(COMPLETE) The Bastard and The King

Chapter 20

Okay, so I had a vacation, got a job and got a place to stay. Somehow it felt like I was avoiding my problems. The confrontation with Cole. The fact that I had no idea where or how Hadley was doing or if she was safe. I really hope she didn’t go back to the way she was before I found her and then Alexander. I never heard his side of everything. Everything felt incomplete, left half way. So I decided those were going to be the next 3 things that I was going to sort out. I just wanted to get into routine with my new life.

Al texted me the time I had to be there after I left the diner. I got up early to find something comfortable to wear. I took a shower and washed my hair. I didn’t do much make up because this was not a club. Half the people that walked through a diner looked worse than the waiters.

I quickly dried my hair and put it in a pony tail. I mean that’s what the girls in the movies always did.
I settled for a tight denim jeans and a plain blue tight t – shirt. I grabbed my sneakers that I didn’t even know I owned due to the fact that I always wore heals. I put my phone and wallet in my handbag and headed out.

I’ve been working at Al’s for 2 weeks now. It was horrible and amazing at the same time. For the first few days I kept making mistakes, I had blisters on my feet and it felt like my back was broken. The only things I did was work, eat and sleep. At nights I would just make a sandwich or eat something from the diner, take a shower and pass out in bed. I was beyond tired.

On the other hand I became good friends with Alan, Al’s sister. Some of the regulars were really nice people, they made me smile a lot and made me forget why I was sad in the first place.

It would be 2 more hours before my shift was over. I had just gone to the restroom when I passed Al’s office. Some buff guy was holding him up by his collor against the wall.
“Hey, get your hands off of him” I half yelled at the guy. He let go of Al’s collor and straightened his jacket. “He wants his money Al. You have one more week.” When the buff guy turned around I got a good look of his face. He looked familiar but I couldn’t place his face.

“You shouldn’t have done that” Al said walking to the door and closing it.”You didn’t see or hear anything you got it?” he said angry.
“No Al I absolutely don’t got it. What are you mixed up in?” I asked. “It’s none of your business Ann – Marie. Just go back to work” he ordered sitting down in his office chair rubbing his face with both his hands.

“Just tell me Al, maybe I can help you” I offered. “Jesus Ann – Marie no one can help me okay. And I don’t want to get you mixed up with people like that” he said gesturing to the door where the buff guy went out of.
“What kind of people Al” I exclaimed.

“Dangerous people Ann – Marie. The killing kind of people” he said looking defeated. I had this dumb look on my face and decided that I would take the chance to trust this man.
“My dad is the head of the Italian Mafia Al, my ex is the head of the American Mafia. I’m already mixed up with them man, I’m their family so throw me a fucking bone here. What are you mixed up in so that I can help you”

His mouth was open and his eyes were wide. He was shocked. “Why the hell are you working here if you’re Johnathan’s daughter? That man rolls in the money” he says. I took a seat in front of his desk facing him.
“I may have been born into the mafia Al but my mother didn’t want that life for me. She left the love of her life behind and raised me on 2 jobs. When my mother died I had no choice but to go back to my dad. His new family didn’t like me, didn’t like the fact that his past was catching up on them. So when I was 21 my dad gave me the club and I left the house. I had the club for 10 years. I then met Alexander Stone. He took half of the club for a few months then I found out the entire thing was a cheep shot to get my entire club and my dad’s mafia. Luckily my dad could save his mafia but I couldn’t safe the club. I was not about to go and live the lavish lifestyle that my dad offered I mean his family hates me so I decided to go out on my own. Make a life of my own. I’m still on good terms with my dad but not with Alexander. It’s been 3 months since we spoke.”

“Wow” he said looking at me in awe. “What?” I asked. “You did that all on your own?” he asked.
“Yeah why?” I asked back. “Not many people get away from the mafia that easy”.

“Just tell me what you’re involved in and who the hell that buff dude was”. He sighed before he answered. “When my dad died I took over the diner. I had no idea how in debt he was and how close he was to loosing the diner. The diner is all that I have left of my parents so I made a loan with Cole Teller a few months ago to settle the debt. I tried on my own but I couldn’t do it. Now the diner isn’t making as much money as it should so I’m behind on payments”

“How much?” I asked. That was around the time when Cole just joined the mafia. Loans are the beginner jobs they usually give to rookies. You have to work your way up from that.
“Half a mil” he said putting his hands on his face again. I could see that Al was at the end of his rope here and that he must have tried every way that he could to get the money for the payments.

“Do you know if the loan is with Johnathan or Alexander?” I asked. If it was with my dad I could speak to him to let it go or just give the guy a break but if it’s Alexander I don’t know if I could break through to him. I figured he hated my guts by this time.
“It’s Alexander” oh dear Lord. I closed my eyes to weigh my options if I could help this guy or not. I have to speak to him anyways so I could give it a try. If the dumbass won’t listen to me I’ll just ask my dad for a loan or something. Better to owe the Italian mafia than the American. Alexander isn’t called the King for nothing.
“I can talk to Alexander but I can’t promise you anything. We left things in a crap way between us but I can at least give it a try” I said and Al’s face lit up.

“Really? You’d do that?” he asked. “Of course I would Al. This place became my home in some sort of way and it’s not like you loaned the money for drugs or anything like that. It was for the diner so the least I can do is help you. Plus you gave me a job when no one else would” I said with a smile on my face.

Al was on his feet, yanked me from the chair and engulfed me in a smothering bear hug. “Thank you thank you thank you” he said.
“I need to breath Al” I said and he let me go. “Sorry” he said. “I can’t promise anything just so you know” I said just to make it clear. “At least you’re trying to help, so thanx for that”

Before we could discuss the details there was a knock on the door. “Come in” called Al. Alan opened the door “hey Ann – Marie there’s someone asking for you she says her name is Ashley”

What the hell does Ashley want and how did she know I worked here? “Uhm can I go on my break?” I asked Al and he nodded. “Take as much time as you need”

“Thanx Al but I doubt it would take long. We don’t see eye to eye either” I said slapping him on the shoulder.
“Looks like you don’t see eye to eye with any of your family members” he said following me outside. “You can say that again” I said laughing at him. Ashley was sitting in the corner booth, looking out of the window. She didn’t look like herself she looked lost in a way. I took 2 cokes from the fridge and made my way over to her.

“Do you want anything to eat?” I asked while sitting down. Her head snapped to my direction. Her eyes were puffy and red and I knew she was crying. “uh I didn’t bring any money with me I just kinda got in the car and came here” she said in a soft voice.

“Alan” I yelled from the booth. “yeah hun?” she said while putting away some napkins in the holders that come on the table.

“Can you order me a burger and fries on my account I’ll pay at the end of tonight’s shift”

“Yeah sure”

“Thanx”

“So…how did you know where I was?” I asked her and she opened her can of coke and put the straw in.
“I uhm. Things were getting bad at home and I looked for your information just in case one day the shitt would hit the fan. Just didn’t think it would be this soon” she says looking back out the window.

“What’s going on Ashley? Why are you here?” I asked and a lone tear ran down her cheek. “I didn’t know where else to go” she said and that lone tear were followed by many more. “Cole is making everyone’s lives hell since everything happened. The family is falling apart and I don’t know what to do. Nothing is the same anymore”

She took a breath before going on “Ever since it came out that Alexander took the club from you and that Cole helped him to try and take dad’s mafia from him everything went to shit. Haley left him that same night and just disappeared. He has tried to find her but it’s like she vanished from the face of the earth. That alone has made him crazy. He also tried to fix things with dad but dad won’t hear his excuses. He is the worst person to live with. He would gun anybody that he sees, making them feel like shitt about themselves even me and mom. But mom backs him no matter what he does or says and that makes mom and dad fight.

They aren’t even sleeping in the same room anymore.”
Fuck she was right, everything is going to shit in that house. “I found out that you came back and that dad let you live in one of his apartments so I thought I could stay with you for a few days if that’s okay with you. I just need quiet for a little while.” She said and I knew she felt like I did the day that I left for the vacation. I needed to be alone and think without anybody telling me what I should do.
“Yeah sure. I don’t see why not. Just let them know where you are I don’t want more shitt on my shoulders” I said with a smile. “Thanx Ann – Marie. Hey can I stay here untill your shift ends. I don’t really want to be alone right now” she asks.

“Let me just find out from Al if it’s okay” I said and stood up. Al was in the kitchen helping the staff with the burgers. Apparently the sauce that was on the burgers was an old family resepy and he didn’t trust anyone with it.

“Hey Al. Can my sister stay here untill my shift ends? She has some shitt at home and she’s gona stay with me for a couple of days she doesn’t want to be alone” I asked from the kitchen door.

“Yeah sure. If she wants she can watch tv in the office. I’m gonna be in the kitchen most of the night.” He said with a smile on his face.

“Thanx Al” I said turning around. I went to get Ashley and made her comfortable in Al’s office. It was Friday night and it was busy. Before I knew it the shift was over and we were cleaning up before we went home. I quickly texted dad to tell him to send over some clothes for Ashley and her handbag. I paid my account from the food and drinks we had through the night.

Ashley was greatful when she got her handbag. We made our way to our cars and went home. I was so tired that when we got home I showed Ashley the room she would be sleeping in. I took a long shower and went to bed.