Chapter 2

I rushed out of the club, bypassing my friends.

"Bristol? Where are you going?" Brinley shouted over the music, but I ignored her as I kept running.

Going straight to my house, taking the stairs two at a time. In my dad's room, I glance around, looking for his safe. Fining it in the closet behind his hung clothes. As I approached the safe, I kneeled.

Trying several codes, but they are all wrong until I punched in today's date, realizing he used my birthday.

Ring... Ring... Ring. My phone blared, and I swiped it to answer.

"Hello?" I spoke.

"Where did you go?" I've been texting you non-stop," Brinley said, worried.

"I'm sorry something came up," I explained.

"What's wrong?" Brinley questioned.

Not wanting to involve my best friend, I avoided the question. "Nothing, I have to go." and I hung up the phone without another word.

After opening the safe, there was a stack of cash and some jewelry. I grabbed it quickly, then closed it back. 

When I came downstairs, I stopped looking at the bowl of keys by the door. "I'm sorry, mom," I said aloud, then yanked the keys to her Camaro out and ran for the garage. 

Once in the garage, I pulled the cover off as I did earlier, but this time feels different. I am about to give the one thing I love the most away to save my father, but what if I don't get the money? I will lose my father and my mother's car. 

I took a deep breath. "You have to," I encouraged myself aloud.

Closing my eyes, I opened the door getting in. The seat formed into my body. I put the key in the ignition and turn it over. She fired right up—the exhaust echoing throughout the garage, causing the walls to rattle. The car's frame shook from the cam. Holding on to the steering wheel, I felt such power and freedom. It almost felt like my mom was there with me. 

Clicking the garage door open, I pushed in the clutch, placed it in first gear, and then took off. 

As I raced down the highway looking for a 24-hour pawn. I glanced at my phone, realizing it's already six in the morning. "Shit! I need to hurry." Was talking to yourself insane? Was I literally going crazy at this point? I thought.

After I pulled into the nearest pawnshop, I sold all the jewelry and came back out to count the cash my father had in the safe. "$24,999, $25,000." I sighed. 

Sitting in the car for a moment before pulling out my phone and dialing quickly. It rang a few times before an answer came. 

"Hello?" my grandfather said sweetly. 

Before speaking, I thought about hanging up, but I forced myself to go ahead. "Hey Grandpa, it's me, Bristol." 

"Oh, hey honey, is everything alright?" He asked, concerned. It's been a while since I've reached out to him. 

"Um, I need to borrow some cash, and it needs to stay quiet," I said. 

My grandfather stayed silent for a moment, then asked. "Are you in trouble?" 

"You can say that." 

"Okay, come by the house ill give you what I can," he said. 

Relief washes over me, and I take a breath I must have been holding in. "Thank you. I'm on my way." 

"Be safe, love you," my grandfather added. 

"Love you too," then ended the call. 

I hurried across town towards his place. Quickly, I parked and ran up the stairs to the front porch, knocking. Grandpa opened the door, and I walked in. Once inside, he handed me a bag. 

"This is all I have here. The rest is in the bank, but you don't want a paper trail." My grandfather declared. 

"This will be fine. I will figure the rest out." Grabbing him into a hug. "Thank you," I whispered, still gripping him. 

"Of course, baby girl, I won't ask questions because I know who your father is dealing with." He said, pulling from our embrace. 

"You know?" I questioned, baffled. "My father has done this before?" 

His expression was showing avoidance. 

"Grandpa?" I asked, needing his answer. 

"Honey, your father has had a big gambling problem for many years." He said with a saddened expression. "But don't be too hard on him. He has tried to get clean." He added, but that didn't make it right. 

I wanted to smack my father, but I can't let them kill him. Removing myself from my father's punishment, I brought my attention back to my grandfather. 

"Thank you, grandpa, It's not all of it, but it's only $10,000 short maybe he will let me make the rest in payments," I said, putting the money back in the bag after counting it.  

"I hope, sweetheart, but be careful. These are dangerous men," He said, pulling back into another hug, then I pulled away, placing a kiss on his temple. 

"I love you," I smiled slightly. 

"Love you too, bye sweetie." He said, and I sent him one last wave before disappearing out the door. 

Driving towards the club, I glance at my phone. It's 7:15. I have 45 minutes left to get there. Stopping at a nearby gas station, I put the car in neutral, setting the brake. I put my head in my hands. Fear washes over me. What will I do without my father if he won't accept what I have? Tears flooded my eyes. 

"Get yourself together. Be brave." I encouraged myself. Then I forced myself to leave the parking lot. 

AT THE CLUB...

I parked in the alley like I was told, then waited for them to come down. 

The alley got dark when the door opened, and the tattooed man walked out with my father. They bound his hands with rope behind his back. And he looked tortured—bruises all over his face. 

Instantly I ran towards my father, but the man stopped me by holding a gun at my head, stopping me in my tracks. 

"Stop there, Barbie," He growled. 

I held my hands up. "Fine. Daddy, are you okay?" I asked, searching his face. 

"Yes..." my father said before the man gripped the back of his neck, and my father winced from the pain. 

"HEY!" I screamed, coming towards them, not caring if he shot me or not. "STOP! you're hurting him." 

"And?" the tattooed man smirked. 

"I got your damn money. Please let my father go?" I begged. 

The man looked around. "Oh really? Where is it then?" he said, placing the gun at my father's head. 

"Please don't," I pleaded, running back to the car grabbing the bag. 

In front of the man, I tossed the bag at the tattooed man's feet and backed away. "There."

He glanced down, looking back up with a smirk. "Not bad for a little girl from the suburbs." 

I sent him an icy glare. "Can I just leave with my father? You got everything you wanted plus my mother's car." 

"Not so fast, Barbie. I don't trust you," He declared. "Damon?" He called his goon over, handing him the bag. 

Crap, he's going to know it's short $10,000. I was hoping he wouldn't know until I got my father away and safe. I thought dreadfully. 

About 45 minutes passed, and I was sitting on the ground waiting for this to be over with, but I knew this would be the end deep down. 

The bouncer came back, and the tattooed man glanced at him. All the bouncer did was shake his head. The tattooed man shoved my father towards his goon and rushed at me with fury. 

I quickly got to my feet, stammering backward to get away from him, but he was too fast, and let's face it, I'm so clumsy I would always be the first one to get killed in a scary movie. 

He snatched me by my hair. I tried peeling his hand away, but he was too strong. "I really thought you were more competent, but I guess I was wrong." The man's face was inches from mine. I could feel his cool breath against my skin. 

"I can get the rest. I promise. It's only $10,000 short. I can make payments. I'm good for it." I explained, frantic.  

The tattooed man stared into my eyes, almost as if he couldn't pull his away. He let go of my hair, pushing me towards his bouncer. "Take her and the father upstairs." He ordered. 

"Wait! What are you going to do? Please let us go!" I screamed, struggling with the bouncer.

The man came over, placing his finger on my lips. "Wait and see. Until then, be quiet."

I swallowed hard as nausea engulfed me. 

IN THE CLUB...

Hours passed, and the tattoo guy still hasn't killed us, which is surprising since I didn't have all his money. 

How is it? I just finished school, turned eighteen, and had a bright future. Now it's all over because of a gambling problem that's not even mine. I'm brought out of my thoughts to my phone buzzing violently in my pocket. I sighed, then glanced at my father. 

"I'm so sorry, Bristol." My father hung his head in shame. 

"I'm not mad even though we will die, and that's on you, but you lying to me is what hurts the most," I told him. 

"I know I should have told you, but I felt ashamed, and I didn't want you to feel the same," He explained. 

I closed my eyes, annoyed. "Let's save the talk for the afterlife so mom can bitch slap you for losing her car and getting her daughter killed by the mafia." 

My father looked down, not saying another word, as I looked off in the distance. I may have risked my life for my father, but that doesn't mean everything is fine and dandy. 

The door clicked shut, and we both moved our gaze to see. 

"So here is what's going to happen. I no longer want the money." The man said. 

"Oh, thank god." I breathed. 

"What?" my father said frantically. 

"Dad, don't question him," I argued. 

The man chuckled. I narrowed my eyes at him, confused why he was laughing. "What's so funny?" I asked with my brows knitted. 

"You two bickering." He said, pleased that we were fighting. 

I rolled my eyes. 

"He's not just going to let $10,000 slide bristol," my father chimed in. 

I glared at my father. "He might. You haven't even let him speak." I spat back. 

"No, your father is right this time." The man said. 

"if you don't want the money, then what the hell do you want?" I asked, irritated.  

"Straight shooter, I like that," the man replied. 

"Not really, cause you never get to the damn point!" I retorted. 

"Bristol, he holds our lives in his hands, and you're back talking him?" my father once again put his two cents in. 

"He's going to kill us, anyway." I ran my fingers through my dark hair, frustrated. 

"I have a deal. You take the agreement your father lives happily. He gets your mother's car back. You reject the deal. I kill your father and let you live alone with no memory of your parents, and I force you to watch me crush your mother's car." The tattooed man crossed his arms. 

I glanced to my feet, then back to him. "I'm afraid to ask, but what's the deal?" 

"This is my doing. Let me face the consequences and leave my daughter out of it," my father said. 

"SHUT IT!" the man shouted, making me flinch. 

"it's fine, dad," I said, reassuring my father I can take it, then brought my gaze back to the man. "What is it?" 

The man paused for a brief second. "You."