Undisclosed Desires - Bridget Kathleen (ebooks online reader txt) 📗

down from his watchful tower and walked over to the two siblings and crossed his arms.

"I needed to talk to, Smalls." he stated.

"Oh yeah?" he then cleared his throat. "Just to let youse know, Tom Tom, Smalls is my newsie. If youse wanna talk to talk to Smalls, do that when ya sellin' papes. Don't come striding along on my turf." he seemed really irritated. This worried Tommy even more. Spot's attitude made him worry about Sophia even more. How did she put up with him?

Sophia saw the tension between the two and spoke up. "Look, Spot. It's ok. Just let him say has to say."Spot sighed. It wasn't like him at all to let things slide.

Tommy took his little sister by the arm and led her away from Spot's ears. "I heard what happened last night ar Medda's."

Her eyes grew wide. "Who told you?"

"David."She gave him a confused look. "David? But Les and Medda were the only-" then it hit her. "Les told David!" she almost shouted it. They looked back at Spot. He eyed them suspiciously. The turned back to each other and continued to talk.

"It's a good things that he told me." Tommy explained. He moved in closer and whispered lower. "Spot is a dangerous person." he stood back up. "Sorry I got you in this mess. Daiv thought it be best if I came to get you."

Spot heard that part and strode on over, not caring how secretive the conversation was. He was the King of Brooklyn. No one kept secrets to him. Not big ones anyway and this one seemed big. "What do you mean, 'Came to get you'?" Tommy looked at him eye level. The two were both pretty tall. "You heard me, Spot. I came to take my little brotheh."

Spot scoffed. "Didn't I tells youse that no one takes my newsies from me?" he shoved Tommy a little.

"Don't touch me." Tommy warned.

Spot glared at him. "Whata ya gonna do 'bout it, Tom Tom?" he questioned. And with that Tommy pushed him back the same way Spot pushed him. This infuriated Spot. He lost his temper and pulled out his cane. "Get the hell outa my territory!" he shouted. Sophia was scared more than ever now. For her brothers life.

"RUN, SMALL'S!" Tommy Shouted. Like clockwork, Sophia ran. She was too busy making her way out of the docks to notice Tommy and Spot locking hands and shoving each other around.

"STOP HIM!" Sophia heard Spot call out and just like some of Spot's Newsie's stood in her way.

"Where ya goin', Smalls?" said one of them.

She took a few steps back, not sure what to do with herself. She did what she thought was best. The only thing she could do: Run right through them. The plan was faulty though. They were, no doubt, stronger than her. Sophia lost her balance and fell in the water. Everything seemed to move in slow motion for her. She saw her brother call out to her by her nick name, forgetting about Spot and running to her. Lastly she looked to Spot. His face was serious. He clutched his cane hard in his right hand, watching her fall.

SPLASH!...

Sophia gasped as she came up for air. She coughed when water reached her lungs. She flailed her arms wildly in the water. She was too far out to reach the side of the docks to support herself. She faintly heard her brother call out to her. He dove into the water and pulled her out, draging her out on to the docks. She finished coughing the rest of the water out of her lungs. Her heavy breathes softened. She laid there in her brothers lap, his face filled with concern. "Tommy?" she said.

"Hey, Smalls." he said back to her.

"What the hell is this!" They both heard Spot's voice and froze. He walked up to them. He looked pissed more than ever now. Sophia had lost her hat as she fell into the water. Her long hair was now plastered against her face. Tommy looked up at Spot, unable to find the right words to say. "Smalls...is a goil?" his face full of confusion and annoyance. Tommy gave him one nod in defeat. Spot crossed his arms. He looked to his Newsie's who waited for him to speak again. "Once a newsie of Brooklyn, always a newsie of Brooklyn. Am I right boys?" his newsie's cheered, agreeing with their leader. He then lifted up his cane to silence them and looked down at the two siblings. "Listen Tom Tom. I knows your worried 'bout ya sister...Don't. She's a Brooklyn Newsie now. She's MY newsie. Now...I suggest that youse get yourself on outa here...or else." he tightened his grip on his cane.

Later that night, Sophia sat in the corner of the lodge house, watching the boys play poker. She felt a little bit relived but worried at the same time. She no longer had to hide who she was, but now that all the boys new who she was, she was scared of what all girls feared: Taken advantage of.

"Hey, Smalls!" called one of the boys. They waved their hand for her to come join them for a game of poker. Sophia and walked towards them and sat on a stool, watching them deal the cards. This seemed like their usual routine at night. Drink, play poker and have a hearty time. Sophia found herself yawning and retreating to her bunk but someone put a hand on her shoulder and spun her around. It was Spot.

He gave her one of his little smirks. "Hey, Smalls." he started, moving in closer to her. She tensed up and he noticed. "Don't worry, Smalls. I wouldn't hurt one of my newsie's," he paused. "unless they really deserved it that is." he laughed a little.

"Spot...I'm tired and I need to sell papes in the mornin'." she began to move Spot's hand off of her but he quickly took a hold of her both his hands. "You no longer sell papes, Smalls." She looked up at him in confusion. "Youse gonna tidy this place up for me and me boys. Got it?" His Irish accent sent a shiver down her spine.

"...Ok..." it was all she could manage to say.

Spot smiled at her. "Don't be so tense, Smalls. Ease up a bit. I'm not gonna hurt ya." Spot then loosened his grip on her, his touch more soft now. "Youse no longer hafta stay in the bunk room with da boys. Youse be sleepin' in my room. Got it?" it was an order not a request. Spot led her up stairs to his room. It was a simple room with all the basic necessities. This was the second time that Sophia had seen his room. Spot closed the door behind him, pulling off his suspenders.

"So, Smalls. What's your real name?" he asked.

"Anna Sophia. You can call me Sophia though. Or Smalls. Doesn't matter."

Spot walked up to her and put an arm around her. "Hows 'bout I calls ya whatever I want." he smirked. He walked away from her and placed his cane against the wall and his sling shot down on the small dresser next to his bed. He sat down and the bed squeaked a little when he did. He motioned her to come over to him. She hesitated for a moment. When she was in arms length, Spot pulled her down and put one of his arms around her waist and played with her hair a little with his other. She sat there still and he did this, her hands on her lap, heart then stopped messing with her hair and turned her face to look at him. Her green eyes met his icy blue orbs. They stayed like that for a long moment until Spot finally let her go and laid down next to the wall on the bed. Sophia found this as an opportunity to finally relax. So she did. She rested her head down on the worn out pillow and held her arms close to her chest. Her heart was still beating. Throughout the night Spot turned and wrapped his arm around her, pressing his chest against her back. This stunned Sophia to the point of losing her breath for a moment. She felt the warmth of Spots breath on her ear. The warmth of his body that surrounded her completely. She could get use to this.
Chapter Five: Memories and more trouble.

A few days had passed since the first night she spent with Spot. Now Sophia stood inches away from the Brooklyn King.

"I am not spending another night with you in that bed." she said sternly. She herself could hardly believe the words that she was spitting out at Spot Conlon. Sophia grew tired of him putting his hands comfortably around her as they slept.

Spot tightened fists. "Look, goil, I'm not askin' fer much!"

Sophia scoffed. "What exactly are you asking for anyway?" Spot said nothing. Sophia sighed. "Look, Spot. I'm not one of your whores. You can't have your way with me. She crossed her arms over her chest.

Spot's eyes furrowed. "What? Would you're rather sleep out on that bunk with my Brooklyn boys?"

"I'm getting to that point." She told him. After Spot found out about her being a girl, she could hardly move around the lodge without him looking at her with those lustful eyes of his.

Spot finally threw his hands in the air. "Fine! Have it your way!" He walked over to his bed and plopped down. Sophia sighed again and walked over the bed, looking down at him.

"Change ya mind already, Tootsie?" he said with a wide grin on his face. Sophia glared at him, bent down, took a strong hold of the blanket Spot was laying on and slipped it out from underneath him, making him do a 360 and fall off on the other side of the bed. "Dimmit, goil!" he shouted, shooting up about just as fast as he fell. "Ya tryin' tah kill me?" Sophia grinned and took one of the pillows off the bed and made a neat place for her to lay down on the floor. Spot climbed back on to his bed and looked down at the girl who had just placed herself next to Spot's bed.

"Youse serious, goil?" but he didn't get a reply back from her so he forgot about it and went to sleep himself. "Me thinks I liked ya better as a boy."

The next day Spot woke up before Sophia, or Smalls as he preferred her to. She stilled laid there on the floor fast to sleep. Her hair was sprawled out to one side of her, one arm above her head and the other resting on her stomach. Spot shook his head and rubbed his eyes. It was