Assaulted

26

Sorry for the late update, guys. Been busy with school but I really want to complete Assaulted. Hope you enjoy this chapter though.

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I dressed up as I talked to Joe over the phone. He didn't know what I was doing right now or my latest job at the casino. I didn't exactly want to lie to him but if I told him the truth and the actual situation, he would be worried.  He always was when I had mafia related missions.

"He's been really bored since Ana and Stella left. I've been trying to convince him it's only for a week," Joe was saying.

Ana and Stella had gone on a trip Stella was really excited for. They'd asked Liam if he wanted to go but he'd denied and claimed it would be too girly. Joe had too much work to leave behind.

"I'm coming over then," I answered him.

"Should I tell him first?"

I smiled, "Nah, let's make it a surprise first."

There was silence for a while. I adjusted the plaid red shirt I had around my waist. Joe spoke again in a more quiet tone.

"What are you planning?"

I paused in front of the mirror and stared at the phone on the table that I'd put on loudspeaker. I swallowed. He always knew. Always.

I cleared my throat, "Nothing. Just been busy with wo-"

"You can't lie to me, Scarlett. I taught you how to lie to people but not to me," he sighed. I closed my eyes and imagined the slight disappointment on his face.

"I..., " I knew I had nothing to say.

"You've found another lead, haven't you?"

Joe always seemed to sense when I had another lead on the mafia that had killed my parents. I'd normally always tell him but sometimes it felt too personal. Other times, I came clean and told him but he thought I should just let it all go. I couldn't.

"Joe,...can you trust me?"

He was silent before he drew out a heavy sigh, "Scarlett, I have complete faith in you but sometimes, I wish you would stop. Open your eyes and not live in the past. Come back to people who love you, Scarlett. To people who are still here. Especially while they're still here."

I didn't want to listen to this. I really didn't. So...

"I'll be there to pick up Liam in fifteen minutes."

********

Liam was completely excited to leave the house. He hurried to dress up, rushed over to my Ashton Martin, drooled over it like he did everytime before getting in the car. I didn't talk to Joe. He didn't push it.

As we drove through town to a carnival that had recently come in, Liam spoke, "I think I really do like the idea of having a cousin as long as she comes with the benefit of a cool car."

I turned to him, moved the sunglasses I was wearing into my hair and smiled, "Oh, really? That's the only reason you like me."

He turned to me with a mischievous smirk, "You also know how to make a mean lasagna."

We laughed as the wind whipped into the car and blew my hair. I'd left it in a simple ponytail. At the carnival, the smooth engine of the car turned a lot of heads as we entered a parking lot. I got extra catwhistles as I stepped out. As we walked through the crowd, Liam held my hand and smiled, "But I'd give all of it up to have the best cousin anyday."

I smiled at that.

*******

After the carnival, Liam and I visited a skating rink he loved. I beat him at most of the races. He called me a cheat. I bought him ice cream to make him forgive me. We left for a movie later then the city park on the way back to the car. We joined some teenagers playing a game of catch and Liam constantly found it funny to tackle me to the ground everytime the ball came my way.

I had a wonderful day and completely forgot Joe's warning, completely forgot his training of being aware of your surroundings and I completely failed to notice the man in dark blue jeans and a black T-shirt hiding under the shade of a tree, taking pictures of Liam and linking him to one of the greatest underlords in the mafia.

An underlord named Joe Baxter.