short skirt she was wearing. Francis opened her door and climbed out smoothing down the material of her dress well aware the bouncer had half fallen over to greet her. It was strange...familiar but different than what she had wanted. She smiled politely as she looked back waiting for the two men.

"Are they all with you Mrs. Simon?"

"Francis...fuck that Frankie. Call me Frankie okay Tony?" The man nodded immediately letting them inside ignoring the waiting dozens all talking quickly and excitedly. Julian took another drink of his glass as he walked well aware of the gun tucked into the back of his jeans. The place was huge in the former packing building. There were two visible floors of people all drinking and laughing with the echoes of a rap song bumping through. The Torrens sisters lagged behind gossiping with a couple other girls pointing at Francis as she moved by in excited whispers. It was easy there...at one time she could have spent days in the endless party of it all. It felt fraudulent...a cover story for a life that had soured. She breathed out nervously as she spotted a bouncer motioning back to the back stairs. Yes…

"The room we're going to has one exit..one entrance.." She leaned over close enough to whisper it to Julian trying hard not to get lost in that scent. He looked at her than she pulled away walking back to repeat the words to Bubbles.

"This isn't going to get.."

"I don't know Bubs...hard to tell where this could go.." Francis watched Julian stop as the bouncer motioned Francis forward. She walked with as much confidence as she could muster looking as the man motioned to them.

"Mrs. Simon I was told to only allow you and your lawyer.."

"Look James...I understand his orders I do...but do you really expect me to go in and expect this to go on without having someone to make sure I get out?" She leaned against the wall motioning up the stairs. "I have a little girl that needs me to come home without the bullshit preventing that.."

The man looked over at Julian than Bubbles a moment obviously considering it. He looked back to the woman and shrugged. "Seriously….I can think of ten guys that would have done this out of loyalty Mrs.."

"Loyalty is bought and sold pretty easily for him...and they're here as my friends." He looked back than shrugged motioning to someone near the entrance. She didn't move and he looked back to her than motioned his head to the stairs slightly.

"Well...whose to stop you if I go smoke..and it takes him a minute to get here huh?"

"Thank you.." She smiled with delight as the man left and she began up the stairs the two following after her. Bubbles was the first to the top and the muscled man there looked at him eyebrow raised than to Julian than to Francis. He seemed to be considering than shrugged and opened the door.

Inside was a large desk. The walls had posters of various musical artists many of which were signed. The music felt far away though the bass pounded through the walls a reminder of their location dull and pounding. Angelo was smoking at the desk with his lawyer beside him as well as another bodyguard who appeared to be watching out a small window. He looked out considering the customers but glanced at them than away.

"Where's Mr. Lewis?" She looked around for her lawyer shot down that he wasn't there. Her husband breathed out with an amused noise and motioned to the window.

"He stepped out with a lovely new artist I'm trying to sign….he's quite the ladies man...no wonder he agreed to play in this sham…" He looked over the papers before him breathing out smoke. "Fuck...you shoot to kill don't you Francis? Baby baby...if you had showed this kind of ability to fuck people over earlier you'd have made more use to me than smiling stupidly the last few years.."

"Don't talk to her like that you greasy bastard!" Bubbles' voice startled Angelo for a moment as he looked at who had cut him short with a laugh.

"Wow...just wow. I mean...seriously I thought you might come packing but...you choose...this to protect you?" He looked as if he were going to fall over as he laughed and the woman smacked her fist against the table.

"Look. If he helps me or not I can hire another lawyer...several if I wanted. You know what I know...the shit I can throw out and ruin you. I just want sole custody of Layla and the half that I deserve from this. You know I deserve more than that."

He stopped and the moment she was quiet the man by the wall pulled a gun. It snapped into two and from behind her she knew that Julian had pulled his. Bubbles made a noise but she felt he had moved to behind her as well. The room was silent with the pounding bass the only noise for a few moments. Angelo tapped his fingers against the desk his expression one of thought.

"You see...you don't. I can't set such a bad example...but hell the whole blackmail angle? That was bolder than I thought you'd ever pop off...hell I'd bet my sister that you weren't going to even remember the first meeting with my lawyers much less the shit you've been pulling. I have some papers in my desk. I'll just let you sign them...than you simply agree to give up...get your sole custody apart from Father's day obviously...have an image to pop up with..and I'll give you ten percent of what you think you deserve.."

"Ten fuckin percent? Jesus Murphy you had that grease hog stalking her with a camera!"

Angelo froze and looked back to Bubbles than began to laugh again. It only lasted a moment; than the first shot went off. Julian had felt the gun in his hand removed and looked as Francis held it up towards her ex husband the shot above his head went through a painting of himself. A bodyguard shot up the stairs his gun pointed to her but she didn't even react. Bubbles flung himself against the bodyguard who pushed him off than was pushed back down in a scuffle that seemed to echo down the stairs.

"I want everything I asked for. This isn't a cute stunt...and I'm not some hosebag. I have more than you think...I have the dvd from our security cameras...I have the video and it could be released anytime…"

"My sister already.."

"I gave that to her to make sure you knew it existed. It wasn't the only copy I'm not fucking stupid. Julian give him my papers now."

Julian watched her than looked back to be sure they were clear before setting the papers she had given him earlier on the desk. Angelo brandished his gun lifting it pointing back towards Julian with an amused grin.

"Well...is it worth it if I pop off Trailer Guard number one?"

Francis froze. He laughed and cocked the gun arching his head as he looked back towards the two of them grinning. "Shit...so is this my trashy replacement?"

"That guy….with the glasses is totally in trouble are you all done here? Angelo don't be an asshole you promised me you'd talk about recording.."

The shot echoed harder than the first. The Torren sister screamed than the second ran up the stairs joining at the sight. Julian rubbed his head where it had hit the floor and looked at where Angelo stood stupidly his gun clanking against the table. Francis was on the floor inches from Julian the dress glimmering dully where the blood pooled down from her shoulder. She stared stupidly at Julian her chest heaving as she tried to put together what had happened. The dark haired man wrapped an arm around her pulling her up and the gun from her hand pointing it at her husband who still seemed shocked.

"Sign the fucking papers…" Frankie's voice came in small heaving noises as he drug her back into the still whimpering girls.

"Let's get the fuck out of here and grab Bubs.."

"I gave him the key tag already.."

"Fuck…"

"Jesus Frankie….I didn't know Angelo was that bad an aim...I'm totally glad I only hit that before you did...I think.."

"Thanks...I appreciate that...just take me home…" Francis cringed as Bubbles attempted to sew her shoulder up where it had grazed her unable to look up.

"We can do this another way.."

"I know what I need to do...and it's going to be trashy as fuck.." Francis said looking at Julian than away. "I can do it...you guys don't need to fuck with this.."

"Ah Francis...Ricky gets shot all the time and we're still friends with him…"