My Prison Pen Pal

Chapter 18

"Lucy, what the fuck are you doing here."

Dave says dumbfoundedly. He stays there for a couple of seconds staring numbly at me until something snaps in him and he yells out.

"Sugar. Kyle? What the hell...... , Get these fucking ties off my goddamn sister. Why did you bring her here?"

Dave yells angrily at Sugar and Kyle. Both of them jump in surprise and immediately start untying my hands and feet. I wince in pain as they brush against some of the bruises around the ties. My brother notices and starts to become angry red. As soon as I am untied, he securely picks me up in his arms and marches us up the stairs. My head is spinning and all I can do is simply lay my head against Dave's stiff shoulder. He pushes open a door and lays me down gently on a couch.

"Lucy, drink this."

Dave hands me a cup of water and I down it, hoping that it will help my concussion. As I drink, Dave pulls out a first aid kit, cleans the wound on my face, and applies some gel on the visible bruises located on my leg and arms. When I finish the water, he sets the cup down for me and applies some soothing cream to my busted lip.

"Why are you here? How did you find me?"

Dave asks gently, but I can tell he is holding back frustration. I shake my head.

"Give me five minutes, I feel like I'm going to throw up."

I respond, sitting up on the couch and resting my head in my hands. He moves to sit next to me and gently rubs my back.

"Answer me this. Are Sugar and Kyle the ones that did this to you?"

Without looking him in the eyes, I nod my head yes.

"I've never seen Kyle around here. I have no idea what he is doing helping Sugar. I'm going to fuck them up for this."

Dave grunts angrily and gets up from the couch.

"I'll be back in ten minutes. Stay here and focus on your breathing."

Before I know it, Dave storms out of the office and locks the door. I faintly hear yelling and grunts of pain from down the stairs but I do as Dave says and I focus on my breathing. Even though my head is spinning, my lip is busted, and my ribcage is burning, I have to talk to my brother. I haven't seen him in two years. A few minutes later, Dave unlocks the door and walks back into the office, not being phased by the obvious beating he just did. He takes a seat next to me and looks me in the eye. I beat him to the chase and ask a question first.

"You're the boss? The boss of the Cynicals? Since when? I thought you were in fucking Florida? How?"

Dave sighs and leans back on the couch.

"I never wanted you to be in this part of my life, Lucy. I became a member of the Cynicals when I was fifteen and worked up in the ranks. You knew we barely scraped by paying the bills growing up. The Cynicals offered me money, and I took it for our family."

Since he was fifteen? This has been going on since I was twelve and I never knew?

"Dave, I thought you were on the boxing team?! But you were in a GANG? Why didn't you tell me? Was that why you always came home busted up? Did mom and dad know?"

He avoids eye contact with me and defensively crosses his arms.

"Lucy, you are my baby sister. I never wanted you to get involved or be at risk, I still don't. And, yes, mom and dad knew. They tried to convince me to stop but they didn't get it. This gang is my job. It's a part of my life, you can't get out of it."