The Mafia vs Ms. Independent (Being Edited)

XXXIII.

Rocco

I walked to the front down, not surprised by it being unlocked. I walked inside with my jaw clenched and my gun low. The foyer was empty as expected but the living room wasn't and I hate what I was seeing. He sat in my chair with Quinn on his lap, his lap dog stood behind him pointing his gun at me. "Drop it." He said.

"Give me my daughter first." I cornered.

"Luca." He said. Luca pressed his gun against Quinn's head. It was like he had shot me. My vision went red for moment, and my hands squeezed the gun until they went numb.

"Ok. Ok." I said.

"Slowly." Luca said, turning off the safety. I slowly placed my gun on the floor. Luca shot me a smile that made me sick to my stomach. He pressed the trigger. My body jerked on instinct but nothing happened. The gun wasn't gun loaded. "Gotta." I was ready to beat him bloody. I was so angry, I'm trembling. My gaze shifted to Ranbir, he stared down at Quinn, smiling.

"She remains me of Izzy—"

We all jumped when Izzy burst through the down with a gun. What the hell? Where the hell did you get a gun? We had agreement! "Where did you get a gun?" I asked. She gaze shifted to me, briefly.

"What gun?" She asked. Is she serious?

"Obviously, the one in your hands."

"Babe, you're seeing things again. This is gun is a figment of your imagination." She whispered.

"What!" I hissed.

"Fine! Fine! It's a gun, it's a good thing I got one cause obviously you don't have this under control."

"Yes, I do!"

"Then why is you gun on the ground?" She asked, condescendingly. I glanced down at me feet. Oh right.

"Mommy?" Quinn whispered.  Izzy switched on the safety and quickly hid the gun in the waist of her jeans.

"Quinn." She said, her voice cracking. Quinn jumped off Ranbir's lap and ran into her arms. Izzy examined every inch of Quinn. "Are you ok? Did they hurt you?" Quinn shook her head.

"No, Grandpa brought me ice cream." She replied. Izzy lifted Quinn into her arms, as she stared at her father.

"What do you want?" She asked.

He stared at her, silent. "I came here to meet my granddaughter." He replied.

Izzy shook her head. "I don't want—I don't want you anywhere near her. Roc and I built life here—an honest clean life and I refuse to let you ruin that or put my daughter in danger. So please....leave." Izzy said. "For the sake of Quinn, leave with all your baggage and never come back here."

"Well, you see—I can't do that." Ranbir said, getting to his feet. "I deserve to see her—"

"And she deserves a life where her grandfather isn't a notorious criminal. But obviously she can't have that but if keeping her away from you means keeping her safe....I'm willing to ensure you'll never see her again." She said. "So please for the sake of Quinn and your unborn grandchildren....please leave."

"That won't be a problem for much longer.....I'm dying. I have pancreatic cancer so there's know telling how much longer I have left but I wasn't going to die and not see you or get the chance to meet Quinn." Ranbir said, walking towards her. Now that I'm looked at him, I could see how much of a frail, old man he looked. I petted him. I get it, if I were in his shoes would've done the same thing. I watched the tears rolled down Izzy's face. She hugged her father, sobbing. I stood there looking at my shoes, listening. He told her he had made peace with his faith and that he just wished he could have given her a life like the one she's made for Quinn.

-

Izzy and I stood in the doorway of Quinn's room, watching Ranbir read Quinn a bedtime story. Quinn was already asleep but he kept on reading. I think he was doing it for Izzy. She walked towards him and knelt beside the head with her head in his lap. He stoked her hair but stopped to cough into his green handkerchief. It was covered in blood when he finally stopped. Our eyes met as he quickly hid in his coat pocket. He continued reading but on the last page he had stopped reading and he sat back with a small smile as he looked over at Quinn. I knew he was gone after one harsh breath. Izzy looked up at him, she touched his cheek then pushed his hair out of his face. She body trembling. She laid her head back down on his lap, sobbing silently.