No Cops!

Chapter 30

Rob's voice was calm. "This is just a misunderstanding. The only reason I - well, had to leave is because the other boys at the house were plotting against me." He laid a hand on Joe's shoulder, a move which Suzy thought was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.

"We go way back. And I never snitched to the cops. I was just trying to get away for a while. You know I didn't want to be involved in the drug trade, I told you man."

Joe gave Rob an avuncular smile. "Bert, my child, you stabbed the brotherhood on the back. And ran off with my prized possession. Brothers don't do this to one another. You have - made me sad. So I will ask Alexi," he pointed to his bodyguard, "to teach you a lesson. And then I will leave with Tamara and your cute sister to keep me company. Because I will be so sad about your death."

"You won't, Joe. You are," Rob took a deep breath. "A bad man. You shot Shane, and swindled money, were involved in vandalism, and drugs. You are nothing but a big bully."

Murder? Drugs?

Suzy felt faint. Rob was involved with far worse than their family had ever thought. She had let her family down. How could she have stopped Rob from being involved in this?

"Oh, and finally, you grow a spine? I'll love watching you die." Joe's smile turned menacing. "Alexi, make him pay."

He turned to what could only be Chloe. Suzy's body had gone rigid in fear, she couldn't turn around to confirm, even if she wanted to.

"And then, my beautiful whore, I will make you pay."

"Big talk, Busconi. But I have a proposition." Chloe sauntered in front of them, looking ridiculously out of place in a long floral skirt and flowing hair.

"Why don't you let this loser Bert go away with his sister? And I'll come home with you and show you a good time? Show me how a real man treats his woman, huh?"

Suzy covered her mouth but still an audible gasp escaped. She was staring transfixed at the train-wreck in front of her. Her life and her brother's life were going up in flames and she couldn't do anything about it.

Joe laughed, exposing his neck fat. "You're a slippery one, Tam. We will go away. But with this little bitch's sister. And I will strangle you after you've shown me a good time in bed, you little whore."

"Fuck you, Joe." Rob went crashing into Busconi. He was screaming for Alexi and Suzy was pulled out of inaction by Chloe pushing her behind the kitchen counter.

"Stay here!" she whispered and Suzy covered her ears as she heard roars and fights and curses and what could only be the sound of a hurricane taking over her tiny living room.

Tears sprang into her eyes and she squeezed her eyes shut, covering her head like a little girl.

Hell in a handbasket!

She prayed, when the sound of the smacks and the punches became too much. She prayed to get out of here alive and she prayed that her idiot brother would also miraculously appear unscathed.

She didn't know if she should pray for Chloe, she had propositioned Joe in front of them after all, but she prayed anyway.

She heard a loud shriek, which could only be Chloe's followed by Joe's roar. "The bitch has a gun, grab it Alexi. Ahhh!"

A lot more thuds and thumps and she heard metal sliding across the floor.

The gun! It was within arm's reach of her!

She was paralyzed with fear but her family needed her!

With a shaky hand, she reached for the gun.

For the second time in an hour, the door to her apartment crashed open.