Chapter 20-Drama
"Where's Vince?" Tej asked, back at the Toretto house, that same day.
"Vince? We have a guy that lives here named Vince?" Leon joked, flipping some sausage links he had put on the grill earlier.
"He's out with Megan. As usual." Roman grinned. "I'm sure Brian's enjoying the break." He coughed to hide the sarcasm, seeing as how Leon was there and that was his best friend.
"What the hell?" Tej asked, hearing what sounded like multiple cars squealing into the driveway. He walked to the wooden fence and looked over. It was Tiffany, Jesse, and another car he'd never saw before.
"Whoa. Tight ass car." Roman said, standing close behind Tej. The black cherry colored car was an Acura NSX that had flames on the hood that changed colors. The colors changed from black, dark red, red, and gold in respective order. Tej hadn't seen a car with so much detail and art like this one since he had left Miami.
"She's tight, Bro." Leon said, making his way out the side gate to go and introduce himself. When he got closer, he noticed other details on the car. In the flames on the hood was a girl dressed like the devil rising form the flames. He circled the car and took in more details. The name Tempest was painted just above the door handle and in the back window was a quote that said "Bad ass toys aren't just for boys". He laughed out loud and turned around, only to be starring into the girl's face.
"Problem with my car, Boy?" She raised an eyebrow, her arms folded.
"No." He said simply. "It's nice. I was just checkin it out." He held up his hands innocently.
"Nice? This is my baby, all decked out, and all you can say is nice?" She asked, looking him up and down. She wondered if she was intimidating him. "You got a name?" She asked.
"Leon. I take you to be Tempest." He guessed, fighting the urge to check out her body up close. When he looked her in the eyes she smiled slightly.
"That would be me. So, you know cars and you can read." She noted, loving that he was at a loss for words.
"Tempest, come on." Tiffany pulled her by the hand inside. She was shocked Tempest was even encouraging Leon. She had been in a long relationship and had sworn off dating and guys for a while.
"What's wrong with Jesse?" Dominic asked the two girls inside the kitchen.
"I gave him a Xanax." Tempest shrugged. Dominic stared at her coldly. He didn't take well to strangers, especially when they showed no fear of him.
"Why would you take it upon yourself to do that?" He asked dryly. He could tell by Tiffany's face expression something was up.
"It's a free world and he needed it." Tempest replied, wasting no time. She looked at Letty, who looked sick and sized her up.
"Hey Tiff." Brian walked in and kissed her. He had been upstairs and heard the bickering and had decided to come investigate.
"Sit down, Brian." Tiffany pulled away from him as he tried to put an arm around her. He looked at her uncertain of why she was acting like this.
"You didn't answer me. Do you race?" Leon whispered from behind Tempest, almost in her ear.
"That is for me to know and you to find out." She turned around and made it a point to whisper directly in his ear with a sly smile.
"Where's Jordan?" Brian asked, getting a bad feeling.
"Jesse and her went to the store. They got pulled over. I picked him up and they said they only brought one person in. Either she just disappeared in thin air or Tran is at it again." Tiffany forced the last part out. She didn't look at Brian's face or eyes.
"Hell no." Brian jumped up with his keys in hand.
"Brian, think this through. Please." Tiffany followed him outside.
"Why? So he can fucking kill her? I don't see you having a plan." He fired back.
"You didn't give me time to talk." Tiffany blocked the driver's side door.
"So, why are you here?" Dominic sized up Tempest critically.
"To help Tiff. She came and got me. I can go if you would like." She offered, her eyes staring straight into his. She was not backing down.
"Do whatever you want. I have things I have to take care of." He walked into the other room, felt Jesse's forehead, and sat down on the arm of the couch Jesse was sprawled out on. "What happened, Jess? I need to know." He sighed.
"They said I was driving alone. The cops were outta their area. Dom, I know Jordan was with me. The cops said I was on drugs and loosing my mind. I am so sorry, Dom." Jesse's voice shook with nervousness.
"Jess, I am not mad. It is gonna be fine. We'll find her. You can't help till you get some rest." Dominic patted him on the head as he drifted off to sleep.
"What are we gonna do, Dom?" Letty stood in the doorway. She was worried about Dominic. He looked as though his veins could burst at any moment.
"I don't have a clue, Letty. We can't even find the bastard to kill him, much less find her." Dominic put his head in his hands, miserable.
"Dom, don't give up when she needs you the most." Letty said softly, hugging him. That was the Letty he had known for so many years.
"You're what?!" Brian's eyes flashed in anger at Tiffany. "You're bailing? You're leaving? You've got to be joking." Brian stormed inside, slamming the door.
"I hope you ain't trippin on her. Keep in mind you can be replaced. She doesn't put up with bullshit." Tempest warned.
"Who the hell are you?" Brian paced angrily.
"Unfortunately, I was asked to come here and help you guys out. But, like I told Dominic, I know where the door is and I got no problems leaving." Tempest replied coolly.
"I don't even know you. You don't know my sister, so how do you think you can help us?" Brian folded his arms, not convinced.
"Do you always have to have things spelled out for you? Just let them ride. Here, have a chill pill." Tempest held out her hand with the same medicine she had given Jesse.
"Enough of your drugs. We are only tolerating you cause Tiff brought you here." Dominic flicked the tiny orange pill out of her hand angrily. It flew across the room and on the floor.
"You better check my references and take it up with Ice if you have a problem with me." Tempest challenged.
"Watch it. I might just do that." Dominic warned, pointing his finger at her threateningly.
"Here. I got him on speed dial." She handed him her cell phone that was already calling Ice in New York.
"I'm glad to see you didn't fight. Still haven't figured out who my eyes are?" Johnny asked in a singsong croon that made the words feel like a violent and violating caress.
"I'm not humoring you anymore. Or your sick games." Jordan stared him in the eyes.
"Really? I will slowly show you what I am all about." He smiled a gentle, terrible kind of smile.
"Why do you gotta be a bitch ass punk? You can't step up to my brother, to Dom, to anyone. You and your boys try to act like a wolf pack but you're really just a pack of cowards." Jordan glared at him. He hauled off and hit her square in the jaw. He grabbed her from behind and put his arm around her neck, choking her.
"You know it is funny, Jordan. Cause when you run with Toretto, you act all fearless. Take them away and look at what is left. Little bitty you. I will wear you down one way or another." He whispered in her ear chillingly.
"Why do you do this to me? Is it Brian and revenge for him? You can't seriously love me so much you keep doing this." Jordan choked out the words slowly, trying to take even, slow breaths as not to waste what little oxygen she had at the moment.
"Because I love you." He laughed, shoving her away from him and into a wall. "Getting back at your brother and Toretto is just a bonus." He grinned slyly.
"If you loved me, Johnny, you would want me to be happy. You would leave me the hell alone and get a life." Jordan rubbed her throbbing jaw. She started to get up off the floor.
"Are you questioning me, you little bitch?" He kicked her in the face and then the knee. "I thought I showed you what happens when you fuck with me." Johnny's face was red and his jaw was clenched tightly. "I promise you won't walk away from me this time." He vowed. He lost control and went off hitting her as hard as he could in any place his hand came into contact with.
"You trying to kill her so soon?" Lance asked when he walked in. He surveyed the room, his eyes quickly focusing on the pool of blood and the petite blonde laying in it. There was blood splattered on the wall he had thrown her up against earlier.
"Shut up or I'll make you clean it up." Johnny snapped.
"Is she alive? She knocked out cold." Lance checked Jordan's limp body for a pulse. Johnny looked at Lance, waiting for an answer. "There's a pulse. Damn, she is fucked up. No more coke for you." Lance joked, shocked at the damage his cousin had done in such short time.
"What the fuck am I going to do? I don't want to be nice and I don't want to kill her yet." Johnny lit a cigarette, still breathing hard.
"Better chain her ass up so she doesn't make a run for it." Lance advised.
"Nah, I am just gonna lock the door. She ain't waking up for a while." He locked the door, shaking it to verify it was indeed locked. He wiped his bloody knuckles on his jeans as they walked into the living room of the old country style house they were using. Several friends of his were there partying and hanging out.
"She alive, Man?" Max asked, looking at Johnny's blood splattered clothes.
"Who fucking cares? Is that the only damn question you all know how to ask?" Johnny's fists were clenched.
"If you kill her, you loose your power over Toretto and his team." Max shrugged.
"Chill. She's alive." Lance lightly kicked Max as a form of a warning. He knew the drug mixture Johnny was on could set him and his temper off at any time.
Hours had passed and Jordan woke up disoriented and pain radiating through her body. She tried to get up but couldn't quite accomplish it. The taste of blood in her mouth was making her sick to her stomach. She looked at the pool of blood she had been laying in and suddenly felt hot and dizzy. As much blood that was on that floor, she thought, she was dying from loss of blood. She cried out softly in frustration when she lifted her pants leg to see why her knee had sharp stabbing pains attacking her knee. Her knee was swollen and the kneecap looked like it had been put out of it's place. She heard the door unlock and contemplated what to do. She could pretend to be unconscious or just face him. She took a deep but painful breath, her eyes fixed on the door and who was behind it, with dread.
"You should have just stayed with our side and you wouldn't be in this mess." Lance was holding a syringe. "You would be better off." He shook his head, clicking his teeth.
"What is that?" Jordan eyed the needle, her knees drawn to her chest, wishing she could move her legs.
"Liquefied Heroin. It will make you feel better." He promised. She scooted away from him when he sat down beside her.
"I feel just fine." Jordan lied and objected.
"Really?" Lance put his hand on her 'broken' knee and squeezed it. She cried even though she had tried her best to not react. "That is what I thought. We can do this one of two ways. You can do it easily and just with me. Or, you can fight and I can call Johnny in here. Then you can deal with him." Lance reasoned as he held up the needle, thumping the air bubbles out of the syringe.
"Lance, please don't do this." Jordan begged desperately.
"Come on, Babe. It'll take away your pain." Lance put his arm around her. She shivered from his touch. "Give me your arm." He ordered, his tone harsher now. "Fine, I can call your man in here. Then, you'll be drugged and he can take advantage of you." Lance shrugged, unclipping his cell phone from his leather belt.
"Don't, please." Jordan held out her arm. Lance frowned as he looked at her bloody arm.
"Quit moving or I'll miss." He barked, tying off her arm to find a vein. A single tear fell down her bruised and bloodied face. She looked around at the room. It was a dark room, no windows, and the walls were a dingy, off white color. There was a bed and a couch. All else was bare. She studied the light blue plush carpet. She knew this room was where she was going to spend her last days of life. This is where she knew she would die.