Gangster's Paradise // Rio (Good Girls)

9.talk With Your Sister And Brother

"Let me get this straight," Isla said, her gaze fixed on her brother, sister. "You two were helping him sell illegal things, and things went south. You ended up taking way more than you could handle, lost a portion of the money along the way, and now you've got a dangerous gang hot on your heels. And as if that wasn't enough, the man whose money you stole miraculously crashes into my car, blames me, and you go ahead and reveal my name, exposing where I live. Are you kidding me!?" Isla couldn't fathom how she had missed it. How had she failed to see what they were up to?

"Isla, I know it sounds bad," emma attempted to explain, but Isla cut her off, her frustration boiling over.

"Bad? you think this is just bad? The man knows my name, he knows where I live, he knows where I work, and who knows what else he knows!" Isla exclaimed, exasperation evident in her voice as she ran her hands through her tousled blonde hair. "For crying out loud, he broke into my house last night!"

"What?" emma gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief and concern.

"He broke into my house last night and forced me to go with him to help someone with a goddamn gunshot wound to his shoulder!" Isla's voice trembled with a mix of fear and frustration.

"Did he hurt you?" axle asked

"No, he didn't hurt me," Isla replied, her voice quivering. "I just have some slight bruises from when he yanked me out of the car. But that's not the point. You owe him money! What if he tries to take the money I've been saving to pay off my student loans? I'm already drowning in debt, guys. I can't go through this again!"

Tears welled up in Isla's eyes as she continued, her voice choked with emotion. "I'm scared... What if he does something even worse? What if he tries to hurt me or, God forbid, any of you?"

"Why where you selling illegal things? Why didn't you just ask me? I would have helped you. Being in debt for that reason is better than this!" Isla's voice cracked with a mix of anger and desperation.

"I couldn't ask you for that kind of money, Isla. You're my baby sister, and I couldn't burden you with that," emma explained, her voice filled with a mixture of guilt and remorse. Axle remained silent, their expressions reflecting a mix of regret and worry.

"I would have preferred if you had asked me for help instead of resorting to sell things like this  goddamn. What if something had gone wrong and you guys were caught?" Isla's voice trembled with a mix of concern and frustration. "What about your babies? What about us? I could have helped. We could have figured something out together!"

"Okay, okay, I'll tell him to leave you alone," emma responded, her voice filled with determination. Isla couldn't help but let out a chuckle, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You're going to tell a gangster, whom you owe money to, to leave someone alone? Are you out of your mind?" Isla exclaimed. "For crying out loud, the first time I met Rio, he held a gun to me, and it was all his fault!"

"You had nothing to do with what we did, Isla, and I'll make that clear to him. I promise you, you don't need to be scared. I'll take care of it," axel reassured her, his voice filled with conviction. Isla took a deep breath, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly, and nodded in acknowledgment.

"How the hell are you going to get all this money?" Isla asked, her voice tinged with a mix of worry and frustration. She wiped her tear-streaked face, her fear of the man palpable. Who wouldn't be scared in her situation? Yet, there was another emotion simmering within her, an indescribable feeling that she couldn't quite grasp.

"We'll figure it out," axle replied, his voice filled with determination.

"Just be careful, and damn it, if you need money, come to me. I may be in debt, but I have a good job, and I'll find a way to help," Isla said, her voice laced with concern. "Promise me, emma, axle, that you'll get him his money and that's it. Don't get any more involved than you already are," she pleaded, locking eyes with her sister and brother

"Okay, nothing else is going to happen. We'll do this, and it'll be over," emma assured her. "In the meantime, Isla, be careful. If you ever feel like something's off, come to my house or go to axle," she suggested, gesturing towards their brother.

"At least until we figure out what he wants and why he's messing with you," emma added. They all nodded in unison, a shared understanding passing between them.

"Maybe you should ask for a personal day from work, try to relax. You can stay here, take the guest bedroom," emma suggested, concern etched on her face.

"I already talked to the boss. I told him I had a few personal things going on. He's very understanding and gave me today and tomorrow off," Isla replied, her voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and determination. "I think I'm just going to go home and see if I can find a security system or something to install."

"Okay, just call us, alright, if something happens," emma emphasized, her worry evident in her tone. Isla nodded in agreement, appreciating her sister's concern.

"Alright, I'll see you later, and God, please stay out of trouble," Isla said, a touch of exasperation in her voice. "Oh, and you call me if something else happens too. I don't like being left in the dark like this," she added, asserting her desire to stay informed. Despite the age gap between Isla and her sister and brother, they shared a close bond, though at times they still treated her like the younger sibling she used to be. But Isla was no longer a child, and she wanted to be an active participant in the challenges they faced together.

Isla stepped out of the door and made her way to her car, her mind consumed with a whirlwind of thoughts. The weight of her sisters' and brothers actions and how they had dragged her into this mess weighed heavily on her. It wasn't entirely her fault, but she couldn't shake the feeling of being entangled in a dangerous web.

As Isla arrived at her house, she entered and set her purse down on the counter. Seeking a momentary escape from the chaos, she poured herself a glass of wine and grabbed her laptop. Sitting at the kitchen table, her fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard as she started researching security systems to install. She was determined not to take any more chances. She would invest in a reliable and robust security system to protect herself and her home.

"Had a good talk with your family, mama?" a voice suddenly pierced the silence. Isla's heart dropped, her breath caught in her throat. A wave of sickness washed over her, causing her stomach to churn. Slowly, she turned to face the source of the voice, her eyes filled with fear and apprehension.