Crossing Paths: A Brooklyn Shifters Romance Book 1

by Daphne Snow

  “Francesca do not talk to him that way.” Her mother argued her voice just above a whisper. Now that she had taken care of their problems she couldn't speak up for herself? Now that she had sullied her hands for them she had no voice?

  She looked at the woman who looked so much like herself. The big brown eyes, the auburn hair, the small nose. Everything except her skin. Her father had been sicilian and african american his melanin rich skin mixed with her mother's pale completion gave her the honeyed skin she had from birth.

  She was quiet for a moment just wondering how this woman who was a gaunt picture of once beautiful self could care so little for her.

  She snapped. She just snapped. She had spent years trying to get them help. And not just her mother but Ray as also. She didn’t want to be seen as the daughter who resented her stepfather. She tried to try to make a home out of a shit pile of a house. She just could not do it any longer and she couldn't hold her tongue.

  “No, I'll talk to him however I want to. He’s a piece of shit. He's ruining you mom, he's ruined this house. The house dad bought, your mate, remember? Or did you really wanna forget so badly that you're a shifter. That you both are!"

  Francesca grabbed up the cup her mother was sipping from and sniffed it. Indeed it smelt like vodka and her nose twitched with distaste. Frannie crouched down to meet her eye level as she continued. "All you do is drink mom please you need to get help. I can help you, please let me.” She grabbed up her cold hands pleading to her to let Frannie take her away and get her into rehab to get help. The frail woman just looked at her annoyed, glazed eyes and thin lips as she spoke.

  “Last time I checked you're the child and I'm the parent.” She said, shaking off Frannies worried hands. Fuming, Frannie finally said something she had waited to say for a long time. Her voice was just as icy as her mother's hands.

  “Then why don't you fucking act like it instead of letting me take care of all your problems. You're a grown woman, do things for yourself for once.”

  “You little bitch!” Ray shouted and then tossed his now empty glass at her. She dodged it standing as it crashed at her feet. The intoxicated man came up to Frannie shoving her against the peeling wallpaper wall.

  Ray was taller than Frannie not by much though. She had never seen the man's bear but assumed it also wasn't much larger than her own. She could only think that something happened to him or his bear to make him spiral into a bastard of a man. For the smallest moment, she felt sorry for him.

  Before he started spitting harsh words in her face.

  “You're no good slut you're just as bad as your father. If you dont watch your fucking mouth you'll end up just like he did in the fucking gutter.” Fey roared at the mention of Frans father. The man was a gentle soul and a better man by miles than this schmuck.

  Frannie started to see red as rage blinded her. Her emotions on a high at the vulgar, disgusting poor excuse of a man in front of her. She wanted to push him away to scream at him to rip him apart for even thinking he could say a damned thing about her father.

  Fey quickly seized the opportunity forcing a shift on Frannie's hand turning the once delicate hand into a huge black bear paw. Kill him! He is worthless! Frannie couldn't think her mind fuzzy as she was too consumed by rage.

  The bear's paw came down swiping at Ray's face. A disgusting gush sound rang in the air as her claws sunk deep and Ray screamed. He reeled back tripping over his own two feet and falling to the floor. Four claw marks raked down his face bleeding profusely. He looked at her, shocked and his bloodshot eyes wide.

  “You fucking cunt!” He cursed. Her mother screamed and raced to Raymond collapsing next to him. She was weeping dramatically and cradling the injured yet not dead man in her lap, pressing her hands to his face to stop the bleeding.

  Fran knew he wouldn’t die and his blood only flowed endlessly because of all the drinking. It made his blood thin and unable to clot. Still she brought a shaking hand to her mouth. Upset at herself for letting Fey take over again. She told herself never again, but Ray had egged her on pissing her off.

  He knew she was more than a little touchy about her father. We should finish him. Fey was quiet but adamant. Frannie pushed back to the edges of her mind.

  “What did you do?” Her mother screamed at her a hateful glare striking her.

  “Mom I’m sorry but he-”

  “He was right about you. I should have cut you off a long time ago. You're just trying to ruin our life! You're just jealous!” Her hand dropped to her side, still shaking, still dripping with Raymonds blood. Frannie's eyes glazed over, her face becoming distant and hard as she knew what she needed to do.

  Frannie stepped over the man and headed up the stairs to her room where her suitcase and carry on waited for her. She sat on her bed the same one she had since she was a child. The springs squeaked in resistance.

  She looked around at the torn floral wallpaper and old posters of boy bands she loved. Dust lined a lot of surfaces and the one window she had was now blocked by a larger house having been built next to it.

  Just like her bedroom nothing had changed. Nothing would change no matter how hard she tried. Across from the bed sat a dusty mirror. She stared at her reflection. Droplets of blood-spattered her face and she looked tired, exhausted even. Again tears welled in the corners of her eyes and she stifled a sob. A sob of frustration, sadness and anger.

  Frannie was making a choice.

  At this point she would either stay and continue to be berated and hurt by her parents or she would leave this behind. No matter what she did or said if it hadn't worked in the last ten years it wouldn't work now. She sobbed again with the pain of what she was doing. Her heart hurt and it was near painful to breathe.

  We will be okay. We have each other. Feys words and soft pawing within her the only things to bring her comfort.

  Frannie grabbed up her belongings and headed downstairs after cleaning the blood from her face. The choice was obvious she couldn't do this with them anymore. It was time to move on from this part of her life.

  She loved her mother and even though Ray was a hateful man she wanted to believe his demons made him this way. Frannie believed there was some point in his life where Ray was a good guy. Just not anymore.

  This would be the hardest thing she had to do. She wouldn't have any more family, at least not genetically. Frannie knew Mina would always be there for her but there would be this hole in Frans heart that could never be filled. The lingering memories of life with her mother and her real father would haunt that empty place. We will be okay. Our mate will protect us, he will be our family.

  Frannie batted away the thought from Fey. As nice a thought as it was she still refused to believe Alexander was her mate. Someone like her couldn't have a mate. If her own family couldn’t love her how could he?

  She descended the stairs and watched as her mother kissed Ray's cheek still cradling his head. The blood had already stopped but her wailing hadn't. She opened up her carry on pulling out a gift she had planned on giving them. A framed picture of back when things were okay.

  Before they got ugly.

  The three of them sat on a bench in central park. Ray's face was still one of disdain for her as a child but he hadn't hated her as much back then. Her mother was smiling and happy. And Frannie uncomfortable between the two but trying to see the bright side of things. She placed it on the table and then walked over to the weeping woman.

  “I love you mom.” She said quietly kissing her on the top of her matted head.

  “Leave you stupid bitch.” Was her mother's response and Frannie knew she was making the right choice. She gazed at the woman who had once looked so much like her.

  Her brown eyes once bright were dull and void. Not a wrinkle or pimple in sight. That had changed to, her skin was sickly and full of prominent blue and purple veins. Her once lively face was gone. Claudias now gaunt features made her a ghost of the once vibrant mother Frannie had known. Ray must have still been in
shock because he said nothing as she headed towards the front door.

  She grabbed up her phone and started to text Mina asking if she could stay at her house until her return flight back to California.

  As she exited the tattered building the last thing she expected was for Carl to be standing there, door open to the backseat of the car as if he hadn’t moved. A wide smile on his face and his understanding eyes made her feel like everything was gonna be okay.

  “It didn’t sound too good in there. I thought you could use a lift.” Though he had supposedly heard what happened his tone remained jolly.

  “I don't want you to get in trouble with your boss.” Thoughts of Alexander drifting back to her, Fey rolling excitedly like nothing had happened minutes ago.

  “He said I had to make sure you got home safe. This doesn't look like a home and you don't look safe Miss Bianchi, so hop in.” She ran up to the man hugging him furiously. He stumbled back a step before hugging her back.

  “Thank you.” Unshed tears rested at the corners of her eyes.

  “Anytime miss.”

  ❅❅❅

  By the time she had gotten back to Minas, the sun was grasping at it’s last glimpse of earth before the moon took over. The sky was a flurry of dark oranges purples and blues. She said her goodbyes to Carl and told him to tell Benson that she'd be ready for their ‘meeting’ and to tell him she refused to call it a date.

  The older man had laughed but promised to relay the message then provided the day and time Alexander would be picking her up. He also gave her Alexander's phone number and asked that she text him when she got a chance. Frannie took it reluctantly.

  “Take my number as well. Mr.Benson has made it clear you are important to him. I’m sure he would feel better knowing I’m just as much at your beck and call as I am to him.” She shook her head dismayed as he had already done so much for her.

  “No I can’t.” He smiled. “You will, Miss Bianchi. Think of it as an emergency line if you ever end up in a bind.” His insistence made her nod and she programmed in his phone number as well as Alexanders.

  As she walked to Minas porch he tipped his hat to her and got into the driver's seat. Frannie unlocked the front door with her spare key and she was greeted with hushed shouting from upstairs.

  “The man is crazy. We don't need him anyways.” She heard at first with a harsh return. “He is the only man who would be able to fund a project like this. We do need him!”

  Then as if they had known she was listening it became too low for her to hear anymore. She ignored it assuming it was Zelik and one of his 'associates'. Frannie wheeled her suitcase in, leaving it at the front door before taking off her jacket and hanging it on the coat rack nearby.

  She found Mina in the kitchen getting together some food that made her stomach growl with hunger. She had barely eaten since she got to NewYork. Having to run all around Brooklyn for her parents had made hunger a secondary feeling with anxiety and stress being at the forefront.

  Frannie walked up behind her hugging her. “Hey, Mina thanks for letting me stay.” The slightly shorter woman turned to hug her back.

  “You're like my sister if you have any place in Brooklyn you have a place here.” She smiled and the tears were rushing back to her. She couldn't hold them back this time and they poured from her eyes like an unstoppable waterfall.

  Mina froze, patting her back after a moment and hugging her tighter as she let out all the pent up emotions she had over the last few days.

  “I left.” She confessed as they pulled apart. She rubbed under her eyes vigorously trying to wipe away her spilled tears.

  “Like you're not going back?” Frannie could only nod the words stuck in her throat as she tried not to sob again. “I'm so proud of you. You're doing the right thing. If they can't see how amazing you are then they don't deserve you.” She nodded again finally finding her breath, happy she was breathing rather than sobbing.

  Mina smiled and then waved a hand telling her to go sit down.“You'll have to tell me how the meeting with the money guy went.” Mina smiled returning to the food on the stove.

  Francesca went to go sit at the table ready to explain. She was so sure Mina was going to pitch a fit when she told her it was Benson. She hadn't texted her at all after seeing him. Her thoughts were too tightly caught up about him and dealing with her mom and Ray.

  Before she could even open her mouth they jumped as they heard a loud clattering noise from upstairs.

  “What's going on up there?” She asked, her voice still low and broken.

  “Zelik is talking to some guy about business stuff. I dunno what happened but he's angry.” She stated tursley whilst she stirred the stew. Frannie adjusted in her seat searching for her bear so they could talk but the little bear stayed silent still. Well she huffed and Frannie just didn’t know how to take that.

  Fey wanted to rid the world of Raymond and jump Alexanders or well Axl’s bones. Frannie couldn’t. It's not that she didn’t want Alexander but she had to safeguard her heart. And it's not that she didn’t want to kill Raymond but shifters don't belong in jails and it’d kill her mother.

  Then it dawned on her. Fey was mad because Frannie simply didn't trust her. Not about Mr. Benson being her mate or taking out Raymond. It had been about everything. Fey was the other half of her soul looking out for the best interest of them as a unit. She was doing and saying what she thought was best and Frannie wasn’t having it. If anything the woman was keeping them away from their would be mate. No wonder she was angry.

  Fey hadn't spoken the entire ride over and when Frannie reached for her she mentally shrugged her off. She needed her right now though but Fey wasn't budging.

  The drum of feet echoed down the stairs.

  Zelik, his face grim had come into the kitchen, an unlit cigarette in his mouth as usual. Francesca had never actually seen him light a cigarette he had and he never smelled of the smoky residue and nicotine. Maybe it was more for show.

  Mr.Kaiser was hot on his tail. The same man whom she had met in the elevator earlier in the day. He seemed just as surprised to see her as she was to see him. His thin face bringing back an uncomfortable feeling.

  “Miss Bianchi what a surprise.” His smile sent chills up her spine; she didn't like it. It wasn't the warm deliciousness of Benson it was like a ghost sat behind her watching her. He extended a hand towards her in greeting. She flinched not wanting to take it. Still she wiped her puffy eyes and her voice chirped up.

  “Mr.Kaiser it's nice to see you. I didn't know you were a friend of the Husiks.” She shook his hand and a dreadful feeling overtook her, this dark feeling from him that disappeared immediately once she let go. She thought she was imagining things earlier. Guess not, he was just strange. Fey snarled lowly as she had before not trusting the man. Frannie agreed with Fey's instincts. At least about this one.

  “Zelik and I work together.” Fran smiled in acknowledgment. Meaning he was involved with some shifty things as well. She had thought Benson was a criminal his words earlier saying he ran a business had made her falter a bit in her assumptions.

  But if Mr.Kaiser was going to see him it solidified the idea in her mind. They were all bad and all had ties to the dirty underground of the world. It wasn't anything Frannie wanted to get involved with.

  “Mina I’m leaving for the night.” Zelik announced his face very much that of a man who's seen things he'd rather not speak of. “Okay, I'll leave yours in the fridge.” He looked around for a moment before asking “Wheres Ya-Ya?”

  “She's staying with her friend at the casino tonight.”

  “That old bat is gonna drive the bill through the roof again.” He muttered angrily.

  “She's just having a bit of fun. Leave her be.” Mina said, ignoring his frustrations. They bantered for a moment. Frannie watched, wishing she had that kind of relationship with a sibling. They had their issues she could tell, but no matter what they would be there for each other. If one didn’t know they wer
e related they'd look like a bickering couple.

  Mr.Kaiser pulled her back into a conversation with him.

  “So Miss Bianchi, how did your meeting go with Mr.Benson this afternoon? From what I heard he was quite taken with you.” His thin smile slowly crept to the edges of his mouth. At the mention of Benson though Mina turned her eyes wide with shock. Her lips pursed in a frustrated look.

  “Like I mentioned before I was just settling some family business. If I have to bat my eyelashes a little it won't kill anyone.” She didn't like the way Mr.Kaiser said Benson's name. It sounded disgusting rolling off of his tongue.

  He eyed her suspiciously, his dark near-black eyes feeling like they were trying to reach for her soul. She crossed her arms over her heart protectively.