"That's nice," I replied. "What are you doing here?"
"Mones, I 've felt like shit," he stated. "I brought the Bratva into your life. Playing around with them...I talked to dad."
A frown creased my forehead. "And?"
"He's getting the money together," Albie smiled. "You'll be free pretty soon. I hate that this shit even happened. Are you okay? That maniac hasn't hurt you has he?"
"Albie, don't fucking show up here again!" I threw up my hands. "You or our father. I'm inclined to beat the hell out you my damn self. You know how I feel about him...about the shit he put my mother through."
Albie's face turned into a scowl. "How long will you blame him?"
Albie had a point but I'd never let him know. This family was fucked up. I needed a therapist, but who didn't? I sure as hell wasn't about to have a family ranting session. Out the corner of my eye, I saw the window on the town car slide down and a hand waved itself out the window.
"He's beckoning for you," I rolled my eyes.
Albie glanced over his shoulder towards the car and turned back to me.
"Let me make it right," he shrugged.
"You can't."
"I can...I'm getting the money together," he said.
"Just to be in business with our father...Albie you should have just stayed gone. I was handling it."
"Mones...I.... Lucien is a monster and the thought of him..."
"Lucien has been kind enough," I stated, completely avoiding the part where he'd fucked me without me saying I wanted it. "It was being handled. Now you've made an even bigger mess by dealing with that man."
My eyes narrowed in the direction of the town car. From where I was standing, I could only see a whisper of a shadow, a partial outline of the man whose DNA I shared. I knew that he was watching me. The son of a bitch was too useless to get out and speak to me.
"I'll be in touch about the money," Albie smiled and began walking away.
He was just out of reach when I gave a holler, "Don't bother!"
Before getting into the car, Albie gave me a small smile. "Love you, sis."
My heart didn't want to react, but it did. Albie could fuck things up and still, I would love him. I didn't have much left in this world but him. The black town car peeled out of sight and I watched for as long as I could. Finally, unable to withstand the chilly winds of Chicago any longer, I went back inside. I needed to set up for my appointments.
