Dante

After Carter's death my emotions had skyrocketed. One day I was sad and grieving. The next I was angry at everything and everyone that passed me.

My dad's reaction at the funeral hadn't helped, either. His face after seeing Carter's dead body in the casket was one of pure joy. That was the happiest I had ever seen him and it made me sick to my stomach.

Today has started off better than others since his death. Yesterday, hanging around Fiona and Diana helped me too. I had woken up sad, and I decided to surprise Diana. The smile on her face when she came home was a thing I wanted to see every day.

Right now, I was burying myself in work for a distraction not to think about my brother. I guess it was a good thing, since I wasn't going to have much time to work with Ma's birthday party tomorrow. She was also another person I was dreading to see.

My dad, Carter and I never discussed feelings or emotions, none of that crap. If we were sad, we had to deal with it ourselves. If we were mad someone else would get mad so we would have to lose the attitude. And any emotion after that didn't exist. But ma was different. She liked expressing feelings. And I knew she was going to want that from us tomorrow.

As I am signing something, I hear pounding on my front door.

What the hell?

I grab the gun out of my desk drawer and stuff it in my pants before rushing downstairs. Holding it with one hand, I open the door with the other.

"Diana?" I let go of the gun and draw a relieved breath.

Fiona appears on the side of her and I open the door wide enough for them to come in. They do, and I close the door behind them.

"Let me put this up first." I walk up the stairs and hear them follow behind. After putting the gun back in the drawer, I turn around to go back to the living room but stop in my tracks.

I look closer at Diana as her and Fiona stand in front of the desk. She hadn't insulted me when they woke in or said anything sarcastic, and now her eyes were narrowed and she was tapping her fingers against her leg. Her face was also slightly red.

"You okay?"

She doesn't reply and only turns to Fiona. I turn my attention to Fiona and notice tear marks on her cheeks.

She's been crying?

I move closer and see marks on her cheek, neck, arm and a long one on her hand.

"Someone hit you, Fiona?"

"Tell him what happened, Fiona." Diana finally speaks.

Fiona sits on one of my office chairs, but Diana remains standing. I sit at my desk.

"What happened, Fiona? You can tell me."

Fiona's leg begins to shake, and she wipes her eyes. "After me and Mama got lunch, she went to the bathroom in the restaurant. She told me not to and I shoulda just listened. I went outside to wait for her and I started walkin around the block. Then this guy came. He worked at the Target next to the restaurant and every time me and Mama went he always gave me creepy looks. I thought he was just saying hi, but he covered my mouth and started hitting me and I tried to hit em back but he was too big. He took my money and started touching ma boobs and was about to put his hand in my pants but mama came out and stopped him. He ran away and was too fast for her to stop him, but the money dropped thankfully. I'm sorry mama I should have just listened to you!" She begins to cry and Diana sits next to her.

Holding Fiona in her arms, Diana rubs Fiona's back. "Hey, don't you blame yourself for what that sicko did. I shouldn't have left you alone like that."

Rage flowed through me like lava as I leaned forward with a clenched jaw. "You're sure he worked at Target Fiona?"

She sits up and nods.

"What did he look like?"

"He was bald and had a nasty mole on his chin. He was also kinda tall, and he always wears a blue bracelet."

Diana gives me a look that illustrates how angry she is.

I nod, knowing what she is implying. I had to keep my cool in front of Fiona and I didn't know how much I would be able to do that any longer. I stand up and kiss the top of Fiona's head.

"I'll be back." I say before walking out. I make it all the way to the car before dialing Michaels number.

"What's up?" He answers as I start the car.

"Where are you?"

"None of your goddamn business, man. I d-"

"Someone tried to mug and rape Fiona. I'm not gonna let him get away with this shit. I need your help."

"I'm at the dentist."

"You're seriously getting your teeth fixed right now?"

He laughs, "Who said I was there for my teeth if you know what I mean, wink wink."

"Meet me at Target." I replied and hung up.

I exhale deeply, trying to keep my anger down. I had to save that for that pervert. Right now, all I needed to do was try to keep calm and focused enough to drive.

Starting the car, I try to remember the workers at Target. I went there all the time, so I knew which one she was talking about. All the workers I saw were female besides one other guy that occasionally came. But he didn't fit Fiona's description at all.

I also had to come up with a plan. If I went in there reckless, I'd end up in prison. My time is cut short when I arrive at the target. I expected Michael to be there already, but he wasn't, so I used this time to think of a plan as I sat in the target parking lot. Fifteen minutes later, when he shows up, I have thought everything through.

I get out of the car and Micheal follows my actions. After locking the doors, we begin walking to the store.

"So, what are you thinking? Blow the whole store down and run before the cops show up?"

"Tempting, but no. I'm assuming this guy is the manager, since he's not around as much as the workers. It's a good thing we showed up at six because the store closes at eight, which means there won't be many people here. You distract the workers and I'll take him. Once that's done, you meet me at the warehouse and we'll teach him a lesson, got it?"

"I read ya. I read ya loud and clear."

We walk in Target and I immediately start to search for what looks like the manager's office as Micheal fake falls and screams loudly.

Seriously? That was your great distraction, Mike?

When I reach the bathroom, I see a sign titled, 'Employees only' and take the chance. I knock on the door and a bold man opens the door. I celebrate on the inside at finding this sicko.

"Uh, can I help you?"

I move my gaze to his wrists and see a blue wristband.

Yep, that's him.

"Yeah actually. I'm looking for a job here and your employees told me to come here."

He nods and opens the door. Once I am in, he speaks again.

"So what made you w-"

I don't have time to pretend anymore. Taking my gun out of my pocket, I aim it at him.

"Say another word and your brains are gone."

He opens his mouth to yell, and I move the gun closer to his face. "I fucking dare you, son of a bitch."

He shuts his mouth quickly and I throw the bag to him. "Put your head in." He follows my directions, and I put the gun back in my pocket. Kneeing his balls, he grunts before I head lock him and search for a back door. Thankfully there is one in his office.

With the guy in my headlock, I ran out of the back door and searched for my car. I finally find it and run faster until I reach the car. Making sure the bag is still over his face, I tell him to get in the trunk and he does. Once he is all the way in and I close it, I get to the driver's seat and start the car.

I call Michael and he picks up after the second time. "I got him. Get out now before they notice. "

"Alright."

I hear someone scream before I hang up. The drive to the warehouse takes about thirty minutes. I heard the guy kicking the trunk the whole way there and only laughed.

Karma's a bitch, ain't it?

Finally arriving, I get out of the car and push the warehouse door up just as Micheal gets here.

He gets out of the car quickly. "Where is this perv?" He asks, rubbing his hand together as I walk back together.

I lift the trunk door. "Aye, I run this show. Set a chair up,"

He jogs inside as I pull the man out of the car. Dragging him inside after closing the door, I sit him on the chair Michael set up in the middle.

I take the bag off of him and Michael stands on the side of me.

"Here's how this is going to go. I'm going to ask you a question and if you tell me the truth, then I'll ask you another question. But if you lie, I'll start cutting off fingers pretty simple right?"

"I'm sorry. You don't have to do t-'"

"Ah, ah, ah. You only speak when spoken too." I warn and aim the gun at him again.

He nods furiously, and I put the gun back.

"You like little kids, man? That gets you going?" My blood boils as I stare at him, images of him groping Fiona come to my head.

"N-no."

"Knife." I order Micheal and he hands a knife from his pocket to me and I take the cover off. The man begins to squirm and looks at us in fear. "I want you to know. You can scream if you need to, you can even cry, but just remember that the more you do, the more I enjoy it."

I get closer to him and begin cutting his thumb, he instantly screams in pain. His legs shake and he continues to holler and shout until I finish cutting the thumb.

I nearly puke at the sight of his thumb I am holding and toss it on the ground.

I'm not doing that shit again.

I take my gun out of my pocket again. That was my favorite weapon, and it always did the trick. Why change now?

I tried again, "Tell me, which hand did you use to cover her mouth?"

Tears streaming down his face, he rocks back and forth, "I-I don't remember!"

"Oh, you don't remember?"

I grew even more angry that this son of a bitch was still lying.

I lock my wrist and shoot at his right knee. This time he shouts even louder and begins jumping up and down on the chair in pain.

"Damn." I hear Micheal mumble.

I grin and 'accidentally ' shoot his other knee, enjoying watching him cry out in pain.

"Damn it! It seems I've forgotten how to use a gun as well!"

I turn to Michael and hand him the gun. "What about you, man?"

He smiles and steps forward.

"I don't know. Let me just tr-" Micheal shoots the man in his right knee again as I watch as blood oozes out quickly from his knee.

He screams and cries out louder. Tears streaming from his cheeks and drool coming out of his mouth. Blood drips to the ground as I laugh.

"Looks like we're all just a bunch of forgetful motherfuckers!" I fake laugh some more and Michael joins.

After a minute I kneel, "Now I'm going to ask you again, which fucking hand did you use to try to mug and rape a thirteen-year-old girl?"

Crying hysterically, he holds his hands up, "Both! Both of them, I used both hands!"

I stood back up, satisfied with his response.

"Well done. For finally telling the truth, I'll let you go, man."

"Really?"

"No." I reply before taking the gun from Michael and shooting his dick.

~~~

"I'm home!" I shout, stepping into the house.

After handling the man, Michael told me he would handle everything so I could get back to Diana and Fiona.

I throw the keys on the counter and when I don't see anyone in the living room, a wave of disappointment washes over me.

"I guess they went home."

I make my way up the stairs and to my room. Flopping on the bed in exhaustion and closing my eyes, I inhale and exhale deeply.

I had been up since seven this morning and with work, my emotions and bold pervert dude I was more than tired.

I didn't regret what we did to that guy. More deserved it. It was common for a man to assault or try to assault a woman and get away with it in New York. The law was absolute shit. If we hadn't done it, he would have been out there doing the same thing to another girl right now.

It saddened me that Fiona had to live with constant fear for the rest of her life now. I wanted to protect her and Diana at all costs, and I failed. And that shattered my heart to the core.

Fiona was special to me. I wasn't trying to, replace Willow. I couldn't ever do that. But I wanted Fiona to look at me and know I would never hurt her. I wanted her to feel safe with me and be able to talk to me. I wasn't her father, hell I didn't even know her father. Nor did I want to. Diana's past was none of my business and as long as they weren't harming her now, I didn't care.

I feel the bed dip and open my eyes. Diana is sitting on the side of my bed and I lean up slightly.

"Hey, I thought you guys left."

"Nope." She mumbles

"Where's Fiona?" I ask and sit up fully.

"She is asleep in the guest room. Sorry, I probably should have waited until you came back."

"Yeah no, it's all good. How is she, though?"

"She's okay. It definitely shook her, and she's definitely going to need some time to recover, you know?"

I nod sympathetically as Diana rubs her nails and looks down. "He won't come near her again. I've made sure of that."

I get up and walk to the bathroom. After peeing and washing my hands, I talk to her as I try to brush my hair.

"If she needs it, I'd be glad to pay for therapy and things like that!" I shout

Who knew trying to brush your hair would be so hard? It's like the brush is fighting back as I try to run it through my hair.

Are you supposed to go up or down?

I instantly get irritated and pull my gun out.

I bet you'll work now, won't you?

I push the brush in front of the gun and lock my wrist. As I am about to shoot, I feel a hand on me.

Diana laughs, "You're gonna shoot the brush, Dante?"

"No." I mumble and lower it to the bathroom counter.

She takes the brush from me and takes the stool from under the sink.

When she stands on it, I furrow my eyebrows, "How did you know that was under there?"

She begins to brush my hair softly and shrugs, "Just assumed one was there." I watch as she tries to hide her grin and shake my head.

She proceeds to brush. Every now and then I feel her hands in my hair and smile at the feeling.

After a while of silence she speaks, "Thank you." She whispers.

"For letting you brush my hair? I should be telling you thank you, this shit feels good as h-"

She steps down from the stool and places the brush on the counter. Pushing the toilet seat down, she tells me to sit and I listen.

Diana holds my face. "Seriously, thank you, Dante. No sarcasm, no insults, no nothing. Just thank you. For everything." She kisses my cheek before walking away.

"Hell yeah!" I say once she is gone, throwing fist pumps in the air and smiling happily.

Diana peaks her head back In the bathroom.

"What?"

I straighten up, sit back on the toilet seat, and take the smile off my face. "Nothing." I reply, trying to seem nonchalant. After giving a confused stare at me, she walks away.

We're movin' on up!

•••

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