@mythicalmen
Closed starter: RJ & Owen
The slow cadence of the classical music was a steady measure of time and rhythm. An ease that kept his heart steady as he slipped from the bus, seeming ever more the college kid than a member of one of the most notorious crime families in the nation. The weight of such things was at times heavy but not a burden to bear like many would have thought. His family was loving and had done right by him and his siblings. Loyalty bred from trust, dedication, and care rather than fear and intimidation. That was saved for those that stood against them. That's why he often was able to keep calm in situations like this. For as inept as many often assumed, there was a razor sharp sense of observation and awareness. He had been tailed for the better part of two days. Back and forth from campus to the coffee house he favored to the visit home to see his father. The intentions of those that were following were yet to be seen. Rare was it the occasion that they were anything other than sinister.
Now, RJ was far more of the brains over brawn type. That wasn't to say that he was a slack but in a fist fight? That was where his uncles, brothers, and even sister shined more than he. Posture casual, shoulders relaxed, pace unhurried. Nothing gave away the fact that he was aware. Yet, his eyes were darting back and forth to look for a plausible escape route or avenue of means to keep those closing in on him from having an advantage. The plan that began unfolding? Something hardly intelligent but it was better than being yanked down an alleyway and experiencing who knew what terrible things. RJ carried a few scars from a kidnapping when he was young and he had vowed to never let it happen again. The solution? One Owen Matthews, who RJ had spotted from down the street. There was no way to know of he was conducting business but it was a risk worth taking. All the Ashcrofts knew the Matthews family members. They were occasionally allies and ones that were intended not to be crossed without a high level of warrant. Whether the head of the Matthews family knew him or not was another question entirely.
The life in the city surrounding reverberated in his chest, tying RJ to the moment and the world around him. Shifting through the sea of bodies as the ones behind crept ever closer. Closer and closer with each beat, each soft exhale, each subtle shift to slice through the ever encasing and enclosing surroundings. He was without shouting distance and closing quickly. The scheme to grab his attention hadn't come to mind just yet but RJ was going to have to go with split second decisions here.
"Hey, Mr. Matthews," RJ started, pouring perhaps a little more enthusiasm than needed into his voice. "I'm sure you're busy but, if you have a quick moment, I had a question about the flower delivery that was meant for Sunday." Vague memories of something had pulled up, forcing the words out. Hopefully, it meant something to the man.
A man like Owen Matthews knew all too well to always be prepared and never get too comfortable with those around you, even in your allies. Getting lax or complacent was how you ended up with a knife in your back or at the very least, knocked off from the top of the food chain. Still, there were indeed rare instances when something could truly catch him off-guard and it seemed today was one of those days. Owen had just finished rounding up some business of his own, when a voice cut through the crowd and made the large man turn to look at its source.
Now Owen was all too familiar with the Ashcroft men and he made a point of knowing all their faces, profiles on all of them as given to him by his own people. What may seem like a bit much for some people, Owen considered good research. After all, the Ashcroft family were the only name in town that were on the Matthews level. They were their greatest allies and possible enemies, depending on which side the coin fell and knowing the potential heirs or big players in that family was just good sense. Besides, Owen had enjoyed his more...personal encounters with them that he'd had.
But to have an Ashford suddenly appear before him, casual words that did nothing to hide the reality of what this was. An Ashford boy, throwing themselves at Owen Matthews and his mercy, into his grasp willingly...for some unknown reason. "Richard Ashford, what a sight indeed" Owen remarked, letting the young man know that the crime boss very much knew exactly who he was. "Is that so? Well then, I don't see why I couldn't spare a minute" He remarked, eyes gazing down at the younger man before shifting his gaze to those with him, giving them a nod to step aside as he moved a large hand behind RJ's back, a silent command to follow him. Walking off, guiding the young man along before speaking up once they were more alone. "A bold move indeed my boy, so tell me...what exactly has you running into my arms so willingly, hm? You must be desperate indeed."





















