Hell's Kitchen, NYC
16/01/2016 13:15pm

Abbie POV

"Excuse me." I said, hurriedly.

The guy paused outside his club. I had been wandering round Hell's Kitchen like a lost sheep this morning and my feet were beginning to sting. I had asked in several bars and clubs about playing some songs for them. This would be my sixth attempt.

"Yeah." The guy said, sounding bored. As long as we were off to a good start.

"Do you do open mic nights here?" I asked.

"Listen kid, I'm gonna level with you. There are a million little girls like you with a guitar and a big dream. They're all the same."

I stared at him and he shrugged, leaving me standing on the sidewalk. My face burned and I started walking again. I stopped at McDonalds and bought a milkshake, despite the fact I was craving something stronger by this point. I sat on a bench, thinking through my options.

I could go home and face Mama and Papa and their wrath. They'd be furious. They'd probably lock me in the barn and never let me out again. I'd have to grow my hair down to my ass and try to escape. I finished my milkshake and stood, dumping the cup in the bin and continuing my journey.

Somehow I ended up on the back streets, wandering round neighborhoods that were probably quite dangerous even during the day. Did my eyes decieve me or was that a poster on a streetlight advertising for singers. I practically skipped over and stared at it. This place was just down the street and they wanted singers. My stint of bad luck was finally over.

I found the club with ease. It was a small place called Diamond. I pushed the door and to my surprise, it opened. The club was a little bigger on the inside. Across the way was a bar and diagonally opposite that was a small stage. A lone mic stand was set up and I walked over. As I made my way past a support beam, I could see tables and chairs.

"Hello?" I called out. No one answered.

I could hear movement though and stepped closer. There was something shuffling around behind a curtain on the stage. A guy stepped out. He was tall with long, black hair. A set of headphones were jammed into his ears. His features were pointed, almost elven. He tilted his head and saw me, pulling his headphones out quickly.

"Sorry, you startled me." He chuckled.

"It's fine. I saw your advert for singers down the street." I said, and his face lit up with a smile.

"Cool," He stepped off the stage, holding out his hand to me. "Ashley Purdy."

"Oh right, Abbie Stanford."

He walked over to the bar and I followed. I glanced back at the stage. He rounded the bar and started looking for something. It turned out to be his mobile. He typed in a quick text and set the phone down.

"Just letting my boss know." He said.

So, Ashley's not the owner of this place. My face must have been a mask of confusion because he laughed.

"Andy's in charge here. He'll be here in a few," He said. "In the meantime, what's a cute girl doing wandering round Hell's Kitchen?"

"I ran away from home to come to New York. Been lookin' for work all morning." I smiled.

"You ran away? What a bad girl." He leaned forward on the bar, smirking.

"Sometimes you just gotta do these things." I replied, laughing.

The door opened and Ashley pulled back. His demeanor changed almost instantly. I followed his gaze and my eyes widened. A guy had walked through the door. He was tall and thin, but his body looked lean. As he drew closer, I could see how blue his eyes were and how his black hair stood out against his alabastor skin.

His sharp gaze landed on me and for a moment I was struck dumb. My throat went dry and the guy paused in front of me. His cold gaze raked down my body and I nearly shuddered.

"Andy, this is Abbie. She wants to be a singer." Ashley cut in, and I was glad he did.

"Really? Lets hear you sing something." Andy said. No kind introduction the way Ashley had done.

I was floored for a minute then I huffed and sat down on a nearby chair. Setting my guitar bag in front of me, I opened it and pulled out Lucky, setting her on my lap. She was an old guitar whose wood had become faded with time, but I loved her. I strummed a few chords and started to play. I played a Taylor Swift song called Sparks Fly.

Once I was finished, I set the guitar down and looked at them. Ashley was clapping and he nudged Andy. Andy's eyes never left me and I had to look away.

"Quit it, you're freaking her out." Ashley chuckled, rounding the bar.

"So, have I got the job?" I asked.

"Yeah, you're in. Come back here on Saturday for nine thirty." Andy replied.

I stood, putting Lucky back in her bag. Ashley shook my hand again and I stepped towards Andy. He just nodded at me and then walked away. I was a little struck by his rudeness, but I was giddy with joy. I had finally made it.


*****************************

No. 41, Madison Avenue
16/01/2016 13:50pm

"So, does Mom know what you're planning?" Donnie asked, seating himself opposite Vinnie.

They had been at odds since their father's funeral and this was the first time Donnie had even spoken to his brother. He had been thinking of a way to talk Vinnie out of it. He chose the method of guilt, hoping that Vinnie could be reasoned with if he thought of their mother and what this might do to her.

"Of course not." Vinnie scowled.

"It would break her heart, you know." Donnie mused, analysing his fingers.

"Don't play coy, little brother," Vinnie chuckled then, neglecting his paperwork to smirk. Donnie wanted to punch him for being so condescending. "You're trying to guilt me."

"All I'm saying is that this is a girl you don't know and you're asking the assassins to abduct her. They'll kill her if she sets a foot wrong."

Vinnie reclined and pretended to reflect on this. He chuckled and Donnie was, again, filled with the desire to floor his own brother. What would their father think?

"The assassins will be fine. They know who's in charge." He finally said, causing Donnie to snort out a laugh.

"Yeah, they know Dad was in charge. You can't control them." Donnie seethed, then stood.

He crossed the room, not wanting to fight about this anymore. He had to hope they wouldn't find the congressman's daughter. People knew he had a family and the wife was often photographed at gala's with her husband. There weren't really any photo's of the daughter so he felt a certain sense of relief that she was the kind of person that liked her privacy.

"She will be mine." Vinnie said, and Donnie angled his head to look at him.

He could have said something, but nothing came to mind. Instead, he shook his head and left the office, closing the door quietly.


**************************

GreenView Heights
16/01/2016 14:20pm
Kacee POV

The doorman let me in and I nodded my thanks to him. I'd been out the majority of the day, trying and failing to find work. Who wanted to employ a girl with no work experience? No one, that's who. Once I'd finished I bought something for dinner and trudged home.

I must have looked so sour as the doorman smiled sympathetically at me. I would phone Liam later and ask him for tips on how to write the perfect resume and how to appeal to employers. I had to escape Dad's reach. He still managed to get to me even when I was far away from him. The thought alone made me want to cry. Maybe I would go up to my appartment, stick on some Kelly Clarkson and sing loudly.

The elevator pinged open and I stepped in. I pressed the button and for lack of anything to do, I read the label on the pack of pasta shapes I'd bought. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. I wasn't expecting anyone to be around and then I saw him. The guy opposite me was at his front door.

This was my chance to talk to someone my own age and get over the awkwardness that had plagued me my entire life. I reached out and I'm not sure, but he must have sensed me because his hand shot up, pinning my wrist to the wall.

And I was face to face with him. My heart palpitated, madly and I gulped. I was fairly short for my age and it served to make me look sixteen instead of eighteen. He was tall. My gaze went to his. His eyes were brown and narrowed into a glare. I smiled in what I hoped was a friendly, non-creepy way.

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." I whispered.

"You didn't scare me. I was just aware that you were there." He replied, and released my wrist, stepping back and observing me.

"I'm new to the building," I fumbled, badly, sounding evermore like a deer confused by headlights. "My name's Kacee."

"Kacee?" He repeated, and I noticed he had a strong english accent. I nodded and he finally gave me a small, shadow of a smile.

"John." He held out his hand and I accepted.

"Nice to meet you, John." I murmured.

"Likewise." He said, then let go.

I excused myself then, feeling stupid for shocking him earlier and even more stupid for fumbling so much during a conversation. I must have looked an idiot. I unlocked my door and glanced round.

"See you round, love." He grinned, shutting the door.

I shut my own door and leaned against it. He was pretty cute. If he did have a smart mouth then he certainly didn't show it. Maybe he was one of those people that didn't like to show his true nature until you got to know him. I realised I needed to put my shopping away and set to work.

There was a message on my answerphone, which would probably be Mum ringing to check on me. I sat down and tapped the button, expecting Mum's voice, instead I got Dad.

"Called you earlier. I would like to come round and see the place you've chosen. I'll get Rochelle to tring you with the details. Bye."

It then went to static and I frowned. He never said I love you. I couldn't recall Dad ever saying hs loved me. My heart lurched for a different reason and I suddenly didn't feel very hungry.

Notes