Joy sat back in her chair with her legs crossed politely and her hair flowing in golden waves down her shoulders. She was in the corner of the room in an elegant black dress that dripped in both the front and back, just barely hanging on her shoulders by golden clasps worth more than most women's wedding rings. She didn't have to be a genius to know all eyes were on her. She was Clarissa Joy, whore turned housewife and one of the most beautiful women in the underworld of Chicago.
She knew what her sanding was. She knew all eyes were on her not out of respect, but out of either curiosity of what was under her dress of a jealous hatred for the power she had over them simply because she was pretty. The fact of the matter was this woman had a lot to think about but, at the moment, the only thing she could think of was the ruthless man in front of her.
Six feet of tanned skin wrapped around raw muscle. Eyes as green as grass hidden beneath long, wet lashes. And clean white teeth covered by pink lips moved into a perfect smirk.
This was the face of the man who ruled Chicago, the man who laid her down at night and used her as he pleased, the man who claimed he loved her and who she was supposed to love back, the man who terrified her more than any other to walk this earth.
This was the face of Sammy Vino.
"Where were you the other day?" His voice was just as smooth as the skin covering him but there was a calmness to it that was chilling. Joy knew no matter her answer, he would be upset with her. She'd left when she was instructed not too. And to make it worse, she left to see Ray.
Sammy slid his sculpted arms into the white fabric of his shirt, the buttons falling loosely in front go his chest and paling compared to his glowing skin. He turned, his eyes landing on her, and Joy swallowed. Fighting her bodies' command to stay still, she stood up with confident steps and strode over to him, the dress she wore falling behind her like a train. Her fingers were nimble as she reached for the buttons on his shirt and brought them together as they were meant to be.
"I went out with some friends. We partied a bit too hard and I crashed at Rowan's. Why, baby, did you miss me?" She was trying for seduction and, as she leaned in and just barely brushed her lips across Sammy's, to the others in the room she succeeded. Clarissa Joy was the walking definition of perfection and she knew it. She knew how to use the curves of her body, the pink of her lips, and the tone of her voice. She could have any man or woman fall to her feet in submission if she pleased.
Except Sammy Vino.
"You tell me you stayed the night at Charlie Brown's house and then ask me if I should be worried?" his green eyes traveled the expanse of her body before they met her blue ones and froze her where she stood. "Should I be?"
Joy swallowed the dryness in her throat. "He wouldn't hurt me, Sammy. He knows better."
For just a moment his eyes lit up and Joy watched as his lips split apart and he laughed, his chest vibrating under her hands. He gripped her by the dress on her waist and pulled her closer into him as he leaned forward, kissing the chill bumps on her neck before stopping to whisper, "It's not him hurting you that I'm worried about."
As often as Joy would deny it and as indifferent to her as he seemed, Sammy knew Joy was in love with Ray. He wasn't stupid and, despite his lack of understanding, Sammy was aware of how drawn to Ray women were. It didn't bother him really, it's not like Sammy was anywhere close to committed to Joy anyway, but there had to be some understanding there.
At the end of the day, Sammy Vino was the one who controlled Chicago. And no matter what his relationship was with Ray or Joy, he'd kill them both if he felt disrespected.
"Watch yourself Joy," he whispered, tucking a runaway strand of golden hair back into place, "don't get your lover boy in trouble." With a soft smile that promised consequences, he kissed her gently on her sweet lips and stepped away as one of the standing guards cleared their throats.
"He's here, sir."
"He knows his way around, tell him to meet me in the south wing."
With a nod from the guard, the room was silent again as Joy tried to compose herself and Sammy took his time dressing in a clean three piece suit. When he looked like a proper crime boss, he held out an arm and Joy was quick to latch onto him like the loyal whore she was trained to be. The couple walked out and into the elevator of the penthouse Sammy lived in and road it down in silence to the bottom floor. The doors were opened and two more guards stepped up to flank the three already surrounding them. They walked through the lobby and the public restaurant Sammy owned on the bottom floor. There they cut through the kitchen and down a long workers hall. After an elevator ride and a few more sets of stairs, yet another set of guards opened up the doors to the south wings of the building.
They didn't have to go far before the screams of the unfortunate were resonating off the steels walls. The guards faces were stoic, Sammy's was casual, and Joy's was forced. She didn't have enough fingers to count the amount of times she'd been down these halls with this man but even still, the chills that decorated her arms in small bumps were impossible to get rid of.
At the end of the hall they entered a room designed much like an office and sitting in front of the large modern desk was none other than Charlie Brown. He wore jeans and his leather jacket and to the looking eye and he looked like your average college kid. No one would guess that he was usually the one behind the screams they were hearing now.
"Charlie!" Sammy grinned, "so glad you could join us!"
Ray didn't stand in respect like most were accustomed to, just nodded in greeting. His eyes found Joy's briefly and she was quick to look away. If he cared, he would have been concerned by her out of character shyness but, Ray wasn't one to be concerned for the well being of others.
"Rowan told me you wanted to meet."
"Yes, yes, I did." Sammy shuffled behind the desk across from Ray and sat down, grinning like a happy businessman. He shuffled through a few papers before finding what he was looking for and placing it down in front of Ray.
"Fredderico Ines. Why is he still alive?"
If anyone else were being questioned by Sammy they would have been fidgeting and sweating out of their seat as they tried to give excuse after excuse. Ray simply starred at the picture before answering calmly, "I haven't caught him yet."
"Right. And thats because of-" Sammy fooled around with some more papers before dropping yet another in front of Ray, "-this girl, correct?"
The picture was of a cute brunette sitting at a table across from her best friend. She had a smile on her face and was completely oblivious to the camera watching her. Sammy dropped another picture down and in this was the same brunette only now she was walking down the street with her phone to her ear and smiling yet again. The third picture was of the brunette in class. The fourth of her waiting for the train. The fifth of her in her home.
That one caused a reaction from Ray. It was hardly there and you wouldn't have noticed it if you didn't know to watch his eyes, but they blue turned to a deep green before it seemed to darken even more. Joy clenched her jaw and swallowed, the atmosphere so thick now she could barely breathe without trembling.
"Take the men you have on her off."
Sammy grinned, as if Ray didn't just make a command.
"You still haven't answered my question Charlie Brown. Is this girl the reason my man isn't dead yet?"
"Take the men you have on her of-"
"You seem to have forgotten who's in charge here Ray."
"And you seem to have forgotten who needs who." With a clenched jaw and cold eyes Ray leaned forward in his seat and pushed all the pictures Sammy had sat in front of him back in his direction. "Fredderico Ines is not dead yet because you let him escape. He's leaving the south side, running towards the east where your friend has provided him shelter. He's threatening to sell your secrets and the men trying to kill you now are your enemies. Fredderico Ines is not dead yet because the opportunity has not presented itself. But when it does, you are going to need me."
"Are you threatening me Charlie Brown?" Sammy asked, the smile on his lips faltering for the first time during this meeting. Now it was Ray's turn to smile.
"I'm not stupid enough to threaten you Sammy, I know my place. I know who's the boss in this."
"Then what are you doing?"
"Stopping you before you make a mistake and turn a friend into an enemy. I'm on your side Sammy. You want me to kill, I kill for you. You want me to hunt, I hunt for you. Don't question my skills. And most of all, don't force my hand. I work for you willingly, you don't own me."
Ray latched his dark eyes onto Sammy's the Joy could feel the heat drop. Here sat the two most ruthless men in all of Chicago and for the first time in a long time, they were at each other's throats. To anyone with a brain, that should terrify them.
Ray stood up and Sammy didn't say anything to stop the boy from leaving. The guards watched and the bewildered look on their faces weren't hard to understand. No one, absolutely no one, spoke to Sammy like Ray just had. No one made their own rules in a meeting with him and no one just walked out before the were excused. In Chicago Sammy Vino was law and Ray had just broken at least twelve.
Yet all Sammy did was smile.
"Boss..." one of the guards spoke, his hand already on his gun and waiting for the order, "should we go after him?"
Sammy waved his hand dismissively and leaned back in his seat. "He'd kill you before you got within ten feet of him. No, james, don't kill him. Matter fact, do what he said. Take the men off the girl, leave her alone. Ray's gonna do his job."
"How are you so sure?"
"The same way he's sure that if he doesn't, I'll slit the girls throat. Contrary to popular belief, it seems like the infamous Charlie Brown has a heart after all."
Sammy leaned back in his seat with a satisfied grin on his face and with a chuckle, he turned and faced Joy. Not because he cared and wanted her to be on the same page as him. Not because he considered her a friend. Not even because she was pretty and it was easier to look at her and smile than a bunch of male guards.
No, he looked at Joy because he knew she knew he was right.
They'd just seen it for themselves that Charlie Brown had a heart, and it didn't beat for her.
"He was wrong in disrespecting me so bluntly though. The poor boy will have to be punished once he's done with this job. Joy, you have any suggestions sweetheart?"
With a steady jaw and a breaking heart, Joy stepped up smoothly to take her place at her man's side, facing the guards as she looked upon them with eyes of a woman scorned. She knew what she wanted done, and Sammy knew it too.
"This will be Charlie Brown's final job. When he's killed Fredderico Ines, kill him. Him and the girl."