Chapter Twelve: Getting Out Alive
There seems to be a kind of order in the universe...in the movement of the stars and the turning of the Earth and the changing of the seasons. But human life is almost pure chaos. Everyone takes his stance, asserts his own right and feelings, mistaking the motives of others, and his own.
Outsider POV
"Please, please, don't hurt me!" A man with light brown hair and light hazel eyes pleaded. He struggled to see through the darkness. Vince Williams had just been walking home from another late night when he had suddenly been snagged of the streets. He was punched no less then four time before being thrown into the back of a white van that then preceded to tear away from the curb.
"Stop sniveling," A cold voice ordered firmly.
Vince struggled to see who it was but couldn't tell. It was obviously a girl with those curves and that height. As she moved further into the one light that existed in the room Vince grew more confused. Who was this beautiful girl? A girl that looked like she could barely hurt a fly but with eyes like cold steel attesting to an entirely different state of being than her body did. Vince had never seen a girl so pretty and yet so dangerous. More so, he seemed to realize, and quickly so, he never wanted to see her again.
"Do you know why you're here, Williams?" The girl asked. Once again Vince was overcome by the girl's voice. It was silky but cold like ice. Her blue eyes locked on his scared hazel ones and he gulped…audibly.
"No, I've never seen you before in my life!" Vince pleaded.
"You haven't," The girl grinned a smile that was anything but friendly. "But you've seen him."
Suddenly a man with tattoos on his face emerged from the shadows looking at Williams. It all clicked for Vince. This was the Mercenaries of the Underworld's office. Oh, god, no outsider came in here and got out alive.
"It's all coming back to you know isn't it, Vinny?" The girl taunted. "I believe you owe me and my friends a few thousand dollars."
"Please, I'll get you the money," Vince pleaded with the girl suddenly relieved that she was the one who was here and not Billy Darley.
"You've had nearly a month," The girl corrected. "I've been more then kind and patience is not a virtue of mine."
"Please, I…I have a family!" Vince squealed. Surely, this girl would be compassionate to that.
But Vince was wrong the girl moved forward with the prowess of a lioness stalking prey and suddenly struck with a vicious backhand that left him seeing stars. But the girl wasn't done she smacked him again this time breaking his nose. He let out a loud squeak that was very surprising coming from a man of his height and build. The girl raised one red eyebrow and moved her hair, also red away from her face.
"You shouldn't do this shit if you have a fucking family!" The girl snarled. "Maybe I'll be putting them out of their misery."
Vince shook with fear. Not of the danger he put his family into, oh no. But because he was surely looking death in the face. If only he had never gone to work that one fateful day. He needed something to keep him awake and instead he got thrown into this nightmare. Now, he was leaving his wife Meredith and their small son behind because of one stupid moment of weakness.
"I don't even know who you are," Vince whispered.
"Maggie Dolan," The girl smirked.
Vince couldn't stifle the gasp that rushed from his parted lips. This girl was Maggie Dolan? The girl who was rumored to bring out the better side of Billy Darley, one of the fiercest gang lords in all of Boston. It couldn't be. That girl was compassionate where this one was cold and kind where this one was violent. He had heard that the Mercenaries had changed hands but he never realized things could ever go from bad to worse. The girl in front of him, Maggie had a gun dangling loosely from her fingertips. Her knuckles were cut and looked fairly swollen. There were bruises in the shape of handprints marking her upper arms where her tee shirt rode high. Maggie, the person who was going to kill him looked like the high school student that she was. A plain black tee shirt a hip hugging pair of jeans and converses on her feet. Her hair was worn up with a few stubborn pieces framing her face. This was his personal grim reaper.
"Get out his wallet," Maggie ordered sharply.
Two more men came out of the shadows pulling his wallet out of his back pocket.
"There's five hundred," One of the men reported.
"Is there a debit card?" Maggie asked politely still swinging her gun around in smooth, lazy circles.
"Yeah," The man replied.
"Go to the nearest ATM and withdraw as much as you can," Maggie commanded. "You, pin number, now."
"You're going to kill me anyway," Vince grumbled. "Why should I?"
Vince almost wished he hadn't spoken. A grin akin to that of the cat that ate the canary spread across Maggie's delicate features.
"Do you know how many ways there are to kill someone, Vinny?" Maggie asked walking towards him. "Hundreds if not thousands. Some are much, much more painful then others. For instance, I know shooting you in the shin wouldn't kill you but it would hurt something awful. Now, it's up to you Vince." Maggie stopped right in front of him lowering herself until her face was inches away from his. In any other situation he'd be aroused but in this situation he started trembling. "You chose which way you want to die. Slow and painful, if you don't cooperate or quick and easy."
Vince's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of world but no words came out. Maggie's eyebrows knit together in annoyance as she glared at him.
"I am not a patient, woman, Vincent, and you are trying my patience," Maggie warned lightly. "Now, you tell me what you want or I decide. You have five seconds."
Vince's brain stuttered to a stop as Maggie stepped back undoing the safety of the gun and pointing it at his right leg.
"Five."
"No, please," Vince pleaded.
"Four," Maggie continued.
"This isn't you!" Vince gasped.
"You. Don't. Know. Me," Maggie snarled. "Three."
"Oh, god," Vince cried. "Please!"
"Two," Maggie sighed glaring down at Vince who in any other situation would be looking down at her.
"425169!" Vince cried.
"If this is wrong…" Maggie threatened knowing that she didn't even have to make the threat to see it take effect. She turned to one of her henchmen and nodded her head back towards the exit. "You call me if it's wrong!" Maggie shouted after him.
"You got it!" The man replied.
The tension of the last five seconds was too much for Vince who slumped against the ropes that bound him to a chair. He was a shaking, sobbing mess. The number was right because he was too much of a coward to give her the wrong number. If he was going to die he wanted it to be quick. Every minute seemed like an hour to Vince who waited patiently for Maggie's phone to ring. When it did his heart seized and he thought that he might save Maggie Dolan the trouble and die right that second. It was a short conversation but Maggie seemed much more happy by the end of it.
"The number was right," Maggie smiled looking at me. "Wise decision, Vinny. And, because of that you'll be rewarded. We won't kill you."
"Maggie?" A guy questioned.
Maggie held up a hand before continuing to talk to me. "But if you tell anyone what happened tonight we will find you. There is nowhere you can go and nowhere you can hide where we can't find you."
"Thank you," Vince whispered.
"There's more," Maggie warned. "I want you out of Boston by tonight. Only you. You're family has done nothing wrong but you have. If any of us ever see you in our city again you'll be killed on the spot. Do you understand?"
"Completely."
"Boys, teach our friend here some manners," Maggie ordered. "Make sure he learns his lesson. Don't break anything."
Despite the three men that were coming at him as Maggie was leaving Vince was relieved. Maybe it was true what they said that Maggie did bring out the best in Billy Darley. She just seemed more hardened than he had previously thought. Whatever had occurred on the phone had been a blessing because it saved his life even though he was about to get his ass kicked at least he wasn't dead.
Maggie's Point of View
I walked down the hallway that held to the bright outside. Ever since I had made the prospects clean the office it had become a much or pleasurable place to spend time. In my hand was the brown canvas bag that was filled with the week's earnings as well as the money I had just gotten from Williams. I met Tommy at the corner where the ATM was putting that money in the bag as well as I made the drive to Bones' Body shop. I slid smoothly into the space that was always empty. I glanced fleetingly at the home before crawling between the gaps in the fences and avoiding the guard dog. I walked down the hallway and wasn't surprised to see Bones on his ass shined some guns.
He ripped the bag out of my hands when I was close enough and counted it quickly. His eyes brows went up in shock before he looked up at me. Bones wasn't much for compliments so instead he lovingly said, "We'd you get all this, you screwing around behind Nazi's back?"
I didn't bother replying knowing that it would do more harm than good. As if on queue he glared at me saying that I could get the fuck out of his sight now. I rolled my eyes before grabbing the bag back and striding out of the bodyshop. Was it wrong of me to hope that someone shot him soon? Yeah, I guess normally the answer would be yes but keep in mind he abused his two sons up until and even past the day they moved out of his house. Granted the only one he still abused was Billy but that didn't make it right or decent. Some people wondered how Billy turned out the way they did but people like Billy and I aren't born that violent and angry, oh no, we're made from enduring things most people couldn't handle in a lifetime and then some.
Billy's Point of View
The entire story read like something out of a horror movie. And, yet, a part of me couldn't help but be seriously impressed by Margaret Dolan. She could've cracked so many times but she had revolutionized the way that the Mercenaries were run. She had called on one of her contacts, which I was surprised to know was a girl, but she was one of the most vicious people I had ever heard about. Her name was Trinity Scott and she had been going after people who owed us money. She had been observing the former B Street members keeping them on their toes. Maggie, had also cleaned up the office. Or at least that was what Joe had told me. She had brought it back to what it once was. It was clean and had fresh coats of paint and it was also a place where some people could crash. Not only could some people now live they're our drugs would never be at risk for being stolen.
Despite my awe over what my girl had done a part of me was worried about her. She had been raped after all. And all these people from her past coming out of the woodwork could not be good for her. But she was handling it like a pro. Still, it was going to be a relief to go back to the way things use to be before. Since those assholes were a part of B Street, they were the last remaining ties that B Street had to its territory. B Street had been destroyed and dissolved and I had just gotten twice as much territory as I originally possessed, which meant more power in the long run.
I had been away from Southie for far too long. If you weren't from around here you wouldn't notice any differences but I had grown up here my entire fucking life and there was something seriously off about it. I had made Joe give me the keys to Heco's mustang forcing him to ride shotgun as he told me every single thing that had happened.
I pulled up to the apartment complex with only three things on my mind. The first was to finally see my girl. See if she was okay with my own eyes. The next two things were getting a decent meal and finally being able to shower in hot water and wear the clothes I wanted to wear. I moved through the apartment with practiced ease relived to find that nothing seemed out of place. I pushed open the door of the master bedroom and saw a flash of red hair. The rest of my girl seemed hidden under the black duvet that she had wrapped around herself.
I closed the door gently behind me and toed off my boots and placed my jacket on the table as I moved closer to the bed. I accidently stepped on the one creaky floorboard and that's when I realized it might've been a bad idea to come in unannounced because Maggie was many things and unfortunately paranoid and prepared were two of them. Suddenly Maggie lunged out of the bed and onto the floor keeping the bed in between us. That little pig sticker was in her hand as her eyes widened. Despite the situation I smiled. Some things would never change. You would never know how good Maggie was with a gun with the way she was dependant on that little knife.
"Billy?" Maggie whispered. Her voice sounded rougher than normal. Probably from sleeping with a hint of surprise.
"Hi, Mags," I smiled.
I didn't even realize that Maggie had moved before she had wrapped her arms around my waist holding me tightly. I allowed a small smile to grace my lips as I pulled her off her feet and captured my lips with hers. She opened her mouth willingly to me and wrapped her legs around my waist as her hands ran along my back, shoulders, and scalp where she had no doubt noticed the start of hair beginning to grow back. My heart tightened as I realized that her body was shaking with sobs. But every time I tried to pull away she merely tightened her hold.
"Never do this again," Maggie growled.
"I can't promise that, baby," I whispered.
This time she pulled away and pushed me down on the bed climbing on top of me.
"Baby what are you doing?" I groaned as she ground her hips into mine.
She didn't answer as she pulled off her shirt and I finally got a good look at her. She seemed more sculpted then she had when I left. But there was a deep bruise on her side. Her hands laid on my chest and she kissed me firmly. I moved us so that she was on the bottom and I pulled off my shirt and my pants before slipping Maggie's pants off her legs. I kissed one of her legs before biting and nibbling at her stomach. Her hands fluttered over my head before landing on my shoulders and holding on for dear life. She groaned in pleasure as I brought my mouth back up to hers sucking and biting, gently on her lower lip. Her legs were spread as I rested in between them.
"I need you," Maggie rasped. "Now."
I grinned taking the order to heart I thrust into her with one swift movement moaning at finding her soaking. I kissed her again biting the fragile skin on her neck as she arched up. She was a truly beautiful and she was all mine. I gasped as her inner walls tightened around me providing the last push I needed to be thrown off the edge.
We had both fallen asleep. Although I was semi conscious as I took in how good it felt just to hold Maggie in my arms again. Nothing else seemed wrong with her as I allowed myself to check over her more thoroughly then before. There were a few bruises on the surface but I had no clue how she was going on the inside. I flinched in surprise and annoyance as the bedroom door suddenly flew open slamming against the wall. Maggie reacted before I could which surprised me because she normally slept like the dead.
"Hey!" Maggie snapped. "How many fucking times have I told you guys to fucking knock first?"
Her hair stuck up on end and her dark blue eyes were flashing dangerously. She had another knife in her hand and it made me wonder exactly how many knives she had laying around. I rested against the headboard as I looked at my best friend, Bodie, who just shook his head at my girl .
"Sorry, Mags," Bodie grimaced. "Nice to see you out of the tombs, man."
"Thanks," I smirked.
"Mags, you should get to school," Bodie replied. "They called a few days ago saying that you were missing to much."
"There's other things that are more important," Maggie sighed. "We've gone over this, Bodie."
"Mags, I got this, you go to school," I responded rubbing her back..
She looked at me in surprise before slipping out of the bed and shrugging into jeans and a sweatshirt. I looked between Bodie and Maggie in confusion. Normally Maggie liked school, well, as much as anyone could like high school but she was acting like I was suggesting she go shoot off a hand. She came back and kissed me before grabbing her backpack and pounding on Joe's door. Judging by Joe's groans her pounding was very unwelcome. Five minutes later I saw my brothers lanky frame stumbling out of the apartment after my force of nature girlfriend.
"Thank god you're back, dude," Bodie shook his head. "Maggie's a strong girl but she's changed and not in a good way."
"She feels the same to me," I shrugged.
"Naw, man, she's colder," Bodie argued. "Her temper's as short as yours is and she's much more violent. You gotta see what she did to Heco."
"What did she do to Heco?" I asked.
"Heco get in here!" Bodie shouted.
My eyes widened in shock as I took in Heco's appearance. He had a black eye and a busted lip it wasn't the worst he had ever had at the same time it looked rather painful. Maggie had small hands she could probably have actually punched Heco's eye instead of the area around it.
"What did you do?" I asked.
"Didn't show up to a corner, she had to pick up my shift." Heco muttered.
"You let Maggie hit you?" I asked.
"Let?" Heco scoffed. "It was either let her put her fist in my eye or let her shoot me in the shoulder."
"Jesus," I grimaced.
My eyes widened as I looked between the two people I had known since childhood. "What else has happened since I've been locked up?"
Maggie's Point of View
It was ridiculous for me to feel this way. I didn't even want to be the leader of the Mercenaries. I never wanted to lead a gang especially one as big as the Mercenaries. But if I didn't want it then why was I acting like this. I couldn't believe this but I missed it. I missed the power it brought me. Being Billy's girlfriend brought me protection but being the leader brought me respect and power. People who didn't even know me respected me fearful of what might happen to them otherwise. That might bother most people as that isn't a positive reaction in most circles but Southie wasn't like most. The more fear people had the more you were respected, the more you were respected, the more power you had.
"Ms. Dolan, are you with us?" My math teacher, Ms. Marks growled
"No," I muttered.
The entire class turned around and looked at me wide eyed. The teacher was just as shocked as my classmates taking a few minutes to recover before pointing in the direction of the hallway. I gathered my stuff and strode out of the classroom feeling Joe's eyes burning into my back. I didn't go to the Principals office like the teacher had suggested instead taking on of the back exits out of the school moving quickly down the street.
I think this spoke volumes of how much I changed. Before I would never miss school. School provided the only sense of normalcy I could ever have but now I hated to go. There was so much better things I could be doing. It wasn't like I was going to college why would I continue to waste my time by going to school every day. I had pulled my phone out and was dialing Bodie's number before I even realized that I had moved.
"Baby girl?" Bodie asked
"Can you pick me up?" I responded.
"What about school?" Bodie questioned.
"It doesn't matter anymore," I whispered.
"I'll be right there," Bodie sighed.
As I pulled my hand away I was surprised to realize I was crying. Well, that wasn't the reaction I was expecting. What was happening to me? Ten minutes later a black mustang with red tribal signs swerved around the corner fishtailing before stopping harshly right next to me. When I moved to get in it wasn't Bodie who had driven but Billy and the look on his face was anything but pleased.
"Hey, Billy," I smiled cautiously.
"Get in," Billy growled.
I threw the door open and buckled my seatbelt before Billy gunned the engine moving the mustang into traffic. I sighed and crossed my arms watching Billy out of the corner of my eye. And then I looked around and noticed that he was taking me to the office. Confusion flashed in my features before wiping clean only hours before this was my office. 'Temporarily,' my mind corrected. "It was yours temporarily." Billy parked the car next to the white delivery van, which, I noticed idly shouldn't be out front in the first place. Billy got out of the car moving quickly up the stairs as his leather jacket billowed out behind him. I got out of the car throwing my backpack into the trunk as I walked up the stairs and down the hallway that Billy had just disappeared down. I was moving past the chapel when a hand suddenly seized me around the back of the neck pulling me into the chapel. I growled trying to pull the hand off me even though I'd know that enormous hand anywhere.
"What is going on with you, Maggie?" Billy demanded pushing me down on the front pew.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I growled folding my arms.
"You punched Heco," Billy responded. "You set someone on fire. You killed two people. You're not going to school. These characteristics are not the Maggie I know."
"You wanted me to run the gang, Billy," I shrugged. "And I did."
"This isn't what I wanted," Billy fumed."
"Yes, it is," I groaned. "And I realized a few things along the way. So, I can stop wasting my time."
"School isn't a waste of time," Billy spat.
"Says the person who dropped out the first chance they got," I responded. "That's bullshit, Billy."
"I wasn't cut out for school," Billy grumbled. "But you are. You're smart, Mags. You can do so much better than all of this!"
"I don't want better than this!" I shouted. "I want you. Don't you understand that? I did all of this for us!"
"You murdered two people," Billy shouted.
"Technically I tortured two people," I replied.
"Maggie," Billy scolded.
"Like you can cast that stone! You're saying you haven't killed anyone for me. Do the names Tim Deegan and Mr. Cabot ring any bells? " I growled. "Those fuckers raped me, Billy. They completed what they couldn't all those years ago. They raped me and you weren't here to help me so I dealt with it. And I'd do it in the exact same way! So, don't you go all guilt tripping on me because I did what I had to do."
"How can you say that?" Billy demanded. "What happened to you?"
"My life happened to me, Billy!" I shouted. "Don't you see I'm tired of always being the victim and I know somewhere you understand that. Please, Billy, I need you to understand."
Billy for once and at the worst possible time seemed to have nothing to say. My eyes watered with tears I refused to shed as I moved out of the chapel weaving past random Mercenary members before I hit the street. I moved away from the Office having no idea where I was going but knowing I had to go somewhere…anywhere.
When I heard the roar of a mustang engine I laughed through the tears that I had refused to acknowledge. The mustang moved in front of me effectively cutting me off as Billy jumped out of the Driver's seat. Unlike the last time this happened I didn't run away instead ducking my head down avoiding eye contact completely. Billy's shoe's replaced my view of the street and I felt a calloused finger tip tilt my chin up before he softly kissed me. I sighed as his arms wrapped around me. I knew not of a comfort more effective then being wrapped in Billy's arms. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against mine his breathing was slightly heavy.
"I understand," Billy whispered his voice husky before he captured my lips once more.
Look into her eyes,
You can see she's crying out.
She can hide behind her smile
But you can see the pain of doubt
You can see the pain of doubt.
And if you hold her close.
You could feel the brokenness inside.
You would know she feels alone.
She feels empty.
Author's Note: Okay, so the first written version of this sorta lacked something, I'll admit but I'm a little tired of getting no reviews for chapters. So, in keeping with what I've been doing, no new chapters in this story or Craving Oblivion until I get some reviews. All's fair in love and war especially since a certain author already knows how both of those end. *grins*
Love,
Beccatdemon13 (PS, this was supposed to be posted a week ago until fanfiction decided to be a douchebag.)
