High Card Bluff (House of Car...

Adrianna spent the week after the vacation trying to learn the Catwalk timing with the other models Honey had selected, realizing they had less than a month to get ready. Honey had given them 'mocks'; outfits similar enough so Adri could work on the transitions while the actual outfits were being built. Her only time not spent on Catwalk was spent on trying to decipher Jerred's little notebook, focusing on the problem she could try to solve.

Because despite her best efforts to remain practical, she had enjoyed all but fooling around with Tom during the vacation. The fact that Westley definitely had suspicious about it only warned Adri that she had a limited amount of time left to decide if she wanted a relationship with Tom. Once West talked she'd either be with Tom for real, or it'd all be over and done with. Part of her was afraid it was the adrenaline of it all getting to them; the slightly forbidden nature of it combined with the potential for danger, and some very real physical chemistry.

She certainly hadn't intended to date the Goon, though more as an act of self preservation; she'd away fiercely protected her private life. Which made her mother's drunken declaration about her type of birth control all the more mortifying. Both her mom and her grandmother had ended up pregnant teens from failed hormonal birth control and condoms alone, Adri wanted an IUD and used condoms for extra precautions, and had held very high standards for any lover to meet. Grace hadn't been wrong when she'd commented that it'd been a while since Adri had tried to date.

Adri has drawn up a pro and con list, trying to use logic to talk herself out of a crush since her psychology training hadn't prevented it in the first place. Only she found it very hard to write anything down at all; she knew Tomas' faults yes but not a damn single reason not to date him.

Fuck shit.

She focused back on the pictures of Jerred's notebook, starting with the picture of everyone's names from the Casino Royale Night. That made it feel like a day planner to her, but with no obvious dates, and most of it in code, she couldn't figure out the rest. The first handful of pages were code, then the Casino Night was normal, the last two dozen or so pages were back to code, except for the only page with a date on it that read May 24 Public. The last seven pages were back to code. Adri went back to the start and flipped through page by page; the Casino Royale Night was near the start and as she absently counted the pages the May 24 one was in fact the 24th page. 

Holy fuck.

[Think I may have just proven its a day planner] She texted the Goon even though it was a Friday and he'd be at work. They hadn't spoken since she's sent him the picture of her last pancake, but they'd both been working so it wasn't a surprise

[If you break in, bring food. I've officially found something I won't eat] and he sent a picture of something so terrible her brain didn't want to process it. [New chef boss hired; the French Canadian taco] she was seeing a poutine, on a taco; fries, cheese curds, gravy, shredded beef, salsa, lettuces, cheese, hard shell.

[Is that sour cream?] she was afraid to ask, it didn't look right.

[Mayonnaise] his answer made her gag a little.

She didn't reply right away, knowing she had the evening while he was stuck in a building with that thing being eaten. It took a little figuring, but Adri packed a few things, took some of the frozen leftovers she'd cooked, and slipped out of her parents' house without any hassle at all. The bus ride over was a little awkward but she'd managed worse trips with bigger bags. It was only after she'd put the food into the fridge and took a picture of it that she replied to let him know to expect her.

[Healthy shit?] he had the fucking nerve to ask.

[Beggar Kings can't be choosy ones] she hit send before thinking better of it.

[As long as its not the Poutaco I'm in] Tom's name for the food monstrosity made her laugh.

She'd timed it well, getting to his place not too long before he'd be done his shift. It was one thing to break in when she had studying to occupy her, it was another to have nothing more to do than store leftovers and wait.

Tom came in looking like Death, but since he worked at a goth bar that made sense. Due to his bulk Adri had seen him as a motley of masked murderers, often in a hockey mask or coveralls, but this one was new.

"Is that a cape?" She managed not to laugh.

"Cloak, the scythe I left at the bar.'' he corrected, sounding tired.

"How is that practical in a busy bar?" she could imagine the hassle, she'd done full couture gowns before.

He gave her a dark look, the anger not at her but close to the surface. "It's worse than you think Reinita, I had to carry the damn scythe with me as I served too."

"Who the fuck thought this was a good idea?" She could tell by his frustration that it wasn't him.

"Sybil," He spat the name out like she'd know it, but her confusion must have shown. "The boss."

"The one who hates you." He'd mentioned it once before. "If she hates you but approves of the Poutaco, then I worry for her taste."

Adri put down the leftovers at the kitchen seat for Tom while he changed in the bedroom; the shower quicker than the microwave. He came back out in the sweats he tended to sleep in here, and she sat at the shitty couch to eat her own plate.

"So what's this about the book being a day planner?" Tom swiftly ate, no comment made about the stir fry's heavy vegetable content.

"It has as many days of the month, extra pages at the back have been cut away." Adri pulled up her pictures to show him the last where the even line of cut pages showed someone had taken a knife to it carefully, there weren't torn out. "The Casino Night lines up to the day of the month it happened on, and the May 24 reference is the 24th page."

He ate and reviewed the pictures, not arguing with her logic. "It works, Jerred texted about this weekend." Now Tom turned his phone to her, showing an encoded page in comparison to his text message [You did well at poker, there may be a seat for you at Saturday's game; no business house party] with the usual GPS and time to arrive. The page of the book had the same date and location indicator, obvious now that she saw how he had strung all the numbers together in LONGITUDE/ DAY/LATITUDE/TIME without any punctuation. But the letters still didn't make any sense.

"So your James Bond routine continues," she focused back on Jerred's text.

"Did you bring an outfit or are we sneaking into Reaper's house after all?" Tom asked, and Adri laughed

"I have an outfit, why did he text so late?" She already gotten to Tom's by the time code on the text but she'd been cautious and had anticipated the need to have Saturday stuff with her.

Adri was tempted to leave a pair of black heels in the closet for convenience but knew that'd be crossing a line. Of course, Tom had actually left the spare toothbrush for her so she was almost convinced to try just to see what he'd say.

"New phone number, I came back to a card under the door." he explained, taking his plate to the sink to wash it. "The 'might be a seat' makes me feel like something happened to one of his guys," he added on after turning back to face her.

"Think Jerred made a place for you?" she couldn't help but worry what that could indicate was coming next.

"Maybe, we'll have to see how tomorrow goes," he replied pragmatically, which only made her worry more. "Every outcome tells us something."

Adri finished her own leftovers mechanically, rinsing the plate and wondering why she felt so awkward. "I still think Jerred's the 'look at me guy' and there's' someone else behind the scenes," she had to say it, even if she had no proof.

"I think so too." Tomas agreeing with her was almost surprising. "But that means this just got a whole lot more dangerous." He wasn't looking at her.

"I'll let the bad guys know I'm out then, I'm sure they'll care that I'm scared." She gave him an argument because if the damn fool thought for a second she'd let him leave her behind to keep her safe he didn't know her at all.

"Dri, if they're tracking my car and rearranging things to draw me in, whoever this unknown other person is will be watching us closely." He seemed ready to give her an out.

"Tomas, they've been watching us closely, or else why the Casino Royal invite? If Jerred was showing off to impress, he invited his best assets to do it with." She headed to the bathroom to use the toothbrush for her there, seeing the shirt she usually wore on the bed, as if he'd expected her to stay. It made Adri's belly get all fluttery, especially since they weren't quite arguing.

"If we're trying to collect information on the actual boss, we need to find Jerred's base of operations, that is not party work Reinita. That's 'make trackers we can hide on Jerred's car that he can't find' work," Tom waited for her to get changed before getting into bed and continuing his temperamental lecture, his exhaustion from a likely long day leaving him churlish.

"How do you plan to get a tracker on his car if not at a party?" She pointed out.

Tom was curled around her so she felt her whole body rumble when he almost growled. "Adrianna, I'm tired, my face hurts, and tomorrow we have to figure out how to use your little decipher on his book to determine our best chance to get a tracker on Jerred. Let me sleep."

Adri felt her mind start to try and break the problem into smaller pieces, refusing to let her sleep with a new issue to consider. It'd let her approach it with a little perspective; make It less overwhelming then 'track an unknown bad guy via his lackey who is also a bad guy'. But instead of that; Adri focused on how to get a tracker on Jerred's car when it was in the public eye constantly.

"Reinita," Tom grumbled in her ear and Adri's brain flat lined, "I can hear you thinking, stop it and sleep."

Well she wasn't thinking anything practical now and Adri hoped he was too tired to notice how her heart raced in reaction because Tom's hand was on her ribs. She focused on keeping her breaths steady and regular, letting it calm her back down; a damn near impossible task while in bed with Tomas again. This was getting ridiculous, but he was already asleep so she let the warmth radiating from him relax her into resting too.

In the morning her nose woke her, but it wasn't the usual smell. Instead of his typical Tigger routine, it seemed Tom had gotten up this morning and decided to convert some of the food she'd stuffed into the fridge into breakfast. Adri had taken over her own cooking years ago, and ended up doing so much bulk preparation her family just let her take over. Nate tried more creative recipes but Adri had never burned a meal so bad they threw out the pan. Tom seemed to be somewhere in the middle, as he made something vaguely breakfast-y, at least from what she could smell.

Adri decided to let him cook and used the shower, grateful to see conditioner in there. It'd make her life easier when showering here; the amount of damage her hair has had inflicted on it for work was alarming. She only shampooed it once a week or so, but washed it daily to try and work some conditioner or recovery oils in to keep it from frying. It gave her the chance to braid her hair up to let it air dry during the day, Dutch braids that kept it out of her way and suited the outfit that she'd brought for her night. She'd played it safe and stuck with a black body con dress in a fabric that didn't wrinkle even if she crumpled it in a ball and stuffed it in her purse; something she'd had to do for a looksee at a modelling Agency one. But since breakfast did not require party clothes, Adri instead got into her more simple shorts and shirt.

"So the trick to getting you out of bed without being sworn at is to have food ready to go and let you shower first. Good to know." Tom teased as he put a plate at the table for her.

Adri needed coffee; she almost told Tom that there was at least one other way to wake her up in a good mood. That was not something that needed to be shared at breakfast. "Coffee helps." She safely replied instead.

"You know exactly what I have here Reinita, so unless you snuck some in, we'll have to hit a Timmies." Since he was still in his sweats for sleeping, Tom clearly wasn't in a hurry for caffeine.

"Well go put on some clothes and I'll buy us some coffees then," Adri couldn't resist saying his comment from a few weeks ago.

Tom was leaning against the counter to eat, the look he was giving her warned that it was a good thing his mouth was full of food. It was a better look than the gray fatigue he'd had yesterday, so it was probably a good time to distract him with what she'd figured out for the tracker.

"It's probably going to be easier to get an intermittent tracker on Jerred's car than a permanent one," She'd done some research on trackers after their recent encounter with them, but she suspected he knew more about it than she did .

"I thought I was supposed to be the James Bond one?" Tom finished chewing before he spoke.

"You did look good in a suit, but so far I've done more actual spy work if you think about it." She had to point out, "Which actually is probably more like the real James Bond once you think about how the movies usually go, I just wish we had a convenient Q too; Molstad's busy with Honey and this is not something we can find at Best Buy."

"No, we'll use the one they slapped on me." Tom had finished eating already, "It's already hacked so I can trace it and they can't anymore, but it's meant to blend into a wheel well; Jerred's baby is freaking blood red."

How the hell did he hack a device the size of a bottle cap but flatter?

"Get a picture of the shade of red and we can match it; painting it is something I can do." Compared to some of the things she'd done in the VFX labs, a little painting would be easy.

"Same way you can build a set of robo legs so my padre can keep his?" Adri couldn't hide her shock, how the fuck had he found out?

"I didn't know I could do that until I had no choice but to do it." She wasn't sure what he knew outside of the deal,' build a replacement and keep the original'.

Tom put his plate on the table, giving her such an intense look that for a heartbeat she thought he was mad at her, but instead of getting to say what was on his mind, both their phones rang. Now they were both frowning; that was unusual timing. Adri grabbed her phone but Tom's was still in the bedroom.

"Dad? Is everything ok?" usually her parents left her alone on weekends. From inside the bedroom she could hear Tom having a nearly identical conversation with his mother.

"The James family has an announcement, they've called us all to come by today at lunch if possible?" her dad didn't sound worried, or like Reaper, so Adri felt herself relax.

"I can be there for lunch, do you have a clue what's going on?" She'd have Tom drop her near the bus stop by the James' house.

"West hasn't threatened to kill Nate so Grace isn't pregnant yet," Her dad's easy reply made her laugh; if he were making jokes no one suspected anything dire.

Adri's mind jumped to a couple of conclusions, and because she was at Tom's place and used to just speaking them out she blurted, "Ten bucks says its Ophelia."

Her father laughed, thinking she was only joking, it was a wild guess but Adri's mind was saying it was possible. Bad news got shared carefully, not in a big group like this; so it had to be good news in general. Nate and Grace were engaged already so it wasn't that, though maybe her brother had succumbed to the Spade-Vega young parent curse. But again, her gut warned that something like that wouldn't just be a James family announcement. Maddison and West hadn't been able to get pregnant more than the once, the chances of that being it was low, but maybe they were moving? Unlikely with Ophelia living with them to be near the hospital. So it was most likely to involve Ophelia herself, maybe not a pregnancy but she could be moving in with Colby, which was probably the most likely now that she'd thought about it again.

Apparently Tom had heard her comment though because he stood in his room and stared at her with amusement, still talking to his mom.

"You think Ophelia's pregnant?" her dad sounded doubtful but entertained by the idea.

"Actually I was going to say moving in with Colby, but I feel ridiculous so why not? Yes, put me down for $10 on it being Ophelia announcing she's pregnant." Adri was in a good mood despite the lack of coffee.

Now Tom was laughing in his bedroom, the sound carrying enough she worried her dad would ask about it. "Alright, its your money to lose." her dad said instead.

"I'll see you at noon dad." She got off the call while Tom seemed stuck on his.

She cleared the plates from their hasty breakfast, not listening in to his conversation but just listening to how his voice changed as Tom talked to his mom in Spanish. His voice was normally as big as he was, but because it was his mom he'd lightened and softened he tone, sounding happy. Briefly Adri wondered if was a curse of her name that made her went a Guerrero man.

"No madre, I will not be bring my Reinita to this " Tom's use of the term caught her focus and Adri almost laughed as he then followed up with, "It's complicated."

Adri couldn't help but smile at that, complicated indeed. It did make her wonder what Maya would say on the matter; probably some comment about it taking a generation to get there. She was a pragmatic woman who found a way through everything with her head held high, but had a sense of humor that could make anyone blush. It was probably safer to not know, given all of that.

"Adios madre." Tom finally managed to escape the call. "So both you and my mom think it has to do with the teach, this a women's intuition thing?"

"I guess we'll see at lunch." Adri was surprised her half joking comment was echoed by anyone else.

"This complicates things for tonight." Tom reminded, "I can't exactly give you a ride back to my place directly Reinita, Reaper is definitely going to offer you a lift home if you're bussing in." He closed the door to get dressed as they talked.

"I can always get ready at my parents place, walk to the bus stop and have you pick me up there Tomas; its how all my other boyfriends have avoided my parents." She had not meant to say it like that, but thankfully Tomas was laughing as he opened the door; dressed.

"They don't even know your padre is Reaper either; I know what kind of damage he'll do to me. And then there's your mom." Now she was laughing too. "It's a workable plan though, since you've already used it successfully in the past."

It felt better to have a plan in place, though she'd have to tell her parents she was going out on a date; otherwise she'd get roped in to some other activity once they had her home. Adri's parents were starting to realize they'd be empty nesters soon and it was doing weird things to both of them. It was all loving, but also cloying and frustrating.

"What time is it?" They always seemed to be asking each other that.

"Nine." Having the get together at noon really did complicate their day, the original plan was to go through Jerred's book and try to determine a date to plant the tracker.

"Let's go get coffee, figure out what we can until it's time; at least then it won't be a waste of the entire day." she planned.

Tom took them to one of the coffee houses near the James', close enough she could walk the rest of the way in less than 10 minutes, but hid them in a booth near the back so no one would recognize them sitting side by side. It was hard to concentrate at first, Tom's arm was across the back of the booth and his leg was against hers as they looked at her phone screen, but coffee helped her focus and soon enough the alarm on her phone was warning it was time to go.

"I'll be there long before you finish your walk," Tom teased her as Adri continued to look between the two dates they'd narrowed it down to. Today was the 'Public 24' party and Tom's late invitation to the poker game did feel like a good opportunity, but Jerred would likely check his car carefully after a public event. The next weekend where they'd get a chance would be right before Tom's birthday, after that everything was in a new notebook and Adri didn't have copies to help them plan. "Reinita, I need to go so you can come after." Tom caught her absent attention again, she was on the exit side of the booth.

"Yes Goon, see you soon." Adri didn't think about it, in autopilot as she put her phone in her pocket, save Tom a quick goodbye kiss, and scooted out of the booth to start walking. She made it to the door out before realizing what she'd done, and stubborn willpower kept her from stumbling as she walked out of view.

Despite all the logical arguments she'd given herself, Adri found herself reacting to Tomas like he was her boyfriend. His hugs were probably the best thing in the world and she thoroughly enjoyed the intensity of his affections so far; though a drunken, hands-y make out session on the hood of his Supra was insufficient data really. She wasn't certain if that thought was in support of gathering more, or how she shouldn't jump to conclusions, and it wasn't just the walk and coffee making her heart race by the time she'd reached the James'.

Grace opened the door to her, apparently Adri was the last to arrive, and Adri got pulled into a fully packed kitchen. Their island held her mother and father sitting up on it like teenagers, leaving West and Maddison up against the wall counters but not actually on them. Tomas' parents had seats at the kitchen table, the other two for Nate and Grace. Tomas stood in the space between the table and the island, leaving Adri only the entryway as Colby and Ophelia took the other doorway.

A quick look at the collective James' expressions just added to Adri's sense that her almost ridiculous guess was actually likely. Everyone looked, well, glowing with happiness, and none of it was directed at her brother and Grace so it wasn't them.

"As you all know, the doctors have found my experimental trials to be effective at slowing the progress of my cancer," Ophelia's hair had grown almost to her chin at this point, a soft white blonde that stood out in a room of brunettes and two redheads. Only Colby was blond, but he was gold to her platinum. "I had been encouraged, and have already gone through, a double mastectomy to remove the originating tumors." This was news to her and a few others, but not everyone if she caught the reactions right. "But beyond just giving me a new, unknown end date, it seems the combination of medications has had an... unexpected side effect."

Holy fuck, Adri felt her jar drop as she realized her guess was right. Ophelia's hand dropped to her belly as a small smile blossomed on her face. "I am about three months pregnant." Ophelia James announced and Adri saw Colby grinning in excitement behind her; as thrilled about it as Ophelia was.

Adri saw her dad hop off the island, and while everyone watched, he walked up to her and handed her a $10 bill. "How hell did you guess that?"

"Honestly, it was a gut instinct." Adri had to admit, "It's not me, Grace hasn't freaked out yet so its not her, all you parents are done while Honey and Molstad just started sleeping together so logic brought it down to this, or her moving in with Colby." she said to Ophelia's apparent delight.

"I'm surprised you were the only one to figure it out," Ophelia looked as tired as ever but happy, "Normally this is an observant group."

"I figured the news had to do with you, but I thought it was to move in with your man." Maya Guerrero pointed out.

"We live here and never noticed," Maddison James complained to West.

"I actively try not to think about my little sister having sex," West pointed out flatly.

After that everyone started talking at once, hugs and congratulates being laid upon the expecting parents. It was amazing news, not just because at this time last year everyone thought she would be in a very different condition by now.

"We were going to say something at the beach, but a different couple stole the spotlight," Colby took a friendly-ish dig at Nate, "without knowing so we waited for today."

"Out of all of us, I'm happy that its not my brother making the unexpected pregnancy announcement." Adri had to add in on that, making basically everyone laugh.

"We're planning to wait until after the wedding," Grace pouted out.

"You've had it planned for thirteen years, other then booking everything, it's not as far away as you think." Adri hadn't planned her own wedding, but she had gleefully helped Grace plan hers. "If you think I couldn't make it happen for this year, you don't know what I can do with a few days notice." Only Adri saw Tom laugh at that; the one person aware in the room.

"Easy girl, I know you have this whole superstition about planning your own wedding, but let me pick a date before you make mine happen for me." Grace pointed a finger at he warningly. "I know you're scarily efficient, I've made the mistake of trying to study with you before." To say that Grace and Adri did not have cohesive study styles was an understatement but they'd only ever had one social psychology class together.

"Wait, superstition?" The Irish Maddison seemed thrilled to hear it.

"It's not a superstition," Adri had to correct, "Unlike Grace, I needed to know my groom before I can plan a wedding to him; she's had everything but the date selected. Even back then we all just called Nate the groom. But wouldn't this be better directed at Colby and Ophelia given their condition?" she wisely redirected.

"October, of course." Ophelia had a response ready, even if there was no ring on her finger. "We're going to the courthouse for the legalities, but are planning a party for afterwards."

Adri found the idea practical for the pair, and it lacked the romantic flair she'd want for herself. "You'll be eight months by then, trying to repeat what my mom did with Nate?"

"No, currently I'm due mid November so we should be safe." Ophelia had waited to tell everyone for a reason, Adri's questions all had answers ready.

"If you're doing the fall Ball date," Grace took over the discussion and Adri found the kitchen reshuffled lightly from earlier, almost everyone in the same place. Tom was now standing in the entryway, tall enough to see over her head even with her standing right in front of him, and she tried to ignore the man behind her. "Won't it still be cutting things close?" Halloween weekend to mid November was only a couple of weeks.

"Potentially, but we both liked the symmetry." Colby answered this one.

"I guess welcome to the tribe is in order as well then." Tom offered to Colby, carefully stepping past Adri to go shake the man's hand, and even with every one of their families basically present Adri couldn't stop herself from slipping the lighter out the pocket as he passed.

No one noticed, too busy focusing on Ophelia and Colby and the sudden expansion to their relationship. Even Tom hadn't noticed yet, but that wasn't a surprise given that he hadn't caught her at it before. She was tempted to just start taking whatever was in his pocket and replacing it with something else to see if he'd start catching on then, but now was not the time to start.

As anticipated, Adri ended up leaving the James' with her parents and ended up back at her own room instead of Tomas'. To say that felt strange would belittle the settled jumble of her emotions as her parents avidly discussed the likelihood of Ophelia having her baby on her wedding like they had. She suspected they'd love the idea of it, the next generation starting their own families in a way that mirrored their own. Just without the trauma.

She wasn't surprised to see her dad pouring wine into glasses, and was happy to tell them she was out of the house all weekend again. Her parents were hit by the spark of romance, she did not need to be around for that.

There was still plenty of time to get ready, and having access to her own closet helped. House party and a poker game she may need to show up at called for something a little more intimidating than the safe dress she'd packed. Her day had been sweet but her night was supposed to be about getting information, so with the same ridiculous urge that had her guess Ophelia's news, Adri got dressed. Her leather pants were stolen from a shoot, astonishingly comfortable but looked painted on. At least the boots and top were different than they'd been from the night Adrien has slapped her; her own boots had a more manageable heel, and the top from her shoot had been too small of a cup size to be comfortable. This time she used a sheer looking black corset top, the bra cups opaque but the fabric under gave a hint of skin, and instead of a nylon rope tying it, the satin ribbon matched the piping on the boning seams. She undid her hair, a mass of waves from drying braided, and she only pulled some back from the temples to keep it out of her face.

Unfortunately the pants had no pockets, so she once again used her bra to hide the lighter and joint tube, her clutch too obvious. At least she wasn't waiting on a phone call and could leave her cell in there tonight. [Ready for a pick up] she texted to Tomas before slipping out of the house while her parents flirted over wine.

She didn't even get to walk all the way to the bus stop, the Supra growling to the curb almost outside her parents' door, the window was already down. "Get in the goddam car Reinita," he sounded almost mad and Adri frowned at Tom after sliding into the passenger seat. "You clearly have no idea what your ass looks like walking in those pants."

"I don't get to see myself from that angle too often, but I'm not the one who often seems to have their head up their ass," She'd been in a good mood right up until then.

"Dri, you're the hottest woman there without leather pants made by the devil himself to cup your ass like sin," she was too impressed to be embarrassed at the imagery Tom's words invoked. "Jerred already has his eyes on you, are you trying to draw the attention of the powers-that-be too? I can't be in two places to deal with Jerred and watch your back."

"And you think my pants are to blame?" Adri understood his concern but fighting with Tom was a lifelong habit.

"I'm blaming those pants specifically, yes," he insisted with a straight face but the whole thing felt like a joke almost.

She just let it be and stayed silent until they arrived at Jerred's latest rented address, surprised to see a smaller May 24 party than his own sister's birthday had been. It was more like the house party where she'd been introduced as 'Tom's girl', a huge one 온라인카지노게임 home with an actual garden path in the landscape around the building.

They parked, and despite their bickering earlier Tom once again walked with his hand on her back. As with the last time she'd worn a corset, Tom seemed to reflexively finger the texture difference between the scratchy sheer fabric and the soft satin ribbon; sending goose bumps across her skin because his palm was all but on her ass while doing so. It drove her to distraction and kept her on edge at the same time, making it almost a relief to see Leanne wave at her just inside the entrance. But before Adri could take a step away from Tomas, suddenly she head a sharp crack and felt the slap to her ass as he got her complete attention.

"Blame the pants, I am." He grinned at her like she wouldn't get him back for that little stunt.

"Tomas," instead of sounding angry Adri pitched her tone to be a pleasant purr while she started step one. He hadn't noticed she'd stolen his lighter already, so she was going to replace it in his pocket with something else. To do that she needed to get close to him right now. "Keep in mind that I will get you back," she put her hand on his chest as a distraction and slid the small object into his pocket while he focused on her threat, "and you have no idea when or how. So consider if a little slap to my ass is really worth it." She fought to keep her voice steady as Tomas used her move to curl his arms around her hips.

"Why do you think I'm blaming the pants Reinita? "he didn't seem worried.

"I will get you back Tomas." She warned one last time, "Your poker is out in the yard, I'll be in with Leanne and keeping an eye on you."

He just smirked at her and opened his arms so she could go. But as she turned to walk away, once again she felt a solid slap to the ass in the exact same spot. It actually stung. She spun to smack his arm but Tom seemed to expect it, this time he kept his hand on her ass and used her own spin to pull her into a kiss with his other hand sunk into her hair. Holy fuck that man drove her nuts, her entire body pressed into the kiss and she took his damn keys to prove a point. When his hand on her ass squeezed gently, Adri horrified herself by making a noise that was more arousal then anger. Thankfully his hands left their respective holds and she was able to flee towards where Leanne was catching the show they'd just put on.

"Wow, I need a drink, do you need a drink because after that I certainly felt flushed." Leanne winked at Adri's too obvious reaction.

"I want to say he likes my pants, but not that I wore them here." Adri hazarded, usually better at reading Tom then she felt right now.

"Do you blame him, those pants are criminal." Leanne agreed, handing Adri a sealed blue drink she was all too familiar with. Her reaction had spoken for her, so Adri could deny all she wanted but anyone that had eyes could see she didn't mind at all.

She looked to see Tom with a beer in hand, sitting at a some what smaller poker table than she'd been expecting given the usual state of things. Instead of the dozen or so players per table she had seen at the Casino night, tonight it was eight guys outside of Tom, and they all had drinks in hand already with minimal chips bet.

"So why is the party weekend of spring such an... intimate affair?" Adri couldn't spot anyone who seemed to be more than one of the usual partiers, so it didn't feel like another show off event.

"Well last weekend was a bust; huge fight occurred and Jerred pulled the party to this size to control it better. His boss was not pleased to hear that the cops ended up at the party. Looks bad for business." Leanne didn't hesitate to explain.

"There were too many eager idiots," one of the other ladies, Sisi, complained, teeth and tongue already blue from the drinks, "It happens like every four months or so, bad blood and business always means someone leaves angry."

"You're just mad because your William got his ass beat," A woman named Sharon mocked.

"Like you'd take it well if Shawn had his face looking like hamburger?" Sisi refuted and Adri looked over at the poker table to see who the beat up William was.

She spotted the man who'd tried to crash her and Tom weeks ago, but he wasn't the only one wearing heavy bruising. Sunglasses hid a fair amount of damage on several of them, even a week leaving some fading greens and yellows on the paler men. It hadn't been a one on one issue then, it looked like a brawl had taken several of them victim.

"What spurred a fight like that?" Adri asked both because she wanted information, and to distract herself from watching the game too closely. She was Tomas' hidden informant here, but that didn't mean the others weren't doing the same with their women.

"Someone overstepped his bounds," blue tongue seemed to be spoiling for her own fight but no one was taking the bait directly, "William would have handled it everyone else hadn't gotten involved."

"Jerred stopped it as soon as he could, Will is lucky to still have a seat at the table," only Leanne was safe from miss blue's bad attitude.

"No offense to your stepbrother, but there are some recent additions to the table that both Will and I find lacking a certain prestige." If Adri wasn't mistaken, Sisi was tally a dig at Tomas.

"Sisi, be careful with your mouth; its moving," Adri smiled as she said it and took a drink.

"Oh fuck off, just 'cause your man got an invite, it doesn't make you worth shit here until he proves himself." Sisi spat, apparently thinking Adri would make an easy target.

Adrianna smiled as the other women braced for the fallout, not knowing how she was going to react. She finished her drink and set the bottle down. "Don't mind me fucking off, it's not like you're good company Sisi. Ladies, would you like to join me somewhere the air is a little fresher?" Adri had dealt with actual divas, a bitchy rude girlfriend was easy in comparison.

Leanne linked arms with her and walked away, Sharon a step behind as they seemed heartily sick of Sisi's combative mood. A few others followed as well, leaving the blue tongued bitch a solo supporter to snarl at. That would likely be a problem for her to deal with at some point, but Adri knew it was inevitable. She'd slapped the woman's man in public, it wasn't even personal but a point of loyalty.

"I like having you and your man around Adri, its so refreshing," Sharon laughed, a little more vicious seeming than Leanne tended to be.

"Which one was yours again?" Adri scanned the table as they stepped outside, trying not to be obvious.

"Shawn, the redheaded one." He had no bruises and Adri saw Sharon glowing with pride in her man.

"Smart looking man." Adri complimented; he was a fair fellow, not as pale as Ophelia but few were, and not getting into a brawl last week spoke for him.

"Shawn's fighting Irish, but he knows a bad rumble when it starts," Sharon grinned.

"I know a couple of reds like that," Adri admitted, seeing Tom watching them as the ladies casually walked around, drinking.

Her drink was done, his beer was empty, and Tom looked bored, so Adri decided to go for step 2 of her revenge for those slaps. She made eye contact with him, then reached up to her corset top and pulled the tube free from its hiding spot; she opened it and had the joint to her lips in a smooth motion. Tom grinned, tapping he pocket and feeling something there, but his devilish grin died as Adri then pulled his lighter out of the other cup. Adri lit the joint, trying not to laugh as he frowned and reached into his pocket to pull out her lipstick tube. So she turned her palm up to the air with the lighter on it in silent invitation. He countered by gesturing at the table slightly and then giving her the same palm up 'shall we' gesture he had at the Casino Royal night.

"How long have you two been together? That was a whole conversation," Leanne laughed; catching the little display.

"I think I have been fighting with this man my entire life; but together? Long enough to know I'm supposed to go over there now." She tried to deflect, knowing in a crowd like this that someone was bound to be listening in if possible, and headed over there Tom waited.

"You have blue lips again Reinita," Tom ignored the poker he was playing to watch her approach and it gave her butterflies she had to ignore.

"And what are you going to do about it?" She switched to Spanish and offered him the joint. It was easier to ignore the men at the table when she stuck to Tom's native language, though Adri could never escape the slimy feel of Jerred's eyes on her.

"Not a lot at this table," his warning got her blood pumping but not through fear, "but I have a few ideas." He shifted position slightly, and with a carefully controlled yank Adri was suddenly on Tom's lap with her legs trapped between his knees.

Normally he wasn't this flirtatious until after a few drinks or a full joint, but she didn't say anything where others might hear. He'd explained about not knowing if they spoke Spanish too. Tom's arm was over her shoulder, offering the joint back and he was playing his next round of poker like this were entirely normal. She hadn't intended it, but her inclusion by Tom brought the other girlfriends over, even sullen Sisi lingering by her man.

"Maybe you ladies can help us settle this debate," one of Jerred's posse, Forest, asked with his women Terra leaning over his shoulder, "out of the race cars present, which do you think is the easiest to drive? Not best, but easiest if you ladies were to try to race them?"

Tom's hand has returned to absently play with the texture differences of her outfit, both those on the corset itself, and her leather pants. But with the question his hand froze though she saw no other signs of his attention on the question.

"I don't think any of us have driven enough of those to know," Leanne pointed out with a laugh, the only one not on a guy as she stood more like her step-brother's advisor.

"You could find out," Will called out, almost challenging, "I'd be willing to bet my Sisi is able to drive any of these other bitches off the road in a heartbeat."

"It wouldn't even be hard," Sisi added on with an arrogant smirk, "considering how some of their men drive."

"Why are they trying to goad the women into racing?" Adri focused on Tom instead of the insulting duo.

"Saving face, I got the seat at the table because a few idiots couldn't get over their egos this week," Tom replied, finishing the joint and flicking open a new beer.

While they'd whispered in Spanish, Sharon had been telling Sisi and Will exactly what she thought of the idea, "Maybe if Shawn and I had something to prove it'd be a bet worth taking Sisi, but nothing you could ante would make it worth the effort."

"I came here to drink and dance, not drive," Leanne shut it down before Adri had to wonder if she was going to race tonight, "so with that in mind, shall I get you ladies a round of red, or blue?"

"Might as well keep to blue, your lips are already sapphire," Tom teased in English.

"Since I'm not racing your Supra, I might as well." She taunted right back, "I'll help you collect them all Leanne," Adri felt Tom's hand slide down her ass and back of her thigh as she stood to help her friend, and she stepped away without a further word.

It gave her a chance to talk to Leanne on their own as they collected the drinks; planning ahead and bringing the whole lot of them in a cooler with ice. The poker was outside, but there was once again music with people dancing constantly, a hot tub instead of a pool this time, and even with less people than the last house party, they had to maneuver the cooler around crowds constantly.

"So what really happened, Sisi and Will are too damn sore for it to be a simple brawl," Adri took her chance to ask.

Leanne put her side of the cooler down so Adri had to as well. "Jerred throws these parties as a way to work some business while having fun," this wasn't news but Adri held her tongue. "Sometimes one of the guys is able to... take over jobs someone else used to do."

Adri was actually happy that Leanne was being vague; it let her know the woman wasn't an empty headed gossip. She liked the friendly blonde, which would probably leave her lonely later once this all ended, but for now it felt good to have someone not underestimate her intelligence. Leanne had given her enough to work with; William hadn't started the fight, or else he'd be gone from the table, but he'd been on the losing side of the fight as evidenced by his attitude. Winners don't have something to prove and that man's ego was raw. The guy who'd lost business was probably the one ejected from tonight's game, but Adri couldn't tell which guy had successfully moved up their social ladder.

"The winner's not here tonight? "Adri realized and Leanne smiled at her.

"The cost of business; he wanted the work, now he has to deliver," Leanne now looked uncomfortable at her own accidental word choice, a note Adri fled in her head for later, "as do we, lets get these drinks to the ladies."

They once again picked up the cooler and carried it out to the poker table, garnering cheers at the smart move, there was beer in it as well as those blue drinks. Adri was setting it down with Leanne, fairly close to where they were sitting since they'd done the work, and as she was bent over she once again felt the crack of a hand slapping her ass.

She spun to slap Tom right back, hearing the table all laughing at their actions, but he caught her wrist and pulled forwards, his other hand grabbing her ass. Adri found herself straddling Tom's lap, chest to chest as he kissed her. The laughs continued, though some turned to catcalls and whistles. His one hand stayed on her ass, the other left her wrist to grip behind her neck as if she was going to pull away. Adri almost melted into it, the angry tension in his body warning that someone had said something to raise his ire and that this was as much to prove a point as it was anything else.

"Feel better now?" Adri sounded a little breathy and tried to rattle her scattered thoughts back together. HIs hand left her neck and came to rest on her ribs, thumb resting almost against her breast and Adri felt her skin flush.

"Jesus Christ do you two ever stop?" Sisi demanded with distaste.

"Sisi, if you think this has even started yet you need a new definition of foreplay," Adri managed to say that while straddling Tom's lap, and looked at the woman in question; almost missing Tom's grin in response.

But she did stand from the aggressively intimate position and grabbed herself a drink from the cooler. They were all still sealed, so she was safe to grab any of the blue drinks, seeing Tom still working on his beer. His palm turned up on his thigh as he caught her looking towards him, and she was back on his lap a moment later, his knee caught between her while he used one hand for the card game.

It didn't take long for the game to grow boring to the audience, and even Adri found herself eager to join as Leanne led the ladies back to the dance floor. They stayed out by the speakers this time, the cooler of drinks slowly dwindling, and the game going on forever as the guys talked more than they bet once the ladies had left.

Unfortunately Sisi had rejoined their group as they danced, the irate woman constantly glaring daggers at Adri. Adri had to wonder if Tomas joining the table threatened William's status somehow, it would help explain some of the constant hostility. Leanne and Adri danced mostly together, drinks safe between them for the night, and she actually enjoyed herself. Unlike at a club, here the guys knew to give these ladies a safe space, and with Tom still pretending to drink a second beer she knew he was keeping an eye on her too. Considering the fact that the last time she'd had these blue drinks she'd ended up sick the next day, Adri had paced her drinks out to be safe as well. But she may have had just enough to drink to act before really thinking.

Because as the poker game ended and their men came towards them, Sisi used the chance to loudly insult Tom, "I guess Jerred really is letting that piece of garbage to the table just so they can all stare at your ass," Adri didn't think; she grabbed Sisi's bun and pulled backwards at the same time as she swept the women's legs out from under her and topped Sisi to the floor.

Adri had her knee pressed to her collarbone in a textbook execution of a move her instructor had drilled onto her, and calmly warned, "The only person allowed to insult Tom is me, you will keep respectful or be reminded." And she finished her drink before getting off the other woman and stood to see Tomas and the others all staring in shock.

So she offered Tomas her hand, "Shall we?" It was definitely time to go.

"Absolutely Reinita," Tom took her hand, getting her out of the party and to the Supra before Sisi could get to her feet and come after her.

Once safely away to the Supra, Tom started laughing as they stood at the passenger door. Adri leaned back against the car, "I have your keys," she had to get them out of her purse while he kept laughing.

"And I have your lipstick, but you are definitely blue now Dri," Instead of giving the lipstick back, Tom kissed her, and Adri gladly curled her arms around his neck.

Like the last time he had her against the car like this, Tom's hands wandered, a light distracting touch over the boning of her corset and the ribbons on the back, only to dare a thumb across the front fabric covered nipple that pulled a surprised sound from her as it was the one she had pierced. When he deliberately flicked the side of her piercing a second later, Adri's brain again flat lined as she realized he somehow knew about it. She had a simple, straight bar, not ostentatious, and something she'd definitely thought no one knew of.

"We are not having sex against the side of your car in public," Adri found her voice saying only after Tom's mouth had dropped from hers to the exposed mound of her breast, his hands staying on the leather of her pants.

"We are not having sex at all if you've had enough to drink to be throwing women on the floor Reinita," Tom spoke with his lips tracking back up her neck in little kisses and kept her from arguing by taking her mouth with his again.

She wasn't even certain if she was going to argue the no sex part, or the fact that she'd only taken Sisi down because the woman deserved it. No one was surprised when Nate had inherited their father's protectiveness towards their loved ones, but they all seemed to forget that Adrianna did too.

"Car, home, water." Adri finally got her common sense working again, desperately aroused and aware that this was a terrible idea all around.

"Yes, yes, good idea," Tom seemed reluctant to step back, and all but stalked around the car to get in while Adri slid into the passenger seat.

The tension that had built up between them eased off as the drive forced his attention on the road, and gave Adri the time to calm down. "Leanne indicated that the fight last week was business related, or that someone stole another guy's 'job'. From the sounds of it, he was out of the party tonight to do that job,'' she ignored what had happened to focus on what she'd learned.

"So the parties are a distraction; Jerred's here while the rest of the anglerfish is hidden in the dark water behind him," Tom caught on immediately.

"He picks the guys for the jobs and submits their names up to those who need the person and the job, then Jerred hosts a party. But then why move around so much?" Adri tried to figure, still not understanding the locations Jerred's parties were at.

"We may get our chance to find out, he's calling," Tom indicated his cell in the cupholder where it was flashing Jerred's name. "Answer it for me; you seem to be full of surprises tonight and I want to keep him off balance."

So Adri picked up Tomas' phone, answering Jerred's call, "Hello Jerred, to what does Tomas owe the pleasure of your call?" she set it to speaker.

"Adrianna," Jerred sounded surprised but pleased to hear her voice, "if I'd known calling Lucky Tom would let me talk to you I'd have stopped texting him long ago."

She could see Tom frowning as he drove, but since he wanted her to keep Jerred off balance, Adri decided to go for it, "Well right now his hands, and focus, are quite occupied, so this once you'll have to go through me; sorry Jerred. I'm certain a man like you understands." Adri had used innuendo and false flirtation as part of her arsenal for years, and she saw Tom look at her instead of the road for too long, so she pushed his jaw to look where they were going.

Jerred was laughing and it made her skin crawl. "Oh can I ever understand, he's Lucky Tom for a reason!" Apparently Tom had a new nickname, "Well when Tom isn't tied up elsewhere, tell him to call me about going over some long distance business cars for me tomorrow."

"Any particular time, or do we have awhile to play still?" Adri was in full model mode, nothing of what she said or how she was saying it touched her for real. But Jerred would never know it, her ability to fake it convincing enough to have fooled everyone for years.

Her question elicited a audible swallow from Jerred, and another quick stare from Tom that she ignored. "Unfortunately I have afternoon business out of the city, so I'll have to steal him away from you fairly early in the morning."

"Well that just means you owe me Jerred; Sundays are supposed to be for resting. Even God rested on Sunday," She took him for one of those absently faithful people.

Tom was parking the Supra as Jerred once again laughed at her audacity. "Oh Adrianna, how good you would have been for me. You tell your Tomas 9 am tomorrow, same place as last time, and let him come out; in return he'll have a seat at the real game next Saturday where important business that'll make him a lot of money is discussed. How does that sound?"

She suspected he was going to do that anyways, but Adri knew this was what Tomas was angling for. "It's your money to lose, "she obliquely accepted. "Now I really do need to go if our time is so limited, goodnight Jerred." she hung up and looked at Tom, "was that about what you were expecting?"

He was laughing; arms folded against the steering wheel and his face buried against them. "For damn near two months, he can't even remember my goddamn name. Now I'm Lucky fucking Tom and going to play his table. And all it took was the brat implying I was tied to her bed," He got out of the car after that statement.

"Why Lucky Tom? Did you win that much today?" they were heading upstairs finally.

Tom gave her a funny look, like he was amused at her question and frustrated by it, all at once. "Dri when you left the table to go get drinks with Leanne, the fuckface decided to say 'if she fucks as good as she looks in those pants, you're Lucky Tom and I get why you put up with her mouthiness!"

That would explain Tom's little demonstration on her return then, and even Sisi's hostility at the end. "And now you're Lucky Tom and you didn't even have to get tied to my bed," she pointed out and picked the lock before Tom could stop laughing long enough to get his keys ready.

"How many of those blue things did you have?" he walked right to the sink and poured her a glass of water even as he asked.

"Only six; as long as I don't have half a bottle of wine on top of it I should be fine with some water." she took the glass from him, glad to be able to put her boots in the closet. The heel was more reasonable but her feet still hurt.

"Aren't they like 15% alcohol each?" he pointed out and headed into the bedroom to switch into sweats.

"I wasn't driving," she spoke through the door, "Besides, I knew I was safe to let loose a little; I have you." she pointed out, leaning against the door frame as she spoke.

Tom opened his bedroom door and gave her a serious look for a moment, "Yes, you do. But at 15% each and a half dozen, that means right now you get water, shower and bed. Or else tomorrow is still going to suck a bit, and I have a job to do."

Adri felt like she'd missed a part of the conversation, but couldn't figure it out so instead she raised her empty waters glass as evidence. "Step one is done, you're standing in the way of two and three."

He smiled and took the glass from her, stepping past her to bring it to the kitchen while leaving her the room. Once again her shirt to sleep in was waiting on the bed, so she gladly stripped out of corset and leather pants; having a giggle when the lighter and tube fell to the floor because she'd forgotten them. Everything was picked up and set on the dresser, Adri took her night shirt in with her and showered, getting right into the bed after. Tom joined her not too long later, once again curling around her so they could both sleep.

Adri woke to Tom in the shower, her cell phone ringing, and thankfully no trace of a hangover. Her tongue was probably still blue though. She answered her phone, "Nate? Why are you calling me at 8:30am on a Sunday?" she hoped everything was ok with Grace.

"Because you're once again not home all weekend," Nate teased, too cheery to be worried about anything so Adri relaxed.

"It seemed like a good idea to leave mom and dad the house for romance given the wine they were getting into when I left. If you're there this morning either things are more tame than our parents are capable of, or they're still asleep and you're risking death by talking too loud." She pointed out and heard the shower stop.

"I like to live dangerously," her brother immediately joked, and as Tom stepped out of the bathroom in jeans with his chest bare, she understood the sentiment.

'Nate' Adri mouthed the word and pointed at her cell as Tom frowned the question at her. He pointed at his wrist to remind her that he had somewhere to be, even as her brother kept talking about the dangers of rousing their likely hangover parents. She nodded at Tom, aware he had to meet Jerred at 9, and made positive 'mhm' noises as required to Nate. Adri absently listened as Nate slowly got to the point, unable to not watch as Tom sat on the side of the bed to pull his socks on. His torso was bare, leaving her wanting to run her hand down Tom's back. 

When he turned to face her, Adri nearly had her hand out to do it; a terrible idea really so it was good he'd turned. Tom pointed at his wrist again, then jerked his head to the door so Adri nodded; he had to get going or be late. On the phone, Nate was finally reminding her that he was out of town all this week for a photography job, but he'd be back for Tom's birthday. And that while he was away he had managed to line up a job opportunity for Adri. Tom was pointing at her and then down, trying to ask a question, so Adri mouthed 'will I stay here?' and he nodded. 'In the bed?" she mouthed the words to be a smartass and replied to Nate out loud as Tom pulled a shirt on, "You lined me up a shoot?" that wasn't like him.

Tom was giving her a flat look while she talked, this time mouthing his own question in return, 'will you wait for me at the apartment?' On the phone Nate answered her question with, "Yeah, though technically my job is lining this up for you." She nodded yes to Tom, getting a quick grin from him before he pressed a brief kiss to a lips, and left without another not-word. Adri was blinking in surprise, blushing and almost missed her brother's next comment.

"The boss realized you're my little sister and asked if I could get you to come down to do some goth type pictures for the bar; Sybil's a bitch but the place is her baby so she pays well, and its a single day shoot. If you're up for it, she's thinking this Monday or Tuesday if possible."

"Yeah I could that, Monday would be better as I like to work with Honey until she's busy with Molstad for date night." Adri had done a 'goth shoot' before; the only difference between it and a lingerie shoot had been a few layers of mesh. It was good Nate wouldn't be there for it.

"Thanks, and try not to kill Tom while you two are in the same building, he already has to deal with Sybil all week," Nate begged at Adri almost laughed, knowing that Monday was going to be very interesting.

"Oh I can promise nothing Nate, you know how the Goon and I are," He didn't, not anymore. Unlike Nate and Grace this thing between her and Tom was entirely unexpected.

Unexpected but apparently inevitable because she wanted to be with Tom a little more than she should. And he seemed to like having her around just as much, but she felt cautiously hesitant to get her hopes up. Yes there seemed to be some attraction between them, but he was right to fear the reactions of their families. Everyone had expectations for both of them; it was a lot to consider.

"Well do your best to not draw blood at least," Nate joked, unaware of Adri's churning nerves.

"We both know that man could put me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes," he'd done it a couple of times already actually, "I tend towards a swift kick to the balls, or flatten their nose."

"So I've heard," Nate wasn't laughing as much now, "I've asked around about how often you've had to deal with things on your own," fuck-shit, "Adri, why didn't you tell me it was getting bad?"

"Define bad," she couldn't help demanding, "I have work, I make great money, and all I have to do is ignore the come-ons and keep them from getting too handsy."

"Adrianna," Nate used her full name, he was pissed. "You shouldn't have to deal with creeps like its an everyday thing!"

"Tell me something I don't know!" Adri got mad right back. "But unless you can give me a job I can do where I wont have to deal with that, this is what I've got."

"How many guys have I worked with, been friendly to, that have tried to molest my little sister?" Nate didn't want to know the answer to that.

"Nate, what did you think it was like to be the girl guys like to hit on?" she had to deflect from answering his question because he'd want to know who next.

"Fuck," his curse was angry and sharp. "Goddammit Adri, you don't want to tell me, too bad. I deserve to at least know which of my so called friends is a creep."

"Fine, at least three guys you used to go for drinks with; John, Clyde, and Darren. One tried cornering me, one followed me around for a week, and one sent me pictures of his dick. Moreover, the designer for the shoot you're on this week has offered to let me be one of his top models in catwalks, as long as he gets to top this model in return," she needed to shut up but for some reason Adri couldn't stop. "And we haven't even gotten to the male models we both work with who take liberties during shoots because if I make a commotion about it, I'm the one who's reputation suffers for being hard to work with."

"Is it every shoot? "Nate sounded sad and Adri felt like a heel, and like crying.

"No, but it's turned into more often than not over the last while." Adrien slapping her had been the most violent, but men like Desmond Pope seemed to find her reputation as a direct challenge more and more.

"And how do you usually handle it?" Now Nate sounded like their father and that was a bad sign.

"Nate," her tone tuned warning, "don't do anything stupid. A lot of these I dealt with by giving them the chance to apologize and it ended there. Some times I had to do like I did with Prescott." The closest to really bad had been Adrien trying use her as a betting chip at poker, and once again she'd handled it. And now she had Tom to watch her back, but she couldn't tell Nate that.

"You weren't ever going to tell any of us it was like this, were you?" he sounded less dangerous and more sad again.

"I didn't want anyone to worry," she had to explain, maybe then he wouldn't sound so hurt, "I'm the one that chose to work as a model, I know it means I don't really get to complain about the downsides."

"There's a difference between whining about a bad day and letting your family know your being routinely harassed!" If Nate was yelling her parents must be able to hear him.

"Nate, are you still at mom and dads?" her question silenced his tirade, meaning he was, "they have heard every word you've said haven't they?"

"Probably everything since I laughed," Nate sounded apologetic.

"So only the worst pants. Well thank you for making my life extremely uncomfortable for the week you're conveniently way." She pinched the bridge of her nose, needing coffee. "Just tell me who the photographer for Monday is as soon as you find out, I can deal with the rest."

"I'm sorry Ads," her brother sounded contrite, "but you also should have told us when it started."

Adri sighed, "Well I can't change the past Nathaniel so we're stuck with what we've got. Have a good trip, I hope you shoot goes well."

"Sorry I added to your shit pile Adri, but at least you can ask Tom to give you a ride on Monday, he has to go in any ways and can grab you." Nate tried to cheer her up.

"Good plan," she agreed, planning to stay here again for the night if Tom didn't mind. She could hear her brother muffling the phone to talk to their parents, but couldn't hear what was said.

"Gotta go, love you, good luck!" Her brother said in a rush before hanging up, the only warning that her parents were probably demanding to talk with her.

Adri saw a missed text from Tom, even as her phone rang again, this time her parents. Fuck-shit. She answered the call on speaker so she could read the text at the same time.

[I bought coffee, check cupboards]

"Adri, what was your brother talking about?" Her mother's voice, dad must be too angry to talk.

Adri sighed, "Assholes at work. It's ok mom, its nothing like you guys."

"That doesn't make it alright," Alice Spade Vega had faced assault and abuse, and built a life and love from it that nothing could shake; Adri envied her mother's ability to have an utter certainty like that. "You remember what Maya said on the beach?"

"That I'm loved by people capable of terrible things?" Adri replied immediately.

"Basically," her mom agreed, "You can't expect a bunch of people known for some interesting reactions to have calm responses once learning you've been routinely harassed or molested at work. This is all old news to you Adrianna, but the rest of us; we're still adjusting."

"Just get a list of names Corazon," Adri heard her father demands from her mom, "Carlitos, West, and I can just go talk to them."

"Malcolm, let me handle this," her mom didn't successfully muffle the phone, "Adri ignore your father," she spoke into the line.

[You have no idea how badly I need the coffee] Adri texted Tom as she heard her parents have their own conversation on the other side, going to the kitten to make the blessed coffee.

"Mom, just tell dad I don't have a list," She tried to be patient; just the smell of it brewing helped her feel more awake to handle the shit her day had turned to.

"Who won't you work with again?" Her mom countered. "The names that just popped into your head are the ones I am concerned with; but I don't need to know them yet." Her dad swore at that.

Fuck-shit.

A couple of names did pop into her head at her mom's question, the guys that had bothered her the most or the worst offenders. Like Jace Prescott, Desmond Pope, and Adrien Vegas; but there were more.

[Bad news?] Tom texted back as the water finally boiled.

Her mom continued, "You said you've handled the issues up to now, so I'm going to trust that you have," that was a pleasant surprise to hear, "I just want you to promise to tell someone if anything like it happens again."

"Okay," Adri promised, actually meaning it to her own surprise.

[Mom's making me promise to tell someone next time I have an issue with creeps at work.]

[Not someone, me] Tom, of course, insisted.

She drank some coffee, "I mean it Adri, you don't have to go though these things alone just to prove you can," Her mother continued.

"I'm not doing it to prove anything," she had to argue that point because this wasn't about her ego. It was about control. [You, yes - the dads; no] Tom had gone after Adrien but she hadn't heard of Tomas doing anything to Desmond despite having witnessed that assault.

"But if anything else happens, I have someone I can talk to about it ok?" she offered to her mother. "Someone I trust to help in a way I want."

"Oh?" Now her mom sounded curious, Adri had said too much.

"Stop right there. You've lost your secret hearing privileges since blurting out my birth control to everyone on the beach." she reminded archly.

"I did apologize for that." Her mother reminded. 

"Yes, and when I stop feeling humiliated that you told everyone, all at once, after Nate had proposed; then you may ask to hear my secrets. Not before." It was again a matter of control, Adri knew it.

Parts of her liked having the security of someone else to lean on, but she was also afraid of the vulnerable position that'd leave her in if that person left. She'd seen how devastated Nate had been before Grace's 18th birthday when she'd stopped talking to him. It scared her to need someone like that, so it was just smarter to not risk it. Her escape plan habits applied to her relationships to; Adri had never been dumped, she always left first.

"At least I know there is a secret Sweetie," her mother pointed out logically and Adri sighed at being outmaneuvered by her mother. "And I am sorry about embarrassing you."

"Was there anything else mom?" the coffee helped her body feel wired but Adri just felt exhausted by her day so far.

"Are you coming home tonight?" she asked as if she knew the answer.

[Good plan. I'll be back at lunch, foods on me today] Tom had taken a while to reply.

"I don't think so mom, so please feel free to continue being perverts without an audience." She tried to distract her mom from asking where she was staying. Nobody had asked Honey to confirm Adri was with her yet, but Nate had picked up on her weekend absences so her parents must have too. Like with West finding them at the beach; it was only a matter of time before Adri had to clarify her interest and intent with Tomas. She wanted to date him, she desperately wanted him which was probably fairly obvious after yesterday, but she was also afraid of what being with Tomas would be like once the families found out. He joked about getting his ass beat, but she worried more about everyone trying to get involved like they did with everything else.

"That is the preference," her mom laughed, seeming mollified by the conversation. "From what I heard, you'll be seeing Tomas tomorrow?"

"Yes, Nate's arranging a shoot for me with his bar boss while he's away." Adri could safely talk about this part at least. "The Goon works there too so I'll likely see him," for lunch actually, "Why?"

"Just tell him to give his parents an invite to stop by; if you're going to be out of the house most weekends we might as well be social." Adri almost worried her mom had figured things out.

"Don't you have 6 puppies to foster out?" Adri reminded, using the necessity of her mom's work as a change if topic.

"Oh that's a good idea; ask Tom if he thinks his parents want one; they are natural guard dogs." Her mom added.

[my mom is trying to foist a puppy on your parents, think they want one?] she had to ask; her mom would just ask them directly eventually anyways.

She wasted a little more time talking to her mom about inconsequential things, deciding to wait until Tom returned for lunch to eat, and only got off the call when she guessed Tom was almost home. Sometimes it was easier to deal with her parents through a phone where she didn't see their reactors.

She finally got dressed, the endless family phone calls delaying it, and it wasn't until she'd been sober enough to notice but at some point in the fun and games last night Tom had left a hickey on her collar bone; closer to her breast than the bone itself. The analytical part of her was considering how to cover it up for work tomorrow, a necessity, and Adri was on her second cup of black coffee when Tom came in the door. Only when he came in looking like death today it had nothing to do with a work costume. The eyebrow that West had split was busted open, the eye under it a swollen, angry red. Tom's lip was fat and scabbed, no longer bleeding but looking raw. His clothes were stretched and wrinkled, his knuckles absolutely bloodied, and there was an alarming amount of red on his jeans.

"I let you out of my sight for three fucking hours Tomas, what the hell?" Adri damn near dropped her coffee as he staggered in the door and she rushed to go help him.

"Turns out William and the guy who lost his seat yesterday don't like me," Tomas grunted.

She got him to the shitty couch as he started to explain what had happened, and she felt wet blood on her hands. The job had gone fine; Tom was being asked to modify a few cars to be undetectable to radar guns, but the trouble has started on his way back.

"Tom you're still bleeding." Adri had to interrupt at one point, peeling the jeans off of him to see a jagged gash up his calf that he had no clue of until he saw it. Because on the way back, the fuck face William had once again tried to put maneuver Tomas' car but this time he had an accomplice to help box Tom in. The Supra was a bit dented, and Tom had gone after them before they could properly drag him out of his own car. 

Despite being targeted by an ambush, Tom was the one to walk away conscious. He'd taken pictures; sent some to Jerred to let him know about Williams' actions, and drove the damaged Supra back here. Adri actually found a suture set in Tomas' bathroom first aid kit; and she'd seen her mom do it at work so she felt able to stich what looked like a shallow knife wound closed. But they had no pain killers beyond the Tylenol 3s she had in her overnight bag for bad cramps, or the joint she found in his bloodied jeans.

Tom was still clearly in the adrenaline of the fight; he'd come home to her instead of going to a hospital which he probably should have gone to, but Adri just did what she could. She stayed almost inhumanely calm while she cleaned up his wounds; thankfully his leg was the worst and she warned him about the pain even as she sat on him to stitch it. He didn't kick her off, but Adri heard Tom grunt; his breath wheezing out as he grabbed the edge of the now blood-stained couch and she tried to work efficiently. It took her a few stitches to realize Tom was grumbling through a children's lullaby about Elephants in spider's webs as a way to distract himself, but she knew it too and tried to mumble along. Eight straight-ish stitches later and she'd wound some bandages around his leg to hold the dressing in place, but then she had to do the eyebrow.

West had opened the skin, now she could see a flash of white. The codeine enforced Tylenol would help a little, but Adri sank into the calm professional mindset she needed to sit Tomas up and try to stitch part of his face closed with no local to help stop his pain. Like with his leg, Adri found it easier to just sit on Tomas, this time a much less fun face to face straddle. The lullaby she started this time, he couldn't talk with her working on his face but it seemed to help him so she kept it up. Only three stitches were needed and she carefully sealed it with an antiseptic ointment since she didn't want to tape his eye shut.

Tom's eyes were closed, his body tense under her as he held herself still despite the pain. Adri's calm was starting to crack and she knew she had to get away before it all fell apart. "You should try to stay off that leg or else the stitches will pop. Stay here, I'll go clean up in the bathroom and come back out with some clothes for you."

He watched her go, silent but the pupils of his eyes blown from pain and adrenaline. Adri made it into the bathroom and had water running before her calm shattered under the strain. William had gone after Tom because Adri had first slapped Will and then beat his girl in front of everyone. She tried to wash Tom's blood off of her hands even as tears made it impossible to see, and Adri fought to muffle any sounds of her weeping as she sobbed, clinging to the edge of the sink for support. She was making his life worse not better, and it could have gotten him killed today. He was the one hurt, and she tried to stop her useless hysterics as she pulled her blood stained clothes off; only having her nightshirt to change into now as she finished getting the blood of her hands.

Fuck-shit; she understood how Lady Macbeth felt and Adri tried to ruffle the sob in her hand.

Tom tore the bathroom door open, and Adri spun to yell at him, "Get off your goddam leg before you pop the stitches!"

"You're crying," He pointed out instead of listening, hands coming up to cup her face and wipe at her tears.

"You're hurt," she argued back, seeing the blood still drying on him. "Sit on the goddamn toilet and get off the leg," she insisted, almost pushing Tom to get him to comply.

He was perched on his closed toilet, leg wrapped and blood dried in streaks on both leg and face, and seeming more concerned about the fact that she was stress crying then that he'd been ambushed by two guys who wanted to hurt him. One of whom probably only wanted to hurt Tom to get back at him for something she had done. He was suffering for her actions and she couldn't say any of that because he'd get on his feet and hug her or something.

So she got the tears to stop by focusing on running water and soaking a hand towel; using it to wipe the blood off of Tomas' face, careful of his wounds. The cold probably felt good on that bruised eye, so she left it carefully rest over it. "Stay put, I'm grabbing something frozen to put against this.'' She tried to sound threatening but just sounded as worried as she felt.

Adri had never been so grateful to be an obsessive bulk cooker in her life; she had Ziplocs of frozen soup in his freezer from the stash she'd brought over yesterday. It'd work for first aid and then be lunch.

She made it back to the bathroom to see Tom washing his bloodied leg so she wouldn't have to, shirt finally off and revealing the canvas of bruises painting chest and back. Tire iron; they'd hit him with a tire iron from the looks of it. She couldn't help the distressed sound the sight squeezed from her throat, and Tom looked at her with his one good eye with concern.

"I'm going to hunt them down and show them all the things I learned listening to our fathers' stories." Her hands were shaking as she passed Tom the frozen soup to put against his swollen eye, but her tone was steady.

"Reinita, I'm here; I'm fine." He soothed as if she was the one that'd been hurt.

"Don't you dare tell me you're fine, not when I can still see your blood all over," she wasn't yelling at an injured man but it was emotionally loud, "not when it's my fault William went after you at all."

When Tom held his hand it to her, palm up in that 'shall we' gesture, of course she went to him. She didn't kiss him, his lip was puffed and bloodied, and she couldn't hug him with him sitting on the toilet, so Adri found herself curling her whole body around Tom's less injured side, pressing a kiss to the top of his head while she hugged his shoulders gently and held his hand in her. It probably hurt his battered knuckles but she couldn't help but cling to his hand.

"This wasn't your fault Reinita," Tom let her hold on as long as she'd needed but seemed insistent on this. "Fuckface had targeted us before you did anything in response to him or his slag," He was trying to use logic to convince her emotions, but Adrianna still felt guilty.

"Let's get you into bed, I'll swap the soup for a new packet and make you some lunch," Her appetite was long gone, but she's get soup in if possible.

But now it was Tomas not letting her go; his arms still wrapped around her hips, his face against her torso. "Adrianna," Tom was serious, "me being ambushed wasn't your fault," he insisted. "I knew it was likely someone would take a swipe at me as I'm the new blood in; and I'm just grateful it happened when you couldn't be hurt by it too."

"Yes because I am perfectly fine right now Tomas," Adri could use the sarcasm in her voice as a whip right now but he wasn't flinching. "You being hurt hurts me to you asshole, now get into bed and let me take care of you dammit."

"You know; this is exactly what it felt like to see you walking around after that bufón hit you." Tom pointed out, but let her help him hobble to the bed.

She hadn't considered exactly how helpless it left her feeling to see the damage done and be able to do nothing to have prevented it in the first place. No wonder everyone in her family was crawling out of their skin learning some of her own painful encounters.

"From one black eye expert to another, there's not enough foundation in the world cover that beauty in the morning. And I haven't even gotten to tell you how shit my day was," Adri did what she could to diverge from the uncomfortable realization.

Tomas let her do it, either in too much pain or maybe just kind enough to let her process in her own time. So she explained to him the job Nate had lined up; how his boss Sybil had requested it, and she probably had a text from Nate on her phone by now confirming all the details.

And while she talked she got the half thawed soup into a pot on the stove and took a new one of the freezer. It wasn't just her leftovers in the fridge and freezer, like the coffee it turned out Tomas had gone grocery shopping after they'd separated the day before.

She let the soup warm and brought in a new cold one for his face. "So I'm going to work tomorrow, after getting beaten and I think a little stabbed, and I have to deal with Sybil? Now that is the worst," He finally complained.

"You can always call in sick; if the Supra is as damaged as you said its not like you're driving us in tomorrow anyway," She pointed out, actually a little sad he wouldn't be there. "And as bad as you feel right now, by tomorrow it's going to be way worse."

"Your bed side manner needs improvement,'' He pointed out. "And the Supra still drives, but you and I are going to swap it for the Jeep tonight."

"So you won't sneak into Reaper's house, but you want me to sneak into Carlitos' lot and steal his Jeep?" for some reason Adri found herself smiling.

"Technically its not stealing, I work there too and have access. But when my padre sees the damage there will be hell to pay so we are absolutely sneaking in yes." He confirmed for her.

"Fantastic," Adri had no idea how he expected them to do it, but somewhere between seeing Tom's battered face and right now her anxiety had just switched off. Like she'd stressed herself into an easygoing state.

"I'm leaving a message on the machine to explain the damage is job related. I wasn't even racing but I bet you he blames that." Tom seemed frustrated.

"And the bloodstains?" He hadn't even noticed the injury at first, the car probably looked horrid.

"Fuck-shit," he swore seeming at a loss for the shit storm that was going to cause.

Adri checked her phone finally, unsurprised to see on hours old text from Nate on it waiting. [Confirmed shoot is Monday. Sybil is opening so you can come in with Tom no problem. Photog is a woman so not on your creep list. Sorry again about the parents!]

It changed nothing about the situation they were currently in, so she focused on bringing Tom the soup. "Eat, sleep for a bit, and I'll wake you at 1 am so we can go requisition the Jeep," She passed him the bowl, surprised to find it already into evening already.

"Did you eat anything today, or are you subsiding off of one black coffee Reinita?" Tom demanded in return.

"I had two coffees, thank you very much," she sat on the bed next to him and ate her own soup. "And I meant to eat but mom called, and after that lunch went a little sideways." Even if she wasn't hungry, the soup did help her feel better.

Somehow Tom talked her into laying down with him 'just until he fell asleep', but like at the beach house Adri found herself relaxing into sleep too. Thankfully she'd set an alarm on her phone, and at 1 am they were both unhappily awoken to digital piano more. The codeine loaded medications had worn off, and Tom looked to be in a fair bit of pain, but the only solution were a few more pills and the joint Adri had savaged from his jeans. Even with his scabbed lip he seemed grateful for the smoke, and Adri only had enough of it to get it lit.

"Tom, there's no way you're hiding this from your parents; your birthday is next week and you're still going to be wearing stitches," Adri's brain was functioning better after food and time to process.

"Shit," Adri had gotten backhanded and worn the bruise for a week; Tom was darker yes but his eye had bruised shut. He wasn't graceful as they slowly walked to the car; he was limping and so was the Supra. And when Adri opened the driver side door, she spotted the knife that had caused all that damage to his calf.

"I really was stabbed," Tom sounded surprised. "Not very well, but it had to have happened when I kicked him. After that he wasn't moving."

Adri picked it up, wiping Tom's blood off the small weapon. The blade was the length of her thumb and slightly hooked, folding into the handle neatly. "Will or the other guy?" She figured Tom was keeping it either way, spoils of war to go with the scars.

"Randall, the other guy." Despite his injury, Tom insisted on driving.

"So they both got their asses beat twice, there is Karma in that," Adri couldn't help but sit as close to Tom as possible in the passenger seat, as if proximity could ease his pain somehow.

In a damaged car at 1 am, Tom took them on a careful route towards the storage yard he used. As he'd said earlier, he had access and they parked the Supra, claiming the Jeep quickly. He left a message on his father's garage machine explaining both the damages and the cars with, "Padre; Supra's busted up, so am I but other guys look worse. It's a work thing, I have the Jeep."

Driving back was easier in a vehicle that blended in and was literally reinforced, but Tom still took them through a food joint under the guise of looking for a tail. He needed the calories and Adri had had more stress than food yesterday so she was grateful. It was still early enough she could go back to sleep for a bit and by the looks of it Tom needed to. "I'm tempted to take you to mom, screw the consequences." She blurted out, seeing how poorly she'd done in sewing his face. "She at least has some better pain meds than my T3s."

"I'll be fine Dri," Tom rejected, actually reaching over to take her hand to stop her from shredding the skin around her nails.

"You work on your feet, one of which is held together with my meager tailoring skills," She used machines to sew, "and you have to deal with your bitch of a boss all day. If I had had any kind of stronger pain meds your ass would still be at home in bed where you should be."

"I'll play a zombie today and take it slow," He argued back at her.

"Tomas, from what I saw they hit you with something other than just fists. I'm trusting that you came home because you weren't seriously hurt, just beat on, but I will take you to my mother and tell her the whole thing if I have to!" There was that creeping tightness crawling across her skin, a familiar anxiety whispering about how badly hurt he really could be still.

He brought the back of her hand up to his bruised mouth and kissed it softly. "I hurt like hell, but nothing's broken; they used 'irons but didn't know how to make them weapons. And I watched you clean my leg up before you stitched it closed, I doubt I'll be seeing infection there and my antibiotics in the fridge get to come in handy."

"You shouldn't be driving let alone planning to work all day," Arguing with Tom kept the worst of her worry at bay.

"If you're doing shoots at the bar Reinita, we won't be having customers until you're done. I suspect we'll all be props and background," Tom's comment started ideas in her head.

Tom had parked the Jeep and they were finally back at the apartment, able to get another three hours of sleep if they went to bed right now. But her head was already into planning mode, trying to anticipate what the shoot was going to be like. She'd been to the Nightside, her brother worked there so it was a way to see him, and she could guess some of the staff costumes.

"Does your brain ever turn off?" he demanded, seeming to realize she was thinking too much to try and sleep more.

She almost snidely told him the truth, that her brain shuts off just fine any time he's gotten his lips or hands on her, but she managed to simply say instead, "I wish Goon, my brain is very good at playing the 'worse-case scenario' game."

But apparently Tom had at some point figured out the effect he had on her, because he tried kissing her now. It was brief, intense kiss but seconds only as Tom then said, "Ow."

"Idiot." Adri fought the urge to smile. "Get back in bed, sleep for another 3 hours. Nate's text says Sybil is opening so we can show up at your usual start time."

"We go to bed for more sleep Reinita, you could use it too, " he insisted, walking into the room and stripping down to his boxers with careful movements.

The sight of the dark patches across his ribs and back stole her breath but at least this time she didn't make a noise. His arms had bruises as well, defensive marks and assault all painted just under the surface, and even his darker skin colour did little to disguise the brutality of the attack. The white bandage showed no signs of new blood at least, him walking around hadn't popped any stitches.

Almost without realizing it, she'd followed him into the room, checking the state of his injuries after being tended to. His eye had actually come down in swelling, and as he sat on the side of the bed she carefully inspected the stitches above it. "These were done with fists, but the body shots were all with the irons, and you didn't even notice the knife." As if cataloging the injuries would make them less terrible to behold.

"You know your contusions." Tom complimented and she didn't blame him for being surprised.

"Molstad; year 1 was all makeup effects injuries. Best way to make it look real is to look at real injuries," Adri explained.

"Gross." He made her smile. "Now get in the bed." She was going to argue with him, she could use the time to review the likely poses and attire she'd be asked to wear for the day. But he surprised her by taking her wrist gently, unable to yank her in like normal, and saying, "Stay." The last time he'd asked that he'd been drunk and horny, this time seemed more sincere.

Arguing with Tom was just wasting what little time he had to recover anyway so Adri sighed, "Fine. But let me change first; if you bleed on me in your sleep in this I'll have nothing left to wear. I swear I'm going to start leaving some spare clothes here or do some laundry," she griped at him truthfully.

"Don't care, get in bed." Tom tugged on her wrist lightly.

"I am not sleeping in my clothes Goon, so let me change," No women willingly slept in a bra, and Adri detested sleeping in jeans.

He let her wrist go and Adri swiftly used the bathroom before returning. Due to Tom's injuries, he was once again on his back, and somehow Adri found herself resting under his arm with her head on his chest. The steady beat of Tom's heart worked like a charm and Adri fell back to sleep curled around Tom's side carefully.

Having her alarm go off a second time that morning didn't feel any better than the first time had, but Adri wasn't the one hurting. Tom had stiffened up even more, sore and tender but insisting he was fine. She gave him coffee and more T3s, no joint this time, and used the groceries he'd bought make them both breakfast. Due to the shoot she had to forgo pancakes but was able to enjoy poached eggs and some fruit with her black coffee.

"Model problems?" Tom teased lightly, a fight would distract him from his pains.

"You have no idea, I saw the pancake mix," he gave a painful looking smile with the scabbed lip, "but with what I expect to be wearing today I want to keep it simple now." The look he gave her warned that Tomas had assumed she'd be in a costume like him, so Adri kept the smile off her face.

Unlike with Jerred's parties, Adri couldn't get ready at Tom's; she was in her regular clothes until at the Nightside. The Jeep wasn't the only car in the employee parking so she wasn't surprised when Tom walked her into a flurry of activity even as he disappeared to avoid to boss with a whispered 'Good luck.'

"Adrianna Vega, quite the legend in the making!" A woman who must be Sybil cheered upon seeing her.

Adri gave her professional smile, friendly but not naïve, and looked 'the boss' over. Sybil had her hair dyed artificially dark, suiting the goth theme and intentionally contrasting her naturally pale skin; but Adri could unfortunately recognize the entire look as a Honey James knock-off. Adri didn't hold it against the woman; Honey was famous, beautiful, and effortlessly classy. There was a reason her fashion lines had done so well and elevated her to such notoriety; Sybil had selected one of Honey's smart business dress lines, black of course, with French lace nylons to showcase her long legs.

"You would be the boss, Sybil, I presume? Nate has only given me brief details," Adri played it diplomatic, nor wanting to make things worse on the men in her life.

"I like to be a very hands off boss normally, so there's not much for your brother to tell," she smiled as she bypassed the issue entirely, "mostly I like to work through Wade, he's the bartender back there."

Adri was given fast introductions, seeing Tom already hidden in a Phantom of the Opera mask to conceal his battered visage. The photographer was a tiny lady, smaller than even Maddison James, and made of mostly hair it seemed, and then Adri was given the wardrobe to pull on while the makeup artist waited. Her mind was on Tom and not her own work, something unlikely to change since today her job was at his, and she couldn't help but look for him when she came out of wardrobe.

----

Tom was in a world of pain and he'd done a good job of hiding most of it from the brat until he'd gotten to work. His face hurt, the stitches not actually all that bad but his eye was so tender he just wanted to put another bag of frozen soup on it. The T3s she'd had helped but his leg felt exactly like someone had dug a piece of metal into it and pulled down. There was no sign of infection, and the measured dose of tetanus would keep that issue at bay, but Tom was not looking forwards to dealing with the pain in his body and a bitchy boss at work.

And then Dri came out in her outfit for the pictures and Wade could have set Tom on fire and he wouldn't have noticed. There was a god, and he was a cruel and sadistic bastard because between those leather pants and this dress, Tom had more than enough cold shower material to last a lifetime.

Technically he'd seen more skin on Adrianna in her bikini, but this just presented it all a little more deliberately. It looked like simple satin bra and panties as the base, offering more modesty than the beach-ware had, but even the addition of lace trim on the bra and as a band around her waist, and the dozens of satin straps crisscrossing over her bust from the waist strap to her shoulders couldn't make it feel like full coverage. And her 'skirt' at least didn't slither, but it didn't exactly conceal either. A band of lace hung low on her hips, and from it swayed two sheer panels around her, one fully between her legs while a separate one followed like a cape in the back; revealing the lacy garters and straps bound around her thighs. Her thigh highs matched the sheer skirt panels, and the black heels looked almost tame in comparison, though like the jewelry, they suited the look. It all suited her.

A heavily beaded collar around Dri's neck looked regal, but it was the winking gem at her navel that had his idiot mouth wake up. "That's not where I remember you being pierced Reinita," At least he kept it to Spanish, no one understood the comment.

Unfortunately for Tom, they weren't alone either. The dark glimmer in the brat's eyes warned of a gloriously beautiful fight, and with her in that outfit he was fairly certain even face pain wouldn't stop him this time. But not only were his boss and a photographer right there watching, Tom had forgotten Wade was in the room too.

"Wait a second... " the bartender mumbled, but the brat was reacting.

She walked towards Tom with that same dangerous slink as the Casino night, the heels she had on giving her an artificial height that made it all too tempting to simply lean down and kiss her. Not that he needed her dressed up to want that, Tom basically had to constantly fight the urge now; the way to brat would melt against him was addicting, but she wasn't coming towards him for a kiss right now. She stood close in front of him, seeming to be amused by his costume choice, and put a hand on his chest as she leaned in to whisper,

"Are you sure you know where they all are?" Her tone was challenging, and suddenly Tomas didn't care that his boss, a photographer, or even Wade were watching.

Tom lifted his hand to her cheek, running his thumb along her bottom lip lightly. "I will gladly find out Reinita," His hand slid from her cheek to tangle in her hair and he was kissing her after all.

"Oh," He was vaguely aware of a female voice saying in surprise, even as Wade started to laugh, "Complicated my ass - that's suicide."'

Tom didn't care, not about the audience of witnesses, not about how much his face hurt, and not about how likely it was this little stunt was going to bite him in the ass later. All he cared about was how Dri pressed into the kiss as if she'd been waiting for it all day. He really had gone and fallen for the brat without actually asking her out first.

It was the sound of a camera clicking they brought him back to the people around them. Adrianna's careful model composure was shot for a moment, the brat looked as flustered and startled by the interruption as Tom felt. He saw her take a steadying breath and the professional expression was back, but he'd definitely rattled it. And for the first time in a while when he slapped his pocket the lighter was still there.

Adrianna turned to face the photographer who'd captured the moment on camera, and Tom's astonished looking boss. She was looking at Adrianna as if unable to comprehend why the brat was kissing him of all people. Since Tom didn't want the kissing to stop, he'd never ask Dri that.

"There's a good tagline for your adverts Sybil, 'let the Nightside embrace you'," the photographer seemed the least worried about the little scene, and she got both Sybil and Dri upstairs where the area had been set up with lights.

Tom heard two shots being poured and turned to look at Wade as he slid one towards him. "So that's your Reinita," he was laughing as he took the shot and surprised him by refilling it. "I can see why you keep telling Nate, it's complicated."

He had no argument to any of it, the reality of the situation not a help; telling Wade that he hadn't actually had sex with Dri yet would just get him mocked for wasting time. Besides, he was planning on it, just when one of them wasn't dunk or injured was the goal. "You have no idea man," Tom agreed as he took his shot and Wade refilled it. "Fairly certain I'm in love with her too," His idiot mouth said it out loud so he drowned it with the shot Wade had poured.

"Oh shit," the bartender looked surprised; Tom was known for jumping into things with both feet, but his relationships never lasted to get serious. "That why your face looks like that? Nate already found out?"

Now Tom was laughing, which felt terrible, "Ow man, don't make me laugh it hurts." Wade filled the shots a 3rd time and put the bottle away; it was still morning. "No, Nate doesn't know yet. I suspect I'll hurt a lot more than this once the families find out too," the last shot went down and Tom tried to focus on work.

Sybil had left the lower level open for business, and kept the photoshoot upstairs where to dance club reigned. It let Tom focus on just trying to take orders, clear tables, or run food out, but his body hurt.

By lunch Tom had gotten a routine going, the pain manageable as long as he didn't try to move to fast, and then the shoot came back to where he was. He tried not to just watch as Dri came down the stairs, but the swing of the skirt panel was hypnotic and his eyes followed the swish up strap bound thighs to her hips peeking through the lace at the top of the skirt. The fake navel piercing was still glittering its distracting lie, her strappy top concealing the real one he knew of.

"I can see how that's worth a little hurt," Wade mused from behind the bar, seeing the same spectacle Tom did.

Like at the Casino Royal panty, Adrianna only had to walk through a room to have every eye on her; though the outfit certainly didn't hurt. This time when she came towards him, Tom didn't bother resisting the urge to press a quick kiss to her lips.

"Please tell me lunch isn't the Poutaco," her statement had him laughing even though that hurt.

"Today's special is quesadillas Reinita, you're safe." He confirmed.

"So this," Sybil couldn't seem to help herself, "is your man?" Tom's boss demanded of Dri, pointing at him like he was a garbage pile.

"Him and no other; why do you think we inspired Honey's Catwalk line this year? Persephone didn't seduce herself after all," Dri's argumentative tone was familiar but what she said shut his damn brain right off. Now everyone was looking at Tom, her words clearly making Sybil reassess. "Sybil, I've had my absolute fill of useless pretty boys; instead give me the King of the Underworld and I will rule at his side," she winked at him as she said it and Tom heard Wade laughing again.

"So very screwed man," the bartender prepared another shot for him.

"Before we wrap up, let's get some shots at the bar down here," the photographer was five feet of bossy hair, "there's enough light in the windows."

Tom gulped the shot Wade gave him down and stepped away from the bar, knowing this was going to be an entirely different experience than the last shoot he'd seen the brat work. Not including the TV show fiasco, Tom had last seen Dri work the car shoot with Nate, and back then he hadn't had his hands all over her yet. Now it wasn't just the brat sitting up on the bar top like it was her throne, it was his woman, and he couldn't help watch her with possessive pride. Adrianna was magnificent, the dress helped set the tone but it was the woman that made the pictures something to look at. Tom had always been a bit indifferent to the artistic leanings Nate and Grace went on about, but he could see Dri moving around to make each photo unique.

"Lay back on the bar top," the photographer was bossier then even the brat in full force, and Tom saw this mythical 'easier to work with' Adrianna as she simply followed instructions without argument.

"Damn." Wade was for once out from behind the bar while they shot those last pictures, standing next to Tom as they shamelessly watched Dri arch her back on the bar top and shoot what almost felt like pinup girl style photos.

"Yeah." Tom agreed, not needing to say anything else.

"So how do you plan on telling her brother about you two again? Because the moment he sees you to together he's gotta figure it out," Wade demanded.

"No, he didn't," Tom smirked, so far only the Wolf suspected, and that had just been bad timing. Still, Tom needed to talk with Dri about it before Nate figured it out.

They hadn't shut the lower level down to shoot pictures in, so it should have been no surprise to Tom that customers were still coming in, but he hadn't been expecting the redhead to arrive with a shit eating grin on her face.

"Nate told you about the brat's shoot?" Tom thankfully didn't call Dri Reinita this time.

"I had to come see the bloodshed," Grace grinned, eyeballing Dri still up on the bar top like it was a comfortable bed. "I'm almost disappointed to not find you two at each other's throats."

"I am capable of being a professional Grace." Dri pointed out as if Tom hadn't tried ruining her lipstick already.

"You two have screamed bloody murder at each other in a restaurant Ads," Grace countered, "though I gotta say, I don't blame the guys for big a little tongue tied while you're in that."

There was no way this could go well, Tom was aware of that. His boss, his woman, Nate's woman, Wade, and all the secrets, too much of his life was in this room right now and Tom was too sore to play damage control.

"Well I'm about to make everyone's life easier and get back into my own clothes," Dri spun on the bar top, sitting up on it from her carefully angled pose. "Unless the photographer has any last requests?"

"Just one; the big guy here sits on the stool there, back to the camera," the photographer pointed at Tom and then to the stool in front of where Dri was currently sitting on the bar.

Tom was fairly certain he had had this exact fantasy at least once in the many cold showers lately, because as he sat on the stool it put him at a rather convenient height; only he'd certainly never imagined getting to be in this position with an audience.

"Mask off, I want the camera to see it on the bar," Tom didn't have to move, Adrianna carefully lifted it off of his face and placed it onto the bar.

"Wow, and I thought Nate got some good black eyes," Grace commented at the sight of his face.

"You should see the other guys," Tom couldn't help but reply.

"The camera's not going to see it so shut up and let me direct the shot," the photographer barked in a no-nonsense tone. "All the big guy has to do is give the camera that broad back; pretty girl up there, you're gonna do all the work."

He could see a spark of amusement in the brat's eyes, "Isn't that always the way?" she challenged to the room at large.

Tom grinned at Dri, knowing he couldn't respond how he wanted to and not only because Grace was there to witness. What he wanted to do was not for public display, even for how affectionate he and the brat got at the parties.

"Pretty girl, I want you to come up to the edge of the bar like you're about to sit on the big guy's lap for one of those obscenely hot kisses, but don't actually," Somehow Tom was expected to hold perfectly still for this.

He did manage to not say anything. Dri gave a delicate little scoot to be on the edge of the bar closest to him, and she carefully set her knees to the outsides of his thighs without even blushing for the obscenely vulnerable position this put her into for him. Her hands were on his shoulders for support, and Tom had to look up at her for a change. But he did not manage to keep still like he intended to, because without his permission his hands dropped to the top of Dri's thighs where all those straps were, and tangled his fingers in the satin and lace deliberately.

"Perfect, now hold that," the photographer encouraged and Tom smirked at how close he was to ruining everything.

"The things we do for art huh Ads?" Grace called out teasingly, utterly unaware of just how much damn tension there really was between him and the brat.

Adrianna didn't respond to either his hands in the straps on her thighs, or Grace's question, instead she was the one person still trying to keep focused. The moment Tomas heard the camera click and the photographer call it a wrap, he couldn't help but use his grip on those convenient straps. He intended to pull her thighs to his waist so she'd be on his lap like at the party, and he was going to kiss her senseless again even with Grace as a witness, except Tom forgot he was on a backless stool.

Dri ended up on his lap for a hot second, and then momentum carried them both backwards off the stool. Tom had a second to curl and take the brunt of it on his already abused body, the brat an easy burden to hold on top of him.

"Oh fuck me Goon, if you've popped one of your goddamn stitches I will finish the goddamn job of beating your ass myself," Dri snarled at him.

Tom gasped for breath, he was fine but winded from impact. Grace was crowing with laughter, sputtering about this being more like something she'd do, and the photographer was coming to check on both of them. 

Wade poured more shots.

"Ow," Tom just wheezed in response. Adrianna was still on top of him, her legs astride his waist as he laid back on the floor and her head gently thumped on his chest as she started to laugh. Her whole body shook with it, and Tom untangled his fingers from those thigh straps; he'd like to repeat the position elsewhere but his back definitely hurt now.

"The fact that you two managed to not go at each other long enough to get a picture in is more surprising than this ending with you two colliding," Grace mocked without realizing the innuendo that had Tom's laughter join the brat's.

"On that note, we're done here," The photographer was already heading back upstairs to collect her gear. Thankfully Sybil left with her, quiet and frowning but a problem to be dealt with later.

"I wonder how that turned out on camera, because from here lemme tell you," as Grace talked, Dri carefully helped Tom sit up, "it looked good."

Being helped to his feet sucked for his ego, but Tom took the chance to hold onto Dri for a little longer. He hadn't popped a stitch, but Tom suspected he definitely had bruised ribs after that fall. "Are your knees as bruised as my pride?" he asked carefully, knowing Dri didn't like to be fussed over.

"I'm fine; you're the one who's been beaten like a piñata over the last two days!" She snapped at him and Tom buried a smile, recognizing her anger as a cover for the worry in her eyes.

"Go get changed, I'll put in the lunch order for you and the red head," He waked away before saying or doing anything else monumentally stupid.

He took the shot Wade had laid out for him on the way.

It was easier after that; Dri in her regular clothes, even with the hair and makeup still in place, was less distracting and having Grace there as an almost chaperone kept his more rambunctious impulses in check. Though it did occur to Tom that with the redhead here it was highly unlikely the brat was coming home with him again tonight.

Sybil and the photographer came back down, an absolute pile of equipment stuffed into bags all over the tiny woman. "Big guy, pretty girl good show. The pictures will be color treated only; I know your contract precludes any retouching to your image, this is just to control the lighting," that last was addressed to Dri and she nodded as if it was expected.

Tom smirked lightly, realizing that meant all the pictures he'd seen of her were all her, the brat took some GOOD pictures. And yet here she was, eating quesadillas in his bar.

After that Tom's whole body started to warn him that he had in fact been beaten and dropped on the floor. His head throbbed in time to his heartbeat, his back and chest jolted with pain, and his leg burned.

"Dude, go the fuck home. I'll call one of the kids in to cover," Wade told him on a glass drop off.

Tom shrugged; being alone at his apartment wasn't going to feel any better than being here did. He was hurt, time would make it go away but until then he had to endure.

"Tom I am taking you home, so shut up and get in the passenger seat. I already have your keys." the brat bossed him around in front of everyone, and he felt just terrible enough to grunt and do what she said.

"Jeez, you know he's in bad shape when he doesn't give you lip back," Grace sounded concerned. "I still have some high strength shit from the ankle thing if it'd help," she started digging in her practical messenger bag. She'd followed them out to the Jeep, all of them just assuming that since she was still there she'd be getting a drop off on the way.

"Probably; you know the Goon, he's likely try to tough it out without pain killers," the brat took the Jeep out like she'd driven one before.

"Oh, I got Gatorade," Grace thrust a half full blue one at him and Tom wanted to tease Dri about the pair of them and blue drinks but managed not to. Instead he took some of the pills and all of the Gatorade.

Dri ended up dropping Grace at her parents place, the apartment too empty with Nate gone. It was a sentiment Tom found he understood all too well, the pain killers leaving him in a fogged but thoughtful state. "Goon, come on I can't carry you so walk with me," Dri was getting him out of the Jeep, everything feeling really slow to him. "How many shots did Wade give you before the meds Tom?"

"A few, but most were while you were upstairs so they're long gone. I'm alright, just feeling it." He had no trouble explaining, but by the time he was done they were already in the apartment.

"I'm still making you eat; alcohol and pain meds on an empty stomach sounds like a bad idea," She'd been under his arm the whole walk but he hadn't needed to lean on her. "We all seem to forget that with how often she gets hurt, Grace has a high pain tolerance, meaning the meds she gets kick."

"They do make all the Ow go away though," he was pleased to report.

"Take off the clothes and get into bed Tom, I'll bring you the soup there once it's ready," she bossed him around some more.

He'd left the mask at work, the black pants and white button up easily discarded as he shuffled to bed. Sweats would take too much effort so he crawled under the covers in his boxers. It felt like a handful of eye blinks later but Dri was back with soup and water, checking on his leg as well as the rest of him.

"Stay?" He asked, thinking that her going to the door meant that she was leaving.

"Someone's gotta take care of you, you're clearly doing a terrible job of it," She lacked an acidic tone, the words again a cover for her concern. "I'm just going to run some laundry, I've got nothing clean."

"Don't care; get in bed," he ate the soup, unable to grab at her like he would normally.

"I care Goon, I'm going to do laundry. Eat your soup before you pass out in it," she left with the hamper from the bathroom.

She'd snooped enough to know where he kept his detergent, though his apartment wasn't exactly Area 51. He ate his soup and wondered if she'd notice an empty drawer left for her or if he'd have to put her shit in there himself. The meds had blunted the pain enough that curiosity got him onto his feet after the soup was done; it was easy to dump one of his drawers' contents into another, he'd organize it later. And since he was on his feet anyway, Tom shuffled to the bathroom and even managed to brush his teeth before Dri was back with clean laundry.

It had not felt like an hour and a half, but Tom might have dozed off without realizing it. Dri had been right about the redhead's pain meds being a strong cocktail; he just watched her fold the damn laundry like it was all hers. And then, of course, she went ahead and put it away, finding the empty drawer immediately.

"S' fer you," Tom mumbled through a yawn, eyelids feeling impossibly heavy but he'd wanted to watch her reaction.

"Go to sleep Goon," she bossed at him but his eyes were already closed. 

At some point she came to bed; he woke slightly when wet hair touched his skin as she snuggled against his chest, but he curled his arm around her to keep her in place so she wouldn't think it bothered him. She woke him again to feed him eggs and toast, water and pain meds. This time Tom ate first and felt less mugged by the drugs; bottle even said to take with meals. He wasn't quite back to sleep when he heard the brat answer her phone.

"Yeah mum, I'm ok. Sorry I didn't call earlier." Dri got out of the bed and Tom drowsily listened in as she talked in the other room. "I'm at my friends," he couldn't hear Alice Vega's response but he could imagine it. "I'm alright; he's the idiot." pause. "Well as I'm currently menstruating you don't have to worry about that." Her gloriously acidic tone was familiar and comforting. "Got hurt at a work thing Sunday, then got hurt at work again today, took a few shots of tequila and a few pain meds but decided not to eat food with either." It had been a bad idea, "No mom, I'm safe; he'd never hurt me." Tom had heard the brat lie with the truth enough by now to recognize when she was being honest, she really did trust him. When Dri sighed, he smiled, so familiar with the sound, "Yes mom, this is the same one I trust to help me if I need it for work."

He must have fallen back to sleep after that, because Tom woke up again to his own phone ringing. "Tom? It's your dad calling."

"What time is it?" His face hurt again, a good sign it'd been long enough for the meds to wear off.

"Tuesday, 5 am." He appreciated her including the date.

"I'm going to be late for work," He mumbled but took his phone from Dri, "Padre?"

"Mijo, there's blood in the Supra." his father didn't ask anything, "the message at the garage said it was a work thing."

"I'm fine," he lied and the brat gave him a pointed poke to one of his few bruise free areas.

So despite the ache in his arms and back, Tom grabbed her and rolled so she was pulled on top of him, the phone still held to his ear with the other hand. "Tom!" Dri's surprised sound was definitely loud enough the heard by his father and both him and Dri froze immediately.

"If your woman is there you must be fine," his father sounded very amused, "though now I should warn you that your madre is already on her way there to check on you."

"Mom is coming here?" Tom said out loud and saw the brat actually freeze in place, for once at a loss on what to do.

"I'm surprised she's not already there, she wanted to get there before you left for work to see for herself," His dad sounded thrilled that Tom's mom was about to show up at his apartment while he's woman was still there.

"Then I need to get off the phone padre, I'll send mom home to you shortly." Tom hung up without waiting for his father's response.

"Your mom is coming here right now?" the brat was still on top of him from where he'd pulled her to show he wasn't that injured; she hadn't moved though. So Tom gladly held onto her, trying not to be so aware of the feel of her above him. Before he could follow through on the impulse in his brain, or even answer the brat's question; they heard the door lock turn and his apartment door open.

"Tomas?" His mother's voice, coming into the apartment.

"Fuck-shit," Dri swore quietly.

Tom kissed her, hands untwisting her bun to drop her hair as a shield. It'd hopefully help disguise her identity, and she seemed to catch on as Dri kissed Tom back. He was exactly where he wanted to be; in bed with the brat, holding her to him with very little clothes on either of them as they kissed, but Tom couldn't enjoy the moment; all too aware that his mom was about to open the door to the bedroom without knocking. Tom had a hand buried into Dri's hair, the other resting on the skin of her thigh at his side, his hazy memory trying to remind him of something.

As it occurred to him that he should really get the giant t-shirt off Adrianna, the door to the bedroom opened and in walked his mom.

"Well you're fine if I'm walking in on this," Maya announced to the room at large, her voice ending the kiss before Tom took it further.

"Madre; out." Tom didn't have to pretend to be annoyed, holding Dri to him, her face tucked against his neck to hide.

"Nothing quite like a good woman to make you forget all about the pain; you are your father's son," Tom's mom had no shame

And for some unknown, unholy reason the brat decided this was the perfect time to suck a hickey onto his neck.

"Madre, as you can see, I'm fine, and busy, so out please." Tom sounded a little strained, his hand tightening in Dri's hair warningly as the brat got revenge for the mark he'd left on her.

"I'd like to talk to you Tom, sorry for interrupting Reinita," His mom cheerily called out, closing the door as she stepped back out.

"Devil woman," Tom growled at the brat, her mouth now just laughing against his neck.

"Your mother would like to talk to you," she teased, moving to get off of him.

Tom rolled with her, ignoring the ache in his back and the actual pain in his leg at the movement, and pinned her under him for one last lingering kiss. His memory finally recalled the overheard conversation Dri had had with her mother; even if he wanted to continue, nature had other plans.

"I'm definitely going to be late for work," He bitched and got out of the bed to pull on some sweatpants.

She pointed at the door and mouthed the words 'go talk to your mom'. So he mouthed the word 'brat' back at her, but carefully stepped out of his bedroom to speak to his mother. He was fairly certain Dri would be getting dressed and hiding in the bathroom for extra security now, his mom's arrival wildly unfortunate.

"It's gotten violent," Tom's mom declared, reviewing the state of his face and body with experience.

"New blood in, old blood out; someone got upset," Tom explained it briefly. "They tried to ram the Supra and give me an object lesson. I left them on the ground having learned theirs instead," He could show her the pics he took to send Jerred, but he didn't really want his mom that involved in this right now.

"Those aren't hospital stitches, your woman's not squeamish." His mom's observational skills were always keen.

He lifted the sweats to show the bound calf, "11 stitches total, fairly certain she got better as she went," he dropped the fabric again, recalling Molstad's comment about Dri's soldering skills doing the same. "Its one thing to know the theory, it's another to put it to practice."

"I want to meet her," his mom insisted, and a kind god smiled on Tom because before he could try to think of an excuse, they both heard the shower start.

"Mom, I have to get ready for work. Tell dad I'm sorry about the Supra but I'll fix it after my birthday," If he had to wait longer to be with the brat anyway, Tom's idiot brain decided it'd make a marvelous birthday gift for Sunday.

His mom gave him an assessing look, then levelled the same look at his apartment. The shitty couch had lost its pillow and gained bloodstains; the brat's empty bag on it a good sign she'd used that drawer he'd emptied. Not that his mom could know that just by looking. The kitchen was the most obviously changed from the last time his madre had stepped into the apartment; dishes in the drying rack, bananas on the counter, and a pair of mugs ready to make coffee.

"Sunday morning, our place. Your father and I want to see you for birthday breakfast. We have a surprise for you," Tom could see his mom hesitate, "It'd be nice if you'd bring your woman."

By then he should be able to, "We'll see madre, we'll see," for once his idiot mouth played it safe.

"Mijo," His mother touched his cheek gently, "I'm glad you're ok. I'm glad your woman can stitch, but if the job is too dangerous we pass it back to the acronym hiring us," she insisted calmly.

"It's not at that point yet madre, not even close." He promised, wondering if it was a lie. There was still so much they didn't know about Jerred's higher ranked connection.

Now his mother held up a tin wrapped box, "Your father found this on the Supra, I figure it matches the previous one you found." She passed over the hacked tracker, "It's working for you now, I've already seen to it."

"Gracias madre." He took the tin and gave his mom a kiss on the cheek. She finally left and the shower had stopped so Dri was likely already dressed.

He got the water boiling for the coffee and had them poured as Dri came out of the bedroom. "Bathroom's all yours, if I take the bus you'll still make it to work on time." Like he'd guessed, she'd gotten dressed; the laundry from yesterday already paying off.

"I'm dropping you at home Dri, it's not far out of my way." He argued, the pain level already more manageable today than it'd been yesterday afternoon.

"Then go," She looked at her wrist as if timing how long it'd take him.

He still took the time to verify that she had actually folded her few items neatly and tucked them in the drawer of his dresser. It felt too good seeing that, and Tom let the pleasant nonsense in his head drown out the pain in his body after dropping Dri at her parents and finally getting to work. Despite being late Wade didn't give him hell, and even with the show he put on yesterday Sybil barely spoke to him. It made for an almost great day, except for the first time in too long he'd be going home to an empty bed.

And when his phone chimed with a message from the brat, Tom didn't hesitate to pull his phone out to check it [figured out how to hide tracker; make it license plate permit sticker. ALL cars have them, I can use a real one as reference to paint]

[we got 2 now, either one of us gets a chance, slap it on]

"So I got a question," Wade interrupted and pulled Tom's attention, "You two have known each other basically all your lives," that wasn't a question, "so how did the two of you happen now?"

[I'll grab them from your place, go to the VFX lab, and start painting] His eyes flicked up from the text to see a smirk on Wade's face.

"She rescued herself from a room of bad guys without breaking a sweat or a nail, found me at the bottom of the stairs, and asked me to take her home." He answered honestly.

"Your queen doesn't wait to be rescued?" Wade had apparently looked up the translation of the name Tom used for Dri.

"She doesn't wait to need to be rescued." She hops out of the damn car and goes to slap the bad guy in the face. And later drop his girl to the floor like an action hero.

"I'd say it's a yes, you are stupidly in love with this woman, you don't have to wonder any more." Wade used a flat tone but Tom could see amusement on his face.

Tom had figured that out already, but it did remind him to tell her that fairly soon. But not via text. "Thank you captain Obvious."

[Think they'll be ready for Sat?] he asked after focusing on work for a bit.

[Yes but I'll be dead. Honey has me Fri all night to Sat am, and will drop me at yours after-her orders not mine]

She was going to be dead on her feet for the Saturday party, but it'd be their first chance to get a tracker on Jerred's car. [Model problems?] he couldn't outright ask if she'd be ok, she'd lie and say yes no matter what.

[Superstitious designer problems. Honey doesn't let anyone see the final outfit of her shows until its Showtime. I'm blindfolded for dress fittings; I'm not even allowed to see the fabric.]

[That sucks] It was the closest she'd let him get to sympathy without getting prickly.

Unsurprisingly, Tom found his apartment empty and quiet without her there too, and he tried to focus on resting and getting through the week. Maybe it was his birthday being Sunday, maybe it was his idiot brain deciding that he'd tell Dri how he felt then, but Tom could feel the time counting down to the weekend. He managed to work at the Nightside for the rest of the week without incident, going to the yard after to tear the damaged panels off the Supra and start replacing them after just to keep busy. Tom even carefully visited the gym, glad for a moment that Nate was out of town for the week and unable to see how slow Tom was as he healed.

The only time the brat talked to him was to send a picture of 3 license plate stickers and a question [can you spot the real vs not?]

Tom worked on cars and frequently handled license plates, and he stared at the picture intently looking. [Not a damn clue].

And then he had to wait. His body stopped hurting, aches left in the stitches only, but he hated Friday night like nothing else. He had gotten used to curling around to brat to sleep, the routine so ingrained after 2 months that he'd even taken her sleep shirt out for her. But Adrianna wouldn't be coming over that night; she had her own job with Honey to attend to. So Tom tossed and turned all night, finding himself constantly reaching for the bedmate that wasn't there. It left him getting next to no reel sleep, and he drank a third coffee by the time he heard her picking the damn lock to get in. It shouldn't have left him feeling so good to see her looking as tired as he felt; but some part of Tom hoped it was because she missed their routine too.

"I have 2 painted trackers, an outfit selected by Honey James, and about a baker's dozen stab wounds from needles," she grouched at him immediately, "for the love of fuck there better be coffee."

Tom just handed his mug over, taking the bag of off the brat. He'd teased her once, about basically moving in when she first brought over one of the big ass bags she used. Now that he actually wanted that, he was happy to see the bag because the more she brought over, the longer she'd stay. Instead of dropping the bag on the couch, he brought it into the bedroom and put it on the dresser.

"How did you end up stabbed so much?" He took her makeup bag and put it in the bathroom, "Honey get drunk and play pin the crown on the Reinita?"

"You say it jokingly Goon, but basically exactly that," Dri complained from the far room and Tom could tell she'd opened the window by the smell wafting in. He'd put her things away, even hanging the dress in the upright, and came out to see her leaning against the window with a smoke extended for him to take. "Since she had me there, Honey decided I might as well fit test all my outfits for Catwalk. Now keep in mind; these aren't sewn garments yet but still muslin and needle guides. So I'm basically trying to pull on and off clothes that want to both fall apart and stab me on their way out of existence. Honey had wine open when I showed up."

Tom would have suspected the wine being why it'd taken them a day and a half, except the brat wasn't hungover or drunk. Her crankiness felt more like his own. He traded her joint for the coffee, filling the drink as it emptied but not bothering with a second mug.

"Let's see the trackers, then you better go get ready it's already afternoon," he waited to say until coffee and joint were done

Like in the pictures, Tom couldn't tell the 2 trackers were anything but stickers until he looked at them from the unpainted side. He could believe it'd be initially overlooked, at least long enough to ping out the location for him. "These'll do," He wanted to compliment more but like concern she's brush it aside.

"James Bond, round 3," Dri smiled and headed for the bathroom to get ready.

"Dress is in the upright," He called through the door, still examining the trackers.

She'd gotten them to look the part, now he just had to figure out how to get them on the car without it being obvious. Having two was great, it let both of them have one to try with, but that'd only work if they had an excuse to get near the back of the car. Tom was going to be in a poker game again, this one doing business. He'd keep his in his back pocket and try to make an opportunity happen.

Thanks to her later arrived, the brat had significantly less time to get ready than usual, and had elected to keep it simple in response it seemed. She stepped back out of the bedroom in the dress Tom hadn't really looked at, and he realized he owed Honey a big thank you.

She had on thigh high boots in a soft looking leather, and a pale gold dress that left skin between skirt and boot. He felt a smirk start as he realized there were little beads clustered together in glittering patches on the dress, from top to bottom, but the front had an aggressive neckline as if to balance the more structured fit of the dress with the soft curve of Dri's breasts. He was a fan. And when he saw her slip her tracker into the minimal cup of her dress, it was simply to keep track of where the spare tracker was.

The clock on the stove warned that he had no time to stare longer, and they definitely didn't have time for him to get her out of that dress, do all the things he wanted to, get her back into it, and then stare a bit. So instead he got them into the Jeep and out to the party.

It almost didn't feel worth it once they were there.

Tom saw the layout, a different warehouse but basically identical to the one Dri originally came out to. Poker would be upstairs, behind dosed doors, and the ladies would be a floor away and watching the races. Two months ago and he would have killed to be walking past the cars getting worked on and going up the damn stairs. Now he just wanted to stay wherever the brat was, feeling like with this many people around he'd like to be watching her back.

He'd almost forgotten about the stitches and lingering bruises on his face, the surprised looks people shot him a strange reminder. And there were a lot of people tonight, a change from how quiet Jerred had kept the May 24 party. As they went into the warehouse proper, Tom saw Jerred's car over in the work area where he'd normally be headed. Only tonight he had to head up.

"Go on Goon, I'll figure a plan out," She teased her in Spanish, "I always do."

His hand was on her back, fingers idly toying with a cluster of beads. "Brat," he taunted back, chasing the word with kiss that had started out quick. But she had on that lipstick again, and Tom's idiot brat set out to ruin it. Thank god his lip had healed fast, this was more fun without pain.

"Go win some money, use it to buy a couch that isn't the worst," she had that momentarily flushed look he loved.

"That couch is the best Reinita," he corrected, "it got you into my bed." This kiss was quick, he was away and up the stairs before she could argue back.

At the Casino Royale poker night, Jerred had played like a professional. Tonight he played like an asshole; bullying the table as the players bet money, job opportunities, or sometimes favours, but only about things everyone at the table had seen first. And since all the jobs were for Jerred, the players had to get his favour by not winning against him too much but also not being obvious.

It let Tom know that whoever had been watching at Casino Night had liked what he'd seen and had given Jerred a longer leash. Only someone who felt validated acted like that much of an absolute ass. Once again Tom played poker more like a chess match, willing to lose money as needed to learn this new dynamic in the players. He stuck to betting the cash he'd brought finding a large bill fold stuffed into his pocket thanks to the brat.

Devil woman.

He was willing to lose his money, he wouldn't lose hers even if she slipped it into his pocket. It just reminded him he needed to figure out a suitable bit of revenge for these little tricks of hers, but Tom had to focus on playing decent poker in the second half of the game; unable to fold out since they were talking business as well as poker.

At least the business was interesting, it was smuggling like the original brief called it, but not just car parts and drugs. If Tom put the skill sets of the room together right they could probably get almost any person or they thing wanted wherever they wanted them to be. It was too methodical and organized to be Jerred's own undertaking though, and it all felt weirdly familiar though Tomas couldn't determine why.

If this was the shiny distraction, what the hell were the powers that be up to? It was starting to feel like the acronym that'd hired his madre had left some details out. He safely lost out on rounds that included picking up jobs, not wanting to get tied too deeply into that until he had a better understanding of who Jerred worked for.

At least he could finally report to his madre what the business poker was like.

Jerred ended the game at midnight, explaining with a smug tone as he collected his markers, "no new business after midnight boys, boss' rule. You come out with more than you came in with consider it a winning night."

There was a God, and he wanted Tomas to have a happy birthday. He left the poker table almost eagerly, the back of his mind working on the 'no new business' rule; Tom had heard it somewhere before. HIs concern about boss' rules took back burner as he came down to the main level, and got to witness Dri in her absolute element; tearing an overconfident idiot down to size. Some poor bastard hadn't caught on to necessity of leaving that group of ladies alone.

"If we wanted some mouth breather panting all over us, any one of us would be able to find far better than you could ever offer. Take a few steps back, and then do us all a favour and take several more right out of here." His leg hurt, a lingering headache throbbing from the shit night of sleep, and still Tom smiled at Dri being in fine fighting form.

But even as he looked, he realized some of her anger was frustration, she'd gotten as close to Jerred's car as she could without being obvious, but he doubted she's gotten the tracker on the car yet. Not with everyone and their idiot brother in here watching, and of course Tom had brought the man himself with him.

This night really had been a waste, he could have been at home with the brat having a conversation or twelve about the thing going on between them. Hopefully in bed.

Of course, he'd walked close enough for the brat to see him coming, having to work a plan up on the fly while everyone watched; something he knew she hated. "Do I look like I need a rescue Tomas?"

Normally she kept her taunts in her father's native language, so this was a clue that Dri had figured out what to do and he just had to play along again. So if she wanted a fight, he was the best man to give it to her. "Reinita, I'm too tired for this shit right now." Her chin lifted in challenge but he could see her shift positions, slightly closer to Jerred's car. "It's past midnight so it's officially my goddamned birthday," he stalked towards her and for the first time in their lives Adrianna gave ground to him, and only the pair of them knew it was a part of her plan and he was just playing along. "So why don't you give the mouthiness a rest as a birthday gift to me, unless you'd like to put it to better uses?"

For a heartbeat he worried he'd made a mistake. Her eyes blazed, her face flushed and he saw her chest heave in a breath to give him a hell of a verbal beat down. "I'm not the one mouthing useless words Tomas; or did you forget about promising to find out where all my piercings are?" she'd switched back to Spanish.

His eyes were on hers so he saw hers go slightly wider, as if she hadn't meant to say that. Tomas grinned, knowing her reference to the conversation on Monday wasn't intentional but clearly on her mind. So Tom lifted his hand to her hair and kissed her. It wasn't about the job, or the cover 온라인카지노게임, or even to keep her safe from the others. Tom just needed to kiss his woman.

Almost as if it were choreographed, Tomas scooped Dri up, finding the skin of her thighs cool under his hands as she clung to him in return. He stepped them back to lean her a little against the trunk of the car they were trying to track. They were finally in position to get the tracker in place, but although Tomas had his in his pocket, it'd be too damn obvious to go for it with all eyes on them.

So his idiot brain decided to go for Dri's, and he dropped his lips from her mouth to her cleavage. The disadvantage of women's clothes was the absolute dearth of pockets, to Tom's vast enjoyment that left the brat using her frankly fantastic breasts as one. He went for the tracker she'd tucked in there.

He'd gotten the tracker with his teeth, painfully aware that there was a piercing close by he'd rather have there, and lifted his hand up to cup her breast and discreetly palm the tracker. And her breast because goddamn he was only human. The breathy gasp of his name she gave brought his mouth back up to hers, arm curling behind her where Dri took the tracker from him, and while he tried to ruin her lipstick up against Jerred's car she managed to get the tracker in place while everyone watched.

And no one saw her do it.

"Guys, guys, enough! Nice show and all but not on my goddamn car!" Jerred finally interrupted.

Tom looked at Dri, seeing her eyes unfocused, cheeks rosy, and her lips parted to catch her breath, and he really wanted to kill Jerred for his interference. "Don't worry, we're going," Tom's voice was rough, his arm over the brat's shoulders as he walked them out.

Behind them, a cacophony of loud catcalls and whistles followed, the crowd convinced they knew exactly why and where the pair were going after a show like that. And Tom knew he was not a good man because he desperately hoped they were right.

"You've got a text," Dri pointed out as they got in the Jeep.

"Check it." He was driving, glad to have something to focus on.

"It's from Nate," she mimicked her brother's voice poorly, "Dude happy birthday, heading home now but tradition will continue as soon as I am back, be prepared." She put the phone down for a moment, "That sounds almost threatening Tom, do I want to know what this tradition is?"

"Nate started it on my 18th, he snuck over and gave me a shot of liquor and a punch to the shoulder for my birthday. So his next I did the same." Tom explained as he parked, ruefully recalling that if they had nothing better to do it was the bottle and a brawl, but that was maybe something he didn't need to admit to.

Adrianna laughed softly, seeming able to anticipate their behaviour anyways. She took off those ridiculous boots and actually groaned as her toes wiggled. For once she didn't even tuck the boots away, just letting them flop over at the entrance and he liked the look of her things in his place.

"You know where the shower is," he'd gotten her shuffling towards the bathroom, the lack of argument warning that she was tired or deep in thought.

But neither one was drunk, drugged, or otherwise incapacitated so he really thought about joining her in that shower as he heard it start up. So of course there was a knock at his door.

The spy hole revealed none other than Nathaniel Vega himself. Because of course this was the moment he'd arrived for, Tom had just been about to go have the best argument with the brat ever. He really hoped Dri kept her ass in the bedroom; Tom opened the door to her older brother.

"I know you texted, but I got back here myself like 2 minutes ago," Tom bitched, forgetting that Nate hadn't seen the damage from last week yet.

"Dude, the fuck happened to your face?" Nate pushed passed Tom and stepped in, tripping over Adrianna's boots. God was toying with his life again it seemed. Nate was a photographer that often worked with his model sister, and those boots were distinct.

Somehow, Nate didn't immediately recognize who those fuck-me boots belonged to. He had a bottle of liquor in hand, and a knowing grin on his face, "Boots like that and I bet your Reinita's got one hell of a happy birthday already covered."

Tom grinned back, hearing the shower turn off, "I'm really hoping man," that would eventually get his ass beat but at this point Tom had accepted the inevitable fight between him and Nate.

"So this is all ok?" Nate gestured at his face, the only visibly injured part of Tom.

"Work thing, I came out on top but it's still developing." Nate had worked some odd jobs for Tom's madre in the past when she needed help, but Tom couldn't take the time to get into it now.

So he reached for the bottle in Nate's hand, realizing that the brat may have inadvertently added to their tradition; that was Ben Riach Nate had brought. "And here I am keeping you from getting on top again," Nate teased with a laugh, and Tom choked on his swig from the bottle.

There was a suspicious thud from the bedroom at Nate's comment; the brat was eavesdropping. He couldn't help the grin, his idiot mouth deciding that this was too good of an opportunity to pass up, "Get that ass in bed Reinita, I'll be there soon." Soon Nate after others were going to learn Adrianna was Tom's mysterious Reinita, but he'd wanted one night where only he and she knew it.

Nate was giving him such a shit eating grin that Tom frowned at him, "What man?"

"You got your shot, now I get mine," Nate warned and then gave Tom an uppercut to the stomach that actually wheezed some air out of him.

Almost out of habit Tom shot a punch back to Nate's shoulder, taking another swig defiantly as his friend stepped back to dodge. Nate grinned at him, grabbing for the bottle at the same time he shot a kick out to Tom's leg. Unfortunately, Tom blocked it with his injured leg; the sharp pain that flared warned him a second before he felt the drip of blood from a popped stitch.

"Fuck-shit," Tom hissed, shoving Nate's shoulder to get space between them and hoping he didn't catch Tom using the brat's phrase. Idiot mouth to the rescue, "That's a $140 bottle of Scotch, and we both have our women waiting in different beds, why are we here beating on each other?"

Nate opened his mouth for a smart-ass response and stopped himself. "Good fucking point. Happy birthday Tom," 

He fist bumped his best friend, and got Nate out the door before he could notice the blood stained pant leg. As soon as the door to his apartment closed behind the elder Vega sibling, the younger one was tearing the bedroom door open to come tease him no doubt.

Only Dri made it one step into the room and somehow saw the blood on Tom's leg.

"Don't scream at me yet, he's still close enough to recognize your voice," Tom warned, realizing that his romantic endeavor was dead the moment Nate had popped his stitches.

Bastard didn't even know he'd cock blocked him either. Dri had changed out of that wonderful gold dress and into his shirt for sleeping, but at the sight of blood she sighed and turned to the bathroom with its first aid kit under the sink.

"Do you have any of those pain pills from Grace left? This isn't going to feel any better the second time around," Her attitude made him smile.

"Got lots, I'll take one and sit on the couch." He'd stopped using the pain meds after Dri had gone home, so there were still a few left for emergencies.

This was not the scenario Tom had been waiting to take his jeans off for, especially with the brat still only in his shirt. Tom had learned that Dri preferred to sleep naked, but wore pajamas if others were around, so he absently wondered if it was only his shirts she was currently wearing. He had to redirect to safer thoughts; getting his heart rate racing would only make him bleed more right now.

She didn't sit on him to hold him down this time, a shame but probably for the best. He'd stripped his jeans off to reveal that Nate's little kick had popped the last two stitches on his calf, and Tom had his leg across her lap on top of a towel as she stitched. Like the last time, Dri hummed the lullaby Tom had been using to distract himself from the pain, and it helped again but only because the brat had a terrible singing voice. Her father and brother could sing the birds out of the trees, but his Reinita sounded like a crow cawing out the words, he loved it.

"Stay here for a second, and I mean it the time." she warned, all bossiness with none of the shock from last time.

So Tom watched as she washed her hands off at the kitchen sink, no tears or sobs to pull him to comfort her, and waited as she came back to wipe the fresh blood off of his leg. The pain meds were kicking in, taking the bite out of the hurt in his calf, but leaving the world feeling slow again.

"Our bed is waiting us Tomas, lets go," the brat sounded teasing as she pulled him to his feet, and he liked the sound of it enough to follow her into the bedroom.

He pulled the shirt off, climbing into bed and curling around her, careful of his aching leg. This was not how he's expected to get into bed with the brat tonight, but as she turned off the light and feathered a quick goodnight kiss to his lips, he realized it still wasn't a bad way at all.