Turned Around

18

Tiffany sits quietly in the darkness of the room. Simon wants to adopt her. Nothing could have shocked her more. A mafia prince wants to adopt her. Her, a nobody, a crack whore's daughter who didn't care about her worth shit.

She absently picks at the remaining food on her tray. She didn't even notice that it had gone cold. She wouldn't have cared anyway, after all it has been some time since she's eaten. Even longer since she's eaten really good food like this.

She is being taken in and wanted because she looks and acts a bit like Sophia. It sounds like this Sophia lady is someone really special to Simon. She wishes she knew more about her.

Her ruminations are cut short as the door is opened once more and the light switched on. She blinks rapidly until the sudden light no longer bothers her. She had not realized that it had gotten dark.

"Oh," Simon says startled, "I hadn't realized that you were still here, Tiffany." Simon says stopping in his tracks once he notices her. He motions for the other man to come forward. "Tiffany this man is Felix Thompson and he is our lawyer."

Tiffany silently observes the man before her. The man is in his early twenties. He has his black hair cut short. But it's his brilliant green eyes partially hidden behind the glasses that make her catch her breath. She notices that he is as tall as Simon. But it's his built frame that makes her want to pass out.

The lawyer says something and Tiffany didn't hear him. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"I said that it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Montgomery." Felix repeats smiling beautifully.

"Same, Mr. Thompson," Tiffany says softly blushing brilliantly.

Felix watches the girl before him. Simon had already informed him how the girl came to be here. Although the girl is really nothing more than skin and bones he can see that before she had  been a beauty. 

Tiffany has mid back length blonde hair, large pale gray eyes and long dark eye lashes. Her cheek bones are to prominent due to starvation but he can tell that she'll be absolutely beautiful once her face fills out once more.

"Mr. Thompson?" Simon's voice has gotten a dangerous edge to it.

Felix pulls himself back to the here and now with difficulty. "Yes, Mr. Royal?" Felix says not intimidated by the man behind the desk.

"I said to take a seat. Tiffany, since this is about you, you should take a seat as well." Simon waits watching the two before him sharply.

Once the other two are seated he begins, "Tiffany have you had enough food? Would you like more?" Simon's voice softens just a tad as he speaks to her.

"I'm fine Simon, thank you," Tiffany says blushing lightly. Simon doesn't say anything but she knows he caught her checking out the lawyer.

"Mr. Thompson, would you like something to eat or drink?" Simon's voice turns harder as he turns to the lawyer.

"Thank you, no, Mr. Royal," Felix says quickly seeming to sense that Simon is getting close to losing his patience.

Simon walks over to where some alcohol is decanted and pours himself some. He takes the glass back to the desk and takes his own seat. "Tiffany, have you made your decision yet?"

Simon's question draws Tiffany's attention to him instead of the lawyer before her.

"I am not sure, Simon. You're mafia, you can be damn scary at times." Tiffany says and then looks down at her hands.

Simon, looks at her consideringly. "Are you scared of me?"

"Please, you're a fucking mafia prince. Anyone in their right mind would be afraid of you. Even your own men are. Don't think I haven't noticed that when we came in. They are shocked beyond belief at you having brought me here and letting me be in Sophia's clothes. You mentioned her and they stared at you.

"Simon, what is Sophia to you? Who is she?" Tiffany needs to know this before she can make any decisions.

Tiffany's questions and her demands for answers make Simon sit back and take a drink from his glass. "Sophia." Simon whispers out and a gentle smile flits onto his face.

"Sophia was a waitress at my father's club, his favorite club. Club Spade. Sophia was a favorite worker there. She was always requested to work the VIP lounge because she was friendly without flirting and she wasn't nosy. 

"Corey, he took Sophia and pulled her over the table demanding that she go out with him. She couldn't, father had forbidden all the workers from dating the patrons, but especially his sons. When she politely informed Corey of this he broke her arm." Simon looks lost in his memories.

"Father sent Corey to jail for that. When he comes out Sophia will be under father's protection to keep Corey away from her. " Simon throws a look over to Felix. 

"That tells me a bit about her, but it doesn't tell me who she is to you." Tiffany states after waiting for Simon to continue.

"Until she quits work, she can't be anything more than an acquaintance." Simon, hesitates before he continues. "I want her to be my girlfriend." 

Felix stares at the younger Royal stunned by Simon's admission. Simon doesn't do relationships because of the danger it would put the girl in.

"You love her?" Tiffany interrogates him.

"I don't know her well enough to say that, Tiffany. Yet, there is something about her that really draws me to her."

Tiffany sits back and thinks, while she does so silence falls over everyone. She studies him minutely while she thinks about the pros and cons of what she has to decide.

"Miss Montgomery, just what are you having to decide?" Felix finally breaks the silence that had fallen over the room.

It's Simon that answers Felix, "I asked Miss Montgomery to become my daughter."

Felix stands up in shock, "You WHAT?"

"He asked if I would accept him as my adopted father." Tiffany says turning her attention back to the astounded lawyer. Simon hadn't answered the lawyer and just looks at him with a nasty look.

"What is your answer, Tiffany?" Simon demands.

"I say-" her answer is cut off by the ringing of the phone. Simon looks at his phone with irritation and his face turns pale.

"Father?" Simon demands.

"You need to get here now." Jared says and his voice doesn't give anything away.