sugar cane dance with the devil

The man was no novice to chaos. Nothing like somebody being murdered and found to have everyone from the event scatter like the whole place was on fire. Worries were like a poison to everybody. But one had control of their own self and Ramiro's priority was checking in on the people he gave a damn about. And when somebody didn't answer their phone in response - maybe that bit of worry began to increase. He didn't like any loose ends and with violence lurking at every corner - the last thing he wanted to hear was someone from his circle was the next victim. So here he was pounding profusely at Sabrina's front door. "Sabrina. If you're in there you have about ten seconds before this door's hinges are not in tact." A promise being spoken. It was either that or he would break a window. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

sabrina had managed to get out of the party with little trouble. true she had more or less slipped out after batting her eyes at some rookie and acting innocent. but she had nothing to hide! and she had nothing to do with this. despite any guilt by association she might have. but of course after getting high and drunk after that whole mess, sabrina was a bit paranoid. had she gotten caught for something else? did she miss rent again? someone she pissed off? ramiro's voice was the sweetest sound though. not bothering to turn on any lights from her hiding spot in the dark, she threw the door open. he wouldn't be able to stop her as she flung herself at him for a hug. " ramiro! " the world tilted a bit her her reveling still affecting her. " césar won't like you if you break my door down. " she giggled and thought of her short and angry landlord.

if sabrina had ever been put off or intimidated by gruff bikers, she would have not lasted long hanging around the aces. roman's response didn't deter her in the least. nor did it come as any personal reaction. the writing was on the wall even to her. " isn't pinning it on us kind of like the scorpion stinging the back? " sabrina mused. she knew the whole thing was messy, but didn't that hurt whatever.... alliance there was? still it was almost too easy to know who this was going to be pinned on. " anything. " sabrina had to earn her keep anyway. " I'll try to find out what I can. not sure how many of them would come to the bar, but I can try some different ways. "

The room Willa was led into smelled faintly of coffee and copier toner, with the faintest hint of cigarettes. Unassuming, until her caramel eyes met his as the officer let her to the desk. Suddenly she was hit with a flickering memory of the faint taste whiskey, neon lights and laughter caught between breaths. Her cheeks flashed a shade of pink traitorously, before she could get her composure in order. She shook her head once, subtly, as if she could dislodge the snippet of the past with a single, careless movement. Praying to the high heaven that neither man had noticed the brief shift. The universe really had a twisted sense of humor these days... “Detective Russo,” she said, voice steady despite the quiet riot tingling beneath her skin. “I wasn’t aware you were assigned to this case.”

truthfully, gio was being an absolute idiot for not realizing earlier that the risk of willa showing up was a high one. of course the whole clayton clan would be called into give last whereabouts of the mayor for them to piece together the timeline. he had been so blindsided by the all hands on deck that he hadn't taken the time to think of the glaringly obvious. " miss morrissey. " the picture of professionalism right back. " I am not officially. but we are all helping out with tracking the mayor's last movements. "

devi wasn't heartless. she did know that marco loved their son and given her own shadowed past she knew how much that was worth. but she hated when he did this. it always put her between a rock and a hard place. he was the one breaking their rules and she would come off as the bad guy if she said no. she had more harsh words she wanted to share - but there was no room to say them in front of santi. " and now you forced me not to say no. " her voice was low and the words were only meant for his ears.

knowing that the knocking would only rile him up, sabrina continued the action. of course she heard him. but where was the fun in stopping? the door opened and sabrina's hand paused. a smile lit up her features knowing it would only be a cherry on top. this whole place was going crazy as the latest news spread through about the mayor. she had kept her ear to the ground as promised trying to hear what she could but so far wasn't turning up anything that was juicy enough. hitting dead end after dead end left her frustrated and in need of some distraction. " returning your shirt. " sabrina innocently held up the plaid she had not so innocently stolen the last time he'd been over.

mars had been pretending not to listen. which meant she’d been listening very closely. the volume shift was what pulled her attention; that sharp edge in devi’s voice. the uniforms had that bored, brick-wall look about them. the kind that liked repeating questions just to watch people unravel. mars didn’t like that look, she found it boring, predictable, and a waste of fucking time. when devi stepped forward, ready to shove past the cop, mars moved before she thought about it, a smooth slide into the space beside her, one hand coming up lightly. “ easy, ” mars murmured, voice low and amused, “ assaulting an officer tends to complicate the bedtime routine. ”

devi had never liked police growing up in england. they were never helpful when she needed them and far too harsh when she was only trying to survive. she had done well at flying under the radar when it came to the police force here. until tonight that was. " would it be assault just to push him to the side? when it is well deserved. " she was sure he was being an obtrusive ass on purpose. to get off on riling her up? to make up for being bored?