Chapter 1

It was a cold night, the weather was dreary, the streets had small puddles in every corner, and yet she had to get there in time. The rain had already delayed her plans, but she could still make it if she quickened her pace. Her car had broken down and now she had to walk all the way there. She walked down the street in her red pointed-toe heels and a lit cigarette in her hand. Her blonde curls bounced as she stepped over the muddy puddles. She was wearing a rather revealing and inappropriate dress underneath her coat. She told herself everything was justified as long as the job got done.

Stopping next to a window, she glanced inside a crowded bar, she would have to go inside to make sure that her target was still there. Taking one last drag from her cigarette, she threw it on the pavement, stepped on it and entered the bar.

It was so crowded that it was stuffy and warm as compared to the cold and windy weather outside. She made her way through the crowd and went up to the bartender.

“Anything strong,” she called out to him over the noise, “on the rocks.” she added.

She sat down on the only remaining empty stool, and took out her cell phone, 9:15 P.M. He could still be here, she thought. The bartender placed her glass on the counter. She picked it up and started to scan the place. Come on, come on, you still gotta be here, she wishfully thought, but soon realized it was all in vain, her mark had left. She cursed under her breath. All this trouble for nothing. She grudgingly took out her cell, and typed out a message: Situation: Target has left the premises, Mission Status: Incomplete and hit send. Man, Theo was going to be so pissed, she thought regretfully. She switched off her cell and threw it at the bottom of her bag; she would deal with it later.

She drank the rest of her vodka in one go, placed the glass rather loudly on the counter, and cursed again because those heels were killing her. Well, she had come all this way, so might as well get drunk.

“Another one,” she called out to the bartender.

Three drinks later, her coat was off, and she was using obscene language about how all men are disloyal and just not worth the time as she chatted away with the woman sitting next to her.

 

“You know, we had been together for what, 2 and half years, and he says, he has the audacity to say, that I’m not even trying anymore, huh! The truth though, Diana, is that he was the one who did not give a s**t about our relationship. I know what he did every weekend that he said he was in New York, that lying cheating son of a-“

Her words were drowned out by the sudden cheering of the guys watching the game.

“Men” she said again under her breath with a look of disgust on her face.

“I got to go,” Diana said as she got up.

She waved her away and called out to the bartender who had joined the guys watching the game.

This was her fifth drink; sixth maybe, she had lost count. She drank away as someone sat down next to her. She didn’t notice him until she placed her empty glass down, he was staring at her. He was rather good looking, his black hair fell on his forehead slightly, and behind those dorky glasses he had greenish brown eyes, his stubble complimented his perfectly full lips. She noticed that he was wearing a jacket that bluntly stated that he was rich, loaded. What was he doing in a sleazy bar like this? She wondered. She raised her eyebrows at him.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help but over hear your conversation,” he said over the noise.

“If you came here to prove that not men are all the same, then save it, because I know, I’m just having a bad week.” She told him.

“Actually I came here to tell you that, your ex apparently has a very low IQ and bad eye-sight, how could he possibly let someone like you get away?” he gave her a crooked smile.

She couldn’t help but smile back, “Thanks, I kind of needed that.”

“You’re welcome, Miss?”

“Veronica, Veronica Barnes. And you are?”

“Ryan O’Conner.”

The rest of the night was kind of a blur and before she knew it, it was morning and her cell phone was ringing loudly.

It was Theo.

“Damn,” she cursed under her breath.

She could no longer avoid him, she would have to confront him about last night and tell him how miserably she had failed at getting the job done.

“Hello.” She said in a tiny voice. Theo had that much effect on her.

“What the hell Brianna? You text me about the situation and then you disappear? Get your a*s here right now.” He said in a firm tone.

He didn’t once raise his voice, he didn’t need to. His voice was frightening enough without being loud.

“I’ll be there in 10 minutes,” she said.

“You better be,” he said and ended the call.

Theo flexed his jaw muscle in frustration and anger at the lack of responsibility of Brianna. Brianna never really seemed to understand the gravity of things, she never took things seriously. Theo always had to fix everything himself, Theo always had to get the job done.

“Look, man. The big trade isn’t till the end of the month; she’ll get it done by then. Relax.” Paul told Theo.

Paul was Theo’s best friend and second in command. Theo relied heavily on him and trusted him with his life. Paul had been with him through thick and thin.

Theo paced the floor with his hands clenched tightly in fists. He wanted to punch something, someone. He had had anger issues since, well since, he could remember. He had learned to channel all that energy into his work. He put all his effort and time into his job; in short he was what you call “married to his work”. Girls would throw themselves at him, for who wouldn’t? He had a strong built, a chiseled jaw, blue eyes, and silky smooth blonde hair which were always combed back from his face. All the flirting was in vain, because Theo had time for no one, he was too busy being the “man in charge.”

Brianna walked in with a pair of sunglasses on. She has a hangover again, Theo concluded to himself.

“Well, little sis, I see you had fun last night.” He said in a not so nice tone.

“Ugh, I told you I hate it when you call me that.” She replied with a look of disgust on her face.

Theo stopped pacing and walked up to her.

“Come here little sis, you must be tired, have a seat.” He motioned towards his seat behind the large desk.

He was doing that thing which he always did when he was on the verge of blowing up and punching a hole in the wall, he was being extremely nice, it was scary.

“Look Theo, it was raining and my car broke down-“Brianna began to explain.

“Oh, car trouble, that must have been a very difficult situation, I’m glad you made it out without a scratch.”

Brianna was backing away from him, he was gonna blow, any minute now.

Paul was eyeing him from a far as he contemplated whether or not to interfere. He decided he would stay out of it; he couldn’t stand their constant sibling wars.

Theo let out a deep breath, “You had a simple task, Bree, all you had to do was go find the target and make him interested in you.” He still hadn’t raised his voice but his temple veins were bulging with rage.

“

I-“she tried to explain again.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. I’m done listening to your endless list of pathetic excuses for you screwing up every time I give you a job.” He was glaring at her now with bloodshot eyes.

“That’s sorta unfair, bruh, she has completed tasks before-“Paul interjected.

Theo glared at him, “Did anyone ask you?”

Paul put up his hands to show that he would interrupt again.

Brianna was on the verge of tearing up. She clutched her bag to her chest tightly and was staring at the ground, at nothing in particular as she tried not to think too much about how big of a failure she was.

“Just get out.” Theo muttered and turned away from her as if she was a horrible sight to see.

“What?” Brianna asked in a shaky voice.

“I said GET OUT!” Theo bellowed.

That did it, Brianna burst into tears.

Theo swung his arm and knocked all of the things off his desk, they landed with a huge crash all over the carpeted floor. Paul approached him from behind and gently put a hand on his back, “Deep breaths, man, deep breaths.” He told him calmly.

“Why are you so mean, Theo?” Brianna asked between here sobs. “You know mom and dad would have never let you treat me like this.” She sniffed.

“You have got to stop playing the goddamn mom and dad card, they are DEAD! GONE! NOW GET OUT BEFORE I PUNCH A WALL FOR REAL THIS TIME!”

Paul flinched; Brianna gave out a lout cry and stumbled out the door and into the hallway.

Theo let out a deep breath and fell into his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose; he closed his eyes and let his head fall back.

“Bruh, why do you lose control like that? Bree told you beforehand she did not want to do this task, but you sent her anyway, and you know it was raining hard last night. Why do you give her such a hard time, let her live a little.” Paul told him in his usual reasoning manner.

“I know, I know,” Theo said as he began to regain his composure, “It’s just, she’s just not cut out for this life, yet she wants to be a part of it.”

“Of course she does, you are the only family she has, and she wants to help you catch those guys by doing whatever she can, but if you keep pressurizing her like that, man, you’re gonna lose her.”

Theo opened his eyes and looked directly at Paul, “How do you manage to remain so calm?”

“Someone has got to be the rational one around here.”

Theo nodded in agreement.

“I’m gonna go walk her to work, “Paul said as he walked towards the door, “and by the way you wouldn’t be like this if you got laid once in a while.” He added with a knowing smirk.

“Shut up, bruh.” Theo had fully recovered from his raging tantrum, but still he did not smile.

Paul walked back to him, “Oh Theo you have such huge biceps.” He said in a high pitched squeaky voice as he grazed his arm in a flirtatious manner.

Theo swatted his hand away, “I’m gonna punch you, man,” he finally gave a little smile. “Now go walk her to work.”

Paul laughed at his own humor and walked out the door, Theo shook at his head and he couldn’t help but grin, Paul somehow always managed to make his mood a little better.

“Seriously though, get laid,” Paul had poked his head through the doorway.

Theo picked up his ashtray and hurled it straight towards his head; Paul dodged and said “Missed me!” He let out a chuckle and Theo finally heard his footsteps going down the hallway towards the elevator.

By the time Paul made it outside, Brianna had made it to Starbucks and bought a large cup of latte. He could tell she was still crying.

“Hey Bree!” he called out to her, “Bree!”

She turned around and waved at him, he jogged towards her.

“You know I can go to work by myself, it’s really not that far.” She said as he fell into step with her.

“I know,” he replied with a shrug.

She had taken off her sunglasses and put own her glassed instead, her hair were tied back into a neat bun, Paul had always liked her better this way, because that was the real her. The Brianna he had known all his life, the girl who had been his first. Unfortunately, it never worked out. The excuse being that they were young and stupid, and not just because of Theo. Which he never believed, because he still felt it, he still felt the need to look after her and protect her, and to make sure no jerk got his hands on her. She had moved on though, he couldn’t blame her. They both were quiet as they walked down the streets towards the library where she worked.

“He cares about you a lot you know, “Paul finally blurted out.

“He sure has a weird way of showing it,” she said shaking her head in disapproval.

“I never told you the story about Ginger, did I?” He asked smiling at her.

She looked at him and shook her head.

“When you were about three, you had this really chubby cat named Ginger, man, you loved that cat. One day she ran away. You cried for 2 days straight while Theo and I looked everywhere for her. We found the poor fella dead on the side of the road, someone ran over her. We didn’t know what to tell you, so he went and bought another chubby cat for you with the money he was saving up for his new bicycle.”

“Really?” she asked staring at him with big innocent eyes, she was no longer crying and he thanked the heavens.

“Yeah, he hated to see you cry and he still does.” He smiled at her reassuringly.

She gave him a small smile, “See you after work?”

They had come to a stop in front of the library.

“Yeah see you.” He waved at her as she entered the building.