BLOOD TIES

Looking for These?

I stood at the base of the podium as I looked out into the crowd. The smell of food filling the air had my stomach rumbling. As many times as I've given speeches, the nervousness never ceases. I begin to count the tables in the room as a habitual ritual for calming myself. I grabbed the mic to adjust it to my height and began my speech. It was going as smoothly as expected and it took me about twenty minutes to wrap it up.

"My passion is what drove me and led me to all things in life. I knew from the beginning all I wanted to do was to show the world compassion and for the truth in the stories of justice. This is what made me become a lawyer. The money was never the reason or the temptation to keep me working. I chose this field to help eliminate these miscarriages of justice. Being born and raised in New York City, I've seen my community become too familiar with police brutality, racial profiling, and gentrification." I scanned the audience as I was giving my speech.

I was so tired of going to these quarterly galas. A girl loves to dress up and enjoy a night away from work. However, I was deep into this important case and received new evidence this morning that could possibly get this man off of death row. Unfortunately, I don't have too much of a social life so I'd rather be in my office right now, going over paperwork.

"Thank you to everyone for coming and please enjoy!" I shouted as I stepped off the stage with a standing ovation. I walked back to my table.

"Ah, girl! You killed that speech. I'm so proud of you!" My best friend Keisha said as she hugged me and we both sat down.

Keisha was my date for the night. I usually take both my bestie's but Naomi was doing her residency at St. John's hospital. It's hard for her to take off sometimes so she just told Keisha and me to enjoy it without her.

"Thanks, babe. I really just want to get home beca-" I was cut off by Keisha putting her hand up to my face.

"Girl, just this once. Please relax and enjoy yourself! Take your own advice and go mingle. Hell, maybe you'll find a man." Keisha stated as she walked away with a smirk.

I swear she gets on my damn nerve sometimes. I walked out to the lobby because I needed to go to the restroom and freshen up. I had spent about ten minutes inside fluffying my hair and apply a little more power. I gathered my items back into my purse and quickly exited the door. As I was walking out, I bumped into someone causing me to drop my purse. The items inside rolled out onto the floor like tumbleweeds.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." I said as I bent down to pick my items up.

I rose to my feet to look at person I had carelessly ran into. All I saw ahead of me was the tail of someone's coat flow dramatically in the wind as they walked out the door.

"Prick!" I mumbled. 

I made my way back to the ballroom where the event was being held. It was close to 1 am and I was done for the night. I went to gather Keisha but she shooed me away as I walked up. She was talking to some man. I rolled my eyes and headed back to the lobby to exit the building. I hear my heels click as I hit the pavement quickly searching for my car. As I'm walking through the parking lot I hear footsteps approach me.

"I do not have time for this shit!" I whispered as I bowed my head.

I turned around and no one was there. Now being a native of New York City, it takes a lot to scare me because I've seen some pretty dark shit growing up here. So, I wasn't scared. However, I was tired and annoyed at this point. I didn't feel like being fucked with tonight. I sighed and reached in my purse for my keys.

"Looking for these?" I heard a voice question.

I turned around and saw a White man towering over me. He must have been around 6'5, his eyes look like something out of Twilight. They were a bright golden color and his skin was flooded with tattoos that went all the way up to his neck. What really caught my attention was his attire. He was dressed in a tailored tux with a long black Calvin Klein coat. It had gold accents around the trim and his shoes were probably the same price as my education. He stepped forward and I could feel his whiskey breath upon me.

"My apologies. I didn't get a chance to say sorry earlier when we bumped into each other. I was responding to an issue with my business," he mentions while placing his hand over his chest.

I'm now realizing this is the asshole who damn near knocked me off my feet coming out of the restroom. "Don't worry about it, thanks!" 

I reached my hand out to take my keys back. He takes a few steps closer and I step back until my back is pressed on the car door. He hits the unlock button on my key fob. I'm startled when he places his hand on the lower part of my back and pulls me closer to him. 

"Um, excuse me!" I shout, feeling uncomfortable in this position.

He raises his hand to profess his innocents as he opens the driver's door holding it for me to get in. "I was just trying to open the door for you, ma'am." 

He smirks. "Please get home safe, miss. These New York streets can be very dangerous at night."

"Thank you, but I'm a big girl. I'm sure I can manage," I said as I started my beamer.

"You have a great night," I nodded and drove off into the night.

"I'm sure you can Ms. Leathers," Lorenzo whispered as he stared at the back of her car until she was out of his sight.

Lorenzo's POV

I walked back to the building where I reconvened with Sal and Tony. We had been surveilling the area the entire night, specifically Chrissy and Keisha.

"Give me an update," I asked as I looked at my best friend Tony.

"She's living alone in Manhattan. Her best friends are Keisha James and Naomi Keys. They all keep a small circle and have been friends since middle school. Chrissy is the attorney, Naomi is the doctor, and Kei-" Tony was cut off by Sal interjecting.

I rolled my eyes as we listen to Sal's ramblings about Keisha. Tony and I saw him flirting with her all night.

"And Keisha, other than being fine as hell, is a psychiatrist who owns her own practice. She's single and has no kids. She loves horror films and would love to go to Bora Bora one day. She thi-" He stopped when he noticed Tony and me staring at his dumbass.

"My bad, you asked for an update!" Sal said, pointing at me.

I smack his hand away. "An update on Chrissy you idiot. Not her friends and their hobbies!"

We continued walking to my car and I drove us home. I've been keeping tabs on Chrissy Leathers for a while now. Believe me, I am impressed. Her name rings bells around New York City and definitely in the underground world. She's ruthless in the court system. She's single-handedly been the reason behind many prison releases with her work on the Innocence Project. Sounds humanitarian? Yes. However, when I heard of her recent involvement in the Rodriguez case, I had to step in to protect my family.

Richard Rodriguez was one of our workers years ago. He was a good man that worked as a housekeeper to save money for his daughter's future. Even before I took over the business he had worked for my father, Stefano Marino. Like many people who work for us, not everyone knows what we do. Only our trusted friends and family.

Unfortunately, Richard saw something he shouldn't have. My father had murdered a man for stealing from him and Richard walked in on the crime. While my father was so focused on making sure Richard wouldn't rat. He and his team were messy with disposing of the body and it was found in Central Park by a man running one morning. During this time my father was already under scrutiny by the Mayor of New York City. He made it his life-long mission to destroy my family and rid the city of organized crime. When he heard about the body, he recognized the MO and immediately came for my father.

To ensure that my father would remain a free man he made a deal with Richard. He told him to take the hit for the crime and he would take care of his family. If not, he would have his wife and daughter killed, and then he would come for him. Richard decided to confess to the police and we bribed some officers to destroy the DNA evidence they had on my father. Since they couldn't prove that my father was the murderer. We allowed them to believe Richard committed the crime. Although the mayor was making it his mission to destroy us. My father had the city behind him out of fear.

And I, Lorenzo Marino, intend to do the same.

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THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN REVISED