— 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐓 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒.

leaning back in the chair, gio shot carla a steely glance that held humor under the dark hues. " well, now that wasn't such a bad dinner. " he grunted. " maybe one of these days we can say some of the russo cooking genes rubbed off. " a smile broke out on his lips. these dinners had become a semi regular thing between them since his move out here. reaching for the bottle of wine from his collection, gio topped them both off.

Keeping Giovanni in her life had been one of the few non-negotiables following her ex-husband's death. She felt she owed him, at the very least, a home-cooked meal and company, however poor she might consider it. The comfort of his company was added bonus she felt too selfish to point out. She watched him pour the wine, her smile slow and genuine. ''Your mother would cuss you out if she heard you,'' she said with a roll of her eyes, thinking about the woman's distaste towards her. Not that she could blame her, but thinking about the why and how of it all was sure to make her head ache. ''How's the job?'' she inquired pointedly, eyeing him from over the rim of the glass she brought to her lips.

"feels strange being somewhere else, even if i'm not working." he had been lingering more than he probably should have. old habit, maybe—watching the room, nights like this made people sloppy.

his gaze drifted across the room, following the tense clusters of people before settling back on her. up close, she was a lot harder to ignore than the rest of them.

"besides," ari added, "it's better than gamblin' away my life savings." which weren't much to begin with.

there was a beat, his thumb absently tracing the rim of a coaster.

"what about you?," he questioned, tone softening just a little, "you just over here to see how the drinks compare?"

The beginning of a smile on his face threatened to melt any composure left in her. The usually stone-faced bartender, the mysterious presence that orbited around her like a pull she couldn't ignore, was smiling. She could feel his discomfort despite the party around them, and she felt better knowing she wasn't the only one in her misery. ''I know exactly what you mean,'' she agreed with a nod, already itching to head back to the office before going home. Workaholics, maybe, but she liked to think she'd built something safe enough for both of them to feel strained away from their habitual comfort. ''They don't compare,'' Carla immediately reassured, patting at the empty stool beside her. It was innocent enough that no one could assume she was longing to examine him further, watch the flutter of his lashes over deep baby blues up close. ''Maybe you can help me put some names on the few faces I don't recognize?'' she suggested.

closed starter  ╱   @neonspurs location : ironwood gym

shit was hitting the fan , he knew it and everyone knew it but he couldn't show that he was unhappy or whatever it was that was going on in his mind. ❛ i'm fine man, same shit different toilet . ❜ his own way of simply saying that life had to keep going no matter what. ❛ you wanna have some beers after this ? ❜

Zeke chuckled, feeling like he should hide the foreign pull of a smile on his face . ''Such a way with words,'' he teased, watching Tobias make a mess of taping his knuckles. He shook his head and approached, grabbing the ribbon from him and tugging to make it tighter across his hand. ''If you got any hands left to hold the bottle after this, I'll take you up on it.''

closed starter for @neonspurs

FAMILY was something that tobias missed out on &. as annoying as it all was he wouldn't change it for the world , the club became his family as twisted and unbelievable as some people might think it is &. chase was no exception to that  ❛ do you think before you speak or is it just empty in there ❜ he pokes at chases head with a small smile  ❛ get your head out of your ass , its not a damn hat ! ❜

''What, this?'' Chase replied with a shit-eating grin, knocking on the side of his head. There were very few people he enjoyed antagonizing quite like Tobias, the tough sergeant-at-arms, rendered childish in their antics. ''Hard as stone and just as thick, my ma used to say,'' he shrugged, tugging off his cap to shake his head like a dog. ''Boss said I stick by you today. So, what's on the agenda?''

✦  chase  lincoln  /  @neonspurs the  anchor,  timber  cove

"yeah  .  .  .  we're  closed,"  jeremy  huffed  after  his  thick  shoulder  busted  open  the  door  the  led  to  the  back  of  the  house  for  the  restaurant,  arms  full  of  a  heavy  case  of  liquor  to  restock  at  the  bar.  "we're  open  in  an  hour  if  you  still  need  a  drink  this  early  in  the  day.  we  don't  start  taking  orders  for  lunch  until  that  time  too.  kitchen's  just  gettin'  warmed  up."

it  was  around  10am  and  he  internally  chided  himself  for  leaving  the  front  door  unlocked  after  he'd  come  in  a  couple  of  hours  ago.  he  hadn't  really  considered  he  had  anything  to  worry  about  though.  people  of  timber  cove  knew  the  business  hours  and  no  one  would  think  to  mess  with  the  owner.  even  if  jeremy  lincoln  was  getting  closer  to  40  he  was  still  a  very  formidable  force.  and  he'd  been  angry  lately.

all  he  saw  when  he'd  first  come  through  the  push  door  was  an  arm  and  a  little  bit  of  a  person's  side  at  the  bar.  when  he  rounded  in  and  moved  behind  it  the  person  that  came  into  full  view  was  his  youngest  sibling.  chase.  "the  fuck  are  you  doing  here?"  brow  furrowed  for  just  a  moment,  suspicion  riddled  with  other  more  disguised  and  masked  emotions,  jeremy's  head  then  shook  as  he  set  the  box  down  and  pulled  a  couple  of  bottles  out.  "biker  boys  don't  got  business  all  the  way  out  here."

Everything about The Anchor was the same, down to the sticky floor, the lingering, appetizing smell of fish and the dent on the wood he'd made running with cutlery ten years ago. He'd been examining the splintered mark when Jeremy's voice broke the silence, his tenor making something he thought dead ache in his chest. He looked up to meet his brother's eyes, the same pale blue gaze their mother had always said made them look like twins. Back then, he'd puff his chest at the comparison, dreaming of becoming just like his brother. He watched him now, like a broken mirror of what could have been, the resemblance with their father making him scoff, unable to rein it in. ''Is that how you greet all your customers? I bet you get great reviews with that attitude,'' he snarked, bending over the counter to retrieve a beer. It didn't matter how long he hadn't been back, the floor plan was practically imprinted in his mind from the hours spent working, playing and hiding around the place. ''Biker boys,'' Chase repeated, grimacing like the words tasted bitter. That's all he was to his brother now, and it made him furious. ''How about Lincoln boys? Any place for them here, or did you manage to fuck that too?''

boots approached from behind and ellie glanced over her shoulder - already soothing the horse when they flicked their ears at the new arrival. the mare was doing well in her pregnancy and should deliver a healthy baby any day now. at least according to the breeding specialist she had just spoken to. " need something? " ellie asked, all business to let him know she didn't want to play with him. everyone else might have thought dom was one of the most charming on the ranch, but she saw through his act. had since day one.

Dominic could have predicted the serious tone with which she addressed him; none of the jovial smiles she directed at the rest of the staff left for him. Despite her cold demeanour towards him — warranted, given their first interaction — he insisted on trying to break her shell. She was immune to the charm he threw at everyone else, and for some reason, it made her more dangerous than the rest of the ranch, too perceptive for her own good. ''Why, hello to you too,'' he replied, approaching the mare to give her a gentle nudge. ''How's my girl?''

somehow,  despite  the  many  contrasting  emotions  that  battled  each  other  internally,  the  brunette  held  her  composure.  the  professional  had  decided  against  playing,  she  was  merely  a  spectator,  and  more  focused  on  the  activity  around  the  casino  floor  with  too  many  major  players  in  one  room.  but  his  voice  coming  from  a  poker  table  had  pulled  her  through  the  crowd  of  spectators,  leaving  her  to  glare  at  the  broad  shoulders  at  the  back  of  a  man  who  slipped  from  her  life  years  ago.

divorce  papers  left  in  exchange  for  all  of  her  money  he  hadn't  had  permission  to  take.

in  no  way  could  sena  tell  a  soul  a  thing  that  was  happening  with  the  cards  or  around  the  table.  usually  she  could  stand  on  the  sidelines  and  act  as  commentary  for  anyone  curious.  9  times  out  of  10  her  calls  were  accurate.  right  now?  her  vision  had  narrowed  to  one  very  particular  subject.

"figures  you'd  try  to  hide  behind  me,"  she  claimed,  tone  scathing,  her  figure  unmoving.  "i  thought  you  were  more  comfortable  with  robbery  than  this  .  .  ."

It should've clicked sooner. From the familiar scent of her to the way his body instinctively curved into hers, Dominic should have clocked what his instincts seemed to have deciphered before him, his entire world reduced to Sena's presence before him. For a moment, the noise of the casino disappeared, and he stood frozen in the wake of her comment, his brain desperately trying to catch up to the situation. ''Sena,'' he blurted once he found his voice, taking a step back. His fist bunched at his side, keeping them from reaching out to touch her, make sure she was real. It was like seeing a ghost, a reminder of a past he'd desperately tried to escape that came back to slap him in the face. Frankly, a slap would have been better than the mix of apathy and pain he saw in her eyes. ''What are you doing here?''

The laugh that escaped her was genuine, pressing two fingers briefly to her lips like she could rein it in and avoid the unbelieving stares aimed her way. ''Pro-bono,'' she repeated, letting the word slip and scrunching her nose like they tasted bitter ''Rocky, I like you, so I'm going to pretend you didn't just suggest I do anything for free.'' She tilted her champagne flute idly, surveying the room over the rim. ''And for the record,'' she added, glancing back at him with a look that was all mock offense, ''my ego doesn't need a dead mayor and a courtroom to feel worshipped. That's a Tuesday, thank you very much.''

an  unspoken  tension  had  settled  between  them  ,  deepening  the  longer  they  spent  together  .  what  had  started  as  a  fleeting  connection  ,  just  a  wisp  when  they  first  met  ,  had  evolved  from  strangeness  to  friendship  ,  and  now  ,  to  something  more  .  best  friends  .  two  halves  of  the  same  whole  .  two  sides  of  the  same  coin  .  they  were  the  perfect  balance  of  yin  and  yang  ,  a  truth  evident  now  as  they  stood  together  .  him  ,  eager  to  immerse  himself  in  the  party  around  them  ,  and  her  ,  desperate  to  escape  it  .

❝  you  really  can't  ?  not  even  a  little  ?  ❞  he  asked  ,  feigning  disbelief  as  a  playful  look  spread  across  his  face  .  ❝  i  thought  you  knew  me  better  by  now  .  ❞  his  mock  disapproval  melted  into  a  wide  grin  .

❝  you  know  ,  ❞  he  said  ,  shifting  slightly  and  draping  an  arm  over  her  shoulders  ,  ❝  if  you  wanted  to  get  your  hands  on  me  ,  all  you  had  to  do  was  ask  .  ❞

The arm landed across her shoulders and she felt the betrayal of her own body, a flush she felt spread over her neck and the tips of her ears. ''Don't even,'' she said flatly, though the warning carried no weight and they both knew it. The thing about Zephyr was that he made it impossible to keep up any kind of indignation. Austin finally turned to look at him, regretting the moved as soon as she saw his grin, feeling her resolve crack at sight. A smile broke through despite her best efforts, and she reached up to flick him away, hoping to put some distance between their bodies. She quickly found her body wouldn't listen and instead leaned further under his arm. ''You know I live to make sure there's at least one person in this world that deflates your ego?''

Chelsea  let  him  crowd  her,  letting  herself  be  guided  backward  step  by  conscious  step  until  her  shoulders  finally  brushed  something  solid  behind  her.  A  wall,  cool  beneath  the  thin  fabric  of  her  dress.  That  warranted  a  teeny  laugh  from  her.  Chase’s  direction  was  unmistakable  and  she  allowed  it  right  up  until  her  arms  slid  easily  around  his  neck,  dangling  there  momentarily,  Then,  the  balance  shifted  instantly,  pulling  him  down  just  enough  to  remind  him  this  wasn’t  something  happening  to  her.  Her  smile  stayed  soft,  almost  sweet,  but  her  eyes  were  sharp  and  glassy  with  knowing.

“Oh,  uh  huh.  I’m  sure  you  can,”  she  murmured,  glossy  lips  curving  as  her  head  bobbed  along,  like  she  was  eating  up  gospel.  “Aren’t  we  all  trying  to  behave  tonight?”  The  tease  came  easy,  layered  with  awareness  —  of  where  they  were,  of  familiar  faces  scattered  through  the  casino.  Clayton  cowboys.  Family.  History.  Not  that  she  was  hiding  anything.  This  wasn’t  something  to  hide.  Just…  something  to  be  had.  Complications  were  part  of  the  landscape,  even  if  she  barely  let  them  linger.  Even  if  she  momentarily  glanced  beyond  his  shoulder  for  a  half  second.

If  Chase  trusted  her  a  little  too  much,  that  was  his  problem…  and  maybe  hers,  eventually.  Chelsea  leaned  in  again,  close  enough  to  reclaim  the  space  he’d  taken  first,  her  grin  widening  as  she  tilted  her  head,  wall  still  pressing  at  her  back  like  a  reminder  of  how  easily  lines  could  blur.  A  pinch  of  her  fingers  to  the  hair  at  the  nape  of  his  neck.

“Don't  tell  me  you're  bored  already.  It's  what…  hardly  11  o'clock?”  she  added  softly,  breath  warm  between  them,  laughing  quiet  and  low  with  her  head  falling  backwards.  “It's  a  good  thing  I'm  here  and  now  I'm  the  only  thing  you  need  to  worry  about.”

The laugh that escaped him was low and delighted, the kind that made him feel buzzed all over. Chelsea pulled him down in a swift move, wrenching a low and delighted laugh from him . The lines blurred so quickly with her, and he was always so eager to follow. ''Behave,'' he tried out the word like it was foreign to him. His hand lifted and pressed against the wall beside her head, his body caging her in with just enough give that she could pull away anytime, though he knew she wouldn't. ''When have you ever known me to behave,'' he trailed with a disapproving click of his tongue, like the idea was preposterous. His grin pulled at his lips, slow and crooked, aimed squarely at her. ''Matter of fact, I've been out of my mind looking for some trouble.'' His chin dipped, mouth close again and his voice dropping under the sound of the casino floor bleeding through the hallway. His thumb hooked lazily at her waist pulling her flush against him, head bent until his mouth grazed the shell of her ear. ''Found it.''

For: @neonspurs -Dominic Stewart

"Well, that's one way to end a party." Not that he thought this celebration or whatever they were calling it was actually a fun time. At least it was coming to an end and he didn't even have to sneak out which surely would prompt whispers and gossip from all the judgemental ones. "Seems to me to whoever is behind this - probably wanted everyone here so there was less of a chance for them to get caught." Death didn't phase him anymore. Growing up, he had seen loss of most of his immediate family. And then living around these parts and the battle for power - it was like war. There was always some kind of casualty.

"You're not wrong," Dominic replied with a tilt of his head towards Cale. His voice was unbothered, covering for the mounting unease at his presence in the casino. "Round up the suspects before they scatter. Old trick, though I'm not sure how long they'll manage to keep us all here." His eyes moved across the room studying, noticing the same agitation he could feel growing inside him. Half these people were already calculating their exits and the other half wore varying expressions of shock and grief. "Question is whether whoever did it is still in this room," he added lowly, thumb tracing the rim of his glass. "Should've taken you up on leaving early when I had the chance."

joni   let   the   room   keep   moving   without   her,   watched   the   currents   form   now   that   the   body   had   a   name.   conversations   bent   inward,   laughter   thinned   to   whispers,   heels   clicked   with   sharper   intent.   she   couldn’t   touch   the   scene,   couldn’t   claim   it,   so   she   did   what   she   always   did   —   she   studied   the   living   instead.   her   champagne   never   emptied;   she   just   kept   refilling   the   same   ache   behind   her   eyes,   and   now   the   chandeliers   were   beginning   to   blur   at   the   edges,   gold   smearing   into   something   softer,   less   stable.   sheriff   wanted   statements.   deputies   wanted   order.   she   wanted   air.   a   door.

''Depends,'' Zeke replied, like they were both unbothered by murder announcements and random requests. ''What kind of distraction are we talking? I have a range.'' He didn't. All he knew was fighting, but the prospect of entertainment was enticing. He caught her eyes drop to his hands and didn't move to hide them, used to the slight flaring of gazes when people spotted his injuries. He couldn't remember the last time his hands hadn't looked scarred. He let her look, let her do whatever math she was doing behind that carefully maintained smile, and watched expectantly for the moment it faltered just slightly before she reeled it back in. ''Maybe I am the wrong person,'' he shrugged, the corner of his mouth pulled in an amused smirk., ''Guess you won't know until we shake on it.''

The  tap  of  glass  caught  Tessa  just  as  she  was  grounding  herself,  breath  measured,  shoulders  set  with  intention  rather  than  ease.  She  glanced  to  him  then,  taking  in  the  way  he  carried  himself  —  alert  without  being  restless,  contained  in  a  room  full  of  people  barely  holding  it  together.  Her  own  glass  met  his  with  a  softer  sound,  a  quiet  acknowledgment  rather  than  a  celebration. 

“Free  drinks  is  a  respectable  motive,”  she  said,  a  hint  of  dry  humor  threading  through  her  voice.  “Might  be  the  only  one  in  here  that  doesn’t  come  with  strings  attached.”  Her  gaze  stayed  on  him  a  moment  longer  than  politeness  required,  recognizing  that  same  coiled  awareness  she  felt  in  her  own  spine.

At  his  comment,  she  let  out  a  slow  breath,  “I’m  not  here  to  test  my  luck,”  Tessa  admitted.  “I’m  here  because  standing  still  felt  worse  than  stepping  into  the  noise.”  The  words  settled  before  she  continued,  quieter  now.  “It’s  my  first  Valentine’s  out  since  my  dad  died.  Loud  places  make  it  easier  to  blend  in.  Harder  to  fall  apart.”

Now,  Tessa  knew  that  wasn't  what  a  stranger  should  be  tasked  with,  nor  what  they  wanted  to  hear…  but  it  was  honest  and  slipped  across  her  lips  before  she  could  stuff  her  mouth  closed.  She  tipped  her  glass  once  more,  not  inviting  anything,  just  marking  the  moment.  “So  if  I  seem  a  little  rigid,”  she  added  gently,  “it’s  not  the  crowd.  It’s  just  me  remembering  how  to  take  up  space  again.”

Zeke wasn't soft, hadn't been for a long time, but he knew grief like the back of his hand, the way it lived with someone like a dull ache that sometimes sharpened at the worst moment. He saw it now in the careful way the stranger held herself, the confession that had slipped unbidden. He didn't flinch away from it, and he didn't give her the condolences that he knew he wouldn't mean, no matter how soft he'd try to make his tone. ''That's a good reason,'' he replied, an echo of her own words with a nod that made it clear he understood. He took a sip of his drink, a beat to allow for more thoughts. ''Who doesn't like a little noise'' he added with a shrug. The fighting ring flashed in his mind, the raucous of violence more comfort than anything else he knew. ''For what it's worth,'' he whispered, quieter now as he leaned into her, ''you're taking up space just fine.'' His gaze drifted briefly to the crowd, all that wound-up energy unspent and making his skin itch with anticipation, before it returned to her. There was something steadying about her, and so Zeke held on to it, like an anchor in moving sea. ''My name's Zeke. Since we're apparently skipping the small talk.''