GIGI
I knocked on the door softly looking back at Star who I chose to come with me. She's quiet and cool, I can trust her to be what I need while I'm here.
The trees swayed and the sun beat down on us, it didn't help that I was in a black suit, it was light and tailored, I was due to go to lunch with my father after this meeting.
Hope's garden party was just the other day, and it was already bugging me that I had to even wait this long. The Twins were working on their own mission involving their family business, Hope was at school not suspecting a thing.
Finally, the door opened swiftly and I couldn't help the smirk when she saw me and her face contorted into anger and... disgust?
I stepped in before she could speak, backing her into her home as Star closed the door behind us.
"What are you doing?" She kept walking backwards and I kept following her. She tried to be angry and brave but I saw it in her eye, the fear she had.
"Get out, you little bitch or I'll call the police!" She shouted and as if on cue Sun has snatched the land-line cords out if the wall. I turned back in time to catch her hands as she tried to swing on me. I gripped her wrists and pulled her closer to me. I had to bed a bit so we could be eye to eye.
Her gasp sounded through the kitchen as he legs gave out and I let her fall onto the floor. She scrambled backwards yelling about me getting away from her until she hit the cabinets. The door steps scrambling from the second floor, and down the stairs made me peek at my partner.
She had the pathetic man at gun point. He walked in nearly shuffling with his hand up.
"Please," he begged but I wasn't sure what he was begging for. I couldn't be sure that he knew what he was begging for so I pulled out my own weapon and pressed the barrel of it against against the woman's head.
When I looked back again Star was stilling on the counter, still holding the gun firmly to the man's head.
"What are you begging for?" I asked looking at him shake with staggered breathe. If anyone were to die today it wouldn't be him. His daughter loves him too much and I'm doing this in her best interest.
"Don't hurt us, please!"
I smiked and turned back to Karol. Tears rolled down her face and her eyes were squeezed shut.
"And why are you crying? I haven't done anything to you yet. I did come in the place of Gemini, remember her, yeah she was livid, she wanted to be here with you to deliver a message, but no. I couldn't let her she wouldn't have the right messages for you, she would only remind you of your ever fading morality." I pocketed my gun and looked back at the man as he watched us, I mean he had no choice, he was too afraid to move.
"Here's the thing, I'm crazy. I know I am, and I have the urge to say fuck it and kill you but I won't. Because of Hope, and only because of her will you live to see the next few years of your life," I stand up and look at Jeff, her husband, Hope's dad. He still shaking and sweating now. Such a sweet man stuck with this bitch.
"You obviously love your wife more than your daughter. You let her be abused by Karol or you just don't notice, either or, it's still a sin on your part," I waved my hand to let Star release him and his shoulder immediately dropped.
"I could do many things to torture you, but I have business to take care of at the moment. Don't bother calling the police, I own this place now, so you're trespassing as we speak and the evidence would not be admissible in court. You should get mail soon explaining the shift in ownership of the bank. I've had enough of your control over Hope, you'll see what it feels like to be puppet soon enough. Your wages will be garnished to pay off your debts to the bank now that you don't have a child in college there can be no forbearance on your loans. Payments will start next week as it's a new month."
The stood shocked as I fixed my jacket. I smoothed out the pockets and unbuttoned my jacket to to get a business card.
"You have no power in this dynamic; how does it feel to be weak, beneath me?" I smiled and pressed the card into Jeff's hand and I turned around to leave.
After a few steps I saw the movement out of the side of my eye and screaming erupted. I spun with my gun drawn, firing a shot at the marble island making it but and shatter into millions of prices.
Karol dropped to the floor with the butcher knife in her hands.
I stepped over to her grabbing her by the hair pulling her face up. Blood dropped down her cheek and brow. Marble shards had pierced her but I didn't care, I yanked her head up so she could see me, like really see me.
"I am not above killing you, never forget that. You are a number to me, a blemish on an otherwise flawless possession of mine. You, are a mistake that I have no problem correcting. In fact, you need counseling, I'll contact you with a good therapist I expect you to make an appointment, it's not optional," I smiled and dropped her body and took the knife away from her.
I couldn't stop the impulse to mark her as I grabbed her by the neck. She screwed and struggled as I held her down and Jeff started to scream too begging again. But I'd had enough and I couldn't stop the urge.
I ripped her shirt pinning her arms down with my knees and pressing her I to the floor by the neck. I started to drag the tip of the blade down her skin over her heart. Blood spilled over meeting the floor as I finished her strikes.
"You have four strikes, if you ever get that far, the real torture will begin. I would call you mine but you aren't good enough to be possessed by me,"
"You're insane!"
I smiled at that, "this, oh no, this isn't insanity, this is gang activity or revenge, hell even avenging, you haven't seen me at insane yet, keep fucking with me and we'll get there."
I got up and tossed the knife to the ground, next to her. I hadn't noticed Jeff on the floor sobbing before, but his hands were now ziptied behind his back and Star sat beside him with a lollipop in her fingers.
"Let's get out of here, my father is going to be upset if I stand him up again, oh," I turned back to the lovely couple, "you have five days to make an appointment and since this is my property I guess I have to replace the marble, that'll be done in a few days. Except Star here to be living with you, think of her as a manager of sorts."
I waved good bye opening the door to see police cars parked out side. I roll my eyes and wave at the captain as he gets out of his car.
"I should've known you were involved when I got a call about screaming and gun shots in this area," he shook his head. He's a friend of my dad's, I wouldn't call them crooked cops but they do tend to mind they're own when it comes to us.
"Agent, next time keep it down," he added before pulling me in for a hug. He's known my dad for as long as I can remember he keeps this town from falling apart honestly.
I smiled and hugged him back he's dear to the family.
"There needs to be a medic, its not fatal, give her the works for me. She's not welcome," I pointed and headed back to my own car hopping in peeking at the time. Good im not terribly late.
*******
I opened the door to the restaurant and nodded to the receptionist. I notice brunch is in order as I walk up to the table pulling out my own chair, I open my jacket and slide it off handing it to the Maître d'. He hands it to an assistant waiter and it's taken to the front.
"Finally, I get to see my favorite child," he greets me touching my hands. I hold his for a second before I shaky my head at him.
"Don't say that," I look down fixing my napkin in my lap.
"Well it's true, you're the only one you're mother hasn't corrupted," he waits until he's served until he decides to cut up his foods.
I fix my own plate to my liking before I look up at him. I normally don't eat it's not something that my routine allows.
"So how is the girl?" He stuffed his face with a waffle covered in strawberry.
"Why do you ask?" I squeezed my fork and knife. I don't like talking about Hope with the likes of him.
He put hi own utensils down and took a sip of his Moscow mule, he's always been a casual day drinker, if there's a such thing.
"Well Seulji, I can't seem to remember buying a local bank, Yet I wake up as Co-CEO, not to mention its failing. You bought a failing bank and if I know my daughter, then I'm sure she's playing a game and she needs pieces," he leaned in to the table and i pressed my tongue into my cheek.
"You bought the bank for her, I can't imagine the twins would want a bank," he shrugged casually but the information caught my ear immediately.
I felt my appetite going away suddenly.
"The Twins?"
He continued to eat through his waffle until he looked up at me, but only after a few more bites and sips.
"Eat Seulji, I'm not upset about that anymore, they'll do what they want, now I see, as will you."
I sighed and started to attack my own waffle, "did you hear about your mission gone wrong then?"
He hummed and pressed for more,
"Arliya cleaned it up, what the hell was that fucking experiment. If your name is ever found on any of that shit you'll be done for and you'll wish you owned even a shitty bank."
I barley ate as I watched him stuff his face, "my name isn't on anything important, a few investment documents to general departments. I can't help if they committed investor fraud."
"Yeah well you can help loose ends. Ari has one in her house as we speak, it calls her Captain," I clenched my teeth at the anger towards him, what a dumb things to do, he's a stupid man sometimes.
This time his eyes went a bit wide as he stopped eating himself.
I rolled my eyes, "don't trust the military to clean up their own messes, they're terrible at it."
I drank a bit of coffee and sat back a little.
"Ari is taking care of it, don't worry about it, but your lucky we got to it before anyone else. Mind your money father, you never know when it'll talk back."
He nodded and visibly relaxed. The was comfortable silence between us as we both ate. It was when he cleaned his plate that he looked at me again, sipping his drink consistently now.
"So the girl, I need something, I don't want to dig, I like to respect your privacy, but a bank Seulji, what family does she hail from?" He was begging now and he never begged it was his last straw and I knew that.
I finished my coffee and contemplated a bit.
"She's a civilian she hails from no name, she's sweet and most importantly, she doesn't know anything about this, us, to her I own clubs and cars."
"You wear a suite and carry a gun," he seemed genuinely confused.
"I'm not usually armed around her, there's never a need," I shrugged and took another bite of watermelon, it's sweet because it's in season. I'll buy Hope some as a snack for studying.
"Never a- Seulji you I don't like that, you needs to have your service weapon with you at all times. Now why the bank?"
I nod at his reprimand, I tend to leave my weapons where they are when I'm with Hope. She's not a threat not even in the slightest of ways.
"Her parents, they're abusive, one step away from blood sucking, they need to be taught how to respect me."
He smiled and nodded, I knew he would understand. Loved ones are an extention of one's self, he taught me that. Even if he and my mom aren't together anymore he's shoot to kill if anyone threatened her.
His excuse is that shes the mother of his children but that's not valid enough for the way he acts with her around. He loves her, he really does but she hates the lifestyle.
It's dangerous and worrisome. Waiting at home with the kids while he rides around shooting guns and being shot at in return. It's not so much hid life anymore and maybe there's a chance for them now.
"Now what's her name?" He asked sitting up.
"Nope, brunch was great, and the bank is going to be doing well in no time under proper management," I stood up and my jacket was brought to me. I held my keys in hands and followed my dad out of the restaurant. His driver was waiting and we parted way after a hug.
That man.
I have more business to take care of today, my work is never finished.