Wiping the blood off her hands with a white cloth, CJ examined her cracked knuckles, turning to Iago next to her.
"You got rid of it?" He silently nodded, spinning around to sit on the sofa next to Paulo, who eagerly snuggled into his chest.
Maria walked up to her girlfriend, taking the gauze from her hands. She motioned for her to get up on the counter, to which CJ reluctantly obliged. Holding CJ's raw hand in her own, Maria began to gently wrap the bandages around it. Moving to stand between her legs, she stood close enough to her partner that the gang leader could feel her breath on her collarbone.
"All fixed," Maria breathed, her words catching in her throat due to the proximity. Her patient managed to grunt out an affirmation, before shuffling forwards in an attempt to get off the table.
"It's nice to know the effect I have on you," the older Suarez twin whispered into her ear. Coughing in embarrassment, CJ jumped down, pulling her black leather jacket back on.
"Hey, boss," Aiden approached after Maria had walked away, "Can we talk?"
"Yeah, sure." Leading the way, CJ walked into one of the spare downstairs bedrooms, followed by the french boy.
"What's on your mind?" she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed, crossing her legs underneath her.
"I just wanted to know how mon père was to you when we lived here. I just can't bear the thought of him being like... like..." he stuttered on his words.
"Like Andrew," CJ finished.
"Ouais, pretty much." The gang leader shook her head in reassurance.
"He was never... like that. I mean, he was no more insane than anyone else in the gang," she twisted the gold ring on her thumb nervously, "But, Drew was very over-protective of Henri. They became friends fairly young, along with Dennis. So, in turn, he was very protective of you. If you got hurt, it was my fault."
Aiden looked as if he were about to comment, yet CJ interrupted him.
"Don't apologise," she said softly, fiddling with the bandages on her knuckles, "you were too young to do anything." She reached up one hand to wipe the beginnings of a tear from the corner of his eye, her coarse knuckle grazing his cheek.
"My father," her voice seemed strained as she said that word, "was clinically insane. When Alicia died, he snapped. Only your father was smart enough to get you the hell away in time." Suddenly, she felt Aiden's arms wrapping around her, his head resting in the crook of her neck. Flinching, she froze in his embrace: not used to getting contact from many people.
Eventually, she relaxed slightly, snaking her arms around his waist. She barely heard his apology which he mumbled into the shoulder of her leather jacket.
"Never blame yourself, mon cherie," she comforted him, stroking his wavy blonde hair, "never."
☆☆☆
"Happy Birthday, dear CJ. Happy Birthday to you!" The gang cheered as their leader stood in front of the black cake awkwardly.
"Make a wish!" Paulo encouraged, followed by agreement from his twin. Pondering silently for a moment, CJ leant forward, blowing out the candles that were arranged in the shape of the numbers 2 and 5.
"How does it feel to officially be old?" Leo teased, earning himself a slap from his half-sister.
"You're literally 27, mate," she reprimanded.
"Shush."
"Okay, kids, it's time to cut the cake!" Maria chirped, handing her girlfriend the knife. Taking it, CJ pierced the dark fondant icing of the cake twice, removing a slice for herself. Upon placing it on her plate, she realised that the inside of the cake was a rainbow, which explained its tall stature.
"Who the-" she began to question whose idea it was when she was interrupted by Adrian.
"Oh, I get it, because, like, she has a harsh facade on the outside, but on the inside, she's actually sweet." The room fell into near-total silence, save for the sound of Maria sipping her iced coffee.
"I hate you," CJ spoke, at last, looking directly at Leo, Paulo, and Brody.
"And what?" Brody challenged, his accent momentarily lapsing back into his old British one.
"Oh, my dear Brody, you oughtn't to challenge someone who knows every one of your secrets.
"You wouldn't!"
"But I would."
"Ooh, like what secrets?" Adrian asked, leaning his chin on his palms and resting his elbows on the kitchen counter.
"Well, one time when we were 10, Brody put a stapler-"
"NO!" Brody objected, sealing his best friend's mouth shut with his hand. Without a second thought, CJ opened her jaw and clamped her teeth down on his finger.
Yelling indignantly, Brody stepped away from her.
"Ow."
"Idiot. But seriously, for my first ever birthday cake, that wasn't half bad."
"What do you mean 'first'?" Mike asked.
"You really think Drew let me celebrate my birthday?"
"I guess we'll just have to make up for the ones you've missed by making each of your parties gradually bigger and better," Maria gripped her girlfriend's shoulder, "'Cause you're not getting rid of us anytime soon."
☆☆☆
Hours were spent drinking beer and laughing in front of the TV; watching old movies with terrible green screens and snacking on stale popcorn; flirting and teasing all through the night. As the next morning grew closer, the steady buzz of noise slowly became quieter, until everyone slept, save for CJ, who was sandwiched between her best friend and girlfriend.
She sat, fully upright, in ghostly silence, her keen eyes darting around the room every time a random beam of light from a car shone through a window, or a shadow shifted slightly on the ceiling. Watching paranoid for the slightest change, she couldn't find it in herself to lay down to rest.
Whenever she had tried to close her eyes for a moment of sleep, the creeping fear in the back of her mind prevented her from doing so. No matter how much her eyes drooped, or the ghost of a yawn hung in the back of her throat, she elected to not succumb to the temptations of the night.
She forced herself to stay alert, searching for any possible threats. As the leader of this gang, she realised that she would have to be their protector, regardless of the toll it took on her body. On the rare occasion that she heard the sound of a car's tires against the tarmac road at this time of night, she reached for the switchblade tucked into her jeans, reassuring herself that it was still there.
Before she had even processed it, dawn broke, signalling the start of the new day. Within hours, the room was flooded with sunlight, through the open curtains. Around CJ, her friends began to wake up.
"CJ," Leo sounded concerned, "You look like death. Did you sleep at all?"
"No," she replied curtly, carefully shifting Maria's head off of her lap so that she may stand.
"Cara," Dennis spoke, alerting them that he had awoken, "Can I talk to you?" Nodding shortly, she followed him into the kitchen.
"So," he started, "we have a big mafia meeting coming up soon. I figured I should warn you so that you're prepared. It's in three days' time, and I've heard that not all of the members are pleased that a woman is in charge."
"Right, so I basically have to speak to a room full of bigots about what's been going on, and what we have planned for the future. Peachy," she rolled her eyes sarcastically.
"Sorry I didn't give you more of a warning, I completely forgot while I was back in England."
"Nevermind, what's done is done."
Walking away, CJ ran through possible scenarios in her head, mentally preparing herself for what was soon to come. In three days, she will be forced to convince a room full of people, who supported her father, that she is fit to be in charge. The least she could do was be ready for them.
YOU ARE READING
The Mafia Queens
Action"I came because your father passed two days ago. Drew is dead. You know what this means, right? You're next in line." - - - CJ Dickson is pulled out of her life in England and thrust into the USA, where she is supposed to assume her father's positio...
