Realistic or Modern [Blossom] Falling for the Darkness [Goldieloxx]

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal grunted a little when Dominic nudged his foot, coming to. “We there?” He muttered, sitting up in his chair and looking out the window. “Thank fucking god.” Cal sighed, relieved. As Dominic disappeared into the back to wake the girls, Cal stood and stretched his arms, shaking off any remnants of sleep.

“Well, the hard part’s over,” Cal commented when Dominic reappeared in the main cabin. Or at least he hoped it was. They had successfully delivered the cargo to their destination. Now they just had to keep them there, which wouldn’t be hard considering the place looked to be an island.

The tattooed man’s attention turned to Cameron automatically when she made her way up to them. He met her eye for a moment before she complied with Dominic’s gesture for her to depart.

Cal laughed dryly at Dominic’s “go get em” comment once Cameron was gone. “Yeah yeah. I’m not holding my breath though.” He replied, rubbing his arm where Dominic punched him, more for affect than because it hurt.

Dominic took his departure towards the back of the plane again, so Cal took his, following Cameron down the stairs of the jet. He raised a hand to shield his eyes from the midday sun. The heat hit him immediately, and he slipped his suit jacket off as he stepped onto solid ground for the first time in what felt like days.

“Somewhere most people who are taken would have killed to be.” Cal answered Cameron’s question. “I’d say you lucked out that you were brought here.”

~~~~~~~~~~~


Dominic’s announcement that they had arrived stirred Mia from her sleep. Her nightmares hadn’t let her forget where she was, so she wasn’t surprised to find herself still on the jet. She was however disappointed to see that Cameron was already making her way to the main cabin by the time Mia gathered her thoughts. Mia had hoped maybe they would have a chance to talk before arrival, but that was not the case.

Mia stood from the bed, trying to brush out the tangles that had formed in her hair during sleep. Curious as to where they’d ended up, she peered out the small window of the jet, seeing the tropical locale. Now Dominic’s comment about this being a vacation made more sense. Electing to keep her shoes off for now, Mia picked them up, carrying them in hand. She was about to join the others when Dominic reappeared.

Mia’s brows furrowed at Dominic’s comment about being here indefinitely. “I’m just bursting with excitement.” She replied deadpan, not meaning to be moody, but never the most chipper person first thing after waking up.

“Paradise, huh?” Mia mused, heading towards the door of the jet. “Feels a little more like hell right now.” She sighed, before stepping into the doorway. Despite her comment moments ago, Mia couldn’t help but concede that the destination was beautiful. “Wow...” she breathed before she could stop herself.

Mia recalled that Dominic had said there was a suitcase packed for her, and hoped that a pair of sunglasses had been included. Likely not those, she told herself, figuring another goon had packed for her. The island breeze was refreshing and helped revive Mia from her morning grog as she descended the stairs. In other circumstances, she’d be thrilled to be here and could use the R&R, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case.

___________
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Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron could hardly believe the sight in front of her. They'd landed on a tiny airstrip, but beyond that, all she could see was island paradise. Trees, sand, the ocean... all the makings for a perfect vacation. Only this wasn't a vacation, she reminded herself, as she stepped off the last step. She had heard someone behind her, but still, hearing Cal's voice caused her to jump slightly. Turning to look at him with a look of disbelief on her face, she merely shook her head at his words. He'd removed his suit jacket, revealing the crisp shirt underneath, but she looked away before she could be caught staring. Or at least she hoped.

"Yeah. I'm a lucky girl, alright." Cameron muttered, just as Mia and Dominic appeared at the door to the plane. They descended as well, and Dominic started to lead them away from the plane. Cam hesitated, casting a longing glance back at the plane before she sighed and started to follow him. They were led to a jeep that was missing its top and its doors, and a man in another suit stood there. He handed Dominic a set of keys, and the man climbed into the drivers seat, turning to look at the others, motioning for them to get in. Cameron pursed her lips, but climbed into the back, silent.

When the others were in as well, Dominic started the jeep and sent a wave to the man in the suit as he started off from the airstrip. Cameron couldn't help but stare at the beautiful water surrounding them as he drove. She almost missed the house as it came into view, but when she saw it, she did a double take. This was supposed to be her prison? Dominic stopped on the sand in front of the house and hopped out, Cameron climbing out after him as the four of them started for the house. The place was beautiful on the outside, but even more so on the inside. Cameron couldn't help but spin in a slow circle once inside, her eyes wide as she drank everything in.

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amused

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airplane ---> house

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Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic grinned as Mia started to walk towards the door of the plane, walking down the steps after Cal and Cameron. "It is hot, isn't it?" He asked her, even though he knew that might not be what she meant by hell. He heard her whispered wow as she took in the island, though didn't comment. Her suitcase was tucked off to the side, where it had been the entire flight, so he grabbed it before descending the stairs after her. There was a jeep nearby, and he grabbed the keys from one of the guards near it before he climbed into the drivers seat. Nodding for the others to follow, he started the jeep.

Driving in the sand was fun, he'd always loved it. Smirking as he drove, he glanced around, heading straight for the house. Once he was parked, he hopped out and so did the others. Leading the way to the house, he opened the door, allowing the others to enter before he followed. "It's beautiful, right?" He couldn't help but feel a little proud, because he knew that technically, this was his home. One of them. Especially after he became the Don, this would all be his, and no one elses. Grateful that the AC was already on and running, he walked further into the house.

"I have some things I have to check on, but you two are welcome to look around. Mia, if you want to leave the house, you have to either go with them or find me." He turned his gaze onto her, a seriousness in his eyes. "Not that you can go far, but that is the rule. Same for you." He turned his attention to the blonde, who had just finished a slow spin and was now looking at him. His gaze softened some and he looked between her and Mia now, spreading his hands out to gesture to the whole house. "But feel free to explore here. Pick a room. Get comfortable." He glanced at Cal, nodding towards the door, where a guard now stood. "You too, Cal. Relax a little bit." He winked, and then gave Mia one last look before he turned to head to the office room.

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Mia just drank in the surroundings as Dominic drove the four of them to the large house, trying to mentally note the path he took, just in case. The island was breathtaking, and the house... was incredible. The paradise was almost unsettling because it required Mia to continuously remind herself that she was not here to enjoy its beauty. She and Cameron were here against their will, no matter how inviting the environment was.

When they pulled up to the house and got out, Mia followed Dominic and the others inside. She looked around at the rooms they passed through, glancing at Dom when he proudly commented on how beautiful the place was. He seemed to be in a good mood, and she was envious of his carefree manner. Mia could always do what Dominic had suggested on the plane and just treat this like a vacation. After all, pouting or refusing to enjoy the island was only punishing herself, not Dominic or Cal.

Hearing Dominic say her name brought her out of her thoughts and Mia met his gaze. "Okay..." She replied, seeing that he was serious about her not wandering off alone. Mia glanced at the guard at the door then back to Dominic. She'd obey, for now at least. "Don't worry, I haven't had time to formulate my escape plan, yet. I'll stick to the buddy system." Mia replied jokingly.

When Dominic took his leave, Mia watched him for a moment. It made her a little nervous that he said he had things to check on. They'd made it to the island, but now that just meant that they would be waiting for the other shoe to drop. They wouldn't just be kept on the island forever. At some point an order would come from the mafia that would decide their fate. Mia shook the worry off for now and looked over to the blonde.

"Well, shall we?" Mia asked, smiling at Cameron as her eyes glanced to Cal for a second. Mia really wanted to have some time to talk to Cameron, without the men overhearing. "I think we should start by making our claim to some rooms, wouldn't want Cal to take the best one." She said, moving over to Cameron and linking her arm around the blonde’s.

"I'm Mia by the way," Mia added, starting to walk towards one of the staircases, bringing Cameron along with her. She felt a little guilty dragging Cameron along with her since she hated when Dominic did that to her, but this was to help them have some privacy. "It's Cam, right?" She said, trying to put enough distance between them and Cal. "How are you doing? Have they been very rough on you?"


~~~~~~~~~~


Cal nodded as Dominic told them to relax and find their rooms. "Sounds good, Boss. I'll be around, if you need anything just holler." He replied. Cal glanced at the guard, nodding in the man's direction, before turning back to the others. He was thankful that there would be others to make sure the girls didn't stray too far or try to get away. Maybe he could actually relax.

As Dominic left the group, Cal turned his attention back to the girls. Mia was already chatting about something to Cameron, and Cal wondered what kind of influence the brunette would have on the blonde. Cameron already disliked him enough, Cal didn't really want Mia tainting the water anymore with her knowledge of the mob family. He and Mia had interacted only briefly in the past, but still... she could probably share something that would put Cameron off more.

Cal watched as Mia took Cameron by the arm and started heading deeper into the house. Resisting the urge to tail them and keep an eye on Cameron, Cal hung back a little. Maybe if he let them have some space, Cameron would relax again like she had been starting too on the plane. They'd be here for a while it seemed, so it would be nice if the four of them could at least get along decently. Otherwise this would be miserable.

Wanting to find a room and get out of his suit, Cal eventually did trail after the women up the stairs, but he made sure that he didn't get too close. His focus stayed on Cameron though, trying to read her body language from afar since he couldn't hear what they were saying.

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Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron didn't understand how she could be abducted and brought to a place that was this nice. She'd just finished her full circle to take everything in when her eyes landed on Dominic, who seemed quite proud of himself and the home they were in. Cam's eyes narrowed as he told both her and Mia that they couldn't leave the house without an escort, her mind already scrambling to find a way out. Not that she could swim off the island-- or at all, for that matter. But she wasn't planning on telling any of them that. Let them figure it out on their own. Before she could even snap back at him, though, Dominic was disappearing down a hall.

No sooner had Cameron heaved a sigh, Mia looked to her and spoke. A little surprised, Cameron glanced over at Cal, hating herself for even doing so. But Mia didn't seem to need his permission, as she moved closer to Cam and linked their arms together, giving Cam the nudge she needed to leave with her. They ascended the stairs, and Cam glanced over at her when she uttered her name, and then Cam's. "Yeah. Cam." She confirmed her name, glancing behind them again at Cal when Mia asked how they were treating her. Realizing that he wasn't following directly behind them helped her relax some, and she looked back at the brunette.

"I mean... I'm okay. Not hurt." Cameron glanced down at herself as though to make sure, just as they reached the top of the stairs. She didn't want to be here, but she figured that she didn't need to tell Mia that. From what Cam was gathering, Mia wasn't exactly here because she wanted to be either. They turned and headed down the hall, investigating the rooms, which were just as nice as the rest of the house. "Jesus." Cameron unhooked from Mia as they reached the third or so room, taking a step inside to look around. She paused a few steps into the room, turning back to Mia. "I don't understand. This is probably the most beautiful prison I've ever seen."

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Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Hearing Cal's words as Dominic left the room, Dom lifted his hand in a wave to show him he'd heard him. Really, he didn't expect Cal to wait on him hand and foot, but he was used to Cal acting like that. Really, though, Dom did like Cal and how he put everything into whatever the mafia wanted him to do. Whether Cal realized it or not, Dominic had been watching him for some time, their friendship aside. The time would come for Dominic to take over, and he would have to choose his second in command, and there was no one he wanted to choose other than Cal. Someone he trusted to have his back.

As Dom reached the office, he pulled a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. Not many rooms in this house were locked, but this one was. He glanced behind him as he pushed open the door, stepping inside and making sure to shut it behind him. He spotted the envelope on the desk, recognizing his father's handwriting before he even made his way over to the desk. Sinking into the chair once he approached, he slit the envelope and pulled the letter from it, beginning to scan the handwriting. His face remained impassive as he read, even though no one was watching, he still had a pretty good poker face.

At the end, his eyes just darted back to the top and he started reading again. This time, he started to shake his head, setting the letter aside when he'd completed it again. Tossing the letter back on the desk, he leaned forward and ran his hands through his hair. "This oughta be fun." He muttered, glancing towards the ceiling as he wondered where Mia was now. She was going to hate this, he was sure. Who would want to be forced into something like this? And as far as the blonde went, he already had an idea for her, and he already knew she was feisty. And Cal... well, this was just part of the territory. Deciding to rejoin them, he tucked the letter into a drawer, and left the office, locking it behind him. Venturing back out into the open living area, he glanced up the stairs with a grin tugging at his lips. "Where'd everybody go?"

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Mia

Mia stood in the doorway of the bedroom that Cameron was admiring, and sighed, nodding when the blonde looked back at her. “Yeah, it’s beautiful... I don’t think this place was built with housing captives in mind though. My guess is that this is the Don’s residence if he ever needs to disappear or hide out.”

Mia leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms. “From what I’ve heard, normally the people that are taken by the mafia don’t end up in places like this.” She added, looking around at the luxurious room. “It’s hard to think of ourselves as lucky given the circumstances, but things could be a lot worse.... This place is a nightmare, but at least it’s dressed up to look like a dream.”

Hearing Dom’s voice call from downstairs, Mia turned her head to glance down the hall. Cal was standing at the top of the stairs and had called back to Dom about where they were. The short window of privacy was closing, but Mia was satisfied that Cameron was alright and didn’t need to be talked off any ledges. Cal and Dom hadn’t hurt the blonde, so that was good, and Cam wasn’t panicking, on the outside at least. Mia was grateful that if she was going to be stuck here, that her fellow prisoner wasn’t someone prone to falling apart or tears.

“Well, we’re in the same boat here, but if there’s anything I can help with, I’m here for you.” Mia said, looking back to Cameron earnestly. “Even if it’s just to give you someone to vent to.” She added before smiling and changing the subject, hearing approaching footsteps. “So, is this the room you’re going to take?”

Calm

Island Mansion

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Cal

Cal noticed Cameron look over her shoulder back at him, and he slowed as he reached the top of the stairs. Hoping she appreciated the space, Cal’s eyes continued to follow the blonde’s petite frame as she moved further away from him down the hall. Cal frowned a little when Cameron disappeared into one of the bedrooms. He was tempted to catch up to her to make sure she didn’t slip out the windows, but he checked himself. Cameron was feisty, but he didn’t think she was stupid enough to try to get away like that. Cal saw Mia linger in the doorway, and relaxed, hearing her still talking to Cameron.

Dominic’s question about where they’d gone turned Cal’s attention away from Cameron and he leaned over the stair railing. “Haven’t gotten very far, apparently the room selection process takes time.” He called back with a smirk, spotting Dominic at the bottom of the stairs.

Cal was curious about what Dominic had to do, considering whatever it was didn’t take the heir very long to complete. He refrained from voicing his curiosity though when Dominic came up the stairs, knowing it wasn’t his place. Instead, Cal continued down the hall towards the girls.

Noting the room that Cameron was likely to take, Cal pushed open the door of the room across the hall from hers. He gave it a quick once over, and satisfied, threw his suit jacket on the arm chair without even going in. Even the worst room in this house would be twenty times better than his place back home, so he didn’t bother waiting to view the others. Proximity to Cameron was what he was interested in. He told himself that being close to her would make it easier to keep an eye on her.

His hands now free of the suit jacket, Cal rolled up the sleeves of his button up shirt, getting a little more comfortable. “Does this place suit your tastes?” Cal asked, moving to the doorway of the room that had the girls’ attention. He stood to the side of the brunette, glancing in at Cameron. Even if the room didn’t suit her tastes, Cameron suited the room, Cal thought, gazing at her for a moment.

Curious

Island Mansion

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Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron meant what she said. The house was beautiful, and so was every room in it. At least that she'd seen so far, and she firmly believed the rest of the house would be the same. And even though she wasn't usually a closed off person-- cue her helping a stranger in a parking lot that led to her capture-- she'd closed herself off to all three of the others after the truth came out. Mia included. But standing here now, with the brunette being so nice, it was hard to Cameron to stay that way. "The mafia?" That word had caught Cameron's attention, even as she went on to say things could be alot worse. Just what had her father done?

Cameron heard Dominic's voice calling through the open house, and she instantly stiffened, her eyes darting in the direction his voice came from. Her gaze flicked back to Mia when she spoke again, telling Cameron that she would be there for her if need be. But before Cameron could say anything back, her tone changed, and Cal appeared in the doorway as well. It was hard not to notice that he'd ditched the jacket completely now, rolling up his sleeves to reveal those tattoos on his arms. Her mouth ran dry, her eyes traveling over the ink before she realized he'd asked her a question. Jerking her gaze up to his face, she nodded.

"It's beautiful." She admitted, taking another glance around the room. Though it wasn't decorated much beyond the basics, it was nice, and the decor that was there looked like it fit perfectly. The bed appeared comfortable, and it was huge. The curtains were drawn, and without thinking about it, she approached them and drew them back, gasping a little bit when she saw the view. There were two chairs and a little table out on the balcony, but the view of the sand and the water was what really got her. "Wow." She breathed, not realizing that Dominic had appeared in the doorway as well until she glanced over her shoulder and saw him there.

Flushing slightly, she dropped the curtain and turned back around to face them fully. She wasn't going to thank either male for bringing her here, because as gorgeous as the view was, it didn't change the fact that she was stuck here. Approaching the bed, Cameron reached out to trail her fingers over the comforter. Leaning in slightly, she pressed down on the bed, finding it as comfortable as she'd expected. Fuck. How was she supposed to be angry with a bed like this? A room and view like that? But when she thought view, it wasn't the beach she thought of. No, it was a certain tattooed male who looked quite delectable with his sleeves rolled up like that. Her face darkened as she realized what direction her thoughts had gone, but thankfully, Dominic spoke then.

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Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

It didn't take a genius to figure that the others had gone upstairs, so when Dominic saw Cal leaning over the banister to the second floor, he just grinned to match Cal's smirk. "Of course it does. They're women, Cal, don't you know anything?" He made sure to speak loudly enough that the girls would hear, not minding if they heard his teasing. Taking the stairs two at a time, he landed on the top step and then started in the direction of the girls. By the time he reached them, Cal was just coming back out of the room he'd chosen, and it didn't escape Dom's notice that he'd chosen the room across from Cam's.

"Mhmm." Dominic hummed as Cal came back out of the room, moving to stand in the doorway beside Mia and asking Cameron if the room suited her tastes. From his position in the hallway, he couldn't see Cameron, but he heard her say that it was beautiful. When he poked his head in the doorway, he saw her approaching the windows to pull back the curtains. He couldn't help but still feel that pride from earlier, knowing this place was his and that it was beautiful and appreciated. He glanced over at Mia at that thought, wondering if she felt the same. Though she knew about the mafia, she'd never been here before, either.

When he looked back in the room, Cameron was testing out the bed, which only caused the grin on Dominic's face to widen. "Go ahead, test it out. It's more fun with someone else, though, if you know what I mean." He slid his gaze over to Mia, winking at her. He assumed Cameron's blush was from his teasing, so he merely looked to Cal next, nodding his head in the blonde girl's direction as he clasped his hand on his friends shoulder. Laughing, he let go and then gestured down the hallway, returning his attention to Mia. "Well? What about you, Mia? Are you as impressed as your friend?"

Dominic had his own favorite room at the end of the hall, so he decided to move past the others so he could claim it now. Nudging open the door, he removed his jacket and threw it onto the bed, glancing around the semi familiar place. Oh, yes, he could definitely get used to staying here. Deciding to kick off his shoes as well, he turned and moved to lean against his doorway, looking at the others that he could see. "Looks like you're last to choose a room, Mia. But don't worry, my bed is big enough for both of us, if you decide to want to join me." He smirked, giving her a slow onceover.

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Mia

Mia glanced between Cameron and Cal, arching a slim eyebrow at the exchanged looks between them. Was Cameron checking Cal out? And Cal didn’t even acknowledge Mia standing there next to him, so he was clearly focused on Cam. Just as quickly as Mia thought there might be a spark of something between the two, Cameron had moved away to open the curtains and then check out the bed.

Dominic’s arrival was punctuated by his suggestive comment towards Cameron, and Mia rolled her eyes when Dom winked at her. He was insufferable. Handsome, Mia thought when he turned his attention back to her, but insufferable.

“What can I say Dom, this is definitely the most beautiful place I’ve ever stayed... against my will.” Mia replied to Dom’s question as she stepped back into the hallway. She was incapable of admitting that the house was gorgeous without a little jab at him. To give Dominic a sincere compliment would be dangerously close to being nice to him, and she was already having trouble staying mad at him for what he did as it was. Mia couldn’t be nice to the man who’d kidnapped her, even if it was Dominic.

As Dominic went to claim his room, Mia walked down the hall a little, pushing open another one of the doors. She glanced inside for a moment at the room. It looked far more welcoming than the situation deserved. Tearing her gaze from the room, she looked down the hall at Dominic as he stood in his doorway, offering to share his bed with her.

Mia felt his eyes linger over her, and her cheeks warmed as she crossed her arms over her chest. “As tempting as that offer is...” Mia mused taking a few steps over towards Dominic and tilting her head so she could see past him into his room. It was actually very nice, and the bed was very big, but...

“I think that room will do well enough.” Mia continued, gesturing to the room she had just looked at. “I’m sure I’ll be able to hear you snoring well enough from over there, so don’t need front row seats.” She teased, glancing up at him with a smirk. It was easiest to deflect his flirtations with sarcasm.

Coy

Island Mansion

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nine lives

Cal

Cal clenched his fist a little at his side when Cameron started running her hand along the bed, trying to keep his cool. Although Dominic’s words about the bed voiced where Cal’s thoughts had wandered, Cal shot his friend a dirty look when Dominic clapped him on the shoulder and nodded at Cameron. “Subtle...” He murdered quietly to Dom as the heir took his leave from the room and focused his attention back on the brunette.

Cal rubbed the back of his head, and glanced to Cameron, hoping she hadn’t caught Dominic’s gesture. He noticed the darkened expression on her face, and wondered what she was thinking. Cal figured Cam was upset by what Dominic had implied.

“Don’t worry, Dominic just can’t help himself sometimes.” Cal said, taking a step inside Cameron’s room and leaning against the wall. It was just the two of them now. He tried to ward off the thoughts of pushing Cameron back onto the bed and joining her there. He’d caught her glancing at his tattoos earlier and he bit the inside of his lip wondering if Cameron had any tattoos hidden under her clothes. Perhaps someday he’d find out.

“I won’t bother you in this bed... unless you want me to.” Cal added, keeping his voice casual, but shooting her a slight grin. His comment was mostly to test the waters and see what kind of reaction he’d get from Cameron. He was curious to see how far he could joke with her before she’d draw the line. Though to be honest, part of Cal hoped she wouldn’t draw the line at all.

Cal risked moving further into Cameron’s room, stopping a few feet from the blonde and leaning against the dresser at the foot of the bed. “Could be fun. Might make you change your mind about me...” Cal said, his slight grin, growing into a smirk.

Curious

Island Mansion

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Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron wasn't sure what exactly made her blush more. Dominic's suggestive comment, or Cal standing beside him, sleeves rolled up with his eyes on her. She tried to ignore both of them, and was thankful when Dominic disappeared down the hall. But Mia left shortly after him, leaving her alone with Cal again. Her heart rate picked up, especially when he stepped into the room, addressing her. "Sometimes?" She echoed curiously, a touch of sarcasm in her tone as well.

"He seems like a spoiled prince, dead set and used to getting his way." Cameron lifted her gaze to Cal's, feeling a bit braver. It hadn't escaped her notice that Cal seemed to be lower on the totem pole than Dominic, and she remembered the single word that Mia had uttered that had grabbed her attention earlier. Mafia. Cameron knew nothing about the mafia, except now that she was involved with them. The only things she knew came from the movies, and how accurate were they?

Realizing she'd gotten lost in her thoughts but hadn't stopped staring at Cal, she looked away from him, but what he said brought her eyes right back to him. Her lips parted as her jaw dropped, the blush on her face that had mostly disappeared returning with a vengeance. "I do." His slight grin with the words had caught her off guard, and two seconds after speaking she was quick to correct herself. "I don't." She turned partially away, looking at the bed now, trying to recover.

He moved further into the room, and it took everything in her to not look at him as he leaned against the dresser. "Change my mind about...?" This time when she looked at him, she wore a look of amusement. Crossing her arms, she actually took a step or two in his direction, though made sure not to completely close the distance between them. "And just how do you want me to feel about you? I mean, how you look aside, you haven't made the greatest impression."

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Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic hadn't been in this room for quite a few years, but it really hadn't changed much. Not that he noticed, anyway. Maybe there was a coat of fresh paint, but who was looking that closely? He didn't take care of this place yet, his father did. Just as he took care of all of the Santoro assets. Still, it was quite large, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't already thinking about Mia warming his bed and keeping him company. What else was she going to do here?

He'd simply laughed at Mia's comment about this being the most beautiful place she'd been kept against her will. It wasn't like he could call her a liar or anything. This was the first time she'd lost her freedom, he was pretty sure. Thinking about the letter from his father, he pursed his lips in thought, wondering if he should just tell her now or wait and tell both girls at the same time. His father's directions had been very straightforward; no room for error.

Deciding to wait, he invited her into his room. She approached, tilting her head so she could see inside, and he even stepped aside some so she could see more. "Inviting, right?" He grinned, moving to lean against the doorframe again, his eyes watching her like a hawk to see what she'd do and say. His expression grew flat and he rolled his eyes at her comment about his snoring. Pushing himself off of the frame, he simply closed the distance between them, reaching out to cup her cheek.

"I don't snore, and you'll find that out soon enough." Winking at her, he dropped his hand and looked past her at the room she'd chosen. It was still a good room, and would do her just fine, but he wasn't above all sorts of tricks to have her end up in his. Already trying to think of a few ways to do so, he looked back down at her, tilting his head slightly. "What's on your agenda, Mia? Care to go to the beach? Or stay in? Watch movies, I'm sure we have popcorn. We can even cuddle on the couch."

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal

Cal’s pulse quickened at Cameron’s reaction to his comment about not joining her in bed unless she wanted him to. Her parted lips beneath her flushed cheeks begged to be kissed, and when she said she did want him to bother her, Cal almost took the opportunity. However, her quick correction of her words stopped him, for the moment, and he just moved to the dresser instead.

“Careful, you’re sending mixed signals... wouldn’t want me to get the wrong one.” Cal warned, amused.

Watching the flustered blonde, Cal couldn’t help but be satisfied by the effect he was having on her. Her slip of the tongue and glances away from him betrayed her aloofness, but he didn’t have her quite yet. Cameron recovered a little, and Cal noticed that she mirrored his amusement as she took a few steps closer. Cal’s hand twitched a little. If he just reached out, he could pull her against him, but her following question and observation made him refrain.

“How I look aside?” Cal chuckled. “Is that a compliment I hear, Cam?” He replied, standing up from the dresser and looking down at the blonde before him. “I’m glad to hear I’ve made a good impression at least in one regard.” He smirked before shrugging. “Eh, I just meant that maybe you wouldn’t think of me as such a bad guy if I could make you feel good.”

Cal stepped forward, leaning down a bit towards Cameron. “I’m less concerned with how you feel about me, than how you might feel beneath me.” He whispered, close to Cameron’s ear. His head lingered for a moment longer before he stood back up.

“But like I said, I won’t bother you unless you ask.” Cal added, turning from Cameron and taking a few steps towards the door.

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Mia
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Mia’s snoring comment hit its mark, earning an eye roll from Dominic, but as usual he was quick to shrug off her quip. Back on the defense as Dominic’s hand cupped her cheek, Mia bit her tongue to keep from blushing at his confidence that she’d find out he didn’t snore. His words on the plane about seeing which of them would break first came to mind, and Mia’s competitive nature chased away any consideration of spending a night with Dominic. For the moment at least.

“My agenda...?” Mia echoed, a little surprised that she was actually being given the chance to decide what to do after having spent the last however many hours without any control. She considered Dominic’s suggestions, before shaking her head. “Honestly, I just want to find my suitcase, shower and change out of this dress.” She replied, glancing up at Dominic.

If Mia was going to attempt to enjoy any amount of this island, she needed to wash off and rid herself of any reminder of last night. Perhaps then, a trip to the beach or relaxing by the pool would be more appealing.

“But first, is it possible to get something to eat?” Mia asked, realizing how hungry she was now that Dominic gave her the opportunity to think about what she wanted. “Please?” She added, just in case, with a small smile.

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Cameron

Cameron was playing with fire here, only she didn't know it until it was too late. She was definitely intrigued by the tattooed man in front of her, even if she didn't want to be. And she knew that he knew that. She'd never been good at hiding how she felt. As her brothers told her, she could be read like a book. That paired with her helping nature made things difficult for her sometimes. Like now. She wanted to hate Cal. But she didn't.

And he called her on her bullshit when he told her she was sending mixed signals. She shot him an annoyed look, but thankfully, she managed to recover and take control of the situation. Or so she thought. Her closing some of the distance between them was met with him doing the same, and she tensed slightly, tilting her head back to look at the taller male. "No." She lifted her chin defiantly. It was surely not a compliment. Why had she said that?

He shrugged, appearing way more nonchalant about their closeness than she felt. "Sometimes the bad outweighs the good." She told him firmly, unable to stop her eyes from traveling the length of his front. At him comment about making her feel good, her eyes darted back up to his, widening. "Feel... You want... make-" Realizing how stupid she sounded, she shook her head to try and clear her mind so she could start over. But before she could say a word, he was leaning in closer, and she froze at the sound of his voice by her ear.

Her breath caught in her throat, her mouth ran dry and her entire body started to tingle in reaction to that simple sentence. He lingered there for a second before pulling back. "Wait!" He'd made it halfway to the door before she spun around, her doe eyes wide and dead set on him. But why had she called him? She couldn't think of what to say. Did she want him to go? Didn't she? But Dominic appeared in the doorway then, and Cameron had never been more grateful for his presence.

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Dominic

Cuddling on the couch with Mia actually sounded like a pretty decent idea, not that Dominic would admit that. He wasn't a sap, and he definitely didn't need people thinking he was soft. Not even Mia. A fuckboy, someone who couldn't keep it in his pants, sure. That much was true. But soft? Far from it. He kept the grin on his face as he laid the offer on the table, but she didn't take it, which he hadn't expected that she would. Ah, figures.

Placing his hand on her face, he thought that he saw something in her eyes, but it was gone before he could be sure. She seemed surprised that he'd asked her what she wanted to do, but her answer didn't surprise him. They could probably all use a shower, some rest. Maybe check out the beach later, or whatever they decided. He was going to let her go, but then she asked about food, and he realized that it had been quite some time since any of them ate.

"Sure. Come on." He linked arms with her, leading her down the hall towards Cameron's bedroom. He whistled when he saw the two of them standing so close, and whatever sign of relief he saw on Cameron's face was gone as soon as he did that. Still, he shot her a wink, looking up at Cal. "Alright, lovebirds. Care to join the two of us for food?" He glanced over at Mia, then back into the room. "There should be a fully stocked kitchen down there. It's not like we can just order a pizza."

Obviously still his usual, smug self, he continued to look at the two of them for a second or two before shrugging. "Well, if you decide to join us... if not, just shut the door." He grinned before he tugged Mia away from the door, towards the stairs and downstairs to the kitchen. As predicted, the kitchen was fully stocked. "We'll get deliveries once a week or so to keep the pantry stocked. And we can ask for other things, too, like clothes and all. So if you ever want anything, just jot it down." He tossed a pad of paper and pen onto the counter. "What do you want to eat?"

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Mia

Mia was so hungry that she didn’t even mind it when Dominic linked his arm in hers and started to lead the way. When Dominic stopped in the doorway of Cameron’s room, she glanced in, surprised to see Cal still in the blonde’s room and so close to her. Perhaps the exchanged looks earlier that had caught Mia’s attention were a tell tale of the pair’s attraction to each other. Dominic seemed to think there was something there based on him calling them love birds.

Remaining silent as Dominic teased Cal and Cameron more, Mia elbowed Dom in the side a little when he told the pair to shut the door if they were going to forego lunch for other activities. Mia was thankful when Dominic resumed their journey to the kitchen.

“Once a week, huh,” Mia sighed, leaving Dominic’s side as she looked around the kitchen. She wondered how many weeks they would be there and how many orders they would end up making before this nightmare was over. Looking back over to Dominic, she bit her thumb nail trying to think of what she was craving and what the kitchen would likely be stocked with. Being a vegetarian made things a little difficult sometimes, but she didn’t want to admit that she didn’t eat meat at the moment.

“I don’t need anything fancy, is there cheese and tortillas to make a quesadilla?” Mia asked, stepping over to check the refrigerator before even giving Dominic a chance to respond. Spotting a package of shredded cheese, Mia grabbed it and tossed it on the counter, turning her attention to the pantry next to check for tortillas.

“How often to you come here?” Mia asked Dom as she opened a few cupboards to locate the tortillas. She let out a satisfied hum when she found what she was looking for and turned back to the kitchen island, quesadilla ingredients now in hand. Mia looked over at Dom for a moment thoughtfully. “Do you want one or are you making something for a more refined palate?”

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Cal

Cal liked the way Cameron’s eyes would widen at the things he said to her, and she was becoming more and more flustered as she tried to rebuke him. He grinned to himself when he started to walk away, figuring that he had peaked Cameron’s interest and would leave her wanting more. However, hearing Cameron call for him to wait stopped him in his tracks. Surely it couldn’t be that easy, Cal wasn’t that lucky.

Turning to face Cameron, Cal’s grin was replaced by an expression of intensity. Cameron’s eyes were wide as he met her gaze, and he raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to say something else. Anything else. If she showed even the slightest sign that she truly didn’t want him to leave, Cal would take the blonde into his arms and test out the bed with her. Unfortunately before Cameron had time to collect her thoughts, Dominic interrupted the moment.

Cal’s jaw clenched and he mentally cursed his friend for his horrible timing. Dominic had been the one to approve of Cal trying his luck with Cameron, and now he was the one ruining Cal’s opportunity.

“Yeah, be right behind you.” Cal said stoically, turning away from Cameron to nod at Dominic, shooting him a “thanks a lot” look. Now that Dom had call him and Cameron out, there would be no resuming what could have been.

Cal waited for Dominic and Mia to leave and head down to the kitchen before he chanced a glance back at Cameron. He rubbed the back of his head, pushing away the thoughts of what he’d do to her from moments before.

“Raincheck.” Cal uttered with a dry laugh. He had meant for it to be more of a question, but the single words came out more as a statement. Or was it a promise?

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Cameron

As relieved as Cameron was for Dominic's interruption, the feeling was short lived as Dominic whistled at her and Cal. She narrowed her eyes at the playboy, and if it wasn't for Cal's words from earlier echoing in her mind and the awkwardness of the situation keeping her feet rooted to the ground, she might have hauled off and slapped him. As it was, she remained where she stood, wishing that he would just shut up. He smirked at them before disappearing from the doorway, taking Mia with him, leaving her and Cal alone again. The feeling from before was gone, utterly ruined by Dominic's intrusion. But maybe that was a good thing.

Still, Cam's gaze flicked back to Cal just as his landed on hers. She couldn't help but feel like he looked annoyed. At Dominic? At himself? At her? Raincheck. There didn't need to be a raincheck, but she realized that she wanted one. Her heart was still hammering against her ribs as she thought about how his voice sounded and his breath felt on her ear, his strong presence making quite the impression on her mind and her body. "Raincheck." She whispered, not realizing she'd spoke until the word was out in the open. With a slightly panicked expression, she glanced down, looking as though she might take it back.

But instead of speaking, she just decided to walk past him and leave the room. She held her breath as she walked past him, afraid that if she didn't concentrate on something else she might just throw herself at him right then and there. Once she was out in the hallway, she paused, inhaling deeply before she started for the stairs. She figured Cal would follow, but she forced herself not to look back as she descended the stairs, following Mia and Dominic's voice to the kitchen. She stepped in just as Mia asked if he was going to make something for a more refined palate, and Cam heard the teasing tone in her voice.

Glancing toward Dominic, Cameron found herself wondering again just what their history was. Figuring it wasn't the right time to ask, and still peeved at Dominic for his earlier interruption, she just decided to move towards where Mia stood. "Want help?" She could tell by the two ingredients on the counter that whatever she was making wasn't complicated, but right now Mia was the only person that she wanted to interact with. Offering the girl a smile, she turned and found plates in one of the cabinets, taking out four. She wasn't a completely heartless person, she cared if the guys ate. "What are you making? Little cheese roll up thingies? Ooh, or quesadillas?"

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Dominic

Dominic didn't have any idea what was or wasn't in the pantry, but he knew it would be well stocked. Before coming out here, his father told him all about the plan and what would be happening. Well, except for what he'd found out in the letter. But Dominic had to know at least the basics, considering he was the one who had to grab Mia from the club. Now that they were here and he knew the rest, he knew eventually he would have to share it with everyone else. He wasn't necessarily afraid to do so, but things were almost calm right now, and he didn't want to rock the boat. Not yet.

"Once a week." He repeated, watching her as she thought about what she wanted. When she asked about cheese and tortillas, he shrugged, but she headed for the fridge before he could actually tell her to check. Shortly after, she found the tortillas, and turned to him as she set them on the counter. "This is my second time here." He told her honestly, moving closer to the counter, leaning against it. He heard Cameron enter the room a few moments later and he turned his head to look at her, though said nothing as it was quite obvious she wasn't interested in talking to him.

"A quesadilla is fine with me." He shifted his gaze back to Mia, noticing how Cameron moved closer to her. She probably felt safe around Mia, which he understood. They were definitely in the same boat, just with slightly different circumstances. "Don't you want more than just cheese, though?" He tilted his head, looking back and forth between them. "Some chicken or even some steak, maybe?" He pushed off of the counter, heading for the fridge to see if anything was defrosted. Finding both meats, he pulled them out and looked between them before he tossed the chicken back. Setting the steak on the counter by the stove, he found a pan and placed it on the stove to sear the steak.

While waiting for the pan to heat up, he got the steak ready to throw in, pulling some seasonings out of the cabinet for the meat. He seasoned away, and finally threw the steak on a few minutes later. Finding a pair of tongs to flip it later on, he glanced behind him at the two girls who were busy making cheese quesadillas. Giving a small shake of his head, he glanced over at his friend. "Steak?" He asked Cal, glancing back at the meat searing in the pan. "Something other than just cheese." He laughed, just poking fun at the girls. "Maybe we even have some peppers or something. I shoulda looked."

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Mia Code

Mia

Mia wondered what had brought Dominic here the last time. Had he stashed someone else here before, or was that trip more of a vacation? Before Mia was able to ask, Cameron came into the kitchen and she let the subject drop. Looking to Cameron when she offered help, Mia smiled.

"Sure, yeah just making quesadillas. Not too hard, but happy to have an extra hand." The brunette replied to the blonde, glancing down at her bandaged hand, frowning a little. Mia was glad that quesadillas didn't require two hands. Mia made room at the counter for Cameron, and washed up before preparing the quesadillas. Mia glanced over back to Dominic when he suggested adding chicken or steak to the quesadillas and shook her head. "Nope, just cheese. For me at least." She replied, laying out the tortillas on the plates that Cameron found and sprinkling them with cheese. Once Dominic grilled his steak the others could add whatever toppings they wanted before she'd toast them in a pan to melt the cheese.

Mia looked over at Cal as he came into the kitchen, her eyes flicking between the tattooed man and Cameron curiously for a moment. It wasn't any of her business what either of them did, but she hoped that if nothing else, Cameron didn't end up getting used if she chose to pursue something with Cal. Mia's attention lingered on Cameron, watching her for a moment, thankful to have her around. While Mia was only mafia adjacent, she generally understood how this world worked, but this was all new to Cameron it seemed. Mia decided that she would help coach Cameron the best she could through this situation if she had any questions.

"Ooh, okay maybe pepper and cheese..." Mia said, coming out of her thoughts at Dominic's mention that there might be a pepper. Checking the refrigerator once more, Mia pulled out a bell pepper, onion and salsa, juggling the ingredients in one arm. She set the pepper and onion down in front of Cal, handing him a knife that she found. "Little help please?" She asked, waving her hurt hand as an excuse to make Cal help them out with lunch.

This was a bewilderingly relaxed moment for their group. Each one doing something to help make lunch, as if this really was a vacation. Mia leaned against the counter, finished with as much as she could do until the meat was done. She glanced around the kitchen at each of the members working, but her gaze fell to Dominic and stayed there for a few moments, watching him cook.

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Cal

Cal had to suppress a smile when he heard Cameron whisper "raincheck" back, as if to confirm that there would be one. His mouth quirked up on one side, seeing Cameron's panicked expression when she realized what she had said. Even if she was trying to resist him, her subconscious must have other thoughts.

When Cameron walked past him without saying anything else, Cal's hand twitched at his side, and he raised it a little, nearly grabbing her arm to stop her. He decided not to push his luck though, and let it drop back at his side once she was past and moving out into the hall. Needing a couple moments to gather himself, Cal allowed Cameron a head start downstairs. Cal ran his hands over his face and up into his hair, giving his head a shake to clear his head.

A growl from his stomach reminded Cal that the others were preparing lunch, and he exited Cameron's room. Making his way downstairs, Cal entered the kitchen as Dominic looked over and asked if he wanted steak. "Yeah, definitely adding some steak. Only kids eat plain quesadillas." He said, missing the beginning of the conversation.

Mia put the peppers and onions in front of Cal, asking for him to help. "All hands on deck for a few quesadillas, huh?" He chuckled a little, not sure how he felt about their teamwork. Cal began cutting up the veggies, glancing in the direction of Cameron every now and again. It was harder to talk to her in a group setting, but maybe it was better for him to give her a little space to cool off after their steamy encounter a few minutes earlier. "So what's after lunch? We going on a field trip around the island or something?"

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Cameron

As Cameron stood there next to Mia, she realized just how hungry she was. It had been quite some time since she last ate. Sometime yesterday-- was it yesterday?-- before she'd gotten lost in the computer lab. Thinking back to how she'd lost her paper... it felt like so long ago. Ages, practically. But since then she'd been abducted, brought to an airport and forced to board a plane to the most beautiful island she'd ever seen. With him... Cam's eyes flicked over to Cal as he entered the room, though she quickly averted her gaze, watching as Dominic pulled some steak from the fridge and started to prepare it.

Mia seemed right at home here, or else she was just good at pretending. She did seem to know more about what was going on than Cam, and if there was one thing Cam hated, it was not knowing. Mia grabbed some peppers and an onion, setting them on the counter and then handing Cal a knife so he could cut them. Cam let her gaze linger on Mia's wrapped hand for a few seconds, but didn't say anything, remembering the sound of the glass shattering on the plane. She also remembered how Dominic took her to the back after that scene. Had he wrapped her hand up?

Cal taking the knife and making his comment about all hands on deck brought Cameron out of her thoughts, and she couldn't help the small smirk that appeared on her face. "What's the matter, tough guy? Can't cut a few peppers?" Cameron leaned on the counter while she was waiting for the steak to cook, her eyes on Cal's hands as he expertly used the knife. She realized how much trust he and Dominic seemed to have in her and Mia. There were all sorts of things around the girls could use as weapons, but even if they did manage to get one over on the guys... what then? They'd be stuck. Alone.

Dominic brought the steak over to the counter then, starting to cut it into strips. It smelled amazing, and once the four quesadillas-- three with meat, one without-- were full, Mia started to heat them up in a pan to melt the cheese. Cameron watched her for a few moments, head tilted slightly, though her thoughts weren't really on the girl or the quesadillas. It was just on the situation in general, along with Cal's question about what was next. "A nap." Cameron decided, looking over at Cal. "And a shower. Maybe not in that order, I don't know." Cam definitely wanted to get out of her clothes from the previous day.

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Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

It might surprise Mia or others to know, but Dominic could actually cook. He'd been around many others in his day who could cook. Nannies and professional chefs alike, people who thought it would be important for him to learn. And growing up, maybe he'd done it some because it could be fun. And he needed the task, something to do to keep him out of trouble. Though he'd gotten older and stopped cooking as much, the skill hadn't left him. He was actually pretty focused on cooking the steak, making sure that it was just shy of medium, still with pink inside and plenty of juices within.

Once it was done on both sides, he set it on a different plate and brought it along with a chefs knife over to the counter. Cutting the steak into perfect little ribbon slices, he loaded up three of the quesadillas with them, respecting Mia's choice to not have meat on hers. He did laugh at Cal's comment about only kids eating plain quesadillas, giving him a look. Pointing the knife at him, he lifted a brow in Cal's direction. "Careful, Calvin. There are knives in this kitchen, now, and I'd hate to clean up a bloody you off the ground." Smirking, he set the now dirty knife in the sink as Mia started to warm and brown the quesadillas.

Turning back to the others, he regarded them all for a moment. Mia at the stove, Cameron and Cal at the counters, Cal looking at Cameron every so often and the blonde trying to avoid looking at him. It was amusing, to say the least, but he decided against pushing their buttons further. He hadn't missed the look Cal had given him upstairs, the one that told him he was not happy with Dom for ruining the moment. Pushing himself off the counter, he set the four plates out on the counter for Mia to place the quesadillas in when she was finished with them. She'd grabbed salsa, too, so he slid that to the middle of the counter, reachable by all.

"You need to get out and do something, Cal?" Dominic teased the man, glancing over at Cameron as she mentioned a nap and a shower. His eyes immediately went back to Cal, a grin spreading on his features. "Or we could... stay in." He shrugged, sliding his gaze over to Mia. "Mia has mentioned a shower, too. So maybe we can just relax for the afternoon, find something to do in the evening." He shrugged, watching as Mia started to plate the food. "Looks amazing, honey." He slid an arm around her waist as she finished the last one, pulling her closer. He ended up just taking the pan from her hands to place in the sink, but he wanted to be close to her again to see how she'd react.

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Mia

Mia laughed at Dominic’s warning to Cal about there being a lot of knives in the kitchen after he implied Mia had the tastes of a child. Surprisingly it hadn’t occurred to her to use the knives for anything other than cooking. She was getting too comfortable if the idea of escaping hadn’t even crossed her mind. Not that threatening them with steak knives would get her or Cameron very far. The bodyguard was still somewhere in the house watching the doors.

Shrugging off that train of thought, Mia refocused herself on the quesadillas and heating them on the stove. She looked over her shoulder as the others discussed the plans for the day. Mia was glad to hear that Cameron wanted to do something similar and that Dominic was okay with just having a calm afternoon. “Sounds good to me...” she chimed in from the stove. As soon as her hunger was satiated, Mia wanted nothing more that to take a long, hot shower.

Mia began putting the quesadillas on the plates and glanced up at Dominic when he called her honey. “Thanks...” She replied, only arching an eyebrow at the pet name since it came with a compliment.

The sensation of Dominic sliding his arm around her waist made Mia almost drop the last quesadilla as she put it on the plate. Her cheeks flushed when he pulled her closer, and she was thankful she had her back to the others so they wouldn’t see. Up til now, Dominic had only been so touchy when the others weren’t around, but he was becoming bolder. Mia was keenly aware of the two other people in the kitchen with them, and she didn’t want Cal or Cam to get the wrong impression.

“Dom...” Mia whispered, starting to reprimand him before falling quiet, realizing he wasn’t really making an advance and was just taking the pan from her to put it in the sink. Mia let out a small breath and tried to play off the moment by grabbing one of the plates and handing it to Cameron.

“Lunch is served!” Mia smiled, grabbing the second plate and giving it to Cal. She picked up Dominic and her plates, carefully carrying the latter in her injured hand, and brought them over to where the others were eating.

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Cal

“It doesn’t sound very like me to end up a bloody mess on the floor...” Cal replied to Dominic’s warning about the kitchen knives. He glanced from Cameron to Mia, not sure which one of them Dominic was suggesting would be his attacker. Not that it mattered, Cal had a good 6-8 inches on the two girls and could easily overpower either of the petite women.

Cal scoffed at Cameron’s tough guy comment. “I don’t mind helping. I could cut peppers with my eyes closed.” He replied, expertly cutting the pepper and onion. He could feel Cameron’s eyes on him, and he liked it.

When Cal asked what the plan was for the day, he couldn’t help but smirk at Cam when she looked at him after saying she wanted to take a nap or shower. Was that an invitation to join? Really he figured she just looked at him since he’d asked the question, but still, a guy could hope.

“Nah, I’m okay with staying in. There will be plenty of days to explore.” Cal answered Dominic. “I wouldn’t mind a rinse either.” He said shooting Cameron another glance, grinning.

Dominic moved over to Mia and Cal observed silently for a moment. He still needed to ask Dom what the deal was between him and the brunette. When Dom moved towards the sink though Cal averted his attention back over to Cameron. He stepped over towards the blonde as Mia handed out the plates of food.

“If you don’t want yours, I’ll eat it.” Cal joked with Cam, knowing that everyone else must be as hungry as he was. He took his plate to the counter and poured some salsa onto his plate.

“Looks good, thanks.” Cal said, dunking a slice of the quesadilla into his salsa and taking a bite. It wouldn’t take him long to clear his plate. He’d worked up an appetite from yesterday’s job, and at this rate it was hard to tell how many hours it had been since he’d last eaten.

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Cameron

The smell of the quesadillas filled the kitchen, reminding Cameron of just how hungry she was. She tried to think back to the last thing she'd eaten, but whatever it was, it definitely hadn't been anything substantial. Most likely, it'd been something she'd stuffed her face with between classes. A sandwich? A bag of chips? She really couldn't remember. At school, she was just on autopilot most of the time, and by the time the end of the day rolled around, Cameron was exhausted and ready to shower and then crawl into bed. Even though it was just an associates degree, she was determined to get top grades. It was the perfectionist in her.

Surprisingly enough, Cameron was feeling a bit more comfortable now than she had been earlier. Maybe it was because she felt like she had a friend in Mia, or even the playful banter between the four of them. Whatever it was, she found herself smiling slightly as she leaned against the counter, lost in her thoughts. Cal had brought her out of them when he asked about the plan after eating, and her eyes shifted to him, finding that he was looking directly at her as he talked about taking a shower himself. Feeling the familiar heat returning to her face, she scowled at him, though the look faded when she turned her gaze to the others.

Mia started dishing out the quesadillas, and Cameron took her plate with a smile and a soft "thanks" to the girl. Turning away, she missed Dominic sliding an arm around the other girls waist, getting distracted by Cal yet again. "No, greedy." She scolded him, though her tone wasn't a mean one as she brushed past him to take a seat on one of the stools around the island in the middle of the kitchen. She glanced up just as Dominic released Mia, her head tilting slightly as she regarded the two of them. Remembering her food in front of her, she tore her thoughts away from them and tore a piece of the quesadilla off so she could take a bite.

It really was amazing, even for something they'd quickly made. Dominic obviously knew what he was doing with the steak, and Mia knew how to brown the tortilla and melt the cheese without burning it. "Okay, consider me hooked." Cameron laughed softly as she took another bite. Realizing she didn't have a drink to go along with it, she twisted and hopped off the barstool, padding over to the fridge. Opening it, she found sodas, teas, and all kinds of things. They'd really stocked up. She plucked a soda from the bottom shelf. "Anyone else?" She held up another can, offering it to the others.

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Dominic

Dominic heard Mia whisper his name when his arm slid around her waist, and he couldn't stop the grin from growing. He hummed a soft 'hm?' as he glanced over at her, his eyes locking with hers as he reached for the pan to take it from her hands. Resisting the urge to do something else, like kiss her forehead or even those beautiful lips of hers, he simply released her a moment later, whistling softly under his breath as he set the pan in the sink. Moving to set all the other dishes in it as well to wash later on-- probably much, much later if Dominic had anything to say about it--, he turned and spotted Mia walking with two plates in her hands.

He swooped over to her, taking his plate from her and setting it on the counter before turning to see if she needed help with hers. Seeing that she was at the counter already, though, he just smirked and shook his head. "Stubborn woman." He muttered so that only she would hear, sending another smirk in her direction before he followed Cam's example and climbed onto one of the seats. He dumped salsa on his plate as well, immediately tearing a chuck of the quesadilla off and dunking it before popping it into his mouth. He had to admit he did a great job on the steak, but everything else was all Mia (and some Cal) and they were fantastic.

When Cam hopped off of her stool, Dominic quirked a brow in her direction, watching as she walked to the fridge to grab a drink. When she offered to grab one for anyone who wanted one, he held up his hand and she approached him to give him the can. After seeing if the other two wanted anything, she made her way back to her seat, and Dominic cracked open the Pepsi and took a swig. In no time at all, his quesadilla was gone, and he stared sadly at his plate. "Damn. Shoulda made two." Shaking his head, he just stood and took his plate back to the sink, setting it in with everything else.

Turning around to look at the others, he watched them for a moment before he pushed off of the counter and headed to the living room area. The couch was huge, definitely big enough for all four of them should they decide to be in here at the same time. Another fireplace, like the one in his room but bigger. A huge TV, of course, and even two armchairs if someone didn't want the couch. Dominic had always liked the open floor plan to this house, and wanted to implement it in his own future home. Turning back to the others, he leaned against the doorframe between the kitchen and the living room. "Ready for that shower, Mia?"

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal

Cal chuckled when Cameron scowled at him for his shower comment. He liked getting a reaction out of the blonde. If nothing else this summer, he could at least entertain himself by teasing and messing with her. Cameron seemed more relaxed at the moment though, so there was a chance that he might be able to mess with Cameron in other ways if she continued to loosen up.

“I’m greedy, eh? You’re the one who won’t share.” Cal smirked, taking his plate and sitting on the stool near Cameron. He took one of the drinks Cameron offered with a nod of thanks and set in to eat the rest of his quesadilla.

Things fell silent amongst the group as they ate, too busy chewing to talk. It wasn’t an awkward silence though, just one that came from four hungry people focusing on filling their bellies.

Within a few minutes Cal’s plate was empty and he stretched his arms a little, satisfied. “My compliments to the chefs.” He said, glancing over to Dom and Mia. Dom expressed disappointment in not having a second quesadilla and Cal nodded. “Yeah next time we make a double batch.”

Cal watched as Dominic rose, put his plate in the sink and stepped out of the kitchen. “That still hit the spot though.” He said, getting up to put his plate in the sink as well. He noticed that Cameron had just finished her quesadilla so he grabbed her plate as well to save her the trip.

When Dominic returned to the kitchen doorway he asked if Mia was ready to shower and she left the kitchen as well. From his spot over by the sink, Cal turned to look at Cameron.

“Well, what’s it gonna be? Shower or nap first?” He asked the blonde, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms.

Happy

Island Mansion

Outfit

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nine lives

Mia

Mia laughed before she could stop herself at Dom’s “stubborn woman” comment. “It’s one of my finer qualities...” Mia retorted with a small grin as she also sat upon one of the stools.

Cameron’s compliment made Mia smile, pleased that the food came out okay. “Thanks! Though at this point I’m so hungry that the quesadilla could taste like cardboard and I’d still not mind.” She added, beginning to eat. Mia also accepted a drink when Cameron grabbed some. “Thanks!”

Mia ate her quesadilla quietly and quickly. Though not as quickly as the guys did, and the single quesadilla filled her up just fine. She was finishing her last piece when Dom rose to put his dish away and left the room. She glanced his way when he left, but continued eating. Cal and Cameron were the next ones to finish, and Mia had just taken her last bite when Dominic reappeared.

Her mouth full, Mia just nodded in response to Dominic asking if she was ready for a shower, and hopped off her stool. Stashing her plate in the sink with the rest, Mia made her way over to Dominic.

“Where’d my bag run off to?” She asked, looking up at Dominic for a moment, before walking out of the kitchen and into the living room. She figured that the best place to look would be the front foyer, but wasn’t quite certain the layout of the house yet.

All the rooms were expertly designed, and she ruefully admitted that she was a little jealous of the Soranos for owning such a beautiful place. Though, who needed to own the place when you could just be held captive in it instead? Mia frowned to herself, not finding her dark internal joke very funny.

“So why were you here last time?” Mia called back to Dominic. “Vacation? Hiding?”

Content

Kitchen & Livingrooms

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nine lives

 

[apolla]

mood

overwhelmed

location

her room

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tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron couldn't help but be reminded of sitting at home with her brothers and her father as she ate with Mia, Dominic and Cal. Of course, this was definitely not the same in any other sense, but she felt a pang of sadness as she thought about them. Her questions from earlier resurfaced in her mind. Did they know she was missing yet? Did her father even care about the predicament he'd put his daughter in? She still wanted to confront him, but there was just no way for her to do that. Shoving the thoughts from her mind, she focused on the quesadilla instead, which was actually not that hard considering it was amazing and she was hungry.

Mia seemed pleased with the fact that they were enjoying the food, and that made Cameron smile. Dominic finished first, followed by Cal, and though neither of them seemed full, neither made a move to make anything else. Dominic set his plate in the sink and went to explore a bit, though he wasn't gone long before he returned, directing his next words to Mia. Cal got up to take his plate to the sink just as Cameron finished, and he surprised her by taking her plate as well. She sipped at the can of soda she'd grabbed, watching as Mia got up and left the room with Dominic.

Although she tried not to look at Cal right away, it was hard, especially when he asked her what she'd decided. Setting the now empty can down, she leaned her elbows on the counter and then set her chin in her hands. "I am exhausted." She sighed, her gaze flicking back towards him. It's like he was the light and she was the moth. She couldn't not look at him. "But I want to shower first, I think." She just couldn't fathom getting in the clean bed feeling dirty. As she got up to throw the can away, though, a thought occurred to her and she paused, her back to him. Cursing softly, she turned back to him, looking unsure for a moment.

"Since you were such a gentleman to bring me here, it seemed that neither of us realized that I have nothing to change into." She didn't want to shower and then put the same clothes right back on, but not showering was not an option. She pursed her lips and then sighed. "I'll figure something out." She looked for a moment like she was going to say something else, but ultimately decided against it. She remained quiet as she started to walk past him, back towards the stairs. Maybe if she checked the drawers of the room or something, she'd find a t-shirt that would work. For now. With her hand on the railing, she headed up, back to the room she'd claimed to do just that.

nine lives

mood

hungry

location

kitchen

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tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Appearing to be on decent behavior, he'd resisted the urge to wink at Mia when he asked if she was ready for the shower. She agreed that she was, and got up to place her plate in the sink before heading in his direction, back towards the stairs. When she asked about his bag, he thought for a second, obviously unsure. "I don't think it was brought in from the Jeep." He headed for the front door, peering out of the glass beside the main door to look out into the Jeep. He surely hadn't brought it in, and he doubted anyone else had, so it had to be out there.

Turning back to Mia, Dominic gestured up the stairs with his head. "Head up, and get ready. I'll bring you your suitcase." He smiled then, though there was a promise of something else behind that smile. He waited until Mia had started up the stairs before he turned to the door. The guard had moved from in front of it, though Dominic knew he was likely around here somewhere. Shrugging, he pushed open the door, a little surprised that the guard didn't come running around the side of the house or something. But then again... where would Mia or Cameron go, even if they got outside?

Whistling as he made his way to the Jeep, he spotted her suitcase in the back. "Figures." He reached in for it, then turned to go back inside. Jogging up the stairs with the light suitcase, he headed down the hall until he found one of the bathrooms that had movement and noise coming from behind the closed door. He lifted his fingers to knock, then paused to listen, wondering at what state of undress she was in. He could just burst in, scare the hell out of her. That would be entertaining. For him, at least. He grinned as he pictured the scene, but then again, he didn't want to actually piss her off.

So he waited until a bit after he heard the water running before he knocked, and twisted the knob to open the door. "Coming in, Mia." He announced himself, a little disappointed to find that she was indeed already behind the curtain. He set the suitcase on the sink, realizing that he didn't even have any idea what was in it. Unzipping it, unconcerned with the fact that she was showering naked so close to him, he opened the top of the suitcase and started rummaging through it. "Shirts... shorts... tank tops... oooh, bras... nice undies, too." He smirked, casting a glance over his shoulder towards the shower. "Need help in there?"

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Mia

Dominic was being awfully accommodating with his offer to go grab her bag from outside, Mia thought, about to start up the stairs. But then Dom smiled, and it made Mia hesitate for a moment on the bottom step. “Okay...” She said slowly, studying him. Maybe she was just being paranoid, used to Don’s smirk or grin opposed to the smile he gave her now. “Thank you?” Mia’s uncertainty made her voice inflect at the end, making her appreciation sound a bit like a question more than a reply.

Mia turned away from Dominic and ascended the stairs, locating a bathroom behind one of the doors shortly after reaching the second floor. Shutting the door behind her, Mia turned to face the bathroom mirror, assessing her reflection. Her little black dress used to be one of her favorites, but now she felt ridiculous that this was the outfit she’d been wearing for last 18 or so hours. Mia sighed and shook her head at her reflection, combing a few tangles out of her hair with her fingers.

Unzipping her dress, Mia let it fall to the ground and stepped out of it. She picked it up from the ground, but frowned, bringing the dress up to her nose. The faint scent of Dominic’s cologne lingered on the fabric. Mia tossed the dress into the corner of the counter and finished undressing. She turned the shower on after making sure there was already shampoo and conditioner available. The bathroom looked like it had been freshly stocked much like the kitchen.

Once the water reached the proper temperature, Mia stepped into the shower and pulled the curtain shut. She’d just begun shampooing her hair when Mia heard a knock on the door and Dominic announced he was coming in.

“Unless you want to end up with shampoo in your eyes, I suggest you stay on that side of the curtain, Dominic Soriano.” Mia warned, scrubbing the shampoo into her hair with her good hand.

The brunette tilted her head back, letting the water rinse the soap from her hair. Dominic was quiet for a moment and Mia thought perhaps he’d been a gentleman and left, but then she heard him list off all of her clothes that were packed. Mia pulled the curtain back just enough to poke her head out.

“I appreciate you getting my suitcase, but I hardly think taking inventory is necessary.” She said, blushing indignantly. “And no, I think I’ve got things handled in here. If you want to help, then you could find another first aid kit so I can re-bandage my hand...” Mia continued, returning to her shower and closing the curtain again. “Your handy work got wet.”

Exposed

Bathroom

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nine lives

Cal

Cal watched Cameron silently as she pondered whether to shower or nap first. He had to suppress a smile every time her eyes flicked over to him. “That sounds like a wise decision.” He said when she decided upon showering first.

Cal laughed when Cameron pointed out that he hadn’t accounted for her not having clean clothes to change into. “Ye of little faith, Cam.” He said, walking over to her before she could leave the kitchen. “Perhaps I have realized your lack of available clothes and it’s intentional?” Cal said, smirking teasingly at her. “Sleeping in the nude is very liberating, you know.” He added, letting her then continue on out of the kitchen. Cal cringed slightly to himself at how thick he was laying it on, deciding that Dom was rubbing off on him.

Tucking his hands behind his head, Cal followed Cameron as she headed for the stairs. “If you truly do require clothes though, just leave it to me. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.” He called after her as she started ascending the stairs.

Once Cameron was far enough away, Cal cursed quietly under his breath for not being better prepared for Cam. Since he’d had a heads up about the task to kidnap Cameron, he’d had time to prepare and had sent his suitcase along ahead with whoever had restocked the house with supplies. He’d been told that someone would prepare a bag for Cameron as well, though at the time he’d pictured someone packing for a dude. Now Cal had to find where the bags had been stashed to await their arrival. He thought he recalled them saying the bags would be in the entry way closet, so he tried there first.

It took Cal three attempts at opening doors to find the right closet, but there sat the suitcases as promised. Grabbing the pair, Cal swung the duffel bags over his shoulders and headed upstairs to find Cameron.

Forgetful

Island Mansion

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nine lives

 

[apolla]

mood

annoyed

location

her room

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tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

After saying she'd made a wise decision, Cal stopped Cameron on her way out of the room by approaching her. She quirked a brow at him at his words, but before she could ask him what he meant he went on. Talking about sleeping naked, her face grew about as red as a tomato. Even if she did sleep naked, what business was it of his? For the record, she'd never slept naked in her life, and she wasn't about to start now, even if the idea was intriguing. Resisting the urge to smack his arm on her way out of the kitchen, she forced herself to remain as calm as she could as she headed back up the stairs.

Finding the room again, she slipped inside and headed first for the closet, but it was empty. Frowning, she moved to the dresser, opening every single drawer to find the same result. Just as she was closing the last one, she heard someone coming into the room. She didn't have to look to know it was Cal, but she straightened and turned anyway, finding him standing there with two duffel bags slung over his shoulders. "What are those?" She asked him, her curiosity winning out as he swung one of the bags onto the bed. She stared at it for a second, looked over at him and then back at the bag.

Stepping closer, she reached for the zipper and pulled it back. Separating the sides, she reached in when she saw nothing but clothes. The thing was, when she started to pull them out, she recognized her own clothes. With a small gasp, she suddenly reached for the bottom of the duffel, turning it upside down and completely dumping it out onto the bed. And sure enough, there were all sorts of clothes that had been pulled from her drawers and her closet at home. "Who-?" She shot a sharp glance at Cal, wondering if it was him who'd been in her place.

Looking back at the contents on the bed, she paused when she saw a little fuzzy foot sticking out from under a shirt. Reaching for it, she yanked it out, finding the teddy bear that had been sitting on her table. She held it, staring at it for a few seconds before she looked back at Cal. "Really?" Shaking her head, she stuffed the bear back into the bag, not wanting to tell him that it had been a gift from her father. Something she wasn't even sure she wanted now, even if she did sleep with that bear nightly. Sniffing, she turned her attention back to the clothes, sifting through them with a sinking feeling in her stomach. She had jean shorts, tank tops and shirts, underwear and bras... but none of the clothes she used to sleep in. "Fantastic. Maybe if they'd asked me what I wanted, I could have made a list." She threw the shirt down she'd been holding, an irritated look on her face.

nine lives

mood

flirty

location

his bedroom

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tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic was more than happy to keep Mia company during her shower, just like he was more than happy to go through the suitcase again while she showered behind him. If she asked nicely, he might even join her in there. There was plenty of room, and it'd been a while since he showered with someone. The thought brought a slight smirk to his face, though her threat with the shampoo bottle had actually made him chuckle. "Feisty." He grinned as he spoke to himself, knowing she probably wouldn't hear him over the water. And even if she did, he didn't care. He spoke nothing but the truth.

Once he was done going through the suitcase, he turned, spotting her head poking out from behind the curtain. He let his eyes travel along her body, what little bit of it he could see. "You're such a tease, Mia. But fiiiiiine." He dragged out the word, complimenting it with an eye roll. "I'll find you something else you can use for your hand. We'll see if you need to rewrap it when you get out. In the meantime, take the wet bandages off. Clean it. And don't drop anymore glass, you hear me?" He winked at her before he disappeared from the room, closing the bathroom door behind him.

Walking past Cameron's room, he glanced in to spot Cal in there with two duffel bags. Dominic thought about stopping to chat, but decided against it as he didn't want to forget finding the first aid kit. Sliding his hands into his pockets, he headed back downstairs. The first aid kit was tucked into one of the cabinets in the laundry room, and it took him some time to find it. "Stupid thing." He muttered as he pulled it out of the cabinet, heading back to the stairs to go back up them. This kit was much more advanced than the one on the plane, but depending on how bad her slice was, she might not even need most of it.

Stopping by the bathroom door, he knocked again before opening the door, poking his head in. "Come to my room when you're done, Mia." He grinned at the fogginess of the room, but added in one more comment before disappearing. "Clothing optional." After he backed out and shut the door again, he headed back to his room and tossed the first aid kit on the bed. He followed shortly after, crossing his legs as he leaned back on the pillows. Leaning over to grab the remote from the table beside the bed, he turned on the TV, flipping through the movie list to find something he wanted to watch.

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal

Cal found Cameron in her room as her search for clothes in the drawers and closet turned out fruitless. “I told you I would take care of things, Cam.” He grinned a little, happy for the chance to earn some brownie points by coming to her clothing need rescue. When Cameron looked to the duffel bags he held, Cal took that as an invitation to enter, and walked further into Cam’s room.

“These, my dear, are our clothes from the mainland.” Cal replied to Cameron as he swung her bag off his shoulder and onto her bed. “They got to the island before we did.” He added, watching her start to go through her bag. He chuckled a little as she dumped out the contents of the bag in its entirety, amused by her gasp of realization that they were her clothes.

When Cameron shot him a sharp glance, Cal held his free hand up defensively. “Wasn’t me.” He said, answering her question. “I was just in charge on transport, not packing. So if you don’t like the selection you’ll have to take it up with someone else... My guess is they took stuff from the bottom of your drawers or closet so you wouldn’t know it was missing.” Cal shrugged.

“Hey, I told you, I didn’t do the packing.” Cal said, trying not to laugh at the teddy bear being included in Cameron’s things. He was tempted to ask about the bear, but that would probably lead to a more emotional conversation, and right now that was the last thing Cal wanted to engage in.

Cameron’s irritated expression and comment about a packing list made Cal raise an eyebrow. “Something missing?” He asked, glancing at her clothes to determine what she was upset about not having. “Looks like you might have to sleep in the nude after all...” Cal teased, surmising that it was indeed Cam’s pajamas that appeared to be absent. He recalled how red her face got the first time he made that suggestion, and smirked a little.

It amused Cal when Cameron got worked up, but he decided he could offer to help her out and potentially win more of that good favor. Swinging his duffel bag off his shoulder, Cal set it down on Cam’s bed as well and opened it up. It only took him a few moments to find what he was looking for.

“Here, you can wear this if it suits you better.” Cal said, pulling a tee shirt from his bag and holding it out to Cameron. “It’s clean, I promise.” He added, with a small smile. The shirt would be big on her no doubt, but that was the point. Plus, he liked the idea of seeing her in his shirt.

Generous

Cam’s Room

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nine lives

Mia

Mia narrowed her eyes a little when Dominic called her a tease, pulling the shower curtain closer against her as he eyed her. “I’m the tease? I feel like you’re the one setting yourself up for disappointment.” She pointed out, before relaxing a bit when Dominic agreed to help find a first aid kit. He wasn’t all bad.

“Yes, Doctor.” Mia replied, laughing a little at all Dominic’s directions for cleaning her hand and to not break more glass.

Once Mia heard the door close behind Dominic, she let out a long breath and leaned one of her hands against the wall in the shower. She’d done her best to hide how nervous Dominic’s presence had made her, using sarcasm and threats to cover it up. It wasn’t that she was terribly shy about being naked around someone, but it was different because it was Dominic. She’d known him for too long to be so casually nude around him. Mia let the running water wash over her for a minute to ease her nerves, before finishing up her shower.

With her hair and body washed, Mia unwrapped the bandage from her left hand, letting the water rinse the cut for a few minutes. The gash didn’t look too bad now, at least not as bad as it had at first. It still was a little tender though, so she was careful as she killed the water and grabbed the towel to dry off.

Mia wrapped the towel around her and had just stepped out of the shower, when Dominic knocked and stuck his head in. She held tightly to the towel and rolled her eyes at his “clothing optional” comment. As quick as he poked his head in, Dominic was gone again, and Mia turned to do her own inventory of her clothes.

It wasn’t surprising that whoever packed her stuff didn’t bother to grab any lounge wear, but it left Mia with the option of changing into either pjs or jean shorts. Mia now regretted that she didn’t own pajamas that were more... well, more. For the purpose of relaxing though, jean shorts didn’t sound the most comfortable, so Mia opted for pjs and got dressed. After finding a brush in the bottom of her bag, Mia ran it through her hair.

Packing up her stuff, Mia grabbed her bag and left the bathroom. She was feeling a lot better after getting clean and changing. It was almost like she’d temporarily washed away the night before. Mia dropped her bag off in her room, tempted to just climb in bed and ignore tending to her hand, but she didn’t want to be rude after having Dominic find the first aid kit.

Walking down the hall, Mia knocked on Dominic’s door frame as she stopped in the entry. Dom was relaxing on his bed, and Mia envied how comfortable he looked. As soon as she got a bandage for her hand, she too hoped to be as comfy. “Thanks for finding it.” Mia said, noting the first aid kit on the bed. She hesitated for a moment, but then entered the room, walking over to grab the kit. “I think I only need a bandaid this time.”

Mia glanced over at Dominic, trying to convince herself that she wasn’t a tiny bit tempted by the man lounging there. He was just so casual about everything, and it made Mia annoyed that he had the upper hand in this situation.

Refreshed

Bathroom> Dom’s room

Outfit

apolla

nine lives

 

[apolla]

mood

content

location

shower

outfit

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tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron's comment had been more than a little sarcastic, but Cal didn't seem bothered by it. In fact, so far, he hadn't seemed bothered by any part of her negative attitude. If anything, it only made him more intrigued, more interested, more curious. And she'd be lying if she said she wasn't curious about him, too, even if she didn't want to admit it. Not to him, not even to herself. Throwing the shirt she'd been holding back into the duffel bag, her eyes shot again in his direction when he asked so casually if something was missing. She huffed in annoyance, her eyes sliding back to the few clothes left on the bed.

"You are so annoying." She ground out, snatching another article of clothing off of the bed. She'd planned on throwing it at him, but once she realized she'd picked up a pair of boyshort underwear, she just huffed again and dumped the fabric back on the bed, embarrassed. He moved closer to the bed, and her head automatically swiveled in his direction, watching in silence as he set his bag on the bed and unzipped it. He started digging around for something, and her curiosity only grew until he pulled out one of his own t-shirts, handing it over. She was surprised at the sincerity in his voice as he told her it was clean.

Slowly, she reached up and took it from him, resisting the urge to bring it to her face to see if it smelled like him. Her eyes slightly widened at this thought, and she quickly glanced up at him even though she knew that he couldn't hear her thoughts. Or at least, she hoped. Holding the shirt close, she reached for the same underwear from earlier, the pair she'd almost threw at him. She hoped that she could get more clothes sent, whether they were hers or not. Well, hopefully they wouldn't be random clothes from a stranger, but she wasn't exactly sure how this worked. It wasn't like she made it a habit to get kidnapped.

Turning to face Cal, she tilted her head back to look at him, almost forgetting her words entirely as her eyes met his. Drawing in a shaky breath, she glanced down before looking back up into his eyes. "Thank you." She looked as though she wanted to say more, but just gave a small shake of her head before she slipped out of the room. For some reason, being around Cal made it hard to breathe or even think, and she'd never experienced anything quite like it. Stepping into the bathroom after making sure it was empty, she closed the door behind her and leaned against the door for a moment, trying to calm herself.

After a minute or two, Cameron pushed off of the door and headed to turn the water on in the shower. She set Cal's shirt and her underwear on the counter, turning back to stick her hand under the water, testing the temperature. When it felt just right for her, she started to slip out of her clothes, starting with the heels and then the tights. Her skirt and sweater followed, and then everything else. She used her foot to nudge everything into a pile on the floor, glancing at her reflection in the slightly foggy mirror. Running her fingers through her hair, she turned back to the shower and stepped in, sliding the curtain closed. The water was warm, almost hot, and for a few seconds she just stood there, letting the water massage her muscles. She definitely needed that after everything.

nine lives

mood

flirty

location

his bedroom

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Although there wasn't cable on the island, there was netflix, hulu, and all of that crap so there would always be something to watch. Dominic didn't know how long they'd be on the island, but he couldn't imagine that it would be a super long time. Though he knew that the mafia could keep someone prisoner for however long they wanted, it wasn't like them to just let someone go. And he had to remind himself that he knew both Mia and Cameron's fate, even if they didn't know yet. The letter was safely tucked away for proof if they wanted it, but for now they'd just have to take his word. He was in charge here, after all.

As he lay there on the bed waiting for Mia to get out of the shower, he thought more about the letter and how he was going to break the news to the girls. And Cal too, for that matter. His friend was used to being on the outside, waiting for instructions and doing as he was told. But with Dominic's plan to make him second in command, Cal would have to step up and start making some decisions on his own. And Dominic could help him with that, of course, but it would be quite a change for the tattooed male. And even before becoming second in command, things were going to change for him. And Dominic, too... and both girls.

With a heavy sigh, Dominic knew he was going to have to tell them soon. He thought about getting up and going to find Cal, but then he thought he heard the water turn off, and decided to wait a little longer. And sure enough, a few moments later, Mia knocked on his door as she stood in the doorway, seeming a bit hesitant to come in. She thanked him, and for a second he was confused, then she nodded to the first aid kit on the bed. "Oh. Yeah, no problem." He shrugged, remaining in his comfortable position even as she came into the room to snag it from the bed.

"Let me see." He suddenly reached out to grab the wrist of her injured hand, pulling her closer as he sat up. Turning her hand over so he could inspect her palm, he nodded after a moment. "You're probably right. You don't need to wrap it again." He didn't release her wrist though, just let his eyes travel up her arm and then to her face. "It's not that bad." A smirk was tugging at his lips as he tugged on her wrist, pulling her down onto the bed beside him. Not wanting to let her go yet, he plucked the kit from her other hand, setting it on the bed beside him and popping it open.

He reached for the antibiotic ointment, twisting the cap and tossing it aside to gently squeeze some out onto the slice. He tossed the tubing aside when he was done, finding a bandaid in the kit that he managed to open and then place on the wound. He wasn't really sure why he was doing this, because he wasn't the type to actually take care of someone else. He was selfish and usually cared very little for others and how they felt. But something about Mia, he didn't mind. Maybe it was just because he wanted to be around her, and that much was pretty obvious as to why. At least to him. Once he was done, he moved to gently grip her wrist again, inspecting his work as his fingers gently massaged her. "Better?" He asked, his eyes flicking up to hers.

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal

Cal was pleased that Cameron took the shirt he offered, already looking forward to seeing her in it later. He would have preferred she choose the option to sleep nude, but this was a close second, Cal thought as he looked Cameron up and down briefly. Cameron’s eyes widened for a moment, piquing Cal’s interest, but he wasn’t sure why. He hadn’t said anything scandalous to elicit such a response, for a few minutes at least. Perhaps she was the one thinking something scandalous instead. Cal hoped so.

Cameron didn’t say anything though to hint at what she was thinking, and Cal watched her gather the underwear she’d nearly thrown at him a few minutes earlier. As if that would have been punishment. Cal half wished she had thrown them, they would have been a fair trade for him giving her his shirt. A smirk tugged at his mouth at the thought.

Cal’s smirk turned into a smile though when Cameron looked up at him and thanked him. He looked back at the beautiful, petite woman enjoying this new feeling of her appreciation. A few different ideas of how Cameron could thank Cal came to mind, but he resisted voicing any of them. He’d actually done something nice, so he didn’t want to ruin the good deed.

“My pleasure.” Cal replied, honestly, waiting for Cameron to say more. When the blonde didn’t though, Cal’s smile faded a little. And when Cameron just shook her head and left the room, Cal’s smile disappeared completely.

Sure Cal hadn’t expected offering his shirt to Cameron to be a golden ticket into her bed, but he’d expected more of a response than Cameron offered. She’d said “thank you”, but then clammed up. Cam had said Cal was annoying, but he didn’t think he was that annoying to make her run out of the room. Cal felt a little deflated, and he grabbed his duffel bag, leaving Cameron’s room disappointed.

Returning to his room, Cal tossed his duffel bag into the chair and ran a hand threw his hair. He mentally replayed the last few minutes, trying to figure out where his interaction with Cameron had taken a turn south to warrant such an abrupt end. Maybe one instance of being helpful didn’t make up for all his previous advances. He was being a little more forward than perhaps was appropriate. It wasn’t like Cameron was here by her own free will after all. Cal groaned, deciding he’d been a bit of an ass. That was the only explanation he could think of for why Cameron acted the way she did around him.

Well, if the hope of joining Cameron in the shower was a lost cause, Cal might as well take his own shower. On the way to the other bathroom, Cal paused by the bathroom that Cameron was in. He raised his hand to knock, wanting to make amends, but stopped, hearing the water already running. If she was still acting strangely towards him later, he could say something then. Letting his hand fall, Cal proceeded to the other available bathroom to shower.

Disappointed

Cam’s room> Bathroom

Outfit

apolla

nine lives

Mia

Mia lost her balance when Dominic grabbed her hand to pull it closer, and she had to take a couple steps to stand at the edge of the bed. She watched Dominic as he inspected her palm, humoring him though she expected him to come to the same conclusion as her. When Dominic agreed that she wouldn’t need to wrap her hand, Mia was ready to pull her hand away, but then she met his eyes after his traveled up her arm to her face. Dom’s smirk made her leave her hand in his for an extra moment, which was just enough time for Dominic to pull her down onto his bed next to him.



Finding herself on Dominic’s bed, so close to the handsome heir, made Mia’s pulse quickened. She was almost disappointed that Dom only took the first aid kit from her and started to take out items to tend to her hand. Mia likely would have protested if he had tried anything else, but still...



As Dominic focused on putting antibiotic ointment on her cut, Mia took the opportunity to study him. He had matured since she’d last spent any real time with him, and while Mia was constantly reminding herself that he’d changed since she knew him, she still was looking for any sign that he was at all the same. Helping her with her hand didn’t absolve Dominic of what he’d done by bringing her to this island, but it did give Mia hope that the old Dom was still in there somewhere.



Dominic finished bandaging Mia’s hand, and she tore her gaze away from his face to glance down at her palm. She nodded slowly when he asked her if it was better, her stomach fluttering a little when she realized she was disappointed that he’d finished. “Yes, thank you...” Mia replied, glancing back at Dom as his eyes flicked up to her. This time the thought to pull her hand away from Dominic didn’t cross Mia’s mind. Perhaps it was because she was tired, but the sensation of his hand on hers was soothing and she was in no hurry for it to stop.



“Dom, I...” Mia started, trying to think of something to say to prolong the moment. For some reason an apology was the first thing that came to mind, but she didn’t really have anything to apologize to Dominic for. She’d been stubborn and feisty, but it hadn’t been unwarranted, and she shouldn’t feel guilty for rejecting his advances. There was a time and place for that kind of behavior, and this situation required a delicate hand. Maybe Mia’s guilt was actually regret that she couldn’t give into Dominic in good conscience while she was his prisoner, for all intents and purposes. Though, that wasn’t exactly all his doing. Mia’s father was primarily to thank for that. Her father... Mia then realized why she felt the need to apologize.



Mia couldn’t really apologize for her father, and Dom had already told her to save her breath, but she did feel bad that Nico has tried to murder the last of Dominic’s family. She couldn’t imagine how Dom must feel, having already lost his brother in a similar fashion... And yet he wasn’t being nearly as horrible to her as he could be. Sure, Mia couldn’t control her father’s actions, but still, she was his blood. If the roles were reversed, Mia might not have been so... what was Dominic being? Understanding? Accommodating? Caring?



“Dom, I wish I could have done something to stop my father before he... I honestly had no idea that he planned to...” Mia said, trying to find the right words. “I mean, I wish I wasn’t here under these circumstances, but what he did was wrong.” She said earnestly.



Mia would probably come to regret admitting this to Dominic, but at the moment she was talking to the Dom she used to know, whether he was still in there or not. She might have been her father’s daughter, but she didn’t condone his actions. Of all the people responsible for Mia being on the island, she was most angry with her father. It was just easier to take that anger out on Dominic since he was here and her father... Mia pushed the thoughts of what had become of her father away for now, still not able to open Pandora’s box.

Conflicted

Dom’s room

Outfit

apolla

nine lives

 

[apolla]

mood

confused

location

shower ---> her bedroom

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron honestly lost track of time as she stood there under the massaging spray, just letting the hot water wash away everything from the last twenty four hours. The stress from school, meeting Cal, getting abducted, the plane ride, and now being here. The island was beautiful, at least what she'd seen of it. The water was crystal clear, and the house she was forced to stay in was gorgeous, inside and out. Mia was friendly, and Cameron definitely needed a friend here, though Cameron was still on the fence about Dominic. But he wasn't the only one she was on the fence about.

Her eyes opened slowly as she pictured Cal, her teeth snagging her bottom lip as a hand reached out to rest on the wall. Thinking about him made her weak in the knees, and she hated that she felt that way. She shouldn't. Right? He'd lied to her from the very beginning, gotten her in that damn SUV and then slammed the child locked door behind her. Just thinking about how stupid she'd been made her cheeks warm with embarrassment. She replayed the entire scene in her mind as she stood there under the spray of the water, realizing that if she'd just gotten in her car she might possibly be home free.

But did she really want to be home with a man who'd done this to her?

"Fuck." Cameron muttered, squeezing her eyes shut and tilting her head back. She realized she'd probably been in there for some time now, so she reached for the shampoo bottle and started washing her hair. Conditioning followed, and then she washed her body. She'd hoped that the shower would help her clear her mind, though as she turned off the water, she felt far from better. At least emotionally. Stepping out from the tub, she grabbed a towel from the rack and dried herself, her eyes drifting from the foggy mirror to the shirt sitting innocently on the counter.

Heaving a sigh, she pulled on the boyshorts first, then pulled the shirt to her. Her eyes glanced towards the door, making sure it was still closed and that there were no eyes on her as she lifted the shirt closer to her face. Inhaling Cal's scent, her eyes fluttered closed. Yes, it definitely smelled like him, and even though she'd just used the body wash in the shower, now she would, too. Pulling the t-shirt over her head, she glanced at her reflection, what little bit of it she could see. The shirt barely hit her thighs, but the important parts were covered. With a shaky inhale, she grabbed her dirty clothes and the towel as she headed for the bathroom door, pulling it open. She made her way back to her bedroom, dumping the clothes into the basket waiting there before she climbed onto the bed.

nine lives

mood

unsure

location

his bedroom

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic could probably stand to shower himself, but for right now, he wanted to be here. Pulling Mia down onto the bed beside him wasn't something he'd planned on doing, but then again, when did Dominic ever plan anything? He usually lived by the seat of his pants, and even though his father hated that and tried to drill accountability and planning into his son, the lessons had only gone so far. His father was still iffy on Dominic becoming the new Don. Dominic wasn't stupid, he knew that his father felt this way. But what was life without surprises? Boring, that's what.

Dominic understood that he needed to take responsibility for things and start acting that way, unless he wanted to run the mafia family straight into the ground. He liked having money and being able to buy or get anything he wanted. But he'd never, ever wanted to be the Don. That was Casey's job, and then... well, that is history. It couldn't be changed, no matter how much Dominic wanted it to. No matter how badly he wanted his brother back, Casey could never come back. The position of the Don of the Santoro's now fell on Dominic's shoulders, and even though he tried not to think about it, he couldn't help but not to.

So that led to moments like this. He grinned as Mia shifted on the bed after he pulled her down in front of him. He could feel her eyes on him as he applied the ointment and then the bandaid, and he expected her to pull away from him completely when he was done. But she didn't, and he tilted his head slightly as he watched her. He simply nodded as she thanked him, his eyes widening slightly with curiosity when she started to speak again. "What, Mia?" He asked her, his voice soft as his fingers continued massaging the skin of her wrist. Slowly, he reached for her other hand as well, doing the same thing with that wrist.

She paused, and the silence stretched on between them. Dominic's slight, playful smile never left his face as he waited for her to speak. But then she did, and his fingers slowed their ministrations on her wrists, and the smile did disappear from his face. Though Dominic hated the guy, he did respect him, and the fact that Mia's father had actually tried to kill him did not sit well with the Don's son. "It was wrong." Dominic whispered, glancing down at his hands wrapped around her wrists. He released her, starting to gather the first aid items and toss them back into the kit. Shutting it and clasping it, he nudged it aside, his eyes flicking up in her direction. He didn't do well with serious talks. Not one bit.

Standing from the bed, he grabbed the trash and moved to dump it in his trash can, clearing his throat slightly as he turned his back to her. "Go get some rest, Mia. I know you slept on the plane, but trust me, these beds are a ton more comfortable." He still hadn't turned back to her, his eyes on the trash can, though his mind was elsewhere.

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal

It didn’t take Cal much time at all to shower. He wasn’t one to linger in the warm water, viewing showers as purely functional, unless accompanied by a woman. Grabbing a towel, Cal stepped out of the shower and dried off. He rubbed the towel through his hair, collecting the excess water, before wrapping it around his hips.
Cal glanced at his reflection in the mirror briefly. The tattoos that covered his body were reminders of all the crimes he had committed or helped commit. He frowned a little, wondering where he would put the tattoo he’d now earned from kidnapping Cameron. Cal was running out of bare skin, but that was a problem for another time though. It wasn’t like he was getting a tattoo while on the island, so he had time to mull it over.
Exiting the bathroom in nothing but his towel, clothes in hand, Cal made his way towards his room. He slowed as he passed Cameron’s room, noticing the other bathroom looked to be empty, and figuring Cam was inside. It was so tempting to invite himself in, but he had told Cameron earlier that he’d not bother her in bed until she asked him to. So for now, without an invitation from Can, he’d just spend the evening relaxing in his own room. Perhaps she’d still be in his shirt later when she woke up, and he could see her then. The thought still intrigued him. A lot about Cam intrigued him actually.
Cal made his way to his room, regrettably alone. The chair on the plane hadn’t been the most comfortable, so another nap was in order. Grabbing a pair of boxers out of his suitcase, Cal pulled them on and got into bed. With his thoughts swirling around the blonde in the room across the hall, Cal fell asleep quickly.

Conflicted

Bathroom> His Room

Outfit

apolla

nine lives

Mia

Mia rose from Dominic’s bed when he released her hands and suggested she get some sleep, nodding silently. She hadn’t meant to upset him, though she had knowingly waded into dangerous water by talking about their fathers. This was not a mistake she would make again, Mia noted, unless she wanted to escape from Dominic.

It wasn’t that Mia was sad to be dismissed, it was for the best anyways, but she was now resigned to the idea of amending the current situation. She would not try to be sympathetic towards the person holding her against her will, whether she had known him previously or not. It was a silly notion to begin with.
Without saying anything else, Mia left Dominic’s room. She noticed Cameron make her way from the bathroom to her room, wearing what looked to be Cal’s shirt, but Mia was to weary to investigate further. Whatever was going on between Cameron and Cal was their business.

Mia entered her own room, and locked the door behind her. Walking over to her bed, she pulled back the covers and climbed in. This bed was much more comfortable than the one on the plane, and Mia was still jet lagged. Pulling her covers up around her, Mia glanced at her bandaged hand for a moment. Dominic was so frustrating. He had the capacity to be nice, but it was fleeting. Better to just ignore the nice moments from now on to keep from making any mistakes that Mia would regret. With a sigh, Mia closed her hand to cover the bandage and tucked her arm under her pillow.

Mia closed her eyes, trying to coax herself to sleep. Sleeping was the easiest and safest way to pass time on the island, and would likely become her escape. Or at least it would be, if not for the nightmares. As Mia’s drifted off, the nightmares from earlier on the plane began replaying in her head.

Annoyed

Her room

Outfit

apolla

nine lives