Property of the Mafia

[04] Kidnapping

I glared at Leon as he continued to laugh hysterically, explaining my outburst for about the hundredth time to another group of rowdy men.

"Oh you should have seen her before, boys, she was shaking in her boots---but as soon as someone got on her bad side, ha, they were in for a rough night!"

I didn't exactly see what was so hilarious about me humiliating myself in front of what was apparently all the other mafia groups the Sangria family were allied with. I actually had felt rather accomplished about my little outburst, but now, the 10-second glory was long over and I just wanted to crawl back into bed.

It also didn't help that everyone we passed by either whistled, winked, or tried to smack my ass whenever I walked by.

Course, as soon as they tried to lay a hand on me Leon would leap out of nowhere and heroically try to save me. He did help me out in a couple of situations, but in order to 'keep the brotherly love going', he would end up making fun of me instead to find common ground and keep the party atmosphere going.

Maybe I should use the tazer on Leon... might do him some good. I smirked.

"Linette, darling, introduce yourself to these men over here! They won't bite... much." He chuckled darkly, motioning for me to come over to another group of men. They seemed a little less scary and younger than the other creeps around here. I took a deep breath to recollect myself, and walked next to Leon, trying to appear graceful. 

"Good evening." I smiled, keeping my tone of voice as calm and mild as possible. "I hope you guys don't think... bad of me from that little incident on stage. I was just a little... nervous, is all." I asked sweetly, trying to ignore Leon as he was trying (and failing) and stifling his laughter. That tazer was looking pretty useful about now...

"Hey, don't sweat it, toots. You made a good impression on me." The young man in the centre winked, holding out his hand. He seemed to be the youngest of the group, and was fairly handsome. He looked fairly normal, especially when compared to the other sketchy men around us. "I'm Damon, your man's right-hand man."  Never mind. It was probably the lighting. 

"Nice to meet you." I responded, hesitantly shaking his hand until he abruptly grabbed it and shook it so vigorously I thought he may have dislocated my arm. 

"You've got yourself a good one this time, huh, Leon." Another man nudged Leon jokingly in the ribs, raising his eyebrows repeatedly. "She's a keeper." He flared his nose as he looked at me.

"O-kay there... thanks." I replied nervously, slowly inching away when he started to lick his lips.

Get me out of here! I pleaded silently. 

After a few more unsettling jokes and creepy advances, the conversation took a serious turn. Leon, Damon, and the creep's voices dropped to about a tenth of their previous volume level, and they huddled closed together with their backs facing the walls. For whatever reason, I was part of that semi-circle.

"So what do you think of the Viridian family? Think they're going to move soon?" Leon asked, his emerald-green eyes darting back and forth suspiciously as he waited for his friends' responses. For an instant our eyes met, and he winked at me. I blushed. He reverted back to his serious mode a couple seconds later. 

"I dunno, man, they've been quiet for a while, but I'm sure something's going on. They've wanted to take our family down for decades---like hell they're up to nothing." Damon continued, furrowing his eyebrows.

"You're right. Last time we thought they settled down they tried to frame us for the whole 'treats' thing. And then that damn arson attempt at the bank---stupid punks." Leon spat, scowling.