To Love A Gangster

chapter 3

Chapter 3

Lucy didn’t even get to the front door as it flew open, and she came face to face with a furious Joey.

“What do you think you are playing at?” he shouted.

Lucy pushed him into their apartment before their neighbours came to see what all the noise was about.

“Not here!” she hissed as she closed the door.

Joey glared at her and stomped up the dark hall towards the living room he opened the door and stood there waiting for her to follow. She wasn’t going to sleep anytime soon she suspected as she watched his face contort with anger. She felt like a naughty teenager that had been caught out by her father.

“Joey this is stupid,” she tried to reason.

He was having none of it though as he slammed the door behind her and paced around the living room angrily.

“Will you sit down you’re making me dizzy!” she snapped at him.

There wasn’t a lot of floor space in their tiny apartment as it was, and he was  walking round in circles like some damn lunatic. He stopped pacing and looked at her, and she knew he was about to blow up.

“I thought something had happened to you. You don’t give a damn about anyone but yourself. When did you become so selfish!” he yelled.

She laughed sarcastically at his ridiculous accusation of her being selfish. How could he say that, she was working all the hours under the sun to help him pay off his debts to the Capardi’s. The money she earned should have been spent on clothes and normal things a twenty-two year woman would buy, not debts to some gangster.

“Yes that’s right Joey I’m selfish aren’t I. I spend most of my time at work to help you. I cook and clean like some housewife, and I never go out with anyone my own age. I’ve never had a boyfriend because you won’t allow it, and I’m the selfish one?” she screamed in anger.

She never usually answered back, but this was beyond a joke now. She should have been living life to the full, not killing herself to help him. She loved her brother and would do anything for him, but he was taking his control too far.

Joey glared at her in shock, “So you think I’m ruining your life?”

“Yes Joey you are!” she hissed.

Joey was disgusted he had given up so much for her, and now she wanted to act like she was the one that was hard done by. It was about time she heard some home truths he thought as he looked at her.

“I gave up a career for you, to look after you when mom died and dad went to jail. If it weren’t for me then you would have been in care. I took that loan from the Capardi’s so I could give you everything you needed!” he roared.

His words cut through Lucy like a knife, she had never really thought about what her brother had sacrificed for her before, and she felt guilty. She knew she had gone too far though this time because he didn’t stop there.

“Do you have any idea what it is like bringing up a twelve year old girl when you’re only twenty yourself. I should have been out there with my friends living it up, but I gave it up to bring you up!” he added viciously.

Lucy felt the lump rise in her throat, Sasha was right she did ruin his life and he was having his revenge now. She sank into the sofa, put her head in her hands, and started to sob.

Joey groaned and walked over to her, sitting down next to her. He pulled her to him and she sobbed into his chest as he stroked her back. He realised he had been harsh.

“Lucy you’re my baby sister you mean everything to me. If I had to do it, again I would. I just worry about you, you’re all I have,” he whispered soothingly into her ear.

“Sasha was right,” she cried.

Joey pulled her back from him so he could look at her, he wiped the tears from her face and frowned.

“What did Sasha say?” he asked curiously.

“That I ruined your life and it was your turn to ruin mine and she was right. You resent me.” She sobbed harder.

Joey was livid he loved her more than anything and anyone she was more like his daughter than his sister. He would go the ends of the earth and back ten times for her if he had to. He would die for her, he didn’t resent her.

“Lucy that is nonsense, I didn’t mean what I said. I love you so much it hurts, you’re my world,” he gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Lucy burst into more tears at his tender words. She looked up at him and he did something that she hadn’t seen him do in a while, he smiled. She threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly. The smell of his cologne comforted her, like it always did when she was younger.

“I’m sorry Joey,” she whispered.

Joey rubbed her back gently, “Ssh now sweetie please don’t cry. I’m sorry I know I need to go easier on you. You’re right you should be out there enjoying yourself, but please don’t bring a man here,” he told her.

Lucy stifled a giggle even when he was being nice he still managed to assert his control, it didn’t matter what the situation was. She moved back and messed his hair up.

“You need a haircut,” she informed him with her eyebrows raised.

Joey nodded in agreement his curly brown hair was getting out of control.

“I’ll cut it for you, go and wash it,” she ordered.

Joey stood up with a smirk and saluted her. She slapped his chest playfully and laughed. She went to the kitchen and hunted around for her scissors.

She grabbed a chair and put it in the living room. Joey came back out in some jogging bottoms and sat in the chair. He sat down and still towered over her. Joey was tall and broad at six foot four he towered over most people.

She combed his hair through and picked up her scissors. She looked at the scars on her brothers back from where their father had taken his belt off to him, and lashed him until he bled when he was a child.

She started to cut his hair for him and yawned while she was doing it. Joey laughed at her and she nearly cut too much hair as he moved his head, so she slapped his shoulder.

“Joey keep still. You’re such a pain!” she hissed.

“So what happened with Sasha?” he questioned ignoring her slap.

“She was saying things about mom, dad, and you, so I punched her.” She told him.

Joey turned his head to look at her, his mouth was hanging open, and his eyes were glistening with amazement.

“My baby sister actually punched someone?” he teased.

Lucy laughed and nodded her head at him, “Right in her nose.”

Joey burst into a fit of laughter he could never imagine Lucy punching someone she was so little and innocent looking. With her long curly brown hair, shimmering green eyes and petite frame she looked like she had just dropped from heaven.

That was another reason he was so protective she was so small and dainty that he worried she would not be able to defend herself if she needed to.

“Good girl I’m proud of you,” he smiled at her.

It probably wasn’t a good idea to praise her for punching someone, but it meant she wasn’t scared to defend herself and he was thankful for that.

“You look decent again now. The women will be all over you,” she poked his back playfully.

Joey was a player he had a different girl in his bed every week. Lucy could never imagine him settling down he was too much of a  man-whore. Joey beamed a smile at her and she shook her head. The girls didn’t seem to be able to resist her brother, he had the whole bad boy thing going on, but to her he was just moody.