Chapter 6
Elli
Monday morning and I am at work later today.
I start at 4:00 pm, so I have time to do my first lesson with Tia, and I’m sure she’s not going to like it very much.
I smile to myself as I remember Alex giving me my first lesson, and the way I ached everywhere imaginable the next day.
Two hours later, Tia is red in the face, sweating like it’s going out of fashion at any moment, and cursing up a storm.
Some of her curses I’ve never heard before, but I have a feeling she’s making them up.
“How many more times are you going to make me fall down?”
Tia whines while giving me a look that says, please don’t throw me down again.
“Tia, falling without hurting yourself is important, and now you are able to fall, roll and jump back to your feet.
That’s only taken ninety minutes.
I mean, that is amazing.”
Now, I’m doing my best to bolster her because I can see she really has had enough, but I need her to be the best she can be if she comes with me if I have to run.
She’ll not hold her own against a made man if she can’t fight, and fight well.
“I’ll do some each day.
It will have to be mornings as we have today, because my boss is a pain in the ass and will hold it against me if I’m late.”
Tia exits my apartment while muttering to herself, which I have to admit is amusing.
For all her whining, groaning, and full-on complaints, she worked hard and put all her efforts into learning what I taught her.
She’s not going to like that I’m going to find a gym and have her join with me.
That thought has me smiling like a fool, and I’m pleased nobody can see me.
I spend the next hour taking myself through a series of exercises Alex taught me, and then sit calmly meditating.
This calming of the mind has helped me many times when my father has berated me for no other reason than I lived in his house, breathed fresh air, and ate his food.
Why he had children I’ll never know, because he treated us both like shit most of our lives.
After making a cold drink, I sit while searching on Google for a gym nearby.
Not knowing the layout of the streets around me as yet could be a problem if I have to get out of here fast.
That’s something I’ll have to remedy and fairly quickly.
I see a gym which is only three streets away, according to the small map that is on the website.
That will be worth checking out as it’s close and has many reviews from clients who are more than satisfied.
Showered, dressed casually in jeans, T-shirt and hoodie, I slide my feet into sneakers and I’m ready to go.
My hair is tucked into the back of the hoodie and remind myself to speak to Tia again about having it cut.
Following the small street map on my phone, I walk to the gym and stand outside for a moment, checking out the posters on the window.
The place is called Fitness Freaks, which has me smirking, I have to admit.
It sounds right up my street.
Opening the door, I quickly walk over to the reception area and give the woman a smile.
“Morning.
I’ve come to find out more about the gym.
I’m interested in general aerobics.
I’m good with step aerobics, spin, dance, and even some yoga.”
“Wow, that’s great.
We don’t often get people coming in that have experience, but we can offer quite a few classes from gentle through to hard circuits.
We also offer hand-to-hand and more fighting styles.
But those are only offered if the trainer feels you would be up to the challenge.”
I give the tall blonde a nod and warm smile and can see she’s not really seeing how fit I am, but that could be the hoodie hiding it, too.
“That is okay with me.
I know a few fighting styles, but not to any kind of competition standard.
I only want to stay fit and remain at my peak.
Do you have a schedule that I can have as I work evenings, so it would have to be a morning or an early afternoon class to fit into my work hours?”
Reaching under the reception desk, the woman takes out a sheet with a list of classes that are held at the gym.
I take it and give her a quick, ‘Thank you’.
“You would have to book your place in the class you are interested in, as we only take fifteen clients per class.
The trainers like to give one-on-one if they see anybody struggling.
You may find a trainer at the front of the class and one walking around helping where necessary.”
“Okay, that’s good for me.
I will more than likely drag my friend along with me, but she’s not going to be as keen as myself,”
I giggle at the thought of little Tia in spin class.
“Oh, I’ll have to keep my eye out for you and your friend.
My name is Fran, by the way.”
“Well, hello Fran, my name is Elli, and my friend is Tia.
I’ll look for you when I drag her along.
Maybe you can join in, too?”
“I’d do that if your friend is going to brighten my day.
It gets a little boring around here at times, and I could do with helping more than I do, so yeah, look me up and I’ll cheer her on,”
Fran giggles.
Walking home, I keep looking around, as I have that itch that says someone is watching me.
I can’t see anyone, but it feels off.
I quickly get back to my place and lock the door behind me.
After eating a small lunch, I check my phone when it pings, alerting me to a message.
Tia: Hi sister from another mister, and momma, I’ve spoken to my friend, and she’s going to do your hair tomorrow morning at your place.
Elli: Oh, that’s good, no mister and momma sister.
Tia: I’ve spoken to Spinner, and he’s going to get what we need.
I put in a request for something small that could hide in a pocket or purse as well as a normal-size gun.
Elli: Oh well, that was good thinking.
I have some savings left so we can pay him.
My brother gave me a card I can use too if we get strapped for anything we desperately need.
Tia: We’ll manage without that.
I have a little saved too, so between us we’ll manage.
Now, I’ve gotta go.
The boss is shouting.
It’ll be good to have weapons and I’ll teach Tia how to respect them and use them correctly.
I never thought I’d want a sister because of my loving Alex so much, but Tia is the best sister I could have wished for, and she’s right, we are not related, but we can still be sisters nonetheless.
Work was grueling, I washed so many pans my fingers are wrinkled.
I’d listened to Pesto Pete shouting orders for so long my head is splitting with a headache.
But, I kept chopping and peeling when told, and all the time I’m thinking, ‘This is necessary, you need the job, you need the money.’
Walking home I’m double-timing, as I have that horrid feeling of being watched again.
It’s a good thing I’m used to power walking and I’m covering as much ground as I can, as fast as I can.
But when three men step out of a side street in front of me, I know I’m going to have trouble.
“Hey, what are you doing out so late on your own?”
One asks, but I ignore him and try to walk wide of them, but one of the other two steps in front of me stopping me in my stride.
“Come on, you can be friendly to us,”
the second creep tries to coo.
“Fuck off, I’m not interested,”
yeah, I snarl and I’m well ready to take this asshole down if he doesn’t move.
“Get out of the way,”
I say as firmly as I can.
“Aw, come on, don’t be like that,”
the third creep says as he reaches out to grab my arm.
Now, nobody touches me without permission, so I react exactly as Alex taught me, and with a grab, twist, and flick, the creep is on his back on the ground.
“Anyone else?”
I snap, as I stand with my foot on the creep's neck, cutting off his airflow.
The shock on their faces would have me laughing under normal circumstances, but this is not the time.
The two that are not on the ground quickly step back, hands up, “Okay, let him go and we’ll leave.
We were only messing with you.”
“Well, maybe next time you’ll get more than I gave you.
Because boys, if I’d had my knife you’d have had a cut throat at this point.”
I take my foot off the idiot and hurry away, but I keep an ear on what is happening behind me.
My eyes are flicking for anything else that could be amiss, and that’s when I see a figure dressed in black leaning on a wall across the street.
Watching, but not moving.
I flick him the middle finger for doing just that instead of stepping out and helping a woman in distress.
Mind you, was I in distress? No, I don’t think I was…
I make the call to Alex, knowing I’m over two hours late, but when you are working, you can’t just down everything and make a phone call.
“Why are you so late? Are you okay?”
Alex asks, with more than a little panic in his voice.
“I’m okay, Alex.
I’m sorry I’m late, but I was working.
From now on, I’ll have to contact you later or we’ll have to arrange another time during the day.”
“Okay, call me as soon as you can from our arranged time.
I’ll make sure I’m available to speak to you, but if it goes into the morning, like breakfast time, I’ll be coming.
You send me your address now, Elli.
No excuses this time.”
I can hear Alex is at a breaking point with worry, so I give him my address, fill him in on my job, and the fact I found us a sister.
He chuckled when I described her, but he was happy that I had someone with me, supporting me, and having my back.
“Elli, I’m going to be working with Nico Vincholetti to bring down our father.
He’s skimming money and plotting with others to take down the Don.
I can’t live with that.
I gave my oath and I will live and die by it if I have to.
If you see or hear anything from either of our parents, get the fuck out of there and move, and move fast.
They will only use you as a bargaining tool for whatever scheme they have going on.”
“I know, Alex.
I’ve seen and heard more than enough.
They are not parents to us; they are power-hungry.
It’s not like Mother ever tried to save us from beatings or the humiliation Father served up.
I have no feelings for either of them anymore.”
I think saying this will help Alex with whatever he has to do.
“Alex, you make sure you stay safe, and you know if you have to kill Father then do it.
I’ll not hold it against you because if I have to, I will do it myself.”
“Thanks, Elli.
Now, you best get some sleep.
I’ll speak to you next week.
Stay safe, and I love you, sis.”
I can’t hold back the smile, and sure Alex can hear it in my voice when I speak, “I will, and I love you too, bro.”