I look at River as he straps Mae onto a stretcher, his face scrunched with distaste. Fisher stands near him with a pen in his hand.
"The dealer's name is Jake Manne," Nicolas informs me, walking over to where I am.
I watch Fisher get his hand slapped by River for trying to draw on Mae's face before turning my attention to Nicolas. "Any relation?"
"None," he answers.
Mae gets lifted into one of the organization's van, thankfully not ours. Frannie must have notified them to send another car out.
It was an easy mission, but almost as disturbing as any other.
First time meeting my girlfriend's mother was when she had her mouth wrapped around a dick in exchange for some damn drugs.
Alia doesn't want me to hurt her mother, so I won't. But I am gonna judge the fuck out of her.
I return my eyes to River and Fisher, but order Nicolas, "Start the car."
"You got it, bossman," he nods and walks off as a woman makes her way over to me, her black jacket labeled KUAA (Kingston United Assassin Association).
"Sir?" she says when she reaches me.
I glance at her. The fuck does she want?
"Anita Briar," she introduces, offering her hand for me to shake. When I don't move, she says, "Okay then. I figured I'd let you know that we are moving Jake Manne to a facility in New York. We suggest taking Mae Quinn there as well."
"Ok," I manage as I walk away.
She calls after me. "We're taking her with us now."
I turn back around. "No the fuck you're not."
Whatever the fuck her name is—Anna?—crosses her arms. "We are on orders to get Mae help. Who are you to stop us?"
I point to the KUAA label on her jacket. "That association? My fucking association. Those orders? My fucking orders."
River, having shut the doors to the van, comes over. "What's going on?"
"Levi Kingston?" she asks, ignoring River's presence, her moment of realization evident on her face.
River slings his arm over my shoulder and pats my chest with his other hand. "That's bossman right here."
I throw him off me.
"Levi Kingston," she says again, and I almost groan in annoyance. "As in, Kingston United?" She taps her jacket label, jaw slightly unhinged.
"The one and only," River grins.
"Take the dealer to New York," I instruct Anne—I think. "Mae is with us."
She nods excessively, tucking hair behind her ear. "Yes, boss." Before she leaves, she gives me a look that I find pathetic. "Are there any other Kingstons? Like, a Mrs?"
"Are you asking about his mom?" Fisher asks like a damn idiot, appearing out of fucking nowhere.
"She's asking about sugarplum, Fish," Nicolas says, also appearing out of fucking nowhere. "Duh."
"Ohhh, we're talking about Athalia." Fisher looks at us. "Now I get it. Okay, continue."
"Fuck off," I say to all of them. "We're leaving."
They trail behind me as we head to the car, and whatever her fucking name is yells to me, "My number is on the call sheet! If you ever need it!"
"We won't! But thanks!" Fisher yells back.
"Hey. I might've wanted it," Nicolas complains to Fisher in a mumble.
We get into the front of the car, and despite the thousand different conversations the idiots I work with kept having, my attention is not on the woman in the back section of the car and instead entirely focused the daughter waiting for her.
☆☆☆
Pulling myself out of Levi's arms, I ask, "Is she here? Is she okay?"
He nods, those pretty eyes of his soft.
Max drove Frannie and I to the hospital once we got the go-ahead from Levi.
My mom is here. She's in a hospital, getting help.
My eyes sting, but I blink the tears away.
"Can I see her?"
Levi nods again, and leads me towards a closed door. The others, aka Levi's men, follow but I request, "Do you think I could talk to her alone?"
They glance at each other, uncertain.
"She's my mom and she's half-unconcious, she won't hurt me," I say. Even though I'm though I'm not entirely sure that's true.
They back away, and I walk into the room once Levi opens the door for me. I see my mom, hooked up to a bunch of machines but laying there peacefully. She almost looks beautiful again.
Levi starts to walk in with me but I shake my head. "Alone, remember?"
His brows lower. "Like hell I'm leaving you alone with her."
I give him a look.
"Fine," he sighs, planting a soft kiss on my forehead before leaving.
I take a deep breath, and sit in a nearby chair. Hospital chairs are so comfy, for what? I sink into one, almost falling asleep when I see some movement from my mom.
I stand, and she sees me. When her tired eyes look me up and down, I instantly wish I had worn different clothing. I'm in a skirt that reaches a bit above my knees and a plain t-shirt. Mom doesn't like when I wear skirts.
"Hi, momma," I say. "How are you?"
The hospital's drugs must not have worn off yet, because she smiles weakly. "Athalia, my girl."
"How are you?" I ask again.
She looks down at her body, noting the hospital bed she lays in. Then she scans the room, and the smile vanishes. Her voice turns cold. "Where am I? Why am I here?"
If she wasn't so weak right now, I probably would have flinched at her tone. "You're in the hospital," I tell her. Panic and anger spreads along her features. "But it's okay, everything's okay."
"Why am I here, Athalia Parker?" She questions, eyes narrowing into slits.
Well crap. Here goes nothing.
"You need help, momma, I'm getting you help," I carefully tell her.
I swear the room shifts, especially when she says, "Come here."
I shake my head.
"Come closer so I can hear you better," she insists, waving me over with a slim hand.
I take a couple steps toward her. But I keep my distance. "Better?"
She laughs a little, which is a little concerning. "What, ya' scared of me or something? Come here, Athalia."
Holding my breath, I stand beside the hospital bed. I regret not having Levi stay in here with me. He makes me feel safe no matter where I am, unlike my mother who makes me feel like I have to watch my back whenever I'm around her.
Mom grabs my wrist, and yanks me to her. "What the fuck did you do?"
Her grip, despite the weak state of her body, is strong enough to bruise. "You need help, Momma," I repeat.
"Who did you fucking tell?" She demands, somehow tightening her grasp on me.
"Momma—"
"God, you are unbelievable!" She yells, her voice strained but loud. Hatred lines the stare glare gives me. "Are you trying to drive me away now, too? First your father, and now me?"
Tears pierce my eyes. "I'm sorry—"
"If your father were alive, do you know how fucking disgusted he would be with you?" she snaps. She lets go of my wrist, and I stumble back.
Everything inside me freezes. "W-what?"
Her glare doesn't soften. "Did I forget to mention that?" she says coldly.
"You're lying," I shake my head. "He—he's not dead."
If your father were alive...
I don't care how messed up in the head she is, she shouldn't joke about that.
"He died because of you," she says, her face blank.
I can't feel my heartbeat anymore. "Stop—stop lying."
"You lost your damn doll, and just had to make your daddy find it for you," she says, and the memory floods into my mind.
I look under the couch, keeping an eye out for a blonde plastic head while Spongebob plays on the TV.
Ugh, this dumb doll must've came to life and walked away. I can't find her anywhere.
Frustration rises to my eyes, and tears start to well.
"Dada," I whine, rising to see him kiss momma on the cheek.
"Yes, hun?" He makes his way over to me, his work bag slung over his shoulder.
"Can you help me find my doll?"
He checks his watch. "I'm sorry, hunny, I've got to go before I'm late for work."
"Couldn't of waited until he got back," my mom continues as I blankly stare at her. "Couldn't of asked me instead of him."
The tears start to fall as I feel a tantrum coming on. "Dada, I need my doll!"
He sighs, "Okay, okay. Where did you last have it?"
I point to the couch then the carpet. "Here."
Dada checks the floor and peeks under the couch like I had. I watch him search for my doll with snot running from my nose.
If I don't find this doll I am going to throw an absolute fit and they are just gonna have to deal with it.
Mom watches a tear fall from my cheek. "You made him late," she says, and the hate I hear from her makes a second tear fall.
Dada sticks his hand between the couch cushions and pulls out my Barbie. "Found it."
Excitment rushes through me. "Yay!" I squeal, running up to him to give him a hug for a split second before I grab the doll.
I am never letting her out of my sight ever again.
I hug my dada again, and also make my doll hug him.
"I got to go, hun, I'm late," he says as he presses his lips to the top of my head. "Love you."
He pulls away from me, and heads out the door. I rush to the window to watch him walk down the driveway, and wait to return to my doll until I can no longer see his black car as it drives off.
"If he left a minute earlier, he would've missed the drunk driver that crashed into him." Mom shakes her head at me in disgust. "You and your stupid fucking doll killed him."
☆Authors note☆
...
This is a short chapter because it's part1, and it's my poor attempt at a cliffhanger lol.
part two will be posted shortly as it is already half-way written :)
i used to have a Tiktok account for Athalia Quinn but i hadn't been active on it for so long that it logged me out and i forgot the password, whoops. so that is why i haven't been posting on it , in case any of you follow it. username is the same as mine on here if anyone wants to check out the now-inactive account lol
ALSO OMG I GET TO GO TO THE TATE MCRAE CONCERT !!!
anyways
There is a difference between giving up and knowing when you've had enough
If you enjoy, please vote and follow.
Thank you for reading<3
Word count: 1793