Warrior

Chapter 28: You Lied

I stared at the two girls in the hotel room, Jade with a needle in her arm that she hasn't pressed down yet and a strung out girl, laying on MY bed strung out. I dropped the food I was holding and marched to Jade who looked up at me with fear fills eyes, I tore the needle out of her arm, I knew it hurt her, but I didn't give a shit. I smashed it on the ground, the expensive drug spilling everywhere. I ripped the elastic band off her arm too.

"HEY" the other girl screamed, sitting up immediately.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP" I yelled, in a voice I hadn't used since the military. Her eyes widened, and she shut up, making herself small. I looked at Jade, angry, confused and betrayed. "YOU FUCKING LIAR YOU SAID YOU WERE DONE WITH THIS SHIT. WHAT THE FUCK, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I COVERED FOR YOU AND YOU DO THIS YOUR BROTHER IS DOWN THE FUCKIN HALL"

"Naomi" I shook my head, I was done she wouldn't listen to me, she wouldn't listen to anyone. I grabbed my bag.

"Until you clean yourself up I'm done" I spoke a lot harsher than I thought, walking out of the open door. She followed behind me, calling out to me but I waved my hand, my polite way of telling her to fuck off.

"YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T WALK OUT" I turned on my heel to face her, she was angry too.

"YEAH, THAT WAS BEFORE YOU BROUGHT YOUR STUPID JUNKIE BITCH UP HERE" I yelled back, and Jades fist rose, meeting with my face, letting out a scream of anger. Dana let out a yelp of fear.

"JADE!" She yelled but Jade was angry. I felt myself let go of my composure, and everything went black I came at her, shoving her against the wall and pressing my forearm to her throat, holding her there and throwing punches at her rib cage, I knew where all her soft spots were. She kicked me off and I hit the other wall and she came to punch me, throwing crosses and uppercuts. One hit me in my jaw and I let out a scream, bringing my knee to her stomach as she doubled over. I was suddenly pulled back by strong arms, screaming still and I watched as Brendan grabbed Jade just in time before she attacked me again. Frank held me back but I looked at her with the eyes of a caged animal.

"IF YOU EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN ILL FUCKING KILL YOU" I roared, struggling hard against Frank's grip. She stared at me, eyes hard and unforgiving, not saying a word.

"THIS ISN'T IRAQ NAOMI, CALM DOWN" Frank yelled in attempt to get to me, but my mind was racing like a pro and I couldn't stand her right now.

"WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?!" Brendan yelled, still holding Jade's arms as we stared down at each other, like a match in the octagon or two soldiers ready to fight.

"GO CHECK HER FUCKIN ROOM BRENDAN" I yelled, then pushed Frank off me roughly "GET YOUR FUCKIN HANDS OFF ME" he let go and I looked at him, he didn't look angry with me, more concerned. Brendan let go of Jade who walked closer to me, but Frank got in the middle.

"Back off Jade" he breathed but I lunged at her too and Frank stood in between us, arms pushing us apart, "BRENDAN THESE GIRLS ARE ABOUT TO HAVE A FUCKIN SPARTA MATCH PLEASE COME HELP ME." Brendan came out of the room holding the bag full of drugs, and Dana was in the bathroom doing who knows what, I didn't care,

"What... What is this?" He spoke, his voice broken and sad as he looked at his little sister. "This... This is what you're doing?" Her eyes softened as she looked at him.

"Brendan-"

"I'm so fucking disappointed, Jade." She looked at the floor. "What would Ma think?" She started shaking. I didn't say a word, I just walked away from them, what happened after I didn't know. Brendan probably either lectured her or didn't talk to her for the rest of the night. Frank called after me, but I didn't listen I didn't want to.

After a while, I found my way to another hotel and walked in, there was a casino, I guess I couldn't sleep. Didn't hurt to play some slots did it? I sighed, still shaking from anger as I walked through. There wasn't a lot of people considering is was barely dawn. I found the slot machines, and found a man sitting at the very last one, leaning back comfortably with his feet slightly on the machine, not really paying attention as he pulled the lever. Tommy. I smiled to myself a little and made my way to him, sitting down next to him and taking some of the coins he had to play myself, he turned to face me.

"Yo, who the fu-" he noticed that it was me, and he froze, but gave me a small, closed mouth smile. "You alright...?" His hand touched my face where Jade hit me, I guess she hit me pretty hard, I pulled my face away and nodded. "What happened?"

"Nothing" I grumbled. He didn't pester me, just returned to his slots. "You think I could stay with you tonight?" He looked over at me, eyebrows furrowed, he wanted to know what happened, but he didn't ask. He nodded, and opened his mouth to say something, but doesn't. We both turned back to our machines.

"Can't sleep, huh?" Pops voice spoke up, neither me or Tommy looked up, and I don't think Pop noticed me with my hood up. Tommy fed the machine, pulled the lever and said nothing to the old man. "I know that other thing's bothering the hell out of you, but I'm proud of you. What you did for that kid in the tank? That was really something" I froze when he talked about the tank, and peered up at the men from behind my hood, but continued with the slots.

"How 'bout desertin' my unit?" Tommy spoke, voice scratchy and low. "Is that really something too? Yeah, I was on my way outta the country when I came across those guys. What was I supposed to do, let 'em drown?" He shrugged, acting like it was nothing.

"No" Pop paused. "What'd you do?" Tommy looked at him.

"I took off" Paddy thought for a moment, putting stuff together in his head.

"That's why you go by Riordan. That's why the press can't find your service records" Tommy stayed silent, playing with a coin between his fingers. "What the hell happened over there Tommy?"

"That is none of your business" he spoke coldly.

"Come on, kiddo. I've been there. I've done it. I've seen it. You can trust me. I'll understand." He spoke soft and sweet, trying to connect with his son.

"Spare me the compassionate father routine, Pop, the suit don't fit."

"I'm really trying here, Tommy" I saw Tommy's fists clench as he turned his body to face his father.

"You're trying? Now? Where were you when it mattered? I needed this guy back when I was a kid. I don't need you now, it's too late now; everything's already happened. You and Brendan don't seem to understand that. Let me explain something to you, the only thing I have in common with Brendan Conlon, is the pair of us-- we have absolutely no use for you" tears were welling in Paddy's eyes, and this seemed to anger Tommy more. Pop couldn't comprehend Tommy's anger, but he knew it was because of him. "Look at you. Yeah, I was right. I liked you better when you were a drunk, at least you had some balls then, not like now. Tip toeing around like some beggar with your cup out. Take it somewhere else old man" Tommy reached over and grabbed one of the plastic cups that were made for holding coins and dipped it into the tray of quarters. "In fact, you know what? Here's a cup. Why don't you take this and go buy some more of your shitty tapes, and then go back to the room and go listen to some more of your fish stories that no one gives a shit about, go on, get out of here" he held out the cup to Paddy who was shaking his head, eyes begging Tommy to stop, he didn't move. "GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE" he yelled again, whipping the cup at Paddy, coins spewing out of the cup and all over him. Tears streamed down his face and he got up, walking away. Destroyed. Tommy angrily bounced a quarter off the machine, cursing to himself, almost like he regretted all of it.

I grabbed Tommy's hand and he turned to look at me, a look of shock in his eyes, like he forgot I was even there. He looked into my eyes, and his fingers intertwined with mine, I pulled off my hood and revealed my face to him and his eyes were all over me.

"You didn't need to see that..." He mumbled, rubbing his face with his other hand stressfully. I stood up, pulling his hand with me and he got up, standing close to me and I looked up at his eyes, his hand reached for my waist, but I began walking and pulling him with me.

"Come on, let's get out of here" I mumbled and he grabbed his jacket and hat with his free hand, following me without hesitation.