TITLE: Running CHAPTER 12 of many chapters
AUTHOR: Daaasl
RATING: R for violence and sex
DISCLAIMER: The characters of Dominic, Leon, Vincent, Mia, Brian, Jessie
and Letty belong the film company. All the other characters
are mine all mine, though. Any copyright infringement is unintended.
ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know.
FEEDBACK: Please. I like to know what you think. But be gentle
with me.
Leon's POV
I shut the door to my room, leaving Sarah drunk, hot and horny. If it had been some skank from the party, I probably -- No, I DEFINITELY would have fucked her, right there, standing up! But Sarah was different. She wasn't interested in me just because I knew Dom, or had a connection to the racing scene. Shit. She didn't even realize just how big the family was around here. She was too pure for me to pounce.
God, I didn't know why, but I didn't want her just for a quick fuck. I couldn't live with myself if I used her like that. I shook off my thoughts, and went downstairs to find Brian and Dom sitting in the kitchen. Brian missed most of our previous action, but I knew he had been filled in on the information.
"Yo, Dawg. Whatcha got for me?" I said, as I pulled 3 Coronas out of the fridge for us.
"Sit down." was all Dom said. I knew by the tone in his voice, that whatever Brian had found out, I didn't want to hear. Finally Brian spoke up.
"I ran the name you gave me Leon. Anthony Perello; 27 years old; turns out to be the son of the late Frank Perello; Cappo for the Genovese crime family in New York from 1984-1995."
My heart dropped, and my eyes grew wide. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Reputed local gangster." continued Brian. "He has his hands in just about everything, from numbers and loan sharking, to grand theft auto. He runs a few chop shops in the NY/NJ area."
"Dawg, this-" I blurted.
"Let Brian finish" Dom cut me off.
"He has a rap sheet as long as my arm. He's been arrested for everything, all the way from misdemeanor shoplifting up to racketeering.
"What about violent crimes?" I had to ask.
"2 arrests for simple assault when he was a juvie -- One when he was 21, but nothing since."
"She never reported him, Leon." Dom pointed out.
"Would you?" I slammed my hand on the table. "She's scared to death of him!"
"Yeah, and knowing these mafia types, he probably had half the department on his payroll." Brian added. "She had nowhere to go." My blood started to boil.
"Even if she'd had him arrested, he would have made bail the same night." I rationalized
"Coming right back for her." Dom said, finishing my thought
"Exactly." Brian agreed. "But she isn't involved with any of his shit, is she?"
"Well, she told Mia she used to run the books at his shops. So technically yeah. She was involved." Dom stated.
" YOU try saying 'No' to a guy like that." I attacked
"I would have." replied Dom.
"You're not Sarah!"
The banter stopped. When Brian spoke up again he said, "The only way you're going to know, is if you ask her. Her name only appears as a girlfriend, and from the report, she was one of many."
"Mia made it sound like she thought they were exclusive." I puzzled.
"She probably never knew." Dom said
"I can't believe it! I exploded. "That son-of-a-bitch beat the shit outta her, locked her up in the house, and then would go out and fuck anything moving. GOD DAMNIT!"
My chair flew back across the floor as I jolted out of my seat. I was so angry I couldn't sit still. I flew out of the kitchen and into the backyard, my fists clenched and my arms shaking with rage. ANTHONY. That was the new name of my personal devil.
"If he comes looking for her. I'll kill him." I said to Dominic as he stepped down off the back porch.
"Leon?"
"No, Dawg. I don't want to hear it."
"This is bigger then we can handle Leon."
"FUCK YOU DOM! Every time you have ever wanted me to do something for you, I did it. No question's asked. And now, when I need you at my back, you pull this shit. You're kicking her out!"
"Leon, I-"
"Fuck that. I'm out too then. I'll pack my shit tomorrow! I-"
"LEON!" His sudden roar of rage caught me off guard. I froze in place and stared at him in fury. The stare down that took place between the two of us would have killed anyone caught in the crossfire.
"You - are - not - going - anywhere. Neither is Sarah. Just calm the fuck down and talk to her Leon. Shit. You are probably the only one she will talk to anyway."
My anger didn't pass. I felt the rage still boiling in my veins. I held Dom's eyes steady in my glare.
"Leon. Dawg. She's not your-"
"Mother! Is that what you want to say, Dom? I know she's not my mother, but when I see Sarah, I see her there too.
"Don't you think I know that? What the hell do you think I've been talking about since she got here? I could see it in your eyes. But Leon, she's not your problem."
"I've already made it my problem." I stated flatly
"Think of everything you have worked for, with us here Leon. Are you willing to throw all of that away on her? You don't even really know this girl."
"Just like we didn't know Brian!"
Dom's face turned cold. "Leon." he said, warning me.
"No Dom. "We always trust you to make the right decisions, and sometimes you don't. I'm telling you Dawg. We can't just give up on this girl."
Dom quietly let everything register, then nodded slowly.
"You talk to her Leon."
"I swear I will, but I'm not gonna push at her."
"You may have to push a little Leon. We need to know what we are dealing with here. This isn't some street fight. This is Mafia we're talking about. We're not making any moves until we know what's going on. This shit is no joke, Leon."
"I know Dawg. I know."
Dom went back in the house, but I was too out of it to return to the house just yet. I sat on the hood of my car that was still in the backyard from earlier in the night. I pulled out my Newports, lit a stick and dragged on it deeply. My tension slowly started to ease. After the cigarette, I walked back inside, took a quick shower, and returned to my room. Sarah was fast asleep in my tee shirt, curled on her side. Her hair, over her face, hid the bruises around her eye and mouth. I sat down on the edge of the bed and just watched her sleeping for awhile. How many nights had she slept alone, battered and bruised, while Anthony was out whoring around?
My thoughts drifted back to my mother. My father beat my mom and I both. There was never any particular reason. He usually started by slapping me around and she would try to defend me. Then he would turn on her and beat her until she couldn't move. Mostly he beat her the worst. I remembered the broken bones; the blood and the bruises. I was about twelve when one day I guess she couldn't take it anymore. She had just barely healed up from one of the worst beatings he'd ever given her and I guess she could see he was working his way up to another one. She split with out a note -- not a goodbye or anything. She left me there alone to defend myself the best I could. I hated her so much for that. I escaped by running off myself, when I was thirteen, and I had never been able to forgive her for abandoning me like she did.
Now, I began to see my mother's side of the story, through Sarah. I felt some of the bitterness slowly wash away from my soul. I couldn't blame my mom for leaving like she did. Now I could see how terrified she had been. She was trying to save herself. She was scared to take me with her. Maybe she was afraid I would slow her down, and then Dad would find her and finally kill her. Maybe she thought if she ran away Dad might even beat me less. Fear can make you crazy. It makes your rational thought process become so warped, you can't think right.
I slid slowly and quietly into bed and snuggled up against Sarah. Instinctively she reached for my arm and pulled it over herself. It was if my arm was her protector. I felt her warmth, and smelled her hair. I pulled her in tighter to me, and closed my eyes. It felt so right with her next to me. I swore that night, I would never let anyone hurt her like that again.
Leon's POV
I shut the door to my room, leaving Sarah drunk, hot and horny. If it had been some skank from the party, I probably -- No, I DEFINITELY would have fucked her, right there, standing up! But Sarah was different. She wasn't interested in me just because I knew Dom, or had a connection to the racing scene. Shit. She didn't even realize just how big the family was around here. She was too pure for me to pounce.
God, I didn't know why, but I didn't want her just for a quick fuck. I couldn't live with myself if I used her like that. I shook off my thoughts, and went downstairs to find Brian and Dom sitting in the kitchen. Brian missed most of our previous action, but I knew he had been filled in on the information.
"Yo, Dawg. Whatcha got for me?" I said, as I pulled 3 Coronas out of the fridge for us.
"Sit down." was all Dom said. I knew by the tone in his voice, that whatever Brian had found out, I didn't want to hear. Finally Brian spoke up.
"I ran the name you gave me Leon. Anthony Perello; 27 years old; turns out to be the son of the late Frank Perello; Cappo for the Genovese crime family in New York from 1984-1995."
My heart dropped, and my eyes grew wide. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Reputed local gangster." continued Brian. "He has his hands in just about everything, from numbers and loan sharking, to grand theft auto. He runs a few chop shops in the NY/NJ area."
"Dawg, this-" I blurted.
"Let Brian finish" Dom cut me off.
"He has a rap sheet as long as my arm. He's been arrested for everything, all the way from misdemeanor shoplifting up to racketeering.
"What about violent crimes?" I had to ask.
"2 arrests for simple assault when he was a juvie -- One when he was 21, but nothing since."
"She never reported him, Leon." Dom pointed out.
"Would you?" I slammed my hand on the table. "She's scared to death of him!"
"Yeah, and knowing these mafia types, he probably had half the department on his payroll." Brian added. "She had nowhere to go." My blood started to boil.
"Even if she'd had him arrested, he would have made bail the same night." I rationalized
"Coming right back for her." Dom said, finishing my thought
"Exactly." Brian agreed. "But she isn't involved with any of his shit, is she?"
"Well, she told Mia she used to run the books at his shops. So technically yeah. She was involved." Dom stated.
" YOU try saying 'No' to a guy like that." I attacked
"I would have." replied Dom.
"You're not Sarah!"
The banter stopped. When Brian spoke up again he said, "The only way you're going to know, is if you ask her. Her name only appears as a girlfriend, and from the report, she was one of many."
"Mia made it sound like she thought they were exclusive." I puzzled.
"She probably never knew." Dom said
"I can't believe it! I exploded. "That son-of-a-bitch beat the shit outta her, locked her up in the house, and then would go out and fuck anything moving. GOD DAMNIT!"
My chair flew back across the floor as I jolted out of my seat. I was so angry I couldn't sit still. I flew out of the kitchen and into the backyard, my fists clenched and my arms shaking with rage. ANTHONY. That was the new name of my personal devil.
"If he comes looking for her. I'll kill him." I said to Dominic as he stepped down off the back porch.
"Leon?"
"No, Dawg. I don't want to hear it."
"This is bigger then we can handle Leon."
"FUCK YOU DOM! Every time you have ever wanted me to do something for you, I did it. No question's asked. And now, when I need you at my back, you pull this shit. You're kicking her out!"
"Leon, I-"
"Fuck that. I'm out too then. I'll pack my shit tomorrow! I-"
"LEON!" His sudden roar of rage caught me off guard. I froze in place and stared at him in fury. The stare down that took place between the two of us would have killed anyone caught in the crossfire.
"You - are - not - going - anywhere. Neither is Sarah. Just calm the fuck down and talk to her Leon. Shit. You are probably the only one she will talk to anyway."
My anger didn't pass. I felt the rage still boiling in my veins. I held Dom's eyes steady in my glare.
"Leon. Dawg. She's not your-"
"Mother! Is that what you want to say, Dom? I know she's not my mother, but when I see Sarah, I see her there too.
"Don't you think I know that? What the hell do you think I've been talking about since she got here? I could see it in your eyes. But Leon, she's not your problem."
"I've already made it my problem." I stated flatly
"Think of everything you have worked for, with us here Leon. Are you willing to throw all of that away on her? You don't even really know this girl."
"Just like we didn't know Brian!"
Dom's face turned cold. "Leon." he said, warning me.
"No Dom. "We always trust you to make the right decisions, and sometimes you don't. I'm telling you Dawg. We can't just give up on this girl."
Dom quietly let everything register, then nodded slowly.
"You talk to her Leon."
"I swear I will, but I'm not gonna push at her."
"You may have to push a little Leon. We need to know what we are dealing with here. This isn't some street fight. This is Mafia we're talking about. We're not making any moves until we know what's going on. This shit is no joke, Leon."
"I know Dawg. I know."
Dom went back in the house, but I was too out of it to return to the house just yet. I sat on the hood of my car that was still in the backyard from earlier in the night. I pulled out my Newports, lit a stick and dragged on it deeply. My tension slowly started to ease. After the cigarette, I walked back inside, took a quick shower, and returned to my room. Sarah was fast asleep in my tee shirt, curled on her side. Her hair, over her face, hid the bruises around her eye and mouth. I sat down on the edge of the bed and just watched her sleeping for awhile. How many nights had she slept alone, battered and bruised, while Anthony was out whoring around?
My thoughts drifted back to my mother. My father beat my mom and I both. There was never any particular reason. He usually started by slapping me around and she would try to defend me. Then he would turn on her and beat her until she couldn't move. Mostly he beat her the worst. I remembered the broken bones; the blood and the bruises. I was about twelve when one day I guess she couldn't take it anymore. She had just barely healed up from one of the worst beatings he'd ever given her and I guess she could see he was working his way up to another one. She split with out a note -- not a goodbye or anything. She left me there alone to defend myself the best I could. I hated her so much for that. I escaped by running off myself, when I was thirteen, and I had never been able to forgive her for abandoning me like she did.
Now, I began to see my mother's side of the story, through Sarah. I felt some of the bitterness slowly wash away from my soul. I couldn't blame my mom for leaving like she did. Now I could see how terrified she had been. She was trying to save herself. She was scared to take me with her. Maybe she was afraid I would slow her down, and then Dad would find her and finally kill her. Maybe she thought if she ran away Dad might even beat me less. Fear can make you crazy. It makes your rational thought process become so warped, you can't think right.
I slid slowly and quietly into bed and snuggled up against Sarah. Instinctively she reached for my arm and pulled it over herself. It was if my arm was her protector. I felt her warmth, and smelled her hair. I pulled her in tighter to me, and closed my eyes. It felt so right with her next to me. I swore that night, I would never let anyone hurt her like that again.