Third Person POV:
It is easy to fabricate civility.
Fake smiles, counterfeit alliances, mock-safety, all scenarios that have been entrenched in the fabrication of the auspicious Mafia Ball. The Ball was an event that was supposed to be a regal representation of wealth, class, and respect between families all intertwined in the same business, but it had now been molded into an opportunity for deceit, disloyalty, and betrayal.
What was once a tradition created with pure intentions in order for friends and foes alike to partake in a ceasefire that would hopefully work to end wars and conflicts, had now turned into a cunning competition and a ploy for power.
Power was a commodity that people killed ruthlessly for.
Throughout the years the Mafia Ball has been notorious for being a place where information was sold, traded, and collected. There was a zero-tolerance policy for violence and no weapons were allowed into the event, but that didn't mean mafias couldn't hurt one another. Families become revealed, significant others are identified, and alliances are recognized. By enforcing a strict 18+ age limit at the Ball, it was overtly obvious that everyone in attendance was fair game.
These men and women were the current and future leaders of empires that rose and fell haphazardly and by showing your face at the Ball, you were inadvertently agreeing to a lifetime of looking over your shoulder. Going to the Ball was undoubtedly a monumental risk for every mafia, but it was also a necessary one.
Only cowards back down from confrontations, and the Mafia Ball was confrontations galore.
In an industry where violence was normalized and brutality was encouraged, intimidation was no easy feat. In the mafia world, intimidation took form through names. An individual's identity was brought into existence and maintained through his or her surname, and lower ranked individuals in the mafia were identified by the surname they worked under. Names like Vanderbilt had a reputation, the simple utterance of the surname was enough to instill fear in the populations. Faces were meaningless entities in the long scheme of things, but names, names held power.
The most powerful empires all had one thing in common, secrecy. Their names may have been known worldwide but that was all they allowed to be known about them. Secrecy was a shield emitting waves of protection, but inevitably all secrets come out eventually.
There comes a point when large empires hit their peak. They stop counting their money, they force their publicity to plummet, and all they have to do is sit back and relish in their power.
Fear and paranoia surround their names at such high volumes that the empires start to become myths. Their domination becomes one of legend. When this phenomenon occurs two things can happen. One, the empire continues to seamlessly reign supreme until their reputations start holding enough potency that no action against said empire would be endorsed. Or two, people start to question if the legends are really true.
When there is no one to stop the rumours and lies from circulating, misinformation starts accumulating. Which in turn causes people to grow a sudden bravery against higher powers they have no business attempting to destroy.
The American Mafia was going to end that same bravery today.
The American Empire rose to the top of the mafia world approximately eight years ago. Their sudden rise to the top took everyone by surprise. One minute the mafia was crumbling with corruption within, the next they had solidified into an organization that was seemingly indestructible.
Minds were plagued with the same inquiry.
What had happened?
They were asking the wrong question.
The real question lay in the topic of capabilities.
Who had the capability to save a dying empire and bring it back to life?
The answer took form in a young girl that was making her official introduction to the world today. It was comical really, the girl that had been setting up raids, interrogations, and dealings for an empire she had built at her father's side since she was eight-years-old, was only now informing everyone of her identity and presence in said empire. The teenage prodigy was now eighteen and she knew it was time.
It was time to show the world that the business queen and the mafia king were a father-daughter duo.
Jonathon and Reese Vanderbilt knew exactly what they were walking into today. The minute they entered that ballroom, there would be no going back. They were not only introducing the business tycoon that had been dominating the tech industry for nearly a decade, they were introducing the American Heir to the world, and in turn every single mafia in existence would get a defining warning.
Know whose reign you are under.
The impending decision to finally announce Reese as the American Heir was not a spur of the moment decision. It was heavily discussed, debated and planned. It was a calculated move designed by the Vanderbilts.
It was more than just an introduction.
It was a declaration of power.
_
The Mafia Ball was an event that was highly anticipated each year by hundreds of people around the world. It was no secret that an event that was responsible for hosting some of the world's richest leaders had to display a level of elegance and sophistication that was beyond normal standards.
Located in the heart of New York City, the Aultura Ballroom was this years' designated location for the Ball. Calling the ballroom breathtaking wouldn't have done it justice. Dazzling lights shone down on the luxurious space making the entire atmosphere one of euphoria. Massive sparkling crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling in rows, causing a beautiful golden glow to be reflected onto the consequently brightly lit floors. Dozens of circular glass tables were spaced out to surround a posh dance floor that was riddled with slow dancing bodies. The raspy but soothing voice of the appointed singer alongside the comforting hum of the orchestra that sat behind him, filled the air.
Gold was the ceremonious theme encompassing the entire space. Splashes of bright gold embedded into the glass seats showed a creative uniqueness and an impressive thought on how to adequately encompass the theme without making it overbearing. Subtle touches like the glimmering linings of the tables, the expensive shine of the silverware, and the intricate designs on the sculpted walls, all brought a subtle warmth into the grand space.
The ballroom itself was nothing less than regality at its peak, but its occupants were striking eye-catching examples of the one percent. Cultures were defined through formal attires with every mafia wearing their defining colours proudly. Dons, Donnas, Heirs, Underbosses, Consiglieres, and Capos all mixed together to create one of the most seemingly civil but lethal environments on earth. It was deceptively cordial.
The defining factor of the ballroom was the grand staircase that stood tall and served as an entrance for the guests. An older man, clad in an expensive tuxedo, stood at the bottom of the staircase with a microphone in his hand and an earpiece positioned in his ear. Through his earpiece he communicated with the guards stationed at the outside of the doors, and made introductions as people walked down the intimidating staircase. Ever so often as the names of highly known leaders flowed through the older man's microphone, the loud chatter would quiet down as everyone turned their attention to the people walking down the stairs.
The event was noticeably in its beginning stages. People were scattered around the glamorous venue eating, drinking, conversing, and dancing. Servers carrying drink trays weaved through the crowd as they nervously catered to the ruthless men and women. In the chaos of all the activity, no one noticed the American Don standing at the top of the staircase sweeping his calculating gaze over the crowd below him.
Jonathon silently observed the oblivious men and women and took a moment to breathe while the environment of the Ball was still peaceful. He knew his moment of calmness was about to end when the man with the microphone snapped his head to the top of the stairs just as his mind registered the names of the two people he would be introducing next. Jonathan's lips curved into a small smirk at the shocked state of the man standing below him. The Don watched as the man slowly turned to face the front once again and raised the microphone up to his mouth.
"The American Mafia, Don Jonathon Vanderbilt."
Instantly, all chatter ceased as hundreds of pairs of eyes, some curious, some shocked, some critical, some angry, but all intrigued snapped towards the unfazed Don. Everyone knew Jonathon Vanderbilt hadn't attended a mafia-related event in many years, he simply never found the need to, so that begged the question.
Why now?
As Jonathon stood at the top of the staircase with the attention of the entirety of the mafia world on him, he couldn't help but feel grateful. Once upon a time, he stood in front of all these people alone. He was respected, feared by most, and had a couple of loyal friends but the feeling of loneliness was always lingering in his heart. He didn't have a family to support him, and he didn't have anyone to love him, he was simply and utterly alone. That feeling didn't leave him until his daughter entered his life. Now, he had Reese by his side and loneliness was a forgotten emotion. That revelation by itself made him thankful beyond measure.
The crowd watched and waited for the American Don to descend down the staircase but Jonathon didn't move an inch forward. His lips simply twitched into a knowing smirk as he looked back at the doors.
"Accompanied by his daughter, the Heir of the American Mafia."
The second the words 'daughter' and 'heir' left the announcer's mouth, you could visibly see a shift in the atmosphere. The same mafia men who were intimidated mere seconds ago now adorned smug smiles on their faces. For the majority of them, hearing the American Heir was a girl was like hearing the American Empire had finally collapsed, the announcement was a cause for celebration. There was just no way a girl could sit on the American throne, she wouldn't have what it takes, she wouldn't have the drive, she wouldn't have the ruthlessness, she would crumble under the pressure.
In their eyes, the American Empire finally had a weakness.
They were wrong.
"Miss Reese Vanderbilt."
The smirks were quick to drop.
A stunned silence engulfed the Ball as the teenage girl stepped through the doors. She wore a stunning black dress that hugged her body like it was a second skin. It flowed all the way down to her matching matte black Louboutin heels that added a couple more inches to her impressive height. The dress had a split mid-thigh that allowed everyone to get a glimpse at her tan legs. Her toned arms were complimented by the simple but elegant diamond watch fitted on her left wrist, and the diamond bracelets neatly displayed on her right wrist. Matching diamond rings adorned her manicured fingers while small hoop earrings dangled from her ears. Her hair was relatively simple, just curled and framed to fit perfectly around her heart shaped face.
There was no denying that she was absolutely stunning. Her makeup was kept at a minimum and simply enhanced her already sharp features. The mesmerizing colour of her eyes shone brightly under the illuminating lights.
This was a girl that had more power and influence than anyone present in the massive venue.
And everyone knew it.
There was a suffocating silence from the crowd. Even the orchestra and the singer were distracted as Reese moved forward and linked her arm through her dad's. The father-daughter duo descended down the stairs with unmoving stoic expressions. Their presence could only be described as purely dominating as they walked past tables of shell-shocked men and women that fought hard not to cower back. The crowd was quick to rip their Cryptic phones out of their pockets and stare at the devices in disbelief. Angry hands gripped the phones tightly as everyone realized they had been unknowingly helping the American Empire rise for years.
They were directly involved in their own downfalls.
Chaos was brewing at the revelation.
As they moved through the venue, Jonathon became aware of four figures rising from their seats on his left. He slightly turned his head and finally after ten long years, the overdue finally occurred. The American Don and the Italian Don met each other's deadly gazes. The two men's unchanging blank expressions were easily deceptive to the regular eye but not to each other. Alexander clearly saw the hidden rage in the American Don's eyes, and Jonathon distinctly understood the fire brewing in the Italian Don's eyes.
Anger coursed through one's veins, while determination flowed through the other's.
The unwavering gazes were communication all in itself. It was only when Jonathon and Reese had fully passed the Di Genova's that Jonathon finally broke eye contact. He looked down at his daughter and hoped that she hadn't seen what had just occurred, but Reese looked up at him and gave him a small smile. She had seen it, of course she had seen it. The young girl noticed everything.
Jonathan and Reese continued walking until they approached nine familiar faces. The Russian, Japanese, and Spanish Mafia families smirked as everyone watched the American duo come to a stop at their two tables. There was a brief moment of silence where no one moved and the crowd thought they were about to witness an altercation but then both Jonathon and Reese broke out into smiles. Shock brewed through the masses once again as the American Don and Heir moved forward to greet the people they considered family.
And alas the alliances of the American Mafia were revealed.
The four families conversed unbothered and unconcerned with the shockwaves they had just sent out. After a few minutes the Dons and Donnas left the tables to go get drinks at the bar, and the four Heirs took a seat.
Reese watched as her three best friends all turned their attention to something in the distance, their glares and clenched fists told her everything she needed to know. She sighed and shook her head defeatedly.
"Stop it."
Eli, Raf, and Simon turned towards Reese and smiled at her innocently.
"Stop what?" Simon asked, feigning confusion.
Ree gave them a deadpanned look, indicating that she knew exactly what they were doing.
"Stop glaring at the Di Genova's." She scolded them.
The three boys frowned and slumped into their seats annoyedly. "Those assholes deserve more than just glares." Eli huffed.
Reese smiled as her heart warmed in appreciation. She knew Eli, Raf, and Simon were fiercely protective of her, the four of them were practically siblings. They fought, stole each other's property, ganged up on their parents, and would get sad when they inevitably had to separate but there was a time and place for everything. She would not let them get into a physical altercation with her biological family in front of all these people. She knew better than that, and so did they.
"Come on guys, I spent almost three hours getting my dad to agree not to say or do anything. Don't make me worry about you guys too." She pleaded.
The three boys looked at Reese's defeated face and instantly softened their gazes. They weren't happy that they had to act like the Di Genova's didn't break their best friend's heart but they would do it. They would do anything for her.
"Fine Ree, we won't do anything." Raf exclaimed. He looked at Reese's skeptical face and sighed. "Promise." He assured her.
Reese nodded her head and then looked at Eli and Simon. She crossed her arms as she waited for their responses.
They glared at the table. "Promise." They reluctantly agreed.
A smile broke out on her face. "Good."
It didn't take long for the tension to dissipate and for the four Heirs to transition into their normal bickering. Raf and Simon were showing Ree and Eli pictures they took when the latter two were unconscious in the hospital after the Games. Ree and Eli scowled at their irritating friends when Raf and Simon agreed they were going to get the pictures framed. The majority of the pictures were just the two of them posing in front of the unconscious pair and then getting yelled at by their parents. It was only when a nervous female server approached their table and stood to the side awkwardly that the Heirs quieted down and turned their attention towards her.
"Hello sirs, ma'am. Would you like some bread and butter alongside some champagne as you wait for the appetizers to come around?"
The poor girl asked the simple question in a steady voice but looked like she could pass out at any given second. She was especially afraid to look Reese in the eyes, which caused the young Heir to frown.
"That would be lovely, thank you." Reese responded while smiling politely, trying to ease the nervousness of the young server.
The girl's eyes widened in shock and surprise at Reese's politeness. She gave the Heir a small smile in return and placed four glasses of champagne alongside some fancy bread and butter on the table. She then cleared her throat and informed them that if they needed anything else they shouldn't hesitate to call her. Reese thanked the young server and then the four Heirs were alone once again.
The boys were quick to snatch up the bread and the drinks. Simon was the first to try the bread and in less than a second of putting it in his mouth, he was choking. "This tastes like ass." He complained as his face contorted into one of disgust. He continued to analyze the bread but took his eyes off his plate when he realized that he hadn't gotten a response from the other three people sitting at the table. He looked up to find Ree, Eli and Raf looking at him blankly. There was a few seconds of silence before the three of them started talking all at once.
"You've tasted ass?"
"You would know what ass tastes like."
"Someone get Kira, ask her if she knows what her son does in his free time."
Simon sputtered in embarrassment as his friends continued to argue over his statement. Reese was looking around trying to locate the Japanese Donna, Eli was grinning at Simon with an almost proud look in his eyes, and Raf, Raf was debating whether he should try the bread or not.
"What the fuck guys!?" Simon whisper-yelled, cutting off his dramatic friends. "I just meant that the bread tastes bad."
There was collective silence once again. Until there wasn't.
"Does that mean ass tastes bad?"
"Didn't enjoy the experience huh?"
"I guess ass is an acquired taste."
Simon turned red in disbelief as his friends laughed loudly at his expense. His eyes then widened in panic when he saw his mom walking towards them.
"What's so funny?" Kira circled the table and proceeded to ruffle the hair of all four teens. Kira, alongside Maria and Sydney, raised Reese, Elijah, Rafael, and Simon. The four teens were inseparable when they were kids and they spent so much time together, the Dons and Donnas couldn't help but feel like they had four kids instead of one. Raf was the only Heir that had a sibling but Ren was eight years younger than him, so Raf grew up alongside his three other siblings that were his age, those siblings being Reese, Simon, and Elijah.
Ree, Eli, and Raf huffed as they frantically tried fixing their hair but Simon didn't dare to move a muscle. He was too afraid someone would answer his mom's question. He realized his fear was well justified when he looked over at Ree who was smirking at him mischievously.
"I'm so glad you asked Kira." Ree chirped. "You see, Simon-"
Simon flung himself over the table as he hurriedly slapped his hand over Reese's mouth. Eli and Raf burst out laughing and Kira reeled back in surprise.
Once he double-checked that he had Ree's mouth fully covered, Simon hesitantly answered his mother's question. "It's nothing mom, just dumb stuff. It wasn't even that funny." He exclaimed nervously.
Kira narrowed her eyes in suspicion. She turned towards the teenager she knew was the most responsible and raised her brow. "Ree?" She questioned. "Anything I need to be worried about?"
Simon refused to take his hand off Reese's mouth. He knew the second he let go, Ree would try to embarrass him once again. He discreetly poked her in her side, making her grunt in pain from her broken ribs. His poke was a silent warning for her not to say anything. Reese rolled her eyes in annoyance and then looked at Kira. She begrudgingly shook her head indicating that everything was fine.
"Okay then." Kira nodded her head in amusement. I'll see you later, my babies." One by one Kira gripped the faces of the teens and gave them big kisses on the cheek. They all groaned in protest and hurriedly wiped at their faces.
Once Kira was a good distance away from the table, Simon finally let go of Reese's face.
"You are such an annoying little shit." He seethed.
"Not my fault you engage in frivolous activities." She wiggled her brows. Eli and Raf nodded their heads in agreement.
"I don't fucking- you know what, I don't care anymore." Simon flopped back into his chair while muttering curses under his breath.
Reese laughed as she took in his defeated expression. She reached forward and gripped her glass of champagne. As she sipped on the bubbly drink, she took a moment to take in her surroundings. She watched with interest as she analyzed the body language of the people surrounding her. It was easy for the American Heir to point out facades. Slumped figures, clenched hands, pursed lips, she saw it all. It only took her a few minutes to figure out the intentions of the people around her. She let out a small smile as she watched two men shake hands, and then proceed to sneer in disgust as they turned away from each other.
She loved studying human behaviours. It made her feel like she was in control. It was only when she made eye-contact with a certain Italian Capo, her smile dropped from her face.
Max was looking at Reese with what could only be described as a look of pure devastation on his face. His eyes were crinkled with hurt and sadness as he glanced at his little sister who was so close but so incredibly far from him at the same time. When he realized that Reese was looking at him he forced a small smile onto his face. It was at that moment Reese realized that Max must've seen everything. The happiness on her face, her relationship with Eli, Simon, and Raf, Kira's kisses, everything. It went against everything she had worked for but her heart couldn't help but feel a tug of pain.
But she was quick to push the feeling down. She broke eye contact with her biological brother and reminded herself that he too was displaying a facade. He didn't care for her, none of them did.
"I'm going to get some more champagne." She muttered as she rose from her seat.
Eli, Raf, and Simon frowned at Ree's sudden change of mood. "You want us to come with you?" Eli asked worriedly.
Ree gave him a small smile. "I'll be fine by myself, Eli. Don't worry."
She walked away from the table before anyone could argue. With her empty glass in her hand she headed straight for the bar, ignoring the obvious stares she was getting. As she approached the bar, the bartenders straightened their backs and lined up side by side to serve her right away. They tensed in anticipation when she finally reached them.
"Hi, could I please get another glass of champagne?" She requested warmly.
The bartenders nodded their heads vigorously.
"Of course, Miss Vanderbilt."
As they poured her another glass of the bubbly drink, a flash of light caught her attention. She moved her gaze to the employee counter behind the bar where a couple of Cryptic phones were placed down. A small smile graced her face.
"I like your guys' phones." She joked playfully with the staff.
The three young boys behind the counter looked at the Heir with such starstruck faces, Reese had to physically stop herself from laughing. She realized that they couldn't have been much older than her, to her it was cute how nervous they were.
"We're big fans ma'am." One of the boys anxiously informed her.
Reese smiled. "I appreciate that." She looked back at the phones and frowned. "You guys all have one of the old models, would you like the new one?" She offered.
The three boys dropped their jaws in shock. "Really!?" They all choked at the same time.
Reese laughed at their expressions. She nodded her head in amusement. "Yes, really. Tell me your names." She pulled out her phone.
"But those phones are like, crazy expensive."
She chuckled under her breath. "The money is not a problem."
The three boys blushed in embarrassment and then proceeded to excitedly tell her their names. Upon hearing them, Reese paused. "Wait." She furrowed her brows as she looked at them. "Arjun Gill, Charles Monroe, and Nick Contreras?" The boys nodded their heads in confusion. "You three applied for my engineering unit at Cryptic, I looked over your guys' résumés this morning."
For the umpteenth time the boys looked at the American Heir in pure shock. "Yo-you saw our résumés?" Arjun breathed out. "Personally?"
"Of course I did, I hand select all my teams." She shrugged.
There was another moment of shocked silence before Nick spoke up.
"Well, what did you think?" He asked, evidently scared.
Reese thrummed her fingers on the countertop in contemplation. "Your guys' applications are impressive." The boys beamed in pride as they looked at one another. "But your exposure and experience is concerning. I need people who know what they are doing. I need those one precent of people that can keep my company ranked."
The three boys straightened their backs and all signs of fear were wiped from their faces. "All we need is one chance, Miss Vanderbilt." Charles exclaimed. "I promise, you won't be disappointed."
Reese hummed in acknowledgement. "Come to Cryptic's main building on Monday and come prepared, I'm going to put you guys to work and see what you guys can do. Seven am sharp. Got it?"
The boys nodded their heads right away. "We'll be there ma'am, thank you."
She nodded once and downed the remainder of her drink. "It was a pleasure, gentlemen."
As she walked away she could hear their squeals of excitement behind her, she laughed and started her trek back to her table. She realized that she should type out a message to her assistant to make sure the three boys had no difficulty getting into the heavily guarded headquarters on Monday. She was about halfway through the message before she was interrupted. Someone was blocking her path.
Reese raised her eyebrows at the boy currently intruding in her personal space. He stood directly in her pathway, forcing her to come to a stop. The blonde boy wore a cocky smirk as his eyes looked her up and down. He was approximately six-foot-two and was dressed in a white and black tux. His hair was gelled back and even though he wasn't directly beside her, the overbearing musk of his cologne made her inwardly cringe.
"Can I help you?" She asked him carefully.
His smirk wavered for a split second before it made a reappearance on his face. "There's many ways you can help me, Reese Vanderbilt." The boy's German accent was thick. He continued to smile cockily while moving closer to run his hands down Reese's sides.
Reese suppressed a sneer and shoved him backwards, hard. The action made her chest wither in pain from her injuries but her facial expression never changed. He stumbled back with the force of her push.
"Don't ever touch me." She calmly informed him, trying to keep her composure and not lose it in front of the gathering crowd.
The boy's eyes widened as shock infiltrated his own anger. His face morphed into a scowl as he angrily stepped towards the Heir once again, but the minute he took a step forward he was once again aggressively shoved backwards.
But this time, it wasn't Reese's doing.
"Try to touch her again, and I'll cut off those very fingers you seem so keen on moving."
When the smell of overbearing cologne became replaced with subtle pine, Reese's whole body relaxed. She turned her head to see Carver standing beside her with his jaw clenched and his hands curled into fists. He glared venomously at the boy in front of him while taking slow, threatening steps forward. The English Heir looked ready to kill, and Reese cursed herself for the butterflies that swarmed mercilessly through her stomach at the sight.
"Mind your business asshole."
Carver launched forward at the boy's words but Reese was faster. She grabbed Carver's elbow and yanked him back. "No." She said simply, stopping the attack right then and there.
Carver's eyes softened at Reese's command. He stopped moving forward but instead gently grabbed Reese's hand and pulled her to stand directly beside him. Both Heirs then turned their icy gazes towards the now shell-shocked boy in front of them. It was like the boy finally realized the weight of what he had done. By his own doing he was now facing two imminent threats.
The Heirs of the two most powerful empires in the world.
The duo stalked forward until they were mere inches away from the boy. In one swift movement, Carver gripped the boy's arm and aggressively yanked him towards Reese. Reese was quick to catch the flailing boy. She grabbed the back of his neck with her right hand and slammed his face down onto the nearest glass table. The entire table shook with the force of the hit and blood started immediately sprouting from the now terrified boy's nose. Carver easily replaced Reese's hand and held the boy down as Reese bent down by his ear.
"Who do you think you're trying to get brave with?" She whispered.
"I'm sorry." The boy choked out. The crowd surrounding them didn't dare to intervene. In fact, when Carver looked up they all averted their gazes.
"Your sorry doesn't mean jackshit to me." Reese retorted.
Suddenly two figures came barreling towards them. Reese recognized the German Don, but not the second man. The man looked like an older version of the boy that was currently bleeding in front of her. She figured they were brothers.
"Miss Vanderbilt, Mr Rutherford." The German Don acknowledged calmly. "Please, whatever he did, I apologize. Just let him go."
Carver looked at Reese and Reese looked at Carver. The duo communicated with their eyes for a few seconds before Reese slowly backed up.
Carver bent down beside the boy's ear, mimicking the actions of the American Heir. "Daddy won't always be here to save the day." He informed him darkly. "Next time, keep your hands to yourself." He then brought the boy back up only to slam his face down onto the table once again, letting him crumble to the floor.
Reese looked at the sprawled out body by her feet. "Is this your Heir?" She asked the German Don incredulously.
"No, that is my youngest son. My older one.." He pointed to the man beside him. "... is my Heir."
Reese turned her attention to the German Heir. "I'm assuming that he will be your Underboss." She pointed to the bleeding boy struggling to stand up straight.
"You assume correctly." The German Heir responded.
"I advise you to keep your untamed brother on a shorter leash. Not everyone believes in mercy."
The German Heir nodded in understanding. "Forgive him, Miss Vanderbilt. I will make sure he learns."
Reese didn't respond, she simply turned towards Carver who immediately got what she was trying to say and moved to grab her hand. The duo was just about to leave before the Don spoke up once again.
"Wait." Both Carver and Reese turned around. "Mr Rutherford, Miss Vanderbilt, I hope the stupidity of my son has not affected the relationship between our mafias in any way. We want to keep the peace, we have no intention of retaliating for the harm done. It would be in everyone's best interest to forget this ever happened."
The eyes of the two Heirs narrowed. Both of them were quick to catch the German Don's contradicting words.
"Retaliating for the harm done?" Carver questioned. "Are you implying that you have a reason to retaliate if you desire to?"
The German Don stayed silent.
Reese laughed humourlessly. "If you want to make a threat, then make it. Don't hide behind your elusive words." She watched as the Don shifted uncomfortably. "If you want to talk about interests then we can do that too. It would be in your best interest to remember who you are talking to, Don." She spit out his title with distaste.
When the German Don refused to respond, Carver's hand found Reese's lower back. He applied slight pressure as he gently moved them away from the suddenly silent mafia family. They kept walking until they reached an empty corner of the ballroom.
The duo stayed in a comfortable silence as they stared out at the scene in front of them. The music had now changed into a more slow and relaxed tune. There were several couples waltzing on the glass dance floor. Reese watched as one man and woman twirled around gracefully. They had huge grins on their faces as they held one another. They looked at each other with such obvious love it was simply captivating. It was such a pure sight amidst the impure aura of the Ball that Reese couldn't help but smile.
"May I have this dance?"
Reese's attention left the mesmerizing couple as turned her head towards the boy standing beside her. Carver's hand was extended out as he looked down at her with his eyes twinkling with something she couldn't exactly pinpoint. His lips tugged into a small smile he only seemed to let out for her.
"You may." She teased as she placed her hand in his.
Hand in hand they made their way onto the dance floor. Reese interlaced their fingers together and placed her free hand on Carver's shoulder. Carver then wrapped his free arm around Reese's waist and held her close. They swayed to the melodic beat as they grinned wildly at each other.
"You look absolutely beautiful Reese."
Reese couldn't help but blush at Carver's words. He was looking at her with such an intense, but at the same time soft, gaze, it made her whole body heat up in flames. As she looked at the gorgeous boy in front of her, she was unable to control the smile playing on her lips.
"And you look incredibly handsome yourself." She whispered.
The all black fitted suit Carver wore looked positively perfect on his sculpted body. His hair had a minimal amount of product in it but it was enough to tame his messy brown locks. He wore glimmering silver chains that sat neatly around his neck and Reese had to physically stop herself from reaching up and fidgeting with them. They were just so beautiful, he was just so beautiful.
Carver's lips lifted into a smirk. He looked down at Reese in amusement.
"We're matching you know." He informed her. "All black outfits, silver and diamond jewellery, small drops of blood from a certain arsehole's nose." Reese laughed loudly. "We look like we came here together." He teased.
"One may even think we are a couple." Reese gasped in fake outrage.
Carver broke out into a huge smile before dipping his head so his lips grazed her ear. "And if we were?" He whispered.
A shiver ran down Reese's spine as she looked him directly in the eyes. "Then I would be really happy that my boyfriend was undoubtedly the sexiest guy on the dance floor."
Carver let go of Reese's waist and spun her in a circle. When she was facing him again he dipped her down and leaned close to her face.
"The sexiest guy huh?"
Reese smirked. "Don't tell Ren or Kade I said that. They might hurt you."
Carver laughed as he straightened Reese back into their original position once again. He was quiet for a few minutes before Reese felt his hand grip her hand a little tighter.
"Reese?" He questioned.
"Carver." She mimicked.
"Go out with me."
Reese's heart skipped a beat. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach viciously, effectively overpowering every other feeling she was experiencing. The pain in her ribs had vanished into thin air.
"I would love to."
Reese immediately noticed how Carver tightened his arm around her waist and pulled her even closer. "Good, because I wouldn't have taken no for an answer."
She dropped her forehead onto his chest as she laughed lightly. The duo stayed in that same position as they soaked up each other's warmth. They could have stayed there forever but they were interrupted by a frantic voice.
"Ree."
Reese lifted her head at the sound of Raf's voice. Carver stopped dancing and Reese hesitantly untangled her fingers from Carver's warm ones. "Yeah Raf?" She questioned semi-annoyedly. Raf moved closer to them and immediately the annoyance vanished from Reese's face. Her usually happy best friend was now looking at her with an expression he only wore when something was wrong. It was an expression she only saw a couple of times in her life but she was well versed with it.
"I'm sorry to interrupt but could I steal Reese for a minute?" Raf asked Carver.
Carver immediately nodded his head. "Of course. Is everything okay?"
Raf gave him a fake smile. "Yeah man, everything is fine." Reese could tell that Carver didn't buy Raf's lies by the way his eyebrows slightly furrowed. She was now fully alert.
"I'm really sorry Carver, I'll come find you later okay?" She assured him.
Carver gave her a small smile. "It's fine Reese, go handle what you need to handle. I'll be here."
With a nod of her head and a small smile as a response, Reese turned towards Raf who hurriedly grabbed her hand and led her away. Once they were a safe distance away from Carver, she tried to relieve her curiosity and growing concern.
"Raf what's wrong?"
Raf didn't stop moving. He hurriedly kept pulling her forward as he answered. "About thirty minutes ago your dad got a phone call and excused himself from the table so he could go answer it. He told us he would be back in five minutes and to make sure that you were fine, wherever you were. Eli, Simon and I saw you and Carver talking in some corner so we knew you were safe, the only problem was that it had been more than fifteen minutes and your dad still hadn't come back."
Reese felt her heartbeat pick up as Raf continued to explain.
"My dad called your dad like twenty times but the calls just kept going to voicemail. We then all split up to go find him. We searched the entire ballroom, every inch of this stupidly ginormous space and came up with nothing. It was only when Simon realized somebody else was missing that we figured we might have a real problem on our hands."
"What are you saying Raf?"
Raf stopped dead in his tracks and turned towards Reese with an uneasy expression. The expression on his face alone made her blood run cold and she knew the next words that were going to come out of his mouth were going to be colossally bad.
"Ree, Jonathon is missing and so are the Di Genova's."
_
I just wanted to take a moment to thank every single of you guys for your patience. You waited almost two weeks for this update and for that I am incredibly sorry. I am in the middle of midterm season right now, and the majority of my time is simply spent studying. I haven't been on Wattpad in weeks but just know how much I appreciate you guys and I really hope you liked the chapter.
Until next time,
-Eliza