Die Tryin' by Stavro Yianni Read Free Book Online Page B

‘Stay with Mario,’ he told him as he approached him. ‘Make sure he don’t try anything,’ he added as he walked past him towards Tony and Maria. Charlie just nodded and moved closer to where Mario stood.
    Nick XR2 and Marco were standing a little way off, watching. Nick Black joined them.
    ‘Here we go again,’ Nick Black said to Nick XR2 as he turned to watch proceedings.
    ‘Who the fuck is he?’ Tony asked Maria. ‘Huh?’
    Maria just stood there with her arms crossed over her chest, her mouth scrunched up like a two year old that can’t get its own way. ‘He’s one of Elle’s older brother’s friends if you must know,’ she replied in a voice that matched her posture to perfection.
    ‘What do you think you’re doing picking up your mate’s friends?’
    ‘I didn’t
pick him up.’
    ‘Then what are you doing here then? Embarrassing me like this?’
    ‘What do you mean embarrassing
you
? You’re embarrassing me! I’m just here to have some fun, you’re not my dad.’
    ‘Not your dad? We don’t have a dad, Maria. So, someone’s gotta look out for you.’
    ‘I’m a big girl now, Tony.’
    ‘You think? Big girl fucking men much older than you.’
    Maria crossed her arms over her chest and huffed.
‘I’m not fucking him.’
    Tony shook his head, a fake grin on his face. ‘No?’
    Maria pushed her face into his.
‘No.’
    Tony grabbed her cheeks in one hand and squeezed, making her tongue pop out of her mouth. Mario saw and reacted. Charlie held him back.
    Tony pointed a finger at him. ‘I said you stay out of this!’ he shouted before turning his attention back to Maria. ‘You think this prick cares about you?’ he asked her. ‘Huh? He only wants you for one thing, then when he’s had enough—’
    ‘That’s bullshit!’ Mario shouted from behind Charlie. ‘It ain’t true, Maria. Don’t listen to him.
Why is he saying this?’
he asked Charlie.
    Charlie shrugged.
    Maria wanted to speak but couldn’t under her brother’s grip. When Tony realised this, he let go, and she backed away from him.
‘You always have to do this shit, Tony!’
she shouted, now hysterical.
‘Why?’
    There were tears in her eyes and Nick Black stared at her with pity in his heart. This wasn’t right. He understood Tony feeling protective of his sister. Shit, he knew how he felt, because he had a sister too. Two of them, in fact, so he knew the score. But he felt this was going too far. It was obsessive. And pretty sick.
    ‘You don’t even know him and you say these mean things!’ she said through her tears.
    ‘I
fucking know,’ Tony replied, digging his thumb into his own chest, making his gold
stavro
bounce. ‘I know him. I know ’em all. And I do this to protect you from predators, Maria. From people who wanna use you. One day you’ll understand and you’ll be grateful.’
    ‘I’ll never be grateful!’ she spat.
    Tony looked away, licking his lower lip, and for a second Nick Black thought he was gonna rush Mario, was sure of it. But, somehow he held back.
    ‘Come on, we’re going!’ he said to Maria instead, putting his hand out.
    She refused to take it. ‘I’m not going anywhere with you!’
    ‘Yeah you are…’ Tony replied and grabbed her arm again. He yanked her towards him and at the same time turned away to leave.
    ‘Maria!’ Mario shouted.
    She turned her head to face him, but was effortlessly pulled away by her older and stronger brother. Nick Black watched Tony drag her away like some kind of rag doll and thought what a fucked up situation it was. He glanced at Nick XR2 who shrugged, probably thinking exactly the same thing. Marco just looked nonplussed.
    Nick XR2 approached Mario, who looked like he was set to go after Tony.
    Nick XR2 showed him his palms. ‘You better just leave it, mate,’ he told him. ‘When Tony gets possessive like that, it’s best to leave him alone.’
    ‘He’s a psycho,’ Mario said, cold reading him to a tee.
    ‘He’s our friend,’ Nick