Jimmy

Bianca freezes, her expression morphing into something that looks like a cross between horror and unprecedented shock. I don’t make a change in movement, knowing better than to let my cover be blown. I’m an assassin, that’s what we do. Instead, I carry on bouncing Athena up and down in my arms, smiling as she giggles and makes the most adorable little noises back at me. These are the times I wished I was ready to have a baby to take care of, but with Vee throwing herself at me every ten seconds, the thought of having another life to have responsibility for when we’ve already got one whose in danger makes me sick to the throat.

Shadows is pacing up and down the floor as he talks tactics with Brian, and Bianca sits up, trying to speak but the words eluding her completely. Not wanting to draw attention, I sit up too and hand the baby to Bianca, who cradles her close to her chest, eyes cast downward so they don’t reveal all those precious little secrets she’s been trying to hide. I have to admit, I didn’t quite believe Vee when she explained that Bianca had a sister called Violet, who was in fact the mother of the child we held so dear, but it was as soon as I’d spotted the tattoo that had been so carelessly inked across the little girl’s chest, the initials ‘MV’ burning brightly on her pale white skin, I knew what my lover had said was true.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you knew before? Or even tell Brian- he should be the one to know!” I hiss under my breath, hoping that the loud voices of my friends will cover up our quiet conversation.
“Because- if anyone else finds out about this, Athena’s going to be in danger, I’m going to be in danger and so are all of you. I know you think you’re tough because of this business you’ve gotten involved in, but this baby holds the key to a full blown war. No one else can ever know- otherwise World War Three’s going to happen right under your nose”

“But Bianca I…”
“Don’t but Bianca me Jimmy. Keep your mouth shut until I can work out how to deter him and then I’ll tell you everything you want to know”
“But who’s the father---?”
“Places! The Bullet van just pulled into the drive, we’ve got to make sure they don’t suspect anything” Matt suddenly orders to the entire room and Bianca jumps up like the floor’s made of lava, cradling the baby close to her chest and running over to where Brian’s beckoning her, patting his lap.

She curls up across his legs, head resting in the crook of his neck and the two of them softly cooing down at the little girl in their arms. Their position looks so natural any passer by wouldn’t even guess that it was fake, but I can’t help but notice the protective arm that’s around her waist, and the hand that’s trailing through her dark hair as softly as he would to any other woman he’d fallen for. Could…could Bianca be the maid Brian always seemed to be talking about?

“Let’s make this one quick, shall we Shadows? I’ve got better things to be doing than hearing your latest conspiracies” Tuck’s cold and harsh voice comes floating into the living room as he walks inside with his mouth formed into a bitter line as he stares around the room, eyes lingering slightly on Bianca, who digs her head further into Brian’s neck and whimpers slightly, arms tightening around the baby in her lap. Brian glances over her head at me, suddenly surprised and I shrug my shoulders, wondering why on earth someone like Tuck could freak the shit out of tough Bianca. Sure he could be a little foreboding sometimes but nothing that would scare people.

But sure enough, Bianca doesn’t look up as Tuck commandeers the room, folding his arms over his impressive chest and staring each of us down, just holds onto Brian a little tighter and keeps her gaze downward.
“Well then you’ll be glad to hear that this one is less of a conspiracy, more of a warning” Johnny mutters and Tuck looks up, sending a dark glare in Bianca’s direction. What on earth has she done wrong?
“And what’s your warning about Shadows?” Tuck mutters bitterly.

“We’ve found something out about Athena. At only a few months old she already has her first tattoo” Shadows spits at him and Tuck’s fists clench together, his eyes sending yet another dark glare in Bianca’s direction.
“What?”
“You heard the man, a fucking tattoo. With your fucking logo underneath it! What have you got to say for yourself Tuck?” Zacky suddenly bursts out, his temper getting the better of him as he gets to his feet, when suddenly, Bianca moves for the first time since Tuck walked into the room.

“If you’ll excuse me” she whispers meekly as every eye in the room turns to look at her, “I’m going to go put Athena down for a nap” and scurries out of the room like a scorned mouse, pressing the babies head into her shoulder as she runs. I can see Gates itching to leap out of his seat and follow her, but everyone here knows that business comes before the pleasure these women can bring us, and him leaving now would be a bigger insult than if he soaked our flag in gasoline and sat back to watch it burn. Tuck glares at each of us like we’re cockroaches scattered on the parquet floor and squares himself up to both Zacky and Matt, both of whom are wearing looks that could kill.

“If you think I’ve got something to do with this then you’ve got another thing coming, Shadows. She could have one of a million skulls on her body and they won’t be related to me. I suggest you stop making fucking rumours up about my allegiance to this business, or people are gonna start taking Avenged for liars” he growls under his breath and pushes past them, storming out into the corridor of our large home.
“Jimmy go after him. Watch him leave, make sure that everyone else is still where they need to be” Brian orders softly and I jump up to my feet, I can already see that he’s thinking about Bianca and how scared she’s been since Tuck walked into the room. Her hastened departure, her constant hiding within the arms of the man who has freed her. Was there something she wasn’t telling us? I walk blankly through the corridors of the house, my ears pricked for any strange noises, when suddenly I hear a muffled scream near the front door and I start to run, only pausing when I hear Tuck’s fuming voice muttering to whoever he’s holding captive.

“I thought I told you to keep your fucking mouth shut! I know you’ve never been one to listen to orders, Bianca, but I thought you at least could stop your precious sister from getting hurt” Tuck snarls to her and she whimpers, his attention drawn away long enough for me to catch a glimpse. He has her backed up against the side wall, one hand at her throat and the other slowly making its way up her dress and across her bare legs. One thing that I’ve learned about being an assassin is the element of timing. If you jump in too early, you lose the element of surprise, but if you’re too late, your victim’s gone before you’ve even had time to do anything.

“I didn’t, I swear! Please believe me Matt, I didn’t tell them anything…” she pleads and my eyes widen when I hear his first name being spoken aloud. I don’t know what Bianca has to do with Bullet, and I certainly don’t want to know, but if anyone else finds out, she’ll be out on the street before she can apologise. He doesn’t reply, just lets his lips press down against her neck, teeth nipping into the skin as his hand disappears into her underwear, a shaky plea leaving her throat as she tries to squirm away. I move slowly and quickly, and in seconds I’ve yanked Tuck off of Bianca and punched him square in the face, picking him up by the scruff of his collar and throwing him out of the front door and onto the gravel beneath us, a horrible crunching noise of his bones as his body collides against the floor.

“You touch her again and you won’t live to see the morning” I snarl and slam the door in his face, running back over to Bianca, whose crouched down on the floor sobbing, her cries barely beginning to stain the noise of the house.
“Listen to me” I say as I crouch down beside her, tilting her bruised head up to meet mine. Tuck’s already been hitting her, and when Brian finds out, shit’s going to hit the proverbial fan.

“I’m not going to say anything to anyone until we’ve sorted this mess out. My lips are sealed, and so should yours be. Get closer to Brian; he will protect you no matter what you believe. Now, I’m going to shoot the air and pretend I’m trying to get Tuck and you’re going to scream to get Brian’s attention, OK?” I mumble as quietly as possible and she nods, offering me a weak smile before I stand up and pull my revolver out of my back pocket, aiming for a vase that I’ve never really cared for. And as I shoot, Bianca lets loose a blood-curdling scream that has thundering footsteps running all over the house.

All Hell is about to break loose now.