Gangster's Girl (Complete)

Chapter 14 - Part 1

I put one foot in front of the other and made it to my room without allowing anyone to see how shaken I was. Bruno. In my empty bedroom I sank down onto the bed, feeling teary eyed.

I was stunned. Maria had revealed more. She had spoken of her sadness at discovering Bruno had died the night he had been shot. While I had been walking around oblivious, they had held a small funeral.

Why had Angel lied to me? Why would he do that?

I brushed the tears away, too angry to feel sad. Why? He wasn't here to confront and I needed a way to deal with the turmoil inside. I wanted to hurt something, to take my anger out on something. Then I had the oddest thought that made me go into the bathroom to splash some water on my face before I headed downstairs.

The one thing I had ensured when I had taken part in the sessions with James, I had remembered the codes of doors and all I wanted to uncharacteristically do was shoot a gun. It was the only thing that I thought would rid me of the anger and sadness that seemed to be suffocating me from the inside.

Luckily there wasn't any guards when I approached the door to access the shooting range. I made a quick survey of the immediate area and when I realized there was no one to see me I keyed the code I had seen James input and the door opened. I crept inside and closed the door.

My breath was heavy, each breath filled with a mixture of grief and betrayal. I had trusted Angel when he had told me Bruno had made it and now I felt like I would never be able to trust him again. Then my thoughts went to the big giant who had always greeted me with a friendly smile. I hated that one of the last times I had seen him, I had gotten him into trouble with Angel. It only worsened the guilt I felt and headed to where I knew James kept some hand guns.

I might not be the best shot but thanks to his training I knew how to load the gun and check the safety. There was already sheet of target waiting for me. I aimed the gun and pulled the trigger. The sound echoed as I breathed through the pain that felt like it was breaking open my chest. Tears blurred my vision and I lowered the gun as I whimpered.

A new feeling took hold, wiping everything else away. I wanted revenge, I wanted to see the person who was responsible for Bruno's death to feel my anger. Had Angel taken revenge? A life for a life?

I had never been violent but in that moment I could have done anything to make up for the death of someone who had probably been too good for the life he had lived. He had deserved so much better than what had happened to him.

Then I remembered the man James had beaten up. The one who I had wondered what he had done to deserve the clinical wrath of James. I had the wildest thought. Could it have been him?

There was nothing rational about my thought process as I considered what to do next. If anyone had revealed me capable of what I was feeling I would have told them they were wrong. But here I was putting the safety back on the gun before I slowly made my way to the exit with the gun with me.

What I was contemplating was crazy? But no logical reasoning could stop me. There was nothing rational about the emotions tearing me up inside. Maybe if I had stopped I would have been able to calm myself down enough to reconsider. But I didn't.

With each determined step I made my way to the only thing that I hoped would give me what I needed the most at that moment.

Revenge.

When I reached the door there was no guard outside. I keyed the code and the door clicked open. Slowly, I walked in unsure of exactly I was going to do but knowing I would not back down. Bruno deserved better. All I had to do was remember his blood pooling on the white tiles of the kitchen to push me forward. I entered the room and looked through the two way mirror. It was empty except for a metal table and chair.

Could they have taken care of the man already and I was here searching for nothing?

I retreated back to the hallway but instead of giving up and leaving I made my way to the next door on the opposite side. Maybe they were keeping him in another room. When I reached the door I realized it had a code. Could the same code I used for the entrance door be used for this door? There was only one way to find out.

But first I removed the gun from the back of my waist and I removed the safety. I tightened my hand on the gun as I keyed the code in and waited. It clicked open. Slowly, I opened the door and lifted the gun.

There was a guy seated on a mattress with his back against the wall. He lifted his bloodied face as I entered the room.

He didn't seem to be afraid at the sight of me with a gun. That should have unsettled me but I was too consumed with emotion to take that in.

"Who are you?" I asked, feeling the adrenaline spike in my veins. The hand that held the gun shook slightly.

"You should know, sweetheart." I hate how his voice lingered on the last word, making it sound more like an insult than an endearment.

"Don't call me that," I said, feeling like I was way in over my head but I wasn't going to back out now. I had come too far.

I was going to see this through.

"Tell me who you are?" I asked again.

He lifted an eyebrow at me. His face was bruised with dried blood.

"It doesn't matter, I don't need to know your name." I changed my mind. Maybe it would be easier to take his life if he was just a bad man without a name. A name would personalize him and that was the last thing I wanted.

"Tell me why you are here?" My tone was brisker, hoping this time he would answer. I needed the truth.

"Why don't you know?" he asked, as he stood and I stepped back. He was a foot taller than me and for the first time I felt unsafe.

"Stay where you are or I'll shoot," I warned him, trying to give him the illusion that I was in control when my hand was shaking as well as my resolve.

"I bet you've never shot anyone." His tone was menacing and for the first time since I had entered I questioned whether this had been a good idea. I was quickly realizing I was out of my depth.

"Did you shoot him?" I asked, needing to know if it was him. If it was I could recapture the anger that had brought me here and finish the job.

"I've shot a lot of people. You're going to have to be more specific than that." He stepped closer.

"I will shoot you." On the outside I might have seemed harmless but he had no idea what was coursing through my veins.

His eyes slid over me.

I aimed the gun slightly away from him and pulled the trigger.

That seemed to show him I was serious and he faltered a step, putting his hands up.

"Did you shoot Bruno?" I asked, finally.

His eyes went to the weapon I held and I knew he was trying to figure out if he could take me. Then his eyes lifted to mine and I saw his answer.

All my grief and anger came barreling all at once.

"You don't deserve it live. You know that?" I held so much hatred, more than I possibly believed a sole person could carry.

For the first time his confidence seemed shaken. His eyes darted from the gun to the open door.

Did he think he could get away? The truth was I was terrible shot and if I missed who knew what he would do.

"On your knees," I commanded. My eyes began to tear up and I swallowed hard.

He had been the one to take the life of the friend I witnessed suffer and I was here to take the revenge that would balance the taking of Bruno's life.

Not once in all my twenty one years had I believed I was capable of taking another person's life but in that moment for the first time I knew I could.

Slowly, he lowered himself to his knees and I stepped closer.

"I want you to know that you don't deserve to take another breath."

Then I heard what sounded like the grounds alarms. Angel's security would be mobilizing but I didn't know if it was an outside threat or if I had set some sort of silent alarm.

If I was going to do it I had to do it before someone came to stop me.