I honestly dont know where this came from, but it's here and idk what to do with it.
Essentially the main story is about Ian Wren and Byron Vincintalle.
Ian Wren is a con artist, and a good one at that. He’s only ever been found out after he was long gone, so imagine his surprise when he’s caught in the middle of his scheme. When he cons a former loan shark out of $1,500,000, not even his skilled silver tongue can get him out of this mess.
Byron Vincentalle is a 28 year loan shark who retired to care for his sickly daughter, Laurana. Ian plays on his soft spot for Alana by offering an incredible drug (sugar pills) that will help cure her skin cancer in a matter of weeks! Of course $1,500,000 and five weeks later, Vincent catches on, and gives orders have Ian killed. And not in the humane-one-shot-to-the-head way. Laurana’s gotten worse, and Vincent has a bad temper as it is, so only breaking his grabby fingers and cutting out his sly tongue before slitting his throat is merciful in Byron’s opinion.
But there's another story that occurs with a group of pretty wealthy people that Ian tries to con to repay Byron when he runs away to Valley Falls, NY.
Bernard Tepton: is a sensible man. Sensible, but not selfish. He’s the attorney for these wealthy folks and manages all of their finances, but also knows them all personally and does his best to honestly help them. He’s also hired Brenton as an assistant.
Brenton Sayer: has ADHD and turrets. Nobody really knows how he came to be in Valley Falls, but everyone loves him.
Gregory Osmen: is a mildly famous actor, and adores it. He says it is his calling, and wishes that his daughter would find such joy in it as he does.
Holly Osmen: wants to be a nurse, but her father won’t have it. He wants her to grow up famous and take after the family name, but, like all teenagers, Holly is determined to go on her own path. She and her dad argue a lot, but Holly hadn’t done anything but run away to Sasha for a night, and threaten to leave permanently before Ian showed up. Seeing him out on his own and doing what he appeared to love finally made her break. She packed up her stuff and moved out of her father’s house…annnd into Ian’s. stare Naturally this was about the time her father really started to hate Ian.
Penny, Dakota, Quin, Karli, Beyonca Pencoon: the Pencoon family is a wealthy family, Dakota having come up with millions of dollars from his company, but now he wants to try something different. He’s running for Governor. Penny is a soccer mom, and she and Dakota take care of Brenton when he’s not working. Quin is the oldest at 14, and wants to be a racecar driver. Karli is 12 and wants to be a model. Beyonca is 8 and wants to be a cowgirl.
Sasha Strella: is a charming woman who came into a large inheritance from her parents when they died in a car crash. She’s a professional dancer and musician. Her and Holly are good friends, and she takes her in and keeps her safe when she runs away.
Charmot Parshis: is a disowned and disinherited duke. He came to America in hopes of finding a second chance at making a living as a pilot when he fell in love with Sasha.
Officer Paul DeVont: is the sheriff of Valley Falls. His job is relatively easy. Valley Falls is a pretty small city full of middleclass families. Some relatively wealthy people travel there to vacation in the inn by the river, and when that happens, DeVont just needs to make sure none of their stuff goes missing (their visits are good for business)
Governess Maurcy Sharp: is a very strict and particular woman who thinks that she is more important than she really is. No one will run against her though because she hasn’t really screwed anything up and it’s just too much effort to try and tear her away from her post. Dakota Pencoon is the first challenger in years.
Laying there, sprawled out on the concrete floor writhing in pain, Ian Wren wasn’t expecting the next kick. Right into his groin area. That got a whine out of him.
“I like you, Ian, you know that, right?” Formerly retired loan shark and ring leader of a small violent street group harassing the uptown New York area, Byron Vincentalle said, stepping up to him.
Ian was pulled to his feet. He grinned slightly, his mouth was dripping blood. “’Course Mr. V. ‘Splains the special treatment don’t it?”
Byron chuckled, “Nah, that’s routine stuff, kid.”
“Oh?” Ian felt his stomach tighten in anxious knots. All this was just routine?
“So, knowin I liked ya, why’d ya haveta go an’ steal from me, huh? Coulda been great pals me an’ you.”
“’Twasn’t nothin personal, V, just business as they say.” Ian said. And it was true too. That was the first bit of truth he’d spoken to the man since they met.
Byron tsked, “Well, you messin with my girl’s treatment makes this personal.” He balled his fist and planted it into Ian’s stomach with all his might.
Ian jerked backwards, doubling over and coughing blood onto Byron’s collar. Red splattered over the man’s shirt and skin, and he hit Ian across the face for it.
Straightening up, Byron told his men to take Ian to the table, pin him down, break all of his fingers on his left hand and cut out his tongue before slitting his throat.
“What?!” Ian cried. “Mr. Vincentalle, be reasonable.” They dragged him to the table. “This isn’t necessary.” They pinned him down. “I’m just a desperate guy.” They spread his hand flat. “Please!” His pinky finger snapped out of place. He screamed.
Byron watched with a stonical expression. He didn’t care a thing about Ian Wren--if that was even his real name. His baby girl was dying, and Ian had scammed him into false treatments. He listened to the bone cracking snaps of his fingers and his screams with a justified calm.
At the table, Ian was sobbing. They released him, and he cradled his broken hand. Byron walked up to him.
“That pain that you’re feeling right now is only a fraction of the pain of skin cancer,” he said. “I thought you could help me. Help my daughter.”
“I can, I can!” Ian cried.
Byron smacked him again, “Shut up.” Turning away he ordered, “Make sure he can’t lie anymore.”
Ian could feel someone grab his head, pulling his jaw down, and forcing his mouth open.
“Wait!” he yelled.
There was a hand in his mouth, grabbing his tongue and stretching it out.
“I can hix it! Ait! Ease!” Ian looked horrified. There was a knife by his face now. “Ate!” He yelled again. “I an et it all ack! I quair!”
“Fifteen hundred thousand dollars? You think you can fix that? Ya think you can undo your scam an’ save my baby’s life?” Byron spat in disgust. “No. You just afraid of death. Like you said, just a desperate guy.”
He shook his head, “Uh uh, I an oo it. Eely.”
Byron gestured for the men to release Ian. He fell forward against the table and gagged for a minute. “How?”
“I swear I can get all the money back to you,” he promised.
“And that makes it all better I s’pose. What bout the time we wasted? The false hope?” Byron knew he shouldn’t trust Ian, but he sounded so confident, so convincing, and Laurana’s life was at stake.
“I can’t give ya that back,” Ian admitted, “but I can make it worth while.”
Byron raised an eyebrow. “I’m listening.”
“I’ll get you your money back, and pay for the treatments from the best doctor I can find. I swear.” Ian glanced at the knife that was still in the man’s hand. Softer he pleaded, “Just don’t kill me.”
“I dunno,” Byron sighed, “sound’s too good ta be true if ya ask me.”
“Just ‘cause somethin sounds too good ta be true dun mean it’s not the real deal,” Ian offered.
“It does when it’s commin from you.”
“Look, your kid’s in trouble yeah? Ya know how quick I can get money. At least lemme try.” His hand hurt.
After a moment of consideration, “Fine,” Byron said. “You got one month. That’s how long it took you to con me outta fifteen hundred thousand. That’s how long you got to do it again.”
“One month?” Ian cried, “But I’m doing double the work!”
“One month. That’s it,” Byron promised. “An’ don’t even think of runnin ‘cause I will hunt you down and kill you. ‘mon boys.” He turned on his heel and left Ian there in the abandoned warehouse beaten, bruised, and bloody with only a month to live.
“I like you, Ian, you know that, right?” Formerly retired loan shark and ring leader of a small violent street group harassing the uptown New York area, Byron Vincentalle said, stepping up to him.
Ian was pulled to his feet. He grinned slightly, his mouth was dripping blood. “’Course Mr. V. ‘Splains the special treatment don’t it?”
Byron chuckled, “Nah, that’s routine stuff, kid.”
“Oh?” Ian felt his stomach tighten in anxious knots. All this was just routine?
“So, knowin I liked ya, why’d ya haveta go an’ steal from me, huh? Coulda been great pals me an’ you.”
“’Twasn’t nothin personal, V, just business as they say.” Ian said. And it was true too. That was the first bit of truth he’d spoken to the man since they met.
Byron tsked, “Well, you messin with my girl’s treatment makes this personal.” He balled his fist and planted it into Ian’s stomach with all his might.
Ian jerked backwards, doubling over and coughing blood onto Byron’s collar. Red splattered over the man’s shirt and skin, and he hit Ian across the face for it.
Straightening up, Byron told his men to take Ian to the table, pin him down, break all of his fingers on his left hand and cut out his tongue before slitting his throat.
“What?!” Ian cried. “Mr. Vincentalle, be reasonable.” They dragged him to the table. “This isn’t necessary.” They pinned him down. “I’m just a desperate guy.” They spread his hand flat. “Please!” His pinky finger snapped out of place. He screamed.
Byron watched with a stonical expression. He didn’t care a thing about Ian Wren--if that was even his real name. His baby girl was dying, and Ian had scammed him into false treatments. He listened to the bone cracking snaps of his fingers and his screams with a justified calm.
At the table, Ian was sobbing. They released him, and he cradled his broken hand. Byron walked up to him.
“That pain that you’re feeling right now is only a fraction of the pain of skin cancer,” he said. “I thought you could help me. Help my daughter.”
“I can, I can!” Ian cried.
Byron smacked him again, “Shut up.” Turning away he ordered, “Make sure he can’t lie anymore.”
Ian could feel someone grab his head, pulling his jaw down, and forcing his mouth open.
“Wait!” he yelled.
There was a hand in his mouth, grabbing his tongue and stretching it out.
“I can hix it! Ait! Ease!” Ian looked horrified. There was a knife by his face now. “Ate!” He yelled again. “I an et it all ack! I quair!”
“Fifteen hundred thousand dollars? You think you can fix that? Ya think you can undo your scam an’ save my baby’s life?” Byron spat in disgust. “No. You just afraid of death. Like you said, just a desperate guy.”
He shook his head, “Uh uh, I an oo it. Eely.”
Byron gestured for the men to release Ian. He fell forward against the table and gagged for a minute. “How?”
“I swear I can get all the money back to you,” he promised.
“And that makes it all better I s’pose. What bout the time we wasted? The false hope?” Byron knew he shouldn’t trust Ian, but he sounded so confident, so convincing, and Laurana’s life was at stake.
“I can’t give ya that back,” Ian admitted, “but I can make it worth while.”
Byron raised an eyebrow. “I’m listening.”
“I’ll get you your money back, and pay for the treatments from the best doctor I can find. I swear.” Ian glanced at the knife that was still in the man’s hand. Softer he pleaded, “Just don’t kill me.”
“I dunno,” Byron sighed, “sound’s too good ta be true if ya ask me.”
“Just ‘cause somethin sounds too good ta be true dun mean it’s not the real deal,” Ian offered.
“It does when it’s commin from you.”
“Look, your kid’s in trouble yeah? Ya know how quick I can get money. At least lemme try.” His hand hurt.
After a moment of consideration, “Fine,” Byron said. “You got one month. That’s how long it took you to con me outta fifteen hundred thousand. That’s how long you got to do it again.”
“One month?” Ian cried, “But I’m doing double the work!”
“One month. That’s it,” Byron promised. “An’ don’t even think of runnin ‘cause I will hunt you down and kill you. ‘mon boys.” He turned on his heel and left Ian there in the abandoned warehouse beaten, bruised, and bloody with only a month to live.
