A/n: I know it has been a while since all of us have even looked at this story so I decided to get it off and kicking yet again. Who knows if this chapter will turn out the way anyone thought, had planned, or whatever the case. That is what the delete button is for, right? LOL. It's been a long week, what can I say? So, here's an update. From here where it goes, well, we're working on it. LOL. Please leave us a review and let us know what you think. Thanks, Cheer
Puzzling Pieces…….
Chapter 56
"YOU did what?" Vince asked, pacing in the bare patch of sand that was hidden by a forest as he and Dominic talked.
"I did what I had to do. You don't like it, you can leave. What else was I supposed to do? Brian doesn't have a chance in hell." Dominic's loud voice boomed. He looked around nervously and ran a hand over his bald head.
"Damn it, Dom, You don't know how dangerous she and that mobster family of hers is." Vince growled, really hating this predicament. It was almost the last straw to him. He couldn't think straight at this moment.
"I don't really care. Mia is practically dead and shit is already fucked up. What did you expect me to do, Vincent?" Dominic asked, his tone full of hate.
"First, don't fucken call me Vincent. It's V or Vince." Vince charged at Dominic, his anger tripping up his words with his mind reeling at the thought of what was going to happen to any and all involved with kidnapping Storm. "Second, I thought the days of taking risks were over." He said, taking a deep breath, trying to get some control back. Another part of him wanted to rush to Storm and make sure she was okay. But that was a whole other painstaking thought process that he had to put on the back burner for now.
"I had to help Brian out. He helped us out, if it hadn't been for …." Dominic started and Vince finished, mocking the sentence sarcastically.
"We wouldn't be here and we'd be in jail. I know, already, ok?" Vince held up his hand in anger.
"Look, are you angry because you still have feelings for this girl or…" Dominic was interrupted yet again by an angry Vince.
"FEELINGS? You amaze me, Dom, really, you do." Vince spat, his face red, beads of sweat on his forehead from the Miami heat. It was a more humid heat than that of California's.
"Hey, you're the one that fell in love with the person that practically killed Mia, not me." Dominic shot back, tied up in his own anger and emotions.
"That's it." Vince charged him, and the two went rolling on the sandy ground. Vince got in a few first punches, fueled by his held in emotions he had been trying to ignore and then Dominic returned the punches. The two rolled back and fourth, almost as if on a teeter-totter. The two took turns sharing who was getting the best of who.
"You can't win with me." Dominic said, spitting out blood as the two both stopped, heaving for breath.
"Wanna bet, cause I ain't done." Vince snarled, ready to go at it for more.
"Good, cause I wasn't done either." Dominic nodded, his fist clenched as the two circled each other, now both back up on their feet. It was starting to look like an impromptu wrestling match.
"You two children done yet?" Letty asked, not blinking an eye at the two fighting. The childhood friends were known to have it out with each other every so often and this was nothing new to her. They both looked up at her from the ground, Vince's eye blackened and Dominic spitting some fast flowing crimson blood. She smiled inwardly at the picture, it was one for the books, she noted.
"You got a point of leaving Jess and Leon to take care of that Bitch to come and watch us? We didn't request any cheerleaders." Vince said, immediately regretting those words of anger to Letty.
"Funny." She rolled her eyes in her typical Letty fashion.
"Glad you thought so." Vince got up and replied as he dusted himself off the ground.
"Watch how you talk to her!" Dominic snapped, his nerves not in the best place.
"Oh, and what, you're one to talk. You treat her the worst." Vince shot back, mad at the world and even madder at his best friend for his stupidity.
"You obviously didn't learn the first god damned time." Dominic hauled off, hitting Vince again. The two were going at it again.
"Hey, just to let you know, while you two are playing Wrestling Mania, your 'bitch' has escaped." Letty said, walking off, tired of trying to bother talking to either of them. Letty kept walking, her back to them but she was imagining the looks on their faces.
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"Should we answer that?" Tabitha looked at Stacey with big eyes and Stacey looked back at her best friend with even bigger eyes.
"I don't know. I would say no. Probably like my brother's goons trying to take me so he won't have to go to trial." Stacey sighed sadly.
"No, seriously?" Tabitha asked as the two crept down the hallway. They both had the same thought and hid in the closet. "You really think he'd sink that low?" She whispered, her breathing light. The closet was more like a small bedroom but was very dark. The light creeping in under the door was just enough to see Stacey's wary expression.
"Oh my God, do you hear how they are pounding on that door?" Stacey asked, her breath held in fear.
"It'll be okay." Tabitha said, trying to be brave for her best friend. Then they heard the door creak open. Tabitha opened her mouth to scream but Stacey covered her mouth.
"Be quiet. If they are looking for something, they will get it and go. Just be quiet." Stacey whispered in her friend's ear. Tabitha nodded and Stacey let go. The two stared at each other for what seemed like forever. They heard some rustling and some things being moved about. Then they heard a chair being drug across the hardwood floor.
"I'm going to faint." Tabitha said in a small breath.
"If anything, they are after me." Stacey grimaced. "If I have to, I'll just go out and surrender." She promised.
"You would do that for me?" Tabitha's eyes welled up with tears and Stacey nodded, though putting a finger to her lips to remind her to be quiet. Tabitha nodded and a few more seconds passed, then she looked thoughtful. "Wait, Storm is in you know, the mob and the mob takes people's families…" She trailed off, her imagination going overboard like it was so known for doing at times.
"TABITHA!" Stacey swatted at her friend, trying to keep from scream from the anxiety.
"Well,.." She started but was interrupted by a loud sound of glass crashing on the floor. Tabitha grabbed Stacey and Stacey grabbed Tabitha. "We're gonna die." She whimpered.
"No, we're not. Listen. It's quiet." She said, feeling better, until the girls heard the creaking of the floor in the upstairs room above them.
"I'm going to pee my pants." Tabitha whined, truly scared at this point.
"Ok, look, I have a plan." Stacey sighed, tired of this closet now. Tabitha nodded, all ears. "We're going to sneak out of here, split up…" Stacey whispered, getting interrupted by Tabitha.
"We can't split up. Don't you watch the movies? Splitting up NEVER works." Tabitha folded her arms in a knowing way.
"Tabitha! Get a grip! This is real life, not a movie!" Stacey smiled, rolling her eyes. "Now, listen, we are going to split up and I'm going to the kitchen to get a knife and you go hide under the staircase. When they come down, you jump on them and surprise them. Then I will have the knife and I'll hold them to the floor and you can call the police." Stacey said, holding out her hands like she was presenting a present, Vanna White style.
"I guess…. I really don't want to do this…" Tabitha said, but nodding in agreement.
"Come on,Tabs, If anything, put your cheerleading skills to the test and give them a high kick to where it counts." Stacey grinned mischievously and batted her eyes at her friend.
"This IS not a time to be funny, Miss popularity." Tabitha scolded." Have you finally went insane on me?" She asked in a demanding tone.
"Yeah, more than likely." Stacey nodded, smiling sarcastically. "I'm going to open the door on the count of three and we put this plan into action, ok?" She asked, nudging Tabitha, who nodded. "Ready, ok!" She said, not moving to open the door, but more being silly.
"STACEY! STOP PLAYING AROUND." Tabitha begged, her voice a furious whisper.
"Ugh. Ok. Ready, one, two, three. GO!" She whispered. Both girls were careful to go to the planned destination, both crouching low and looking around the entire time.
"Where are they?" Tabitha frowned as she waited, her heart pumping. Almost as if on cue, there were footsteps that were creaking over the floor and then taking the staircase by twos, as if in a hurry.
"Here we go." Stacey gave her friend a look of reassurance along with a nod as she stood in a defensive position, her knees locked. "NOW!" She yelled and Tabitha screamed as she jumped on the person from behind and grabbed their neck. It all happened so fast and in a few short seconds and before they knew it, Stacey was standing above the person, her legs over them, the knife to their throat, while Tabitha scrambled to get up." Call the police!" She yelled, her eyes closed.
"Rule number one, don't be in a position to let your attacker get you down." Strom said, looking up from the floor. She could have easily leveled both girls but she thought this might be a good lesson. She pulled Stacey's feet from under her and Stacey fell to the floor, letting go of the knife, which Strom made it a point to catch and then pin Stacey. "See how that wouldn't work?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Ugh. Was that necessary?" She asked, trying to get up in a huff.
"Is your attitude necessary?" Strom asked, pushing her back down and sitting on her just to make her listen. Tabitha had started to sneak off, hoping to escape the lecture. "Oh, Tabitha, dear sister, rule number two is for you. NO POLICE. You bring them anywhere near here and you have had it. They won't help you, they will tear the family apart." Strom said, getting up off of Stacey.
"Ok, I'm sorry. You scared us." She said, nodding.
"Well, I had to have somewhere to change and it's not like you guys answered the door." Storm said, walking to the kitchen to get a drink.
"HEY!" Stacey yelled defensively, following her once coveted best friend. "We were told not to. WE were following the rules, thank you." She spat out, her temper starting to be awaken by the adrenaline of the whole scene that had just unfolded.
"Oh, that is a shock and damn, a first too." Storm opened a twenty-ounce Pepsi bottle Cara kept stocked just for Storm.
"You're just so hateful sometimes." Stacey said, backing down, now looking ready to cry.
"I wouldn't be hateful if you would do what I had asked you to do when I was trying to help you." Strom shrugged. "See, Stace, that is one thing about me. I would never have asked you to do something if it woulda put you in danger but I asked you to do what I did because I had a reason, not just for the fun of it." She said, her voice harsh. Stacey nodded, as though in defeat.
"I know. I'm sorry I messed up." She said, turning to go upstairs. She turned back and looked at Tabitha and Stacey. "You know, maybe I should just go with Brian. Save you guys all the hassle. I see now what I have caused," She said and with that she walked upstairs, the tears wanting to flow. She held them back, just feeling empty and angry.
A/n-part 2-This chapter subject to change. Void of any discussion with group. Was solely updated on a whim, if it doesn't work with other writers, it may be withdrawn in part or total. (I was trying to make it like a advertisement ad, lol).