Old City District, PH

Finnegan's tavern, 6:04pm

I was sitting in the tavern with my good friend Ganja having a few drinks, just killing the day a little. After being there awhile a girl walks through the door, she looked young... real young, I went about my business but observed a little. I noticed her saying something to the bartender quietly, he then walks to the back while the girl stays at the bar. I hear two older men saying dirty things to her as she shrugs it off, few minutes go by and the bar tender hands her a brown bag. As she goes to walk out the two men start grabbing her inappropriately, she tries to push them off and drops the bag causing whatever was inside to break as glass and liquid covered the floor.

Me and Ganja got up and walked over to the girl. As I approached her I said "Its ok sweetie, my friend here is going to take you outside. Your safe ok."

After he takes her outside one of the two men say to me :oh I know you...KL!, you own that Hotel, listen stay out of it ok...go play at your fancy Hotel!.

I laugh a bit and respond "Hotel guy?... yea that's me, I have one other side though!".

Guy says: what side is that?!. I crack the guy in the face with a left hook sending him against the bar. Ganja must have told the girl to wait outside because he was next to me holding the friend back. I begin smashing the guy with punch after punch and kick after kick, until Ganja pulls me off. Before walking out I grab a bottle and throw it at the guys face, watching it smash as the guys in the bar cringed. I look at Ganja ands whisper in his ear "I'm going to take the girl home, grab a cab back to the hotel ok?... listen the guy who made her drop the bag, break his fucking hands!."

Upon leaving Ganja starts whaling on both men. As the door shuts behind me I walk over to my car and tell the girl to get in, she seemed scared but she followed orders. Before taking her home I asked her name. :Rose she responded.

I put the car in motion as she directed me to her house. On the way there I noticed she had a black eye, I didn't say anything to her, in fact we only said a few words to each other the whole way there. When we finally arrive I see a run down home, dirty with busted windows. There wasn't much else to say but she didn't get out of the car, instead she leaned back in the seat and said softly :he hits me you know.

"Who the guy at the bar?".

:No my father, it's just me and him here.

No sooner after those words are said I hear a loud mouth yell :WHERE IS THAT DAMN GIRL WITH MY FUCKING WHISKEY!.

I look at Rose and say "listen sweetie I have a Hotel here in town, come stay there for awhile and I will talk with your dad later ok?.

Petrified of her father she agrees so I drive her to the hotel where MrGanja helps get he comfortable there.

While at the Hotel I ask her one more question "Rose, sweetie how old are you?."

:15 sir.

I look at Ganja with my blood boiling, one thing was for sure...I was going back to visit her father.

Part 2

Later that night me and Ganja pulled up to the house. It was quiet and secluded so I knew there would be no problems.

"Ganja hand me that bottle of whiskey". After he gives me the bottle I get out of the car and make my way towards the house, I ask Ganja to keep watch while I go inside. I climb through the side window and search the house top to bottom, finally I stumble onto a bedroom where the drunken father is sleeping. I poke him while saying "Wake up!, c'mon!".

His eyes open as he slurs "The Hell are you?".

I put the bottle up so he can see it and say "I got your whiskey!". I smash the bottle over his head and proceed to drag him out of the bedroom and begin beating him senseless, making him feel everything his daughter felt. I hurl him out of one of the windows that wasn't broken, as he flies through the glass I hear Ganja say :what the fuck KL!.

I walk outside and approach the father "you scumbag piece of shit!, she's 15 years old... makes you feel like a man don't it?."

He sits up and spits the blood from his mouth :none of your business!, this is my home and what happens here stays here!.

MrGanja walks up behind the man and slits his throat, then wipes both sides of the knife off on the mans shirt.

"Ganja this guy has to disappear!, I'm going back to the Hotel... hide the body then meet me in my office ok?."

Mr. G nods his head as I take off and handle one last thing. The tavern from earlier was closed but I didn't approve much of a man who gives a 15 year old liquor, so I burned the place down!.

I then headed back to the Hotel and sat down with Rose. "Listen sweetie I went to talk to your dad and I couldn't find him anywhere, so I asked around and it turns out he burned down the tavern and now no one can find him. But I want you to stay here with me ok. If you need anything just ask me, just stay here till we find you dad ok?."

Surprisingly she jumps up and hugs me and asks :do I have to go back with him?.

I respond "no sweetie... you don't, your safe now ok. Get some sleep and ill see you in the morning."

An hour later MrGanja walks in my office and tells me I did the right thing. "Couldn't leave her like that Ganja, listen take this money and go get her some clothes."

Mr. G takes off to get her some cloths as I finally got some time to sit down and get back to business.

I speak with Mike for awhile and catch up a little. After that I get some sleep and first thing in the morning I went to check on Rose, I knocked a few times then entered and noticed that she was just waking up. She immediately greeted me with a hug as MrGanja was right behind me with a bunch of new clothes, as he brings them in she looks at me and says: Who's clothes are those sir?.

"They are yours sweetie, now pick out an outfit you like and I will take you down to the restaurant to eat ok."

Her eyes light up as she jumps up to get ready, I wait out in the hall for her, MrGanja waits with me.

"Do me a favor keep an eye on Rose please and make sure no one bothers her ok." Mr. G nods and tells me not to worry. I knew she would be safe with him I had no doubts. After a few minutes of getting ready Rose and I walk down to the restaurant with Mr. G right behind us. I sit her down at a nice booth with Mr. G and tell her to get anything she wants. I then tell her to head back to her room when she's done.

She asks: may I go outside and get some air?.

"Of course sweetie just make sure Mr. G is with you ok?...I will be in a meeting but I will see you after that."

I walk outside the restaurant as one of the regulars says to me: KL who's the hot dame?.

I slap him across the head "She's fucking 15 what's wrong with you, her name is Rose, I catch you messing with her ill bury you behind the Hotel.

A lot of people turn and stare at me including Luxuria. The guy apologizes and says she don't look 15. After I says that I stare and don't say anything at all. Lux runs over and grabs me and says I'm needed in the ballroom, she saved the guys life.

As we both walk off the guy apologizes again.

After grabbing KL I take him somewhere where no one would be around to hear us talk, I stand there with my hand up to my mouth while starring at KL.

"KL that little girl, where did you find her. Where's her father... Tall, skinny, blonde with a heavy drinking problem?."  asking KL he looks at me with a strange look on his face.

I look him in the eyes and start to tear up. Turning around to look out the window. I couldn't believe my eyes it was her. I've finally found her. KL walks over to me and places his hand on my shoulder.

"Lux, what's wrong?" Says KL with a worried tone.

"KL, we need to have a seat and talk, why don't you grab us a drink."

I walk over to an empty secluded table, I take a seat as my hands begin to tremble. KL places a drink in front of my, grabbing it I take a sip and light up a cigarette.

"KL, that little girl, Rose... shes my daughter, she was taken from me by her father. I haven't seen her since she was 1 until now."

I take another drag of my cigerette and look at KL with the complete shock on his face.

"how did you find her, where!"

"Philly, the Old City District. I was having a few drinks with Ganja when she walked into the tavern. Her father is... gone!. Lost my temper, I saw her in the bar getting hit on...I drove her home and she didn't want to go so I brought her here. Safest place for her."

I lean back and take a much needed shot.

"What do you want to do tell her?... or wait?, she really trust's me"

I light a cigarette, quickly inhale then exhale before speaking.

"Of course I could introduce you to her Lux, I don't know how well it will go... its been what 14 years!. I know it wasn't your fault but I don't think she's had the best life. But she's needs you because let's face it her dad isn't coming back!. I will talk to her tonight ok."

As I stand there with my arms folded, looking at KL my nerves become over me and I begin to cry.

"Thank you KL, I can't believe she's been here the whole time!"

My mind started to wander, thinking how could I not search for her better, how could I let her father take control over both of our lives.

everything was becoming over whelming, I started to feel a bit dizzy, I started to stumble towards KL.

I catch Lux in my arms and while hugging her I explain to her that is wasn't her fault.

"You need to pull yourself together!, we are not in a position were we can be soft understand?... he destroyed lives and in the end he lost his!, now Rose is back and she needs a role model so clean yourself up and be strong. She will take to you, no more drinking, get some rest ok. The Senator is here having a party so I need to attend, I have a short speech to make... we will catch up later ok?."

MrGanja walks in and asks if everything is ok.

"Everything is fine, can you get Lux comfortable so she can rest?." As Ganja takes Lux I head to the Senators party.

As I head to the room with the aid of MrGanja, I take a seat on the bed to grab a couple breaths. I then head towards the bathroom to clean up.

Removing the makeup that ran down my face when I was crying, I yell out to Ganja to pass me the elegant dress hanging over the chair.

"Here you go lux." he says while passing the dress through the door.

"Thanks Ganja, you don't have to wait around I'm going to be a little bit longer here."

He heads downstairs to be with KL. I come out of the bathroom, standing there in the mirror, finish applying my lipstick and Rouge and head down stairs,  nerves all of a sudden come over me more than before. i see myself standing on the bottom step looking into the ball room.

Seeing KL standing there with rose, was a beautiful sight.

Before Lux walks into the room I have a little talk with Rose.

"Rose sweetie can I ask you something?" she nods in approval. "Do you remember your mom?. She shakes her head no.

"Well apparently your dad did a lot of things that... was not in your best interest, but its ok because we can make things right. And that's what I'm going to do, I found your mom!, and it just so happens that she is a good friend of mine.

Luxuria enters the ballroom.

"I'm going to let you guys talk ok?, then we I will visit you later." I make my way for the exit of the ballroom meeting Lux halfway, I place my arm on her shoulder and whisper in her ear. "Remember stay strong!, She grew up hard enough as it is, this life we live... days are numbered so make best with the time you have."

I gently stroke my hand across her head and walk out of the room.

As KL walks out of the ballroom, I look over at Rose who has tears just streaming down her face. I slowly walk over to her as I begin to feel my chest tighten. I see a smile come over her face, I kneel down to greet her.

"I'm so sorry sweetie." I grab her tight giving her the biggest hug.

"why did you leave us?" She questioned.

"Well Rose, I was in an awful state with your father. Some things happened and he took you away from me, I've looked for years!."

Wiping tears from our face. I then grab her hand and take her to the other room where we can meet up with KL.

"You know KL is a really good friend of mine, I also heard that some things happened to you and he brought you here."

She looks at me with a smile and nods.

"I'm glad you two are united again. I'll let you two talk more, I have to run down to the foyer quick but I will be back ok."

As I walk into the foyer I hear from a distance a guy yell out: HE'S GOT A GUN!. As I turn slightly I man in a black trench coat is bolting towards me with a pistol in hand, it all happens so fast, I put my hand up to shield my face while thinking about what I had said to Lux about limited time in this line of work.

Just before the man fires a shot MrGanja grabs the man's arm and pushes it down, as the shot goes off it strikes me in the right leg sending me to the ground. The man slips away and bolts out of the Hotel as Luxuria who must have heard the echo from the shot raced towards me. As she kneels next to me I tell her to stay with Rose.

I know she wanted to stay with me but I assured her I would be fine, that Ganja saved my life. Before I get taken away for treatment I ask Lux to come close, when she does I speak softly into her ear. "I saw the shooter's face, when I get patched up I will deal with him... when I find him, keep Rose safe ok."

Luxuria looked at me knowing what I was going to do.

As I stand there to see if KL was ok, I looked up at Ganja.

"You make sure you look after him or I will kill you myself."

I then rush back to Rose, grab her hand and take her upstairs away from danger.

We sat there for hours, there was some crying and laughing. She told me about what her did to her and all I could do was get angry at myself for not being there for her when I was needed. Everyone needs their mom.

It was getting late, so I tucked Rose in and all I could do was just sit at her side and look at how beautiful she is.

a couple of hours passed but as I found myself sleeping in the chair next to the bed.

I get up swiftly to make a call to see if KL was doing alright.

After being patched up I made my way back to the Hotel to spend time with Luxuria and Rose. MrGanja did some digging all night and managed to track down the shooter's address.

I knew what I was going to do next and so did everyone else, except Rose, I didn't want her to know about the dark side of my life or her mother for that matter. I wanted to give my leg some time to heal then it would be time to return the favor... only difference is I wasn't going to miss!.