CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 28: PROTECTING MY FAMILY

Ever since Sin City’s adult VR game turned into reality, it feels like God has gone crazy, and my life has changed.

I took out a cigarette, leaned back on the couch, lit the tip, watching the flame grow from a small spark to a glow, feeling a bit troubled.

Cigarettes can soothe my nerves, keep me alert.

Tomorrow I’m heading back to Miami, what awaits me is a grand conflict.

"Damn it!" I must survive, must live through this.

Knock, knock, knock.

There was a knock on the door.

I hung a cigarette at the corner of my mouth and walked to the apartment door.

"Helen, is that you?" Click, I pulled the door open.

"Hi? Does Helen live here?"

At the door were two men with tattoos. Although tattoos are a culture in the United States and don’t really mean much, I could tell these two Latino guys were gang members.

This is a kind of instinct among those of the same kind.

"Yes, she lives here, but I don’t know you."

The mixed-race guy with Little Braids pushed at the door with force, which I blocked.

"Say what you have here. I didn’t invite you inside."

"Alright, then who are you?"

"Kenny, Kenny Clark, Helen’s brother."

"Oh, isn’t Helen here?"

"She’s not, she went out." I stepped out of the apartment and shut the door. I don’t want Jesse to see this.

"We’re here to collect money."

"WHAT?"

"Three hundred US Dollars total." Little Braids looked friendly, but his gaze was fixed on my face.

"Helen borrowed money from you?"

"No, it was her mother, Nina."

"What was the money for? Nina is just a junkie."

"She bought some meth and marijuana." Little Braids smiled at me.

"Then you should find her instead of Helen."

Little Braids put away his smile and glanced at the tall flat-top man beside him, seeming a bit naive with what I said, "Nina has no money, that old whore’s street business is bad, she’s the cheapest whore, we looked for her these days, she begged us to find her daughter Helen, Helen works at the Bikini restaurant."

"Hey!" I grabbed Little Braids by the collar.

The flat-top man beside him glared at me in anger. "Kid, do you want to die?"

Little Braids reached out to stop his partner, "EASY, brother! We’re not looking for trouble. Calm down, man."

"That damned woman abandoned us, left with another man, now her life is in trouble, no money for drugs, so she comes back to us? Brother, what do you think I’ll do?"

"But she’s still Helen’s mother, your stepmother."

"SO WHAT?"

"You don’t ask for Helen’s opinion?"

"I won’t let that wretched woman come back to hurt us again, and I won’t let you find Helen. You understand?"

Little Braids released my hand, "That won’t do, brother, she owes us money."

"You can make her work for it."

"But we want it now." Little Braids looked at me provocatively.

"You can take Nina away, do whatever you want with her."

"Haha, we thought about it, but she’s old, was beautiful when young, but now worthless, a junkie whose health is ruined, even her organs aren’t healthy. There’s nothing she can give us. Who’s interested in an old whore?"

"So that wretched woman sold out her daughter?" I know those addicts once hooked, when withdrawal hits, they’ll turn into monsters and do anything.

"It should be said, she repents now, wants to return to her daughter’s side."

"Fack, if you don’t shut your mouth, I won’t be polite. Repent? That woman would repent? She just can’t live, wants to come back, exploit her daughter, exploit their sympathy, did she feel bad when she abandoned us? Did she repent?

Now, no money for drugs, she suddenly remembers she has a daughter?"

The anger inside me flared, I won’t let that damned woman reappear, bring painful memories, nor let her hurt my family again.

This time she borrowed three hundred, once someone helps her, there’ll be a second, third time.

The amount might even grow.

Helen would be drained by her until Helen can’t take it anymore.

This damned woman will cry, kneel before us pleading for forgiveness, promise it’s the last time.

The last time.

This last time is forever the next time, never ends, this damned woman said so last time too.

"Brother, I know you’re having a hard time, but this is your matter, business is business, I need my money back, if you don’t give it, I’ll go to Helen, after all, Nina is her mother, I know Helen is pretty."

Whizz!

I pulled out my handgun and pressed it against Little Braids’ forehead.

"Hey, hey! Buddy, I’m sorry!" Little Braids shouted.

The flat-top guy beside him placed his hand on his chest, on guard looking at me.

"If you move, I’ll blow his head off." I stared coldly at the other guy.

"Brother, calm down, I’m just here for money. Sorry, I misspoke, if you’re unhappy, that’s Nina’s issue, how you deal with her is up to you, but I have to get my money back."

I let go, took out three hundred dollars and handed it to them.

"Here’s the money, no next time, if you show up in front of me again, I’ll kill everyone. I’d also like to say that line, business is business, whoever gets the goods, find them for the money, you need to understand the rules of the game."

"Alright, Kenny, I’ll show you respect. Let’s go, buddy."