CH.4
It was already a week that she was working for the Toretto's. In the morning at the bar, in the afternoon she went to the garage cleaning. She liked the work at the bar. Mia came later in the morning because she finally had the time to study and Anastasia had no problem with it, also because, no one came!
"Hy Anastasia!" said Mia coming in with some books under her arm followed by Bryan.
"Bryan. Mia. How's the study?" asked Annie.
"Don't talk me about it! There are all that Latin terms here and I don't understand them all!" said the girl sadly.
Annie smiled. "Need an help?". "You know about medicine?" asked surprised Mia.
"No, no! But I do know Latin and maybe I can help you" explained Annie.
Mia smiled happily: "Ok!" she opened the book and started to ask her lot of terms. Annie translated her most of them.
"Wow! You're great! You know all the meanings!" said Mia after a while astonished.
"Where did you learn this?" asked Bryan eating his tuna sandwich. Anastasia looked immediately uneasy, she didn't want to answer.
"C'mon! You can try to hide yourself from Dom, but I've been a cop, and I do know when there's something else behind" said Bryan stopping to eat and staring her. "You're educated, you talk very well." he added. Mia looked at her with a questioning look.
She looked at them undecided, then sighed deeply. "Ok. But this will remain between us, you promise!" said Annie. They nodded silently.
"My father is English, as you already know. My mother is Italian. What you don't know, is that he's one of the most important diplomatic appointment to the English embassy in Italy. I studied to become a diplomatic, since I was 13 years old as well as my dad. The car is a gift of my family. I'm here in US because we quarrelled about my future, so I told to my father, I would have taken some time to take decision for my life". She breathed remembering their talk, it hadn't been easy. "He gave me some money, allowed to take the car with me and here I am, proving myself that I worth something." She breathed remembering all the scene then, continued: "My dad has a work and a marriage for me, for when I'll be back" she shook her head sadly.
"And you want all that?" asked Bryan. Annie shook slowly her head.
"You couldn't simply say no?" asked Mia.
Annie shook her head sadly again.
"You love that man?" asked softly Mia.
"I know him and I hate him. He'll marry me only because of my position" she explained, her gaze lost in the emptiness. Lost in her thoughts. "I'm like an object . . . " she ended thoughtfully taking a deep breath. An heavy silence invaded the bar.
"Why you didn't want us to know" asked suddenly Bryan.
"Because I didn't know if you would have accepted me however. This team looked so close in itself and I really wanted to be part of it." explained Annie.
"Please, promise me you won't tell this to anyone. This is a secret" said Annie to both of them.
"Don't worry, we'll say nothing" said Bryan. Mia nodded.
"You'll say nothing about what?" asked Dom very calm, entering in that moment in the shop. He looked tired he'd had to work hard that morning. Annie looked worried to Bryan. A silent pray in her eyes, to not tell the truth. "Well,.nothing important" tried to say nonchalantly Bryan.
"If it's nothing important, you sure can tell me" insisted Dom watching alternatively the three guys immediately suspicious.
"Ok, here it is. I asked to Mia to make some changes inside the shop, just to increase the number of costumers" said promptly Annie trying to be as much convincible as possible. But it was true after all. She'd thought to this and wanted already to talk about that with Mia. "She told me that you wouldn't have liked this, so I definitely decided not to tell you" said Annie shrugging. "But since I'm here and you discovered me, I'm asking directly to you: shall I do those little changes to the shop?" she asked him. "It's a good idea" said Mia.
"No. I don't want to spend more on this" said Dom taking a beer.
"But we wouldn't have to spend a lot! Just little changes like flowers on the tables or something else to eat after tuna" tried to say Annie, more convinced now. "No" repeated stubborn Dom.
"But why?" she insisted. Dom looked at her with a warning look, which meant - do not continue-. She snorted frustrated.
"Why not? She looks to be determined, you don't know, maybe it should work." said Bryan calmly.
"No. And this is my last word on this. Don't want to talk no more about that" he said firmly.
"Stubborn!" said Annie angry. "You shut up and continue what you were doing!" said Dom indicating the bar. "But don't you see? This is the problem! There's nothing to do because no one comes in!" Said Annie exasperated. But he wasn't no more listening to her. He'd turned, sit and was looking at a newspaper, drinking his beer. She snorted and came back cleaning the counter. Bryan and Mia smiled to each other. In that moment the rest of the team came in.
Anastasia breathed silently and lowered her eyes. Letty and Vince were coming in. Two of her problems. Letty hadn't still accepted her and treated her very coldly, and when Dom wasn't there she was even rude. Vince instead, was even too gently. Mia had warned her from him, but even if she did nothing to encourage him, he was around her like a bee with honey.
"Hy Mia, Annie" said Vince with a kind of sweet tone. Letty passed and said nothing to them. Two men followed them.
"Henry" greeted Vince who saw them at first.
"Vince" said the man "We're here for Dom".
"Dom!" called out loudly Vince "It's for you". Dom arrived.
"We're out there" said Vince and with the rest of the team got out of the bar except for Anastasia who was still bent on her knees back of the counter working reordering the freezers and Bryan who remained drinking something leaned on the counter.
"Yo man!" said Henry.
"Henry" Dom nodded as to greet the man "Got the parts?" asked Dom directly.
"I took you here the man who got them" said Henry "His name is Vincent" he continued "He's French and doesn't speak English, so I'll translate for him" ended Henry. "Ok" said Dom "let's sit down and talk" said Dom sitting on a table with the two men.
"How many parts he got?" asked Dom to Henry. "Combien de pieces tu as" translated Henry to Vincent.
"Dix" answered the man. "He said he got five" translated Henry.
Annie raised her head up suddenly astonished from the back of the counter. She'd heard what they were saying and noticed the mistake of Henry. Dom nodded.
"Are they original" asked Dom. "Sont ils tous originels?" Henry translated.
« Pas tous » Vincent said. « Yes » translated Henry.
Annie frowned. So, it wasn't a mistake; he was doing it on purpose. Was it possible?
"How much" asked Dom. "Combien" translated Henry.
" deux mille cinq chaqu'un" Vincent said. « 3500$ each one » translated Henry.
"Is it your good price" asked Dom with a grin. He trusted in his friend.
"You know Dom, it ain't me! It depends on him" said Henry shrugging with a smile apologizing himself.
That's odd! Thought Annie.
"Yeah, I know." Dom smiled "Ok".
Annie cleared her voice loudly but Dom didn't care. So she did it again and finally he glanced at her. "Some problems?" asked Dom to Annie. "I'd need you to help me" she said to him.
"Ask to Bryan" said Dom coming.
" What's the problem" asked Bryan.
"Come with me" said Annie and he followed her on the backyard.
"So? Need an help?" asked Bryan helpful with a smile.
"Bryan, that man, is lying" said Annie serious glancing at the man outside.
Bryan became serious: "You mean Vincent?"
"No, I mean Henry" said Annie "You have to warn Dom".
"You sure? I mean Dom trusts Henry since lot of time" warned her Bryan.
Annie looked at him serious "It's true! He's translating deliberately different from what Vincent says! At the beginning I thought it was just a mistake, but. it's not only one time, he changed all!!" said Annie worried.
"Ok." Said Bryan passing a hand in his hairs as to think. "You'll tell to Dom" said Bryan.
"Dom?" called him Bryan.
"Yeah?" replied Dom bothered to be disturbed.
"We'd need your help" said Bryan.
"Why don't you ask to Vince?" replied Dom irritated.
"Really, Dom. We need your help" insisted Bryan staring him fixedly.
Dom snorted and nodded. "Henry take a beer and also for your French friend. I'll be back in a while" said Dom and went to the back.
"Hope that is something important. This is business." was saying Dom annoyed. "Annie got something important to tell you" said Bryan serious. Dom leaned with a arm against the wall nearby her. She felt more nervous now. Both Bryan and Dom's eyes were on her.
"He lied you" said worried Annie finally.
"Oh, come on! I know him since lot of time!" said Dom couldn't believing in what she was saying.
"It's true! Listen! He's doubled the amount and also the number of the parts translating!" explained Annie. "At the beginning I thought it was a mistake, but he continued!"
"How do you know that? How can you be so sure?" asked Dom frowning.
"I know what I'm saying." Said Annie determined staring at him: "I speak French. If you want I'll show you!"
"Don't know - " said Dom doubtfully shaking his head. "What do you think" he asked to Bryan.
Bryan looked at her for a moment. "I trust her" he finally said to Dom.
Dom thought still for a while, then snorted. "You sure?" Dom asked her staring seriously.
"I'm certain" said Annie "He increased of 1000$ the amount" she explained: "And the parts are not all fully originals!"
"Son of a bitch!" muttered Dom through his teeth and punched his fist against the wall.
She started a little, by his violent reaction. He could be very scary, she thought, she wouldn't have liked to be in Henry's shoes. "After all that time-" was saying Dom "You can do better than him?" Dom asked her serious. Annie nodded determined. "We'll see. Ok, come on! Let's solve this problem" said Dom determined with a tough look and all the three came back to Henry.
"Is that all right?" asked Henry frowning, watching Dom's expression and looking at Annie.
"Yeah" said Dom tough.
"Henry, it's how many time that we are friend?" asked Dom very quietly, but Annie knew he had to be very angry and his calm, scared her more than his fury.
"Oh, Dom you know" said the man smiling " a lifetime" .
"That's why" started to say Dom calmly: "I become furious when I discover that someone wants to cheat me!" ended Dom angry and without waiting, punched Henry in the face with such a strength, that the man fell on the floor.
"What the fuck...!" said Henry surprised.
Dom glanced at Annie. Henry frowned. She turned to Vincent: "C'est vrai que t'as ces pieces?" she asked him firmly in French. The guy hurriedly nodded worried.
Meanwhile all the team had run inside. Bryan held Dom which otherwise would have beat the shit out of Henry. "Dom" said Vince, "you alright?".
"Yeah" said Dom breathing hard, his eyes dark of fury "Get this shit out of my eyes" he said through his teeth .
"What?" asked Vince astonished. "He's a bastard cheat" said Dom.
Henry looked scared at Dom then glanced furious at Annie. "You'll pay for this!" he menaced her angrily.
She shivered. "Just before, you'll have to walk on me" replied Dom toughly, but the man didn't seem too impressed and looked at her terribly.
Leon and Vince took roughly Henry and threw him in the middle of the road. The French guy Vincent, who hadn't understood nothing looked terrified and trembled when Dom reached him. "Look how he shakes" said Vince laughing.
"Tell him not to be scared. I won't punch him" said Dom "Unless necessary" he added with a grin. Annie smiled amused and translated to the man who nodded hurriedly. Half an hour later the French guy greeted Dom and his team satisfied. They'd closed a good affair for both of them.
"Think I have to thank you" said Dom to Annie. "You're the last person I thought that could help me".
Annie blushed: "So I'm not a completely disaster as you thought" said Annie raising her chin up. Dom smiled with his arrogant, charming, usual way "No, you're not" he replied shrugging not denying her words.
"Maybe, one day, I'll enter in your good graces" said Annie smiling provoking.
"You already are in my good graces, but you won't have the money for the bar!" said Dom with a provoking look and an amused smile, knowing already what she wanted.
"Arrogant stubborn!" said Annie sullen snorting, because he'd understood what she wanted.
"I like you too, sweetie" Dom teased her grinning. She took a cloth and threw against him, which avoided the hit with a swift movement and laughing joined the rest of the team outside.
"Hey Dom?" said Vince after a while "We met Hector just before and it's for tonight".
"Tonight what?" couldn't avoid to ask Annie.
"Races" answered Mia which knew too well that world. Annie nodded.
"And you'll come with us" said Dom, finally turning himself to face her.
"What??" both said Annie and Letty.
"Why?" said Letty astonished. "She won't race".
"I don't think it's a good idea" tried to say Annie which didn't want to have more problems with Letty than what she already had.
"Why you always have to challenge all my decisions?" he asked her snorting losing his patience. She was taken by surprise and looked at him speechless. "This is my decision and that's all" he said and this meant that their discussion was over.
"Ok, but I'll come with my car!" she insisted.
He looked irritated; girls didn't have to talk too much with him. He nodded but added: "Pay attention!" giving her a warning look.
Letty angry knocked a fist on the table, stood up and went outside.
"Be careful of her!" whispered Mia to Annie softly. Annie nodded, she'd had to be very careful.
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It was already a week that she was working for the Toretto's. In the morning at the bar, in the afternoon she went to the garage cleaning. She liked the work at the bar. Mia came later in the morning because she finally had the time to study and Anastasia had no problem with it, also because, no one came!
"Hy Anastasia!" said Mia coming in with some books under her arm followed by Bryan.
"Bryan. Mia. How's the study?" asked Annie.
"Don't talk me about it! There are all that Latin terms here and I don't understand them all!" said the girl sadly.
Annie smiled. "Need an help?". "You know about medicine?" asked surprised Mia.
"No, no! But I do know Latin and maybe I can help you" explained Annie.
Mia smiled happily: "Ok!" she opened the book and started to ask her lot of terms. Annie translated her most of them.
"Wow! You're great! You know all the meanings!" said Mia after a while astonished.
"Where did you learn this?" asked Bryan eating his tuna sandwich. Anastasia looked immediately uneasy, she didn't want to answer.
"C'mon! You can try to hide yourself from Dom, but I've been a cop, and I do know when there's something else behind" said Bryan stopping to eat and staring her. "You're educated, you talk very well." he added. Mia looked at her with a questioning look.
She looked at them undecided, then sighed deeply. "Ok. But this will remain between us, you promise!" said Annie. They nodded silently.
"My father is English, as you already know. My mother is Italian. What you don't know, is that he's one of the most important diplomatic appointment to the English embassy in Italy. I studied to become a diplomatic, since I was 13 years old as well as my dad. The car is a gift of my family. I'm here in US because we quarrelled about my future, so I told to my father, I would have taken some time to take decision for my life". She breathed remembering their talk, it hadn't been easy. "He gave me some money, allowed to take the car with me and here I am, proving myself that I worth something." She breathed remembering all the scene then, continued: "My dad has a work and a marriage for me, for when I'll be back" she shook her head sadly.
"And you want all that?" asked Bryan. Annie shook slowly her head.
"You couldn't simply say no?" asked Mia.
Annie shook her head sadly again.
"You love that man?" asked softly Mia.
"I know him and I hate him. He'll marry me only because of my position" she explained, her gaze lost in the emptiness. Lost in her thoughts. "I'm like an object . . . " she ended thoughtfully taking a deep breath. An heavy silence invaded the bar.
"Why you didn't want us to know" asked suddenly Bryan.
"Because I didn't know if you would have accepted me however. This team looked so close in itself and I really wanted to be part of it." explained Annie.
"Please, promise me you won't tell this to anyone. This is a secret" said Annie to both of them.
"Don't worry, we'll say nothing" said Bryan. Mia nodded.
"You'll say nothing about what?" asked Dom very calm, entering in that moment in the shop. He looked tired he'd had to work hard that morning. Annie looked worried to Bryan. A silent pray in her eyes, to not tell the truth. "Well,.nothing important" tried to say nonchalantly Bryan.
"If it's nothing important, you sure can tell me" insisted Dom watching alternatively the three guys immediately suspicious.
"Ok, here it is. I asked to Mia to make some changes inside the shop, just to increase the number of costumers" said promptly Annie trying to be as much convincible as possible. But it was true after all. She'd thought to this and wanted already to talk about that with Mia. "She told me that you wouldn't have liked this, so I definitely decided not to tell you" said Annie shrugging. "But since I'm here and you discovered me, I'm asking directly to you: shall I do those little changes to the shop?" she asked him. "It's a good idea" said Mia.
"No. I don't want to spend more on this" said Dom taking a beer.
"But we wouldn't have to spend a lot! Just little changes like flowers on the tables or something else to eat after tuna" tried to say Annie, more convinced now. "No" repeated stubborn Dom.
"But why?" she insisted. Dom looked at her with a warning look, which meant - do not continue-. She snorted frustrated.
"Why not? She looks to be determined, you don't know, maybe it should work." said Bryan calmly.
"No. And this is my last word on this. Don't want to talk no more about that" he said firmly.
"Stubborn!" said Annie angry. "You shut up and continue what you were doing!" said Dom indicating the bar. "But don't you see? This is the problem! There's nothing to do because no one comes in!" Said Annie exasperated. But he wasn't no more listening to her. He'd turned, sit and was looking at a newspaper, drinking his beer. She snorted and came back cleaning the counter. Bryan and Mia smiled to each other. In that moment the rest of the team came in.
Anastasia breathed silently and lowered her eyes. Letty and Vince were coming in. Two of her problems. Letty hadn't still accepted her and treated her very coldly, and when Dom wasn't there she was even rude. Vince instead, was even too gently. Mia had warned her from him, but even if she did nothing to encourage him, he was around her like a bee with honey.
"Hy Mia, Annie" said Vince with a kind of sweet tone. Letty passed and said nothing to them. Two men followed them.
"Henry" greeted Vince who saw them at first.
"Vince" said the man "We're here for Dom".
"Dom!" called out loudly Vince "It's for you". Dom arrived.
"We're out there" said Vince and with the rest of the team got out of the bar except for Anastasia who was still bent on her knees back of the counter working reordering the freezers and Bryan who remained drinking something leaned on the counter.
"Yo man!" said Henry.
"Henry" Dom nodded as to greet the man "Got the parts?" asked Dom directly.
"I took you here the man who got them" said Henry "His name is Vincent" he continued "He's French and doesn't speak English, so I'll translate for him" ended Henry. "Ok" said Dom "let's sit down and talk" said Dom sitting on a table with the two men.
"How many parts he got?" asked Dom to Henry. "Combien de pieces tu as" translated Henry to Vincent.
"Dix" answered the man. "He said he got five" translated Henry.
Annie raised her head up suddenly astonished from the back of the counter. She'd heard what they were saying and noticed the mistake of Henry. Dom nodded.
"Are they original" asked Dom. "Sont ils tous originels?" Henry translated.
« Pas tous » Vincent said. « Yes » translated Henry.
Annie frowned. So, it wasn't a mistake; he was doing it on purpose. Was it possible?
"How much" asked Dom. "Combien" translated Henry.
" deux mille cinq chaqu'un" Vincent said. « 3500$ each one » translated Henry.
"Is it your good price" asked Dom with a grin. He trusted in his friend.
"You know Dom, it ain't me! It depends on him" said Henry shrugging with a smile apologizing himself.
That's odd! Thought Annie.
"Yeah, I know." Dom smiled "Ok".
Annie cleared her voice loudly but Dom didn't care. So she did it again and finally he glanced at her. "Some problems?" asked Dom to Annie. "I'd need you to help me" she said to him.
"Ask to Bryan" said Dom coming.
" What's the problem" asked Bryan.
"Come with me" said Annie and he followed her on the backyard.
"So? Need an help?" asked Bryan helpful with a smile.
"Bryan, that man, is lying" said Annie serious glancing at the man outside.
Bryan became serious: "You mean Vincent?"
"No, I mean Henry" said Annie "You have to warn Dom".
"You sure? I mean Dom trusts Henry since lot of time" warned her Bryan.
Annie looked at him serious "It's true! He's translating deliberately different from what Vincent says! At the beginning I thought it was just a mistake, but. it's not only one time, he changed all!!" said Annie worried.
"Ok." Said Bryan passing a hand in his hairs as to think. "You'll tell to Dom" said Bryan.
"Dom?" called him Bryan.
"Yeah?" replied Dom bothered to be disturbed.
"We'd need your help" said Bryan.
"Why don't you ask to Vince?" replied Dom irritated.
"Really, Dom. We need your help" insisted Bryan staring him fixedly.
Dom snorted and nodded. "Henry take a beer and also for your French friend. I'll be back in a while" said Dom and went to the back.
"Hope that is something important. This is business." was saying Dom annoyed. "Annie got something important to tell you" said Bryan serious. Dom leaned with a arm against the wall nearby her. She felt more nervous now. Both Bryan and Dom's eyes were on her.
"He lied you" said worried Annie finally.
"Oh, come on! I know him since lot of time!" said Dom couldn't believing in what she was saying.
"It's true! Listen! He's doubled the amount and also the number of the parts translating!" explained Annie. "At the beginning I thought it was a mistake, but he continued!"
"How do you know that? How can you be so sure?" asked Dom frowning.
"I know what I'm saying." Said Annie determined staring at him: "I speak French. If you want I'll show you!"
"Don't know - " said Dom doubtfully shaking his head. "What do you think" he asked to Bryan.
Bryan looked at her for a moment. "I trust her" he finally said to Dom.
Dom thought still for a while, then snorted. "You sure?" Dom asked her staring seriously.
"I'm certain" said Annie "He increased of 1000$ the amount" she explained: "And the parts are not all fully originals!"
"Son of a bitch!" muttered Dom through his teeth and punched his fist against the wall.
She started a little, by his violent reaction. He could be very scary, she thought, she wouldn't have liked to be in Henry's shoes. "After all that time-" was saying Dom "You can do better than him?" Dom asked her serious. Annie nodded determined. "We'll see. Ok, come on! Let's solve this problem" said Dom determined with a tough look and all the three came back to Henry.
"Is that all right?" asked Henry frowning, watching Dom's expression and looking at Annie.
"Yeah" said Dom tough.
"Henry, it's how many time that we are friend?" asked Dom very quietly, but Annie knew he had to be very angry and his calm, scared her more than his fury.
"Oh, Dom you know" said the man smiling " a lifetime" .
"That's why" started to say Dom calmly: "I become furious when I discover that someone wants to cheat me!" ended Dom angry and without waiting, punched Henry in the face with such a strength, that the man fell on the floor.
"What the fuck...!" said Henry surprised.
Dom glanced at Annie. Henry frowned. She turned to Vincent: "C'est vrai que t'as ces pieces?" she asked him firmly in French. The guy hurriedly nodded worried.
Meanwhile all the team had run inside. Bryan held Dom which otherwise would have beat the shit out of Henry. "Dom" said Vince, "you alright?".
"Yeah" said Dom breathing hard, his eyes dark of fury "Get this shit out of my eyes" he said through his teeth .
"What?" asked Vince astonished. "He's a bastard cheat" said Dom.
Henry looked scared at Dom then glanced furious at Annie. "You'll pay for this!" he menaced her angrily.
She shivered. "Just before, you'll have to walk on me" replied Dom toughly, but the man didn't seem too impressed and looked at her terribly.
Leon and Vince took roughly Henry and threw him in the middle of the road. The French guy Vincent, who hadn't understood nothing looked terrified and trembled when Dom reached him. "Look how he shakes" said Vince laughing.
"Tell him not to be scared. I won't punch him" said Dom "Unless necessary" he added with a grin. Annie smiled amused and translated to the man who nodded hurriedly. Half an hour later the French guy greeted Dom and his team satisfied. They'd closed a good affair for both of them.
"Think I have to thank you" said Dom to Annie. "You're the last person I thought that could help me".
Annie blushed: "So I'm not a completely disaster as you thought" said Annie raising her chin up. Dom smiled with his arrogant, charming, usual way "No, you're not" he replied shrugging not denying her words.
"Maybe, one day, I'll enter in your good graces" said Annie smiling provoking.
"You already are in my good graces, but you won't have the money for the bar!" said Dom with a provoking look and an amused smile, knowing already what she wanted.
"Arrogant stubborn!" said Annie sullen snorting, because he'd understood what she wanted.
"I like you too, sweetie" Dom teased her grinning. She took a cloth and threw against him, which avoided the hit with a swift movement and laughing joined the rest of the team outside.
"Hey Dom?" said Vince after a while "We met Hector just before and it's for tonight".
"Tonight what?" couldn't avoid to ask Annie.
"Races" answered Mia which knew too well that world. Annie nodded.
"And you'll come with us" said Dom, finally turning himself to face her.
"What??" both said Annie and Letty.
"Why?" said Letty astonished. "She won't race".
"I don't think it's a good idea" tried to say Annie which didn't want to have more problems with Letty than what she already had.
"Why you always have to challenge all my decisions?" he asked her snorting losing his patience. She was taken by surprise and looked at him speechless. "This is my decision and that's all" he said and this meant that their discussion was over.
"Ok, but I'll come with my car!" she insisted.
He looked irritated; girls didn't have to talk too much with him. He nodded but added: "Pay attention!" giving her a warning look.
Letty angry knocked a fist on the table, stood up and went outside.
"Be careful of her!" whispered Mia to Annie softly. Annie nodded, she'd had to be very careful.
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