Realistic or Modern [Blossom] Falling for the Darkness [Goldieloxx]

[apolla]

mood

angry; fearful

location

backseat of the SUV

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Though she kept her eyes downcast, she turned her head so that she could see the guys as they approached, or at least most of them. She wanted to ignore them the whole flight, and then continue that treatment after they landed, but hearing Dominic's comment about the cuffs had her head jerking up. A panicked look crossed her features, especially at Cal's return comment to the other guy. But instead of just handing her over to him, Cal leaned down, pulling the handcuff key from his pocket and unlocking them. She noticed how he kept a tight grip on them this time, so she couldn't use them against him, she figured.

"Thank you." She mumbled as he moved to take the final seat. The dark haired girl stood suddenly after calling Dominic an asshole, and Cameron looked back and forth between them. There was a familiarity there, and Cameron couldn't stop herself from asking, "You two know each other?" She hadn't given much thought to it before, but it made sense, especially if she hadn't been in handcuffs. But then again, why were they here? Were they all three against her? Cameron felt the plane vibrating underneath her as the engine started. The other guy didn't seem concerned about the brunette, but Cal was tense, ready to step in if needed.

Cameron bit her lip, remaining silent, even as the plane started to move from the hangar. She gripped the seat tightly, forcing herself to open her eyes as she'd squeezed them shut. "Fucking christ." She muttered, looking over at the others again. She tried not to look out of her window, but her head automatically turned as the plane got into position, and then started down the runway, slowly picking up speed before lifting off the ground completely. Cameron paled even more, wrenching her gaze away from the ground as it disappeared. There was no turning back now. This was done. "I hate you." She whispered, her eyes lifting to Cal.

nine lives

mood

indifferent

location

car ---> airport

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic didn't look over at Mia, not even as she stood from her chair, calling him an asshole and going on to say how this wasn't a pleasure cruise. "It could be, if you just let yourself enjoy it." Slowly, he turned his gaze to her, tilting his head slightly. "You have no idea what happened, do you?" He watched her for a moment, then sighed. "Figures, but I can't really say that's surprising. To answer your question," He turned his head to look at Cam. "We go waaay back. I'd say we're best friends, wouldn't you, Mia?" He grinned at the brunette, leaning back further in his seat.

"I recommend you sit down, Mia, before the plane takes off." He turned his head forward again, looking at Cal, now. "Relax, Cal. She won't do anything." He noticed how Cameron paled when the plane started moving, and though he smirked, he said nothing about it. In fact, he didn't speak at all until Cameron looked to Cal, telling him that she hated him. "You probably shouldn't hate him, Cami dear. Think of Cal as the delivery man. He gets the job done that someone else ordered. If it wasn't Cal who came to retrieve you, it would have been someone else, and they probably wouldn't have been as... gentle."

Dominic glanced over at Mia again as the plane leveled out in the air. "I did mean what I said, though. It's a long flight, and you may as well relax. Mia, if you have questions, feel free to ask them. I'm your best source of information, and will be for a while. In fact, I may as well just tell you. Your father called a hit on mine." Suddenly he was leaning forward, twisting his body so he could fully see her. "Can you sense how betrayed my own father would have felt? I had no choice in this matter, but your father did. And he chose wrong." And then he was straightening again, looking over at Cam. "Same with your father, for that matter."

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal relaxed when Dominic dismissed any threat from the brunette. His interest was piqued when Cameron asked the question he had been wondering earlier- how Dom and Mia were connected. Now that he thought about it, he did recall seeing the brunette at De Rosa's Ristorante. She clearly wasn't here on her own accord, but if Dom had history with her, that could potentially prove to be a complication.

Cal took a few deep breaths as the plane lifted off the ground. That was one of the worst parts for him. Well, that, turbulence and landing. He caught Cameron's discomfort from the corner of his eye, and glanced over at her. True to her word, Cameron was indeed nervous about flying. This did not help Cal's anxiety any to see his fear mirror by someone else. Unfortunately, while Cameron could outwardly show her discomfort, Cal could not.

When Cameron said she hated him, Cal couldn’t really blame her, but he also agreed with Dominic's defense. Cameron should count herself very lucky it was him that picked her up.

“If hating me helps you sleep better at night, by all means...” Cal replied opening his arms to welcome her hate. “But like Boss said, you could do worse than me.”

Cal stood up once the plane was level and walked over to the mini kitchen onboard. “You have any of those fancy miniature liquor bottles?” He half asked, half joked, already spotting a full sized bottle of Jack. One drink couldn’t hurt, and it would help calm his nerves while flying. Especially if this was going to be a long flight.

Though removed from the discussion and the group, he listened to Dominic explain why Mia was being brought with them, and almost spilled the whisky when he heard a hit was attempted on Santoro. He remained silent as he often did when business was being discussed though, and just drank in the information along with a sip of his Jack. He would check in to see how his friend was handling things later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~




Mia glanced at Cameron when she asked about her and Dom, frowning at Dominic’s response. “We may go way back, but everything considered, friends might be a bit of a stretch now.” She replied, correcting Dominic’s account of their relationship. She didn’t want Cameron to get the impression that she was in on this.

Mia sat down, but only because the plane was taking off, not because she wanted to obey Dom. She listened silently to the exchange between Dom, Cal and Cam, noting the names of the man and young woman.

When they leveled off and Dom started talking about their father’s, Mia had to look away. She had gathered from her text messages that her father had ordered a hit on the Don, but it was worse hearing it from Dom. Mia bit her lip, only looking over at Dom when she heard him turn in his seat to face her.

“Yes, I can sense how betrayed your father feels. Very acutely.” Mia replied, trying to keep her voice steady. “Your father wasn’t the only one my father betrayed. My father knew the risks involved with his actions and he still made his move, regardless of the safety of his family. He didn’t even bother to warn us.” Mia said with a sad, choked laugh. She had been trying to avoid thinking about the implications of her father's hit on Santoro, but now she was admitting it to herself. “So yes, my father chose wrong. He chose power over his family. And then to top it of, you...” Mia couldn’t finish, too afraid of her emotions spilling over more than they already had.

Mia echoed Dominic’s movement, turning in her seat to face forward as well. “I’m already paying for his sins, do you want me to apologize for them as well?” She asked, staring blankly ahead at her bleak future. Apparently Cam’s father had also fucked things up for her. Some heads of the household they were. Now Cam and Mia were caught in the webs spun by their loved ones.

________
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

angry; fearful

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

It wasn't Cal who answered her right away, but the other male, who basically told her that she shouldn't hate him and should even be grateful that it was him and not someone else. "Don't call me Cami." She snapped at him, too late remembering how Cal told her she should be respectful to him. But thankfully, he didn't seem annoyed or angered by her outburst, but merely amused. He just shook his head and shrugged.

Cal spoke then, drawing Cameron's attention back to him as he stood. "Just because I could do worse doesn't mean I also couldn't do better." She told his back as he headed to the mini bar to search for alcohol. She thought that a good shot or two would calm her own nerves as well, but she wouldn't ask. It was also likely that she would refuse it if offered, simply due to her pride. Dominic laughed at this outburst of hers, telling Cal how much he liked her spirit.

This was all too much for Cameron to deal with. The plane ride, the kidnapping, all of it. She looked over at the brunette, but in all reality, what could the other girl do for her? They were trapped in a plane, high off the ground, heading anywhere. Pulling her legs up into the seat, Cameron curled in on herself as the brunette laid into Dominic, her words drowned out by the buzzing in Cam's own head.

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic definitely hadn't expected Mia to back up his friends comment, especially not after what he'd done. But as always, he never let his true emotions show, just continued to grin even as the plane sped through the air. He was used to flying; he'd long since stopped being bothered by the turbulence and all. Dom watched as Cal got up to check for liquor, but it was Cameron's next comment that had him laughing. "She's got quite the spirit, that one."

Leaning forward some, he watched as Cameron curled into herself, looking over at Mia as she spoke. "You're right." He told her with a nod. "He betrayed more than just my father. But it was that betrayal that had to be acted upon. Like it or not, Mia, I'm just following an order as well." One that if he'd fucked up in any way, his father would likely have his head. Or at least a body part. Once they got to the island, word would come about what to do with the girls.

Pushing himself to his feet, Dominic looked back down at Mia. "It's too late for apologies. I wouldn't even waste my breath." He glanced back at Cal, then headed to the man's side, reaching for the Jack to pour himself a glass. "If either of you ladies want a shot, feel free. Might help you sleep." Glass in hand, he turned to face the others, seeing Cam shake her head. "Suit yourself." Downing what little bit of Jack he'd poured into his glass, he poured another but didn't drink it yet, instead holding it out to the brunette. "Mia?"

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

(Swapping the order of their posts for better flow.)



Mia gave no response to Dominic’s reply about just following orders or wasting her breath. Her cheeks flushed indignantly. She was embarrassed for voicing what she was feeling, an embarrassment only made worse by Dominic’s dismissal of those feelings. She needed to get a grip on herself.

Rising from her seat, Mia walked over to Dominic and took the drink offered to her. She then continued to walk over to the bathroom, shutting herself away inside. Mia needed a moment alone, and this airplane bathroom sadly offered the only source of sanctuary.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Mia did her best to compose herself. Her outbursts and emotions were pointless and sloppy. Dominic didn’t care, Cal surely wouldn’t either, and Cam... well she had enough problems of her own. The only person who cared about Mia, was Mia, so there was no point in making a scene in front of others. Get a grip!

Mia raised the glass of whisky to her lips, hesitating a moment recalling the last drink she’d taken from Dominic, before tossing the golden liquid back. She had meant to put the shot glass back down on the counter, really she had, but when she let go of the glass, there was no counter beneath it. The glass instead crashed the the ground, shattering. Though it had been an accident, the destruction of the glass was satisfying.

Mia resisted the urge to step on the glass with her shoe and grind the shards into even smaller pieces. Instead, she kneeled down to pick up the mess she had made. Though the current events had sobered her mind, the evening of drinking must have still been hindering her depth perception. Mia reached out to pick up the biggest piece of glass, but retracted her hand after feeling pressure against her skin as a shard bit into her flesh.

There was no pain as the crimson liquid started pouring from the gash, and Mia stared at her hand for a moment, waiting to feel something. But the pain didn’t come, and Mia stood up, holding her arm over the sink. The blood started to drip into the porcelain bowl, but Mia made no move to staunch it. She could if she wanted. She could do something to control the blood, but she felt like she had so little control over everything else that she wanted to savor this feeling.

Drip. Mia couldn’t control Dominic. Drip. Mia couldn’t control Cal or Cam. Drip. She couldn’t control where they were going. Drip. Or what was going to happen to her once there. Drip drip. Mia looked at her reflection again, now trying to take inventory on the things she could control.

Drip. Mia could control her appearance, but she wasn’t about to pull a Britney and chop off all her hair to act out. Drip. Mia could control her actions, mostly. Drip. She could control how she outwardly reacted to things. And she’d already decided that she wasn’t going to let others see how upset she was anymore. Drip. Drip. Drip. Mia glanced back to her hand and the blood now forming small puddles in the sink. Drip. Mia could control her own pain, she mused for a moment... before shaking off the thought. She was not going to find escape through self harm. Drip.

With that, Mia turned on the sink and started to rinse off her hand. “Of course this place doesn’t have any fucking paper towels,” Mia muttered to herself, only finding cloth towels on the rack and in the cupboard. No first aid kit either. Oh well, they wouldn’t miss one, she figured grabbing a small towel from the cabinet. Despite the rinse, her hand was still bleeding and the towel was instantly marred by crimson as she wrapped it around her hand.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Cal pretended to be busy fixing his drink as Dominic and Mia finished their back and forth. He took a sip as Dom joined him at the mini bar, just raising an eyebrow at his friend, silently commenting on what was going on. It wasn’t until Mia took her drink and disappeared into the bathroom did Cal feel like it was clear to speak.

“Yeah, she’s got a little bit of fight in her.” Cal said to Dominic, a delayed response to his comment about Cameron earlier. He wanted to steer the subject away from anyone’s father. Cal glanced to Cam, curled up in her seat.

“Better than me, huh?” He asked her, grabbing another glass and pouring some Jack into it. “Not sure who you think would fit that bill, sweet heart. There aren’t any Prince Charmings in our .” Cal added, turning towards Cameron again and walking over to her seat with the second glass of whisky.

“In case you change your mind.” Cal murmured, setting the drink down in the seat’s cup holder before settling back into his own seat.

Cal heard the sound of shattering glass come from the bathroom, but as long as Mia didn’t come out wielding a piece of glass as a weapon, it wasn’t his problem.

Cal glanced back to Cameron, looking the blonde over. “I feel like you’re going to get sore if you stay all cooped up like that.” He warned, taking a page from Don’s book and stretching out with drink in hand. He was feeling a little more relaxed after the first drink now.

____________
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

angry

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Too much was going on, too much that Cameron just didn't understand. The darker haired male seemed to know, but Cameron wasn't brave enough to ask him. When the brunette stood, Cameron watched her without moving her head as she moved to take the drink Dominic offered, but instead of returning to her seat, she disappeared into the bathroom. Was that an option? Disappearing for the entire flight? A little miffed she hadn't thought of that herself, Cameron's eyes shifted towards the guys, hearing Cal's voice.

Her eyes narrowed but she said nothing, not even as he approached her with a glass of whiskey. He set the drink down and then returned to his own seat, but Dominic stood by the minibar still, his head turned in the direction of the bathroom. The plane was quiet until the sound of a glass breaking could be heard from the bathroom. Cam lifted her head slightly, but neither male headed for the room. Dominic did make a comment, raising his voice so that Mia would be sure to hear him, but it was Cal who drew Cam's attention again.

"And why do you care?" She snapped at him, not moving from her position in her chair. Dominic turned away from the bathroom to look at her, seeming to consider his options before he approached. Cameron tensed, especially as he reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It's a shame your father is a piece of shit, dear. But this isn't necessarily the end of your life, Cameron. Just his."

That got a reaction from her. Cameron smacked his hand away, and in seconds she was standing, her eyes flashing with anger. "Don't talk about my dad like that!" And then she shoved him, hard.

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic offered Mia a smile as she stood and came over to take the glass from him, but as he suspected, she didn't return the look. Instead, she just disappeared into the bathroom, and things were quiet for a little bit. Cal went to sit back down, and Cameron was still curled up in her seat. When the sound of glass breaking could be heard in the bathroom, Dominic turned his head towards the bathroom, heaving a small sigh. He didn't peg Mia for the suicidal type; she was too proud, had too much will to live. But still. "If I open that door and you've done something stupid, Mia, you'll regret it."

He made sure to raise his voice so she would hear him, then returned his attention to the others. Hearing Cam's snarky comment back to Cal, Dominic debated for he approached her, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. She tensed, and he couldn't hide his slight smirk. "It's a shame your father is a piece of shit, dear. But this isn't necessarily the end of your life, Cameron. Just his." Dominic rarely thought before he spoke, and this was definitely one of those times. But these words got a reaction out of Cameron, and he wasn't surprised when she jumped up.

"Don't talk about my dad like that!" She smacked his hand away and jumped up, eyes flashing with anger. Before he could say a word, she shoved him. The act did manage to surprise him, and he stumbled backwards. Though he didn't drop the glass, he did spill some of the Jack, both on himself and on the floor of the jet. For a moment, he said nothing, just looked down at himself before lifting his gaze back to Cameron. Moving with slow, calculated movements, he set the glass back on the minibar, and then turned back to Cameron. "Cal." His voice was low as he spoke, his eyes never leaving Cameron. "Shall we tell Miss Cameron here why exactly she's in this position?" Sliding his gaze towards the bathroom, he pushed off from the bar and moved to rap on the door. "And you, Mia. Time to come out."

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal thought about Cam’s question of why he cared for a moment. He decided he didn’t really care, it was just something to say at the moment, maybe he was just looking for a reaction from her. Unfortunately that reaction garnered her the attention of Dominic.

Dominic’s harsh words about Cameron’s father sent her into a rage and Cal jumped up from his seat to stop her from doing anything stupid. He was too late though to prevent the first shove, and he watched Dominic stumble back. It didn’t look like it hurt the heir physically, but his pride wouldn’t like it.

Cal quickly stepped over to Cameron and grabbed her around the waist from behind to stop a second assault. He easily lifted her small frame and pulled her back away from Dominic. “I warned you not to do something like that.” He growled in her ear, moving his hands from her waist to her arms, restraining them against her sides as he held her close against him.

Cal looked to Dominic and gave a curt nod. “It’s only fair she know the truth. Perhaps then she won’t be so quick to defend her dad.” He replied, talking to Dom over Cameron’s head.

Cal waited as Dominic called Mia to come out. The sooner everyone was put in their place, the sooner he could maybe actually relax on this flight. It had been a long day- for everyone- and he was growing tired of babysitting these women already. The only good thing from all this commotion was being distracted from his fear of flying.

“Your father’s not the stand up guy you think he is. Got himself, and you, tangled up with people who take debts owed to them very seriously.”

~~~~~~~~~~



Mia heard Dominic’s warning not to do anything stupid and rolled her eyes a little. If she had done something stupid, there’d be little to regret. At least on her part- she’d be dead.

Holding the towel tight against her palm, Mia was trying to stop the bleeding while simultaneously cleaning up the rest of the glass, very carefully. She could hear commotion and raised voices outside of the bathroom, but she had no intention of joining in. She’d remain in the bathroom for as long as possible.

Too bad as long as possible came to an end only a few moments later. The rap on the door made Mia jump, and she could hear in his voice that Dominic was not giving her the option to ignore him. Mia stood and dropped the glass pieces into the waste bin, and took a last calming breath before opening the bathroom door. She was going to try to play nice.

Mia glanced up at Dominic as she exited, trying to read his face, but it was stoic in a dangerous way. Tucking her injured hand out of sight, she slid past Dominic, catching a whiff of the whisky spilt on his shirt as she did. Mia had to bite her tongue to keep from making a snarky remark.

Noticing that Cal had Cameron detained, Mia gathered that the small blonde may have finally snapped. Whatever Cam had done, had set Dominic off.

__________
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

angry

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron actually hadn't meant to shove him. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind, though, her body was following through. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cal jump up, and even though she started to step away, he was too fast. His arms encircled her waist and then her feet left the ground as he pulled her up and away from Dominic, who was now crossing to the minibar again. Hearing Cal's growl in her ear sent goosebumps down her spine, and she turned her head away from him, trying to hide her shiver. "I don't care." She whispered, the fight having left her body as soon as he lifted her from the ground.

When Dominic turned back to them, Cameron felt the blood drain from her face when he voiced his question to Cal. Cal responded in the positive, saying that she should know what her father had done. But before Dominic answered, he headed for the bathroom door, rapping on it to let Mia know she needed to come out. And she did, though Cameron noticed how she hid her hand from Dominic as she made her way back to her seat. A small frown appeared on Cameron's face, but when Dominic spoke again, her attention was pulled back to him. She considered clapping her hands over her ears, but with Cal holding her arms by her side, that wasn't an option.

"Your father, Cameron, made a choice. He borrowed money from my father many years ago, and from what I understand, he was on the up and up for many years with his payments. But then he got selfish, and started trying to keep it for himself. He was sneaky, and he got away with it for a while. But the thing is, Cameron, my family always finds out the truth. And your father-- he knew the consequences of such an action. He signed a contract, back before any money was ever exchanged, that told him what would happen if he failed to make his payments. You would become the payment."

"You're lying." Cameron whispered as she looked at him, a look of horror on her face. "There's no way he would do that. He wouldn't..." Dominic rolled his eyes and just fixed her with a look that told her everything she needed to know. She could feel Cal's hard body behind her, and even though she was angry, she was also devastated, and the only thing she could do was slump against him. She wasn't expecting any kind of sympathy from him, and she told herself she didn't want it, either. Not from any of them. She twisted in his grip to try and break it, though she honestly had no idea what she would do once she was free.

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic hadn't seen the shove coming, but he felt as though he recovered fairly quickly. Heading to the minibar, he turned to address Cal before heading to the bathroom to get Mia out of it. She opened the door a moment later and he watched her face as she dipped past him, heading back to her seat. He didn't notice her hand as she hid it from him, and his mind was elsewhere. He ventured back to the main part of the plane, deciding that it was time to clear the air, for both girls. Though he wasn't sure what exactly the future held for either of them, this much was clear: they were his and Cal's responsibility for now.

"Your father, Cameron, made a choice. He borrowed money from my father many years ago, and from what I understand, he was on the up and up for many years with his payments. But then he got selfish, and started trying to keep it for himself. He was sneaky, and he got away with it for a while. But the thing is, Cameron, my family always finds out the truth. And your father-- he knew the consequences of such an action. He signed a contract, back before any money was ever exchanged, that told him what would happen if he failed to make his payments. You would become the payment."

He just rolled his eyes in response to Cameron's statement, fixing her with an 'are you serious' expression? She slumped against Cal, and he didn't blame her for not knowing how to react, or for still trying to defend her father. Turning to Mia, Dominic caught sight of a bit of the bloodied rag, and he inhaled sharply. "Are you fucking kidding me?" He marched over to her and yanked her arm up, revealing the wounded hand to him. "Why didn't you tell me you'd hurt yourself?" There was a note of concern in his eyes, but his voice was hard as he addressed her. Pulling her up from the chair, he walked past Cameron and Cal with her, towards the back part of the jet.

Pulling the privacy curtain, he pointed to a bench seat for Mia to sit on. "If you think hurting yourself is the way to get attention, you're sorely mistaken. If you off yourself, you only made my job easier, and ended your own life. Do you want that?" He opened a cabinet above her head, pulling out a first aid kid and then sitting on the bench beside her. Slowly, he unwrapped her hand and opened the first aid kid, setting her hand on his thigh as he found the alcohol in the kit. "This might sting a bit." Pouring the alcohol onto some gauze, he glanced up at her face before he pressed the gauze to the wound to clean it.

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal tightened his grip on Cameron when she slumped against him to keep her from sliding to the ground. As quickly as her anger had brought her to life, Dominic had doused Cameron with the truth about her father. Cal didn’t have a father growing up, but at this rate he was thankful that the man was absent from his life if Cam and Mia’s fathers were any example.

Cal thought Cameron was subdued, but when she started twisting in his arms, he spun her around and grabbed her hands. Forcing her to face him, he looked over her. “What are you hoping to accomplish?” He asked her, setting her with a hard stare. “At this rate you’re just wasting your energy the more you struggle. Your father made the deal, and it sucks that you were it, but we’re past the point where anything can be done about it.”

Cal watched Dominic pull Mia away with him and disappear behind the curtain. It was just him and Cameron now, and they were doing the same dance they had when they met.

“I’m stronger than you. I could hurt you if I wanted to...” Cal said bluntly, using his grip on Cameron’s wrists to maneuver her to her seat and force her into her chair to prove his point.

“But I don’t think you want that. And neither do I.” He continued, leaning forward over Cam, his hands holding hers against the arm rest. “Are you ready to calm down? I think it’s time you have that drink.” He asked peering down at ger

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Mia winced when Dominic pulled her up out of her seat. “Hey! It’s not a big deal...” She protested not liking the sound of his voice. But catching what she thought might have been concern in Dom’s eyes, Mia allowed herself to be pulled to the back of the jet.

“I didn’t do it on purpose. It was an accident.” Mia pouted, annoyed that he thought she did this for attention. She sat on the seat Dom pointed to. “If I had wanted an early death I would have taken a swing at you back at the hangar with your goons... And I’d never want to make anything easy for you.” Mia added sarcastically.

Mia reflexively jerked her hand back a bit when Dom unwrapped it, now feeling the sting of the cut as the cloth pulled away from her skin. She looked from her hand to Dom as he placed it on his thigh. This would almost be sweet in other circumstances, she thought watching him pour the alcohol on the gauze.

“I’m a big girl Dr. Santoro, I can handle a little sting.” Mia replied to his warning. The burn of the alcohol was a little more than Mia bargained for though and she inhaled sharply when Dominic pressed the gauze to her palm. She bit her lip to keep from showing any other signs of discomfort though, counting the seconds until Dominic was finished.

“How much is my medical bill going to be?” Mia joked to distract herself. She watched Dom work efficiently on her hand, and wondered if being in the mafia required the knowledge of general first aid and removing billets from people. It was tempting to ask if Don had ever sewn up a gun shot wound, but she decided she wasn’t quite ready to enter into small talk yet. She still was mad at Dominic for everything, even if he was mending her.

_______________
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

angry

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron just needed a moment. A second to breathe, to understand. She wanted to talk to her father, to ask him if it was true. She needed that confrontation, but there was no way she was going to get it. Feeling claustrophobic, she started to twist in Cal's grip, but he grew irritated and spun her around, grabbing her hands and forcing her to face him. A gasp caught in her throat as she tilted her head back to look at him, fear freezing her to that spot. "We're only past that point because you took me!" She protested, though a small part of her knew that wasn't true.

Seeing movement, she turned her head, watching as Dominic took Mia to a different section of the plane. They disappeared from sight and she was forced to look at Cal again, her eyes widening at his words. "Don't-" She started to say, but he moved her towards her chair, forcing her to take a seat again. His hands pinned hers to the chair as he leaned in close, causing her lower lip to tremble again. She got the sense that he didn't want to hurt her, not that he wouldn't if she kept her shit up. "I don't want it." She told him, her voice soft as her eyes glanced towards the drink.

After a moment, she fixed her gaze on Cal again, she sighed and looked down, giving him a soft nod to show him that she wouldn't freak out again. She could hear Dominic talking to Mia, and she hated how harsh his words sounded, just like they'd sounded harsh with her. Though the more she listened, the more she thought that he had a softer spot for her. But then again, he did say that they knew each other. She wondered what their history was, but quickly pushed the thought from her mind. It didn't much matter, did it? Lifting her head to look at Cal again, she gave a gentle tug to her arms. "Let go. Please."

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic knew his tone was coming across strong and possibly a bit harsh, but he needed Mia to know that he was serious. If he got an inkling that she was going to be stupid and try to hurt herself, then he'd handcuff her to his bed and keep an eye on her 24/7. Same with Cameron, only for her, he'd ensure that Cal understood she would have to be watched. Both girls were extremely brazen and bold, but they needed to understand that Dominic and Cal were in charge here. Hell, even Cal needed to understand that. He was used to being in the background, but it was time for him to step up.

Still, at her comments about taking a swing at him back in the hangar, he smirked and looked up at her. "And you would have died in vain." He told her, though his tone was much lighter than before. "Dr. Santoro. It's got a nice ring to it, don't you think?" He grinned as he pressed the gauze to her palm, hearing her sharp inhale as he did so. Continuing to clean the wound, he looked closer when he got rid of most of the dried blood. "You got yourself nicely, didn't you?" His fingers reached out to trace the edges of the wound before he realized what he was doing and dropped his hand.

"Free of charge, this time." He joked back as he took some of the antibiotic ointment and dabbed it on the wound. Then he grabbed a smaller roll of gauze and started to wrap her hand. "We'll keep it covered for now. But once we get where we're going and it's healed some, we can probably leave it exposed." He gently folded her fingers back into her hand, turning slightly to pack up the unused supplies. Standing, he set the first aid kit back in the cabinet, shutting the door before leaning against it, looking down at her. "Unless you'd like to make a payment. In which case, I accept most forms of physical contact."

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal noticed Cam’s lip tremble, and it plucked a string of guilt within him. Fuck. “I won’t force you to drink it, but I honestly do think it would help take some of the edge off.” Cal replied.

Cameron had settled down, and Cal released his grip a little on her wrists. His hands now rested on hers more than pinned them. “That’s better.” He said.

Cal hesitate for a moment when Cameron asked him to let her go, studying her for a moment, before complying. He removed his hands and stood back up, remaining where he was in front of Cameron though. “You know, I don’t like kidnapping girls...” He stated, saying it just as much for himself as for her. “That’s not typically part of my job requirement.” Cal added, moving away from the blonde and back towards his seat. “Not that that changes anything of course.”

Cal picked up his whisky, only half emptied since the commotion interrupted his ingestion of it earlier. “Still afraid of the plane? Or has Dominic given you enough other things to occupy your anxiety with?” He asked without looking at her, trying to occupy the threatening silence that would fall between them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Mia relaxed a little when Dominic lightened up, grinning at her Dr. Santoro comment. She watched him as he cleaned her hand, nodding at his observation of her cut. “Yeah, this is why I hate cleaning.” Mia sighed.

A part of Mia was almost disappointed when Dominic finished dressing her wound and released her hand. It was almost like old times. Mia examined Dom’s handiwork, testing the mobility of her hand in the wrapping. A “thank you” was on the tip of her tongue when Dominic made his comment about paying with physical contact.

Mia rolled her eyes and stood up from her seat. “I’m already on the plane Dom, you don’t need to hit on me anymore.” She pointed out, slightly amused at his attempt. Her comment brought back blurry memories from the bar though, and the tingling sensation from Dominic’s kiss. Mia’s eyes flicked to Dom’s face before she caught herself from starting down a dangerous path.

“Ugh, anyways, where are we going?” Mia asked, taking a step away from Dom, tucking her hair behind her ear. He had mentioned that she could remove her bandage after they got to where they were going, and she was curious.

______
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

angry

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

She wasn't going to run. Where would she go? Off the plane, crashing down to the ground below? No, thanks. The only thing she could do would be to throw a temper tantrum on the plane, maybe get one hit in to someone, but remembering how fast Cal was to grab her when she shoved Dominic told her that wasn't a good idea. He lifted his grip some, his hands now resting on hers as opposed to pinning them to the seat rests, but he didn't move right away. She realized that his touch was soft, much softer than she'd given him credit for. Why did that make her body tingle?

Thankfully, he finally moved away and she realized she could breathe again. She took another glance over at the drink, and finally, she reached for it and brought it closer. He hadn't poured alot in there, but she downed all of it in one go, making a face afterwards as the liquor burned its way down her throat. When Cal spoke, she looked over at him, the face from the drink still present. "What is your job requirement then, exactly? Being his lackey?" She nodded towards the back of the plane where Dominic and Mia still were behind the curtain, their voices too soft to make out now.

At his last question, though, she paused before answering. "I'm afraid of both." She admitted, leaning forward to set the glass down where it had been before. Silence did fall between them for a few seconds before she looked back up at him. "What's going to happen to me?" She asked him, the anxiety in her voice obvious. Was she ever going to see her family again? Her supposed criminal father, her brothers. And where were they going? "Why did you have to take me?"

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

The tension between them had melted some, and Dominic had to admit that he liked it better that way. He could tell that she'd relaxed some, though she rolled her eyes at his flirty comment. "I got you on the plane, sure, but that's not end game. Maybe I like hitting on you." He winked at her, leaning in closer as she stood, reaching out to place his hands on her waist. "I told you, Mia. This is something I had to do, but that doesn't mean I'm completely happy with how things went down." His lips were just a few inches from hers now as he licked his lips, his eyes lowering to her own before sliding back up her face to her eyes.

She moved away from him and he dropped his hands, thinking for a moment as she asked where they were going. There might not be any harm to tell her, considering she had a point. She was already on the plane, and once they landed, there would be no going back home. Not until the time was right. The island itself was beautiful, though, and honestly? Things could be worse. They could be trapped in some dingy room in the company warehouse, handcuffed or tied to a chair to keep them from running away. But no, they were going to the island, and Dominic was actually looking forward to it some.

"Consider it a vacation." He shrugged, indirectly answering her question. "One you can't leave from, but a vacation nonetheless. Trust me. You can have a good time there." He grinned again, plopping down in the seat she'd occupied a few moments ago. "Care for another drink, Mia? Or a nap, even? The bench doubles as a bed, and there's another one over there that's a little bit bigger. Maybe even big enough for two." He reached out suddenly, grabbing the wrist of her unhurt hand and bringing her closer so that she was standing between his legs as he sat. "This doesn't have to be all bad, you know."

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal raised an eyebrow at the face Cameron made after drinking the whisky, but made no comment. “Yeah. His and the Don’s lackey, as you say. I drive too.” Cal replied, downplaying his job, not wanting to go into detail. Cameron was just now starting to have a conversation with him, he didn’t want to scare her off again with the things he’d done.

This time when the silence fell between them after Cameron admitted she was afraid, Cal respected it. He didn’t really have a means to console her, so he let her comment hang in the air until she spoke again.

“I honestly don’t know.” Cal said, looking at Cameron earnestly. “I was just tasked with getting you on the plane and to the destination. Beyond that, I wait for further orders.” He replied with a shrug. Cal knew that answer was not what Cameron wanted, but it was the only one he could give.

Cal frowned at Cameron’s question about why he had to take her. He thought they were past that detail. “I had no choice. It was an order. Grab you or risk my job and those important to me.” He could hear that she was becoming anxious again and stood up. “Want another?” He asked gesturing to her glass. “I can mix it with something if you don’t like the taste.”


~~~~~~~~


Mia’s heart was racing in her chest from how close Dominic had been to kissing her before she moved away. Why did she have such a hard time being mad at him? Or rather, why was he so tempting despite her being mad at him? His comments about not being happy with how things went down made it harder. Dominic kept mentioning how he was just following orders, as if that would erase what happened.

Describing their destination as a vacation confused Mia, but she didn’t have much time to decipher what Dom meant. He had already moved onto the topic of drinks and naps and something about about a bed for two.

“I think I’ve been plied with enough alcohol for the night,” Mia replied, glancing at her injured hand as a reminder that she’d reached her limit. Before she could comment on or deflect the offers of beds though, she was being pulled closer to Dom. Standing between his legs as they were, Mia did everything she could to will herself not to blush as she glanced down at him.

His implication was tempting. Mia could let herself seek comfort in Dom’s company and make the best of a shitty situation. Her body wanted that at least. Her mind and pride on the other hand screamed to resist. And her heart... hurt. There had to be a compromise.

Mia pulled her hand free of Dominic’s but instead of escaping from him, she trailed her fingers up his arm until her hand rested on his shoulder. She leaned down towards him, tucking her head next to his. “You’re right, it doesn’t all have to be bad...” She whispered, her lips inches from his ear. Mia could smell his cologne again as she brought her other hand up to rest on his chest gently.

Mia’s lips brushed against Dominic’s cheek as she moved her head so that she faced him, their foreheads nearly touching. “But Dom...” Mia started, closing her eyes and the space between their faces, her lips lightly resting against his. “First, you have to earn for it to be good.” She whispered against his mouth before pulling her face away from his.

If Dom was looking to Mia for a good time in their “vacation”, she wasn’t going to just reward him for his misdeeds. She could flirt too, and since he used flirting to lure her here, she’d use it to punish Dom when she could.


___________
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

angry

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Hearing him admit that he was a lackey brought a small smile to her face, but she quickly bit down on the inside of her cheek to force the look from her face. Her next questions had her anxiety rising again, but his answer actually surprised her. She found herself staring at him as he stood, heading to make himself another drink, and even offering her one. A refusal was on the tip of her tongue, but as she glanced at the glass she thought about it and changed her mind. Though she didn't want him to push her back down into the chair, she figured if she could act right, maybe that wouldn't happen.

Reaching for the glass, she stood, approaching him until she stood beside him. Holding the glass in her hands, she tilted her head back to look at him, replaying his words over and over in her mind. Grab you or risk my job and those important to me. But who did he have that was important to him? Who was he leaving behind by getting on this plane with her? For a moment, she didn't say anything, and then she held out the glass towards him. "What do you have to mix with it?" She asked softly, not planning on asking the questions on her mind.

But then her curiosity got the best of her, and the words tumbled out before she could stop them. "Who do you have that's important to you?" Her voice was even softer this time as she reached across her stomach, grasping her elbow with her hand as she stood beside him. "Parents? Siblings? Children? A girlfriend?" She knew she was being nosy, but maybe she could use this to get through to him. To convince him that this was insane, and that it wasn't even right. "It's just me and my dad, and my two brothers. They're all I have."

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic could tell that his words were getting through to Mia, and that she was considering them. He grinned to himself as he pulled her closer, though didn't bother hiding the expression from her. Aside from his father, he was used to being the man in charge. Especially when it came to women, so it was no surprise to him that his childhood friend was falling for it. And really, it wasn't a ploy or anything. But if he was going to be trapped on an island with her, why not make it fun? It wasn't like she wasn't easy on the eyes. Far from it; she was beautiful, and she'd never given in to him before.

And apparently, she wasn't going to now, either. She pulled her hands from his, trailing her fingers up his arms as she leaned in closer to brush her lips against his cheek. Her voice and breath in his ear made him shiver, but right before he grabbed her, the "but" came. He turned his head to look at her, and she pressed her lips to his so softly that they were barely there at all. And then, with her last comment, she pulled away, leaving his expression shell shocked for a moment before he realized it and cleared it. Making a small 'tsk'ing sound, he smirked as he looked up at her.

Pushing himself to his feet, he closed the distance between them again just enough that there was maybe an inch or two between their bodies. "You want me to earn it? Oh, I can earn it." He grinned at her. "We'll see who breaks first." Shrugging, he lowered his hands to her waist again, gripping her hips suddenly and pulling her to him completely. "Remember, Mia. I know you. I've known you for a long time now." Of course, the last few years had built some space between them, but she couldn't have changed that much. Right?

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal was surprised but glad to see Cameron walk over to the mini bar with him. Her mood seemed to be improving, which meant his job would be easier. Especially since that hopefully meant she wouldn’t do anything reckless and try attacking Dom again.

Cameron’s silence as she stood next to him made Cal glance down at the blonde, and he met her gaze as she looked up at him. She really is a small little thing, Cal thought, feeling like he towered over her. When she finally spoke asking what mixes they had, he rubbed the back of his head recalling what the options were.

“I think I saw some coke or seven up, either of those work?” Cal asked, opening the mini fridge to grab her choice of soda out.

Cameron’s question about Cal’s important people came out of left field, catching him off guard. Of all the things he’d said to her, that was what she focused on? Cal cursed under his breath that he now had to get out of this conversation as quickly as possible.

“Ugh, my mom and sister.” Cal replied simply, grabbing one of each kind of soda and shutting the fridge. He held the coke in one hand and the seven up in the other, and gestured for Cameron to point to the one she wanted. Once she made her selection he began preparing her drink.

“I didn’t know you had brothers. Just knew about your dad.” He said, taking Cameron’s glass out of her hand. Cal knew it was a little rude not to inquire about Cameron, but she’d already volunteered the information about her family and he didn’t want to dive into emotional waters. Especially since he was barely out of the kiddy pool with Cameron.

Cal poured the soda and whisky in Cameron’s glass, and dropped a couple ice cubes in as well. offered the drink back to Cameron.

“The house special.” Cal said with a smirk at Cam as he handed her glass back. He watched her for a moment to see if the drink was acceptable, before turning to pour his own drink. He figured a third glass might be enough to doze off to in a bit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~


The shell shocked expression on Dominic’s face when Mia pulled away was extremely satisfying. She’d had the effect on him she’d wanted, but he was quick to recover. Mia hardly had time to enjoy her small victory before Dom was once again on the offense.

Mia hadn’t necessarily meant for it to be a challenge when she told Dominic he’d have to earn it. She had meant he’d have to earn her trust and some goodwill back. But his phrasing of “breaks first” gave the impression that Dominic didn’t really have any intention to rebuild their relationship and was planning to take shortcuts to get Mia to give in to him. Speaking of which...

Mia’s breath caught when Dom’ hands gripped her hips. Sensing Dom’s next move, she put her hands out to push him away and keep him at arms length, but it was no use. He was stronger than her and Mia quickly found herself closer to Dom than she’d ever been.

Pressed against his firm chest, she could feel the steady rhythm of his heart beat. She counted the beats in her head to distract herself and keep her resolve. One, two, three...

Mia looked up at Dominic and laughed a little at his reasoning that he knew her. “Yes, but that means I’ve known you for just as long. So I don’t really see the advantage that gives you.” She pointed out. “And we’ve both grown up since then.” Or at least Dominic had, she reminded herself again that he wasn’t the man she used to know.

Thirty one, thirty two, thirty three...

“How much have you had to drink?” Mia asked, changing the subject as she squirmed in Dom’s arms, testing his hold on her. The smell of whisky was strong, and she leaned her nose against his shirt to smell it. “Or are you becoming a sloppy drinker?” She asked, referring to the spill on his shirt.

_________
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

curious

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Maybe she was expecting too much, trying to garner sympathy or even a bit of empathy from Cal. She nodded in response to his question about the sodas, though her mind was elsewhere even as he opened the fridge to grab one. He seemed hesitant to answer her question, but he finally did. A mother and his sister, he told her, holding up a coke and a 7up, expecting her to pick one. She gestured towards the coke and he took the glass from her hands, beginning to make the drink.

"Yeah. It's just been the four of us ever since I was little." She admitted, her eyes on his hands as he mixed the drink for her, even putting a few ice cubes in there as well. When he turned to her claiming it was the house special, she got distracted by his smirk as she was reaching for the glass. Her hand paused about halfway to it for a few seconds before she recovered, and took the drink from him. She swirled it a few times before she lifted it to her lips to take a sip.

"Better." She told him, her voice soft and no longer accusatory. Still, she didn't move to go back to her seat, instead choosing to stay beside him, her eyes on him. Studying him. And after the silence stretched, she tilted her head, holding the glass close to her. "Do they know about your... profession?" She asked him point blank, glancing around the plane. "Your mom and sister, I mean."

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic had never had the pleasure of doing anything with Mia, though that wasn't for lack of wanting to on his part. But other things had gotten in the way, like his brother dying and Dominic having to start learning how to take over after his father was gone. Carter had been a natural at this lifestyle, and everyone saw it. But that also meant they saw Dominic's flaws, and he had to work twice as hard to cover them up. That's just one reason why this job was so important to him. But he was also Dominic, and he wouldn't be himself if he took everything too seriously.

Mia tried to reach out and keep him at arms length, but he just pulled her closer anyway, a smug grin tugging at his lips. "I always have the advantage, my dear." He spun them slowly, glancing around the room as he did so. "Considering you're on one of my jets, heading somewhere only I know." Of course he wasn't going to let that slip. He was still fully aware she had her phone, and he wasn't sure if it still worked or not. It wouldn't work on the island, that much was for sure.

"You definitely have grown up." He purred, leaning closer to breathe the words into her ear. She changed the subject, growing squirmy in his arms as she asked him how much he'd had to drink. "Not enough." He admitted, glancing down at the spill on his shirt. He was reminded of the feisty blonde and how she'd shoved him. Maybe he'd been too easy on her, but he hadn't needed to get physical when the truth about her father was punishment enough. He grinned, shoving all thoughts from his mind as he refocused on Mia. "What can I say? Maybe I just need some assistance."

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal noticed Cameron’s hand stop partially outstretched for a moment when she went to take her glass. He wondered if the hesitation was because she thought he poisoned it or something, but then she took the glass and a sip. He smiled a little when she said her drink was better, satisfied with his mixing skills.

A couple ice cubes and a shot of whisky was added to Cal’s glass as he fixed his own drink. He could feel Cameron’s gaze on him as he worked, and was tempted to break the silence, but didn’t know what to talk about. Cameron was still on the subject of family, and that was a touchy subject for Cal.

Sure Cal could tell Cameron that it was also just him, his mom and his half sister since he was little too. His father wasn’t in the picture just as her mother wasn’t... But then he’d be sharing personal information that would allow them to relate to each other, and the more personal they got, the harder it would be for Cal to do his job. He hated that the job involved women to begin with, that was already difficult. But if he then started to connect with Cameron... It was better to keep her at arms distance, even if that made him seem unsympathetic.

Cameron’s point blank question about if his family knew what he did made Cal’s brows furrow and his jaw clench. The blonde had hit a sore spot with her query. Cal poured another shot into his glass, deciding he was going to require a double. A couple moments of silence passed, and Cal took a couple sips of his glass before turning to Cameron.

“I think I’ve shared enough about myself for now.” Cal replied, his hardening voice contrasting her softening one. He felt a little guilty to shut her down like that, especially since she was just starting to come around, but he was not going to share his sad life story with her. Not here, not now. He didn’t talk to anyone about it. Cal didn’t even talk to Dominic about his family because it made it easier to ignore the fact that his deal with his friend’s father was the reason he could never see them again.

Cal opened his mouth to change the subject to something he’d be willing to chat about with Cameron, but the plane suddenly jostled, hitting turbulence. The whisky in his drink sloshed around, and Cal had to take a step back to steady himself. He noticed Cameron lose her balance from the rough air as well and he reflexively reached out to stabilize her. His hand moved to the small of her back, catching the blonde as she fell back and pulling her forward closer to him to counter the momentum.

“You okay?” He asked, his own heart racing with anxiety again, the turbulence reminding him of why he hated flying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Mia shook her head, laughing a little at Dominic’s suggestion that he need assistance. “I’d say you need more than just some assistance. Perhaps you can get your side kick Cal to serve you little straws with you drinks so you don’t waste half of them on your outfit.” She teased, before stifling a yawn.

Maybe it was her earlier glass of whisky, or maybe it was the warmth of Dominic’s body and the metronome-like beat of his heart, but Mia was becoming sleepy. Of course, it could just as well have been the late hour of the night, but Mia was used to being up partying til the early hours of the morning. She imagined her friends were still partying somewhere at this very moment, completely unaware of what had become of her. Mia pushed those thoughts away, and came back to reality.

“If you need another drink, you should go fix yourself one.” Mia said, glancing up at Dominic to keep from pillowing her head on his shoulder. “I think I might actually take that nap you suggested.” She continued, feeling exhausted from the evening’s events and the emotional toll. It was draining to keep her mind away from dwelling on her situation and falling apart again. Dominic’s banter had been a nice distraction, but...

The plane’s turbulence cut her thoughts short, and Mia stumbled against Dominic, nearly stepping on his foot as she caught her own footing. “Sorry,” she uttered, frowning as the plane hit another patch of rough air.

_________
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

curious

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Although Cameron didn't want to admit it, she was genuinely curious about the man in front of her. She was wondering how someone got into a profession like this, and she'd always been a curious girl by nature. Curious and helpful-- the two traits that had gotten her into this predicament. She still hated how easily she'd been captured, looking for keys under Cal's seat like a fool. Anyone could have seen it was a trap. Anyone except her.

Ignoring the flush that threatened to creep onto her cheeks, she focused on his face instead, not missing how he shut down when she asked her question. When he spoke, his tone didn't match her own, and she looked down, embarrassed at how he'd shut down her question. The flush from moments ago was definitely present now, and she tapped her fingers on the side of her glass. "Okay." She whispered, starting to turn away from him. Just as she did so, the plane hit turbulence and she stumbled.

Thankfully, Cal managed to catch himself in time to catch her as well. He reached for her automatically, his hand sliding down to the small of her back as he pulled her closer. Her hands sought his chest, the glass still in one of them as her head tilted back to look at him. Her heart hammered in her chest at their proximity, at feeling the way his chest felt under her hands. At his question, she nodded, the plane hitting more turbulence that made her pull closer to him, squeezing her eyes shut.

But when she realized what she was doing, she reopened her eyes and pushed off of him. "What do you care?" She snapped instead, turning and slowly making her way back to her seat. She sipped at the drink after sitting, purposefully not looking at Cal or the other way, out of the window. She just wanted to be on the ground again. At least there she was sure she could find somewhere to hide, to have a moment of peace.

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

One thing Dominic always appreciated about Mia was the fact that she always had something to say, some sort of comeback that usually had him either smirking or grinning. She was feisty, that one, and kept him on his toes. "Drinks with a straw, you say? Maybe those little umbrellas too, what do you think?" He grinned as he squeezed her hips more, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. They were going to be on an island, after all. Didn't those come staple with any island vacation?

Even though he knew this was not a vacation, and that both Mia and Cameron were going to be Santoro prisoners, he could still look at it as a positive thing. His father would probably cut off his fingers one by one if he knew the thoughts going through Dominic's mind, but thankfully, the man was not a mind reader. Plus, he would be thousands of miles away, where the only communication would be through mail. Or the bastard could get on a jet himself if he wanted, though Dominic doubted that would happen.

She mentioned taking that nap, but before Dominic could even make a comment back, the plate hit a rough patch and she stumbled against him. He caught her easily, his arms circling around her as he backed himself up against the wall to keep them both steady. At her sorry, he merely grinned and shook his head, the turbulence not bothering him at all. "No need, Mia." He whispered, his breath warm on her face as one hand reached up to tuck some hair behind her ear.

"If you want to take that nap, be my guest. We still have quite some time left before landing." He didn't release her, though, his fingers trailing down her cheek to her neck, and then to the top of her chest before he dropped it back to his side. Pushing himself off the wall, he backed her up this time towards the bed, until it hit her knees and the presence of his body would push her down onto the bed. "You'll need to go ahead and hand over your phone as well, darling." Holding out his hand, he waited patiently for the device, his eyes never leaving hers.

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

For a fraction of a second, Cal was almost thankful for the turbulence when Cameron fell into him. Her head tilted up at him, and Cal could feel her heart beat against his chest with her this close. He felt a jolt run through him for a moment, his all-work mentality breaking at the sight of the beautiful woman in his arms. Cal was only human, and male.

A second wave of turbulence caused Cameron to pull closer to him, and Cal tightened his hold on her. She was warm, and her hair smelled pleasant as she leaned against him. But, as soon as these observations were made, Cameron was suddenly pulling away and snapping at Cal.

Cal immediately frowned, feeling like he had whiplash. He just stood in place, watching Cameron walk back to her seat and sit down. What the hell just happened? It was two steps forward, and three back with the blonde.

“Well I definitely don’t care now.” Cal retorted when he walked back to his seat. He scoffed a little at Cameron’s refusal to look at him. “You’re welcome for catching you. Won’t make that mistake again though.” He added sarcastically.

It was a good thing he’d poured a double earlier, he thought as he focused on his drink. The turbulence was dying down and the captain made no announcement so it must not have been a huge issue. Cal shut his eyes and leaned back in his seat, trying to check his frustration. Every time he tried to be thoughtful towards Cameron, it just was thrown back in his face.

~~~~~~~~~~



Mia was thankful, in this instance, for Dom’s hold on her as it kept her upright during the turbulence. She felt like she’d allowed herself to be in his arms for far too long, but it was hard to break away. Especially when Dominic grinned at her like that as he tucked her hair behind her ear.

Dominic’s fingers left a trail of goosebumps on Mia’s skin as he ran them along her cheek and neck and chest. Her hand gripped some of the fabric of his shirt and she bit her lip, trying to numb herself to his touch. Trying, but failing.

Mia let out a small “oh” when Dominic moved her back against the bed. She lost her balance when her legs met the frame and Dominic’s body allowed her nowhere else to fall except back on the bed. Mia glanced up at him from where she sat giving him an annoyed glare for a moment. There he was pushing her around like a rag doll again. The goosebumps and thoughts from moments earlier, gone.

Mia had already sent the vague texts to the people she cared about, telling them she loved them. So she didn’t really see the need to fight Dominic over her phone other than to just be difficult, but she’d choose her battles.

“Here. Not like calling anyone would do me any good anyways.” Mia said, pulling her phone from where she’d tucked it in her dress and dropping it in Dominic’s hands. “I have important pictures on it though, so if you could not completely destroy it, I’d appreciate it.” She added, picturing her poor phone being crushed beneath his foot like in the movies.

Mia glanced around at the bed she sat on, bouncing on the cushion spring to test it out. “It’s not my bed, but I suppose it’ll do.” She half joked. Slipping her feet out of her heels, Mia let out a sigh of relief, pointing and flexing her toes a little to stretch out her feet.


_________
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

curious

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron didn't want to admit it, but part of the reason she'd snapped at Cal was fear. Not fear from being kidnapped or fear from being on a plane with an unknown destination, but fear from being that close to him and enjoying it. She'd given herself quite the mental shake when she pulled back and snapped at him, returning to her seat and not looking at him. She heard his comment about how he definitely didn't care now, and she felt as though someone had taken a knife and sliced her heart open, though she didn't understand why.

Biting down on her lip to keep from crying, she squeezed her eyes shut as he spoke again. "Of course not." Though she made no move to thank him, she was grateful he'd caught her. And he'd smelled nice, and his chest had felt nice under her fingertips... fuck, stop! She chastized herself, bringing the drink to her lips and downing quite a bit of it. She still made a slight face as she set it back in the cup holder, turning her head only to look in the back where Dominic and Mia had disappeared. A part of her wondered what they were doing, but then again, maybe she didn't want to know. Maybe that girl wasn't a prisoner like Cam was.

As she turned her head forward, her eyes glazed over Cal on the way. She could see the tense set of his jaw and his shoulders as he drank from his glass, and she found herself sighing as she curled back up in the chair. She didn't want to think about how she'd possibly hurt his feelings, because he'd hurt hers when he forced the door shut and trapped her in his SUV. Frowning, she closed her eyes again, trying to focus on anything except the male not far from her.

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic couldn't stop himself from smirking as she collapsed onto the bed behind her, though he didn't crawl on after her like he wanted to. He could, but decided not to for now, going with taking her phone instead. She dropped the device into his hand, and he started toying with it, spinning it this way and that as he considered her words. "Fine, I won't destroy it." He glanced down at it, popping the back off with ease. He removed the battery and then the SIM card, tucking that into his pocket. Popping the battery back in, he finished with placing the back on the phone as well, then tossed it onto the bed beside her.

Without the SIM card, the phone would be nothing more than a paperweight. He would destroy the SIM card later, but for now, she could have her pictures. It was a gift that he knew his father would never go for, but he wasn't his father, and he was determined to keep it that way. Leaning in, he placed a hand on the back of her neck, using his free hand to place a finger under her chin to tilt her head back. "Sleep well, princess. If you get lonely, well. You know where to find me." He grinned, placing a kiss on her nose right before he straightened, sliding his hands into his pockets and heading for the curtain.

He slid it back to step back into the main area of the plane, though closed it behind him to give Mia some privacy. He paused as he spotted Cameron curled up in the chair, and slid his gaze over to Cal. "She can go back there, too, you know. Get some sleep. There's another bed." He spoke so that Cameron could hear him too, but the blonde didn't move from the chair. He simply shrugged and headed back to the bar, grabbing his glass to refresh his drink. "I never get over how long these damn flights are with not a god damn thing to do." He turned and brought the glass to his lips, taking a hefty sip.

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal heard Cameron curl back up into her chair, and let out a slow breath, releasing his bit of anger towards her. She was right back where she started in her seat, curled up and not talking to anyone. This felt like deja vu. Cal didn't know why he cared so much about whether Cameron was miserable or not on this flight. Maybe it was because he had a sister and would feel awful if anything like this ever happened to her... but it wasn't his job to worry about Cam's feelings. He reminded himself that he worked for the mafia. The mafia didn't care about the feelings of their targets. Even when the target was a pretty blonde who didn't do anything to deserve this.

Fuck. Cal was too in his head and going in circles convincing himself of one thing and then the other. He was relieved when Dominic finally came out from behind the curtain. "Ah, he lives. I thought maybe I'd fucked my job up and let you be victimized under my watch." Cal joked, studying Dominic for a moment. The heir didn't seem as angry as he was when he had first disappeared with Mia behind the curtain, so things couldn't have gone too badly.

Nodding to Dominic's offer for Cameron to go get some sleep in one of the beds, Cal glanced over to the blonde. "You don't want to get some sleep?" He asked her as Dominic shrugged and walked back over to the bar. "I'd think you'd want to be as far away from me as possible." He said, disliking silent treatments.

Cal glanced back in Dominic's direction when he talked about how long the flights were. Great. "How much further do you think it is?" It must have been after midnight by now, and Cal wondered if it wouldn't just be best to get some sleep as well. As long as Cameron was up though, he'd remain so


~~~~~~~~~~~


Mia picked up the phone that Dominic tossed back onto the bed and held it in her lap. For all she knew, the pictures on her phone would be the only way she'd see her family or friends again. "Thank you, Dom." She said simply, knowing that he didn't have to be nice, and that any other goon would have probably smashed the phone right in front of her if they were here instead of Dominic.

When Dom tilted her chin up, she met his eyes, rolling her own a little when he mentioned he was around if she got lonely. "You think you're just so charming..." She mused, before being surprised by his kiss on her nose. It was slightly more affectionate than all his other physical contact, even though it was also more innocent. Mia said nothing after the kiss though, and just watched Dom disappear through the curtain.

Finally alone, Mia fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to collect all her thoughts. Her hand reached out for the small pillow on the bed, and she brought it over her face to muffle the sounds of her screaming quietly into it. She had to release all the emotions she promised she wouldn't show in front of others, and admittedly, maybe a little sexual tension too. Of all people to be abducted by, of course it had to be Dominic. Though as much as she hated to admit, if it had been someone else, she’d likely not be on a private jet right now and would likely be in someone’s basement. Or worse.

Mia sighed a little, tossing the pillow back into its spot and sitting up in the bed. She shifted her position, bringing her legs up onto the bed, and laid back down correctly. Stifling another yawn, Mia shut her eyes, trying to focus on the sound of the plane engine to lull her to sleep. It was hard to keep her mind from wandering to topics that would only upset her, and she prayed sleep would give her some respite.

__________
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

curious

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron knew she wouldn't be able to sleep in this chair. Though it was plush and comfortable, it wasn't a bed, and Cal was too close to her. She wouldn't be able to relax with him nearby, because she'd want to look at him, to know what he was doing or what look he currently sported on his face. So she squeezed her eyes shut, not opening them for anything, not even when Dominic reappeared. She could hear his voice clearly, but it sounded more like he was talking to Cal than her.

He moved on past them, but Cal's voice reached her ears a moment later, and her eyes automatically opened. "You're right. I do." She said simply, uncurling from the chair and pushing herself back to her feet. She glanced at Dominic and then at Cal again, her eyes lingering for longer than she should have let them before she disappeared into the back. Cam froze after pushing past the curtain when she saw Mia, but it looked like the girl was already asleep or at least trying to be.

So, as silently as she could, she crawled onto the other bed, the smaller one, and stretched out onto it. Her arm folded beside her as she lay there on her side, her eyes wide yet unseeing as her hand stretched out for something that wasn't there. A soft frown appeared on her features as she replayed the last couple of hours in her mind, able to pinpoint the exact moment things went wrong. She should have just gotten into her car. Locked the doors and left. Where was her car now? With a heavy sigh, she forced her eyes closed again, trying to relax her body enough to sleep.

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic turned to face the others after making himself another drink, not planning on losing this one to being shoved or anything else. He sipped at it, looking between Cal and Cameron as Cal spoke about her wanting to get away from him. The blonde confirmed his statement, standing and disappearing into the back. "Man. She really hates you." Dominic smirked, downing the rest of the contents in his glass before he set it back down, and left the minibar to head back to his seat.

"That's alright, though. Not alot of people like us in our line of business, Cal. We know that. It's to be expected." Dominic shrugged as he leaned back in his seat some. "Quite a few hours at least. It's not a straight shot flight, the pilot knows to go the long way, just in case." Closing his eyes, feeling the effects of the liquor he'd drank, he knew that he could fall asleep in the chair no problem. He was right, they still had some time to go before arriving at the island.

He'd been on the island once before, and that was many years ago. From what he understood, though, it was pretty much the same as it had been back then. A big home towards the center of the island, surrounded by tropical trees, sand, and then the water. There would be a few bodyguards here and there, no cell phones. It would be like a vacation, he thought, at least to a degree. And until he heard otherwise, there would be no leaving, for any of them. "Do you believe in love, Cal?" He asked his friend, a teasing grin on his face. Love was far from being on Dom's agenda, but he could laugh about it.

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal was a little disappointed that Cam agreed with him so quickly about wanting to be far away from him. He thought he’d get a little more of a rise out of her first. Holding Cam’s gaze as it lingered on him, Cal’s eyebrow arched slightly. What was she thinking? He caught himself wondering for a moment, before Cameron took her leave. He resisted watching her as she disappeared into the back, knowing Dominic was right there.

“Yeah, comes with the job.” Cal replied to Dominic, nodding as he turned his attention to his friend. “I’m not losing sleep over being hated though.”

Cal was glad Dominic’s eyes were shut so he didn’t catch the look of disappointment on Cal’s face at hearing the flight would still be a while. The feeling of solid earth under his feet was all Cal wanted at this point. It would help ground him and he could get over whatever feelings of sympathy he was having for Cameron once he was back in his element.

“Love? Where the hell’s that coming from?” Cal asked, a dry laugh escaping him. He’d never even heard that word come out of Dom’s mouth, at least not used in the sense it was now. “Do I look like a 13 year old girl to you?” Cal chuckled. “Nah, I think people like to believe in it to make life easier, but being in this line of work has pretty much convinced me that it doesn’t exist.” He replied, reclining his chair as far back as it would go.

Cal hadn’t witness much love in his life. His father left his mother, so there was no love there, and his sister’s father was just a short fling. He’d been too young when he got involved with the mafia to have had time to experience any real feelings beyond a crush or lust, and now the only women he met were one night stands after a night at a bar, and those were few and far between. Sure, he loved his mom and sister, but that was familial and born out of his responsibility to protect and care for them.

“Why? Cupid’s arrow hit you or something Boss?” Cal asked, wondering where this question was coming from. “Or is it the whisky talking?” He joked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Half asleep, Mia heard someone approach and was about to snap at Dominic to leave her alone, but she realized the footsteps were too light and that it must be Cameron. The thought to postpone sleep and talk to the blonde crossed Mia’s mind, but she . If Cameron was seeking some peace and privacy from the men, Mia didn’t want to disturb her with questions and awkward conversation about their predicament. There would be plenty of time to talk, Mia figured, once they got to wherever they’d be imprisoned.

It was comforting though, to know that Cameron was in the other bed. To know that she wasn’t alone in this awful situation. As selfish as it was of Mia, she was thankful for the blonde’s company. Letting her mind focus on that small positive, Mia finally drifted off to sleep.

The sleep would unfortunately be plagued by nightmares, but that was to be expected after such a turbulent night. At least it was an escape from the true nightmare of reality.

___________
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

curious

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Whether it was the plane or just everything that had happened, Cameron couldn't sleep. She could hear Mia's even breathing from over on the bed she was on, and Cameron thought about saying something to her. But what? Hey, how are you, my name is Cameron, were you kidnapped too? A frown appeared on her face as she even thought about the words, her eyes opening as she rolled over onto her back. The bed wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't hers, and she kept thinking about how she might never see that bed again.

Or her family. Her thoughts shifted from the girl not far from her to her family, wondering what they were doing now. Did they know she was missing yet? What had happened to her car? Somehow, she doubted it was still at the school, but if it wasn't, where had it gone? What about her things inside of it? Staring up at the ceiling of the jet above her, she threw her arm over her eyes, trying to block out the light, hoping that would help. It didn't. Her father... had he really done the things Dominic said? Had he really signed a contract giving her up?

Thinking about Dominic, though, made her think about Cal. Her breath caught in her throat as she thought about him, how his strong body felt under her hands. His arms, his chest. Even when he'd lied to her in the parking lot, she'd thought he was attractive. Maybe that was another reason she'd decided to help him. And he didn't seem to want to hurt her, which told her that he was more human than he wanted people to believe. But he was still her abductor, and she shouldn't be having those thoughts at all.

Right?

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Leaning back in his seat, eyes still closed, Dominic smirked at Cal's question. "Just a question, Cal, relax." Chuckling, Dominic opened his eyes to look over at the man he trusted more than anyone, giving him a good onceover. "You definitely do not look like a 13 year old girl. Far from it, buddy." Laughing now, he shrugged and leaned his head back, staring up at the ceiling of the jet as he thought about Mia. "You never know." He knew he was being vague, and it wasn't as though he loved Mia or anything. She was just intriguing.

At Cal's next set of questions, Dominic laughed again. "Definitely the whiskey." He glanced over at the minibar, then slid his gaze over to the window. It was still dark out, but by the time they landed, it would be well into the afternoon. Damn time zones and all. Heaving a small sigh, Dominic sat up in his seat, fixing his gaze on Cal now. "You know, though, if you wanted to have a little fun with the little blonde... I wouldn't say I blamed you." He shrugged, smirking in Cal's direction for a moment before he leaned back in the chair.

Dominic knew that Cal was a loyal and faithful guy when it came to the mob. Dom knew all about his family, his mother and his half sister, and how Cal did what he did because he wanted to keep them safe. The mafia had a way of getting your dirtiest little secrets to come out, and using them against you. In a way, Dominic was lucky because of who he was, but at the same time, just because he was the Don's son didn't make him completely free of risk, either. There was always risk. He settled back in the seat and closed his eyes, hoping to get a little bit of rest before landing.

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Cal chuckled a little and shook his head at Dominic saying it was just a question. "Good, I was starting to think you might suddenly be going soft." He joked, tucking his hands behind his head. Cal was tempted to ask about Dominic's history with Mia, but thought better of it. He'd ask later if the answer didn't come to light on its own.

Dominic's laughter about Cal not looking like a 13 year old girl earned a grin out of Cal. He was glad his friend was in good spirits considering the events of the night. He still didn't have many details, but he imagined a hit being made on Dom's father would have rattled him some. The whisky was probably helping with that though, Cal realized after Dominic's answer about it.

Cal turned his head to look up at the ceiling from his reclined position when Dominic mentioned having fun with Cameron. "You know, I try not to mix work with pleasure..." He replied, wondering if Dominic had suspicions that Cal was being soft with Cameron, or if he was just being his usual women-chaser self. "I do like blondes though." Cal added, looking back to Dominic and smirking. "Just don't tell my boss if I mishandle the cargo." He joked.

When Dominic settled into his seat to sleep, Cal turned to look back up at the ceiling. He needed to loosen up about Cam and not treat her so precious. If she was a girl in a bar, he'd have no trouble disregarding her feelings and just going after her for a quick hookup. And if Dominic was practically giving permission to pursue a little fun... Cal shut his eyes, putting a pin in those kinds of thoughts for now. He wasn't going to pursue Cameron if she wasn't up for a good time; he wasn't into forcing himself onto someone. He'd just wait and see what the destination brought. Letting the blonde bounce around his thoughts a little longer, Cal let sleep overtake him.

~~~~~~~

Mia continued to sleep, a little restlessly.

___________
apolla

 

[apolla]

mood

curious

location

plane

outfit

Click!

tags

Cal ( Desert_Blossom )

Cameron

Cameron wasn't sure how long she laid there before she drifted off to sleep. And surprisingly, she slept pretty well for a good who'd been abducted and thrown onto a plane. Nothing woke her, and she didn't move until the plane started its descent onto the airstrip on the island. When she did wake, her eyes opened slowly, and for a moment she didn't know what was going on. When she spotted Mia laying on the other bed, though, it all came rushing back and she jerked up to a sitting position. Her chest heaved as anxiety crushed her heart, and for a moment she couldn't breathe.

Closing her eyes as the plane made its rocky landing, she breathed through the descent until the plane slowed, coming to a stop a few moments later. When she reopened her eyes, she heard the curtain being pulled back, and she glanced over to see Dominic standing there. He didn't look surprised to see her awake, and his eyes only lingered on her for a second before they slid over to Mia. Cam couldn't really describe what she saw there in his eyes, but whatever it was, it was gone before she could pinpoint it. "We're here." He glanced back at Cam and then was gone, disappearing back into the main area of the plane.

Cameron's own gaze slid over to Mia, but the blonde still wasn't sure what to say to the other girl. So she just stood from the bed, running her fingers through her hair as she slowly made her way back to the other part of the plane, where Dominic and Cal were. She looked from the former to the latter, her eyes lingering on Cal for a few seconds before her attention was drawn to the door being opened. Freedom. But was it really? Dominic gestured for her to descend the stairs, and since she didn't really have anything to bring with her, she merely sighed and then started the descent. She could already smell the ocean air, and she grew more confused the further off the plane she got. "Where are we?"

nine lives

mood

amused

location

airplane

outfit

Click!

tags

Mia ( Desert_Blossom )

Dominic

Dominic drifted off to sleep relatively quickly, thanks to the liquor he'd consumed and the adrenaline rush of the evening dying down. He had no idea if he dreamed or not, as when he awoke shortly before the plane started its descent, he couldn't remember. Shrugging off the remnants of sleep, he stood and yawned, stretching his arms over his head. Cal was still out, or at least still resting, so he just collected Cameron's glass and took it back to the minibar. Someone else would come behind them and clean it up, so he just left everything there as he moved to one of the windows, peering out.

The island was just coming into sight, and it was just as beautiful as he remembered. For a moment, he just watched as the island got bigger and bigger. As the plane started its descent, he finally turned away from the window, moving to nudge Cal's foot. "Wakey, wakey, sleeping beauty." Smirking, he headed back to where the girls were sleeping, pulling back the curtain to see the blonde was already up. He watched her for a second before he flicked his gaze over to Mia. "We're here." He announced, tearing his gaze away from Mia to go back up to the front, just as the plane started to touch down.

Cameron made her appearance first, and Dominic gestured for her to go down the stairs after the door opened. She didn't say a word as she obliged, and Dominic glanced over at Cal, smirking again as he remembered their conversation before they'd fallen asleep. "Go get 'em, tiger." Dominic playfully punched Cal's arm as he moved past him, going to find Mia. "You up, princess?" He pulled back the curtain again, grinning at her as he saw that she was up now. "We've arrived. Time to see your home for the next... Well, however long." He waved his hand, disregarding the thought as he waited for Mia to make her way to the stairs to get off the plane as well. "Welcome to paradise, Mia."

nine lives