Realistic or Modern &nbsp; [Blossom] Falling for the Darkness [Goldieloxx]

nine lives

Mia

Once clean and back in her room, Mia put the pjs she'd been wearing earlier back on. She'd have to add proper loungewear to the list Dominic had mentioned she could make to have sent to the island. The thought of someone rifling through her things still creeped her out a little, but at this rate that was low on the list of things to worry about. Admittedly though, Mia was really doing her best not to worry about anything at the moment. She was in a surprisingly good mood right now, and hoping to ride the wave as long as possible.

The brunette brushed the tangles out of her hair and hung the towel up out on the balcony to dry. The growling of her stomach reminded her that Dominic was likely downstairs by now looking for something to eat, and Mia left her room to join him. As she walked down the hall, Mia wondered if Cameron was still asleep, or if she'd be wanting food as well. Deciding to be polite and check, Mia stopped at the blonde's room, but found the door ajar and the room empty. Curious, Mia's eyes flicked over to Cal's door across the hall that was tightly shut. It might have been Mia's imagination, but it sounded like there was movement within the lackey's room. Somebody definitely was not sleeping, and she imagined that somebody was joined by a pretty blonde.

Mia was surprised by how quickly Cal and Cam had clicked and found themselves together... but she also might have been a little inspired. There were no sounds of screaming or struggle, so either Cam was able to get over the awkwardness of being captive and had decided to enjoy her time on the island, or she was seducing Cal in the hopes of using him to get off the island when the time came. Either way, the blonde was taking advantage of the situation, whereas Mia had been fighting her desire to. At least for the most part.

Continuing her way down the stairs now, Mia weighed her options. She could either continue to lie to herself about being attracted to Dominic and deny herself the one outlet of escape... Or, she could make a deal with herself, and enjoy Dominic's company, but only while they were on the island and he was away from the mafia. If she could just pretend that the mafia didn't exist, and focus only on the island, then maybe she could get past her holdups with the attractive man she'd once crushed on. Moral compass be damned.

The latter option was sounding more and more appealing to Mia by the second. And the smile that Dominic greeted her with when she entered the kitchen all but made up her mind. Making the conscious effort to let her guard down a bit, Mia returned the smile as she glanced around the kitchen before settling her gaze on Dominic. "What, you don't have a five star meal already prepared, Chef Dominic?" She teased, coming to a stop next to the island.

Mia noticed Dominic's drink on the counter, and decided that if she was truly going to give into the island vibe, she could use a drink too. "So where are you hiding the wine?" She asked, before looking in the direction he gestured. Spotting the wine rack, Mia grabbed one of the bottles and the wine opener nearby. Part of her hoped she wasn't about to get in trouble for accidentally opening a couple hundred dollar bottle of wine like she had a knack for doing back at her uncle's restaurant, but the other part of her pointed out that she couldn't get in much more trouble than she already had found herself in. Besides, money wasn't much of a concern for the Don or his son. If anything, she should find the most expensive bottle of wine to drink to teach them a lesson... Another time perhaps.

With a dull pop, Mia pulled the cork from the wine bottle and looked through the cabinets until she found a wine glass, making herself at home. The more wine Mia poured into her glass, the more she was committing herself to her new outlook. Raising her glass, Mia glanced over at Dominic and shot him a look that warned him not to judge her for her heavy pour.

"So... any thoughts on dinner?" Mia asked, taking a sip of wine, before setting her glass down as she hopped up onto the counter to sit. "You think we should wait for the other two, to ugh, finish up? Or let them fend for themselves?" She asked, a small grin playing on her lips as she took another drink.

Relaxed

Kitchen

nine lives

apolla · Feb 25, 2021

mood

embarrassed

location

Cal's bed ---> downstairs

outfit

tags

Cal/Mia (

Desert_Blossom ); Dominic

Cameron

Cameron had nveer hungered for someone as much as she hungered for Cal, and that was evident by how she was already ready for him again. She felt insatiable, and though it was a foreign sensation to her, it wasn't entirely unwelcome. Especially as he kissed her neck, touched her here, there, everywhere... She couldn't get enough. Never had she uttered someone's name so often in such a short amount of time, either. Her nails dug into his skin over and over as he showed her that he knew exactly what he was doing. And maybe that should have been terrifying, but it wasn't. In fact, she wasn't scared at all. She felt safe wrapped in his arms, held by him as he brought her to the edge again and again.

When he rolled over to his side of the bed, Cameron continued to stare above her for a few seconds, still seeing him there in her mind's eye. She could still feel him all over her, and she briefly wondered if she had any marks left over from their love making. If you could call it that. Whatever you called it, she'd be more than happy to do it again and again, for as long as she could. When she turned her head to look at him, he was already looking at her, and the flush on her face deepened as a small, knowing smile crept onto her face. "What?" She asked anyway, wondering if she could even move downstairs to the kitchen now.

His response made her heart flutter a bit, and the smile turned a bit more shy, especially as he reached over to brush a strand of hair out of her face. Closing her eyes for a moment, she reveled in his touch, blowing out a soft breath. "They tell a story. Multiple stories." She responded, opening her eyes again, letting her gaze travel over the tattoos she could see from her position beside him. "And I want to hear them." She whispered softly, her eyes traveling back up to meet his. She knew that not all of the stories would be pretty, but that was okay. She wanted to hear them anyway, if he would tell her.

He moved closer, kissing her forehead before he shifted into a sitting position. She remained laying down, rolling her eyes when he told her not to distract him again. "I wasn't the one who brought up round two, so don't even try to make it out like that was my fault." She teased him, watching as he shifted to sit on the edge of the bed. When he brought up wearing something else, though, she grew curious and sat up. Her jaw dropped when she saw the torn shirt in his hands, one of her own hands moving to cover her mouth as she started to laugh. She vaguely remembered hearing a tearing sound when he tore the shirt from her, but she hadn't quite expected that.

She caught it as he tossed it to her, pulling it over her head and looking down at herself. "Well, shit." It didn't cover anything. When she looked back up, he was handing her a water bottle. She took it, moving to stand from the bed. Walking around to Cal's side, closer to the door, she turned her head in his direction. "Don't stare at my ass when I walk out." She told him, the smirk on her face telling him that she knew he definitely would. She walked to the door and pulled it open, making sure there wasn't anyone in the hallway before darting across it to her own room.

Once safely inside, she shut the door and looked again at his ruined t-shirt. Shaking her head, she pulled it over her head and took her time changing, settling on a simple yet cute shirt with a pair of jean shorts. Leaving herself barefoot for now, she ran her fingers through her hair, giving herself a quick onceover in the mirror before pulling her door back open. She didn't see Cal in his room anymore, so she decided to venture downstairs, where she heard voices in the kitchen. Stepping into the doorway, she saw both Dominic and Mia turn their eyes on her. Feeling as though they both knew exactly what had transpired between her and Cal, even if they didn't, she gave them a small wave. "Hey... is that wine?"

nine lives

mood

hungry

location

kitchen

outfit

tags

Mia (

Dominic

Dominic couldn't deny that he was happy to see Mia as she stepped into the room, and her teasing him about not having a five star meal ready made him think that she was enjoying his company as well. His grin widened as he gestured to the table. "You mean you don't enjoy invisible steak with rosemary potatoes and a chef's salad?" He moved closer to the counter, placing his hands on his hips as he stared at the empty space on it. "Well, damn. I guess I'll just have to try again." Shrugging, he lifted his gaze back to her. She was beautiful even now, with the PJs on that she'd been wearing earlier. He wanted to walk over to her, grab her hair and pull her head back, bring her lips to his...

But he didn't. Shrugging the image from his mind, he pointed in the direction of the wine racks when she asked, watching her as she headed in that direction. So she was a wine girl, was she? Well, she had plenty to choose from. Dominic was definitely more of a beer guy, or even liquor, but he wasn't opposed to wine. He just didn't know jack shit about it, other than it was red, white, or sometimes pink. He turned away to his own drink, lifting it to his lips to take a sip when she popped the wine. Setting his drink back on the counter, he glanced in her direction. "We celebrating?"

She found a glass and his eyebrow lifted as he watched her pour almost all of the bottle into the glass. He lifted his drink in response to her lifting hers, a silent promise not to judge her. They both drank at the same time, and she was pulling herself onto the counter when he lowered his again. "I can think of something I'd like to eat." His lips curled into a smirk as he stepped closer to her, reaching out to trail his fingers along her thigh. Before either of them could say or do anything, though, he heard a voice in the doorway, knowing before he looked that the voice belonged to Cameron.

"Maybe later." He winked at Mia before he stepped away, hand still wrapped around his drink as he turned his attention to the blonde. "Sure is. Looks like we don't have to wait after all, Mia." Pushing himself off the counter, he grabbed a glass from the same cabinet Mia had grabbed hers from, lifting the wine bottle to pour the remnants into the fresh glass. "You might need to open a new bottle. Someone had a little fun while pouring her own glass." He grinned as he slid the empty wine glass to the back of the counter, then picked up the half full glass to hand to Cameron.

"For you." He winked at her as she took the glass from his hands, lifting it to her lips to take a sip. Dominic moved further into the room again, bending backwards a little bit to look behind the blonde. "Where is Cal? You didn't stab him in the chest and leave him in his bed to die, did you?" He knew his sense of humor was a little morbid sometimes, but that came along with the territory of being the prince of the mafia. He went back to the fridge, pulling it open again. "Alright, chickens. What do we want for dinner? Now that I mentioned steak, that sounds really good."

He rummaged around a little bit, leaning forward to see what else was in there again. "We have all kinds of stuff, really. We can make a bunch of shit." Shrugging, he straightened and turned back around, looking at the two girls in the room. "I could get used to this." He felt himself smirk again as he strutted forward, grabbing his drink and downing the rest of it. Tossing the bottle into the recycle, he glanced up when he heard approaching footsteps. "Well, well, well. Look who's alive." He greeted Cal with a high five as he stepped into the room. "We were just deciding what we want to make for dinner."

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Mar 3, 2021

Mia

Mia laughed when Dominic pretended to have cooked an invisible dinner, going along with his charade for a moment. "Your cooking skills are as impressive as ever..." She teased, surveying the empty counter. "Invisible steak is probably the only steak I actually would enjoy..." She replied, preparing herself for the eyerolls that typically accompanied her next comment. "Since I'm a vegetarian..." Mia admitted, knowing it made her a little bit more difficult to cook for, especially in a group.

The brunette hadn't become a vegetarian for any noble reasons like saving animals or the planet. She'd given up meat when she was in her teens to spite her father and be ornery since he was so fond of meaty Italian dishes. Initially she'd just wanted to rebel and show she wasn't like her father, but eventually her eating habits just stuck and she was too stubborn to give them up. Being a vegetarian had become more of a sense of principle than anything else.

Busying herself with finding, opening and pouring a glass of wine, Mia rolled her eyes when Dom asked if they were celebrating. "Pray tell what cause there is for celebration?" She asked, raising a sarcastic eyebrow. "Being kidnapped? Held hostage? Your invisible steak dinner?" Mia asked as she poured, giving Dominic a hard time, but not truly upset or trying to start a fight. She wasn't going to pretend that the situation she was in didn't exist, but like she'd decided earlier, she was going to do her best to reframe her attitude towards it, and Dom.

"Nah, not celebrating. Just taking the edge off... in an attempt to embrace the island spirit." Mia replied as they both lifted their glasses and drank. His lack of teasing for the heavy pour was appreciated, earning him a few brownie points.

Her inquiry about dinner had been meant innocently enough, but Dom's suggestive response made Mia tense as she watched him step towards her from her perch on the counter. She reminded herself that she didn't have to keep resisting the dark haired man that now stood before her, the devilish smirk on his mouth just asking for trouble. She had no intentions of christening the kitchen, but a little flirting couldn't hurt... Leaning towards Dom a little, Mia opened her mouth to utter some sort of response as he reached out to trail his fingers along her skin, but it was Cameron's voice that sounded in the kitchen rather than Mia's.

Surprised by the sudden company, the brunette's playful words were forgotten and she straightened back up on the counter. Mia hadn't realized how fast her heart had been beating until Dom stepped away as Cameron entered the kitchen. Glancing at the blonde, Mia offered her a smile and a nod before quickly taking a large sip of wine to collect herself. She almost choked when Dom ended up giving her hard time afterall for her generous pour, and she shot him a betrayed glare.

"It's almost a necessity if I'm expected to put up with you..." Mia retorted, mentally redacting the brownie points previously rewarded to the Don's son. "There's more wine over there Cam," Mia said, nodding to where she found the first bottle. "Once you finish that glass."

Dom's question to Cam about whether she'd murdered Cal almost elicited another eye roll, but Mia just drowned the urge with some more wine instead. While she was curious about Cam and Cal's budding connection, Mia wasn't about to put the blonde on blast in the kitchen. There'd be plenty of time later to get the gossip, ideally without the presence of any men.

"I feel like you'd eat steak for every meal if it were up to you at this rate..." Mia teased when Dom asked about dinner options while he looked through the fridge. "You guys figure out what you're going to have, and I'll just adjust it as necessary." She added, figuring she'd not be too demanding yet with her meal requests. There were other fights to be fought, and she'd pick her battles.

"I think you'd be the only one..." Mia replied to Dom's comment about getting used to this. Even if she and Cameron were exceptionally lucky to have found themselves on a beautiful island with two attractive men instead of in a leaky basement being harrassed by thugs, this was something Mia never wanted to become used to. She'd get through it, and enjoy what she could, but not get used to it. That was a slippery slope towards Stockholm Syndrome.

Cal completed the quartet as he walked into the kitchen, and Mia hid her smirk behind another sip of wine when she caught the brief look he gave Cam. She didn't know much about Cal, but if the seemingly sweet blonde she was trapped with had taken a liking to him, perhaps he wasn't the worst. Though not being the worst didn't mean she was about to become friends with him either. She'd leave that to Cam.

Relaxed

Kitchen

nine lives

Cal

24 or so hours ago Cal would never have thought he’d be lying in bed next to one of his targets. First of all, when the tattooed man was given the assignment to capture and deliver Cam to the island, he believed he was gonna be grabbing a man. So needless to say nothing even remotely close to what had just transpired between Cal and the blonde had crossed his mind. And even when he did discover that Cameron was a woman and not a man, bedding her was still not considered. Yes she was beautiful, but she was his assignment. Had plans not changed at the last minute to include Dominic’s task to grab the brunette girl, Cal likely would have kept his distance from Cam, for a little longer at the very least. Luckily, the Don’s son wasn’t as stern as his father and had even suggested that Cal have a little fun...

So now, as he caught his breath and enjoyed the after effects of their intimacy, it was hard for Cal to see Cam as just an assignment anymore. He had crossed a line he’d never dared, nor wanted, to before. He’d mixed business with pleasure, and that was a dangerous game to play. Not that Cal hadn’t become accustomed to danger in his line of work. And as Cameron expressed her interest in learning the meaning behind all of his tattoos, Cal was reminded that he was still a member of the mafia, and technically still on the clock.

Cal met Cameron’s beautiful blue eyes, and did his best to hide his conflicted feelings. It would be nice to share the symbolic meaning behind his tattoos with one living soul, but to do so with Cam would likely bring an end to whatever this was between them. Rather than deny her desire now, Cal just smiled and gave her a kiss on the forehead, sitting up in the bed.

The more somber trail of thought he was at risk of traveling down was interrupted by the comedic effect achieved when Cam put his tee shirt back on. “I don’t mind it like that...” He teased, giving her a once over and enjoying the more revealing nature of the garment. “And I make no promises!” Cal added when Cameron told her not to look at her ass when she left. True to his nature, Cal was unable to resist watching the beautiful blonde walk out his door and dart across the hall. He chuckled to himself a little, amused by his lover... or whatever she was. No need to dwell on semantics. He’d just enjoy whatever it was while it lasted. Or rather while the assignment lasted.

Cal pulled on some black sweatpants and a white tank from his bag, running a lazy hand through his hair to coax it back into place. He doubted any crumbs really made their way into his sheets, but to be safe he gathered the bedding and left his room in search of the washer and dryer. As he made his way downstairs he could hear Dom and Mia in the kitchen, but decided he needed to stay focussed on his mission or he’d end up without sheets to sleep on tonight. After a few minutes spent opening up the many doors in the large house, most of which were all closets, Cal finally located the laundry room. Using the detergent from one of the cabinets, he tossed in his sheets and started a load. Satisfied, he then made his way back to the kitchen.

Cam had made her way downstairs in the meantime, and beat him to the kitchen. As he entered, his eyes immediately went to her, checking her out in her new outfit, before remembering himself. “Great, I’m starving!” Cal replied to Dom, giving him a high five as he walked into the kitchen. “Did I hear you mention steaks? Do you have a grill here outside?” He asked, trying to assume a casual demeanor despite having a suspicion that Dom and the brunette were onto him and Cam’s extracurricular activities.

Seeing that the women were sipping on wine, Cal grabbed a beer from the fridge and passed another to Dom since he looked to be empty handed at this point. The fridge was stocked with just about anything you could think of, a perk of the Don’s son being here he imagined. “Or we could barbecue some hamburgers or hot dogs or chicken kabobs while the girls fix up some sides...” He suggested, wanting to come to a decision on dinner sooner than later as his stomach growled again. “That is, if they can be trusted alone in the kitchen with the knives...” Cal joked, glancing between the girls before over to Dom, unaware that Dom had made a joke about Cam stabbing him in the back earlier.

“Hell, I’d even eat a fucking frozen pizza at this point if you don’t want to grill...” Cal shrugged, taking a long sip of his beer. Just what the doctor ordered! A couple more of those and some food, and Cal would be living large, especially after his romps with Cam. He glanced over at the blonde and raised an eyebrow. “Any preference on the menu?”

Starving

His Room

nine lives

apolla · Mar 15, 2021

mood

uncomfortable

location

kitchen

outfit

tags

Cal/Mia (

Desert_Blossom ); Dominic

Cameron

A delicious tingle reverberated throughout Cameron's entire body as she changed and then made her way downstairs, and she felt as though it were a neon sign that just screamed out that she'd slept with her kidnapper. Although she'd never really been one to care what other people thought of her, for some reason she cared now as she found Dominic and Mia in the kitchen in a semi close embrace of their own. Was it Mia's curious gaze or Dominic's knowing smirk that brought a warm flush to her cheeks? Or was she reading too much into the room and it was just the memory of what Cal had done to her, the way he'd made her feel just a short time ago? And what did it say about her that she'd slept with him? Not even once, but twice.

Using the wine as a distraction, Dominic pointed out that she might have to open a new bottle and Mia almost choked. Still, there was something playful about the banter between the two, and so she didn't say anything as she headed in the direction of the wine racks, stopping when she noticed the large collection. She was no wine connoisseur, not even close, she'd just needed a distraction and something to take the edge off. But it would take forever to go through this collection, jesus. She'd just picked a random bottle of white and turned back around when Dominic asked his question about Cal, and she felt the heat return to her face. "No!" She said, a little too quickly, earning herself another smirk from Dominic as he lifted a beer bottle to his lips.

Thankfully, he moved on and brought up dinner, and Cameron quickly downed the first glass of wine he'd given her before she opened the next bottle, pouring herself her own healthy amount. Cal's voice booming from behind her nearly gave her a heart attack, and she jumped, spilling wine onto the counter. "Party foul." She frowned, shooting Cal a glare that she didn't really mean. Damn, she really was on edge. Sighing, she set the bottle back on the counter and turned, locating a roll of paper towels. Moving to grab a few sheets, she quickly soaked up the wine on the counter before she threw the used towels in the trash.

Cal's question about if there was a grill caused her to look up at the tattooed man, a wave of sadness washing over her. Having cookouts and grilling a bunch of food they could never eat at one time was a favorite pastime of her family's, a way to celebrate just being together, and now she was stranded on an island with two kidnappers and another girl she didn't know. She had no idea if she'd ever see her family again, or if they even had an inkling of what happened to her. But then again, she told herself, he should know exactly what happened considering the contract he'd signed.

Cameron didn't know how to deal with the feelings of betrayal that cut deep within her, nor had she realized she'd stopped in the middle of the kitchen. Coming back to her senses, she ambled back to the counter, picking up her glass and taking a sip. Once she lowered the glass, the lump in her throat had dissipated and she felt as though she could talk again. "Go ahead and grill. I'm sure Mia and I can come up with something in here." She met the other girls gaze, offering her a small yet still slightly shaky smile. She could definitely use some girl time, and she just hoped that Mia felt the same. Dominic had accepted the beer that Cal got him, and he took a swig and grinned at Cam's suggestion.

He and Cal grabbed a bunch of stuff to take outside; Cameron wasn't really paying attention to what they took. But it wasn't long before she and Mia were alone in the kitchen, and Cameron let out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding. She didn't really know where to start or even how, so she just downed the rest of the wine in her glass and then straightened, looking at Mia again. "You two seemed chummy when I walked in." Oh, yeah, great job Cam. Throw that in her face, I'm sure she'll love that. Frowning, Cameron offered her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like it sounded." Pursing her lips, she gestured towards the fridge. "So... sides?"

nine lives

mood

it is what it is

location

kitchen ---> patio

outfit

tags

Mia/Cal (

Desert_Blossom ); Cam

Dominic

Dominic was not and had never been the type to settle down, which was probably part of the reason his father's letter had come as such a shock to him. Of course, he hadn't really processed it yet, either. Had he still been in the states, he probably would have been on some type of bender, which is probably why his father sent him here. With Mia. Fuck, the man was good, even if Dominic didn't want to admit it. Casey had been just like him, and honestly, Dominic felt as though no matter what he did, he would never measure up to either of them. Even dead, Casey was a much better fit for this life than Dominic was, but no dead man could become the leader of the mafia. Fucking... god.

Dominic never let his insecurities show, though. That was one lesson he'd learned young and still carried with him to this day. He didn't let his walls down for anyone, even if that someone was a sweet brunette who'd captured his heart long ago. His playboy nature lived on his sleeve at all times, and it was just easier that way. Easier not to let someone in, because that's how people hurt you. And Mia had made it clear she didn't want this life, the life that she was being forced into. And she didn't even know the half of it yet. Eventually he would have to tell her. The letter weighed heavily in his pocket, but he didn't take it out just yet. He couldn't. Not when things were going so well.

When Cal appeared and immediately started talking food, Dominic just grinned, accepting the beer his friend offered. Popping the top, he tossed it in the bin before he took a swig, turning back to face the others. He cast Cam a lifted eyebrow as he spotted her just standing in the center of the room, seeming lost in thought. But she came to her senses and returned to her wine, suggesting that they indeed grill out. Dominic grinned. "Works for me." He winked at Mia as he started grabbing things from the fridge, tossing them on a big plate before heading for the sliding door that let outside.

He made sure the sliding door stayed open at least a crack before he set everything down on the table out there, looking over at Cal. "You really think we can trust them with the knives?" He teased, smirking at his friend before he headed for the grill, starting the process of lighting it. "Nah, I think they're smarter than that. If they kill us, they'll die out here." He shrugged, the grill sparking finally and lighting. "Still got it." Grinning, he stepped back and waited for the thing to heat up, looking over at Cal again. "So, tattoo man, just what were you and blondie doing up there for so long?" A sly grin appeared on his face, because Dominic played the part of being dumb but was actually far from it.

Taking another swig of his beer, he set the bottle down on the table and turned to look out at the ocean, which wasn't far from their little patio area. He thought about his interaction with Mia in the water and his smile turned softer as his hands found the banister, his eyes glazing over for a moment. He wanted to go back, he realized. Back to the water, but even before that, back to when things had been simple. Before all of this. He briefly wondered if Cal felt the same. He'd been nothing but loyal since his beginnings with the mafia, but would he go back? Would he change the past to make the present different?

A light breeze touched Dominic and he turned around to look at Cal, a heavy sigh leaving his lips. "Cal, I need to share something with you." He straightened and pulled the letter from his pocket, glancing down at it before he handed it over. "From my father. Our plans for the future." He left it at that, deciding to let Cal read for himself and come to his own conclusions. The letter was pretty straightforward, and though Dominic wasn't sure if Cal knew before that he would become second in command, he surely would now. Reaching for his beer, Dominic took another sip as Cal read.

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Mar 17, 2021

Cal

Cal was a little disappointed when Cameron welcomed him into the kitchen with a glare. He saw the spilled wine that she was quickly cleaning up after saying something about a party foul, but he didn't see why that was his fault. No matter. Perhaps Cam was just trying to keep their affair a secret. Though Cal highly doubted they'd managed to go unnoticed. However, when a sad look crossed the blonde's face and she became lost in thought in the middle of the kitchen, Cal wondered if it wasn't something else entirely that was bothering her.

The tattooed man almost asked Cameron what was wrong, but stopped himself. It was his turn to pretend that there wasn't anything between them, and he reminded himself that he should play it cool. Even if Dominic had promoted the idea of hooking up with Cam, Cal still didn't want to seem like he cared too much about how she was feeling. Sexual relations were one thing... emotional ones were another.

Luckily, Cameron collected herself on her own, and agreed that the guys could grill while the girls prepared sides. "Sounds like a plan, let's do burgers," Cal nodded, making an executive decision for the group. Steaks, while delicious, would take too long to cook and Cal was eager to satisfy his hunger. Dom grabbed the needed items from the fridge, and Cal collected the proper seasonings from the pantry. "Be good..." He smirked at Cam and Mia as he followed his boss out the sliding glass door that led to the patio and grill.

Cal chuckled a little when Dominic commented on the girls being left alone with the knives. "Even if they were dumb enough to try anything, I imagine we'd be able to disarm them before they even got a single stab in." He smirked. "I've bested thugs with more skill than them in a knife fight." He added. It would be more comical than anything if either of the girls really thought they'd be able to get the upper hand. They were both tiny compared to the men and could easily be overpowered. Just because Cal hadn't had to use his full strength yet against Cam, nor wanted to, didn't mean he couldn't. He benched more than Cam weighed soaking wet.

Dom lit the grill and grinned, proud of his handy work, earning a chuckle from Cal. "When was the last time you had to grill for yourself?" He mused, more rhetorical than actually fishing for an answer. He took a sip of his beer just as his friend asked about him and Cam, and Cal had to pause before swallowing to prevent his drink from going down the wrong tube.

"I had a feeling the third degree was coming..." Cal replied, leaning against the table and crossing his arms, still holding the beer in one hand. "I was still a little jet lagged and couldn't sleep... So I found someone else to occupy my time." He grinned with a shrug. There was no use playing coy with Dom, but Cal also wasn't going to offer a play by play.

Besides, when he looked over at his boss and friend, the Don-to-be looked to have other things on his mind. The almost wistful expression on Dom's face was foreign to Cal, and piqued his curiosity. However, just as he didn't ask Cam earlier what was wrong, he refrained from prying into Dom's matters too. It wasn't Cal's place to interrogate him. If his boss wanted to share, he wou--

Just as that thought crossed Cal's mind, Dominic turned towards him and announced he had something to share. For a moment, Cal wondered if he had accidentally been thinking out loud, but Dom's demeanor assured him that it was just a coincidence. His demeanor also assured Cal that something was up, that likely didn't bode well. The tattooed man watched as Dom pulled a letter out of his back pocket, and Cal wondered if those were their next orders. Fuck. Island life could only last so long...

Cal took the letter that was offered to him as Dom confirmed that it contained plans from the Don. He glanced at Dom for a moment, trying to predict what the letter contained from his body language, before turning his attention to the writing. A few moments passed in silence as Cal read the Don's written words. His brow furrowed a little, but he tried to keep his composure until the end. Once he'd finished, Cal finally looked up at the future Don. "Fuck..."

It was no surprise that Dominic would become the next Don when his father either stepped down or was prematurely retired. What was surprising was that the heir was now ordered to marry the daughter of the man almost responsible for said early retirement of the Don. Loyal to his friend, Cal's mind already started racing to figure out ways to save Dom from a marriage Cal imagined he didn't want. However, since there would likely be no reasoning with the Don and his decision, that only left three options, all of which ended in the death of someone.

If the Don were to pass away, that would release Dominic from the pressure of following his orders... but obviously Cal was not going to assassinate his boss. Dominic was not the suicidal type, no matter the situation he was faced with, so his death was a moot point. Which only left the third party in this arranged marriage...

"Does Mia need to have an accident?" Cal asked, quietly but seriously as he met Dominic's gaze. He felt it was his duty to provide some kind of solution for his boss and only real friend to avoid an unwanted . Though Cal couldn't yet think about the consequences if Dominic took him up on his offer to eliminate the problem.

Loyal to the End

Outside Patio

nine lives

Mia

The two men left the kitchen with food to grill, and Mia turned her attention to Cam once they were alone. The blonde was quickly downing the rest of her wine, and the brunette wondered if she too was using the alcohol to curb the reality of their situation, or if Cam was just trying to avoid talking to her. Once the wine had disappeared from Cam's glass, she finally turned to Mia and spoke, commenting on how chummy Mia and Dom had been. Mia was surprised that this was the first thing out of Cameron's mouth, and she raised an eyebrow, biting her tongue to keep from warning the pot not to call the kettle black. There was no reason to make an enemy out of Cam though, and when she quickly apologized, Mia relaxed some.

"Chummy wouldn't be my choice of words..." Mia replied, taking another long sip of her wine, not yet moving from her seat on the counter even as Cam gestured to the fridge. "I've known Dominic since I was young," She continued, offering that as an explanation for why they might have seemed close when Cameron walked in. "Too bad that didn't seem to buy me any leniency for what my father did." Mia sighed, before shrugging and finally hopping off the counter.

"But... let's not talk about fathers. They don't deserve to have us waste any breath on them, and I'd prefer our first chance to actually talk to be somewhat pleasant." Mia said, offering Cam a dry smile as she passed the blonde on her way to the fridge. "I say we let the guys do all the hard work, and we pick something simple..." She decided, already changing the subject back to food as she looked in the refrigerator. "We could make a salad and..."

Mia drummed her fingernails on the door handle as she scanned for something else they could make, before letting it close and moving to look through the pantry. "...baked beans or a side of mac n cheese? Or both. What sounds better to go with hamburgers to you? I haven't eaten one in forever." She asked, glancing back at Cameron for her response. Grabbing what the blonde selected as the other side, Mia put it on the counter for Cam to prepare while she got to work on the salad.

"So... I'm going to presume that because I didn't hear any screaming or sounds of struggle, that your bedroom was willingly empty earlier..." Mia mused, focussing her gaze on the tomato she was beginning to chop. "... But if either Cal or Dom ever do give you trouble or cross the line, let me know..." She continued, looking over at Cameron with a serious expression as she held the knife tightly, her threat to defend Cam's honor left unspoken. "The men involved with the mafia can be real creeps sometimes, and need to be put in their place now and then."

Though Mia wanted to know more about Cam and Cal's relationship, or whatever had formed between them, she didn't completely want to pry. She'd said her peace and wanted Cameron to know that she wasn't alone here, and that Mia had her back. But if the blonde's activities with Cal were consensual and not causing her harm, then Mia would let it be until Cameron felt like sharing. "Though from what little I know about him, Cal isn't the worst," She offered, not wanting Cam to think that she was implying that the blonde had slept with a creep. "He’s still a member of organized crime and a kidnapper, but at least he doesn't have a bad reputation with women... that I've heard about, and my mother loves to gossip."

When those words left her mouth, Mia paused for a moment, wondering if she was still able to talk about her mother in present tense. She prayed that her mother had made it to the safe house, and that it was indeed safe. At this rate, Mia wasn't sure who could be trusted in her own family or in their circle of friends now. If Dom's father or his men found her mother, would she be shown mercy? Or held accountable for her father's actions? Mia began to feel sick at the thought, cursing herself for letting her mind wander to such things when she'd been trying so hard not to think about things beyond this island. Her father had failed to protect her family, and there was nothing Mia could do from the island to save her mother or grandmother. She felt so helpless.

The brunette glanced in the direction that Dom and Cal left in for a moment, before grabbing her glass of wine again and nearly finishing the contents. She would need to go through a lot of wine to remain sane at this rate, or at least to keep the anxiety that wanted its turn in the spotlight at bay. It was only a matter of time before everything fully hit Mia, and Cameron too- if it hadn't already, but she wanted to avoid the breakdown as long as possible. Once Pandora's box was opened, Mia feared it wouldn't be able to be shut again, and she'd drown in her fears.

"How was the white?" Mia asked, trying to distract herself as she made small talk with Cameron. "Better than the red?" The brunette swallowed her last sip and looked at the bottle of white wine before pouring a little into her glass to taste. She typically preferred red, but since the white was already open and the buzz hadn't hit her yet...

Mia decided the white passed muster and filled her glass a little more, this time to a respectable amount - partly because Cam had already poured herself a healthy amount and partly because Mia knew that two glasses was her limit before becoming a lush. She poured what remained from the bottle into Cam's glass, and clinked the side of it with her own.

"To paradise." She said sarcastically.

Not Drunk Enough

Kitchen

nine lives

apolla · Mar 29, 2021

mood

worried

location

kitchen

outfit

tags

Cal/Mia (

Desert_Blossom ); Dominic

Cameron

Cameron had felt all sorts of emotions and sensations ever since meeting Cal in the parking lot. Had that really been only a day ago? Time had been weird since then, with the plane ride and the time changes and everything else. But her emotions had been all over the place; she'd felt everything from anger to sadness to despair to joy to embarrassment to pleasure. Well, that last one wasn't really an emotion she didn't think, but definitely a sensation she'd felt as Cal... she really didn't need to relive their time in his bedroom now, did she? Not in the kitchen with everyone there. Maybe later, in private. Or with Cal again.

Cam hit the imaginary brakes hard in her mind with that thought. She wanted to go again? Her body already had that answer for her, but her mind and her heart were screaming at her to stop. Even without the high levels of experience other people her age usually had, or maybe because of, she could feel herself already getting attached to him. Thinking about sitting next to him, or what they would do after dinner. Those thoughts had been in her mind as well, and even though she could try to lie to herself and say it was because there wasn't anyone else to interact with except Dominic and Mia, that was just it. It was a lie.

And that was part of what made her freeze in the middle of the kitchen, but she regained her composure and moved back to the counter, purposefully not looking at Cal. He decided on burgers for everyone, and started grabbing spices and all before he gave the girls a look, told them to be good, and disappeared outside. Dominic left too, and the first thing that popped out of Cam's mouth stemmed from the anger she felt at her premature attachment to Cal. Maybe there was a bit of jealousy, too, seeing the connection that Mia and Dom obviously had. Just what was the history there?

The blonde apologized quickly, and she glanced over to Mia, glad to find that the other girl didn't look angry. In fact, she went on to explain how she had known Dominic since they were kids, and even touched on her own father. Cam felt a stab of anger shoot through her at the thought of her own, and she sighed. "I can empathize." She frowned as Mia jumped from the counter, though she didn't say anything else at the moment. At Mia's words, her frown turned up into a smile, and the blonde nodded. "I will definitely drink to that." She grabbed her wine glass and took another sip, her eyes following Mia to the fridge.

"Salad sounds good." Cam followed the girl to the fridge a moment later, peering in as well. "Why not both? I feel like both of them could eat a horse." Mia grabbed the supplies and started on the salad, while Cam got a can of beans from the cabinet and some mac and cheese prep as well. Making it from scratch would take too long, and besides, she wasn't that good so two boxes of Velveeta shells would have to do. She located the can opener and dumped the beans into a pot she found, setting them on the stove to warm them. She found another pot that she filled with water, nearly dropping it on the way to the stove.

"I, um..." Before she could think of what to say, Mia continued and Cam glanced her way, seeing the serious expression on her face. With a small smile in return, Cam nodded and set the pot of water on the stove to boil. "Thanks for that, honestly." The girls went back to their individual projects for a moment, until Mia spoke again. This time about Cal directly. Cameron felt her face grow warm, though she stared down into the water, not turning around. Not until she heard Mia grabbing her glass of wine again, which reminded Cameron of her own.

Turning back as Mia asked about the white, for a moment, Cameron was confused as to how she'd known Cal's sheets were white. Then she realized the girl meant the wine, and her flush deepened. "I've never really been a red wine girl." Cameron took her glass again, twirling it between her fingers for a second before downing the rest of the contents. "Mia..." Cameron started, glancing back behind her to check on the pans on the stove. "What are we going to do?" She couldn't help the note of sadness in her voice as she met her gaze. "I mean obviously I don't expect us to rush them with steak knives, but... what's our future going to be like? We can't... stay here forever... right?"

nine lives

mood

playful

location

patio

outfit

tags

Mia/Cal (

Desert_Blossom ); Cam

Dominic

Dominic had graduated high school of course, though he'd definitely not been at the top of the class, much to his father's disappointment. While Casey had been a natural at pretty much everything, Dominic had to try a whole hell of a lot harder for things to work in his favor. He hated school, he hated studying and homework and all of that. Who liked that shit? No one he hung out with, that's for sure. He spent alot of time skipping classes and even failing, much preferring to hang out with his friends and smoke this or do that. Had it not been for his father basically paying the teachers to allow him remakes, he might not have passed at all.

Despite this, he was far from stupid. He seemed to work better under pressure, and there was definitely alot of that from his father and even from Casey. Casey had wanted Dom to be and do his best as well, if for no one else then for himself. He knew that despite who their father was and one day who Casey would be (because at the time, that was the plan), they couldn't rely on money to solve their every problem. Dominic didn't understand then, but he did now. Now that he would be the next Don, he understood where Casey was coming from. He almost wished he had then, too. Maybe he would have straightened up.

Not that he was exactly straight now. He still dabbled in recreational drug use and caused problems here and there, but he also didn't want to endure his father's wrath more than he had to. So he tried. Like this whole island scenario with Mia, and even Cal and Cameron. As Cal read the letter from his father, Dominic got lost in his own thoughts, remembering the contents quite vividly. He knew what the plan was, and he hoped Cal would be able to figure it out as well. If Dom was to marry Mia and she were to become the wife of the Don, then he had no use for the blonde. Sure, she was pretty, but Dominic didn't need her nor did her life need to end.

Not only that, but he could already tell Cal had a thing for the blonde, so what kind of host/future Don would he be if he didn't connect the dots? Once he gave Cameron to Cal, that was it. Game over. Just like Mia had no choice in her future, neither did Cameron. If they tried to go to the police, one of two things would happen. Either they'd find a cop who was under the mafia's thumb and be laughed off, or there would be bloodshed. He honestly didn't want to go that route, so he hoped the girls would understand from the jump, though he knew there might be some backlash.

Hearing Cal's muttered curse, Dom's smile turned a bit wry as he pushed himself off the banister, straightening. "My sentiments exactly." He glanced over at the grill to check the status of the coals, resisting the urge to sigh. He adjusted the heat and then set his beer back down, starting to open the meat and tossing it into a bowl they'd brought out. Adding some spices while Cal was thinking, he mixed everything together and then started separating the meat into patty sizes, tossing them on the grill. When he heard Cal's question, though, he couldn't stop himself from grinning.

"And this is why you're going to be my second in command, Calvin. Always thinking of me before yourself even." He let out a chuckle as he stepped back from the grill, looking at his meat covered hands. "Get the door for me, will you?" He nodded towards the door that led in, waiting until the door was open before he popped back into the kitchen. "No knives, I see." He winked at Mia before he washed his hands, then just disappeared back outside, sliding the door shut after him. "No, no. She doesn't need to have an accident, Cal." This time he did sigh, grabbing the spatula from beside the grill.

"The marriage will happen. After all, the lineage has to go on. It ended with Casey, so now it's up to me." He shrugged, looking over at Cal again. "Mia will hate me, I'm sure. And as far as Cameron goes..." His eyes drifted back to the letter in Cal's hands. "Dad said that she's mine to do with as I please, and you know how we work. She's property of the mafia now. But I'm getting married, Cal." His grin widened as he turned to face the other man. "What do I need two wives for?" Laughing, he shook his head, then pointed that spatula at Cal's chest. "Merry Christmas, my second in command."

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Apr 1, 2021

Mia

Mia glanced over her shoulder at Cameron when she followed her to the fridge and peered in. With a nod, she agreed with the blonde's observation. "Yeah, making both is probably smart. Better to over feed them than to end up with two hangry wardens." Mia replied, only half joking. It also meant she had more to eat than just salad, which would also prevent a hangry brunette. Though hopefully the wine would help prevent that as well.

Cameron got to work prepping the other two sides while Mia chopped vegetables for the salad. Taking advantage of this rare time of them being alone together, Mia let Cameron know that she'd have her back if ever needed, and offered some unsolicited information about Cal. If the blonde woman was interested in Dom's lackey, then Mia imagined she'd likely be feeling conflicted. While Mia couldn't erase the fact that Cal had kidnapped Cam, she could offer some kind of notion that he wasn't the worst person in the world to fall for. Mia smirked a little to herself when Cam was decidedly quiet after hearing about Cal, but she didn't broach the topic any further.

Instead, Mia focussed on wine, both to ease the mood and distract her from her thoughts about her family. She hadn't realized that talking about Cal would be such a slippery slope, but she'd be more careful next time when referencing life back on the mainland. A flush crossed Cameron's face when Mia asked about the white wine, and she tilted her head to the side curiously for a moment. It was so tempting to pry into what had happened between Cam and Cal, but Mia really didn't want to get off onto the wrong foot with the blonde. Knowing their drama though would be a welcome distraction from her own confusion over Dominic.

"You don't have to be embarrassed about not liking red wine," Mia said, deciding to purposely misinterpret Cam's blush. "Though I myself don't discriminate, as long as it has alcohol in it." She added with a smirk, drinking some of the white wine she'd poured for herself.

Mia's smirk faded though at the sadness in Cam's voice when she asked what they were going to do. The blonde's innocent blue eyes met Mia's gaze, and the brunette's stomach tightened. Cam's questions were valid, but there was no good answer. At least, no answer that either of the girls would particularly like. Mia might not have been as involved in the mafia as her parents, but she knew enough to understand that the likelihood of this situation ending well, for either of them, was slim.

"Cam..." Mia began, debating whether to be honest with her, or try to sugar coat things. Though before she could even make a decision, the glass door was slid open by Cal and Dominic walked in. Taking a long gulp of wine while Dom walked to the sink to wash his hands, Mia just nodded at his "no knives" comment as she swallowed. "Don't worry, we're behaving." Mia finally replied, having used that extra moment to collect herself so it didn't seem like Cam had just brought up how they were going to get off the island. "For now..." She added as he exited as quickly as he came in.

Mia watched Dom as he disappeared back outside, her gaze lingering in his direction for a moment to make sure he wasn't going to pop back in. Satisfied that they were alone again though, Mia's blue eyes turned back to Cameron.

"Yeah, steak knives won't help us much unless you're hiding it under your pillow to ward off unwanted company in bed." Mia said, finishing off another glass of wine. The alcohol was starting to catch up with her now, and she could feel a few of her filters being disabled.

"Even if you and I managed to overpower Dom and Cal, we'd still be stuck on this island. With the bodyguards no less. And part of me thinks the only reason we're safe with them is because Dom's breathing." She added, recalling her earlier run in with the guard. "They won't be as gentle as Cal was if you wander off too far..." Mia warned.

"And as much as I dislike being stuck on this island, at least we're alive. I haven't heard of many cases of the mafia just letting prisoners go once they know too much, and we know too much." Mia said bluntly, the wine making the decision for her to be honest and not pull any punches. "The only way we have any chance of returning to some kind of life back on the mainland is either coming up with an ingenious escape plan and learning how to fly a plane... or praying that the FBI happens across this island and puts us in the Witness Protection Program. Either way, we can kiss our old lives goodbye."

Knowing that these were their options was one thing. Actually saying them out loud to Cameron was another. If not for the wine, Mia would likely be spiraling into a fit of despair right now at their limited options for the future. However, at this point, Mia was just drunk enough to avoid the spiral.

"Orrrr, you could always weasel your way into Cal's heart and convince him to betray Dom and have him get us off the island. Then you two can live happily ever after in hiding. I won't tell a soul, just bring me with you when you escape." Mia said, trying to end on a lighter note (if even possible) and smirking at Cam. "I feel like you've got a nice start already..." She added with a knowing glance. "Or maybe that was already your plan? If not, it should be."

Had Dominic not been the son of the Don, Mia might have considered that approach herself. Hell, it would have made her attraction to Dom so much easier if she could use trying to seduce him into saving her as an excuse for giving in to his advances. Their kiss in the water would have been a ploy to save herself instead of being... Well, Mia didn't know what that kiss was. Right now, it was just an escape from reality, she told herself. A pleasurable and harmless distraction.

And sure, Mia could try to seduce Cal if Cameron wasn't going to... but if Cal was already interested in her blonde companion, it would be silly not to use that to their advantage. Besides, a small part of Mia couldn't bring herself to openly pursue Dom's friend in front of him. (Or instead of him.) Even if Dominic was the jerk who had kidnapped her. And even if her freedom depended on it, she also didn't want Dom to die.

Blunt

Kitchen

nine lives

Cal

This life in the mafia had never been one that Cal, or rather Nathan at the time, had planned to find himself trapped within. He had been a hard working, honest, respectable member of society. His goal had always been to rise above the life he and his family were born into. Though he'd home from a bad neighborhood, he had been naive enough to think he could escape the reaches of the mafia. And when his sister found herself in trouble, like many girls before her, he had sacrificed his own freedom for hers.

Now, he was not only a wanted man for crimes he didn't commit, he also had a lifetime membership to the mafia and all it's criminal activity. It was hard to even remember the days of being Nathan. They seemed like a lifetime ago, and they practically were. Nathan was dead, for all intents and purposes, and all that remained was Cal- a loyal lackey whose morals had been washed down the drain for the sake of protecting his family. And now, as he read the letter the Don had sent Dominic, he was ready to do what it took to protect his new family. Even if that meant helping Mia reach a premature end to her life.

Perhaps it was because Cal was accustomed to being a side player, or because he truly felt bad for Dominic having to marry someone because he was ordered to, but at first the tattooed man didn't even think about what kind of role he played in all this. Beyond being a problem solver for Dom, that is. It wasn't until Dom replied to Cal's offer to get rid of Mia, that it occurred to the lackey that this letter affected him too.

Reeling from Dom's comment about him being second in command, Cal obediently, though distractedly, opened the door for the future Don. His mind was racing a mile a minute as he processed what Dom had just said. And this is why you're going to be my second in command, Calvin. Always thinking of me before yourself even.

Second in command... Shit. Cal was going to be the right hand man to the next Don. He'd gone from not wanting to even live in the same neighborhood as members of the mafia, to being fucking second in fucking command. And he didn't know how to feel about that.

On the one hand, he felt a sense of pride and was honored that his best friend trusted him to such an extent. On the other, there was a disappointed sense of finality in his future role. It wasn't like Cal thought about escaping from the clutches of the mafia anymore... but now there really would be no way out. Until he was being buried in the ground, Cal would be in the mafia for life. As the first wave of acceptance washed over Cal, a second thought occurred to him. What had Dom meant by saying Cal was thinking of Dom before himself? It was highly doubtful that Dominic would see being second as something Cal should be upset about. So what had he missed?

Dominic's return interrupted Cal's chaotic thought process and he looked over at the future don, nodding in relief when Dom said that Mia didn't need to be killed. At least Cal's duties as Dom's second wouldn't start with murdering a young woman. Though the tattooed man was a bit surprised at how well Dom was taking the news of his arranged marriage. Of course, it appeared that the heir had known about this letter a little longer, so he must have had time to process it already earlier.

"Well, I supposed congratulations are in order then..." Cal replied with a smirk, trying to make light of the situation the best he could. "Who would have thought you'd be tied down so quickly." He teased, before Dom continued on, bringing up Cameron.

Cal's smirk faltered a little, as he suddenly realized that her fate was hanging in the balance. He hadn't wanted to kill Mia, but he really did want to have to kill Cameron. His heart began to race a little as he waited for the shoe to drop. Dominic was talking about how he didn't need Cameron around since he had Mia, and he was right, one wife would be hard enough for Dom to deal with, knowing the bachelor. That meant that the beautiful blonde inside was just another loose end that would need to be tied up and...

Merry Christmas, my second in command.
Cal's brows furrowed as he glanced over at Dominic. "Wait, what..." He began to ask, taken off guard by Dom's sudden curveball. Cal had been dreading hearing the words that Cam needed to be taken care of, but instead Dom's words seemed to suggest she was being gifted to him. Shit, again.

While relief quickly replaced Cal's dread upon learning that Cameron's fate now rested in his hands, a new concern quickly followed. The blonde was not going to like the idea of being given to Cal. Not one bit. And their relationship had just finally started to turn in the right direction... There was no point in refusing the gift though. One, it would offend the Don-to-be to reject the offer. And two, if he didn't take responsibility for Cameron, then the blonde's days would be numbered, or she would fall into the hands of some goon and be used at one of their strip joints. Just the thought of that made his stomach turn.

"Well, we're still a few months away, but I suppose it's never too early to get a head start on Christmas gifts..." Cal said, trying to mask his concerns with another joke. "Though it's going to be hard to find a gift for you that tops yours..."

Cal glanced towards the house, peering in through the glass door at the two women in the kitchen. His gaze fell on Cameron and he watched her prepare food for a moment. Maybe, if he just didn't tell Cameron that she was his property, he could have his cake and eat it too? Though if she ever did find out, which was likely inevitable, he'd have an even deeper hole to climb out of.

"I imagine you haven't told Mia yet..." Cal sighed, looking back to Dom at the grill. "Otherwise I feel like it wouldn't have been wise to leave her with the knives." He said dryly. "When are you going to drop the bomb?"

Conflicted

Outside Patio

nine lives

apolla · Apr 7, 2021

mood

worried

location

kitchen

outfit

tags

Cal/Mia (

Desert_Blossom ); Dominic

Cameron

Thinking back to when Cam had been leaving school the night before (god, what is time anymore?), she remembered her initial thoughts upon seeing Cal. She'd been exhausted, her eyes droopy and her body dragging, but seeing him had definitely given her heart a jump start. The heavily tattooed man was nothing if not attractive, and she'd noticed that from the very first moment he'd called out to her to get her attention. Maybe she should have known better than to climb in a strangers car looking for keys that he'd had the whole time, but her bleeding heart couldn't not help. She couldn't just leave him there, even though her best option at that point probably would have been to tell him to go to hell. How different would things have played out had she done that?

Deciding she didn't want to go down that road, she mentally shook herself to get rid of the memory. The fear she'd felt when he trapped her in the car had been intense, but she had to admit that she'd calmed since then. Hell, not only had she calmed, but she'd slept with Cal. Not once, but twice! And granted, it had been an amazing experience, but was that really the smartest move here? As she stood in the kitchen making the mac and cheese and the beans while Mia worked on the salad, though, she could feel that fear trickling back in. Although she'd tried to avoid thinking about it, how could she ever go back to her life now? She read mafia books and she'd seen the movies, and even though she wasn't naive enough to think that mirrored real life exactly, she knew there had to be some similarities.

Maybe it was just the wine making her extra on edge. Drinking probably wasn't the smartest idea, but at the same time, she felt like there was no way she could handle this completely sober. She'd turned back to the counter then, and for a split second felt like her heart was going to explode when Mia mentioned Cal's white sheets. It didn't take but a few seconds for her to realize she'd meant the wine, though, not Cal's bed. But too late, the blush was on her cheeks, and Cameron knew that Mia had seen it. She anticipated the questions, but they never came. Instead, Mia just smiled and told Cam she didn't have to be embarrassed about her choice of wine, when they both knew that wasn't the issue at all. Still, Cameron appreciated her approach, and she breathed a soft sigh as she turned to check the food.

After a quick check and stirring of both food items, she couldn't stop herself from asking Mia about the future. She hadn't meant to sound so timid or whiny even as she voiced her questions, but even she heard the notes of fear in her voice as she faced the brunette. She saw the sadness there, in Mia's gaze, and the slight tense set of her shoulders. Cameron knew whatever she would have to say would not be pleasant to hear, and she braced herself. That didn't stop her own face or stomach from falling when her name tumbled from Mia's lips, and the blonde bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep herself from making a sound. As much as she wanted to clap her hands over her ears and scream that she couldn't hear Mia, she knew she had to listen.

Before she could utter another word, though, Dominic appeared in the kitchen as Cal opened the door for him. Cameron felt her heart rate pick up as her eyes landed on Cal, and for a brief moment she worried that he or Dom might have heard their conversation. But Dominic just made a comment about knives, and Mia shot something back at him as he exited the room again. The door slid shut and once again the girls were alone. Cameron shifted her gaze from Cal back to Mia, realizing that her vision was swimming. Tears. She hastily looked away, reaching up to rub her eyes, hoping she could stop the tears before they fell. Despite herself, a sharp laugh escaped her when Mia made her own observation about the knives and warding off unwanted company in bed.

"Somehow I think I already messed that one up." Cameron mumbled, lifting her head again and blowing out a sharp breath. Hearing her talk about the bodyguards not being as gentle as Cal (or by extension, Dominic) made her stomach tighten, and she nodded. She definitely wasn't stupid; she knew that Cal and Dom were their only way off the island. "I haven't heard of many cases of the mafia just letting prisoners go once they know too much, and we know too much." Cameron's eyes widened at this sentence, because it pretty much echoed her thoughts that she had been trying to avoid. She could kiss her old life goodbye, just as she'd feared. Was her family even still alive? Her father had apparently gotten what he wanted, the freedom from his debt, but what if the mafia decided that wasn't good enough and had just ended it?

She suddenly felt like she was going to be sick. Swallowing the bile that rose in her throat, her eyes darted over to Mia when she spoke again. She didn't know if Mia was actively trying to help her feel better, but her words both helped and didn't. With a slightly uneasy smile, Cameron pushed off from the counter and turned back to the food. The pasta was done, and the beans were warm enough. She moved the latter from the heat and then grabbed the handle of the pot holding the cooked pasta, moving to the sink to drain it. "I don't think he'd betray Dominic." She breathed as she watched the steam rise from the boiling hot water. "Though it's not a bad thought." She laughed, glancing at Mia over her shoulder. "You'd definitely be welcome to come with us, though, if I succeeded."

Turning back to the noodles, she dumped them back into the pot from the strainer, heading back to the stove to add the cheese sauce. After stirring it all together, she turned to look at Mia to see how the salad was coming. "These are done. That looks delish." She told Mia, moving to a cabinet to find two bowls to dump the food items into. After that, she placed the pots in the sink, filling them with hot water so they could soak. Turning her head to look at the guys outside on the deck, she sighed. "I guess it's time to face the music. What do you think?" She moved to pick up the bowls, pausing by the counter again to wait for Mia. "I'm glad I'm not in this alone." Her voice was softer as she spoke, her eyes flitting towards the brunette. "And for what it's worth, I'm sorry. That you're here, too."

nine lives

mood

playful

location

patio

outfit

tags

Mia/Cal (

Desert_Blossom ); Cam

Dominic

The mafia prince had hoped that Cal would understand what was going on when he read the letter, but Dominic couldn't blame the man for not being a mind reader. Although his soon to be second in command had gone in a completely different direction than Dominic expected, and maybe it was a show of Dom's character that he found Cal's offer to make Mia have an accident amusing rather than getting angry. Of course he didn't want Mia to have an accident of any kind, fatal or not. Dominic Santoro was a lot of things, but he only wished death on those who deserved it. Honestly, Mia was a completely unwilling participant in all of this, and he recognized that. It was her father's idiotic choices that led to her losing her freedom, and he would have to pay. If the man was even still alive.

But even with explaining that Dominic didn't want Cal to hurt Mia, there was one loose end to tie up: Cameron. His father had given Mia to Dominic to become his wife, so honestly, neither of them had a choice in that matter. Going against the Don's wishes was basically wishing for death, and he hoped that Mia understood that when he broke the news to her. But Cameron... technically, she had been given to Dominic as well, though it was up to Dom what he did with her. When he'd first read the letter in the office in the back of the house, Dominic hadn't a clue what to do with the blonde barbie. But seeing the obvious connection between her and Cal that they might think no one noticed, the idea occurred to him to gift her to Cal, and that was that. Problem solved.

Looking over at Cal as the burgers cooked, Dominic could tell the man was shook, likely with mixed emotions about the whole ordeal. Dominic understood that feeling perfectly, because it was how he felt after Casey's death, once he'd realized what that meant for himself. He'd never wanted Casey's position in the family, but now that his brother and the original mafia prince was dead, everything fell onto Dom's shoulders. He'd hated it, but the mixed emotions stemmed from him actually wanting to make his father proud. Even if he didn't act like it was important for him to have his father's approval, it was. If the Don thought that Dominic would run the mafia straight into the ground, he would definitely make it known. Dominic could lose everything if that happened.

While Cal processed the letter and Dominic's words, he turned back to the burgers, checking on them with the spatula. When Cal spoke, talking about congratulations, Dominic let out a hearty laugh. "That's right! Congratulations to me and the fiance. The fiance who doesn't even know she's a fiance yet." He shook his head, the grin still on his face as he started flipping the meat patties. "We should celebrate. Once the initial anger wears off, you know." Shrugging, he glanced over his shoulder at Cal again, seeing the smirk on his face. "Who would have thought?" He echoed Cal's words, clicking his tongue as he returned his attention to the burgers. "Tied down. Isn't that what they call wives these days? The ol' ball and chain? Mia's going to love that..."

He shifted the conversation to Cameron, but didn't turn around to look at Cal again until he congratulated his second in command. Lifting his drink to his lips, he finished it and set the bottle aside, watching as realization dawned on Cal's features. "Looks like I'm not the only one tied down." He smirked, setting the spatula down and crossing his arms over his chest. "Of course, it's completely up to you what you do with her." Dominic shrugged, though he had a feeling he knew what his friend might do. He could see it in Cal's eyes that he didn't want Cameron to just go to some random idiot who would hurt her in some way. Dominic had always been pretty good at reading people, but he had learned a few tricks over the years since Casey's death as well.

Cal tried to deflect Dominic with humor, and Dominic just laughed, shaking his head. "Never too early for gifts that gorgeous." He nodded towards the girls in the kitchen, his eyes lingering on Mia for a few extra seconds. When his gaze slid back to Cal, he noticed the guy was looking inside as well, though he was sure his eyes were on the blonde. Tilting his head slightly, he watched Cal watch Cameron, though when Cal turned back around Dominic had already shifted his gaze away. "No, probably not. She would have already tried to attack me or hide some throughout the house." He chuckled again, pushing himself off of the banister to look back at the burgers. They were pretty much done, so he started taking them off of the grill, placing them on the plate.

At Cal's question about when he was going to drop the bomb, Dominic sighed, a slightly more serious expression falling on his face. "Soon." He said quietly, moving to shut the grill off. "I don't want her finding out later or some other way, because then it'll just be that much worse. And when I tell Mia, I know Cameron is going to want to know about her own future." He turned to look at Cal, a fleeting look of regret crossing his features. "I have to tell her, Cal. Mia, too. As much as I wish..." He stopped himself right there, shaking his head, his expression hardening some. He'd learned the hard way not to wish for things that couldn't be, because you'll always be disappointed. Straightening, he moved to clasp his hand on Cal's shoulder. "Good luck to us both, brother."

Dropping his hand, he moved to the sliding door and slid it open again, stepping inside with a grand smile on his face. "Ladies, ladies! Care to join us for dinner? I figured we could eat outside because it's so gorgeous out there. You know, island paradise and all." He smirked as he headed for the fridge, grabbing himself another beer and a second bottle for Cal as well. "Anything you need me to grab?" He looked over Mia's shoulder at the salad, spotting a cucumber that he wanted. Reaching for the piece, he plucked it from the bowl and popped it into his mouth, munching happily on it as he made sure they had everything they needed to eat outside. "Come on, come on." He nodded towards the door, watching as Cameron grabbed the bowls for the sides and headed outside. Moving behind Mia again, he leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "You can sit next to me." Grinning as he trailed his hand along her back, he gently nudged her towards the door.

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Apr 11, 2021

Mia

For the first dozen or so years of her life, Mia had remained blissfully ignorant to her family's line of business. To her, her father was just some kind of business man who worked strange hours, and her uncle just ran a restaurant. She'd grown up with the kids of the other mafia families, Dominic included, but had somehow either been kept in the dark or just was too naive to understand things that should have tipped her off to the seedy work her family was involved with.

However, since the day she'd found out that her father was part of the mafia, she'd always lived with some sense of fear. A sense of fear that was buried over time beneath years away at boarding schools, alcohol and the struggle to gain her independence from her father. For a while, Mia was foolish enough to think she'd separated herself enough from the danger that came with being even associated with the mafia. And just as she was letting her guard down completely, that very real sense of fear had returned- now more palpable than ever.

But even so, whatever level of fear she was trying to drown with wine, Mia knew that she should be so much more afraid than she was. She and Cameron both. Perhaps it was because the island was so beautiful, or the mansion so accommodating, but it was hard to fully process the situation she and the blonde now found themselves in. Though, the fact that her kidnapper had been Dominic likely lent itself to Mia's false sense of calm. Maybe because she still wanted to believe that he wasn't a bad person or could truly hurt her? Or maybe, it was because she couldn't come to terms that Dom was capable of more evil that she was able to accept?

Whatever the case, Cameron was now cracking that sense of calm and reminding Mia of the fear clawing at the back of her mind with her questions about their future. Once Dom left the kitchen after interrupting the two young women, Mia could see the brief moment of Cam tearing up. Part of Mia wanted nothing more than to comfort the girl and offer pretty words promising that everything would be okay, but the wine wouldn't let her lie.

Instead, Mia tried to comfort her by joking about needing knives to protect themselves from unwanted guests in bed. This earned a dry laugh from the blonde, and at least her eyes cleared of the tears. The brunette raised a curious eyebrow when Cameron alluded to already letting Cal into her bed, and Mia hoped that the blonde would dish a little more... but she didn't, and Mia continued to lay out what kind of situation they now found themselves in- as hard of a pill as that was to swallow.

The truth seemed to upset Cameron more, and understandably so. It wasn't everyday that you were told to kiss your old life goodbye, and that's exactly was Mia was telling Cam to do. Hypocritically of course, since Mia herself hadn't come to terms with that yet herself. She'd joked about it with Dom out on the beach- her new life in Kansas- but that's not what Mia really hoped for. Not that she was allowed to hope for anything anymore.

Cameron's point about Cal not betraying Dom was probably correct- it seemed unlikely that the lackey would put a hostage before his boss, even if the hostage was beautiful and invited him into her bed- but it was one of their few options. Cameron laughed again, and Mia offered her a smile, pleased to hear that Cam would bring her along if she ever did succeed in seducing Cal into saving them. "Great, we'll make that Plan A then," She replied with a wink, before finishing her salad.

With all of the sides complete, Cameron ladled the mac 'n' cheese and beans into their respective bowls, and Mia grabbed serving spoons for each, plus the salad. "I think we'll have to face it whether we want to or not..." Mia sighed, glancing from their dishes out to the guys at the grill. Cameron's kind words about not having to go through this alone and being sorry that Mia was there touched the brunette, and her gaze returned to the blonde.

Overcome for a moment by more sentimental emotions that usual, Mia smiled sadly and stepped over to Cameron, wrapping her arms around the petite girl. "Me too..." Mia replied softly, blinking away a couple tears as she hugged Cam. It was actually comforting to know that at least they had each other, and to be able to hug someone who wasn't responsible for abducting her. Realizing that she might have overstepped, Mia quickly released Cam and brushed a tear from her eyes as she gathered herself again. "Sorry, it's the wine." She excused, not wanting to seem soft.

A few moments later, Dominic slid the sliding door open once more and stepped in with a smile on his face. Mia both hated and envied him at the same time, wishing she could be as carefree as the heir. It truly was as if this was nothing more than a vacation for Dominic, and Mia and Cam were just his flavors of the week that he selected to jet-set with him. "Oh yes, paradise..." Mia sighed, glancing from Cam over to Dom as he peeked at the salad over her shoulder. It was tempting to smack his hand away from the bowl when he snagged a cucumber, but Mia refrained. It was time to try settling back into "Island Vibe Mia" again now that her heavy conversation with Cameron was over.

Letting the wine coursing through her system work its magic, Mia hoped to do her best to mirror Dom's upbeat energy. Picking up the salad bowl to carry it outside, Mia's stomach fluttered a little when Dom came up behind her and whispered in her ear about sitting next to him. "Oh can I?" She asked a bit sarcastically, a smirk playing on her lips as she glanced over her shoulder at him. The sensation of his hand trailing along her back made Mia grip the salad bowl a little tighter against her stomach as she held it, but she obediently moved towards and out the sliding door when the don-to-be nudged her forward.

After setting the salad on the table, Mia ran back inside real quick to grab the rest of her wine and some silverware for the group. Taking the chair beside Dominic as he'd offered inside, Mia glanced around the table. If someone took a snapshot of the moment, it really would look like they were on vacation. And what a beautiful lie that photo would be.

"Well, you guys managed not to burn the house down at least..." Mia noted with a teasing smile. Her blue eyes fell to Cameron for a moment, hoping the blonde would realize that it was just best to try to forget their worries for now. No use dwelling when there was little they could control at the moment. Mia wasn't excusing or forgiving Dom or Cal for what they'd done, but it was more beneficial right now to get along with them than be constant enemies.

Casting her gaze back to the food, Mia served herself a good portion of salad since that would be a large part of her dinner. The sky was dark now that the sun had set, but the lights from the house and those scattered across the grounds illuminated the ocean in the distance. Once she waited her turn to serve herself the other sides, Mia watched the waves crash into the shore for a few moments as she took her first bite.

All Over The Place

Kitchen>Patio

nine lives

Cal

So many thoughts were running through Cal's head as she sipped on his beer, that he didn't even realize he was making Dominic do all the work to cook the burgers. Somehow the future don was able to discuss major news, man the grill and throw in a few jokes. Though it was this very ability to multitask and compartmentalize would help make Dom a good leader someday. Cal on the other hand, had become so used to just following orders and letting others come up with plans and decisions, that he'd become a little one track minded. And once Cameron was mentioned, she's largely what commanded his attention. Well, her and Dom's sudden engagement.

Cal couldn't help but laugh at Dominic's suggestion that they should celebrate once Mia got over being mad. "Any excuse to party, eh?" He mused. "Though it may be a while before we can celebrate in that case. Especially if Mia catches you referring to her as a ball and chain." He joked, partly. Really, he doubted that Mia would bother taking offense to such a statement when the whole idea of marrying Dom was likely going to anger her beyond the point of carrying about off the cuff remarks. Cal did not envy Dom, though really he didn't even have the chance to because he soon found himself in a similar situation.

Looks like I'm not the only one tied down.

"Misery loves company..." Cal replied, trying to keep a cool exterior while his mind raced. Dominic said he could do what he liked with Cameron, and while Cal had no intention of forcing her to marry him like the don was forcing Dom and Mia to do, he knew that he couldn't let her fall into the hands of someone else. The beautiful blonde would remain in his care and under his watchful eye.

A couple jokes about Christmas gifts were exchanged, before things fell silent for a few moments as each of the men watched the women inside. They seemed innocent and harmless enough. Victims of circumstance who were paying the price for their fathers' mistakes. Even if Cal wanted to let Cameron free after she was placed under his control, he knew he couldn't. She would be a liability to the mafia. She could plead and promise that she'd never tell a soul about what she knew or saw, but he could never fully trust her to keep her word.

When it came to Cameron, he saw only three options: 1) Pawn her off to another member of the mafia to work at one of their strip clubs, which he already decided he couldn't bear to see. 2) Keep her close to him and under his thumb until he tired of her or she did something stupid... Or 3) Kill her, either immediately or eventually.

For now, Cal knew that the second option was the one he'd have to figure out how to live with. In a perfect world, he wouldn't tell Cameron about their current situation, and let their relationship develop into something more natural where he could keep watch over her without controlling her (with her knowledge). But, Cal lived in a world that was far from perfect, and he had a feeling that keeping the arrangements a secret wasn't an option anyways.

After inquiring whether or not Dom had told Mia yet, Cal's suspicions were confirmed. Dominic had to tell Mia the truth, and Cameron would have to be told as well. Whoever said honesty was the best policy obviously had never found themselves in the situation he now found himself in. Cameron would hate him. Even if he was as kind as possible to her, the Cal had a feeling the very idea of being someone's property would set the blonde off. And while Cal would understand why, in a way, he himself was somebody's property, the mafia's property to be exact, and he had managed to come to terms with that. Maybe eventually Cam could too?

Soon Mia and Cam would know, and this temporary peace between the abductors and the abducted would cease. "I understand." Cal nodded when Dom was unable to finish his sentence. "No way around it. It's just business." He added with a shrug before smirking a little. "We've gotten ourselves through worse scrapes, what's a couple of pretty girls?"

There was no point in Cal making things harder for Dominic or himself by being upset or angry about this situation. While this would be a terrible nuisance to deal with, there were worse things than being forced to watch over a beautiful woman. If Cal was going to be the Don's right hand man, then Cal needed to start stepping up and rolling with the punches. Dom clasped Cal's shoulder as he finished grilling. "Good luck indeed." Cal agreed, finishing off his beer as Dom disappeared inside again.

Cal picked up the plate of burgers that Dom had prepped and brought them over to the table, setting them in the middle with the other toppings and condiments Dom had brought out earlier when they first began grilling. Hearing footsteps pass back through the sliding door, Cal looked over expecting it to be his boss, but was a little startled to see Cameron. While he had just spent the last few minutes thinking and discussing the blonde, he wasn't quite prepared to interact with her while trying to keep this knew knowledge a secret until Dominic felt the time was right.

"Looks good..." He said simply, eyeing the mac 'n' cheese and beans that Cam carried to the table. "Thanks! Hope you made some for yourself too..." The tattooed man joked, though at this rate he could devour both sides himself easily. His stomach was already growling at the sight of all this food and being so close to being able to eat it.

Dominic and Mia followed behind Cam a few moments later, and Cal took a seat diagonal from his friend, leaving the two women to sit beside their respective owners. Mia made a comment about them not burning the house down and Cal just laughed a little, trying to keep the atmosphere light. "And ruin the food? No way." He replied, already working on fixing himself a burger. "Cam, can you pass the mac?" Cal asked, nodding to the bowl closer to the blonde and not wanting to reach.

Well, he would have gladly have reached across the woman if they'd been in private, taking the opportunity to brush against her skin, but with Dom and Mia a couple feet across from them, he decided it best to remain polite. Cal was grateful he'd postponed him and Cam coming down for food to fit in that second round now, considering he may never get a chance to enjoy such pleasures again with her. At least not after she learned of her fate.

Grin and Bear It

Outside Patio

nine lives

apolla · Apr 16, 2021

mood

content

location

kitchen ---> patio

outfit

tags

Cal/Mia (

Desert_Blossom ); Dominic

Cameron

So far, Cameron had really only been thinking about herself and how being here affected her. It was a little fucked up, but at the same time, she'd never been in this sort of situation before, so how could she not? That, and she'd been distracted by Cal and the things he could to do her, both in the bed and out of it. She couldn't deny that there was attraction there, even if he was the one who'd kidnapped her and brought her to the plane hangar and then this island. Even if he was working under someone else's orders, he was still the one who'd trapped her in his car and taken her away from her life. From her family. The island was beautiful, at least what she'd seen of it, but it was far from a paradise. Though if that was the case, why couldn't she stop thinking about the tattooed male?

Standing in the kitchen with Mia, though, Cameron realized that this wasn't just about her. The details surrounding Mia's reasons for being here were likely a little different than Cam's, but the simple fact of the matter was that she was stuck here, same as Cam. Cameron liked the girl, and she felt bad for her. She could see it in Mia's eyes though that the brunette felt the same about Cam. Cameron appreciated Mia's upfrontness though, because honestly it was better to hear the truth. If the other girl had tried to beat around the bush just to make Cameron feel better, she might have just lost it. Cameron always preferred honesty over sugary bullshit, and that's how she was with other people. Sure, she generally tried to be tactful about her honesty, even though she knew some other people didn't care that much. Mia had tact, and Cameron liked that about her.

Things weren't black and white here, and Cameron was realizing that the longer she was forced to stay here. The island was beautiful, the mansion house as well, and Dominic and Cal weren't mindless assholes keeping them tied up in a closet. That was certainly an option for them, but they didn't seem to want to do that or be that way, which is probably partly why Cameron felt so... well, comfortable. Dominic still made her slightly uneasy, but honestly, she'd been around people who made her feel worse. And Cal... well, how could she say she felt uncomfortable around him at all when she'd let him do those things to her body? Even thinking back to their time in his bedroom now gave her goosebumps and brought warmth to her face, but she distracted herself by finishing up the food.

Although Cameron had tried to avoid thinking about her old life and her family, her questions and Mia's answers led her to do so. She had no way of getting in contact with her brothers or her father, and she didn't even know if they were okay. Thinking about them not being okay or worrying about her caused a knot to form in her stomach and bile to rise in her throat, but she forced herself to relax as much as she could. Crying now in the middle of dinner wouldn't do any good, and she honestly didn't want to just lock herself in her room and wallow in her misery. At least not right now. Maybe later, when everyone had gone to bed and she could figure out her thoughts and cry in private, without the risk of someone walking in and seeing her in that state.

Cam knew they couldn't remain in the kitchen hiding out forever, but she did want to say one last thing to Mia before they went and joined the boys. Cameron wanted Mia to know that she was grateful for her presence, but that she was basically sorry they'd met under these circumstances. When Mia moved closer, Cameron saw the hug coming before it happened, and she didn't mind. Wrapping her arms around the other girl as well, she hugged her tight, a hug like she would give her own family. Mia pulled away and Cameron saw the shininess in her eyes before she wiped at them, apologizing and blaming the wine. "No need to be sorry." Shaking her head, Cam gathered the two bowls just as Dominic opened the sliding door that led inside and stepped in.

Drawing in a slightly shaky breath, Cameron headed for the door, smirking slightly at Mia's sarcastic comment. The smirk slid from her face when she stepped outside into the night and saw Cal, his hulking body hunched over slightly as he set the burgers down on the table. Her breath caught in her throat and she paused, remembering how that body had felt hovering over her not too long ago. He glanced over his shoulder and she quickly averted her gaze, hoping he hadn't noticed the look on her face. Moving closer to set the beans and the mac n' cheese on the table, she slid her gaze over to him, wanting to say something to break the silence. But what? Her mind raced almost as fast as her heart, but it was Cal who broke the silence, speaking about the food.

And maybe it was the perfect icebreaker, because despite herself and the seriousness of the conversation from back in the kitchen, Cameron smiled and she even laughed. "You have a bottomless pit in there, don't you?" She teased, just as Dominic and Mia made their way outside as well. The four of them sat at the table, Cameron across from Dominic and beside Cal. Looking around the table, she realized that it really did look and feel like a family dinner. Her stomach flip-flopped again, but she swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded as Cal asked her to pass the mac. "Sure thing." Reaching for the bowl, she handed it to him, reaching for a large spoon to place inside the cooked pasta. "Save some for everyone else." Her voice had taken on a teasing tone again.

Reaching for the buns, she pulled one out of the plastic and set it on her plate, setting to making herself a burger. They pretty much had everything they needed, and the table was quiet for a few minutes as everyone made their plates. The sun had set completely by now, and even though Cameron had no idea what the next day or days was going to bring for them, she decided that she didn't want to think about it for now. It would ruin both her mood and her appetite, and after the activities she'd partaken in earlier, she definitely needed to eat something. Lifting her foot into the chair, she rested her elbow on her knee as she munched on some of the salad, glancing around at the other three. She could definitely see herself being friends with Mia, but what about the other two? What would her future be like with them?

nine lives

mood

hungry

location

patio

outfit

tags

Mia/Cal (

Desert_Blossom ); Cam

Dominic

If Dominic had a choice, honestly, he would rather Mia have her private life on a farm somewhere out in the country. The life she'd described to him while they were in the ocean water, while it didn't exactly line up with what he wanted for his life, still sounded pretty damn nice. Relaxing, for that matter, which was definitely something he understood wanting. He was far from a farmer, but he could figure it out if that's what she wanted. Sadly with how her future was planned out, that wouldn't be something he could ever give her, and he hated that. He was used to the mafia life for the most part, though there were of course still parts he hated. Like taking over as the don-to-be after Casey's death, and still getting compared to his older brother even though he was dead.

Dominic had lived his life before Casey's death just having fun, doing what he wanted, and getting into trouble. He got out of most of that trouble thanks to who his father was, but not without consequence. One way or another, Dom would have to pay for whatever it was he'd done, and usually, it was under his father's fist. The man had no problem raising a hand to his sons, as no one would dare stand up to him and tell him to stop. Still, Dominic never seemed to learn, because the next weekend he'd be right back at it, partying it up at some club or bar and usually finding a random girl to take home for the night. Hookups and one night stands were his forte, and he was quite the charming guy, charismatic and usually knew exactly what to say to make girls swoon.

Mia was different, and he'd known that for a long time now. They'd gone years without speaking, but they'd still known each other for quite a few years now. They'd grown up together, and she knew almost everything he did about the mafia. Her father had made a sorry mistake trying to plan an attack on the Don, and he was lucky if he was still alive. He made a mental note to find out some way or another, just so she could have some closure. But Mia wasn't like the girls he wanted to take home for one night for a hookup, and somehow he knew he wouldn't be satisfied with just one night with her. That kiss in the ocean had cemented that thought in his mind, because he was already craving more, and it was taking everything in him not to kiss her now.

Trying to keep his composure even though it was fucking difficult, he made his way inside though he couldn't stop himself from touching her a little as he stood behind her and snagged a cucumber from the salad bowl. A small part of him had wondered what she and Cameron had talked about while they stood in here, but at the same time, it couldn't be something that bad, considering neither girl had charged them with a butcher knife. A quick glance at the knife block told him they were all still where they needed to be, save for the ones that were currently in the sink. He shrugged to himself as he let Mia head outside first, his eyes roaming her body from behind as he followed her. He knew she would hate him once he told her the truth, but the longer he waited, the worse the reaction would be.

But telling the girls at dinner didn't seem to be the best option. He knew Mia and he felt like he knew how she would react, but he didn't know Cameron. She could react worse than Mia, and then they'd have two explosions on their hands. Maybe they could tell them separately. But then again, Dominic did feel as though it was partly his responsibility to tell them both, considering he was the don-to-be. As of right now, Cal was just a henchman of sorts, though once Dominic took over Cal would have a shit ton more responsibility as his second in command. The simple fact of the matter was that Dom and Cal had become good friends ever since Cal gave up his life for the mafia, and Dominic trusted Cal above everyone else surrounding him. He couldn't think of anyone better fit for his second.

Dominic had grabbed more beers for him and Cal, and he set one in front of his friends seat before he sat down, immediately reaching for a plate. He was starving, though Mia's comment made him glance her way, a smirk on his face. Cal was quicker with a comeback, though, and Dominic laughed out loud as he started shaking his head. "Seems we all did a good job. Blondie didn't burn the house down, either, making the stuff on the stove." His eyes flicked over to Cameron, hoping she didn't take offense by the blondie nickname. She had a small smile on her face, though, so he breathed a little easier when he saw that. "You didn't cut a finger off chopping veggies, either, and Cal didn't eat everything as I was cooking. He was nice enough to leave food for all of us."

Smirking, Dominic sat back in his seat once he had a full plate, looking around at the others. Bringing his burger to his mouth, he took a bite and resisted the urge to moan. Once he swallowed, he tapped the top of the bun, his eyes glancing around again. "I have to admit, these are the best burgers I ever cooked. God damn." Looking over at Mia, he shrugged one shoulder. "You're missing out, Mia." The look on his face told her he was teasing, but he really couldn't imagine not eating meat. "How long have you been a vegetarian, Mia? Because I don't remember that from when we were kids." Maybe it was dangerous territory, talking about all those years ago, but he also wanted her to be comfortable. Cameron too, he just didn't know her like he knew Mia.

Glancing towards the ocean waves, he took another bite of the burger, setting it down and reaching for a napkin. Wiping his fingers, he dapped his mouth with the napkin afterwards, his eyes briefly meeting Cal's. He knew what was on Cal's mind because it was the same shit that was on his mind, but he just couldn't bring himself to bring it up now. He'd almost told Mia in the kitchen that he wanted to talk to her later, but he knew that she would have just pressed for him to tell her now and he didn't want that. Perhaps after dinner, then they could have all night to sulk and hopefully get back on decent terms tomorrow. At least, that's how he hoped it would go. Looking away from Cal to Cameron, he studied her for just a moment before his eyes darted over to the beautiful brunette behind him. "Alright, jesus, someone talk. I'm going crazy with the silence here."

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Apr 26, 2021

Mia

It was a bit surreal, Mia thought as she sat down to dinner with Cameron, Cal and Dominic. One minute she had been celebrating her friend's birthday, believing her run in with Dom to just be a coincidence... and now she was a hostage on a tropical island. With the time difference, the brunette wasn't entirely sure what time it was back home, but had things gone accordingly, Mia likely would have been at home in her apartment right now nursing a hangover after spending all night partying with the girls.

It would be easy to blame Dominic for the change in plans, but deep down Mia knew that the blame really laid with her father. Had the man who was supposed to protect her not attempted a coup, then Mia likely wouldn't have seen Dominic for years. She would be at home right now, and who knows where Dom would be. Likely not on this island either since it had seemed like Cal was surprised to see him last night. But what was done, was done. Dominic was following orders that were only made in reaction to her father.

Mia bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from getting emotional after letting her thoughts wander into dangerous territory, and she turned her attention back to the table, offering a comment about the guys not burning down the house. Island vibes, Mia reminded herself for what seemed like the tenth time this evening, she needed to focus on having island vibes if she was going to get through this.

Cal and Dominic's responses to her jest elicited a smile from the brunette, and she laughed lightly when Dominic praised everybody for managing to prepare the meal without burning anything down, maiming themselves or eating everything. "Yeah, I already filled my quota for hand injuries for a while..." Mia replied, referring to her bandaged hand. "So I definitely intend to keep all my fingers." She added, punctuating her sentence by biting into a crisp cucumber with a crunch.

As tempting as it was to require more attention from Doctor Dom, Mia would never consider doing anything intentional. Besides, if Mia really did want any kind of attention from him, it didn't seem like she'd have to try very hard. Dom had hardly been subtle with his advances, and then in the ocean...

Mia turned her blue eyes across the table to Cal and Cam, looking for a distraction from her thoughts as she took a few bites of salad. The blonde was teasing Cal about eating all the food, and Mia could see the way Cal looked at Cam. Maybe the young woman could convince Cal to help them get off the island... Before Mia could ponder on that for much longer, she heard Dom say her name and she turned towards him. He looked very satisfied eating his burger, pleased with his grilling skills, and Mia couldn't help but smile with a small shake of her head. "Humble as ever..." She mused before he brought up her not being a vegetarian when they were kids.

The memory of simpler times distracted Mia momentarily, as she recalled a much younger Dom at the family events, but she was quick to recover. "Um, since high school. I became vegetarian to be piss off my dad. It seemed like he had control over everything else, so it was just a small way to rebel..." Mia replied, the wine helping her not to shy away from the truth despite the mention of her father. "And then I just stuck with it to save face. Seems kind of silly now though..." The brunette added, frowning a little before grabbing her wine and taking a healthy sip.

A silence fell over the table after that, everyone focussing on their own meals. Mia hadn't intended to ruin the mood, she'd just answered honestly. Damn wine- and yet she drank more. Across the table Cal looked deep in thought about something, and Mia wondered if he was thinking about the blonde beside him or other business matters. Who knows how long the silence would have lasted if not for Dom breaking it by pleading for someone to talk. Maybe the dinner wasn't so picture perfect after all. The group had their moments of getting along and almost seeming like friends... but the truth of the matter always remained, tainting things at any given moment.

Mia racked her brain for something to say, anything, but at first the only thing that came to mind was gossiping about how Cal and Cam spent their evening before coming down for dinner. Not wanting to throw Cam under the bus like that though, and afraid the question might turn back on her and Dom afterwards, Mia shoved that topic to the side.

"Beautiful weather we're having..." Mia finally chimed in sarcastically, shooting Dom a teasing smirk. It was hard to think of something to say that was neutral and wouldn't bring up sore subjects. It wasn't like she could ask what their plans for the week were or if they have any travel coming up. Questions about the future were off limits, and questions about the past were what killed the conversation last time. And the present... was also touchy.

"Assuming Cam and I aren't swimming with the fishes tomorrow, what's there to do on this island?" Mia asked, giving up on finding a safe topic and just leaning into the situation. She'd had enough to drink at this point that she could casually reference the possibility of her and Cam being done in as if it was nothing. If anything, if it made Dom or Cal feel uncomfortable, then good, they should. "If we're going to be stuck here, we might as well have some fun... isn't that what you've been preaching Dom?" She added, leaning her cheek into her hand that was propped up on the table as she set her gaze on the man beside her. Her free hand pushed the food around on her plate absentmindedly for a moment, before she glanced to Cam and Cal as well. "Or is there something else you'd like to discuss?"

Tipsy

Patio

nine lives

Cal

At the sound of someone coming through the door, Cal had looked back expecting to see Dom, but was greeted with the image of Cameron when he glanced over his shoulder. He saw the blonde quickly avert her gaze, and he couldn't help but smirk a little. Fuck. What he'd give to not have the conversation about the women's future looming over him right now. He'd been at such a high earlier that evening with Cam- tasting her lips and exploring her body... and now... Now he might never get to do that again.

Pushing aside his worries for now, Cal did his best to stay casual and not alert Cameron to there being anything wrong. As she came over, it was hard not to reach out and feel the warmth of her skin, and Cal had to compensate by making a joke about the food all being for him. Cameron laughed, her face lighting up, and Cal grinned back when she called him a bottomless pit. "Yeah, something like that..." He replied, whispering his next comment. "I burnt a lot of calories this afternoon, have to make up for that..." Cal added, giving Cam a knowing once over before sitting down as Dom and Mia joined them.

Some light banter was exchanged as the group settled in to eat, and Cal laughed at Dom's comment about their success in cooking. He grabbed the beer that Dom had brought out for him, taking a sip, before asking Cam to pass the mac'n'cheese. He'd given the others the opportunity to grab it, but his stomach wasn't going to wait much longer to devour the golden, cheesy noodles.

"Don't worry, I may work for the maffia but I still have table manners," Cal retorted when Cam teased him about saving some of the mac for everyone else as she passed it to him. "I'll save you all a few bites." He added, letting his hand linger on Cam's for an extra moment as he took the bowl from her. It was a small reward for not leaning across her like he'd wanted to do, and hopefully one that didn't draw any attention. Mia had cast her gaze towards the tattooed man and the blonde, but if she noticed anything, she didn't react to it.

At this rate, Cal didn't really know why he was trying to hide his attraction to Cam, but considering the news that would eventually be dropped, it didn't feel right to openly show PDA with her. Maybe he was protecting both their prides. His because once she learned she belonged to him, she'd likely reject all his further advances. And hers because then she could deny that she'd ever slept with or had some sort of attraction to the man who owned her.

Turning his blue eyes to Cameron for a moment, Cal was wracked by a pang of guilt. It was a feeling he wasn't used to experiencing very often anymore. He'd learned to close himself off to such emotions that made doing his job more difficult. The beautiful blonde sat innocently beside him, enjoying her dinner and almost seemingly at ease. Or as much at ease as she could be expected to be in this situation. Dom and Mia were talking about something across the table, but Cal was only half listening. Whatever Mia's response had been to how long she'd been a vegetarian, it was quick to dispel the conversation. Not that Cal minded much at this moment.

The silence offered him the excuse to get lost in his thoughts while he practically inhaled the food on his plate. The burger was fantastic like Dom had said, and the sides were all great as well. If not for that pesky guilt hanging over him, Cal would have been much more vocal about how much he was enjoying the meal. Instead, he just kept glancing over at Cameron every now and then, studying her and trying to figure out what he could do to make her not hate him when the truth came out. The answer though eluded him.

Curious as to how Dominic was remaining so calm, Cal cast his attention towards his boss, catching Dom's eye. They both were likely thinking the same thing, and Cal prayed that Dominic would let the peace last a little longer. At least until after dinner. Cal gave Dom a silent nod, letting him know that he was in the same boat as him but that he trusted Dom to pick the right moment. When the Don-to-be broke eye contact, Cal took another bite of his nearly finished burger, before setting it down and wiping his hands on his napkin.

Everything was still awkwardly quiet until Dom finally had enough and broke the silence. Cal jumped at first, his stomach sinking in fear that his boss had picked this moment to drop the bomb. Luckily though, Dom just wanted someone to say something, and Cal let out the breath he realized he was holding. Mia was the first to pipe up, thankfully since Cal couldn't have come up with anything to say to save his life at that moment. For as cool and collected as he was trying to appear on the outside, he was a bit all over the place internally.

A joke about the weather lightened things up a bit, before Mia went on to make an offhand comment about her and Cam being taken out. Cal winced a little and rolled his eyes, already feeling bad enough about the girls' fate and not wanting Cam to have those kind of thoughts running through her head. The lackey wanted to retort that there would be no swimming with the fishes in the forese, but he didn't want to make it sound like he was in on any kind of plan.

"Funny..." He replied dryly, stuffing a spoonful of mac'n'cheese in his mouth. At least the rest of Mia's comment wasn't as morbid, as she inquired as to what the plan was for tomorrow. Though Cal almost choked on his food, imagining that whatever plans they attempted to make tonight, might not still be on the agenda for tomorrow once Mia and Cam found out they belonged to Dom and him, respectively.

It seemed the brunette was coming around to the idea of enjoying the island just in time to find out she's engaged. And Cam... If Cal had it his way, he'd just spend the day lying naked in bed or on the beach with her. Activities were fun, but now that he knew that his time sharing some form of intimacy with the petite blonde was likely drawing to a close, that's all he wanted. All he craved.

Stretching a little, Cal casually let his arm fall against Cam's shoulders as he rested his arm on the back of her chair. Her skin was warm, almost comforting, and he took another sip of beer before peering over at her. "What about you, are you up for a little fun?" He asked, accidentally being a little more suggestive than he meant to be, forgetting he had an audience. He’d at least play along with the conversation for now.

Faking Being Chill

Outside Patio

nine lives

apolla · May 3, 2021

mood

heavy

location

patio

outfit

tags

Cal/Mia (

Desert_Blossom ); Dominic

Cameron

Cameron was a little surprised at how easy things seemed to be going here. Even though they were actually far from easy, far from great or grand, things were going better than Cameron ever could have imagined. Not that she'd ever in a million years pictured that she would be kidnapped by the mafia, becoming their property. The thought left a sour taste in her mouth, but talking to Mia helped ease her fears. At least somewhat. Grateful that she wasn't here alone and the only one that had to deal with this, Cameron made her way outside, her eyes immediately drawn to Cal. How could they not be? Not only was he just a bulky man who naturally drew attention, but he was attractive, and Cameron was already picturing them having another go in his bed. Or hers. Or anywhere.

Conversation between them was still fairly easy as she called him a bottomless pit, only mostly teasing. The comment he shot back with, about all the calories he'd burned off that afternoon, brought a small smile to her face and color to her cheeks. Setting everything down, they were joined shortly thereafter by the other two. They all sat down to eat and Cameron was suddenly reminded of her own family, sitting down for Sunday dinner or something similar. She smiled almost sadly as she thought about them, but she didn't want to linger on those thoughts and ruin the mood at the table.

Cal asking her to hand him the mac and cheese and the banter that followed helped her think of something other than her family. Silence settled between everyone at the table as they all started to dig into the food that had been prepared. Dominic was the first to break the silence, and despite herself and the situation at hand, Cameron laughed. Covering her mouth, she turned her head away to finish chewing and swallowing, reaching for her wine glass afterwards to wash the bite down with. Mia made a joke about the weather, sending a teasing smirk Dom's way.

The next question, though, was a little less teasing and a little more sobering. Cameron knew very well what swimming with the fishes meant, and her stomach grew heavy as she thought about her life being over. But finding out what there was to do on this island was a good idea, Cam had to admit. Were they supposed to spend their days fucking or fighting? Or something in between? So far there hadn't been any fights, but Cameron knew there had definitely been fucking, at least on her part. Had she given in too fast? Well, it was too late to debate that now. It had already happened, and she was already daydreaming about it happening again.

Well, fuck.

Looking around to see the response to Mia's question, she could have sworn she saw Dominic's face tighten for a moment. But in the blink of an eye, the look was gone, leaving her second guessing herself. Feeling something touch her back, she swiveled her head to look at Cal, realizing he'd stretched his arm across the back of her chair. His arm was warm on her back, heavy enough for her to feel but not so heavy she felt trapped. She offered him a small smile, though warmth flooded her face yet again when he turned his attention to her, asking if she was up for some fun as well.

"Always." The word popped out of her mouth before she could stop it, sounding more confident than she felt. She quickly ate some more mac n cheese to distract herself, glancing over at the other two. Dominic had pretty much cleared his plate by now, and he too was leaning back in his chair, looking quite comfortable now. "Well, we may not have internet or cable, but I'm sure we can find something to do." He shrugged, flashing a suggestive smile in Mia's direction. Cameron wondered yet again just how long they'd be on the island, but she didn't think it would be a good question to ask. The guys probably didn't even know.

Cameron leaned closer to Cal, lifting her foot to place it in the chair. She hadn't even realized she'd moved until she'd already done so, and she turned her attention to Cal again. The sharp features of his face captured her attention like always, and whatever she'd been about to say completely left her mind. In another life, if she'd met Cal under different circumstances, they could have formed something natural. Or was what they'd done natural even after being forced together? Her mind was going in a thousand different directions, but it was Dominic's voice that drew her out of her thoughts again.

"I know you both are curious about your futures. And I have some answers." Looking over at the don to be, Cameron tilted her head at his words. He continued, picking at his napkin on the table as he spoke. He wasn't looking at anyone in particular, but when he looked up, his eyes landed on Cal first. He gave the other man a soft nod before he looked at Cameron, and then at Mia. What he said next had Cameron's blood running cold, her fork forgotten in her hand as she turned her head to look at Cal yet again, silently asking him for validation.

nine lives

mood

worried

location

patio

outfit

tags

Mia/Cal (

Desert_Blossom ); Cam

Dominic

The food was incredible, from the salad to the meat and everything in between. They'd all outdone themselves, and even though it was a quick and easy meal for the most part, Dominic was satisfied. He and Mia made their way outside following Cameron, finding the two of them already starting to sit down. Mia ran back inside real quick to grab a few more things and then returned, and she and Dominic sat opposite the other two. Silence settled over them as they started to eat, disrupted here and there by light conversation. Mia reminded Dominic of her injured hand when he'd first commented on the meal, and he smirked as she crunched on a cucumber.

"I'd appreciate it if you kept all your fingers, too." He murmured back, a playful tone to his voice. The next thing they talked about was Mia being a vegetarian, and he leaned back a bit as she answered his question, telling him it had started as a small form of rebellion. Dominic knew her father, had known the man for a long time, and knew he was always controlling. Even for a man with no power other than what the mafia gave him, he'd always carried himself well, sometimes a little too well. Dominic had never been his biggest fan; it was definitely his daughter that Dom preferred.

"If it seems silly, then maybe it's time to venture back out into the world." Dom shrugged, biting down on his burger as he wiggled his eyebrows at her. Of course he wouldn't force her to eat meat again, but he would tease her about it and push her buttons here and there. That's what he always did, no matter the topic. It was something his father both loved and hated about him. It would make him a good leader to a degree, if Dominic could figure out what buttons to push and which ones to leave alone. Unfortunately for the Don, Dominic hadn't quite figured that out yet.

When the next stretch of silence was too long for Dominic's liking, he pleaded with the others to say something. Mia was first, commenting on the weather while she shot a playful smirk his way. He rolled his eyes, taking another bite of his burger, almost choking when Mia voiced her next question. He saw Cam looking at him and quickly cleared his expression, swallowing the bite of burger he'd taken. He didn't need Cameron figuring out that something was on his mind before he was ready to say it, even though a part of him knew he'd be better off saying it sooner rather than later.

Cal stretched his arm out behind Cameron, and the girl stiffened until she realized it was just Cal. Leaning back in his seat, he looked around at everyone. :Well, we may not have internet or cable, but I'm sure we can find something to do." He smirked, hearing Cal's question towards Cameron and her response. Looking at Mia, he nodded towards the two of them before he winked at her, his gaze lingering for a few extra seconds. Knowing that everyone was pretty much coming to the end of their meals, Dominic chewed on the inside of his cheek as he considered his next words carefully.

"I know you both are curious about your futures. And I have some answers." He started, twisting in his seat some as he picked at a napkin on the table. When he looked up, he looked at Cal first, and then Cameron, and finally Mia. "When we first arrived here, I went to the study, where I found a letter from my father. I have it, if you want to read it. But I can just tell you what it says." He paused, not for dramatic effect, but just to think again on his words. "Cal is going to be my second in command when I follow in my father's footsteps. As such, he needs a strong woman by his side. Cameron, that's going to be you."

His eyes darted towards the blonde, seeing the look of horror on her face. "You won't return to your old life. You'll spend yours by Cal, and it's his choice what happens from there. And Mia..." Twisting again, Dominic looked at Mia, hating himself already. "You'll be spending yours by my side. As my wife." Maybe it wasn't smart to let them eat first, he mused, but it was too late now. The words were out in the open, and there was no taking them back. "You also will not be returning to your old life, but instead, you'll become the one thing you never wanted to be: a mafia wife."

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · May 13, 2021

Mia

It was natural for there to be ebbs and flows in conversations- moments of deep discussion followed by moments of silence. When with company one is familiar and comfortable with, the silences aren't felt as deeply, but here at this table of unlikely "friends", the silence felt endless and heavy. It wasn't as easy to ignore the elephant in the room when the room was quiet aside from the sound of chewing. Dominic was the first to crack and Mia the first to provide something to talk about.

Though the future was a dangerous topic, Mia had mistakenly presumed that bringing up the very near future at least wouldn't cause many problems. It wasn't like Dom and Cal planned to kill them overnight, right? Why go through all the trouble to feed them if that was the case... And so she asked what there was to do on the island in the attempt of finding something fun for tomorrow. Still trying to commit herself to enjoying this horrible situation as much as possible instead of wallowing in her anxiety, Mia figured at least if they had distractions it would be easier for her and Cam to get through this. At first, that seemed like it might actually be the case too. Dom mentioned that he was sure they could find something on the island to do without internet and cable, and Cal and Cam seemed to be up for some fun as well. Things almost looked to be improving, or so the brunette thought as her mind drifted to potential activities she'd want to do if this really was a vacation.

Unfortunately, Dom kept talking though, and the rug was quickly pulled out from under Mia and Cam's feet. I know you both are curious about your futures. And I have some answers. Mia's heart seemed to stop for a moment, her body immediately going on high alert in anticipation of what Dom was going to say next. He paused though, and the brunette's stomach sank as she watched him pick at the napkin in front of him, fearing the worst now. Usually Dominic was so upfront and carefree, if not careless, with his words. So for him to now appear to be having trouble getting them out scared Mia. Perhaps she had been wrong in her belief that she and Cam were safe from meeting premature ends.

Dom's gaze moved from Cal, to Cam, and finally to Mia as he continued speaking. When we first arrived here, I went to the study, where I found a letter from my father. I have it, if you want to read it. But I can just tell you what it says. Dread instantly flooded Mia's senses, her face paling at the knowledge that the Don had given his orders. Her father's attempt on the Don's life still fresh, Mia could only assume the worst. Dropping her fork, she quickly moved her hands into her lap to hide how they were starting to shake with adrenaline and fear. This could be it. She'd been naive enough to think she wouldn't receive the same punishment others would in this same scenario, and now...

Cal is going to be my second in command when I follow in my father's footsteps. As such, he needs a strong woman by his side. Cameron, that's going to be you. You won't return to your old life. You'll spend yours by Cal, and it's his choice what happens from there. And Mia... The brunette's eyes widened when she heard Cameron's fate, instantly turning to the blonde to see the look of horror on her face. For an instant, Mia forgot about herself, her concern turning to Cam. Mia knew what kind of life would lay before the blonde now, being attached to a mob member... No, not just any member though. Cam would belong to the future Don's second in command. A dangerous and powerful role within the organization. Before Mia could even open her mouth to try to comfort Cam, she heard her name fall from Dom's mouth, and the terror returned. That's right, she was receiving her fate as well.

Mia reluctantly looked at Dom, determined to take her punishment for her father's crimes face on. If he was going to dole out her sentence, she wanted Dom to have to look her in the eyes while doing it. You'll be spending yours by my side. As my wife... You also will not be returning to your old life, but instead, you'll become the one thing you never wanted to be: a mafia wife.

It felt like Mia had all the air knocked out of her and she immediately turned away from Dom, glancing down at her plate as his words sunk in. Everything she'd felt for Cam and her unfortunate fate to be with Cal, Mia now felt for herself, realizing that their punishments would be quite similar. The brunette couldn't even grapple with all the implications that becoming Dom's wife entailed, her body starting to shut down to protect itself. Mia was in shock. Becoming a mafia wife wasn't as bad as death, but it wasn't much better. And being Dom's wife...

Blue eyes turned back to Dom, searching his face for any sign that he was just pulling a cruel prank on them. He wasn't though. Hurt and betrayal and disbelief flitted across Mia's face as she stared at her childhood friend. The man she'd have to marry. The man just an hour or so ago she'd been kissing in the ocean and thinking that maybe... Wait. "You've known about this since we arrived?" Mia asked quietly, her brows furrowing. "So you knew at the beach then..." The brunette's stomach turned, realizing that the entire time she'd been talking about him letting her escape to go live a life in Kansas, he'd known that she was destined to marry him. And when they'd kissed... Fuck. She'd been so stupid. Dom had just been softening her up for the final blow. To top off all the other emotions coursing through Mia, in addition to the alcohol, a rush of embarrassment was added to the cocktail.

Rising from the table, Mia went to grab her wine glass, but stopped her hand midway when she realized it was now empty. Without skipping a beat though, the brunette grabbed Dom's beer instead, bringing it to her lips with a shaking hand as she pushed away from the table and left without another word. It was dark now, and Mia knew the security guards were lurking out there in the night so it wouldn't do to run away. Instead she just walked to the sliding glass door, throwing it open and disappearing back inside. Angry and panicked tears were starting to form in her eyes and Mia glanced around the kitchen as her vision blurred, looking for something to help take away everything she was feeling. Dom's beer wouldn't do much in the long run, so she grabbed another bottle of wine from the rack. "F-fuck..." She uttered, feeling the tidal wave of emotions she'd been ignoring since Dom didn't drive her home last night mere moments from crashing over her. Her chest was tight and her breaths were becoming quicker and shallower. "Fuck!" She repeated, the first sob issuing from her lips.

Distraught

Patio> Kitchen

nine lives

Cal

When Cal stretched his arm across the back of Cam's chair he hadn't meant to startle her, and when the blonde glanced over to him he offered an apologetic smile. He'd just wanted to enjoy the opportunity to touch her once more before everything likely went to hell in a handbasket. The smile she offered him, her cheeks flushing a little, only made it harder for him to remain so casual. If they left the dinner table now, maybe they could sneak in one last romp in the bed before Dom shattered their reality. That was wishful thinking of course, and instead Cal just asked Cam if she was up for a little fun. Her response was quick and made Cal chuckle, giving her shoulders a little squeeze.

Dom said something about figuring out stuff to do on the island, and Cal wondered for a moment if that meant the don-to-be had changed his mind about telling the girls. Surely once they told them, the need for activities wouldn't be as necessary. Perhaps he was being a pessimist, but Cal figured that once Cam and Mia knew that they belonged to him and Dom respectively, any desire for fun would be snuffed out. The blonde shifted beside him, pulling Cal back out of his thoughts, and he smiled noticing that she'd moved closer.

His gaze met hers, and for a moment Cal just studied her features, committing her easy going expression to memory in case he didn't get the chance to see it again. She was beautiful, innocent and brave. Despite being in a situation that would shake others to their core, she'd maintained a grace about her that spoke volumes. She could be utterly terrified and screaming for them to let her go, and instead she'd kept a cool demeanor about her. Cam was paying for her father's sins with dignity instead of bitterness, and Cal hoped perhaps she could continue the silently accepting view on things once she was told she belonged to him. That was a selfish hope of course, and Cal knew it.

As if being punished for just the thought, Dom spoke up, his words making Cal's stomach twist with nerves. I know you both are curious about your futures. And I have some answers. It was time. Cal wanted to ignore Dom for just a moment longer and tell Cameron to just trust him, no matter what the heir said, but Cal remained silent. Turning away from Cam, he braced himself for the fallout as he looked to Dom, who offered a quick nod before he shared the contents of his father's letter.

At first, Cal couldn't even look at Cameron, his guilt preventing him from viewing the distress her fate would cause her. Sure, it wasn't like Cal had decided that Cameron would be his for the rest of her life, but he still played the starring role in the situation. He couldn't refuse the Don or Dom's orders, no matter how much he'd already grown to care for Cam in the short amount of time. Telling himself that he was doing what was best for Cam in the long run by taking responsibility for her rather than letting her end up in the hands of someone far more insidious, Cal finally chanced a glance at the blonde.

The look of horror on her face broke him inside, though he kept a calm expression on the outside. Her eyes searched his, silently asking him if what Dom said was true. Cal simply nodded, doing his best to not betray how he felt. He needed to be firm in his resolve. This was just another job he was tasked to complete, and he wouldn't mar his perfect record now. "Cam..." Cal uttered, trying to string together words that would ease her worries but not make him look soft. However, before he could say anything, Dom proceeded to tell Mia about her engagement, and Cal went on alert in case the petite brunette tried anything against Dom out of anger.

Mia didn't though, remaining suspiciously calm considering the fucked up situation, and she left the table with hardly any words to Dom. Cal glanced at his boss, checking in to make sure everything was okay, before he turned his attention back to Cam. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and promise her that he would make everything okay, but he didn't know that for certain. Cal knew he didn't want anything to happen to her, but he couldn't promise her happiness. He knew this life that awaited Cameron was far beyond anything she was even remotely familiar with or had imagined for herself. Hell, she hadn't even known that her father was mixed up with the mob until last night. And now... now she would be a fringe member for the rest of her life.

"Cameron..." Cal tried again, not feeling worthy of calling her by her nickname in this moment. "Let's go on a walk." He said, rising out of his chair as well. The lackey wanted to be as delicate about this situation as possible, but he couldn't do that in front of Dom. While it likely would come across as controlling, Cal decided that was the least of his problems as he gently took Cameron by the arm and helped her up out of her chair.

"We won't go far." Cal promised, turning back to his boss. "If anything happens that you can't handle, just holler." He added, not wanting to seem like he was abandoning his post. He knew though that even if Mia tried anything, Dom was perfectly capable of handling himself. "Come on... we should probably talk." Cal said, his attention turning back to the tiny blonde beside him. He still held her arm, gently, but firm enough that he could steer her where he wanted her to go as they started to walk away from the once peaceful spot on the patio.

Guilty

Outside Patio

nine lives

apolla · May 21, 2021

mood

heavy

location

patio

outfit

tags

Cal/Mia (

Desert_Blossom ); Dominic

Cameron

The dinner with Mia, Dominic and Cal had surprised Cameron because it was actually nice. There was some chitchat, some joking even, and good food. Even though the situation itself wasn't ideal, Cameron was happy. In the moment, at least. Maybe later on when she was alone again and had time to think, her thoughts would drift back to her family and she would get sad again, but for her she was distracted enough that she was smiling at least. She didn't want to think about the fact that her father had betrayed her. Who would? She'd trusted the man with her life, and she would always love him. But for now she was extremely hurt, and she didn't honestly know if she'd ever be able to forgive him. Had her brothers known about the deal? She had no idea, and had no way of finding out, and not knowing was killing her inside.

Maybe that was one reason she'd been so quick to jump into bed with Cal. It was a distraction, and a damn good one. But even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew that wasn't true. There was attraction there and she liked to think it was on both sides. If he wasn't attracted to her, why would he have jumped into bed with her? Was it just a distraction on his side? After all, even though he was on the 'right' side of the fence here, he was still trapped on this island as much as she was. Cameron didn't know if they would switch out people or whatever, but she honestly hoped not. She didn't want to think of Cal leaving, she didn't want that picture in her mind of him getting on a plane and flying away. It caused her heart to clench just thinking about it.

And yes, she knew that was dangerous. She shouldn't be getting attracted to anyone in this situation, much less getting into bed with them. But she couldn't deny the sparks she felt when Cal kissed her, touched her, hell, even when he looked at her. Like when he placed his hand behind her on her chair, for example. She'd been a little startled at first, but discovering that it was just him, she relaxed and even moved closer to him. She felt safe with him, and that was dangerous as well. Because she wasn't safe with him. The only person sitting at this table that she should trust even a little bit was Mia, and even then Cameron knew she should keep her guard up. While the circumstances surrounding their situations weren't quite the same, Mia was a prisoner here as well. The only person who wasn't was Dominic... or was he?

The whole thing was confusing, considering Cameron didn't know a damn thing about the mafia other than what she'd read in fiction novels and seen in movies. It sounded silly, even to her own ears, and she'd wanted to get more information on it but now didn't seem the time. She felt like Mia was the best person to go to for that, but they hadn't had much alone time in the kitchen while cooking. There wasn't much privacy at all here, really, but Cam would get answers eventually. It wasn't like she was rushing, either, since they had no idea how long they'd be here for. Nor did they know what would happen beyond island life. Cameron had no idea about her family, and from what she knew, neither did Mia. It made Cameron feel for the girl, but for herself too.

Reality gave Cameron a cold, hard slap to the face when Dominic started his little speech. Even though she'd just been wondering about her own future, she hadn't expected... this. A sudden wave of nausea washed over her as she sat there at the table, her eyes wide and staring at Dominic but not really seeing him. Mia was speaking, but Cameron couldn't even understand what the girl was saying. Her face had lost all color, and she hadn't moved from the chair. She couldn't. Not even as Mia stood, reaching for her wine glass only to change her mind once she realized it was empty. Instead she grabbed Dominic's beer, taking a swig before she abruptly left the table. Dominic sighed and glanced at Cal, his eyes relaying a message that Cameron couldn't understand. Or maybe didn't want to.

Hearing Cal utter her name, her full name, she slowly turned her horrified gaze onto his. "Let's go on a walk." She had no idea how to respond, but he gently took her arm and helped her stand. "You son of a bitch." She fixed her wide-eyed doe gaze on Dominic, who was still sitting in the chair, speaking at the same time that Cal promised they wouldn't go far. After adding for Dominic to call to him if he needed him, he turned his attention back to Cam, saying they should probably talk. She had still been staring at Dominic, unsure if he'd even heard her. He still held her arm, and she wasn't naïve enough to think that he'd just let her go if she tried to jerk away. And god damn it, a small part of her still didn't want to. He led her away from the spot on the patio, out through a gate and onto the beach surrounding the house.

Cameron stopped as they reached the sand, looking down at her feet clad in a pair of flip flops. She abandoned the shoes, and the pair started walking again, further away from the house and towards the water. For a few moments, she couldn't say anything. She didn't know what to say. But as they got closer to the water, she dug her heels into the sand, refusing to go any further. She wasn't trying to run, she just wanted a moment. And while they stood there, she stared out at the water, never moving from Cal's side. "I didn't ask for this." She spoke softly, her voice soft but still audible over the waves. "And I should hate you." Her lower lip quivered as she turned a pair of tear-filled eyes on him. "But I'm scared and none of this is fair."

She finally moved out of his grip, but didn't run, just reached up to run her fingers through her hair, removing the hair tie from the blonde locks, letting them fall down her back. "Why don't I hate you, Cal?" She bit down on her lower lip, the tears streaming down her face now. She looked back towards the house, biting back a sob as she heard Dominic's words over and over in her mind. With the movie-like replay in her mind, she all of a sudden turned back towards Cal, not even realizing she was lifting her hand until it was connecting with his face. She never hit people, and the shock that appeared on her face right after she did it spoke volumes. Her lips parted as though she were going to speak but no words came out, just a couple of noises that were attempts at English but failures. With tears still streaming down her face, she buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she cried.

nine lives

mood

worried

location

patio

outfit

tags

Mia/Cal (

Desert_Blossom ); Cam

Dominic

Dominic knew that when he dropped the bomb on the girls it wouldn't be pretty. A small part of him had wanted to wait until the right moment, but in reality, he'd known all along there wouldn't be a right moment. The truth was, he didn't want to see the look of betrayal and hurt in Mia's eyes when he told her. Even knowing that Cameron would be upset didn't make him happy, but with Mia, things were different. He knew her, and even though they'd lost touch for all those years the feelings he'd had for her never went away. Because if he were being honest with himself, he'd always had feelings for Mia, he just refused to acknowledge them. He wasn't the type of guy to settle for one girl, after all. He was Dominic Santoro, the well-known son of the Don who partied harder than anyone.

He'd been through alot in his twenty-five years of life. Some of it had been thanks to his own choices, but not all of it. Sometimes he'd snorted too much of the white powder or drank too much at parties, ended up in bed with people he didn't even recognize the next day. He always left and never called back, even with the women he did know. He'd been robbed, held at gunpoint and knifepoint, and even had people threaten him and his family. He always used the Santoro name to back him up, because no one would really kill him if they knew the consequences. And even though his father did get tired and fed up with his shenanigans, he would clean up his sons messes to a degree. And back when Casey was alive, he would do the same, sometimes without their father ever finding out.

When Casey had died, it'd been a real shock for Dominic because Casey had been his best friend and backup so many times. Now Dominic truly felt as though he were on his own, because their father wouldn't put up with Dominic's shit forever. He'd made that abundantly clear when he would backhand or outright punch his son, giving him a nice shiner for others to see. But of course, who would stand up against the Don for Dominic? Nobody, that's who. But did Dominic learn his lesson? Very rarely. But maybe he'd learned a little bit more than people thought, considering how he was handling this now. He could have kept the secret from the girls for longer, but he felt as though they had a right to know. Especially Mia.

His mind was a hodgepodge of different thoughts and emotions, but he kept his voice even as he told them what was going to happen to them. And as he suspected, it wasn't pretty. He saw the exact look in Mia's eyes that he didn't want to see, his heart tightening when she asked if he'd known the entire time. "Yes." He told her, not moving from his seat even as she pressed on, bringing up the beach. A ghost of a frown appeared on his lips, but she might have missed it as she stood then, grabbing his beer and taking a swig before she turned to stalk inside. A soft sigh left his lips, his eyes glancing over towards Cameron, seeing the ghostly pale look on her face as well. She wasn't happy, either, but at least she wasn't screaming or throwing things.

Cal suggested the two of them go for a walk, and Dominic just waved him off as he helped Cameron to his feet, telling Dominic they wouldn't go far. "Go, go." He told them, the distraction evident on his face. Then they were gone, and Dominic knew he had two options: ignore what was happening or go after Mia. The choice had already been made in his mind, so slowly, he stood from the table and turned to head inside. The door was still open, so he just slipped inside the kitchen, his eyes immediately finding Mia in the little section of the kitchen that housed the wine racks. He shut the door behind him, making noise so that she would know he was coming. If she was even paying attention to what was going on around her, that is.

"Mia." He heard her muttered curse and the choked sob that left her lips, and it broke his heart all over again. With a soft sigh, he closed the distance between them, knowing that he was risking bodily harm by getting closer to her. Gently taking the beer from her hands, he turned to set it on the counter, then turned back to her. Taking the wine from her as well, he glanced down at the bottle. "Good year." He muttered, honestly not knowing jack shit about wine, but just trying to make her smile. Doubting that it would work, he just sighed and turned away from her again. Locating the opener, he set to opening the bottle. She'd left her wine glass out on the patio, so he just grabbed another one from the cabinet and poured her a full, healthy glass.

Sliding the bottle aside, he stepped away from the counter and gestured towards the glass so that she would know to move closer and grab it. He had no doubt that she wanted it, would probably drain the entire bottle if she could. And she deserved that, if that's what she wanted. He wasn't going to stop her. She'd probably have a hell of a hangover tomorrow, but they had a medicine cabinet in the bathroom, he was sure they'd have something in there for her headache. He'd also nursed enough hangovers himself to know that he could find something to help her no matter what. A dark room, a cold rag over the face, sleeping for as long as you wanted. "Go ahead." He murmured to her, reaching out to grasp the counter, his gaze dropping from her to the wine.

With a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes, reaching up to run his fingers through his hair. "Mia..." He wanted to tell her how sorry he was, how much he wanted to be able to give her something else. Her freedom, for instance. But if he were being honest, again, she would make a great mafia wife, if she opened herself up to it. His fear was that she never would, though, and that she would resent him forever. And maybe he deserved that. Opening his eyes again, he slid his gaze over to Mia, not approaching her even though he wanted to, more than anything. "Would you believe me if I said I'm sorry?" He asked her, scoffing lightly afterwards, a small yet slightly sad smile appearing on his face. "I mean, I probably wouldn't, if I were you. But a guy can hope."

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · May 24, 2021

Mia

Just when Mia had decided to embrace island life in order to stay afloat in this nightmare situation, she found herself drowning in the dark, murky waters of her future. As Dom's words sank in, bringing with it the realization that even if she wasn't going to be killed, her life truly was over, Mia found it harder and harder to breathe. Just knowing the kind of life that lay before her was suffocating, and Mia wanted to scream to make it all go away. To make herself wake up from this impossible scenario. Her autonomy was gone. What little independence she had as the daughter of a mafia member was gone. She'd be married to the most powerful man in the mafia, which ironically made her one of the most powerless. The life she'd been waiting for, the one beyond the reach of the mafia and her father, would never be hers. Finding love and building a family that was ignorant of all the horrific things that the maffia did was impossible. Mia wasn't religious or spiritual, but if life did have meaning... she felt like her purpose had just been taken away. All that was left for her was everything she didn't want.

Mia could feel panic coming on as she tried to take a deep breath to calm the emotions swallowing her as she stood in the kitchen. The tears welling up in her eyes made it impossible to discern which wine she was choosing from the rack, but as long as it had alcohol in it she didn't care. Her only hope to prevent, or at least postpone, the full on panic attack was to drink until she was numb, and even then she didn't know if that was even an effective solution. Worth a shot at least. Before she could get the bottle opened though, she heard the sliding door close loudly, announcing someone's arrival. Dom simply said her name, and the first sob slipped from her lips, his presence reminding her that she couldn't escape the inevitable.

With her hands full, Mia just closed her eyes tight, trying to will herself to stop. She didn't want Dom to see her broken and she hated crying. Her breath caught a little with a couple more silent sobs, but she didn't move when he walked over to her. For an instant her grip tightened on the beer bottle when she felt him start to take it from her, but she didn't have the energy to be difficult right now and just let her hands drop to her side when he took the beer and then the wine. Hearing his comment about the wine being a good year, Mia opened her eyes and glanced up at Dom, a little incredulous that he was trying to joke at a time like this. She remained silent, afraid what might come out of her mouth at this point if she tried speaking, but she turned, watching him open the wine and pour her a glass.

Only when Dom stepped away from the counter and gestured to the glass of wine, did she walk over to the counter and pick up the wine. Mia held the glass in her hand for a moment when Dom said to "go ahead", staring down at the dark liquid inside. She didn't need his permission to drink, and was tempted to toss it all in Dom's face and then shatter the glass into a thousand pieces against the ground just to be ornery. Instead though, she simply raised the glass to her lips, draining most of the contents like it was water. The brunette grimaced at the bitter aftertaste, setting the glass back down when Dom said her name again.

Mia turned her gaze towards Dom, ready to glare daggers into his soul, but found that his eyes were shut as he ran a hand through his hair, the other one gripping the counter. The angry expression in her eyes faltered a little as she read her childhood friend's body language. He wasn't being cocky about this or imposing on her personal space like he'd been thus far on the island, and while that didn't excuse him of his actions, it did make it a little bit harder to hate him as much as she wanted to. After a moment of silence, Dom opened his eyes again, his blue gaze meeting Mia's. Would you believe me if I said I'm sorry? ... I mean, I probably wouldn't, if I were you. But a guy can hope. Mia was surprised by Dom’s question for a moment, and she considered whether she did believe him for a moment, before she reminded herself not to let him manipulate her like he had at the beach. Though, she conveniently ignored the fact that she’d been the one to kiss him first, and not the other way around. Either way, he hadn’t done anything to stop her from making a fool of herself.

"What does it matter if you're sorry or not?" Mia asked, finally breaking her silence as she glanced away from Dom and his sad smile. "It doesn't change anything. Besides, if you were actually sorry then you'd..." The brunette continued, her voice trailing off as she thought about what Dom even could or would do if he actually regretted things. She had no control over this situation, and could either accept her fate or end her life, the latter of which she had no intention of doing no matter how bleak things looked. But this arrangement involved Dom too. If he really was sorry, maybe he could persuade his father to reconsider.

"Can you say no? What happens if you refuse to marry me?" Mia asked, looking back to Dom with the last bit of hope of finding a way out of this. "Can't you tell your father you don't want to marry me? You must have some say in your future as the next Don..." She added, taking a few steps over to Dom as she grasped for straws. "This isn't just punishing me or my father... Don't you want to choose who you marry?" Mia asked, now standing in front of Dom, glancing up at him pleadingly. If fifteen year old Mia knew one day she’d have the chance to marry Dom, but would practically be begging not to, the young girl wouldn’t have believed it. She wouldn’t have believed that Casey was dead or Dom was the next in line to be Don either though.

Suffocating

Kitchen

nine lives

Cal

When Cameron met Cal's eye after he suggested they take a walk, his stomach turned at the horrified expression on her utterly pale face. Only minutes ago it had been flushed and vibrant during the abnormally relaxed dinner, and now... now she looked ill at the very idea of her new reality. And Cal didn't blame her. He'd once been in her shoes, and though their circumstances were quite different, he knew the feeling she was experiencing right now. The tattooed man had long tried to block those emotions from his memory so he could move on with his life, but seeing Cam's face, it all came flooding back. He'd once become property of the maffia just as she was now. Only, he answered to the Don and his men, while Cam would answer to him.

Cal grimaced a little as he heard the blonde call Dom a son of a bitch, and his grip on her arm tightened ever so slightly as a warning not to over step. Her words were harmless as the lackey figured Dom would just ignore them if he even heard them, but if Cameron were to try that kind of language with anyone else, she would be in trouble. If she was going to be his property, Cal would have to teach her how to control her anger so she stayed alive. He could only do so much to keep her safe, especially when many of the mafia members saw women who weren't blood as expendable.

Telling Dom he'd be around if the future Don needed him, Cal led Cameron away towards the beach. He paused long enough for the blonde to discard her shoes in the sand, before they walked out of earshot of the house. Cal was trying to think of something to say to Cameron to soften the blow of the news, anything to make her feel better, but he was at a loss. He'd managed to keep it together in front of the mafia members when he was first told his life belonged to the Don, but once alone, he'd been inconsolable and violent. His apartment looked like a hurricane had swept through it once he'd let out all his anger on it, which only added more splash to the news stories about Nathan Gallo's disappearance and run from the law.

Suddenly, Cameron dug her heels into the sand and Cal was forced to stop or risk yanking her arm out of socket. Turning to look at the blonde in the dim light of the moon, he watched her for a moment as she stared out at the water. His free hand moved towards her a little, wanting to pull her into an embrace, but he resisted the urge, not wanting to overstep when she was already feeling vulnerable. Finally, her soft voice left her lips, battling the noise of the waves but reaching Cal's ears nonetheless. I didn't ask for this... And I should hate you... But I'm scared and none of this is fair.

Seeing the tears in Cam's eyes glistening in the moonlight made Cal's heart tighten in his chest and his grip on her arm loosened a little out of the guilt that crashed over him. He didn't want to cause her any pain, but even doing what was best for her in the given situation, he still was. But... she didn't hate him. At least not yet, and that gave Cal a sliver of hope that he could make things right for her. "Cam..." He uttered quietly, before falling silent again when she moved out of his grip and let her hair down from the pony tail it had been in. Why don't I hate you, Cal? The lackey was caught off guard by her question, not having an answer for her. She was right, she should hate him. He had hated the mafia, well, except Dom, for the first couple years, but now that hate had dissolved into a loyalty he couldn't explain. It had only been a day, but he and Cam had a connection, but was that enough reason for her not to-...

Cal was caught up in his thoughts and completely unprepared for Cameron's hand connecting with his face. It wasn't necessarily very painful, he'd been hit by much bigger and stronger people, but it was surprising enough to make him take a step back and quickly raise a hand to his cheek in annoyance. The instinctive anger that immediately flooded his expression was short-lived though as Cam broke down in front of him, the shock over her own actions evident before she buried her face in her hands. Cal deserved the hit, and much more, so he excused Cam's lashing out. Instead of berating or retaliating against the blonde, Cal gave in to temptation and strode over to her, wrapping his arms around her shaking shoulders.

"I know you didn't ask for this..." Cal uttered, resting his chin against her head, pinning down some of the now windswept blonde locks. "The only people who want to be involved with the mafia are those who are either greedy, desperate or insane. Everyone else doesn't ask for it either..." He continued, holding her close to him. Cameron's father must have been desperate when he became involved with the Mafia, leading to his daughter being collateral damage. Mia and Dom had been born into the Mafia, so they hadn't asked for this kind of life either. And Cal... he hadn't asked for his sister to become involved with the Mafia and had only slid in further with them out of desperation to save her and his mother. Cal hadn't asked for this life, but now was perpetuating the cycle.

"I don't know why you don't hate me... You should." The tattooed man whispered, almost afraid to say it. Part of Cal wanted to explain his own situation, to assure her that he could relate to her better than she thought. To make her see that he wasn't the bad guy... but he was the bad guy. He had kidnapped her and held her against her will, and now would continue doing so the rest of her life. Even if he was trying to protect her, he still wasn't letting her go free. Cal knew he didn't deserve for Cameron not to hate him, and he didn't want to ask for any more of her sympathy. It would be easier if she hated him. At least on his conscience.

"I can't let you go... " Cal began. "But I promise to do my best to not give you anymore reasons to hate me..." All he could do was try though. He couldn't promise that his actions and the things he had to do as Dom's right hand man wouldn't upset the blonde more, but he wouldn't go out of his way to make her life hard. He didn't want to. Within a day, Cam had made Cal realize that he wasn't as closed off as he had thought himself to be. Somewhere in him still lived a piece of Nathan Gallo, the man who had given up everything to protect those he cared about.

Guilty

Beach

nine lives

apolla · Jun 11, 2021

mood

heavy

location

patio

outfit

tags

Cal/Mia (

Desert_Blossom ); Dominic

Cameron

Cameron didn't even know what to think anymore. Her world had shattered in a matter of what, twenty-four hours? She didn't have her phone to actually tell her what time it was, nor had she even bothered to see if there was a clock in the house anywhere. The day was starting to end now, the sun dropping below the horizon as the moon rose to bathe the island in moonlight. She knew that when she'd met Cal, it had also been nighttime. She'd just come out of the school building, exhausted and ready for a bath and her bed. But unfortunately, she wouldn't get either. Instead, she got tricked into getting into his car, trapped and then kidnapped and brought to this very island. She had no idea how far away from the states they were now, and with time zones and all she had no idea how long it'd been since she made that mistake.

The food she'd eaten felt like lead in her stomach as Cal led her away from the table on the patio, out towards the beach, closer to the water. She'd abandoned her shoes, but couldn't even enjoy the feeling of the still-warm sand between her toes or Cal's hand on her arm. The sad part was that his touch still gave her goosebumps and butterflies, despite the fact that Dominic had just revealed that her future now belonged to him. She belonged to him. Maybe under different circumstances, they could have had some sort of special connection. She'd almost fooled herself earlier into thinking that they did, but he'd already known the words written in the letter. He'd known... the whole time? Even as they...? The thought only made the lead feeling sink deeper into her stomach, weighing her down from the inside.

When she dug her heels into the sand, refusing to go any further, she didn't even know at that moment in time what she was going to say or do. She stared out at the soft waves in the distances, the sound of the ocean still roaring in her ears despite it's relative calmness. Or maybe that was just the blood rushing through her veins, she wasn't sure. She contemplated, only for a moment, diving into the water and never resurfacing. But even as the image appeared in her mind, she knew she wouldn't do it. She didn't want to die. Her new reality had slapped her in the face, and her thoughts were all over the place, but she told herself that things could be worse. She honestly felt for Mia, knowing the girl had to become the wife of the Don-to-be. Though Cameron knew nothing about the mafia other than what she knew from media sources, that wasn't a position she envied.

Her soft words still reached Cal's ears, and she turned her head to look at him, her eyes shining with tears. For some reason, though, hearing her name slip from his lips, she couldn't stand it. She moved out of his grip, reaching up to release her hair from the ponytail she'd pulled it up into earlier. Perhaps letting the blonde waves loose would help with the sudden headache she had forming, or maybe feeling the island breeze lifting those waves from her shoulders would help to calm her. Unfortunately, neither of those things happened, and the anger and the fear she felt slipped through her walls with her question and the slap to his face. She hadn't ever slapped anyone before, not seriously like that. Not even her brothers when they pissed her off beyond belief.

Her anger faltered almost as soon as she realized what she'd done. She felt fear, embarrassment and shame flood her as Cal stumbled backwards a step or two, lifting a hand to his cheek. An annoyed expression had taken over his features, though she didn't see it soften as she buried her face in her hands, completely breaking down. She had no idea how long she stood there like that, but it wasn't very long at all before she felt his hands wrapping around her, enveloping her in a tight hold that she hadn't even known she needed. Through her sobs and sniffles, she heard Cal's simple words, telling her that he knew she hadn't asked for this. That brought another wave of tears to the surface, and she buried her face in his chest, her hands gripping his shirt and pulling him closer, as though she couldn't be close enough to the man who now owned her.

She almost missed what he said as he pressed on, and she had to force herself to calm down so she could hear him. Turning her head some, she listened, biting down on her lip hard to keep herself from outright sobbing again. Her shoulders stopped shaking so much, but the tears were still silently flowing. When he told her that he didn't know why she didn't hate him, that she should, she squeezed her eyes shut and bit down on her lip even harder. She should, but she didn't. It made no sense in her mind. She'd just pulled back some to look at him, releasing her lip as she did so, when he started again. "I can't let you go... But I promise to do my best to not give you anymore reasons to hate me..."

The first part of his sentence rang so loudly in her mind that she again almost missed what else he said. Her eyes widened and she stiffened, her grasp on his shirt tightening as her eyes searched his, almost as though hoping she could find any sign that he was lying. But she found none. "Cal..." She started, unable to stop another wave of fresh tears from spilling out of her eyes. She tore her gaze away from his, not wanting to see the pity there. Realizing she was still holding onto his shirt, she released him, smoothing out the wrinkles she'd created. "I can't do this. I can't." She shook her head, closing her eyes as she pushed gently on his chest, separating them and stepping out of his hold. "I'm a person, Cal, not something you can buy and own!" Her voice shook as she stepped back, her eyes red and raw from all the tears.

Somewhere in her mind, she knew this wasn't his fault. He wasn't the one who'd pointed at her and said, "I want her". This was her father's doing, and she couldn't even talk to the man to ask him why he'd done what he'd done. She didn't know if she'd ever be able to talk to him again, or even see him. Or her brothers. She had no idea what the future held for her now, and that terrified her more than anything. Turning away from Cal, she swallowed back another wave of sobs, trying to keep herself as calm as she could. She'd already lost control once and hit him, and even though she doubted it hurt him at all, she didn't want to do that because it wasn't her. Slowly, she started walking towards the water, sinking down onto the wet sand, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, burying her face in the space created there. The water reached her easily, lapping at her sides and soaking the parts of her clothes it could reach, but she didn't care. Her brain had stopped processing things at this point, and she didn't know what to do.

nine lives

mood

worried

location

patio

outfit

tags

Mia/Cal (

Desert_Blossom ); Cam

Dominic

As Dominic revealed the truth about the girls futures, he knew things weren't going to go over well. Honestly, if he could have kept it to himself he definitely would have. He didn't know Cameron, but he still didn't like the look of hurt and betrayal in her gaze. And Mia... she bore the same look, but seeing it on her face and in her eyes just cut Dominic to the core. He had distanced himself from her once before, though that hadn't been because of anything quite like this. Mia and Dominic had pretty much parted ways after knowing each other almost since childhood because they'd just grown up and drifted apart. Being the Don's son, Dominic didn't have the choice to separate himself from the mafia lifestyle like he would want.

Sure, he found his own ways to rebel and be an ass, but the line that tethered him to his father and the mafia was always there. Mia chose to live her own life, and Dominic didn't really know what she'd been up to for the last... however long it'd been. Maybe he should have asked her, while they were having their moment on the beach. It would have made for nice conversation, but truthfully, Dominic was focused on other things. Like how her skin shone in the waning sunlight and how her hair sparkled with beads of water from the ocean... or how her lips tasted after salt and something sweeter. Like strawberries, maybe, or something else. He wasn't sure, but he knew he wanted to taste them again. But after tonight, he doubted she would ever let him get that close again.

Mia disappeared from the table first, heading back inside. Dominic wanted to follow her immediately, but he just couldn't find it within himself to move. Not yet. He felt like she needed a moment to process and think. Besides, Cameron and Cal stood up from the table a moment later, drawing his attention towards them. He heard Cameron's muttered words towards him, but she didn't try to attack him or do anything other than call him a son of a bitch. If that was the worst thing she called him, he'd survive. He'd definitely been called worse; her words didn't shock him in the slightest. He noticed how Cal's grip on her arm tightened some, and he gave his second in command an appreciative nod. When the two disappeared towards the beach, he sighed, knowing he had to go after Mia.

Seeing her standing by the wine rack with her back to him, he could tell by the set of her shoulders that she was crying. Her name spilled from his lips, but he said nothing else as he moved closer to her, taking the beer bottle from her. He joked about the wine, trying to lighten the mood, but he could tell by the incredulous look on her face that she was not having it. Well, he couldn't really blame her there. So he just poured her a glass and stepped back, telling her to go ahead. She only moved closer to the glass once he was out of reach, and he sighed as he saw the different ideas passing through her eyes as she lifted the glass. He just knew that she wanted to throw it on him, because he probably would, were he in her shoes. He deserved it. So did his father, for that matter. But sadly, that was just the life of the mafia.

She finally decided to drink, and drained the contents of the glass in one go. He let out a low whistle, leaning against the counter a little ways down from her. He closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, and when he reopened them, he saw the confusion in her gaze. She didn't know whether or not to believe him, and again, he didn't fault her for that. But he still wanted to hear it... did she believe him? Was she angry with him? He wanted to know; he needed to know, because that was the only way they could move forward. If she was to be his wife, then they needed to be able to communicate. And granted, that wasn't Dominic's strong suit at all. He sucked at communicating. So why was he standing here now, as though this were the most natural thing?

Because he truly was sorry. That's why. It surprised him when the thought appeared in his mind, causing his expression to fall some. The silence stretched on between them for a while, but then she spoke, and her words caused the small smile on his face to grow even sadder. "What does it matter if you're sorry or not?" She asked him, cutting him deep again. She continued, and Dominic didn't move, though his eyes never left her either. "I could what?" He asked her, his voice dangerously soft. He wasn't angry, but he was slightly irritated, because he knew that she knew how this worked as well. The Don's word was law. There was absolutely no way that Dominic could refuse this, because it would be going against everything the mafia stood for. Mia's father had fucked up, and someone had to pay the price. Sadly, this time, it was Mia.

"What happens if I refuse?" He echoed her next words, hating the fact that he was going to have to kill the last bit of hope in her gaze. When she said he must have some say in his future, he outright laughed, looking away from her for a moment. As she approached him, his eyes shifted back to her, a sadness in his own gaze. "Of course I want to choose who I marry." He told her softly, his eyes never leaving hers. "But if you think I actually have a say in my own future, you're sadly mistaken, and you don't know this life like you thought." He frowned, sighing as he suddenly pushed off of the counter. He closed the distance between them, but slid his hand out along the counter to grab for her now empty glass and the wine bottle. Refilling it, he set it back in front of her, meeting her gaze again.

"Mia..." He hated the sadness and regret in his own voice, but he knew he had to do this. "Whether you want to believe me or not, I am sorry. But your father... he made a mistake. And unfortunately, you're the one who had to pay the price." He bit down on the inside of his cheek, glancing down for a moment. "Your father will no doubt pay a consequence as well, but my father decided that wasn't good enough." He didn't know her father's fate currently, and there was no way for him to find out quickly. He had no doubt that not knowing would probably hurt Mia, but unfortunately, there wasn't anything he could do about that right now. "If you hate me, Mia, I understand. But there is no way out of this, and I need you to understand that."

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Jul 25, 2021

Mia

As much as Mia hated it, and tried to distance herself from it, she was well versed with the mafia and the life it entailed. Too well versed. Deep down she knew that asking Dom if he could refuse to marry her was futile. But right now, she was doing anything she could to avoid the truth of her situation. To cling to any shred of hope. Or maybe it was just the wine filling her with foolish ideas that Dom was actually a good person. That he didn't really want to be just another Don in an endless line of morally corrupt men. That he was his own person. When they were younger, Mia had thought there was a chance at least. Though that was before Casey's premature death.

The laugh that escaped Dom's lips brought Mia out of her thoughts and back to the reality she had tried so hard to escape. He looked away and that made Mia take a couple steps towards him, but she stopped when he glanced back at her. The look in his eyes made her instantly regret the words that spilled out of her mouth before she could stop them. Of course he wanted to have a say in who he married! Who wouldn't? As much as Mia wanted to hate Dom, and she truly did want to right now, she knew that he was just as much a victim of circumstance as she was. He hadn't asked to be the next Don anymore than she had asked to be the daughter of a mob member. And yet, here they were.

Dom closed the distance between them and Mia froze, not sure if she wanted to push him away or just cry against him, but he reached for the wine again before she had time to make up her mind. Mia... The tone of Dom's voice made her name sound foreign. As if he wasn't talking to her but rather to someone who was in mourning. But she was, wasn't she? She'd just lost her independence, her free will, her future... Mia had done her best to face everything head on, to not cower away when Dom told her about her fate, but now as he continued speaking, she had to shut her eyes against the final blow. Whether you want to believe me or not, I am sorry. But your father... he made a mistake. And unfortunately, you're the one who had to pay the price... If you hate me, Mia, I understand. But there is no way out of this, and I need you to understand that.

Even with her eyes closed, it felt like the room was spinning and Mia felt like all the air had permanently been pushed out of her lungs. She tried to take a deep breath but it just turned into shallow sobs as her helplessness consumed her. The brunette wanted to drown all these feelings in more alcohol, but her hands were shaking too much to even think about holding a glass and more wine wasn't the answer right now. She was fucked. There was no way around it. Just fucked. And panicking. The sensation of claustrophobia was overwhelming as Mia's world finally crashed in around, burying her beneath the weight of her father's reckless actions. If she could just catch her breath, if she could just think straight for a moment, then maybe... maybe what? Nothing would change.

Mia slumped back against the counter as tears broke free, sliding down her cheeks as she slid down against the cabinets onto the floor. Under any other circumstances Mia would be mortified to be seen like this, and by Dom no less, but what did it matter? He was going to be stuck with her no matter what, so there was no point in upholding appearances anymore. She'd effectively been reduced to property, so it wasn't like she could sink much lower, literally or metaphorically. Leaning her head back against the cabinet, Mia tried again to take a deep breath to stave off the full fledged panic attack, and her shoulders shuddered a little when the air finally filled her lungs.

"Fuck my father. I don't ever want to hear about him or what he's done again." Mia uttered bitterly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I understand the consequences of what he's done. As I'm sure he would have understood before taking the risk he did." At this moment, Mia didn't care if the man who raised her was dead or soon to be dead. He'd ruined her life without any regard for or his daughter or wife's safety. Surely he would have known that his family wouldn't get off scot-free if he failed. And he'd royally failed. He was selfish and cruel and... Mia forced herself to stop thinking of him before she broke down even further.

"But understanding that there is no way out doesn't mean I accept it." Mia continued, opening her eyes finally and staring up at Dom. The room was still spinning so she made no move to rise again. "You might have been trained to, but I won't... And being sorry isn't enough Dom. It doesn't fix or change anything. It just makes it harder to hate you like I should." The woman on the floor let out a sound that was a mix between a dry laugh and another sob. "We're both prisoners. You just happen to be related to the warden." Mia added, a hiccup undercutting her sardonic mood.

Panicked

Kitchen

nine lives

Cal

For the past few years, Cal had managed to keep the man he once was locked away. Nathan Gallo was gone, along with all his aspirations to graduate from college and earn a living to support his family and get them out of the wrong neighborhood. Cal had put blinders on, blocking out everything other than the job he was expected to do for the mafia. At first, it was the only way to survive. To get through the corrupt things he found himself doing. Things he had always vowed to avoid and escape from. And he had... until he found out his sister hadn't. But eventually, Cal forgot he even had blinders on. The mafia became his world. He even occasionally found himself enjoying the work he did. Though that was largely thanks to Dominic. The man he'd die serving as his right hand man now.

However, after only 24 or so hours with Cameron, the blonde was already unburying his humanity... which was dangerous. Extremely dangerous. For both him and Cameron. Her life now depended on him keeping his standing in the mafia, and it would be nearly impossible for him to do that if he suddenly rediscovered his morals. If he wasn't her keeper, someone else much crueler would be, and he couldn't have that. Even if she slapped him. Even if she hated him, which she surprisingly didn't, yet.

Cal found himself wrapping his arms around the sobbing blonde as he tried to find words to comfort her. Though he knew nothing he could say could change the cruel fate that lay ahead of her. He tried to tell her, in his own way, that she wasn't alone in being forced into the mafia, but that would be a conversation for another time. If she still was talking to him. The tattooed man felt Cameron pull him even closer, gripping his shirt tightly as her shoulders shook, and he couldn't help but wonder as he spoke whether this would be the last time she allowed him to hold her. Just as soon as the thought crossed his mind though, Cam pulled away some, and he knew she'd only get further away.

Her wide, blue eyes searched his after he told her he couldn't let her go, but that he'd try not to make her hate him. He meant what he said- both that she couldn't go, and that he really would try. But he knew she wanted to see some kind of sign that might give her hope that she'd get out of this situation. Unfortunately he couldn't give her one. More tears spilled from Cam's eyes, and Cal's jaw hardened against the feelings she was stirring in him. This was no time to grow a conscience. He couldn't afford to. The petite woman looked away and released his shirt, trying to smooth it out. As if that mattered right now. I can't do this. I can't... I'm a person, Cal, not something you can buy and own! Cameron pushed away from him, and Cal made no move to stop her. Even though he didn't want to give her up yet.

"This was not my idea. I only just found out while making dinner... but I will follow my orders." Cal replied quietly. "And whether you believe me or not, it's to keep you safe." He continued, not looking for any brownie points, but wanting Cameron to understand the situation. "I know you're a person, but the mafia doesn't care about people. It cares about money. Control. Success..." The mafia lackey knew he was being blunt, but he was never good at sugar coating things. Cameron might think she couldn’t do this, but she didn't have a choice.

Cal watched as the blonde turned away from him and walked towards the water. She eventually sat down on the sand and tucked her head against her knees, allowing the dark water to soak her clothes that were in reach of the waves. Night had fallen, and so had the hammer. There was no going back in time to the moments of ignorant bliss that the two spent in bed only an hour or so ago. Running a hand over his face, Cal let out a long breath before stuffing his hands in his pockets as he strode over to Cam. He stopped a few feet away from her, just at the edge of the water where it barely wet his feet.

"It will take time... but eventually this won't all feel like the end of the world," Cal sighed, recalling how long it took him to get over the initial rage and despair. Though, he had at least partially chosen to join the mafia because was the best of two horrible options. Cam didn't have any choice, so it likely would take longer for her to settle in to her new life. "We can sit here as long as you need." He offered, lowering himself into the sand finally, still a few feet away from Cameron so he didn't seem threatening or overbearing. There'd be plenty of time for him to come across that way in the future, he was sure.

Sympathetic

Beach

nine lives

apolla · Aug 1, 2021

mood

alone

location

beach ---> her bedroom

outfit

tags

Cal (

Cameron

Cameron had never experienced such shock in her life before this moment. Or, rather, not this particular moment but all of the ones leading up to it. From meeting Cal in the parking lot of her school and being kidnapped to where she sat now on the beach, letting the ocean water soak her clothes, all of it had been quite the shock to her system. For a moment, a brief moment, she'd thought that she could adjust. Mia had already proven that she could be a friend to Cam, and Cam definitely needed one of those right now. So did Mia, for that matter, and since they were in almost the same boat, Cameron had no problem offering her friendship to the brunette. Hell, maybe they could have even been friends had they met outside of this.

And then there was Cal himself. Choking back another sob as she hugged her knees to her chest, she relived their time in his bed in her mind. Yet another blissful moment where Cameron had thought things might be okay. Her body still remembered how Cal had touched her, kissed her, made her feel alive. Was she insane, sleeping with him, not once but twice after he'd kidnapped her and brought her here? Perhaps. But the attraction was there and it was undeniable, even now. As much as she wanted to scream at him, hit him again and throw the biggest tantrum this island had ever seen, she couldn't. She wouldn't. The rational side of her brain knew this wasn't Cal's doing, and maybe, just maybe, being given to him was the safest option, considering they already had a connection.

But how well did she actually know him? She didn't, and that scared her. "This was not my idea. I only just found out while making dinner... but I will follow my orders. And whether you believe me or not, it's to keep you safe. I know you're a person, but the mafia doesn't care about people. It cares about money. Control. Success..." His words echoed in her mind as she buried her face between her arms. She couldn't hear his footsteps on the sand, but even over the slight roar of the waves, she could hear his voice. "It will take time... but eventually this won't all feel like the end of the world," She sniffed again, not moving for a few minutes. The minutes seemed to stretch on forever, but when she finally lifted her puffy, tear-stained face, she stared out at the waves rolling in for a little while longer before she turned to him.

At first, she couldn't say anything. Every time she tried, her voice failed her and she just sighed. Drawing in a shaky breath, Cameron turned back to the waves, tightening her grip on her knees. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair. But what could she do? Nothing. She was trapped on an island with the prince of the mafia, his bride-to-be and her own kidnapper who she'd already been intimate with. She wanted to scream, she wanted to throw something or even break something, but at this point she was just numb. Sand was starting to creep into areas where it didn't belong, but it was still some time before she finally pushed herself up onto her shaky legs. Slowly, she turned around to look at Cal, a thousand thoughts wanting to rise to the surface and come out. But the only thing she could portray was the look of betrayal on her face.

"I want to shower." She finally said, her eyes lingering on him for a moment longer before she started walking back towards the house. She couldn't bare the thought of walking back through the patio where they'd had dinner, so at the last minute she turned and headed for the front door. Thankfully it was open, and she walked inside the house. Thinking she heard voices from the kitchen, she paused, then just shook her head and walked upstairs. Once in the bathroom, she stripped out of her damp, sandy clothes, dropping them on the floor before turning on the water. When it heated up she stepped under the spray, where another round of sobs escaped her. Clamping her hand over her mouth, she flattened her hand against the wall of the shower, crying until she literally had no tears left.

Only then did she wash herself, her hair as well, and then get out of the now cooler water. She wrapped herself in a towel and nudged the damp clothes aside to gather later. Pulling open the bathroom door, Cam poked her head out, but found no one else in the hallway. Leaving the bathroom, she headed towards her room, only her feet stopped walking outside of Cal's room. She stood there for a good few minutes, not realizing right away where she'd stopped. Why had she stopped there? Fuck. Heat flooded her face and she quickly turned, sliding into her room and shutting the door behind her. Changing into something she could wear to sleep in, she draped the towel on a hook on the back of the door. She was alone again, but she didn't want to be, as much as she hated it.

nine lives

mood

fucked

location

patio ---> kitchen

outfit

tags

Mia (

Dominic

Dominic hadn't wanted to break the news to Mia and Cameron like that. In fact, he hadn't wanted to break the news to them at all. The longer he spent on the island with Mia, the more Dominic realized that he didn't want to hurt her like that. And telling her that she was going to have to become his wife and belong to the lifestyle she wanted nothing to do with? That was definitely going to hurt her. Dom himself was no stranger to bad news, like finding out his brother was dead and even hearing that there had been an attempt on his father's life. None of this was new to Dom, and even though Mia had lived her whole life knowing about the mafia and all, this was going to be the worst news she'd ever heard. The absolute end of her freedom, and Dominic didn't want to be that guy.

But he had to be, and so he was. Mia escaped from the table first, heading back into the kitchen, and Cal took Cameron away next after telling Dom that he was just a shout away if he needed him. Dom waved him off and shortly after, followed Mia back into the kitchen, where the girl couldn't even pour herself a glass of wine. He helped her and then stepped away, but he couldn't leave. Not just yet. He told her that he needed her to understand what was going on, even if he himself didn't want to. He cared deeply for Mia, even if she probably wouldn't believe that right now. Hell, if he were in her shoes, he probably wouldn't believe that either. How could he say he cared about her when he was sentencing her to a life she would hate forever? A husband she could never love?

His heart twisted uncomfortably at the thought, and he simply watched as Mia slumped back against the counter. Tears slipped from her eyes as she slid down to the floor, the girl trying to take a deep breath but failing a few times before she finally managed. "Fuck my father. I don't ever want to hear about him or what he's done again. I understand the consequences of what he's done. As I'm sure he would have understood before taking the risk he did." Dominic set his hand on the counter, tilting his head back to look at the ceiling. He was dangerously close to breaking down as well, though his breakdown would be less wine and crying and more shattering everything breakable in this fucking house. He hated this as much as she did, but he doubted she would believe that.

"But understanding that there is no way out doesn't mean I accept it. You might have been trained to, but I won't... And being sorry isn't enough Dom. It doesn't fix or change anything. It just makes it harder to hate you like I should. We're both prisoners. You just happen to be related to the warden." He closed his eyes for a moment, processing her words before he finally looked back down at her, seeing that her gaze was locked on him. "Mia..." He began, a sharp sigh escaping him as he moved away from the counter. He moved to lean against the counter across from her, then slid down to the ground almost exactly like she had, until he sat across from her. His eyes never left her, a mixture of sadness and acceptance in them, and possibly even some anger.

"I'm sorry I can't change things." He told her softly, a scoff leaving his lips. "You have no idea how much I would if I could." But she was absolutely correct. They were both prisoners of this lifestyle, but he had an advantage because he was related to the warden. The Don. "But since I can't... we can try to make the best of this, Mia." He thought back to their time on the beach, the kiss they'd shared in the waves, and he felt his heart break a little more. She may have admitted that she couldn't hate him like she should, but he knew that was just the shock speaking. It would only be a matter of time before that shock wore off, though, and she was able to hate him and everything he stood for. And then what? Dominic was doomed, same as Mia.

"Fuck this." Hanging his head, Dominic pushed himself back to his feet suddenly. And without warning, he grabbed Mia's wrists and pulled her up to. Holding her close, Dominic searched her gaze, looking for any sign that she meant she didn't hate him. At least for right now. "I mean it, Mia. I'm sorry. I know that's not enough but... it's all I have." He let go of her wrists, backing her up against the counter as he placed his hands on either side of her, trapping her there. "If you're going to hate me, then hate me. After all, I'm next in line to be the warden." He scoffed again, his voice softer when he spoke again. "But know that I can never hate you, Mia." And with that, he leaned in to kiss her again, softer than before. He lingered there for a few seconds before he pulled back, his arms as well, giving her the only freedom he could allow. "If you need time, I understand."

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Sep 6, 2021

Cal

The petite blonde woman hadn’t been in Cal’s life long, but apparently it had been long enough to crack the hard walls he’d put up around his humanity. As Cal sat in the sand a few feet away from Cam, his thoughts drifted back to the assignment that started this all. He’d received the name of his target, the make and license plate of their car, and directions to bring them to the private airport. The tattooed man has agreed to the assignment believing Cameron to be a man, rather than the beautiful woman he’d encountered in the parking lot. Had he known Cam was female, that likely wouldn’t have prevented Cal from following orders, but he might have been a little more prepared. Instead he’d felt a little guilt for kidnapping an innocent woman, only guilty by association, and it was that initial guilt that had led to him becoming personally invested in Cam and her well being. In twenty-four hours that guilt had grown exponentially, galvanized by the news of their prisoners’ fates.

For a moment Cal tore his gaze off of Cam, glancing back up towards the large house. He hadn’t heard any screams or alarming sounds coming from it, so he imagined that meant his boss was okay. It only now occurred to him that he’d already placed Cam above Dom the minute he decided to try to speak with the blonde about the reveal that she belonged to him instead of staying with the Don-to-be. Some right hand man Cal was, he internally scoffed. Not that Dom necessarily needed Cal to stick around to poke into his and Mia’s business, but still… At least Cal had remembered to let Dom know to call for him if he needed anything before taking off. If anything, Cal tried to convince himself, he went after Cam to try to make life easier for everyone. If he could console her and make her less miserable, maybe they all could get through this without it being an utter hell.

A sigh from Cameron brought Cal’s blue gaze back to her form, which was becoming more difficult to fully make out in the darkening night. He did notice her body shift as she tightened her grip around her legs, and Cal had the urge to put his arms around her to grip her just as tightly… but he didn’t. His urges had already gotten the better of him, and he wondered if he’d somehow taken advantage of Cameron. In the prologued silence between the pair, Cal recalled the events in his room before everything went to shit. He’d been careful to ask her to make sure she was sure of what she wanted, hadn’t he? Cal thought he’d been sure to get her consent, but was there such a thing when she was held captive by him to begin with? Fuck. Another pang of guilt swept over Cal as he became acutely aware of the person he’d become, opposed to the person he’d once been.

Time seemed to slip away before Cameron finally pushed herself up and stood, turning to face Cal. The look of betrayal etched on her face was evident, even in the dark, and the tatted man gritted his teeth a little. He didn’t blame her for feeling that way, though in a weird way, he was glad for it. Had she just looked angry or defeated, that would be one thing. But to be betrayed meant that at some point Cam had come to trust him on some level, and he clung to that fact. It would likely take some time, but if she’d trusted him once, maybe he could win back that favor again. There was some hope for it at least.

The blonde announced that she wanted to shower, snd Cal nodded, picking himself off of the sand as he shadowed her back towards the house. He noticed her hesitate once at the house and redirect her path towards the front door instead of the patio. Well so much for any future barbecues now that the space was ruined. Cal wanted to say something to Cam, but he had told her the most important things already, and he didn’t want to push his luck any more tonight unless he had to. In the mafia, disagreements often were settled by talking them out. Either they fought to settle things, or just let the disagreement and hard feelings die on the vine. With any luck, maybe Cam just needed some time to process things and they could try speaking again then. It was all still too fresh right now.

Cameron entered the house, and Cal followed after, shutting the door behind him. He turned around, nearly running into Cameron thinking she’d continued on, but finding she’d paused for a moment instead. The sound of voices in the kitchen reached his ears a moment later, and Cal imagined that’s what has caught the blonde’s attention. “Cam…” Cal uttered, trying to come up with something to say to comfort her, but before he could, she continued up the stairs and disappeared into the bathroom. Breathing out a long sigh, Cal ran a hand through his dirty brown hair. What a fucking mess. He’d been in more dangerous situations a thousand times in his line of work, and he’d gladly take on another instead of this.

The longer Cal stood at the bottom of the stairs looking up to where Cam had disappeared, the clearer Dom’s words from the kitchen were beginning to become, and the last thing Cal wanted was to eavesdrop of his boss’s own issues with Mia. Already feeling like he’d heard more than he should have, Cal hurried up the staircase and disappeared into his own room.

Sometime later, Cal noticed the light from the hallway that crept under his door being blocked from where he laid on his bed. Someone was standing outside, and Cal had a feeling that it was Cam. He’d heard Mia dart to her room earlier, and Dom would have just come in if he wanted to talk. Pushing himself up, he held his breath as he waited for the blonde to knock… but she never did. Instead, a few moments later the shadow moved away and Cal heard Cam’s door shut across the hallway. Letting out the breath he held, Cal laid back on his bed, tucking his hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. He was disappointed that Cam left without saying anything, but he had a feeling that this would be a common feeling from now on.

And three or so days later this was still the case. Cal hadn’t seen Cam since she left to take a shower, which was quite a feat even with the larger house. Part of this was because Cal had done his best to give her space and he tried to spend most of his time downstairs or out of the way, but part of it must have been her actively avoiding him. He’d once been in the kitchen when he heard the footsteps of a woman approaching, and had once again been disappointed to find it was Mia. The brunette, on the other hand looked relieved to have run into him instead of Dom, and she simply made her way to the wine, grabbing a few bottles, before leaving just as quickly as she came.

This morning though, Cal was determined to run into Cam one way or another. He tried to come up with what he’d say to her as he did pushups in his room, forcing himself to do one more until he had crafted his opening line. Unfortunately the sound of the front door opening and shutting interrupted his workout. Earlier he’d heard a succession of different doors opening and closing on their floor, and he’d lost track of what order those had occurred in. He did recall that Cam’s door had opened at one point, and he was worried that she’d perhaps been the one to leave the house. Letting out a sigh, Cal pushed himself up from the floor and strode over to his door, exiting his room. Both Cam and Mia’s doors were shut, which didn’t help offer any clues as to who left. Sure, Dom could have been the one to head out, but better safe than sorry.

Striding over to Cam’s room, Cal knocked on the door softly. He waited a moment, but heard no movement within. Starting to fear the worst and preparing to chase after Cam should get find her room empty, the tatted man opened the blonde’s door and stepped in enough to check the room. He froze though, spotting the blonde lying in bed. Shit. The mystery of who left the house was quickly forgotten as Cal now concerned himself with sneaking back out of Cam’s room without her noticing.

Oops!

Cam’s room

nine lives

Mia

Mia started awake with a small gasp, her newly developed recurring nightmare once again bringing an end to her sleep. For a moment, blue eyes blinked as the young woman tried to figure out where she was, but then the brunette realized that she wasn’t in her room, and she wasn’t alone in bed. She could feel the body warmth of someone beside her, and the gently rise and fall as they breathed. Dread filled Mia for a moment, as she immediately assumed the worst as to the identity of her sleeping companion, but as the events from the last few days returned to her, she let out a breath of relief.

Quietly and slowly pushing herself up out of the bed, Mia glanced over at the blonde girl she’d recently become friends with. Cameron was still fast asleep, and the brunette didn’t want to be the one to ruin any peace she might be finding in her dreams. Mia’s eyes trailed over to the unopened wine bottles at the foot of the bed and she sighed, padding away from the bed and collecting the wine, setting the bottles on the dresser. The past few days, since finding out about their bleak futures ahead of them, Mia and Cam had become drinking buddies, commiserating together while they locked themselves away from the men. The future wife of the Don had decidedly spent the last 72 or so hours at least a little drunk, finding it easier to cope that way. No wonder mob wives were rarely seen without a glass of wine in their hands.

The night before, however, Mia and Cam had fallen into conversation and forgotten the wine entirely, before falling asleep. Perhaps they’d finally reached a comfortable enough companionship that simply talking about life was enough to help them ignore their woes without the aid of alcohol for the night. Finding herself sober for the first time in a while, though with a slight headache, Mia glanced at the wine on the dresser debating whether she’d need it to get through the day. Biting her lip a little, Mia turned away from the dark liquid and quietly left Cam’s room, checking first to make sure the hallway was clear.

Cal’s door was shut, and there was no sign of the tattooed man, so Mia turned her head to glance in the direction of Dom’s room at the end of the hall. His door was shut too, and while that was a relief to Mia as she quickly crossed the hall to her own bedroom, she couldn’t help but wonder how he was taking things. The only time she’d spared any thoughts about Dom’s well-being since he’d told her they were to be married, she been drunk and quickly turned her thoughts to how angry she was at him. But now… now Mia’s sobriety almost made her concerned for him. Fuck. Shutting her door hard behind her, as if to shut away any thoughts for her captor, Mia let out a frustrated groan as she realized sooner or later she’d eventually have to see Dom again. Which was bad enough considering the current situation, and only made worse by the last few moments they’d shared before Mia had shut herself away from him.

~~

The dark haired man had mirrored her actions and slid down to sit across from her on the kitchen floor, his blue eyes locked onto hers. For a moment there had been silence, save a hiccup or two from Mia, and she saw the cocktail of emotions in Dom’s eyes- sadness, acceptance, anger. Her sardonic mood softened, the gesture of him sitting on the floor offering a false sense of equality. I’m sorry I can’t change things. You have no idea how much I would if I could… But since I can’t, we can try to make the best of this, Mia. The brunette woman’s heart tightened a little, wanting desperately to believe Dom’s words, despite her pride and anger fighting equally as hard to hate him. Another silence fell, and Mia’s lips parted to say something… but nothing came out and it was Dom who eventually continued.

He’d cursed, standing from the ground and Mia was afraid he was just going to storm off and leave her like that, but instead he did something arguably worse. Dom grabbed her wrists and pulled her to stand close to him and Mia’s eyes widened a little in surprise. Had it been anyone else, she would have feared for her safety or fought back to get away, but she just stared up at Dom as his eyes searched hers. I mean it, Mia. I’m sorry. I know that’s not enough, but… it’s all I have. Mia took a shaky breath, her brows knitting a little as she realized she did believe that he meant what he said. But before she had time to process this realization, Dom had pushed her back against the counter and was saying something about hating him and the warden. The brunette’s head was still reeling but when his tone softened, she glanced up at him in time to make sense of But know I could never hate you, Mia.

Dom’s words disarmed Mia, though not as much as his kiss that followed. Her first instinct should have been to pull away or slap him or run, but it wasn’t. Dom’s kiss was softer than hers in the water, and Mia found herself inexplicably returning it once the initial moment of shock was melted away by his warm lips. Amidst her entire world crashing down around her, the sensation that kissing Dom brought was a reprieve. A much needed distraction, a brief moment of not feeling entirely miserable. Her body realized this before her mind did, and Mia’s hands instinctively moved to Dom’s shirt, her fingers curling into the fabric gently as her eyes fluttered shut. Just as the notion that Mia wanted this reached her brain though, Dom pulled away, freeing Mia from where he’d trapped her against the counter. She immediately released his shirt, the realization of how easily she’d lost her resolve making her flush in annoyance at herself. It wouldn’t be until later that Mia’s annoyance would transfer to Dom for kissing her in the first place.

The Don heir said something about understanding if Mia needed time, and she took the opportunity to flee, locking herself in her room where she’d angrily cried for a couple hours. Not only over the situation she found herself in, but because she was mad at herself for being stupid enough to still care for Dom despite everything. Eventually she sought solace in Cam’s company, offering her shoulder to the blonde to cry on as well. The two had been strangers 24 or so hours earlier, but now they were the only two people who could relate to what they were going through. Whether or not they would have been friends in the outside world or not, would remain a mystery. On this island, however, they had.

Mia broke out of her memories, and she glanced outside through her balcony door. She’d been cooped up inside long enough, and her thoughts wandered to the garden she’d spotted that first day. Dom had given her permission to work in it, and perhaps some fresh air would do her some good. After showering off the last few days, and getting dressed, Mia chanced another encounter with the stupid security guards and made her way outside to start prodding around in the overgrown garden.

Conflicted

Cam’s room> her room> garden

nine lives

apolla · Sep 20, 2021

mood

shook

location

her bedroom

outfit

Click!

tags

(

Cameron

Standing alone in the bathroom, Cameron could feel the torrent of sadness and despair washing over her like the waves of the ocean outside. In all her life, she'd never been so conflicted. All she wanted was to run back out of this bathroom and take solace and comfort in Cal's arms, because she knew he would give it to her. She'd seen the emotions on his face and in his eyes when they were out on the beach just a few minutes ago. He'd been just as surprised as she was to find out about their future, and that wasn't fair to him, just like it wasn't fair to her and to Mia. Hell, she'd done something she'd never done before. Cameron had put her hands on him, slapped him across the face because in that moment, she thought he deserved it. And maybe he had. But it hadn't made her feel even a little bit better, not even in the moment.

Even beyond their last trip to the beach, where she'd sank down into the sand and let the water wash over her lower body, she'd seen something in his eyes that didn't make any sense to her. She'd seen compassion there, a certain depth of caring that she would never expect from someone in his position. She'd seen the desire there, too, when they were making love in his room. Could it even be called that? Didn't you only make love with someone... you loved? Her vision swam, the bathroom blurring in front of her. Clasping a hand over her mouth, she choked back a sob as she flattened her other hand against the tiled wall, the running water thankfully drowning out any muffled sounds she made. She didn't know how long she stayed like that before she finally climbed under the spray.

A new wave of tears hit her then, and she cried in the shower for a long time. After getting out, she looked at her reflection in the mostly foggy mirror, seeing that the heat from the shower and her tears had left her face a swollen, puffy mess. Drawing in a shaky breath, she wrapped a towel around herself and gathered her dirty clothes, slowly pulling open the bathroom door and peeking out into the hallway. Finding it empty, she breathed a sigh of relief and shut the light off, tiptoeing down the hallway back towards her room. Cal's room was right across from hers, and the door was shut, but that didn't stop her from pausing and looking at his closed door. She even turned to face it, her lips parted slightly as her hands clutched the towel closed around her.

From somewhere downstairs, she heard a crash and nearly jumped out of her skin. Whatever the crash was, it snapped her out of her reverie and she turned and slipped into her room, shutting the door behind her. Her life as she knew it was over; and her future was uncertain. The only thing that was certain was that Cal would be a part of it. Feeling ashamed and embarrassed, she pressed her forehead against her closed door, feeling her eyes watering again. "God." She breathed, pushing herself off the door and dropping her dirty clothes into the basket that had been provided for her. Digging around in the drawers, she found some clothes she could throw on to sleep in. When she caught sight of Cal's torn shirt on the dresser, though, she froze and just stared at it.

After a moment, she snatched it off the dresser and shoved it into one of the drawers, wanting to forget it and what it meant to her entirely. Pulling on the shorts and tank top she'd found, she crawled into bed. That's where she would have spent the next three days, too, had it not been for Mia. Well, to be fair they still did spend a majority of time in her room, but Cameron wasn't just laying there feeling sorry for herself. Mia was proving to be a wonderful companion during these hard times, and Cameron wanted to be the same to her. She already considered the girl a friend, though whether that would still be the case when and if they got off this island, Cam wasn't sure. She certainly hoped so, but again, Cam's future wasn't as set in stone as Mia's.

The night before, she and Mia had stayed up pretty late just talking, hardly touching any of the wine they'd brought up here. They'd both laughed, cried, shared their thoughts and feelings and even talked about their lives before the island. At some point, both girls had curled up in Cam's bed, and eventually had fallen asleep. The blonde didn't even register when Mia awoke late in the next morning, but her eyes did open shortly after. "Mia?" Cameron turned to the other side of the bed where Mia had been the night before, finding that it was empty. She sighed, stretching her arm out across the bed and closing her eyes again, not feeling ready to face another day just yet. Not long after she closed her eyes she dozed back off, though a knock at the door reached her in her dreams and her eyes fluttered open again.

The door opened a moment later, leading her to realize that she hadn't imagined the knock. "Mia?" Cameron turned in the bed to face the door, gasping when she saw Cal standing there, looking just as shocked as she felt. She hadn't really seen him, much less talked to him, since the night on the beach. But even now, she could feel her heart racing, her mouth going dry as she stared at him. Her fingers curled on the bed, much like they'd curled on his skin when they'd been in his bed together. Her cheeks flushed at the thought, but it was too late to deny that she'd been staring. Pushing herself up to lean on her elbow, she swallowed heavily, looking down at the ground. "Hi, Cal." She whispered, unable to keep her eyes from returning to him. "I... you can come in, you know."

nine lives

mood

nervous

location

outside by the garden

outfit

tags

(

Dominic

Dominic had never been the type to hold back from what he wanted, and it had gotten him into trouble more than once in his lifetime. With his father, with the cops, with women... the list went on. He could be a selfish prick most of the time, which most people just didn't wanna be around. And if they did, it was because he had money and could buy the tab for the night. Dom hated those kinds of people, but surrounding himself with fake friends was better than being alone. And at least fake friends, though they weren't honest about their intentions, were obvious to Dom and he could usually pick them out from a mile away. If he knew people's true intentions, then he could better take care of himself, and that's what mattered most to the Don-to-be.

But for some reason, seeing the brokenness and hurt in Mia's eyes when he told her the truth made Dominic the least selfish he'd ever been. He remembered their conversation from the beach, where she'd told him about what kind of life she wanted, and Dominic knew even then that he would never be able to provide that type of life for her. And as much as he would love to see her get that lifestyle she wanted, she was now going to be his wife and there was nothing he could do about it. At least not right now. Maybe once he was the Don, he could let her go, but... then again, could he? By then she'd be in too deep herself, and she would have a target on her back, if she didn't already. Dominic didn't fool himself into thinking they were 100% safe on the island, and with that thought, how could he just let her go and worry about her every day for the rest of his life?

Fuck, this was confusing. All of these confusing thoughts were what led him to finally curse, pushing himself to his feet and then pulling Mia up as well. He released her but didn't let her leave, backing her against the counter and trapping her there by placing his arms on either side of her. He meant every word he said, and even though kissing her hadn't been on the forefront of his mind, when the thought appeared in his head he automatically acted on it. For a split second, he felt her tense and thought she should shove him off, but then he felt her relax and kiss him back. His heart hammered against his ribs as he moved his hands to her sides, pulling back to tell her that if she needed him, he'd understand. Who wouldn't need time after something like that?

If he'd thought that her kissing him back meant that she was okay with the plan, though, he was dead wrong. She took the opportunity to flee, leaving Dominic alone in the kitchen for good this time. "Fuck." He muttered, looking over at the bottle of wine that had remained on the counter from earlier. "Fuck!" He suddenly flung his hand into it, sending it flying into the cabinet nearby and shattering. Unaware that the sound had been heard by Cameron upstairs, and possibly others too, he just left the mess there while he leaned forward, running his fingers through his hair in exasperation. He didn't know what the hell his father expected from him. Well, wait. That was a lie. He needed Dominic to marry, and for Mia to have kids so their line could continue.

Heaving a sigh, Dominic glared at the broken glass on the ground as though it were the one that wronged him. He left it there, though it still remained when he came down the next morning. He did finally clean it up, picking up the bigger shards of glass before sweeping the rest and then grabbing the mop for the floor. The wine had dried and was sticky now, but he'd be damned if he was getting down there with a sponge to spot clean. So he did the best he could, or wanted to, and then decided to take the trash out. On his way out, he saw Cameron's shoes still in the sand. On the way back in, he grabbed them and brought them back inside, setting them by the stairs. Later on they were gone, but he didn't see her or Mia. They were both like ghosts.

Two days later, he still hadn't really seen them. He had gone through quite the emotional range since his conversation and kiss with Mia that night in the kitchen, but now he was just... tired. Currently he was laying in his bed, flipping through a magazine that really held little interest for him. He'd heard doors opening and closing up here for a while now, but he hadn't moved to go investigate. Later on, though, his stomach grumbled and he knew that he would have to go make something to eat. As he made his way downstairs, he wondered if that was a way he could bridge the gap: food. Or maybe not, since the last shared meal they had was when he'd dropped the bomb. Groaning, he turned to head into the kitchen, but on his way he caught sight of Mia through the window.

He stopped, looking at the girl as she made her way around the house. To the garden, he wondered? He started to follow her, but then changed his mind with a soft sigh. Heading into the kitchen, he drummed his fingers on the counter before he poured two glasses of tea. Realizing he was nervous, which wasn't like him, he made his way outside and towards the garden. "Mia?" He voiced her name softly as he approached, stopping on the edge of the fenced in garden. "I... thought you might be thirsty." He finished lamely, holding one of the glasses in her direction. "I mean, or I can go drown myself in it." He tried to make a joke, even smirked a little, hoping she didn't take it literally. Honestly, he'd missed talking to her, even though before all of this they'd drifted apart.

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Sep 25, 2021

Cal

The last three days had weighed heavily on Cal. They’d weighed heavily on all the occupants of the island mansion really. The tatted man hadn’t even seen Cameron, which allowed his mind to imagine the worst of how she was coping with things. Would she avoid him forever and make him force her out of her room when the time came to leave the island? The one time he’d seen Mia she looked to be solving her problems with alcohol and hadn’t said a word to him. Not that Cal expected her too. He really hadn’t gotten to talk to her at all yet. And Dom… well, even the Don-to-be wasn’t in his usual carefree mood. They’d hung out together, but his friend looked tired and they’d not really discussed business matters yet. Cal did not envy Dom, particularly now. He was in line to be the most powerful member of the mafia… and yet right now he was powerless against his father’s orders. They all were.

It was hard seeing Cameron’s door across the hall each time he left or returned to his room, and Cal nearly knocked once or twice. However, he’d told himself to be patient and give the blonde space until she was ready to interact. Cal couldn’t give her freedom, but he could try to give her as much autonomy within the mansion as possible. And if that meant not bothering her because she didn’t want to see him… well fuck him. There were going to be plenty of times ahead where he’d have to order or force her to do something in the future, likely for her own good, so he didn’t want to start heavy handed now. He could be patient when there were low stakes on the line.

Unfortunately, Cal’s best intentions to leave Cam be fell through when he became worried she’d left the house and he found himself in her room, staring at her lying in bed. At first, the tatted man thought she was still asleep and that he could sneak back out without her noticing him… but then she stirred. Mia? Cal froze hearing Cam’s sleepy voice break through the silence, and he cursed himself under his breath when she turned over in bed to look at him. Any chance of sneaking out was gone the moment her eyes fell on him.

A surprised gasp issued from her lips and Cal felt the all too familiar pang of guilt wash over him. He’d invaded her personal space while she was sleeping, and he’d been caught in what could be a suspicious act. Despite his innocent intentions, he still felt like a jerk and his face betrayed his shock of finding himself in this position. Finally coming to his senses, Cal immediately uttered an apology, at least in his head, and turned with every intention to flee her room. His hand was on the door handle ready to close it behind him, when he hear her speak again. Or rather whisper Hi, Cal.

The tatted man froze, surprised by Cam’s simple but not angry greeting. If anything, Cal had expected a “get out!” or “what the hell” but a simple hi felt like music to his ears. Still, he didn’t know whether to turn to look back at her or leave while he was ahead. His mind began to weigh the pros and cons of what to do next, when Cam mercifully provided him with an answer. I... you can come in, you know. A small chuckle escaped Cal at Cam’s words, and he rubbed his face with his hand, as he mentally noted that he didn’t know he could come in, as she implied. He didn’t know anything really at this point. Sure, he was the one in charge but at this point, he felt Cam almost held the power. All because of his guilt. Even as he slowly turned to look at the beautiful blonde who laid propped up in bed, he still felt like he was walking on eggshells.

“Hi Cam-…” Cal began, before second guessing himself, “… Cameron.” He corrected, wanting to test the waters before he helped himself to her nickname. He still offered her a crooked smile, relieved she was talking to him. Baby steps. “It’s a dangerous question… but how are you?” He asked, leaving the door behind him and taking a couple steps further in, but keeping a respectful distance. Cal studied his blue eyed companion, forcing himself to keep his mind from wandering to their activities the last time he was with Cam while she was in bed. His gaze shifted a little to the rest of the bed, and his brows furrowed for a moment when he noticed that the spot next to her looked like it had been slept in. Who…? Cal’s pulse only spiked for a moment in jealousy before he realized that he knew the culprit as he recalled Cam’s first word. Oh, Mia…

Nodding to the spot next to Cam, Cal crossed his arms and leaned a shoulder against the wall. “Having slumber parties, huh?” He half joked, trying to keep the mood light. “I haven’t missed any pillow fights have I?” He grinned a little, unable to help himself. His eyes found the blonde again, trying to ignore the fact that the sleepovers were likely filled with less giggling g and more commiserating. And alcohol… Cal spotted the bottles of wine Mia had moved to the dresser, and he let out a little sigh, feeling guilty once more.

“Cam, I…” He began, her shortened name slipping out since it was more natural. Cal wasn’t sure what he was trying to say, and his words died in his throat. He needed to maintain some level of control and not let the petite blonde woman make him lose his edge, but at the same time… he wanted to apologize again and again until she believed he meant what he said. Her life would not be easy or what she wanted, but he didn’t want her to think she’d never be happy again. He wasn’t as evil as some men in the mafia, even if he seemed like the bad guy right now. Comparatively, he was a knight in shining armor next to the other men who would happily take charge of Cam.

Conflicted

Cam’s room

nine lives

Mia

Despite an unfortunate run in with one of the guards the first time she’d gone outside by herself, Mia decided some fresh air in the garden was worth the risk. After three days of being cooped up inside, largely in Cameron’s room, the brunette needed some Vitamin D to refuel her soul. Maybe giving the garden a little TLC would be the TLC she desperately needed. The initial shock of the bomb Dom dropped had worn off, and Mia could now go an hour or so without thinking about how her future was all pretty much decided for her. The urge to cry at any moment had subsided, and now only came in waves. Often when she realized that she wouldn’t get to have the life events that most people, or women at least, looked forward to.

The Don’s wife-to-be would never have a proper marriage proposal with a romantic speech and the man down on his knee. Hell, she didn’t even have a first date with her future husband. And her first kiss with him… was just a ploy to abduct her. There’d be no giddy engagement parties, or blissfully going wedding dress shopping… Her father definitely would not be giving her away- what a joke. She’d probably never graduate from college, or have a stable career, or at least not one she wanted. And kids… The thought of bringing children into this kind of life made Mia’s stomach turn. She’d vowed before to only start a family once she’d escaped from the mob life and she still had no intention of breaking that vow.

All these were thoughts though that Mia knew she had to push as far from mind as possible if she had any hope of not being constantly miserable. As twisted as it was, as Mia found a spot on the ground in the garden, she tried to think of anything she was gaining with this arrangement instead of losing. With each weed she pulled, she tried her best to come up with a pro. For one, money would never be an issue again. Yeah, it might be Dom’s money technically, but mob wives were usually appeased by shopping trips and expensive things. Second, they’d live in luxury, much like the mansion on this island. It would be a prison, but a gilded one. And third…

As Mia pulled up another weed she tried to think of something else that could get her through life. She let out a sigh and bit her lip as her mind danced dangerously close to a sentiment she had been trying not to admit to herself. Beyond the money and luxury, the main thing keeping Mia from having a complete meltdown was…

Mia? The brunette’s head snapped up at the sound of Dom’s voice and she dropped the weed she was holding. Mia had known she was eventually going to have to talk to Dom again, but she wasn’t exactly prepared for his arrival now. Yet there he was, shirtless holding two glasses of tea and her heart skipped a bear. Mia’s blue eyes found his and she remained silent until he continued speaking. I... thought you might be thirsty… I mean, or I can go drown myself in it.

Mia didn’t mean to laugh, honestly she had been determined to stretch out her silent treatment as long as possible, but one escaped her lips at his last comment. The ridiculousness of this situation was more than she could handle right now, and while she might have wanted Dom to drown himself a couple days ago, him acknowledging the sentiment now was comical. She’d never seen Dominic nervous before, and it was a little comforting that this situation had knocked him off his game too.

Rising from the ground, Mia brushed her hands together to clean them of dirt, and she jokingly conceded to herself that the third thing she was gaining with this marriage was getting to appreciate Dom’s shirtless physique. That was definitely a plus considering some of the ogres that were in the mafia she could be stuck with instead. Walking over to where Dom stood, Mia came to a stop on her side of the fence and took the outstretched tea from him. “Was that the best line you could come up with?” She asked, teasing him a little as she took a sip. “Losing your touch already, huh?”

Banter seemed the safest form of conversation right now since the last thing Mia wanted was to get into anything serious or piss him off right away. The brunette woman eventually wanted to ask about her mother and grandmother’s well being, and needed to rebuild a bit of rapport before breaching that subject. As much as it hurt her pride, she needed to play nice if she had any hope of using her position as Dom’s wife-to-be to save the rest of her family. Her father was a lost cause, but perhaps if her mother was still alright, Mia could barter for her and her grandmother to be spared. Her good behavior in exchange for their safety. Otherwise… Mia could do everything in her power to make the lives of Dom and everyone she was forced to interact with, save Cameron, miserable.

Doing her best to ignore the elephant in the room, or elephants if you counted their engagement and the kiss in the kitchen, Mia tried to find some normalcy with Dom. It felt like lifetimes ago since Mia and Dom were young and things were simpler. Now the brunette’s mind searched for something to say that wouldn’t lead them into dangerous territory. What did they used to talk about? It was hard to imagine that they’d ever reach the same friendship they’d once enjoyed before drifting apart, though it would make things much easier if they could. “I’m starting to think you didn’t pack any shirts…” She joked, raising a slim eyebrow as she gave him a once over.

Awkward

Garden

nine lives

apolla · Oct 24, 2021

mood

cautious

location

her bedroom

outfit

Click!

tags

(

Cameron

Going three days without seeing Cal, Cameron had almost been able to fool herself into thinking that things were normal. Almost. Fortunately, the topic of their predicament hadn't come up much during her time spent with Mia, though there were a few drunken conversations between the girls. Cameron found out a little more about Dominic and his role in the mafia as the son of the Don himself, and Cal's role as well. She learned that Mia had known Dominic since they were children, and that the girl had grown up knowing about the mafia itself. It simply amazed Cameron, realizing just how different her upbringing had been compared to Mia's. To Cameron, the mafia was something that only existed in stories and movies, but now here she was, realizing that she was nothing more than a pawn.

Although Mia didn't know too much about Cameron's exact situation, she was able to give the blonde some insight, considering she knew more than Cam to begin with. In return, Cameron had shared some stories of her own, times spent with her father and her brothers. Those stories, from both girls, were always accompanied with a glass of wine and sometimes even a few tears. Knowing that her father had willingly put her up as a form of payment, though, made those stories a little less happy. She was still coming to terms with the fact that the man who'd raised her, who'd been there for her through everything, had done that. Sure, he may not be the kissing booboo's type, but Cameron had always known she held a special place in his heart. Only now, she doubted that thought. How could she be that special if he'd signed a contract forfeiting her freedom?

But Cal... he'd taken her off guard completely, from the very beginning. And now that she'd turned on the bed, expecting to see Mia but finding Cal instead, he'd taken her by surprise yet again. In three days, she'd forgotten how her body automatically reacted to just his presence. Her heartbeat quickened, her breathing grew shallow and her eyes went wide. By the time she'd turned, it was too late for them both. The gasp fell from her lips and she could read the shock on his features as their eyes met. But then he was turning away, and her brain was screaming at her. Stop him, stupid! But why should she? Because you've missed him, you idiot. But he kidnapped her. And you slept with him. Next. Her inner back and forth ended with her practically whispering a greeting to him, just as his hand found the door handle, ready to shut the door behind him.

He froze, and Cameron didn't move either, wondering if he would stay. You want him to stay. She could hear her smug inner voice, obviously happy that he'd hesitated. Gripping the sheets tighter, Cameron stared at his back, trying to study the ink that she could see there. He hadn't turned back around, though, and she was still afraid that he would ultimately decide to leave, and try as hard as she had the last few days to hate him, she couldn't. In her mind's eye, she could still see herself slapping him on the beach. It was almost laughable now; had she really expected that to hurt him? It was like smacking a Rhino or something. But the action had simply been a reaction, something automatic that at the time she'd felt like he deserved. Now she wasn't so sure, especially after her talks with Mia.

After she spoke again, he finally turned, only after a low chuckle left him. The sound brought a half smile to Cam's face, and she sat up further when he said her name. She caught the correction of her name, and the smile faded some from her lips. Had they really backtracked that far? Well, sure, that made sense. She had been avoiding him for three whole days now. Why should she expect that he wanted to be on a nickname basis? “It’s a dangerous question… but how are you?” Her lips parted to answer, but he moved further into the room, distracting her. Completely lost in her own thoughts, she missed him looking at the bed beside her. But then he leaned against the wall, and his next words caused a quick look of confusion to pass over her features. “Having slumber parties, huh? I haven’t missed any pillow fights have I?”

She inhaled to ask what he meant, but then her eyes dipped to Mia's spot on the bed and a small, breathy laugh escaped her instead. "Oh, yeah." She pulled her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as she rested her head on her knees. "No pillow fights, so you're not missing anything." She told him, a small smile present on her lips again. Her eyes shifted back to the tattooed man leaning against her wall and she sighed, getting lost in him all over again. Maybe she'd made a mistake by sleeping with her kidnapper, but it was a mistake she realized she would happily make again. She didn't hate Cal-- she couldn't. She wanted to believe him when he said that he was a better option as compared to some of the other men out there in the mafia she could have been gifted to.

“Cam, I…” She snapped out of her reverie as her name-- her nickname, at that-- slipped out of his lips again. But that was all he said, and slowly, she lifted her head to look at him again. "Cal?" She asked, releasing her legs and stretching them out on the bed again. She didn't know where Mia was, but she doubted the girl would reappear right now. "Please... sit." Cameron looked at Mia's spot on the bed, her eyes flicking back up to Cal afterwards, hoping he would take her invitation. "We should talk." She added, twisting on the bed until she was sitting cross-legged, facing where he would hopefully sit. "I'm sorry I've been avoiding you." She began, twisting her fingers together in her lap. "I just... I needed time, and..." It was her turn for the words to die in her throat as she glanced down at the bed, feeling tears prick at her eyes. "Cal, I just want... I need..." She bit down on her bottom lip, drawing in a shaky breath before she tried again. "Do you even want me?"

nine lives

mood

working

location

in the garden

outfit

tags

(

Dominic

Although Dominic had had many women in his life, of all shapes and sizes, there was one girl who'd always stuck out in his mind. Mia De Rosa had always held a special place in his heart, ever since they were young. She'd never judged him like others did, or expected more of him than he could give. Casey had always been the perfect child, the golden son, the one meant to take over after their father stepped down. He certainly would have taken to that role quite naturally, and living with knowing that that burden fell on Casey's shoulders and not his, Dominic had certainly become the more carefree of the brothers. But Mia never compared Dominic to Casey like so many others loved to do. How many times had Dom heard in his life that he should be more like his brother? Enough to make him want to cut his ears off, that was for sure.

Dominic had loved that Mia accepted him for who he was. Eventually life had taken them on separate paths and they'd grown distant. But every once in a while, Dominic would check in on her, just to see how she was doing. He couldn't deny the jealousy he'd felt whenever he found out she was with someone, whether the relationship had potential or not. The simple truth of the matter was that he wanted her to be his, that he had always wanted her to be his. But now that Mia was technically his, all he felt was regret. Regret that he didn't do things differently, and regret that she would never get the life she wanted as his wife. As much as he wanted to give her the things she'd said she wanted, he wouldn't be able to. Not if she was going to be safe. Hell, even by his side was dangerous, but at least he'd be able to keep an eye on her that way.

But she didn't want it, and he knew that. As her name left his lips, her head jerked up and turned towards him. She dropped the weed she'd been holding, looking at him, and he had to break the deafening silence. Hearing her laugh honestly eased some of the tension in his body, and he found himself chuckling as well. She stood, brushing her hands off before she approached him, closing the distance between them. Her skin was still sun-kissed and beautiful, and he longed to taste it rather than the tea in his glass. But he refrained from moving closer, and the fence between them helped that fact. She took the tea from his hand, their fingers brushing together as she did so, causing his heart rate to spike. How one woman could have such an effect on him, he didn't know, but damn if it wasn't exciting.

"I guess you can say I'm a little off my game." He grinned at her, taking a sip of his own tea before he lowered his glass. He could see the many different emotions in her eyes, and wished that he could make all the negative ones away. As much as he wanted to, he knew that he couldn't, and they both seemed to think that avoiding the heavier topics of conversation was best right now. After all, she had been avoiding him for three days, not that he could blame her for that. If he was in her shoes, he probably already would have tried to pull a jesus and run over the water to get the hell away from him. Armed guards and sharks aside, he would have been doing everything he possibly could to get the hell off this island. But then again, they already knew that Mia was smarter than Dominic.

“I’m starting to think you didn’t pack any shirts…” Her words drew him out of his thoughts, and his eyes flicked towards her again. Another chuckle escaped him and he just shook his head, leaning against the fence and hanging his head as he shook it. Heaving a slightly dramatic sigh, he turned his head to look at her, a grin tugging at his lips again. "Tell me you're complaining." He told her with a wink, straightening to lift his tea to his lips again. The silence between them wasn't as awkward as it could be, but he still didn't like it. He'd never been a fan of silence to begin with; his life was constantly full of noise, had been ever since he was a child. Whether it was voices, music, or something, there was never silence if he could help it. And now that he was finally standing outside with Mia after so long of not talking to her, he didn't want to lapse back into that.

"What are you doing out here?" He finally asked, moving away from the fence to find the opening. Stepping inside the garden, he tilted his head as he looked at the many weeds that had taken over. "God, this place is a wreck." He glanced around, finding a nearby table to set his glass on. "Pulling the weeds to start with?" He asked her, looking over at her for a moment. Granted, he did not have a green thumb, nor did he spend time outside in a garden like ever, but if it meant spending time with Mia then he was going to get down and dirty in the dirt and weeds. "Well, come on. Don't just stand there." He winked at her before he dropped to his knees a few feet from where she'd been. He didn't have gloves or anything, but he grabbed the weeds down as close to the ground as he could, yanking them out of the dirt.

After a few of those, he paused, looking around the place. "Are they all weeds? Shit. There's so many. This is the project you wanted to take on while we're here?" He gave her a side eye for a moment, though there was clear amusement in his gaze as he turned back to the weeds before him. He pulled a few more, tossing them to the side, glancing over at Mia every so often. Everytime he tried to think of something to say, though, the conversation in his head just turned right back around to the situation as a whole, and he didn't want to bring that up yet. He knew she likely had questions and concerns, but he didn't want to pressure her into saying them. She would come to him, in time, he knew. The sun rose in the sky as they worked, and before long he'd built up a thin layer of sweat on his body and face. Leaning back, he grabbed his now watered down tea from the nearby table, draining the glass completely. "Why do people do this again?"

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Nov 22, 2021

Mia

Without any context, this moment would almost seem like a dream scenario. Mia working in the garden, in paradise, and being brought out iced tea by her handsome, shirtless fiance. The optics looked good, but the reality was much darker. Though, as dark as her circumstances were, it was hard for Mia to ignore the past she had with Dom. He'd been her friend, even her crush, her first heartbreak, and now... Now he'd be her husband. Past, present and future, Mia and Dom couldn't escape the mafia or each other. At the end of the day, if she had to be trapped with someone, at least it was Dom. She knew him, and cared about him, despite her best efforts not to.

Mia had unfortunately found herself in a complicated web of emotions. It was confusing how she could simultaneously feel so angry, vulnerable and betrayed when left to her thoughts, yet find herself amused, tempted and teasing when around Dom. Even as she walked over to him and accepted the tea, it was hard not to let herself relax a little and put blinders on to block out reality. Dom was both a reminder of and a distraction from all that had happened. But as long as their conversation remained light, she actually rather enjoyed the brunette's company. Though she'd deny it vehemently if accused of such.

Mia noted that Dom seemed to be losing his touch with his ice breaker of choice, and he admitted he was a little off his game. This earned a small smile from the young woman as she glanced at him, taking a sip of her tea. She was a little comforted by the idea that Dom wasn't immune to the effects of this situation. It made him less like a stone cold mafia member and more like the boy she used to know. Staving off the silence that threatened to fall between them, Mia continued, poking fun at Dom's consistent aversion to wearing a shirt. It was a playful comment she threw out without thinking much of it, but Dom's response caught her up a little. He chuckled, hanging his head as he shook it, before sighing and glancing up at her again with a grin. Tell me you're complaining. It was a small moment, something that shouldn't have really registered, but the way he glanced down and then back up at her made Mia's stomach flutter.

"I..." The brunette began, before taking a sip of her tea in place of an answer, glancing away as she tried to formulate a better response. Fortunately, Dom mercifully changed the subject as he crossed the fence to step into the garden. For some reason, Mia felt safer with the fence between her and Dom. Not because she was in any danger from him, but because she didn't trust herself. She watched as he observed the garden, holding her glass of tea tightly and resisting the pull to step closer to him. God, this place is a wreck. Pulling the weeds to start with? Dom's blue eyes found Mia's and she nodded slightly. "Have to start somewhere..." She replied, sighing as she glanced around the garden. It really was a wreck and could take weeks to fix up. Would she be here that long, or --

Her gaze returned to Dom in surprise when he dropped down onto his knees in the plot of dirt and weeds. Well, come on. Don't just stand there. To say that Mia was caught off guard by Dom's gesture of helping her in the garden would be an understatement. If this was his attempt to win her over... well, it was working. She was oddly touched by it even, and couldn't help the smile that slowly tugged at the corners of her lips as she followed his lead and knelt back down in her spot in the garden. While she'd come out here to escape the house and try to avoid Dom, Mia appreciated his help now as they worked a few feet from each other. She pulled up a few more invasive plants before Dom spoke again. Are they all weeds? Shit. There's so many. This is the project you wanted to take on while we're here? Mia caught the amusement in his eyes, but the question earned an eye roll in return as Mia let out an exasperated breath. "Well, it's not like I have many options... You have a better suggestion?" She retorted, as he worked. "But yeah, most of them are weeds, though the ones with broader leaves I think will bloom into flowers..." She added, tenderly examining the large leaf of one of the plants.

As much as Mia enjoyed being in a garden and working with plants and flowers, she was finding this particular gardening session to be more and more distracting. She could feel Dom glance over at her every so often, and she'd return the favor once his gaze moved away. It occurred to Mia that she'd never really seen Dom work, at least not in a manual labor kind of way, and she could see why housewives fell into affairs with their fit gardeners or pool boys. Dominic's bare muscles glistened with well-earned sweat under the warm sun and Mia soon was neglecting her own work while she watched the heir. Why do people do this again? Dom's question made Mia jump a little as she was pulled out of her thoughts. "Well... it's supposed to be cathartic and relaxing..." Mia replied with a sigh. "At least, I'd been hoping it would be." She added, realizing that Dom's pile of weeds had outgrown her own while they worked due to her lack of focus.

The brunette woman brushed her hands together to remove most of the dirt, before wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. "Though, pulling weeds is probably the worst part." Mia continued, pushing herself up from the ground and patting off the rest of the dirt from her legs. It felt good to stretch her legs after kneeling, and she wasn't terribly keen on continuing to weed anyways. Glancing at the progress made thanks to the extra pair of hands, Mia decided that a break was in order since it was the hottest part of the day and Dom had drained the rest of his tea. His decision to help her might not have been intended to serve as an olive branch of sorts, but for now, that's how she chose to see it. At least then Mia didn't feel so guilty about her own feelings towards the Don-to-be.

"Thank you, Dom..." Mia said quietly, turning her blue eyes back to him and holding out her hand to help him up. Sure, she wasn't strong enough to actually pull him up off the ground by herself, but this was her own version of the olive branch. Or, maybe that was just an excuse Mia told herself to cover up her need to initiate physical contact. Because when Dom took her hand and rose from the ground, she wasn't quick to let him go. Instead, she glanced up at him, conflicted between her desire to know more about current circumstances... and her desire for him. There were dozens of questions she wanted to ask now that they seemed to be in a good place, but she also didn't want to ruin the temporary peace between them. Besides, what if his answers weren't the ones she hoped to hear? She didn't want to hate him. Not right now...

Conflicted

Garden

nine lives

Cal

Cal was used to being many things for the mafia: a delivery boy, a goon, a thief, a torturer, a kidnapper even... but he wasn't used to being a woman's keeper. The only women he was around in this business were the hookers or waitresses who worked at the strip clubs and bars they owned, or the female family members of other mobsters. The former were treated like shit, and the latter like pets in gilded cages. Few women had power, and most were owned, or at least controlled, in some way or another. He'd seen this happening... but had never been the one in a position of lording over someone else. And now that he was... he didn't know what to fucking do.

Cameron, at no fault of her own, was now his. He could be cruel for taking possession of her, and Dom could be cruel for gifting her as if he had the right to do so... but in the grand scheme of things, they could both be crueler. This was the safest option for Cam. At least Cal cared about her. Though, that was part of the problem. When he didn't care about the people he hurt in the name of the mafia, he didn't have to deal with guilt. But now, it ate at him every day. Especially as the beautiful blonde looked at him from her bed.

Somehow, after days of being avoided, Cal now found himself being invited into Cameron's room. He tried to keep things light, joking about sleepovers and offering a crooked grin, in an attempt to keep himself in the blonde's good graces. For a moment, she looked confused by his joke, but then a breathy laugh left her lips and Cal relaxed a little more. No pillow fights, so you're not missing anything. The tatted man watched as Cam folded her legs to her chest, resting her head on her knees, and he ran a hand through his hair. "Good..." He replied simply, awkwardly not knowing what else to say. Only dirty jokes came to mind, and he definitely didn't want to take the conversation into that territory when he'd only just gotten Cameron to talk to him again.

Cal was trying to get a read on the blonde, figure out what she was thinking and feeling, but he noticed that she seemed lost in thought as her gaze was trained on him. Hating the silence that was falling between them, Cal began to talk before knowing where he wanted the sentence to end. Uttering her name snapped Cam back to reality, and she slowly lifted her head. Cal? ... Please... sit. The petite girl stretched out her legs onto the bed, glancing at the spot Mia had once occupied. We should talk. Cal inhaled slowly, before letting out the breath as he nodded. "Yeah..." He agreed, knowing that a conversation was unavoidable, and might as well be had sooner than later. The tattooed man wasn't much for talking during his years in the mafia, only adding his two cents when it was asked for, but that likely would not be enough for this new life with Cameron.

Pushing himself off the wall, Cal stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked over to her bed, sitting down on the edge of it. He kept his hands where they were, hoping that made him less intimidating, but turned his body so he faced the blonde. Even just waking up, she was beautiful, her hair tousled from the pillow and cheeks still flushed from the warmth of the blankets. It was much more difficult to ignore his attraction to Cameron when they were so close, and Cal had to remind himself that he was here to talk. For now. Not knowing quite where to begin his apology or explanation of what was going on, Cal was silent for a moment, giving Cam the opportunity to speak up first.

I'm sorry I've been avoiding you... I just... I needed time, and... Cal's brows furrowed deeply as surprise overtook him. Was Cameron apologizing to him right now? In what world did she think she owed him an apology. The blonde was ringing her fingers together, and Cal had to clench his hands tightly to keep from reaching out to take her hands in his. The goon opened his mouth to refute her apology and begin one of his own, when Cameron's blue eyes lowered as she became emotional. Cal, I just want... I need... Do you even want me? Cal had been surprised by her apology, but now he was even more dumbstruck by her question. "Do I want you?" He repeated, confused.

Was this a trick question? Did he want her, how? Did he want to own her? No. He wished she'd never been caught up in all this. She didn't deserve to be here, but he couldn't tell her that without seeming like he didn't like Dom's gift or questioned his boss's decision. Did he want her physically? Yes. But was that what she was asking? And why did she seem so distraught over it? When Cal sat down on the bed, he'd fully been expecting to have to produce an apology to win Cameron over to his favor. While he was ultimately the one in control, he felt like the blonde had some power over him since she was the one upset... but now she'd apologized to him, and seemed concerned that he didn't want her. This was an odd turn of events, but a convenient one for the tattooed man. The power had shifted back into his favor, and now Cal planned to keep it that way as long as he could.

Pushing his confusion, and guilt, to the side, Cal assumed a more confident air, much like he did when working. "Does it matter to you that much if I want you or not?" He countered, pulling his hands out of his pocket as he leaned forward, using his fingers to tip Cam's chin up so she would look at him. Her blue eyes were verging on tears, and Cal had to swallow the urge to comfort her. "Do you want me to want you, Cam?" He continued in a lower tone, the corner of his mouth quirking up into a playful grin. Cal leaned in towards the blonde, sliding his fingers along her jaw until his hand cupped her cheek intimately. "... Now that you've had time." He kept his blue eyes on hers, but his free hand crept across the bed mattress to rest on her crossed leg. Her skin was warm and soft, and he reflexively squeezed her flesh a little to tease her. He wanted her to say yes, even dared to hope that she would. At least it would make both their lives easier, and more enjoyable if she did.

Tempted

Cam’s room

nine lives

apolla · Nov 23, 2021

mood

cautious

location

her bedroom

outfit

Click!

tags

(

Cameron

Mia had been pretty good company over the last three days, Cameron had to admit. If she was going through this alone, the blonde didn't know what she'd do. Even if her situation differed from Mia's, for the both of them it boiled down to the fact their lives were no longer their own. Mia was going to marry Dominic, and Cameron now belonged to Cal. Like she was a possession, something you pick off of a shelf and purchase. Though Cameron didn't know all the ins and outs of the mafia like Mia did, the girl had filled her in on some of it and Cameron had come to the conclusion that her predicament could be worse. Mia had spared her some of the more gruesome details, but Cameron had a pretty good imagination and could fill in the blanks where it was needed. Even if the images she created weren't pretty.

Maybe that's why when Cameron rolled over and saw Cal there, she didn't send him to hell or tell him to get the hell out. As crazy as it sounded, she missed talking to him. But it wasn't just that-- she missed his touch, those beautiful blue eyes that seemed to pierce through her own and even his kiss. Everything. It didn't make sense in the blonde girl's mind, but staring at him now as he stood in her doorway, she knew this was her chance. She didn't want him to leave. He was on the verge of doing just that when she stopped him, and he paused and finally turned to face her. He didn't approach the bed, just leaned against the wall as he cracked a joke about her having sleepovers. Her confusion quickly disappeared when she realized that Mia's side of the bed definitely looked slept in.

Her response seemed to break some of the tension in the room, though not all of it. He only responded with a single word before they lapsed into silence again, and Cameron grew lost in her thoughts. He spoke her name and it broke Cameron out of her reverie, and she realized he didn't sound like he knew what he wanted to say. The invitation to join her on the bed came out before she could stop it, but she didn't regret her words. Unfolding her legs to stretch them out on the bed, she glanced down at the spot beside her, telling him that they should talk. They had to eventually, right? Might as well get it over with, and then maybe they could get back to normal. Or maybe that was just empty hoping, because what was normal between them? So far, they didn't have a normal.

He pushed off from the wall and moved slowly to the bed, sitting on the edge of it. For some reason, the closer he got, the harder it was for Cam to breathe. He'd turned his body so that he was facing her, and she thought that maybe he'd not gotten too close to her because he was trying not to be intimidating. But a part of her wished he would just throw that aside and grab her, press her to the bed and kiss her like he had before. After knowing Cal intimately, it was hard having this tension between them. Cam hated it, and she hated the doubt that filled her mind as he didn't do what her mind pictured. Drawing in a shaky breath, she dropped her gaze as the words started tumbling from her lips, the emotional word vomit that she probably should have just kept to herself. Hearing the confusion in his voice only deepened the seed of doubt that had been planted, and now she definitely couldn't look at him.

At his question, she hesitated before she nodded a few times. Silence stretched between them for a while, though honestly Cam had no idea how long it was. Long enough that she started to regret even asking, hating herself for being so broken that she wanted to know if her kidnapper wanted her. His question finally broke the silence and she winced, only looking at him when his fingers tilted her chin up. On the verge of crying, she bit down on her lower lip, trembling some. Did she want him to want her? "Yes." She answered both his question and her own in one breath, her voice soft and almost inaudible. Feeling his fingers slide along her jaw as he leaned closer, some part of her knew she should lean back. Move away from him. But she didn't. Couldn't. She heard his hand sliding across the sheets but she still jumped, gasped even, when it landed on her leg.

"Cal, I... I know it sounds stupid. But I just want to know that we... that this..." She glanced down, looking at his hand on her leg for a few seconds longer than she should have. Her heart was hammering against her ribcage, and all she could focus on was his warm skin against hers. With a breathy inhale, she looked back up to Cal, a small frown appearing on her face. "If I'm going to be yours, then I want to be yours." She shrugged, looking down again as her eyes fluttered closed. She'd started off strong, or at least stronger than this, but now she wished she hadn't even said anything. "Nevermind." She finally whispered, closing her eyes shut tighter to try and keep the tears from falling down her cheeks. "Can we just... pretend I didn't say anything?" She moved her head back, hanging it and reaching up to run her fingers through her hair. "I feel like the world's biggest fucking idiot."

nine lives

mood

working

location

in the garden

outfit

tags

(

Dominic

Doing manual labor out in a garden of all places was not something Dominic really wanted to do. It wasn't his idea of a good time, but then again, neither was being trapped on an island with not one but two hostages. If looked at objectively, Dominic was just as trapped as Mia and Cameron, even if it didn't look like it. Because of Casey's death, Dominic was now next in line to be the Don when his father passed or gave up the position. Though Dominic doubted it would be the latter, and he sincerely hoped his father lived a long and healthy life because he was nowhere near ready to take over. Casey had been training for this since a young age, while Dominic had fucked off and basically done whatever he wanted. Got into trouble, fucked women, done almost every drug under the sun. He'd lived a party-it-up life... until Casey's funeral.

After three days of Mia avoiding him, Dominic was tired of not talking. Even if he didn't want to talk about the seriousness of their situation, he just wanted to talk to her. And if that meant pulling weeds from the overgrown garden, then that's what he was going to fucking do. He brought the tea as an icebreaker, because it was definitely not Iceland out here on the island. She seemed grateful for the cool liquid, and that was enough of an icebreaker for him considering his first attempt with his words had fallen flat. The truth was he was off of his game, because this was all new territory for him. Dominic was usually pretty good about faking it til he made it in new situations, but how the hell was he supposed to react to the fact that he was basically engaged? There was no ring on her pretty little finger, but the bond was still there.

He didn't fail to notice how she took a drink of her tea instead of answering his question, and that brought a grin to his face. He changed the subject as he stepped further into the garden, passing the gate to get inside. He asked if she was starting with the weeds, and she said she had to start somewhere, so he just dropped to his knees and started tugging. He tossed an invitation to join him over his shoulder, and soon enough, she knelt back down to where she'd been before and started to mimic his actions. They worked closely but there was still quite the invisible wall between them, so Dom kept the conversation light, teasing her about her project of choice here. He laughed softly at her eye roll, catching it out of the corner of his eye when he heard her exasperated breath. "I might. You never asked."

He grinned, keeping the rest of what he wanted to say to himself as she explained that most of the green plants were weeds, but the ones with broader leaves would likely bloom into flowers. He looked over just in time to see her touching one of the leaves, examining it while he examined her face. She was so beautiful, touching the plant like it was a living, breathing thing that she was caring for. Which technically it was, but that was besides the point. Without realizing it, a small smile had grown on his face and he realized he was staring, so he just went back to pulling weeds. Tossing them over his shoulder to collect later, he kept sneaking glances over at Mia, but she never looked back at him. At least that he noticed. He got so wrapped up in the pulling of weeds that eventually he'd made it to the end of the line, stopping to ask why people did this.

"Cathartic and relaxing?" He scoffed, looking over in her direction as he lifted an arm to wipe sweat from his brow. "I can name off a few things off the top of my head that are more 'cathartic and relaxing' than this." He told her, shaking his head as he reached for his tea and finished it. He laughed into the drink when she said pulling weeds was the worst part, though he finished drinking before he said anything. "I think that's crap." He told her, turning his head to look at her again as she stood. She brushed dirt from her legs and his eyes were immediately drawn to them, the little dirt trails still there that he'd love to brush off himself. His tongue darted out to lick his lips, his eyes darting up to hers when she suddenly thanked him. She held out her hand to him and he smiled, taking it and standing.

"For weeding with you?" He asked, pulling her closer with no shame when he realized she hadn't let go of his hand. He could see the questions in her eyes, and knew she wanted answers. But there was some hesitation there, and he thought it might be because she didn't want to ruin this moment between them. The moment they could both feel. He lifted his hand to slide his thumb along her cheek, moving up to her forehead and erasing the sweat that had beaded there. "The way I see it... we have two options. We can go inside, shower, and spend the rest of the day in the AC. Or..." He grinned, and suddenly swept her off of her feet, carrying her out of the garden and in the direction of the water. "We can have a little bit of fun." He sent a wink in her direction, making it clear which option he chose as he reached the water, going further in slowly, teasing her almost. "What's it gonna be, Mia?"

nine lives

Desert_Blossom · Dec 3, 2021

Mia

When Mia was a young child, she'd been kept in the dark about her father's line of work. She hadn't known any differently, so she always thought that the odd hours he kept and secret meetings he had in back rooms were normal. Didn't everyone's father do that? When her father brought the family to events with other mafia families, the young girl was more preoccupied with eating the good food, playing with the other children, or more specifically, tagging along after Dominic Santoro than listening to the grown ups talk of shady business. Mia had seen how the kids treated Dom a little different, but she'd just attributed that to him being popular because of how cool and cute he was. She was a few years younger, but she always liked it best when he was at the gatherings. He made things more fun.

It wasn't until she was 13 that she discovered the illegal nature of her father and uncle's business. She'd accidentally walked in on her father and other mafia members torturing a man in the back of her uncle's restaurant one night and was horrified. She'd fled before any explanations could be made, and informed her mother what she'd seen, expecting her to be just as shocked... but Mrs. De Rosa wasn't. Mia was terrified by who her parents were and tried to runaway, but didn't get far before a couple goons found her and brought her back home. Her father and mother explained the kind of life that Mia had been born into, and how she had no choice but to keep quiet about the nature of the mafia's business. There was no room for morals in this family. To make matters even worse, Mia also learned that her crush Dom was the son of the Mafia boss. As her world crashed in around her, the young girl could do nothing but hold onto the consolation that at least Casey would be the next Don instead of Dom. There was still hope for him.

Until there wasn't. The news of Casey's sudden death came as a shock to the entire mafia. The late heir had been six years older than Mia, so she hadn't known him very well, but his death affected her greatly. She not only mourned for Casey, but also for Dom who would now have to step into a role she'd convinced herself he wasn't meant for. Most selfishly of all, she'd mourned for herself. At 16, Mia had finally hoped Dom might see her as more than just a child now that their age difference didn't seem so vast, but Dom's new role as Don-to-be crushed these hopes. No matter how much or how long Mia cared for Dominic, his new future couldn't include her. She didn't want to even entertain the notion of being the Don's wife, and so she forced herself to ignore her feelings for Dom and let him go. This combined with all of Dom's new responsibilities caused the two to grow apart, and Mia truly thought all her school girl whims of being with Dom were dead and buried.

But she was wrong. And now, as Dom rose from the ground after helping her weed in the garden, Mia didn't want to let him go again. She'd thanked him as she offered her hand and in response, he'd pulled her closer to him when she didn't release him. For weeding with you? Mia tipped her head back a little to look up at him at such a close proximity, and nodded softly. "You didn't have to... There are other projects you could have been working on instead," She replied with a small grin, alluding to Dom's earlier comment about knowing other things Mia could have been doing. There were dozens of questions the brunette wanted to ask, but she was actually letting herself enjoy being so close to Dom for once without her pride getting in the way, and she didn't want to ruin it. The heir slid his thumb along her cheek for a moment, and Mia leaned into his touch a little, before his thumb moved up to her forehead as he laid out what they could do next. The way I see it... we have two options. We can go inside, shower, and spend the rest of the day in the AC. Or...

Before Mia could process the first option, she found herself lifted off the ground as Dom scooped her into his arms and began walking out of the garden. The brunette laughed in surprise and reflexively wrapped her arms around his neck for balance. ...We can have a little bit of fun. Mia glanced in the direction they were moving, realizing Dom's idea of a little bit of fun involved a dip in the water. Her stomach fluttered a little, recalling the last time they played in the waves together, and her blue eyes returned to Dom's just in time to catch his wink. What's it going to be, Mia? He asked as he began walking into the water, making it clear she didn't particularly have a choice in the matter. "So you didn't pack any shirts or swim trunks, huh?" She teased as he slowly moved deeper despite being in sweats once again. Before he got too far from the dry sand, Mia kicked off her flip flops, trying to land them safely on shore so they didn't get lost in the water, effectively giving Dom her answer of choosing to have a little fun. "I've enjoyed the AC for the past few days... I could use a change of scenery." She grinned.

As the water deepened, Mia held onto Dom a little tighter, the anticipation of getting wet as he teasingly moved further in making her squirm a little, but she didn't try to escape from his hold. It was a warm day, and Dom was even warmer, but Mia wanted to enjoy his strong arms around her as long as possible. Did it still count as Stockholm syndrome if she'd already had feelings for her abductor before she found herself on the island? Did it even matter? There was time to wrestle with her pride and the right and wrong of the matter later, but after three days of being cooped up inside, she just wanted to feel good. Even if it was temporary. A larger wave crashed against Dom, spraying water high enough to reach Mia for the first time and she laughed, tucking her head against his shoulder to shield her face. She let her face rest against his bare skin for a moment, her laughter softening into a smile as the foreign feeling of happiness washed over her.

Happy

Beach

nine lives

Cal

Though Cal was raised by his single mother and grew up with his younger sister, he was by no means an expert in women. He'd had his dalliances with girls, both before and after joining the mafia, but nothing had ever been serious. The relationships Nathaniel had been in never lasted more than a few months, usually brought to an end by a fight that he wasn't sure how to navigate past. The relationships Cal had never lasted longer than a few hours, usually brought to an end as soon as satisfaction was achieved. Now with Cameron, the relationship was already projected to be his longest yet due to the nature of Dom's gift, but he still didn't know how to read her.

First the blonde was rightfully upset because she was reduced to property and had slapped him in her despair, and now she was upset because she doubted that Cal wanted her. Wrongfully so this time. The tattooed man had spent the last three days wondering if he'd ever get to touch, taste and kiss Cameron again the way he had before everything went to hell. The way she'd looked at him on the beach made him fear that she was lost to him, and he couldn't even blame her. Cal had kept his distance in an attempt to be respectful of the blonde in this delicate situation, but apparently she'd interpreted this as an indifference to her, which only worsened his guilt. Especially after he teased her about wanting him to want her like an asshole in an attempt to regain control in the relationship.

Cal had thought expecting an affirmative reply to his question was wishful thinking, but when the soft yes issued from the blonde's lips, he almost didn't trust that he'd heard it. But he had, and his hand slid along her cheek, cupping the warm skin as he leaned towards her. His other hand found its way across the mattress to rest on her leg, eliciting a gasp from her as his touch made Cam jump. His brow furrowed slightly, not sure if it was a good gasp or a startled one, but then the blonde's words stole his attention. Cal, I... I know it sounds stupid. But I just want to know that we... that this... Cam glanced down at the tatted hand on her leg, staring at it long enough that Cal was about to remove it when her blue eyes lifted to meet his. There were too many emotions swirling in her gaze for him to read Cam, but he wasn't prepared for her next words. If I'm going to be yours, then I want to be yours, she uttered with a frown before her eyes closed as her head dipped.

For a moment, Cal didn't move. He didn't even breathe. He just stared at the beautiful woman inches from him that wanted to be his. He should have said something, but before he was able to, Cam whispered Nevermind... Can we just... pretend I didn't say anything? The blonde withdrew into herself once more, closing her eyes tight as if against tears, and pulled her head back away from Cal's. A deep frown etched into his features as he watched her, trying to decipher what she wanted. Her head hung low and she ran her delicate fingers through the golden locks that fell over her face, but Cal's hand remained decidedly on her leg. I feel like the world's biggest fucking idiot.

For reasons beyond Cal, Cam's last comment sent a jolt of anger through him. Not at her, or even this situation, but at himself. Whatever he'd done or not done had made her question herself and feel like an idiot, and he wanted to put an end to that immediately. He'd fumbled his way through the last few days doing what he imagined Cam wanted him to do, but no more. Right now, he could only do what he wanted to to try and convince the blonde she wasn't an idiot. Giving in to his own instincts, the hand on Cam's leg slid around to the back of her knee, as his other hand did the same to her other leg. "You are not an idiot..." He uttered lowly but sternly, leaving no room for argument as he used his grip on her legs to untangle them and pull her towards him.

Once she was sitting right in front of him, Cal's hands left her legs- one moving to her neck and the other to her waist as he closed the remaining space between them. His forehead rested against hers as his mouth hovered a few inches from the lips he so badly wanted to taste. "If you want to be mine, I won't argue..." He uttered, pausing just a moment before he pressed his mouth against hers. Warmth spread through him as he let his desire take control, and he slid the hand on her neck up into her hair, releasing the scent of her shampoos into the air. The familiar sensation that her kiss produced prompted Cal to shift his body, moving both of them deeper into the bed as he slowly lowered her back down to the mattress. Only then did his lips leave hers, allowing him a breath and the chance to taste the delicate skin of her neck. "Are you sure you want to pretend you didn't say anything?" He breathed, trailing his lips and teeth along her exposed skin.

Lustful

Cam’s room