Realistic or Modern Empire City: The Irish Mob - IC (Closed)

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan​

The next few weeks had been quite peaceful for Ali. She took care of her restaurant, over-saw the accounts for her own business as well as Conor's pub and her mother's dress shop, spent some time with Conor and Leo and just relaxing over-all. While she knew the peace wasn't going to last for too much longer, she was appreciating it for the time being. She still kept her ears to the street in case anyone had new information on the attackers or this Teddy character who made it seem like they were sleeping together. There was nothing so far, but she still paid her informants to keep up the work they were doing. She wasn't going to let any of this slide and just because she wasn't in the field like James or Warren didn't mean she couldn't help.

Aliana had woken up early today, to clean up the after-effects of the party she threw for Seana. Her mother had turned 63 and was feeling down about it for a bit. Ali had never known her mother to feel down about her age before, so obviously something was wrong. It wasn't until the end of it when Seana had gone to bed after drinking several bottles of wine that she heard it. Her mother felt terrible about turning 63 without Allen and without ever seeing him all this time. She still loved him, no doubt, but seeing her daughter and son-in-law reconcile their relationship made her wish she had done so early on in her life. Aliana decided to make that her newest side project while also working on her own marriage. But, in order to do that she would have to actually go and see him and not just send him letters. She would have to ask Conor how he felt about that and if he would come with her when she worked up all of the courage to go and visit him.

Leo was helping her clean up, listening to his mother update him on the recent events of reconciling things with Conor. To say the young boy was excited about it was an understatement. He had been waiting for the day he would be able to jump in bed and both of them were actually there and not just mom. Having his family whole and in one place was exciting to him and something he longed for. That and because when Conor was around, Leo got his way more. "So mom, if you and dad are back together, why hasn't he been sleeping here at home?" He was currently struggling to tie up a trash bag the way his mom had taught him and frowned before Ali came over to help him. "Well buddy, we didn't want to rush things so we're doing everything gradually. It's been a month and some change, so depending on how the night goes maybe I'll ask him to move back in." At the end of it, Ali tied the bag herself but handed it to Leo to take out. Looking down at him, there was a huge grin on his lips and it brought her nothing but pure joy to see. The two of them working out whatever their issues were was proving to be something good not for just the two of them, but for her son as well. Once they were done cleaning, she checked on Seana who was still taking care of her headache. The older woman couldn't quite keep up with her drinking like she did in the old days. She instructed Leo to take of his grandmother while she got ready for her dinner date with Conor. "Come on Charlie!" He shouted the dog and, surprisingly, the hamster followed after him.

A few hours later, she was dressed in her black dress, walking through the door of her friend's home. Something in the air smelled nice and she couldn't help but smile again. She felt the same way she did when the two of them were first dating and she couldn't help that 'in love' look on her face. "Conor?" She called out, keeping both of her hands behind her back. In her hands, she held a small engagement like box with a copy of her house key inside. Instead of walking around to find him, she instead stood by the door. Since she no longer had her necklace to nervously fiddle with, she instead played with her bracelets, the diamond one and the one her brother always wore. "Okay guys, wish me luck." She whispered as if the two of them were with her.

​

Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Pyroclast]

Steve Kelly

Steve's outlook on Luke Holland's disappearance had evolved over the five weeks since he had last seen the man. They had been at a bar, winding down after a day of small jobs. The pair were often set to work together, and Steve always felt like Luke was the most fun to go out on jobs with. So many of the gangsters he knew were serious, not just about their work but in their entire demeanour, and it bored him. He wanted to enjoy himself on the job and Luke had a sense of humour that complimented his own, so even the most arduous of jobs didn't feel too draining. When the man failed to show up for work five weeks ago, Steve ended up going out with one of the older soldiers who didn't get on with him so well and so he had been annoyed at Luke for ditching him. When he didn't answer the phone or his door, he thought that he had perhaps gone on holiday without telling him and felt mildly betrayed and a little jealous. But when, after a whole week, no one had been able to tell Alistair anything of the man's whereabouts, his annoyance shifted into concern. Although he was fairly certain that the Irish Mob weren't aware of the East Harlem gang's current operations, Steve had a gut feeling that they were behind his disappearance.

He was pleased when he and Ethan were sent out to investigate together, as it was on his mind pretty much constantly. "You don't have to sugarcoat it," he grumbled in response to his partner's suspicions that the Porters were behind it. "I hope he's dead. You and I both know there are worse fates." Of course, he didn't hope that at all, but after all he had done and seen through working with Alistair, where people were often pushed to their very limits with torture and humiliation, it wasn't difficult for him to come up with the ordeals the mob could have put him through. He had always found that kind of thing amusing, but picturing Luke as the victim just boiled his blood. "Oh they'll pay alright, sure as the sun goes down," he spat, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walked. "I'll murder their fuckin' asses, every last fuckin' one of 'em..."

Imagining all the ways in which he could hurt the mob always made him feel better, and he was doing exactly that when someone bumped into Ethan, causing him to stop in his tracks. Steve looked up then to see the blonde young woman standing before them and instantly his eyes lit up. A cold smile broke out across his face and for a moment he simply stared at her, revelling in the petrified look in her eyes. She had recognised him just as fast. His smile only broadened as the fear seemed to spread through her, turning her into a pale, trembling ball of weakness and pity. Although Ethan had her in his grip, it was Steve that she was looking at when she begged to be set free. He let out a soft chuckle and stepped closer to her, raising a hand to sweep a strand of hair from her eyes. His fingers gently caressed her skin as he gazed deeply into her eyes, a gentle yet menacing smile on his face.

"Let you walk away?" he quietly asked, by now fully aware that Ethan had caught on. Steve slowly slid his hand through her hair and brought her head against his chest, then wrapping his other arm around her. He looked to Ethan, eyes gleaming with mischief. "But it's been such a long time, Savannah. We got a lot of catching up to do. Besides, you know, you don't look so good...If I let you walk alone now it'd just...eat away at my conscience." Just as he had on the night of the kidnapping, Steve rested his cheek against the top of her head and smiled. But, keeping his eyes fixed on Ethan, he then mouthed the words, "I'm gonna spare this one!" before bringing one arm down to give a subtle pelvic thrust in her direction.

Finally, he let her out of his embrace and leaned down to her eye level. "So what do you say, pretty girl?" he asked her, in a low voice. "You gonna come for a walk with us? Or would you rather find out what I'll do if you say no?"

Interactions
Misty Gray Ethan, Savannah

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Theodore Wycliff

Teddy's night of fun with Tony, Conor, and Finn proved to be quite successful and do exactly what they wanted. Even though he already knew it, their altercation in the restaurant confirmed it. The man's family meant a lot to him, but his wife and son meant so much more. If you brought up anything about family he was sure to fly off the handles about it. Once he reported all of this to Gabriel, he was told to lie low and wait for further instructions. If he were being honest, it wasn't something he was upset about. Teddy actually wanted to take a chance and take in some of the sights of the city before he learned some of the secrets she was hiding. He did a little exploring of his own before he started getting his hands dirty with some business. Checking around the city of what places the Porter's didn't have a direct influence on. In between all of that, of course, were the occasional woman or two... Or three... All work and no play would make Teddy a dull boy for sure. Therefore, while he wasn't on the job he was out having fun and kicking people out once he was done.

The morning after one of his fiascos he had some work to take care of. One of the remnants from his night out was still in bed by the time he got out of the shower. She stirred at the sound of him loudly closing his dresser drawer, which he did on purpose to wake her up. Putting his pants on, he looked at her and shook his head. "Sweetheart, I've got work to do so maybe it's time for you to go home?" She murmured something incoherent before getting up with her messy hair and putting on the dress she had. With a smirk to himself, he clapped his hands together and whispered to himself. "Easier than I thought it'd be." Once he had his shirt on, he walked her out of his apartment while he finished getting ready for his job. He was going over to some unfortunate souls house to finalize some paperwork. He walked over to the packet and sifted through the papers one last time; today was going to be his easy job.

After picking up Tony and Jonah, some witty comments and teasing later, they made their way over to the garage. There was a man and a very attractive woman standing outside. Teddy was going to be sure to use his real name during this interaction; one because of things with Conor and two because he was being a professional businessman... For once. "Alright kids. We're gonna go, sign a few lines, and then perhaps go out for drinks, yeah?" He gave a quick glance a smirk to Jonah before looking at Tony. "No fighting out here buddy."



​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Elvian Moretti

For the past few weeks, Elvian had been getting her home under control and looking for new buildings for her next flower shop. She had found one and made sure to speak with Gabriel before buying it. Not because of the money, but because she didn't want to interfere with whatever business her husband had going on. Once she was sure of it, she bought the building and started planning its remodeling. Her home had been fully furnished and put together, which meant it was time for her to work on another project. While Gabriel, Marcus, and Tatiana had gone away on business, she decided it would be nice to spend some one on one time with Valentina. Elvian was never one to give one child more attention over the other, seeing as they would each need her attention. Valentina was the youngest, the baby of the family which meant of course she would need attention. But, Marcus was the only boy in the family and even though he could just spend time with Gabriel, who would only want to hang out with their father? Tatiana, while the strong one, had also been the only one with an alternative lifestyle in which her father didn't accept. She would need all of the love, help, and support she could get from her mother. Which is why when she said she loved her children equally and in different ways, she meant it.

Elvian had three different things she wanted to do that day. Lunch, show her daughter the building and get an opinion on the place, and then get that dog before her husband changed his mind. While she waited for her daughter, she took a moment to water the flowers in her garden. Until she had time to shop for another pot, the flowers her husband bought her would remain in the small disposable pot they came with. It still amazed her how in love she was with Gabriel, as she thought it would have worn off by now. She had seen it happen with her parents before they passed and several of her friends' parents but in the decades they were married, he still found ways to surprise her. It was one of the reasons why she married him even though she knew the business he was in. She had grown and adapted to his world as a way to show him she loved him and she never regretted it. One moment later and she ended her brief trip down memory lane before going back into her home to change.

Once she was done changing, she decided to go into one of the rooms she claimed as her own office and check up on her own floral businesses. Most of those conversations were in Romanian as the main one was back home before she switched to English for the Miami places. Everything was going well, as hoped and expected. She couldn't afford for any of the shops to go under and it wasn't because of finances, more so because of the fact she had put so much work into them. She would do her work until Valentina came in and took her away from it.



​

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

The song playing in the background wasn't too loud, at least, not as loud as Conor's singing was as he wiped the kitchen worktops. "We come from the land of the ice and snow. From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow..." Sure he'd heard Aliana's voice call out to him, Conor suddenly stopped singing. He scooted to the dining room and quickly lifted the needle from the record to halt the music. The sound of Led Zeppelin no longer played and Conor quickly returned Emery's record back into its cardboard sleeve. "Coming!" he called back, after clearing his throat. Even though she knew him well enough by now, he still felt a small pinch of embarrassment that she'd probably overheard his no doubt humorous singing.

Conor straightened out his shirt before rounding the corner to meet his estranged wife in the hallway. Despite his cheeks looking a little flushed, he greeted Aliana with a broad smile. "Ali. You look gorgeous, love," he told her, taking in how good she looked in her black dress. It felt great to be spending the evening with her in this context, rather than under some stressful circumstances or across a prison table. This was the first time in years he'd felt like he could truly admire the woman and be the way they used to. He placed his hand on her shoulder before giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. It wasn't that he didn't want to kiss her lips or even pull her in for a passionate embrace, but it all had the feel of some kind of early relationship date. So on that note, he decided to take it slowly and see how their evening progressed.

"Would Madam care to join me in the dining hall?" he asked, putting on a posh voice. It did occur to him that she had her hands behind her back and he did wonder if she was concealing something, but he decided to let her to reveal whatever it was when she was ready to...

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Savannah Callahan and Ethan Turner​

Savannah visibly cringed when Steve pushed some of her hair away from her eyes and then stroked her skin with his fingertips. The man made her skin crawl and the way he looked into her eyes made her feel even more unsettled than she thought possible. She quickly turned her head away from his direction and looked to see if there was anyone strong-looking enough who could help her, without them getting hurt in the process. Everyone just seemed to be rushing on by or too engrossed in their own world to notice her discomfort.

"Yes..." she said, when Steve repeated her words about letting her walk away. She soon felt the man's hand touch the back of her head before he forced her head against his chest. She tensed up and was about to back away, but his other arm wrapped around her to keep her held close to him. "Why? Why can't you just leave me alone? I have nothing to do with you or any business you might have. Just let me go," she pleaded, practically speaking into his chest. When he made his comment about not wanting to let her walk alone because she didn't look too good, she forcefully shook her head despite his hold. "I'll feel better when you're not here." Feeling Steve's face rest against her head, she took in a struggled breath as she began to tremble even more. There was a tightness forming in her chest and the feeling of nausea getting harder to ignore. She felt suffocated in the man's hold and too scared to move.

Ethan observed Steve's behaviour around the young blonde and couldn't help but smirk at the man's more than suggestive gesture. It was no skin off his nose if the man wanted to have his way with the woman. Why would he care about any of Porter's family members? "I've met her mother, up close," he casually informed Steve. He paused for a moment as he recalled the night Sinead and the others were tortured. "She was fucking stunning. Like mother like daughter..." he trailed off. All the while, he continued to scan the area around them to make sure they weren't attracting any unwanted attention.

As soon as she was released from the embrace, Savannah let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding in. Her eyes shot to Ethan in a cold stare, wanting so much to give the man a piece of her mind for talking disrespectfully about her mother. Her attention was snapped back to Steve when he called her "pretty girl". She tensed up again and tightened her jaw, the words only bringing her back to the night she was abducted and how terrified she was then too. How small those words made her feel. Her eyes glistened as she fought back the tears and the urge to tell him to go to hell. When asked if she would go for a walk with them, she didn't get chance to refuse before it was made clear the alternative was likely even more unpleasant.

"Dry your eyes and pull yourself together," Ethan lowly warned Savannah, to which she immediately complied by wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "You're going to let my friend put his arm around you while we walk and you'll act natural. You both make a very attractive couple, so at least play along." Ethan sent Steve a nod to go ahead and put his arm around Savannah. He then looked around again before focusing back on the young woman. "The thing about this city is that anyone with a brain cell knows it's a dangerous place and that it's better to turn a blind eye than to intervene. I guess you should thank your family for that kind of sentiment." The only people Ethan was cautious of seeing them were the cops and the Porters themselves. Whilst he was armed and willing to fight, he couldn't be certain if he and Steve would be outnumbered. Better to get somewhere more secluded, especially if there was a chance Savannah could prove useful to them or even shed any light onto Luke's disappearance. "Let's all play it cool and nobody needs to get hurt. Come on," he said, signalling to Steve to start leading them elsewhere.

Savannah bit her lip and quickly nodded her head. She managed to keep herself from crying or screaming for help, but she wondered if that was only because of the shock and numbness that she was feeling. It was the same hollow darkness she'd repeatedly felt since she'd been abducted from the stage weeks ago. It felt like she was trapped in one of her nightmares and she could only hope to wake from it soon.

Pyroclast (Steve)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan
Rebel Holt ​

Peter had been feeling great the last few weeks after his night ended with Luke's head splattered all over the floor. Both relationship wise and self esteem wise, things were going great. After Arlene's funeral, they headed to Cape Cod for a vacation and it was just the thing Peter needed. Returning home felt like a hazy dream and things started to really look up. Sinead was covering a shift at the Jazz Club and Peter had the day off so he was able to keep a close watch on his wife and the club. He missed music an awful lot, so it was refreshing to be able to come to the club.

Listening to Sinead was the highlight of his day and he was so excited to watch her perform. Clapping loudly, he smiled widely as his wife exited the stage and headed his way. "Hello darling," Peter murmured as she placed an arm around his shoulder, grinning from ear to ear as she requested another drink for him which was empty beside his left hand. "I'm doing quite well, watching you on stage" He said, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously.

He smiled widely as his wife requested another drink for himself, "You always know what I like." He commented happily. "I'm doing just fine, love. You were great up there." Peter murmured sweetly as he took his drink from Scott with another large smile. Things were absolutely perfect at the moment. Listening to Issac reminded him of a much simpler time. "He sounds great!"

"I think he would do just fine in the evening slots." Peter commented when asked what he thought. Taking the drink that was placed in front of him, he took a delicate sip before turning to his wife in the bar stool.

"We are going to need tighter security around here. Rebel is fine and all but I'm sure James can offer up a few more men." Looking towards the woman that was standing in the far corner of the room, Peter nodded his head towards her to which she returned. Rebel rotated both shoulders forward as she stood up a little taller, surveying the room as the music continued on. Nothing looked out of the ordinary but that was just from a distance view, she would need a closer look.

Clearing her throat, Rebel tilted her head from left to right as she felt the bones in her neck crack. Sighing, she took a large step forward as she moved past a customer that was moving to sit at the corner booth, "scuse me." Rebel murmured as she moved to scan the front area near the stage.
with: Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau
Lucy Porter ​

The weeks that followed agreeing to keeping the baby were gruesome. Roxie had never been so sick in her entire life. Food had lost its taste, the nights blended in with the mornings, even something as simple and pure as water wasn't tolerated. It was the same story every day and she tried everything to cure the morning sickness, every trick that the books had to offer and nothing came of it.

Roxie sat on the couch, her head leaning back against the cushions as her eyes were closed. Feeling like she could fall asleep, Roxie felt herself drifting off right as Syd spoke, spurring her into consciousness. "Hmmm?" She asked as she moved to sit upright slowly, struggling to hold her own weight as she shifted weakly.

"Oh...I'm alright." Roxie hummed softly as she offered Syd a small smile. He added that his mother was warming to her and Roxie nodded her head along, too tired to argue. He stated that Lucy wanted to be more involved in his life...not directly stating that she was warming up to the idea of Roxie sticking around but it seemed to be close enough for Syd.

"I really hope she does." Roxie said, letting out a slow sigh before there was a knock at the door. "Speak of the devil..."

"Maybe this isn't a good idea." Lucy said to James as she shifted from foot to foot at the doorstep of Syd's home. The blonde had spoken to her son about coming over a week ago and although she had been so sure of herself then, she was having a hard time capturing the enthusiasm again.

"I feel like I haven't been over here in years. And to think, I've left him alone in this giant place...What if he doesn't want us-" The door opened to reveal Roxie's face causing Lucy's jaw to drop slightly.

"Hi." Roxie greeted simply to which Lucy cleared her throat, offering a smile to the young lady as she briefly looked to James before moving to step inside.

"Hello." Lucy greeted in return as she stepped through the door. As usual in her family, she was greeted by a group of dogs which made her feel a bit at ease. Reaching down, she gave Arrow a scratch before looking for Syd. Smiling widely as she spotted him, Lucy reached out her arms to give the man a hug. "Well don't you look as handsome as ever." She commented warmly as she embraced him.

Roxie bit her lip as she followed behind the Porters, sinking into the background as she tried to let the three have their moment.
with: Syd Pyroclast ; James Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant
Lorelei Bryant​

"Just stay in the car, can you do that for mama?" Gwen asked as she buckled Lorelei into the back seat of her car. Lorelei's red eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, "Where are you going?" She asked. Gwen ground her teeth together with irritation at the question but let out a soft sigh, "Just around the corner, I will be back in 5 minutes. I want you to stay put, you hear me? Do not leave this car. God knows what I'd do if anything happened to my sweet Rory." Gwen murmured before pressing a kiss to the side of her daughter's head. "I'll be right back.."

***​

Lorelei had been sitting in the car for what felt like forever before she heard someone say her name. Wide brown eyes searched for the source as she looked out the window to see Jason leaning against the car. Smiling lightly, Rory nodded her head as he asked to sit with her. Unbuckling her seat belt, she scooted towards the car door before pulling up the lock and opening it slowly. "She said she would be right back. It seems like she's taking forever though." Rory explained before scooting back over and patting the seat next to her. "People keep looking at me..." She said softly, looking down at her hands as she tangled her fingers together nervously.

***​

"Youse owe a lot of money, sweetheart..." Alexander drawled out as Gwen stepped into the alleyway, where he was standing outside of his apartment door. This wasn't the first time he'd brought that up, so the redhead wasn't concerned as she walked towards him, until she heard something from behind her.

Gwen's head turned around to see two large men walking into the narrow alleyway behind her, cutting her off from being able to exit swiftly. The hairs on her arm raised as she tensed, "I thought we had a deal." The woman said hoarsely as the men stepped even closer to her, causing her to take steps past the apartment door, headed toward the dead end at the back of the alleyway. "We are tired of such deals, times are hard, sweetheart. Need that cash. And you're going to give it to us." There was a confidence in Alexander's voice that made Gwen swallow harshly.

Being trapped between the wall and the men that were closing in on her, Gwen shook her head in fear of what was about to happen to her as she was grabbed roughly, her face being back handed so harshly that she was knocked out immediately.

***​

Opening her eye's slowly, the redhead moved her head slowly off the ground to try and figure out her surroundings, the motion caused warm blood to ooze down towards her eye, making her shut it tightly. Almost blindly, her quaking form shifted as she tried to pull herself up from the ground. Everywhere was killing her, causing her to cry out in pain. In a kneeled position, she grasped the asphalt beneath her as the world around her turned. Barely able to see out of the other eye, she slowly pushed herself to her feet with the help of a wall behind her.

She couldn't see what she looked like, but as she kept doubled over slightly, she realized that she was hurt pretty bad. Looking down the alleyway, she didn't see anyone at the apartment door or anyone blocking it like before. This was her chance to make her escape and she took it as she limped quickly out onto the sidewalk.
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James had struggled to get up over the last few mornings. Usually up at 5am, he'd considered it late that he'd been getting out of bed at 7am. It wasn't just that his meetings had been going on into the late evenings, but he'd simply struggled to get a decent night's sleep recently. Regardless, he'd pushed through the tension in his back and the headache to do his usual heavy workout that morning. He wasn't known for getting sick and when he did, he still refused to fall victim to it and instead always tried his best to sweat it out. But he knew this wasn't a sickness, it was simply the effects of the stress and tension surrounding his family. He was starting to give in to the idea Peter and Sinead had gone ahead with, and have a little break away with Lucy. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done and there was no room for him to take a vacation when there was so much going on with the family business.

Before setting off with Lucy to Syd's place, James had taken the dogs for a walk and smoked a couple of cigarettes along the way. By the time it came to him starting up the car, he was feeling more refreshed to tackle the rest of the day. He knew Lucy was nervous, but he tried to keep reassuring her. It had been some time since things had gotten heated with Syd and James was sure things had calmed down enough now that they could just have a nice catch-up with their eldest son.

It didn't feel like long at all before they were standing outside Syd's front door. When Lucy expressed her concern that the visit wasn't a good idea, James placed a reassuring arm around her shoulder. "Hey, come on. We're just going to have a relaxed catch-up with our son," he began to remind her. His wife continued to fret, but the door was pulled open before he could tell her to relax and think positive.

James was surprised to see Roxie open the door for them, especially considering they were at Syd's house. James was aware Roxie had moved out of the apartment she had shared with Savannah, but he'd assumed the woman in question had done so to distance herself from the family. Apparently, those hadn't been her intentions as she was still hanging around Syd and spending time at his place now. He reminded himself to give the woman the benefit of the doubt, especially as he'd so far not found any dirt on her or her God-fearing, charitable father, despite his ongoing suspicions.

"Afternoon," James greeted Roxie, sending her a simple nod and a very brief smile. He let Lucy take the lead and as she hugged Syd, he took a little time to playfully rub Arrow behind the ears. James then stood up straight and gave Syd a light pat on the back. "How's it going. You good?" he asked Syd, genuinely interested in how his son was doing.


Bellz (Lucy, Roxie) Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Pyroclast]

Tatiana Moretti

Walking around the city with her father and brother felt more like a family outing than business. Tatiana had a good sense of direction and so after paying close attention to all of the establishments associated with the Porters, as well as potential investments, she felt she had gained a better understanding of the city. They ended their excursion at All That Jazz, a popular club owned by Sinead Callahan. While she was always ready for action, Tatiana had decided that she could go a while without it and still feel satisfied with her work. Knowing that they were to end up at a bar, she had taken the liberty of dressing up more than usual to help her blend in.

Upon arrival, the three were met by guards, one of whom was a woman. The level of security for the place didn't surprise her considering its connection to the mob, but what did surprise her was how attractive the woman at the door was. Of course, Tatiana had a well-practised poker face and after catching her eye just once, she followed her father and brother deeper into the room without turning back. The image of her would linger in Tatiana's mind, however, and part of her was even looking forward to leaving the place so that she could get another look at her. For now, she would do her best to concentrate on the purpose of their visit: to introduce themselves to the Callahans.

Sinead was still up on stage playing the piano when the three settled into a booth. She was beautiful, distinctively so, which she was sure would make her memorable and therefore easy to identify in future. It wasn't long before Tatiana held a glass of Chianti Classico in hand and her father had begun to comment on the surprising elegance of the place. "When you're as rich as they are, you can afford to appear classy," she weighed in, holding the wine close to her lips so that she could catch its rich scent.

A small smirk tugged at her lips when her father suggested they invite the Callahans over to make a false enquiry about organising a birthday party at the club. "Leave it with me," she told them, placing her wine glass down and getting to her feet. She meandered through the tables to where the couple were seated, all the while keeping her eyes on them in a predatory sort of manner.

"You are the owners here, yes?" she asked, not caring if she interrupted their conversation. Only once she had got their attention did she smile, but she made sure it was a sweet one. "My family and I over there were just talking about how elegant this place is. You create a very pleasant atmosphere when you play the piano." Tatiana turned around then to face the table at which Marcus and her father were sitting, to direct the couple's attention towards them. When she turned back to face Sinead and Peter, she put the smile back on her face. "We'd like to talk to you about hiring the place for my mother's upcoming birthday party, if you'd like to come over to our table?" Without presenting them with the option to decline, she gestured again to the table in hopes that they would willingly follow her there.

Interactions
Misty Gray Gabriel, Sinead
RayPurchase Marcus
Bellz Peter, Rebel

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

The rumble of the car coming up the driveway drew Syd's attention to the window again and he pressed his hand against it in excitement before getting up and looking to Roxie. Her short answers hadn't gone unnoticed; despite her claim to be fine, he knew she was in fact exhausted from all the sleepless nights she had recently suffered. Knowing that his parents were here filled Syd with a nervous energy that he didn't expect Roxie to match in her current state, so he let her carry on with her facade. "You can go and lie down at any point if you need to," he told her, moving across the room to help her to her feet, giving her hands a quick squeeze of reassurance.

When there finally came a knock on the door, Syd froze on the spot. He had been going over this announcement in his head almost continuously for the past five weeks, yet now that the time had come he couldn't remember anything he had come up with. Briefly overcome with nerves, he remained paralysed on the spot while Roxie made her way to the front door. As soon as he heard his mother's tone of voice, however, he knew he had to spare the three of them the awkwardness and so bounded into the hallway to dispel any initial tension.

"You're here!" he exclaimed, wading through a sea of dogs to get to Lucy's open arms. He gave her a tight, welcoming hug and kissed her on the cheek. She called him handsome, which usually would make him blush, but in his good mood he instantly repaid the compliment. "And you're looking beautiful, mam," he cheerfully replied before pulling away from the hug, a bright smile on his face. "How've you both been? Is the modelling going well? Business going well?" Letting himself momentarily forget the reason for their visit, it felt good to have his parents in his home again. It was a rare occasion these days, given the high tension between them all. But even though he was nervous about getting the news out, the fact that it was good news for once made him feel happy, imagining the look on their faces when they found out they were going to be grandparents. He believed that the baby could be what finally bridges the gap between them, bringing them as close as they once had been.

Turning to his father, Syd beamed at him when he patted him on the back. After closing the front door and shooing the dogs out of the way, he put his arm around the man's shoulder to lead him into the front room. "I'm doing good, thanks - great, actually," he responded. In the mood he was currently in, it didn't seem to be a lie on any level. Besides the nerves, he did feel remarkably positive.

Unable to wipe the smile from his face, he clapped his hands together. "Does anyone want a drink? Please, sit down wherever you want..." Even though his parents had been to his house a million times before, it felt different to invite them since Roxie had moved in and had made him into a somewhat fretful host. The ambience had transformed so significantly under her presence that it felt to him like he was showing his parents into a new house altogether. Now that he wasn't alone so often, he tended to keep it tidier and had made a special effort to make the place look immaculate so that his parents would see that he was doing well. He had even dressed the coffee table with flowers, something he would never have done just for himself.

Not wanting to leave Roxie to talk with them alone for too long, Syd went about fixing the drinks as fast as he could before taking a seat beside Roxie. Sending her a quick smile, he turned back to his parents, sitting forward eagerly with his elbows resting on his knees. For a moment the room was silent and Syd felt his heart pound and his cheeks burn slightly from the anticipation. After clearing his throat, he finally spoke up. "So, mam, dad...I've actually got something to tell you. It's good news, so don't worry." He struggled to keep back the beaming smile on his face and he wrung his hands. Finally, after sending Roxie a brief glance, he reached to give her hand a squeeze and took a deep breath. "Mam...dad...We're having a baby."

Interactions
Misty Gray James
Bellz Lucy, Roxie

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf
Finn Sullivan ​

Things at home didn't seem to change after Ammon was found out by Alistair and Ethan. Sure, Ammon had become more discreet but Ani would find things around the house that would lead her to believe that he was still up to things. Belongings that were not either of theirs, a couple of weapons that Ani hadn't seen in her brother's possession before. Despite her duties to the gang, Ani chose to ignore the signs and instead put her full attention into her work, she had been told to keep a tighter leash on her brother, but she didn't know how. He was simply becoming too wild for her to control him at this point.

The days after their scolding, everything began to blend together for Ani. The only happiness she found was in Maddox and with both of their busy schedules it was hard to find the time for dates. "We removed the tumorous mass from the pancreas and we are hoping that it will stay removed. Spreading is common with this type of cancer so we will want to track it and do another scan in the next few weeks." Ani's eyes met the couples as they stared at her openly, fear seen in their gaze. Looking to the small child in bed, Ani bit down on her lip, knowing that the little boy was too young to understand what medical danger he was in. "I will let your doctor take over the care now, I wish your little family the best of luck. I'm very pleased with the results of the surgery. I hope this news brings you some happiness during this difficult time."

With that, Ani headed out of the room and into the hall, shutting the door behind her. A friendly and familiar face appeared as the man rounded the corner and Ani smiled softly, "Dr. Sullivan." Ani greeted as the man moved to walk beside her as they made their way down the hall.

"Ah, Ani, just the person I was looking for actually." Finn smiled in return as the pair continued to walk side by side. "Everything in 201 alright?" Finn questioned. Ani nodded her head firmly, "Surgery to remove the tumor was a success and the boy should be in remission once cleared by his primary doctors with close monitoring." This made the handsome Chief of Medicine grin even wider, "Wonderful job, dear. I have another patient for you, if you are up for it." This made Ani raise her eyebrows, "I was just about to clock out for a while...who is the patient?"

"He actually wandered into our facility this morning, suffering from memory loss, we don't actually have a name for this patient. John Doe is what we are calling him for now. He's got a few bullet wounds that need to be surgically removed. Surely that's a piece of cake for you?" Ani chuckled and nodded her head, It is. I can take a look at his chart once I get back later this evening. We can schedule a surgical consultation for that time as well."

"Beautiful." Finn said, causing Ani to chuckle once more. "Get home to Georgie will you, I heard the nurses say you've been here for more than 72 hours." Ani told him before nodding her head towards the hall to her right, "See you later, Chief."

***​

After greeting the Maddox's secretary, Ani knocked on his door before opening it and peeking through. "Hi." She greeted softly before opening the door wider and stepping through. She had freshened up at the hospital as she had found that she looked awful after a long shift. Still in her scrubs, she had full intentions to head back to work after their visit was over.

"Sorry I'm a little late," Ani explained, "I was assigned a new patient at the hospital and got caught up in the paperwork that I had to get in before the filing office closed." Stepping over to greet him with a kiss, she smiled blissfully as she moved to take a seat on the couch, letting out a large sigh as the cushions hit her back. "Its been far too long since I've sat in one of these." She said, almost dramatically.
with: Maddox Misty Gray
mentions: Finn Sullivan @ myself

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau
Lucy Porter ​

Roxie had never felt so uncomfortable in her entire life, which was saying a lot given the fact that her family had a reputation for making her uncomfortable. Taking what Syd had said before about going and laying down into consideration, she waited until both of the Porters were inside before slowly shutting the door behind them, watching as the dogs excitedly greeted them.

Syd excitedly greeted Lucy and Roxie watched him closely. It had been the happiest she had ever seen him and was really something to marvel at. He had been so inside of himself recently that to see him so excited made her happy. But as she remember what was happening, her stomach dropped and she felt slightly ill again.

Lucy noticed the enthusiasm in her son's greeting but didn't want to address it right away as she hugged him tightly. He complimented her and caused her to chuckle lightly, "Oh you just have to say that because I'm your mother." She teased. Looking to James, she smiled a bit wider, really hoping that things between them all could go back to normal.

"Oh you know how things are," She replied, her tone dipping to sound slightly negative. She was aware that James hadn't been sleeping well recently and was very concerned about his well being, business was taking its toll on him. They weren't as young as they use to be and it was hard to bounce back like they use to.

As Syd put his arm around James' shoulder, Lucy beamed and watched them take the lead. Roxie walked ahead slightly before stopping to look at Lucy. "He's really excited that you are here." She said before slowly turning and walking towards the living room. Lucy stayed behind a second and wondered what those words meant, the true meaning behind them. Maybe it was nothing but they sounded odd.

Clearing her throat, she realized she was in the entry way all by herself and quickly followed the rest into the living room. Syd zoomed off to fix them all something to drink and Lucy settled next to her husband on the couch with Roxie sitting on the love seat in the in front of them.

Roxie was never good at small talk, especially with people who were clearly apprehensive about her. "So I hear your family is dog people." She brought up, knowing that was something the Porters had an interest in, "I was actually thinking of getting a dog myself, seeing Syd with all of his. I've always had cats but my parents clearly weren't as cool as you both seem to be." Flinching at her words, Roxie felt like it was almost juvenile of her to call Syd's parents "cool."

Luckily, Syd walked back in before much could be said and he took the conversation from there. Unfortunately, Roxie really wasn't prepared the reveal happening so soon, so all she could do was stare openly at the Porters as announced their news. Squeezing Syd's hand, she prayed that this wouldn't turn into an argument.

Lucy had just been taking a sip of her tea when Syd spoke. The announcement caused her to choke mid sip, causing the hot liquid to spill on her lap. Gasping, the blonde set the cup down quickly before wiping at herself. She knew she hadn't heard him wrong but she didn't know what to say as she continued to absentmindedly wiped her outfit free of tea. Roxie cringed outwardly as she watched Lucy, already aware of how much shock she seemed to be in.

The blonde finally looked up but her attention moved to James as she looked for an answer in him. She was beyond words and it wasn't a good thing, but she knew that if she were to state her concern, things would get out of hand. "I...I....James?" Lucy stuttered before looking back to Syd, "Is this the best time? For you? For her? You've hardly known each other long..."
with: Syd Pyroclast ; James Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

Hearing Syd tell him he was doing great filled James with some relief, as he'd been worried about his son's well-being over the recent weeks. "I'll have a coffee, mate," James requested when offered a drink. As his son rushed off to get the drinks, James glanced to the coffee table, noticing the decorative flowers and assuming they were one of Roxie's additions to the place. His eyes looked to the woman as she spoke. James wasn't one for small talk, though he could see Roxie was trying to fill any uncomfortable silence with her comments about the family liking dogs. "Oh yeah. We love dogs," he responded back to her, not wanting to leave her words hanging and creating anything further tension. With the mention of her parents, James nodded. His mind suddenly searched for potential follow-up questions that could tell him more about her parents. Anything useful or informative that he hadn't been able to find for himself. Instead, the conversation was silenced when Syd returned to the lounge with drinks.

James took a sip of coffee before setting the mug down on the table. He observed his son's behaviour, noticing the younger man sitting somewhat eagerly as if there was something he needed to tell them. Soon his intentions were made clearer, that there was some good news. James initially thought the news was the obvious, that Roxie had moved in with Syd, but he wasn't sure how good that news was considering the issues they'd been having. Syd's smile only made James more curious as to what the news could be.

The bombshell was dropped, with Syd announcing that Roxie was pregnant. James was left in a stunned silence and his face reflected it. Lucy had spat out some of her drink and was in the process of wiping it up whilst James gazed straight ahead, towards the window. He thought he'd be happier to hear he was going to be a grandfather. The thought of the family getting bigger was something he'd always looked forward to. Yet, he was struggling to feel any excitement. With Syd's mental health and the uncertainty around Roxie, James felt concerned more than anything. Lucy spoke up and echoed his thoughts, asking if it was the best time and pointing out the couple barely knew each other.

James looked to Syd and Roxie, letting out a a sigh as he briefly massaged his forehead, now feeling even more mentally drained. "I assume it wasn't planned..." he began. "How are you both going to manage this?" he asked. The last time this kind of thing had happened, it had been when Sinead announced to the family her unplanned pregnancy with Angel's child. Despite the deep hatred he had for Angel, it had never crossed James' mind that Sinead should have terminated the pregnancy and it never once entered his mind this time around either. It was complicated and frustrating, but no part of James considered abortion as an answer. "You're both going to be bringing a new life in this world. How long have you known?" he asked, wondering how much they'd considered the life-changing situation.

Bellz (Lucy, Roxie) Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Bugsy]

KEEGAN LYNCH​

Five weeks had passed since they had encountered Luke Holland and his big mouth. Five weeks passed since he watched Peter put round after round through Luke's brain. But yet, he couldn't settle. The five weeks had him running around like a common street thug, without the killing and the shooting as he made his rounds with his brothers to collect debts and enforce the protection rackets the Family held. Keegan never did well with sitting still, or the silence that seemed to follow - he needed to do something to fill the void that lingered.

One thing they were able to do was give Arlene Sullivan a proper send-off. A proper funeral after so many weeks of waiting. It was a large gathering, with family coming from all over the states and from overseas to pay their respects. Keegan and his brothers had stayed for the after party, mingling with relatives he hadn't seen in years - and getting absolutely shit-faced with them. It was a little fun for the evening, a time to remember and not to grieve - they had their chance for grieving, and though some were still in the process of overcoming such grief, Keegan had moved on well past it.

With everything that had happened, James had approached him with the prospect of working more closely with Warren, something he was happy enough to do. The man was brought further into the fold - it meant more hands on deck, it also meant that they were still expecting trouble. Though he hadn't talked much (allowing his physical actions against unwilling shop keepers, or those under Porter employment who needed a swift reminder who they were working for), Keegan was still observing Warren had his performance as they drove around Manhattan before the suggestion was made to go take a break and grab something to eat. He checked his watch, noting the time and the fact that they were given strict instructions to pick up Savannah at a given time to make sure she was home safely.

The Sandwich shop was a civilized place, certainly making Keegan feel like he stuck out some. His left hand was kept in his pocket, hiding the bruises on his knuckles as his right hand craved a cigarette. He looked around at the scene before him.

A woman with her son.

A man with their book, and supposedly a mother taking care of their baby.

This was the life that he had given up, a life that he would be yearning for if his life of crime and gangs weren't around. Blue eyes swept around before focusing on Warren; surveillance had been something they had been doing more often as well - perhaps trying to get a one up on the bastards who had sent them Luke Holland. He wasn't paranoid, just careful. Or so he liked to think. He looked at the younger male next to him, slowly shuffling up as the queue shortened. He ran his tongue across his teeth in thought of what he would like to do to the whole lot when they got their hands on them. "Dealing with the unknown is always going to be harder than--" Keegan paused, finally caving, grabbing a cigarette out of his case and putting it to his lips. "Dealing with an enemy you can see. Get to the source, stab the boss through the heart and then sweep up any who are stupid enough to remain." Keegan kept his tone conversational, low enough that Warren could hear but no one else. "I think we'd all be a lot happier if they all just disappeared."

Tag: Misty Gray (Warren)

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead couldn't shift the smile from her face as she beamed at the way Peter was treating her. He was being playful and complimenting her, which made her feel good about herself. Having felt lonely and undesirable recently, it felt great to have such negative feelings erased by her husband's sweet behaviour. "Thank you, honey," she said, giving Peter a quick kiss on the lips as he complimented her performance on stage.

Hearing Peter's opinion about Isaac was greatly appreciated and helped her to make her decision. She knew at times she could be too nice or afraid to disappoint anyone, so she was pleased to hear Peter's objective opinion on the young singer's talent. "Perfect! I can't wait to confirm more dates with him. Y'know, he's kinda cute, right? Savvy should have come to work today because they would make an adorable couple!" she said, initially joking before she began to consider it more seriously. She then quickly shook the thought away, figuring such a thing would put Isaac under great scrutiny and she wanted the guy to stick around on her stage rather than be scared away!

When Peter told her they needed tighter security in the club, Sinead briefly glanced to Rebel before focusing on her drink and taking a small sip of the cocktail. It bought her some time to consider the suggestion before letting out a light groan. "I know, but I... I just..." She knew Peter was right, that the bouncers were her own employees and she didn't have many security guards who were part of the mob under James' employment. "I guess you could ask James for me?" she asked, purposefully fluttering her eyelashes to Peter. "But only the right guys, because some of the men James employs don't really fit the vibe of this place, y'know? Maybe I'm totally a snob, but they need to be smartly dressed and not quite so vulgar. Like, Warren, he dresses well and wouldn't scare good customers away."

The married couple were soon joined by a stranger; a young woman they hadn't seen before. "Yes, we're the owners," Sinead told Tatiana, flashing a warm and friendly smile to who was presumably a customer. When Tatiana mentioned her family, Sinead followed the younger woman's signal towards the table were two men, Gabriel and Marcus, were seated. It soon became apparent that Tatiana and her family wished to book the club out for her mother's birthday party. "Ohhh, okay. Gosh, I do love birthday parties!" Sinead enthusiastically announced, rubbing her hands together. She turned to Peter to see what he thought about joining the family to discuss the booking. "Coming, babe?" she asked, hoping he would join her...



Bellz (Peter) Pyroclast (Tatiana)

 

[Misty Gray]

Valentina Moretti​

The weeks since moving to New York had flown by for Valentina. She'd expected to be bored in that time, on account of leaving all of her friends behind in Miami. Instead, she'd managed to busy herself around the house and exploring the area around the neighbourhood as well as New York City itself. Her father had spent a lot of time out on business and involving the two older siblings in jobs. Despite that, he still made sure to update Valentina on what he deemed relevant to her.

Valentina had started her studies in Veterinary Science, attending university in New York. It was always strange making new friends and having to be vague about her father's business. Still, it was something she was by now used to and knew to avoid bringing friends back to the house until she was sure they could be trusted.

With the others out on business, Velentina was intending on spending quality time with her mother. They were going to have lunch and check out a possible location for her mother's florist. Most exciting was that they were also going to get a family dog - before Gabriel decided it was no longer a good idea. Having finished her coursework, Valentina took some time to get ready, wanting to look good for her afternoon out with Elvian. When she was ready, she sought her mother out in the older woman's office.

After knocking on the door - something Gabriel had always been strict about when it came to people entering his own office - Valentina stepped into the room Elvian was in. "That's enough paperwork, Mamma. Let's get to the city and find that puppy Gomez is going to grow to adore!" she drily remarked. "Books and papers will still be here when we get back."


Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan​

Hearing Conor sing brought a slight smile to her face as she remembered the times she caught him singing at home. She wished she had one of those movie recording devices to catch him in the act, but she had no such luck. Instead, she snapped a Polaroid of his shocked face and was not going to let him have that. It was times like that she missed and wanted to get back to, but knew it wouldn't just happen. The two of them had things to get through and that was going to take a little bit of time; time she was prepared for. She was snapped out of her thoughts when Conor rounded the corner to greet her. She was so focused on thinking about the past that she hadn't even heard the music cut off. After quickly returning his kiss, she took him in and gave him a slight wink. "Why, thank you. You look quite dashing yourself, might I add."

For a moment she took a pause before biting her lip and clearing her throat. "Uh so," she said, bringing the small velvet box in view. There was a smaller red bow attached to it, but she wasn't going to open it. "There's a present in here for you and depending on the night will determine if I give it to you." To say she was nervous was an understatement. She was genuinely terrified of how the night was going to play out. Part of her knew there were a lot of things to talk about and that their conversation could turn sour at any given moment. It wasn't something she was planning on, more like something that seemed to happen when they were alone. However, if they were to argue she knew not to go way left and not raise her voice; it wasn't going to do anything but make matters worse.

She took his hand in hers and let him lead her to the dining hall before letting out a slight laugh. "Oh, yes, please. You know how much I love your cooking darling." Once the two of them walked into the room, she let out a slightly audible gasp at the layout of their dinner. Turning to face him, she nodded her head and gave his arm a rub of approval. "It looks great here, I love it. Now, and as much as I love Led Zeppelin, we aren't listening to them during dinner, right?" It was more of one of those wifey rhetorical questions where the husband was supposed to say no automatically. Looking back at the table, she was amazed at how much effort he put into making this dinner and this setup. To her, it showed he was really trying to fix their relationship and get back to where they use to be; not so much before he had gotten locked up, but maybe even before that at their peak-happiness. After taking a seat, she smiled at him. "So, sir, what do you have planned for the night?"

​

Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan
Rebel Holt ​

Peter nodded his head as Sinead suggested that he ask James fo tight security. "You know I would do anything for you." He murmured as he lifted his glass to take a drink. "Sophisticated and mob savvy, got it." He chuckled before adding, "You're anything but a snob, Sin." Before he could say much more, a woman walked up and addressed the both of them. Peter pulled a serious face as Tatiana spoke of her family and wanting to book the club. Peter wasn't as smiley as Sinead, wanting to maintain his stoic expression for purposes that Sinead would learn later on.

Sinead was enthusiastic as she followed the woman but Peter hesitated a moment as he lifted his glass to his mouth again. Sinead asked if he was coming and the man nodded his head, polishing off the drink in his hand before slamming it a little harsher than he'd meant to against the bar. "Thanks Scotty." Peter said, his tone teasing at the bar manager before he got up and followed the women towards the table.

When lead to the table where Gabriel and Marcus were, Peter was all serious again. Business was business after all and he couldn't count on his darling wife to be the tough one out of the two of them. "Good evening, gentlemen." Peter said, offering the two men a nod. Not making any move to shake their hands. Something about them seemed a bit off to Peter but he would hold his tongue as he continued to observe.

Rebel was passing by the stage when she noticed Peter staring at her openly. Something about his body language stood out to her and she found herself wanting to investigate, he seemed to be wanting her to come to the table.

Clearing her throat, Rebel smiled as she approached the table, "You wanted to see me, boss?" Rebel asked Peter to which the man nodded. "Can you get my wife and I another drink, and whatever these lovely people want." This was definitely not apart of her job description but Rebel was reading between the lines. She was really called over to keep an eye out on these people.

"Of course." She murmured, before looking to the others at the table. "Is there anything else I can get you folks?" Rebel was playing the part and she was doing it well. Tilting her head to the side slightly, she noticed the woman that had been at the door before. Her cheeks grew warm as she remember the attention she had been giving her before, "Anything for the lady in particular?" Rebel wondered out loud as she smiled Tatiana's way.
with: Gabriel + Sinead Misty Gray ; Marcus RayPurchase ; Tatiana Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Jason made an effort not to concern himself too much over Gwen's whereabouts just yet, especially as he didn't want that concern to spread to Lorelei. He wondered how much she knew of Gwen's addiction, or whether she knew at all. Whenever she was late to rehearsal or didn't turn up, Jason's mind immediately jumped through a series of worrying scenarios and then spent the rest of the time trying not to listen to them. Lorelei already appeared a little nervous, keeping her head down and twiddling her fingers together. He was just glad that he was able to keep her company until Gwen returned from wherever she was. "Aye, she'll be on her way soon," he assured her as he settled into the drivers seat. "People won't keep lookin' at ye now that I'm here, so don't you be worryin' yourself."

Gwen's car smelled faintly of her and he found it somewhat comforting. He stroked the dashboard, running his finger between all the buttons just to explore its control features. He had never owned a car - not one that officially belonged to him, anyway - so it had been a while since he had driven one. After glancing at his watch, Jason turned to Lorelei. He wanted to occupy her, try to make her feel safer and more relaxed. "What've you and your mam been up to, then?" he asked. "I didn't think she had rehearsals today. Have ye just been out in Manhattan?"

While he listened to her response, Jason decided to keep an eye out for Gwen so that Lorelei wouldn't have to. It wasn't too long before he saw a figure with distinctive red hair appear on the side of the street in the distance. At first, he couldn't make out the signs of the beating she had just endured, only that it was her. "Spotted her!" he told Lorelei, pointing up ahead. He would have waited in the car until she was closer, but thought that if she saw the silhouette of a man in the car with her daughter she might freak out. "Why don't you pick something to listen to on the radio, yeah? I'll be right back, promise."

Jason got out of the car and waved over to Gwen to let her know he was with Lorelei. But now that she wasn't so far away, he could make out her limping and immediately grew concerned. Taking big strides, Jason walked quickly down the street to reach her, breaking into a run when he saw the state of her in more detail. When he reached her, he placed his hands on her upper arms and stooped down slightly to inspect her bloodied face. One of her eyes was swelling up and the other was covered in blood that was trickling down her face. She looked stiff and shaken beyond belief. "Gwen, are you alright? What happened to you? Can ye hear me?" Holding her up securely, he looked into her eyes with deep concern. It was obvious that she had suffered a head wound, but Jason couldn't yet tell how far the damage had gone, nor how serious it was. All he knew was that he had to help her. "I'm gonna pick you up and take you to the car, alright? You ready?" Jason wrapped one arm around her back with care and bent down to scoop her up behind the knees.

As he carried her back to the car, a sense of dread began to unfold within him. Gwen was mixed up with a lot of danger trying to score heroin and being affiliated with a notorious gang and if just being out on the street was dangerous for her, that meant that there could always be people watching. Perhaps they were watching right now - or even following them. Everyone that passed them on the street sent them a look, but Jason ignored them and instead kept his eyes on the car.

Once they had reached it, Jason made brief eye contact with Lorelei and instantly felt sorry for the girl. Very carefully, and making sure not to let her fall, he placed Gwen's feet on the ground and opened the back door of the car, proceeding to help her into the seat. As soon as she was securely in, Jason jumped back into the driver's seat. "Right. Rory, go sit in the backseat with your mam and put your belt on. She's had a bit of a bump, so we need to make a little trip to the hospital on the way home." After fumbling around in the glove box, he found the car keys and put them in the ignition. "Um...Does anyone know the way?"

Interactions
Bellz Gwen, Lorelei

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Upon hearing the knocking, Maddox got up from the couch and turned to face the door. Seeing Ani enter the room brought a genuine, warm smile to the counsellor's face. Despite all of the darkness and deception in his present life, Ani was the light and someone he could be completely honest with. "Good afternoon," his calming voice greeted the woman in return. Though she was dressed in her scrubs and had been working a long shift, it didn't detract from how beautiful she looked to him. She always looked beautiful.

"That's okay," he assured Ani when she apologised for being late. When she reached him, she initiated a kiss which Maddox didn't hesitate to reciprocate. He smirked to himself as he let the feeling linger on his lips even when she'd pulled away to sit on the couch. Maddox took a moment before sitting next to the woman and listened as she appreciated being able to relax on the couch at last. "You work too hard, Ani," he pointed out, ignoring the fact that his job and commitments to Moretti also ate away at his life. "You're always welcome on this sofa. In fact, you're welcome on the one back at my place too. If you want to come over to my apartment when you eventually finish, I'll make sure you relax. I should point out that I give the best massages," he told her. He was aware his comment might come across as flirting and even though it hadn't been his primary intention, he was happy enough not to backtrack on his offer.

As always, it soon came back to the front of his mind that they were both under pressure not only from their jobs but from their other, darker responsibilities. "I had another meeting with Gabriel last night. I can't deny, he's insufferable at the moment. I respect the man greatly, but he's effectively told me I've done the job he asked me to do too well. I'm trying to make him understand how delicately I need to approach reversing Conor's progress." He looked to Ani with a slight concern in his eyes. "How are you doing? I hope Alistair and Ammon haven't been making life more difficult for you. I know how intense they can be."

Bellz (Ani)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

When Aliana brought the velvet box into view, Conor eyed his wife curiously. "Are we getting engaged?!" he playfully asked, letting out a humored chuckle. He glanced back down to the box, noticing the cute little bow his wife had put on the top. She told him it would depend on how their night went if he got the present or not. "Ah, shit. No pressure, eh?" he remarked. He could see she was nervous about the evening, but he hoped everything would go smoothly and they'd make some progress now they weren't being so angry with each other.

Putting his sudden apprehension to one side, he gently held her hand as they entered the dining room. He was glad to hear her say she loved his cooking, as it was one of the things he'd learned from his father, even if he did regret not paying attention to other teachings of the man when he was younger. "I'm glad you like it," he said, feeling petty happy with his handiwork, which he hadn't asked anyone else for assistance with. There was the rhetorical question about the music and Conor never being one to let something go, he wasn't going to let it slide by without a little teasing. "Course not, love. Led Zeppelin isn't appropriate for around the dining table." He picked out another record and flashed it too quickly for Aliana to see the label. "Let's get some Black Sabbath going..." he told her, placing the vinyl on the record player and starting up the music. Clearly, he was teasing, as the music that played wasn't heavy metal, but it was something from Sinead's classical collection and playing at a low enough volume to create a nice ambiance that wouldn't distract from their conversation.

Conor pulled the chair out for Aliana to help her sit down, hoping he wasn't going too overboard in being a gentleman. "We've got a little more time before dinner is ready..." he began, but lost his train of thought as he suddenly felt a nervousness kicking in. He was about to take his seat opposite Aliana, but the nearby wine bottle caught his attention. He retrieved the bottle from the nearby ice bucket and proceeded to pour them both a glass each. It wasn't his drink of choice, but apparently it went well with the meal they were having, so he wasn't going to question it and risk spoiling the food. He finally sat opposite Aliana and took a small sip of the alcohol. He took a moment to take in Aliana's appearance and he couldn't help but send her a warm smile. "I missed seeing you for all of those years, but your face is just how I imagined whenever I thought of you."

After a little small talk, he sat up straight and cleared his throat. "A few weeks ago, you mentioned sending Leo away to stay with your friend. Now I've thought about it, I want him to stay here. We can make sure he's safe and where he belongs... with you and with me. I've spent all of that time away from him, I can't now push him away. It's my job to make him feel safe and I don't want him to grow up looking back on me as someone who was never in his life. I need to be in his life and he needs to be where all of his family is. Us two, his aunts, uncles, cousins. Everyone."


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan and Gabriel Moretti​

Sinead noticed Peter's hesitance to follow, but she softly smiled when he moved to join her. She figured he perhaps hadn't wanted to have their evening interrupted or even that his introverted side was at play. She would have told him he could have stayed at the bar, but deep down she wanted him with her to give her more confidence and backup if she got talked into a bad deal. Usually, she'd have preferred to have had time to prepare for a meeting.

Gabriel watched as Tatiana led the Callahans to the table. He got up from the leather seat of the booth and stepped aside. "Good evening," he replied to Peter, sending the man a friendly smile. He already got the impression Peter wasn't giving off the most welcoming of signals and in that, he read not to attempt shaking the man's hand. In contrast, Sinead appeared more approachable and even though she echoed her husband's "good evening", it was done so in a more energetic and inviting manner. The redhead was easier to read and her cues left no debate in the Italian's mind. He outstretched his arm and lightly held the woman's hand for a gentle handshake. His eyes very briefly glanced to Sinead's arm, noticing the recent scar down her wrist. Ammon's work, he understood. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr and Mrs Callahan. I'm Salvatore Durante... Please, take a seat," he said, outstretching his arm to the side of the booth he'd previously occupied so Sinead and Peter would be seated opposite Marcus and Tatiana. The way he casually offered out the seat made it easy to forget who the hosts actually were, in such a way that Sinead didn't hesitate to accept the space that was suggested and she looked to Peter hoping he would sit beside her. Gabriel chose to sit on the chair at the end of the table. It was a conscious decision that would enable him to see everyone else seated around the table whilst maintaining a view of what was happening in the club to either side of him. As for anything happening behind him, he was confident in his son, daughter and his planted guards to watch his back.

Once everyone was seated, Sinead gave Peter's hand a gentle squeeze before she switched her head in her business mode. It had taken a moment, but she soon realised she'd almost forgotten she was the business owner and not Gabriel. She was about to remind everyone of that by being the first one to speak and be the leader of the conversation. Instead, Rebel approached the table and offered to get everyone their drinks. She waited for everyone to order, hearing Gabriel request a brandy, before she gave Rebel a warm smile. She appreciated knowing the woman was keeping the place secure for them.

Sinead cleared her throat and focused back to Gabriel. "I understand you wish to discuss hiring this place out for you wife's birthday party, Mr Durante." It wasn't so much that she felt nervous in meetings, seeing as she'd been running her own club since back in Ireland. It wasn't even too much of the fact the man seemed confident and assertive. What had disturbed her the most had been the thick, Italian accent he spoke in. The power in his voice and the well-tailored suits... It all served to remind her of the monster that once plagued her life. Vinnie Romano. She sat up straight, practically ordering herself to get a grip. Vinnie was long dead and that part of her life was decades ago. She couldn't judge every Italian on the bad ones she's known in the past.

"That is correct," Gabriel replied. "My kids and I have been checking out clubs all afternoon, but this is by far my favourite. My wife would adore the decor of this club and I know I enjoyed hearing you to play a short time ago," he told Sinead, sending a warm smile as she modestly brushed off the compliment. "I'm aware what I'm requesting could come with quite a price tag, so I'm flexible on the days. Perhaps a weekday wouldn't set my wallet back as far?" he asked, sharing eye-contact between Peter and Sinead.

"Tuesday is our quietest evening, so the cost would be lowest then. If you're wanting a specific singer or live band booked, then that would cost more than in-house live music." Sinead watched as Gabriel sat back slightly and reached into his pocket to retrieve a cigar, which he brought into view. Sinead immediately shook her head as it appeared the man was intending to light the cigar. "Oh, Mr. Durante. I'm afraid there is no smoking in my club," she firmly told him.

Gabriel kept a straight face as he was denied being able to smoke. The only person allowed to berate him for smoking was Elvian, and even that came with some resistance. Gabriel Moretti didn't like taking orders from anyone, but right now, he was Salvatore Durante and this was all merely an act. He complied, placing the cigar back into his pocket and sending Sinead an agreeable nod. "You both seem to have put a lot of effort into this place and I respect the personality of it all," he said, now looking to Peter to gauge the man's thoughts. He then turned to Tatiana and Marcus. "What do you two think your mother would prefer? A band hiring in or the kind of music we've heard whilst we've been here?" he asked, referring to Sinead's piano playing and the young man presently singing on stage.

Bellz (Peter, Rebel) Pyroclast (Tatiana) RayPurchase (Marcus ??)

 

[Pyroclast]

Steve Kelly

Savannah's discomfort was evident in almost every way possible. The trembling, the laboured breaths, the desperate tone of voice; Steve relished every display of fear that she showed of him. There was no plan, of course - he was simply an opportunist. And encountering the same young woman that he and his now-missing partner Luke had kidnapped only weeks before was an opportunity for all sorts of torment. He heard Savannah's pleas to let her go and leave her alone, but he saw no point in taking her feelings into consideration. Not only did he enjoy the feeling of overpowering her, but he also felt far too bitter that his friend had disappeared shortly after the kidnapping that he wanted her to suffer even more than she had already.

Leaning into her slightly, Steve grinned to himself, unable to believe his luck. Having her in his grip felt like a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. Steve looked to Ethan with a smirk when he began talking about how gorgeous Savannah's mother was up close. "Is that right?" he asked, a filthy grin on his face. "Well, you can see where this one gets it from." Holding his eyes on Ethan for a moment, he pictured the circumstances under which he would have met Sinead Callahan up close, having heard that she was one of Alistair's recent torture victims. Beautiful, helpless, terrified Sinead. Just how Savannah had been when Steve had been up close with her. Thinking about it prompted him to give her a tight squeeze.

"Aw, you really think so?" Steve played along when Ethan told Savannah the two of them would make a very attractive couple and snaked an arm around her waist. It amused him greatly to watch the man intimidate her, more still to see her obey his commands without putting up a fight. Steve kissed Savannah on the head while she listened to Ethan's threats and then, upon his signal, tugged her into step with him.

"Alright, arm candy, let's find somewhere quiet, shall we?" he asserted, keeping out a watchful eye. The place was swarming with people, including many families, but he could see a few side streets and alleyways stemming from the main square that would lead them to somewhere more secluded. He kept up a fast pace, but not so fast that he would draw attention to themselves in a crowded area. "Smile, you bitch," he muttered to her, hitching her even closer. His own expression was neutral as they rounded the ice rink. "It's the least you could do after what your family took from me. Boy, are they gonna regret it now." He tilted his head down to smile at her and gave her a tight squeeze.

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah, Ethan, Warren
Bugsy Keegan

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan and Ethan Turner
Warren Taylor​

Savannah's body tensed as she felt Steve place his arm around her waist. She cringed as the feeling of him touch her made her skin crawl. Despite complying with Ethan by letting Steve put his arm around her, she kept her own folded in front of herself, unable to stomach putting an arm around her abductor. She was starting to consider what they would do if she didn't comply. She'd heard about her family being tortured and knowing she had no information to give the two men, would they even let her go? Would it be easier to just risk a quick death by attempting to escape their clutches while there was still some chance of being helped?

The kiss Steve placed on her head caused her to pull her head away slightly before she was made to walk with him. Ethan walked alongside the couple, maintaining a happy and friendly expression as he spoke, giving off the impression he was having a normal conversation with Steve and Savannah. Hearing Steve mutter to Savannah ordering her to smile, Ethan glanced to the pair. "You better start smiling, blondie, because I don't have any fucking patience for sulking," he quietly warned her, finishing up with a playful laugh as he kept up the act for any onlookers.

Savannah forced a smile that didn't quite meet her eyes. "You people murdered my aunt and tortured my family. I don't owe you anything..." she told Steve. All the while, her eyes continued to scan the area as she looked for an escape route and prayed for an opportunity.

"If you mean Arlene, then that bitch had it coming," Ethan said, sending Savannah a cold smirk. "She killed my wife long before I did anything to you Irish pricks."

******​

Warren listened on as Keegan gave his thoughts on the unknown enemy they were dealing with. He observed the man retrieve a cigarette and place it in his mouth. "I know I'll be happier when we know what we're dealing with and the lot of them are out of our hair." Warren looked forward to see the queue was still going down slowly. It was a nice little sandwich shop. No unsavoury-looking customers, just normal people going about their day. The two women serving were friendly and chatty, possibly part of the reason why the service was a little slow. It didn't seem to matter, as Warren found it all added to the charm of the place. It was just an innocent business, without even ties to his own family business.

"If you want to go out for a smoke, I can hold our place in the line," he suggested to Keegan, having acknowledged the man might be keen to have his cigarette. As he motioned outside, the three people a short distance away caught his attention. The height, posture and clothing of the young woman were immediately recognisable to Warren, even if the identities of the two men she was with were unknown. "Is that...?" he began, walking closer to the window where he got a clearer view of Savannah's face. He was sure she looked uncomfortable. The trio appeared to be approaching a narrow side street, which was even more unsettling to him. Warren's hand instinctively went to his hip, where his gun was holstered and concealed. Having spent a lot of time acting as Savannah's security, he'd come to know the faces of many people she worked with and he hadn't seen those two men before. If they turned out to be clean and the worst thing to come out of it was Savannah's anger at him butting in, then he could cope with that. He couldn't risk the more likely alternative that the men were dangerous and that Savannah was going to get hurt again. "That's Savannah," he told Keegan, in case he hadn't noticed.

By the time Keegan and Warren got outside, the two strangers and Savannah were walking away, with their backs to them. They were getting closer to the secluded side street. "I think we should get to them while they're still out in the open. More witnesses," he suggested, wishing to see if the more experienced man had better ideas. All he knew was that he wasn't sure how armed and dangerous Ethan and Steve were, nor if they had backup nearby. He figured if they stayed out in the open, the many witnesses could deter matters from getting violent...

Bugsy (Keegan) Pyroclast (Steve)