Realistic or Modern Tempted by Nightlife

[_amaranth_]

Sandro Morello

location

Crimson Shrine

mood

anxious

outfit

click!

tags

Misty Gray

Finally, her Majesty Queen Bitch made her appearance, peppering the situation with her own set of mean comments which made Sandro want to smack that smug smile off of her face. Actually, he tugged both his hands in his slacks to make sure, one of them wouldn’t accidentally fly and end up on her cheek. “Just go and get in the car. I wasn’t asking for your opinion.” Sandro mumbled and clenched his teeth so hard it hurt. Laura just huffed but even she knew when to shut up. Rolling her eyes theatrically, she just adjusted the fur covering her shoulders and left the house, only her heels echoing.

Another message from Kassandra came in and Sandro just sighed. He just texted her back to let her know that everyone was coming, including the redheaded leech. Marco dropped a little comment as well and that finally made Sandro laugh in that natural, not forced way. “Trust me, brother. If I could…” he sighed and clasped Marco’s shoulder. “I swear to god this woman is my punishment. I know I’m not the God’s favorite but do I really deserve this?” he shook his head and brushed invisible dust from his jacket.

“No. You’re right, this is not just some meeting. That’s why I need you to be sharp tonight. If things go as planned, we might just all leave unharmed today. And the hatchet will be buried.” Sandro didn’t want to tell anyone more than it was necessary in advance. And despite knowing that he could trust Marco, he needed to keep this secret for a little while longer.

The car was ready outside and Sandro got in, joining Laura in the backseat. She looked like she was going to throw up on her expensive dress that was definitely way too much for a dinner. “You’re going to the opera ball, sweetheart?” Sandro asked her, sarcasm dripping from every word. She gave him a murderous look but bit her tongue, knowing there was no point in answering. And if she was going to try her husband’s patience for a little while longer, he would not hesitate to silence her. And how would it look like if she came to the dinner with a black eye or a busted lip?

The car finally moved and the ride was quiet and fast, bringing all three of them to the Crimson Shrine. There, appearance was necessary so Sandro got out and helped Laura to get out as well, offering her an arm. The event was now closer to its beginning and for now, all Sandro needed was a nice large glass of bourbon.

code by g o l d i e l o x x

 

[Misty Gray]

Camila Salvatore​

Although Camila wouldn't change who she is nor her position in the family, there were times she envied those who could be more free-spirited and could afford to make mistakes. Still, it was always a fleeting moment as other than observing the freedoms of others, she'd never experienced it herself. Practically all of her life had been spent preparing to be a worthy heiress to her father and deep down she enjoyed it. It felt good to have a purpose and a huge, albeit attainable, goal in life. She liked to be focused.

Camila flashed a smile when Gia comment that she should wear skirts more often. "I'd hate to intimidate the Morellos by wearing the trousers tonight," she dryly remarked. Whilst that was a possible reason, she figured with their father and enough security present, she wasn't required to be in attack mode. Whilst she was prepared to attack if needed, she'd decided not to distract any attention away from her father's leadership. Perhaps their rivals would underestimate her if she showed up in more approachable and feminine attire. As her heels clicked in the hallway, she smoothed out the flowing and somewhat distracting light fabric of her dress. "Christ, though. Trousers are much more comfortable," she grumbled.

When Gia asked if they should get their father, Camila thought about it whilst lightly biting on her bottom lip. "No. We shouldn't disturb him," she suggested. "He's got men in there who should know how to tell the time and I'm sure our father is conscious of needing to be early." Still, her sister's comment about the Morellos getting to the casino first did set Camila a little on edge. "I wouldn't put anything past them," she echoed the concerns.

After much internal deliberation, Camila decided she was not a woman who would cower in a corner rather than face a situation head on, even at the risk of annoying her father. Deciding nothing could be more important than getting to the meeting on time, she approached the door to their father's office and gave a delicate yet clearly audible knock on the door. She remained in the hallway, knowing better than to march into a meeting. "Should we be leaving now?" she called out for those in the office to hear.

Spoiler: Camila's Dress

_amaranth_
Desert_Blossom

 

[_amaranth_]

Gianna Salvatore

location

at home

mood

impatient

outfit

click!

tags

Misty Gray

Camila’s answer made Gia smile. Only because she knew it was true. Camila was incredible when entering her fighter mode and Gia would know, she had seen her quite a few times. Add a pair of trousers instead of a girlie dress, she was unstoppable. But so was Gianna. Father trained them both well. But not even the event stopped Gia from wearing the pants tonight. “I don’t care. Let them see I mean business.” she muttered under her breath and gripped her clutch even harder. Something was telling her that no matter how hard Papa was trying to make this calm and peaceful, it was not going to go down that way.

Both girls arrived to the halls, clicks of their heels echoed in the tall room. It was about time to go but the voices coming out from the office belonging to Don Salvatore told her father was still in the middle of something. Camila’s reaction to her words was smart, worthy of the older sister actually. Gia was the hot-headed one, she would storm in the room immediately, telling Papa it was time to go. The sisters were the incredible opposite of each other and so it was almost a miracle they got along perfectly.

Yet in the end, Camila decided to knock on the door, which left Gia alone in the hall. She walked to the large mirror hung on the wall and rummaged in her purse for a while to get her lipstick. It was still flawless, considering she had just applied it a while ago but the perfectionist in her forced her to apply one more layer on her plump lips. Just in case.

“I’m going to see if the cars are ready!” she called out, already getting bored standing in the hallway. The brunette walked outside of the house and noticed two cars. One was for her father and Antonio, it was their usual vehicle and they never drove anything else. The other belonged to Rhys and Gia was now sure that she and Camila were driving with the Capo. The family traveled together only very rarely. Just in case something happened, the Don and Camila never shared a vehicle to make sure there was always the rightful heir.

When Gia walked outside, Papa’s chauffer tipped his hat and she just nodded. “Is everything ready? Papa will be here any second.” she asked but the young man assured her he was prepared to leave once his passengers were in the car. “So where the hell is everyone?” young woman mumbled and crossed her arms on her chest, getting more and more impatient with every passing second.

code by g o l d i e l o x x

 

[_amaranth_]

Rhys Everett

location

the Salvatore estate

mood

calm

outfit

click!

tags

Desert_Blossom Misty Gray apolla

There was nothing Rhys could add to the conversation in the office. He was not high enough in the hierarchy to make decisions or organize anyone around him. He was perfectly trained to receive orders. His police academy training gave him the basics and the rest, Rhys learned when he joined the Salvatore family. After everything in his past, Don Salvatore accepted him as his own and Rhys couldn’t have been more grateful. After all, this new position allowed him to seek revenge for his family.

A soft knock on the door sounded and Rhys turned at the voice of the oldest Salvatore daughter. Hoping he would not overstep the boundaries, he looked at his boss, then on Tony and spoke. “I’m afraid Miss Salvatore is right, we should be leaving.” He pointed out and checked the time on his fricking expensive wristwatch. One of the perks of working for mafia. He would have never been able to get such a trinket.

Rhys walked to the door and opened them only to find himself face to face Camila. “If you could follow me, Miss Salvatore, please.” he smiled and motioned his hand towards the door. “I’ll be driving you to the Crimson Shrine.” he then commented and walked outside with the beautiful brunette only to find her sister there, waiting at his car, looking rather impatient. “I’m sorry for the delay, Miss Salvatore, we’re ready to go now.”

Walking towards his car, Rhys opened the door for the sisters to get in and then got behind the wheel himself. The ride to the shrine did not take long, he had his music on quietly not to disturb the girls much, and kept singing the lyrics to himself, humming the music parts.

Once they arrived, Rhys once again stepped to the back door and opened them, offered a hand to each sister to get out of the car. He then waited for them to get inside and checked the street. One could never be sure enough and he was entrusted with the most precious cargo. If anything happened to the Don’s daughters, Rhys would pay with his life. And considering they were meeting with the Morello’s…well, better safe than sorry. Only once he was sure there was nothing and no one suspicious lurking around, Rhys walked inside the casino.

code by g o l d i e l o x x

 

[apolla]

mood :

apprehensive

location :

Salvatore home

outfit :

tags :

Vincenzo ( Desert_Blossom ); Rhys ( _amaranth_ )

Rossi

;; Antonio

Although Tony wasn't a very emotional man, he did wear the few emotions he had on his sleeve. He tried not to, but there were small key hints, if you knew what you were looking for. If you didn't know Antonio Rossi, you may easily miss them. But if you did, little things like the tightening of his voice and his stance as he looked between Rhys and Don Salvatore gave him away almost as though he were dressed like a clown.

Rhys had greeted him with a slight nod, which Tony returned. Though he'd had his doubts at first, Rhys took a bullet that was meant for Tony, and that was proof enough that the man was on their side. Tony would be forever grateful for what Rhys had done for him, and that would show in his loyalty.

Sliding his gaze from Rhys to Don Salvatore when the man spoke, giving his directions for the beginning of the evening. The corners of Tony's mouth dipped down into a frown, but he said nothing, not even as Vincenzo asked if either man had any last minute reservations about the evening. Tony had made his reservations quite clear, but yet they were still going forward. Tony knew that the final decision belonged to Vincenzo, but the word trainwreck popped into his mind again.

Tony dipped his head at the Don's next words. "Understood, sir." He murmured, glancing over at Rhys to see if he had anything to add. The voice of Camila, the eldest Salvatore daughter, drew Tony's attention towards the door, a bit surprised at the interruption. He kept his mouth shut still, though, knowing that if Vincenzo was irritated at the interruption he would say so. Instead, he just agreed they should go, and Rhys headed to take the Salvatore girls to the casino.

Turning to the Don, Tony gave him a curt yet not disrespectful nod. "Whenever you're ready, boss." He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and turned to head for the door when the Don was ready, leading him outside to Tony's waiting car. Once they were both in and settled, Tony started the car up and headed for the Crimson Shrine, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach the closer they got.

Spoiler: Bigger Outfit Pic

coded by reveriee.

 

[apolla]

mood :

annoyed

location :

home ---> Crimson Shrine

outfit :

tags :

Leo; Vietto ( Desert_Blossom ); Rhys ( _amaranth_ )

Morello

;; Mariah

Mariah tried to keep herself unattached from the family "business" as much as possible. Though this was the only life she knew, she wasn't interested in political ties or running underground, illegal businesses. The money that her family had was nice, but she was thankful that Sandro was the one in charge, and not her. And definitely not Leo; that idiot wouldn't know what to do with a position of power.

The car ride was mostly quiet, and once they arrived, Vietto was quick to park and come to her door. Opening it and extending a hand in her direction, she smirked at his comment as she stood, her eyes sliding over to meet his. "Of course. If you've got it, flaunt it, honey." She winked at him, glancing behind her as Leo got out of the other side of the car. The trio headed inside, and Leo was quick to disappear towards the machines, Vietto not far behind him.

Mimi hung out at the entrance for a moment, her eyes drifting around the people inside. The place was crowded, though she knew that for whatever business her brother had planned with the Morello family would be handled in a private room near the back of the casino. Still, she wasn't anxious to get there, so she lowered her head to tuck her phone back into her little purse. When she looked up, though, she suddenly felt as though she'd been sucker punched to the gut.

"No fucking way..." Mimi breathed, watching as her ex lover waltzed into the casino as though he owned the place. Almost instantly, her eyes narrowed, and before she knew what she was doing, her feet were carrying her in his direction. "You have a lot of nerve showing up here, Everett." She hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously. "You're nothing more than a cretino." [Fool]. And then, without even thinking twice, she hauled off and slapped him across the face.

Spoiler: Bigger Outfit Pic

coded by reveriee.

 

[apolla]

mood :

amused

location :

home ---> Crimson Shrine

outfit :

tags :

Vietto ( Desert_Blossom )

Morello

;; Leonardo

Leo felt similarly about his family as Mariah did; he wasn't interested in the politics or any of the boring bullshit. He just wanted to live his life, do what he wanted, when he wanted. It was amazing to him sometimes that he and Mimi didn't get along better, but honestly, the girl had turned bitter over the last few years. Of course, Leo knew the reason why, but still. It wasn't like he was the one who made her kill her child.

Plopping down at the penny machine, he remained there while he waited for his shots, though a familiar voice cut through the air beside him after a moment. Glancing over at Vietto, Leo smirked, tugging on the handle to make the machine go again. "What can I say, Vietto? I'm a cheap bastard." He turned his attention back to the machine as a couple coins fell from the slot. Far from a jackpot, but enough to make his eyes light up.

At Vietto's question, Leo's eyes slid back towards the man. He was quiet for a moment, as he spotted the waiter appearing with his shots. He took them from the tray, offering Vietto one and downing the other within seconds. Ordering two more, the waiter disappeared, and Leo just sighed as he set the empty glass down on a nearby table. "Not a clue." Spotting the women that Vietto waved at, Leo's grin returned.

"One for each of us? Pfft, please. I could have them both." He leaned forward and nudged Vietto in a brotherly way, obviously teasing him as he winked at the redhead in question. She promptly blushed and giggled, turning back to her friend to whisper in her ear. "Maybe tonight won't be so bad after all. What do you think?" He grinned as he pulled the lever on the machine again, leaning back in his seat with a satisfied grin on his face as coins flooded the machine. "Jackpot."

Spoiler: Bigger Outfit Pic

coded by reveriee.

 

[Misty Gray]

Marco Marino​

Sandro was vague in answering Marco's question about the full intentions of the meeting. His curiosity heightened, but was soon pushed aside with the reminder that he needed to remain sharp that night. It was interesting to hear that the feud with the Salvatores could soon be put to rest and Marco hoped it was true, if only so his family could focus on business rather than continuing a bloody war. Despite that hope, Marco was too much of a realist to expect the best and let his guard down. "I'll be on high alert. I don't fancy being caught up in the middle of a shootout. Especially now I'm wearing one of my best suits," he remarked.

Marco climbed into the front passenger seat of the car, happy to be sat alongside the driver where he could avoid the atmosphere between Sandro and Laura. Overhearing the comments about the woman being overdressed, Marco briefly smirked before deciding to check his phone messages to switch off from the awkwardness in the back of the car. When the car finally pulled up outside the Crimson Shrine, Marco slipped his phone back into his pocket and wasted no time in getting out of the vehicle before his cousin and the redhead did. Straight away, he began scanning their surroundings checking nothing stood out as suspicious to him.

Satisfied, Marco stepped away from the car and approached the entrance of the casino, stopping by the doors as he waited for Sandro to catch up. He straightened out his suit as he remained on high alert, watching those outside as well as those stepping into the building. Marco enjoyed gambling but tonight he knew that wasn't on the cards and instead he needed to remain completely focused. He couldn't shift the feeling whatever the meeting was about, it wasn't going to run as smoothly as they hoped. Not with the Salvatores involved!

Tags: _amaranth_

 

[Misty Gray]

Camila Salvatore​

Even if her father wasn't ready to leave yet, Camila was glad that Rhys spoke up to agree that they should be leaving. At least if she and Gianna were at the casino, the Salvatores would be represented early on and early enough for Camila to keep an eye on those already there; namely, the Morellos Walking quickly and gracefully with Rhys, she stepped outside to the car. "Feel free to put your foot down at least a little. Give us a head start on the opposition," she joked. As she got closer to the car, she saw her sister already seated inside and clearly beyond ready to leave.

Once they arrived at the Crimson Shrine, Camila accepted Rhys' help out of the back seat and thanked him for his troubles. She then walked alongside Gianna, briefly placing a sisterly hand on her back as they entered the building. The eldest sister was about to grab a couple of drinks from a nearby waiter, but her attention was drawn to a sudden female commotion that was making a beeline to Rhys before he had chance to settle inside the casino.

Camila kept close to Gianna as she observed Mimi kicking off at Rhys. Clearly, she had a big issue with the man's presence and that was confirmed when she slapped him across the face. Camila's natural instinct was to step in to drag the younger woman off of him and remind her of who she was dealing with. However, she knew who Mimi was and if she were to step in, it could jeopardise the whole meeting with the Morellos before her father even entered the building. "Why am I not surprised that family would start causing drama?" she quietly asked Gianna. Keeping aware of the apparent situation, Camila divided her attention to also keep an eye out around them, wanting to stay on the ball in case this was some kind of distraction.

_amaranth_ apolla

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Courtney aka “Kassandra”

Kassandra laughed genuinely at Chrysanthemum's toast about wearing white to a blood bath. The young woman wasn't wrong. They both had selected risky outfits to wear to a meeting between two mob families. If either woman managed to leave without something being spilled on their attire, be it blood, wine or what have you, they would be very fortunate.

Kassandra set her emptied glass on the bar next to Chrys's glass, noting the slight pink hue of her cheeks, but chalked it up to a side effect of the alcohol. If there had been more time before the dinner was scheduled to start, Kassandra would be tempted to order another couple rounds and see if she couldn't loosen Chrysanthemum's lips a little about the Salvatore family. If the young woman was flushed after one drink, Kassandra wondered how she'd be after a few more shots. Unfortunately, there would be no time to find out tonight, but perhaps another time...

"Oh, thanks. Now that you mention it though, I feel like I am tempting fate a bit by wearing white. If we all live to see another one of these dinners, I might have to dress less daringly and save white for other occasions." Kassandra replied, with a small grin. A momentary silence fell, and she raised a slight eyebrow, watching Chrysanthemum as the young woman zoned out for a moment. It was hard to read what she was thinking, and Kassandra averted her eyes when Chrys came out of her thoughts, pulling out her phone to check a text she'd just received.

"No, I don't have any family relation to the Morellos." Kassandra replied with a light laugh, glancing at her phone for a moment to read Sandro's reply before tucking it back away. "I'm just an assistant." She added, looking back to Chrysanthemum as she leaned against the bar. "And you? I don't imagine you're related to them either... Unless you're one of their best kept secrets, um... sorry, I didn't catch your name."

Kassandra had done as much research as she could on the Salvatores, and Chrysanthemum's photo had not popped up in any of it, so she likely wasn't related. At least not through blood or direct marriage. Her attire made Kassandra also doubt that she too was an assistant, which left more seedier roles for the girl. How unfortunate for the young woman, Kassandra thought.

Entertained

The Crimson Shrine

Outfit

Consequences

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Vietto Code

Vietto

"The richest, cheap bastard I know..." Vietto chuckled, watching the few coins fall from the slot machine. "Big money!" He joked, turning his attention to the women who were passing when the waiter brought over Leo's drinks. Leo's gesture of offering him one, while appreciated, was playing with fire. Vietto had been sober now for a couple months, and though he was actually trying this time to remain on the wagon, the temptation to just toss back the golden liquid still tugged at him.

"Gotta stay sharp tonight, buddy. All yours." Vietto replied casually, waving over at the women before sticking his hands in the pockets of his dress pants so he didn't reflexively pick the glass up.

Vietto chuckled at Leo's response that he could have both women. "So could I, but I was being generous..." Vietto smirked, joking back with the middle Morello. He watched the two women for a moment, nodding distractedly at Leo's comment. "Yeah, maybe it won't... Could always stack the deck in our favor and arrange for dessert to be served in the hotel rooms after the dinner..." Vietto mused, deciding whether he wanted to make the women a proposition to stick around the Crimson Shrine for a few hours until the business matters were dealt with. His thoughts were interrupted though by Leo's big win, and the women were quickly forgotten.

"Hopefully that's a good omen." Vietto grinned, giving his friend a congratulatory nod on his jackpot. He noticed the other gamblers in the area looking over at Leo as the machine lit up and the winning melody played. Although the envious stares from the casino patrons were innocent enough, it still put Vietto on guard, and he reminded himself that he needed to be a little more alert. Tonight especially. He couldn't get too comfortable and let something happen to Leo or Mimi. Speaking of which...

Vietto frowned, looking around for the youngest Morello, cursing himself for not keeping better tabs on her. He had no doubt that Mimi could take care of herself if she found any trouble... but that was also what worried Vietto. Mimi was very good at finding trouble.

"Don't spend it all in one place..." Vietto teased, pushing himself off of the machine he was leaning on and clapping Leo on the shoulder. "I'll be right back." He added, walking away from the slots and back towards the entrance where he'd last seen Mimi. He prayed to the god he didn't believe in that she hadn't done something that would cost him his job, or life, for not watching her better.

On Edge

Crimson Shrine

Outfit

apolla

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Vincenzo Salvatore

The silence from Rhys and Tony left Don Salvatore with no option but to follow through with his own decision and move forward with tonight's plans. Perhaps a small part of him had hoped that one of his men had heard whispers of the Morellos planning to double cross them or that tonight's dinner was a ruse of Sandro's. If there had been any inkling that the Morello's were plotting something insidious, then Vincenzo would have the excuse he needed, even desired, to not go through with the truce.

The Don was brought out of his thoughts by Camila's knock on the door and reminder that they should be leaving. The time had come, and he could stall no longer. Vincenzo nodded at Rhys as he agreed with Camila that they should be going, and watched the young man leave his office to escort his daughters to the Crimson Shrine.

Typically the Don disdained being interrupted in his office, even by his precious daughters, but tonight... Tonight he couldn't bring himself to be angry with his eldest. Perhaps if Camila had known what awaited her at tonight's dinner, she wouldn't have been so keen to keep them punctual. Fatherly guilt tugged at what was left of Vincenzo's scarred heart, but he buried it beneath his duty to protect the mob family.

"Is one truly ever ready to dine with one's enemy?" Vincenzo asked, walking around his desk to follow Tony out. He shut his office door behind him, locking it and slipping the key in his pocket. The Don and his Capo silently made their way outside to the waiting vehicles.

Camila and Gia were already gone, and while it would have been nice to see his daughters before they departed, it was probably for the best. The Don needed to be steely in his resolve tonight. He knew Camila would not want to marry Leo, and if Vincenzo had any hope in convincing his daughter that this was for the best, he first had to convince himself. Seeing his daughters' beautiful faces would only make that harder.

As Tony drove them to the Crimson Shrine, Vincenzo was silent, wrapped up in his thoughts. He absentmindedly played with the key to his office, turning it over and over in his fingers. Memories of his wife, the love of his life, replayed like a movie. Their marriage had also been arranged for them. One of his father's earlier business deals after coming to Las Vegas. She had come from a wealthy family that produced spirits and liqueurs. The match had made sense and catapulted both families into even greater wealth. He had been lucky though. To find love in something that is forced upon you does not happen to everyone.

The Crimson Shrine came into view. The neon lights and glittering exterior masked the darkness that ran the casino. Masked all the blood that had been spilt like the coins from the slots. Tonight would hopefully bring an end to the former. Though, as Don Salvatore exited the car and buttoned his suit jacket, he had a horrible feeling that his best intentions would be for nought.

Doubtful

Crimson Shrine

apolla _amaranth_ Misty Gray

nine lives

 

[Devotion]

Kira

Mood: calm

Location: Fat Tony's pawnshop

Outfit: click!

Interactions: none

The night was not going as planned for Kira, though what others would consider a ruined night, Kira thought of as a blessing. Right now, she was supposed to be in a car with Sandro and his obnoxious bratty wife, heading for the casino where, for a reason unknown to her, Sandro and the whole Morello family were meeting the Salvatore family. It was not usual for whole clans to meet but Kira was in no position to ask Sandro for an explanation. He never shared everything with her, just enough for her to know when to watch out for other assassins possibly causing trouble or just enough to know what, or rather who, her next job was. Although she was primarily his hitwoman, on special occasions, she also served as his personal bodyguard. She was the best he had after all and whenever there was the smallest chance of shit hitting the fan, Sandro wanted Kira by his side to neutralize any threat. The clans were about to discuss something huge, Kira was sure if he wanted her with him tonight as well.

And she will join him, but first things first. When Sandro learned about Fat Tony’s little meeting with the cops, Kira was sent to take care of it. After all, they were not expecting any problems at the casino as no one would be that stupid to attack the don of the Morello clan on his own territory. But one can never be sure with mobsters, Kira found out, and it was understandable that Sandro wanted to have a backup, hence he requested her presence. Would be a nice change to kill off some “royal” blood after all these low-lives like Fat Tony.

Speaking of whom, Kira was slowly, but surely losing her patience with the sweaty bastard. When will they learn that once Kira is sent to them, it is a done deal? No need to deny anything as Sandro would never waste her talent on speculations or suspicions. “The names, Tony,” she repeated her request in a calm voice for one last time, pointing her index finger in the blank paper in between them, only to be met with the same answer from Tony. Babbling something about how they got the wrong info and swearing on his mother’s grave. Kira suddenly grabbed one of the three sharpened pencils and yanked it straight into Fat Tony’s back of a left hand, piercing it all the way through. Tony’s screams filled the air but Kira never even blinked her eye. “Look at me, Tony. Look at me,” she grabbed him by the wrist of the hurt hand and placed it back on the table, making him look her in the eyes and draw his focus from his hand back to her “the names of the cops that you went to.” Was it shock or was he really that stupid that even after what she had done to him, he opted for the same answer as before. Hearing the same old bullshit, Kira grabbed the second pencil and yanked it into Tony’s chest, a few inches below his left collarbone. High enough to miss his heart but low enough to cause him a lot of pain. “I am going for your artery next time, so I am going to ask one last time. WHO did you talk to? Three, two…” she repeated her request one last time, her eyes travelling to the last pencil. Thankfully, it seemed Fat Tony’s brain was not entirely drowned in fat and there still were some neurons capable of putting two and two together. He grabbed the remaining pencil and finally started writing down what Kira was after. When he was done Kira took the paper and tucked it behind the breast part of her lace top. “See? That did not hurt,” she smiled at Fat Tony and bid her farewell.

Once the door to Tony’s office closed behind her, Kira started pacing towards the exit. She figured it would take Fat Tony at least a minute or two to compose himself, which gave Kira enough time to get to her car and back. The thing is, once people start talking, they never stop. Show them they will get away with it and they will test the boundaries again and again. Sandro needed to ensure that Fat Tony would never talk again and that is something Kira was an expert at. Making people never talk again. She could have shot Fat Tony right on the spot but where was the fun in that? The great thing about working for Sandro, in Kira’s opinion, was that he gave her free hand, allowing Kira’s fantasies to run loose. She grabbed two small items from the trunk of her car and entered the pawnshop again - heading straight for Tony’s office. “Here, piggy. Catch!” she shouted the moment she opened the doors and threw a lit up Molotov cocktail at Tony. The bottle shattered as it hit the table and the burning liquid lit up everything within a five-foot radius, Tony including. With a grin on her face, Kira put on a gas mask and watched Fat Tony’s demise.

code by Stardust Galaxy​

 

[_amaranth_]

Sandro Morello

location

Crimson Shrine

mood

anxious

outfit

click!

tags

Marco ( Misty Gray )

The evening was supposed to be peaceful. And Sandro was hoping beyond hope that was the case because should he need Kira’s services, no one was walking from Crimson Shrine unharmed. And that was definitely not how he wanted to spend his night. And ruin another perfectly fitting tux of his. He already stopped counting those he had to throw away due to the fabric being soaked with the blood of his enemies. And considering that Sandro was never the one to interfere with minor disputes… no, the Don himself only brought the weapon out when it was absolutely necessary. Everything else was handled by his people.

Once out of the car, Laura joined his side, beaming, charming smile gracing her features. “Awfully cheerful all of a sudden, aren’t you?” he mumbled, knowing that it was just a useless provocation on his side.

“Somebody needs to keep the decorum around.” the redhead squeezed through her clenched smile and Sandro decided not to answer. This was no place for arguments. Though one tiny part of his brain was hoping for open shoot-out, maybe Laura would be caught in the middle of it and his suffering would be over.

As the couple approached the entrance, Sandro’s hand landed on Marco’s back, patting him as he looked around. “Let’s go inside, brother, I want the advantage of choosing our seats. You never know what these people can do.” he murmured quietly so only his Underboss would hear and walked straight inside. Laura took the opportunity to promenade herself as if she was on the catwalk but Sandro had no time for that. She took her by the arm and pulled her closer to him, smiling even more charmingly than her. “We don’t have time for this, Laura. Walk.” he breathed and looked around again, noticing a few familiar faces. No one seemed to be in a rush so the Morello Don decided to use the situation and hurry.

Since Crimson Shrine was his casino, he moved across its premises fast, resembling a shadow. Ignoring Laura’s whines, he approached the private lounge with long strides and opened the door. Inside, everything was prepared for the dinner of two families and a few waiters run around, ironing all the wrinkles. Sandro moved inside, his grip on Laura’s hand tightened and she let him know with a waterfall of cuss words, and walked to the seat he found the most strategic. It showed his high position in the family, faced the door so no one could get behind his seat but still didn’t lock him among the people too much in case he needed to make a quick departure. A waiter approached them, offering them champagne and Sandro reached for one. His urge was to down it all at once but his head needed to stay clear tonight. Dealing with Vincenzo Salvatore was not easy. He was a hardened man, had a lot of experience which Sandro couldn’t compete with. Ad then there was the possibility that his own family was going to hate him tonight.

code by g o l d i e l o x x

 

[_amaranth_]

Gianna Salvatore

location

at home

mood

condescending

outfit

click!

tags

Camila ( Misty Gray )

Finally, Camila and Rhys walked out of the house and walked to the car. Gia got bored waiting so she got inside and crossed her arms on her chest. The younger Salvatore was not known for her patience, that word was not even in her vocabulary. And in a situation like this, waiting was the last thing on her agenda. So naturally, seeing her sister and Rhys finally approach the car was a blessing.

The drive was relatively fast and Gia could barely hide she was restless. No one told her what this meeting was about and why they and Morellos were all so buddy buddy all of a sudden. Her tongue literally itched to ask Camila but something was telling her, the older Salvatore daughter had no idea either. And it was definitely not just some casual dinner to bury the hatchet. They were not making peace and singing kumbayah together just like that. But Gianna already mastered her poker face so when she took Rhys’ hand to get out of the car, she simply joined Camila’s side and both sisters walked in together.

Rhys was walking after them. At least that was what Gianna was thinking. Gia kept by Camila’s side this whole time since their father was still not here. Anything could happen at this point and if this was just some shitty ambush, Gia wouldn’t even be surprised. Her weapon was ready in her purse so she dared those mother fuckers to try something. But the chaos and noise from behind made her turn around just in time to see Mimi Morello assault Rhys. Her eyes went wide in disbelief and her body tensed.

Only Camila’s remark made her chuckle quietly. “You can’t expect class where there is none.” she shrugged and shook her head, looking at Mimi with disdain. “Let me at her, I’ll put her in place.” she added looking at her older sister, seeking approval. Usually, it was Don Salvatore himself who approved Gianna’s little jobs and missions. But with the man not being here, Gia looked at Camila, the future of the Salvatore family. And no, she was not kidding, she would love to have a chance to swing at that entitled Morello brat. Good thing she wore pants. There truly was a reason for it.

code by g o l d i e l o x x

 

[_amaranth_]

Rhys Everett

location

the Salvatore estate

mood

furious

outfit

click!

tags

Camila ( Misty Gray ); Mimi ( apolla )

Congratulations!
Not expecting any trouble, Rhys drove the Salvatore girls to the casino, knowing that the Don and Tony were right behind them and safe. Well, the Don was always safe with Tony, that man guarded their boss like a hawk. He was the perfect right hand and Rhys had to admit, despite his police training, that the man was exceptionally good at his work. Maybe one day, Rhys could also reach that level of trust in the family and get promoted. Not that he was striving to remove Tony from his position, not at all. But Rhys simply hoped there was a bright future awaiting him with the Salvatore family.

Reaching casino was fast, he focused on the road and sang along the radio quietly, not to disturb the ladies in the backseat. The car would be taken care of by the valet so Rhys handed the keys to a young man there and helped the girls to get out of the car. It was expected of him to play bodyguard for them though there was no doubt that those two could take care of themselves perfectly. He saw them first hand what they could do and could confirm that they were both as deadly as they were beautiful. But sill, he walked after them and kept looking around to stay aware of the environment.

His only mistake was that he was focused on safety of the girls too much. So when the small, elegantly dressed tornado was launched at him. The words hit him, a girl yelling at him for coming inside, calling him a fool, why the fuck was she so angry? Rhys recognized Mariah Morello but what was she doing? Why was she yelling at him? As far as Rhys was concerned, he had never really met her, never ever talked to her so what the hell was her problem? But before he managed to figure it out, her hand swished through the air and landed on his cheek with a loud slap.

That was it. Rhys grabbed both her hands by the wrists and looked at her, his eyes sparkling with just anger. “What do you think you’re doing, hm?” he hissed and made sure to keep her in check. In the corner of his eyes, Rhys noticed Camila and Gianna turning around and swallowed all the cuss words that came to his mind. His employers seeing him in a situation like this was the last thing he wanted. Especially since had no idea what that was about. “Calm down, lady, will you? I don’t know what your deal is but where I come from, people are civil. Hush now, kitten, and go find your bunch. You pull this shit again and I might return the favor.” Rhys added and let her go with a gentle shove which had her stumble back a few steps.

Shaking his head, he glared at the girl, his cheek was still throbbing. How could such a tiny human be so strong, Rhys would never comprehend. His calm demeanor was still present but inside, the man was raging. “Let’s go, ladies, nothing to see here. Just a horribly confused young woman.” he mumbled and motioned his hand for the Salvatore girls to follow. Gia was already wearing her murderous look and if something went down before the dinner…no, better not think about that. Not on his watch.

code by g o l d i e l o x x

 

[apolla]

mood :

annoyed

location :

home ---> Crimson Shrine

outfit :

tags :

Leo; Vietto ( Desert_Blossom ); Rhys ( _amaranth_ )

Morello

;; Mariah

Mariah had never been good at controlling her emotions, or guarding how she felt about someone. At one point, she'd loved Ryan Everett more than words could describe. She could still remember how it felt to lay in his arms, to make love to him, to listen with a smile on her face as he whispered sweet nothings into her ear. He'd tell her how they would be together forever, and that he would never leave her. But it'd all been a lie.

The pain of the abortion still weighed heavily on her mind, and that's partly what fueled her to haul off and slap him across the face. She didn't care that the two Salvatore sisters were standing right there, or that the casino itself was crowded and people were staring. Her eyes were lit up with fire as she stared at Ryan, her chest heaving. He grabbed her by the wrists, his grip painful, though she refused to show it beyond a slight wilting to her frame.

His words were as harsh as her slap, and she felt like he actually had hit her. He pushed her off of him and she stumbled back a good few feet, thankfully catching herself before making an even bigger fool of herself. He spoke to the Salvatore sisters, but Mimi wasn't done with him. She'd taken one step in his direction when she felt arms wrap around her waist, yanking her back. She recognized Vietto when she was set on the ground again, a good distance from the entrance and the others.

"Why did you do that?" She hissed at him, unaware that her brother was approaching from the side as well. Anger flashed in her eyes at Vietto. She wasn't stupid enough to hit him... or was she?

Spoiler: Bigger Outfit Pic

coded by reveriee.

 

[apolla]

mood :

amused

location :

home ---> Crimson Shrine

outfit :

tags :

Vietto ( Desert_Blossom )

Morello

;; Leonardo

Leo would definitely not complain if he left the casino tonight in the company of a lovely woman... or three. In fact, he was hoping for exactly that. As he sat there in front of the penny machine playing with space change and chatting it up with Vietto, he had to admit that he was pretty content with his life. Thank god he wasn't in Sandro's shoes, that would be terrible. Both for him and the family themselves.

Chuckling to himself, he heard somewhere in the back of his mind the commotion up front. Vietto had left his side, and Leo glanced in the direction of the door, but the machine blocked his view. Shrugging, he went back to the machine, being approached a moment later by a worker. Leo noticed right away the man didn't have the shots he'd ordered, and Leo's eyes narrowed. But before he could let into the waiter, he pointed up front.

"What the hell are you on about?" He muttered, twisting in his seat to look again. Leaning a little to his left, he could see Mimi, wrapped in Vietto's arms and being carted away. "Oh, shit." Standing from the bench, he could see better, and he spotted the Salvatores by the door and a few of their members and all. "Fuck, Mimi, what did you do?" He glanced back at the machine, punching the button to get his ticket before he snatched it up, turning and stalking in their direction.

"Mimi!" He snapped when he got closer, grabbing her wrist and yanking her back some. "If you make Sandro come back out here, I swear to god I'm throwing you under the bus. Get your shit together!"

Spoiler: Bigger Outfit Pic

coded by reveriee.

 

[apolla]

mood :

apprehensive

location :

Salvatore home

outfit :

tags :

Vincenzo ( Desert_Blossom ); Rhys ( _amaranth_ )

Rossi

;; Antonio

The casino came into view and Tony almost turned the damn car around. Whatever Don Salvatore was thinking, he must be out of his fucking mind. What if he was losing it, and things would be up to Tony or someone else? Tony for one didn't want to take charge. He was fine being second in command, but fuck, something was amiss here and even though he knew what was going on, he still didn't like it.

"Last chance to back out." Tony's words were soft as the car came to a stop, his expression now turned onto the Don. He knew, however, that things were locked in for now. Giving a soft sigh, he nodded and the two got out of the car, making their way inside. Tony gave the keys to a valet and then they entered. It quickly became apparent to Tony that they'd missed something big, as he saw the loudmouth Morello girl being carted off to the side.

"What happened?" Tony slid up next to Rhys as they had just started walking towards the back of the casino. Keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary and not straying far from the Don's side, Tony ignored the stares as he glanced over at Rhys. Although maybe surprising, Tony found that he did trust the man, and whatever had happened he'd kept a cool head and not overreacted. That was definitely good. "Did it involve the Morello girl?"

Spoiler: Bigger Outfit Pic

coded by reveriee.

 

[Misty Gray]

Camila Salvatore​

Gianna was clearly eager to intervene in the situation between Rhys and Mariah. When her sister turned to her and asked to be permitted to put the Morello girl in her place, Camila tightened her jaw as she had no choice but to be the one to refuse her request in their father's absence. Were it anyone other than a Morello causing trouble, Camila wouldn't have hesitated to say yes and perhaps even encourage her to to step in against the young woman who had attacked Rhys. "No," she said, placing a light hand in front of Gianna. "This meeting is important to our family, so if anyone ruins this meeting I'd rather it was neither of us, Gia... Not that she isn't asking for it."

Camila watched on and practically cringed as Rhys was forced to snap back at Mariah and warn her off. Once he'd shoved the Morello girl away, Camila's eyes briefly met his and she quirked a curious eyebrow in his direction. Still, she sent him a smirk to try lighten situation. Whilst she was curious as to what he'd done to cause Mariah to attack him, she wasn't at all disappointed in him for snapping back at her. The middle of the casino on a night like tonight was hardly a place for the young Morello woman to air her frustrations.

Once Rhys was finished and spoke to her and Gianna, Camila nodded and followed him. "Confused. Histrionic. God knows what else she is, but it's no surprise considering where she comes from." They were soon joined by Vincenzo and Tony, with the latter catching up to Rhys for an update on what had just happened. Camila glanced to her father, relieved neither she nor her sister had ended up involved in the spat. Whatever was expected of the night, she knew it involved not making their father's life harder.

Spoiler: Camila's Dress

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Vincenzo Salvatore

Last chance to back out. Tony's words broke the silence in the car as they arrived at the Crimson Shrine, and while they were true, backing out was no longer an option. Vincenzo said a silent prayer to his ancestors that he was making the right decision as he strode through the entrance of his enemy's casino. It was hard to ignore the feeling in the back of his mind that he might be walking into the trap, and had he found himself on the wrong end of the gun at any moment, Don Salvatore wouldn't be terribly surprised. Alas, there was no sound of gunfire or secret attack awaiting his arrival. However, apparently Rhys's arrival with Camilla and Gia hadn't gone as smoothly.

Vincenzo's eyes narrowed sharply as he observed the scene that was being messily mopped up by the Morellos. Apparently Sandro hadn't done a very good job instilling the message that this was supposed to be a peaceful dinner to his family. Rhys's red cheek was evidence that their arrival hadn't been without incident, and Don Salvatore was less than pleased. His gaze fell to his daughters, observing them to make sure no harm had befallen them. While they looked annoyed, they didn't appear to be harmed. Had they been, there would have been hell to pay- truce or no truce.

As Tony caught up with Rhys to learn what had happened, Vincenzo walked with Camilla and Gia as they made their way towards the back room where dinner would be held. "The Morello girl already making problems?" He asked, glancing between his daughters. "What happened?" The Don wanted to be very clear of the events that had just unfolded, in case he needed to use this oversight on the Morello's part as leverage. The incident was hardly enough to warrant dissolving the truce he'd arranged with Sandro, for better or worse, but Vincenzo would not let it slide without mention.

"Did anyone threaten either or you?" He asked sternly. "I imagine Rhys handled the situation properly..." Vincenzo was not concerned that Rhys had done anything to incite whatever had unfolded just before the Don's arrival, but he didn't want to get caught assuming anything. Rhys was a trusted capo and had done nothing to make the Don doubt his judgement. After Tony, Rhys was his next best man. The Don was blessed with daughters, and though he lacked any sons, his underboss and capo were close. Family for Vincenzo extended beyond blood.

Displeased

Crimson Shrine

_amaranth_ apolla Misty Gray

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Vietto

Fuck. Fuck, fuck. Fuck! Vietto cursed himself as he watched the scene unfolding before him. His legs were unable to match the speed of Mimi's anger as she released it onto one of the Salvatore capos. This was supposed to be a peaceful dinner, but Mimi's slap was anything but. Vietto's hand reflexively went to the gun tucked in the holster concealed by his suit jacket, prepared to draw it if the capo's response required intervention. Luckily, the man Mimi had assaulted only grabbed her hands before shoving her away. Words were exchanged but inaudible to the Morello capo as he approached.

Vietto reached Mimi just as she was about to launch herself at Rhys again, and his arm quickly slid around her small waist. Capturing Mimi in his arms, Vietto had to counter her forward momentum by lifting her off the ground and pulling her back away from the fray. He held the angry young woman tight against him until they were a safe distance away and off to the side amongst the slot machines. "God damn it Mimi..." Vietto uttered, finally setting her back down and releasing her.

Mimi turned her anger towards Vietto, hissing at him, and his eyes narrowed a bit. "To save your ass." He retorted to her question. And also his own. "Tonight isn't the night to get into fights with the Salvatores, remember?" Vietto added, standing at his full height as he watched the fury dance in Mimi's eyes, just waiting for her to strike again.

The arrival of Leo prevented Mimi from delivering anymore blows, and Vietto stepped back as Leo pulled Mimi away and scolded her. Vietto glanced over his shoulder back towards the entrance where he saw Don Salvatore speaking with his daughters. Shit. The Don did not look happy, and Mimi's stunt couldn't have been timed worse. Vietto glanced back to Leo and Mimi, trying to figure out the best way to handle the optics.

"Don Salvatore just arrived. Perhaps we should take the service hallway back to the meeting room," Vietto suggested, straightening his suit out. "I imagine your brother would prefer hearing about this little misfire from us over Salvatore." He pointed out, looking between the two Morello siblings. "Or, if you need a moment to compose yourself, I can go on ahead..." Vietto added, not wanting to overstep by appearing to boss the Morellos around.

And with that, Vietto began making his way to the service corridor which provided a shortcut to the back room where Sandro was likely waiting already. He cursed himself again for not watching Mimi better, and was fully prepared to fall on the sword if need be for tonight's rocky start.

Concerned

Crimson Shrine

Outfit

apolla

nine lives

 

[_amaranth_]

Sandro Morello

location

Crimson Shrine

mood

anxious

outfit

click!

tags

Marco ( Misty Gray ); Leo ( apolla )

It took time. The grand dining room in Crimson Shrine was empty with an exception of the three people. The Don, his right hand and his obnoxious wife. Sandro was sipping that one glass of champagne for way too long and this whole time he was wishing it would be a nice twenty one years old single malt or something much tastier than bubbly wine. Laura kept babbling this whole time but whatever she was saying, it went one ear in and the other one out. Sandro didn’t care for anything that his bitch of a wife had to say. His mind was already running a mile a minute, wondering when the rest of the party is going to arrive. And then the announcement.

One thing was for sure. Leo was not going to like any of this. And it was up to Sandro to keep his brother in check. Especially since he didn’t even share with Marco. But sitting here, waiting for the others to arrive, the young Don was starting to doubt his decision to not include his Underboss in the plan. Well, it was still not too late. Or was it?

The door opened and the first guests started to arrive. Sandro stood up to welcome Don Salvatore himself. The men shook hands and finally took a seat. “Keep an eye on Leo.” Sandro whispered to Marco before they all sat down and another round of champagne was brought to everyone. It was more than obvious that the families were everything but not friends. The atmosphere around the table was so thick one could cut it with a knife. Looking around, the dark-haired man met eyes of every person, getting mixed vibes. Indifferent, angry, supportive, suspicious. Even mocking. And he didn’t even wonder. This whole event could just be the suicide ride.

After the appetizers, Sandro decided it was time. People were not too content from their food, nor they managed to drink too much. It looked like an ideal opportunity. Taking a deep breath in, he buttoned his jacket and looked at Marco, seeking at least a little bit of support before he started.

“Many of you wonder why we’re here today. And I am sure that many of you expect a brawl.” he smirked, tracing the edge of the champagne glass he was holding. “But it is quite the contrary. Both of our families have lost a lot and often times it was one of hour hands that did the damage on the other side. And that is exactly why me and esteemed Don Salvatore…” he motioned his hand to the patriarch. “…decided it was time to stop fighting. And what is better way to unite two families than a marriage. After all, it was what united me and the family of my wife Laura as well.” With the fakest of smiles, Sandro set his hand on Laura’s shoulder and thank god she had the wits to play along with smiles. “And so, this is not some random dinner party but an engagement dinner. One we decided to throw for lovely Camila Salvatore and my beloved brother Leonardo. Next generation that is going to keep our families united and at peace.”

Sandro went quiet and let the news sit in, raising his glass in a makeshift toast, emptying his glass right away. The man knew his brother and he knew him well. No matter how hard he tried, Sandro could smell the circus in the air.

code by g o l d i e l o x x

 

[_amaranth_]

Gianna Salvatore

location

Crimson Shrine

mood

outraged

outfit

click!

tags

Camila ( Misty Gray ); Vincenzo ( Desert_Blossom )

No need to say Gia was rather disappointed Camila stopped her from interfering. Her blood boiled, seeing the young Morello girl behaving like she was a maniac. And the brunette was ready to teach her a lesson. Even in those devilish heels, Gia was a force to be reckoned with and she definitely knew it about herself. But Camila’s hand in front of her sent those plans out of the windows and however dissatisfied, Gianna had to admit there was truth to her words. Well, there was reason why Camila was the future of the Salvatores. And it was not only the age factor. Gianna was way too hot-headed to be able to lead the family properly. Not that she ever wanted to anyway.

“One would think they took out the trash before dinner.” Gia commented dryly just as her father appeared, accompanied by Toni. Rhys joined them as well but the whole incident did not go unnoticed by the Don. Gia joined his left side as they walked and just shook her head. “Looks like her brother forgot her leash at home tonight. Rabid bitches and all that. But no, papa. No one threatened us.” she chirped, suddenly ever so cuddly as she always was around her father. She had always been his little girl, even before this black widow phase. Some things simply never changed.

The whole family walked back to the dining room without further complications. The child-Don was already there and so Gia just took a comfortable seat at the table, right next to Camila. Her mind was running at full speed, wondering what this whole charade was about. It was definitely weird and Gia decided not to lose her cool, her attention and reflexes needed to stay on point this whole time. And though she did take that glass of champagne, her eyes were everywhere, especially on the Morello Don.

And then he stood up. After a while really. They all got a few drinks in, some food, and Gia was starting to feel like this was some make-pretend homey family celebration. But she had no idea about the surprise they all were in for. Sandro talked and he talked for a while. And Gianna couldn’t help but scoff once or twice. “What is this? Some retirement home jubilee party?” she mumbled to Camila mockingly, scanning Sandro with the same daring spark in her dark eyes. Although that was soon diminished as Sandro announced how he and their father basically got Camila and that filthy Morello boy engaged. It took Gia everything she had in her not to jump up and throw her champagne flute at Sandro. But she did look at her father, eyes narrowed, lips forming a thin line. “What is he talking about, papa?” she asked, doing her best to make her voice sound calm. And though she was not the main character in this fucked up story, Gianna was not going to just sit idly and watch this charade to play out.

code by g o l d i e l o x x

 

[_amaranth_]

Rhys Everett

location

Crimson Shrine

mood

cautious

outfit

click!

tags

Tony ( apolla )

The little hitch caused by Mariah Morello’s performance left Rhys a bit nervous. He hated not knowing what was up and she apparently had some serious issues. Did she have some problem with him? The two hardly ever met. At least Rhys saw her only very few times and never really interacted with her. So what ticked her off? Or was she just one of those hysterical girls? Maybe he reminded her of someone? Who knew? Or maybe, just maybe, this was intentional. Rhys’ analytical mind was already trying to elaborate a few versions of what this was supposed to mean. And he needed to admit that if this was a strategy on the Morello side to throw him off his game, it was a good move. Not a successful one, but smart.

Once he got rid of the fiery brunette, he looked and the Salvatore sisters and flashed an apologetic look at Camila, seeing her eyebrows quirking. Shortly after, Don Vincenzo and Tony joined the party and Rhys found himself side by side with the latter. The Underboss was immediately curious about the situation. “It did.” the Capo breathed in exasperation in response to Tony’s question whether the clash involved the young Morello. “She threw herself on me and slapped me like I ever did something to her. Never really met her in my life though. She might be a very troubled young woman I guess.” he shrugged and considered the topic closed.

The Don inquired about the situation with his daughters so Rhys didn’t feel obliged to return to it and simply followed his employer to the back of Crimson Shrine to the large room where the tables have already been set and the boy-Don was already seated as if he owned it. Shut up, Rhys, he does own this place and you know it. True. The casino belonged to the Morellos, Rhys scolded himself for being a dick but didn’t say anything pout loud. Instead, he waited for everyone to take a seat and then found his. Tonight, he was there as a muscle. His opinion was not important and so he kept it to himself. But he never took that champagne, asked for a glass of sparkling water instead. His head was going to stay crystal clear tonight. Just in case.

And it proved to be a smart decision after all. Because Sandro Morello stood up after the first course and started talking. And what news indeed. Rhys felt the air slowly being sucked out of the room once the young Don announced that he and Don Salvatore had prepared an engagement party for their children. Rhys tensed immediately and his eyes were on Camila first. But he knew the oldest child was able to keep her cool, or at least he thought so. So his gaze fell upon the Morello boy in question only to inspect how he was handling the news of being engaged now. Rhys was a quick thinker and was already analyzing the situation and what he could do. Gianna’s voice though told him that it was her he should be keeping his eye on. The girl was as fiery as Mariah Morello and deadly as a viper. If she lost it, there was going to be blood and so for now, Rhys had his priorities straight. At the earliest suspicion she would go for something rash, Rhys would be there to diminish the threat.

code by g o l d i e l o x x