Pulling Punches

1︱Paulson

chapter song: goddess by banks

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I pulled on a black trench coat over my skin tight velvet dress. I know what you are thinking. 'Wow, so modest.' I missed the comfortable feeling of oversized sweats and teeshirts. But, when your father is the head of the most powerful Mafia, you had to put on a show. 

The door to my room opened, with my best friend Kathryn entering. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head. She wore leggings and a sweatshirt that said, "I don't care."

Kathryn was quite the character.

"You and your dad heading out tonight?" Sadly, my answer was yes.

"Obviously, why would I be dressing up like this?" I asked her laughing. I felt my stomach drop.

Her eyes caught my act. "You okay?"

I sat down on my bed, signaling her to join me. 

"What's on your mind?" She asked me.

I thought about it before I answered.

"Dad is making us go to this underground fight joint. We are supposed to get this guy and negotiate with him about something. My father won't tell me what."

Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Is that club called Paulson?" I nodded.

"Eva, that's a dangerous place. I've heard men have gotten beaten to death there."

Easy for her to say. All the crap I've been through is nothing compared to some fight club.

"We'll be fine. I'm just tired of being the bait half of the time. Yeah, I'm his daughter and all, but I hate being used like this."

Kathryn's face was a mix of emotions. I sometimes wish I was her. She had everything. A lover, Jace. A home. A foundation for her life.

I've spent the majority of my life seeing horrible things, running away from the law, being used, and I'm tired of it.

"I think it will be okay. You're Evangeline Drennen for god sake! Every man wants you, every girl wants to be you. What's better than that." 

Everything was better than that. But I put up my walls.

"Yeah, I guess you are right." She smiled. 

"Well text me when you get back and if you aren't tired. I have to tell you something about what Jace did! Got to go, bye girl!"

She walked out the door.

Kathryn was the only friend I really had.

She met me at a bar where I was with my father, and we hit it off. But, for some reason now I feel disconnected.

Ever since she met her fiancé, Jace, she has changed. Kathryn's seriousness and ability to talk to me deeply just... disappeared. I feel like I have no one.

I'm suffocating, but no one can see me.

Half of my memories are of death. My mother getting shot when I was seventeen, my brother dying of a drug overdose, you name it. 

Everything I love has been ripped from my grasp.

My father is a cold, menacing, controlling man. Sometimes I want to just kill him. Just pick up the blade and... no. Men are surrounded everywhere. I would die instantly. I'm in a cage. A huge one.

I'm interrupted out of my thoughts by my father yelling. 

"Evangeline! Come down. We are leaving!" I mentally sighed and hauled myself down the stairs.