You are MINE (closed)

[susurrus]

Greg watched Gabriella physically tighten as the well-dressed men stepped into the bar. Seldom did people dressed as they were mean good things in a bar like this. Seeing Gabriella's reaction said they weren't health inspectors...

He stayed by Gabriella's side as she stood there, statue-still, loathing radiating invisibly from every pore.

When it became obvious his girlfriend wasn't going to do anything for this man, Greg got the attention of one of the waitresses and nodded for her to get Lance.
Everyone in the place had stopped what they were doing. All conversation had ceased, all movement halted. Some obscure 70's rock thing was blaring from the jukebox. It and the hum of the coolers was the only sound.

It took a minute or more for the office door to open after the waitress hesitantly shuffled her way over, her eyes not leaving the three men, and quavering, "Lance there are some men to see you." Everyone in the room knew Lance already was aware who was there. For some reason, he stayed in the office, even knowing they were there.

When Lance stood in the doorway to his office with the bat he'd cold-cocked Vince with hanging loosely in his hand, Greg knew there was bad shit going down...

 

[Asa]

Lance Deacon... Imagine my surprise finding out you were still alive and a meger bartender. You remember Frankie and Jackson don't you? Boys... Help liven the place back up while I talk with our good friend Lance here.

One of them made to grab for Gabriella and found a knife in the bar next to his hand and one of those innocent smiles on her face.

He wants the place livened up then I need to stay right here serving drinks and continue training the new guy here.

Callis Daniels laughed seeing what happened.

A mouse with teeth... That seems to be a weakness for all my boys. Let her do her job Frankie... None of you boys would know what to do with a woman like that. However we'll talk later doll. Now Lance let's talk.

 

[susurrus]

Lance watched Callis' boys saunter around the room like they'd just bought the place. He smirked when Gabriella nearly pinned one goon to the bar. He also saw Greg tense, ready for something to happen. There were a few others in the bar who were just itching for something to go down. Shrinking violets seldom came into Lance's place.

So, this was more than likely Vince's threat about turning on him. Still, Callis could have had no idea that he hadn't gone through with Vince's sick plan with Gabriella, whatever it might have been. So, Vince had meant to sic Callis and his morons on him, regardless, probably to ensure he remained, "loyal," whatever that meant with guys the like of Vince and Callis.

Raising the bat and resting the end that'd brained Vince in his left hand, Lance said, "Hi there, Dallis. Long time no see. Not fucking long enough, though." He turned the bat a little to display the vague patch of red on it that it had gained from its contact with Vince's head.

"Everybody!" Lance shouted to the entire room. "This is Dallis Daniels. Not Dallas, like the city in Texas. He spells it with an 'I', kind of like a junior high girl who replaces the 'Y' on the end of her name with an 'I' because she thinks it makes her more feminine. I used to work for this guy.

"Used to," he emphasized right into the man's face. "I can guess what he's doing here, but he might as well go the fuck back under whatever rock he crawled from, because I'm not going anywhere with him or doing anything for him.

"Last night, something happened. I won't go into what it was, but let's say I got to use this bat for its originally intended use... and that ain't hitting baseballs. I've got a good idea that this ape's appearance here," he pointed to Calls with the end of the bat, "is somehow connected to that occurrence. And let me say that the bastard who felt the old slugger here had it fucking coming."

Lance placed the end of the bat firmly into the center of Callis' chest and gave a push. "Go the fuck away. I'm not going with you, and I'm not doing anything for you."

***

Greg had his gun on him. He had a feeling he wasn't the only one in the room. He watched all this happen with professional interest, ready to go into action depending on what kind of action needed to happen. He didn't particularly care to see what Gabriella could do with the knife she'd produced out of thin air and pounded deep into the wood of the bar, but was pretty sure if it came to that, there would be blood.

If it came down to a full-out brawl against these three men, Greg knew there would be carnage. The patrons, male and female alike, certainly wouldn't stand for what these men had come to represent. Chances were good that the thugs would come out on the bad side of the exchange. Oh, they'd get plenty of licks in, but they were vastly outnumbered.

While he wanted to go to Gabriella's side, she'd just established her credentials, and him stepping over to her would just diminish the impact of the statement she'd made.

So, he just stayed where he was, wondering what would happen next...

 

[Asa]

How quickly you seem to forget thing Deacon.

Callis spoke cold and unfazed.

After that little issue with Debra I should kill you where you stand.

Gesturing to Gabriella.

Still the same old Lance. Guess the reason this one isn't sporting bruises or broken limbs yet is that little knife trick isn't it? Or is she still to recent of an employee for you to really go after.

You forget I have a very long memory and a very impressive collection of evidence that should be more than enough to put you under any prison for your little appetite. We lost how many of the dancers at my club to coma or death because of you boy. You may not be bouncing or tending a strip club but look around same old Deacon.

Gabriella maintained her poker face but had an idea that might get this scum to run. A simple glance back to Lance as if to offer that help before her hand went back to the knife.

 

[susurrus]

Lance listened to Callis talk, his loathing of the man before him evident. He could throw the past in his faced, he deserved it. The girls the man spoke of, it hadn't been all him. Those girls tended to get passed around, all with Callis knowledge and approval. As long as the boys were kept happy, he turned a blind eye to what it was that kept them happy.

The final straw was when a girl Lance had gotten sweet on turned up battered and near death one night. Through the grapevine, he found out she'd been gang raped by some of the boys and left for dead. The whole thing had been pinned on him. He busted a few heads, then walked, giving Dallis the finger as he walked away, not bothering to look back. It wasn't a surprise this part of his life had returned to haunt him. He was no fucking angel, he knew that, but he wasn't the monster these fuckers could be.

From beside Callis' right ear, he could just see Gabriella at the bar. She gave him a look that he thought might mean something. He wasn't exactly sure what that might be, but his only thought at the moment was to give the same as he'd given Vince.

Slowly bobbing his head a fraction of an inch, he waited with a growing smirk to see what kind of mayhem might be brewing...

***

Greg saw the look Lance gave Gabriella, and saw the look she was giving him. There was some unspoken plan going on here. As a cop, he wasn't sure he was going to like it, but he was pretty sure if he showed his badge at this point, he'd only be laughed at...

As he'd done since this whole thing started, he just stood and waited...

 

[Asa]

You still don't do your research do you Callis?

That sweet innocent tone now gone from Gabriella's voice. Replaced with a dead cold voice only Alexi could have taught her.

Do you really want to turn this into another Boston? After all you lost there too. And now here you are yours and your boys pathetic carcasses in my hands and I am feeling surprisingly generous. Get the fuck out of my town and MY BAR! Or I won't prevent my associates from mopping this floor with each of you.

The knife was at Callis throat in seconds as she spoke looking to his goons.

Oh please be stupid children... I dare you.

The mouse really does have teeth and...

Callis smirked however wary of the knife.

Now I see the promised merchandise from Vinny is well worth it. Knife down Gabby girl or the cop dies.

The two goons open their jackets to reveal guns aimed at Greg.

 

[susurrus]

Greg was getting really fucking sick of being the "damsel in distress" for assholes like Vince and this fucking Dallis character. He looked at the two apes whose only use in the world were their size, the fact they had an idea which end of the gun to hold, and the fact that they took orders blindly and made a decision.

"Don't worry about me, Baby. I've got these two fuckwads taken care of. You do what you need to do."

***

Lance saw Gabriella hesitate at the threat to her boyfriend. However, when he heard Greg tell her to go on, he smiled wickedly.

"Let's dance," he sneered at the big man.

 

[Asa]

There was a war in Gabriella alright but it wasn't over the threat to Greg after he spoke... It was past and present.

Her past with her family said slit his throat and watch him bleed out. Her present said let Greg arrest him... But he hasn't done anything wrong... Him still bwing alive is wrong... He has broken no laws in here today... He tried to destroy your home town and hurt your boston family... He has only threatened with words so fsr here not illegal.

Her hand tightened on the knife as she slammed it into the bar and proceeded to fight the suit hand to hand. All the rage bubbling out with every punch and kick. The past would get blood thebpresent would not get arrested... Win win.

 

[susurrus]

It was obvious there was some manner of history with Gabriella and this man, and none of it good. Not that kind of "not good" that she had with Vince, but still, unpleasant. This whole scenario was a gray area for the cop in Greg. Then again, he'd been threatened. Granted, it was just words at the moment, but he could tell, these guys only used words up to a point. When those words didn't yield the results they were looking for, they weren't above getting physical.

Greg looked over the two goons. Gabriella was ready to take on the one nearest to her, so the guy closest to the door was his. Lance appeared to just be itching to lay that bat upside this Dallis/Callis guy's head like he had Vince.

Each goon did have what appeared to be a gun trained on him. Still, there was reasonable doubt that what was outlined in the lining of their finely-cut jackets really was a gun, so he resisted just pulling out his own weapon and taking either of them out. There had to be a way to make these guys make the first move, without ending up with a couple bullet holes in him.

***

Lance felt his arm wanting to rare back and lay into Callis. While his former employer showed no sign of a weapon, there was little doubt that the big man at least had a gun, and Lance also knew Callis always carried a knife in a calf-sheath, a knife longer than the one Gabriella obviously wanted to use on the goon within her arm's reach.

It was s Mexican Standoff. One twitch would launch the whole place into chaos. Lance was both elated by the idea and dreaded it. The thing with Vince had exercised muscles he hadn't used in years. It had felt good. Here in his place, though, a beatdown like the one he expected was ticking away in countdown would be hard for even his "resident cop" to keep the rest of the force out of it. Dead bodies tended to make the police nervous, and Lance figured there might end up being at least one, with Callis and his boys' reputations, anyway.

If the situation hadn't been so tense, Lance felt an inward smile at the song that had just queued up on the jukebox.

As they all waited for someone to make a move, the strains of the Bee Gees warbling "Staying Alive" in their crazy falsetto, the first move was made by none of the players directly involved with the situation.

From a corner, one of the waitresses, a petite little blond, suddenly came screaming from a corner and bashed her tray into the goon nearest Greg...

 

[Asa]

Callis had clearly not be n expecting her attack after the knife she had at his throat slammed into the bar. And none of them could have expected that she had been working with the servers in case something happened that was a threat to the bar directly. She could see a flash of possible recognition cross Callis face seconds before her fist connected with his Solar plexus. A grin dancing across her face that clearly held her family's unique brand of cold rage in it as her fists landed very calculated punches taking as good as she was giving.

 

[susurrus]

The waitress's attack was ballsy, considering the guy she had attacked was at least twice her size, both in height and weight. Seeing the tiny woman stand up to the big man got a couple of the other girls moving, and they picked up the nearest potential weapon and laid into the same man.

The waitresses' courageous move got even some of the patrons to find their own reservoirs of inner strength, and soon, the two men were inundated by people who they'd expected to be non-combatants in this fray. Even though they were prepared to fire the guns they had pointed at Greg, the patrons' activity flustered them enough to prevent them from pulling the trigger.

Greg got into action and tripped the one man who hadn't gone to the floor. They'd apparently been told who to target, but didn't have orders on anyone else, and so were uncertain whether they should retaliate against the people swarming upon them, even in self-defense.

Stepping behind the bar, Greg found the handcuffs he knew were stashed there. There'd been a few times unruly patrons had been restrained until either they cooled off, or the cops got there, so he knew there was a set of cuffs for him to use.

Greg pulled up a bar stool and placed it strategically behind one of the men, who was fighting for his life against three half-crazed drunks, his gun forgotten as he defended himself, the man evidently having no actual training, having relied on his size all his life.

Grabbing the man's hand, he slid a cuff over each wrist, then twined his arms into the bar stool, locking the other cuff onto a stool leg. It wouldn't keep the guy from escaping, but it'd sure as hell be awkward.

Easily disarming the gorilla, Greg turned to the man the waitresses were wailing on. Between serving trays and bottles off all sorts, this poor guy was pretty well done in. The little girl who'd attacked the man initially stood and repeatedly kicked the guy in the balls. Some pent-up aggression there, Greg thought. Lance better watch out, if Gabriella didn't get to him first.

The waitresses' thug was almost unconscious, and when Greg started to pull him toward his buddy, the man didn't resist. Before long, he had both big grunts locked around the bar stool, and once they were restrained, he lifted the stool up high enough to drop a leg the other side of the bar rail (yes, Lance still had one of those). Callis's boys weren't going anywhere anytime soon. Greg had to pull the kicker off, even once he had the men all taken care of, but she got one more boot in, moved over to the other guy, gave him a couple shots, then trotted off, satisfied she'd said her piece.

Greg was relieved he hadn't had to pull his pistol. If it'd come to that, he would have, but it was better this way. One gun leads to others, and before long, there are bodies on the floor, and questions needing answers.

Gabriella had gone right past the two men who'd threatened him. Greg hadn't known for sure whether she was targeting them or the man in front of Lance. It was now obvious her beef was with the boss man. So far, Lance hadn't left the office doorway. He didn't have to. Gabriella had her knife at Callis' throat, and was very handily showing him what she was capable of. Whatever history there may have been here, it was not a good one. The more he saw of his girlfriend's abilities and temper, Greg made notes over and over not to get on her bad side.

***

Lance watched all this with grim satisfaction. He was disappointed he hadn't been able to use his bat for the purpose he'd bought it for, but this wasn't over. A man like Callis wouldn't take this and just say, "You beat me. You win." No, he'd retreat and rather than direct confrontation, it would get ugly. Rather than meeting in a crowded, public place like this, he'd go after them individually, catching them where there was no protection, no one to help. Even Gabriella wouldn't have been able to stand up to these people if the three of them had confronted her alone. That's the kind of tactic they'd use, now that they realized intimidation wouldn't work.

 

[Asa]

Once he was on the ground looking barely able or willing at that moment to fight back any more Gabriella having one of her spike heels resting a hair above his throat where a simple shift of her weight from one foot to the other could almost finish him off she stared at the blood on her hands with that dark smile as she spoke.

Callis... You never should have threatened my town back in Boston and you never should have threatened My cop...

It was clear that she was teetering on that razor thin line of kill him or let Greg handle this as her heel kept trying to touch his throat.

 

[susurrus]

Lance was impressed, watching Gabriella work. Callis was easily more than twice her weight, and more than a head taller, but somehow, suddenly, the big man was on the floor, with the much smaller woman standing over him.

***

Greg watched with a mixture of pride and horror at how easily Gabriella took down the much bigger man. A crazed look had entered her eyes, and she definitely had him at her mercy. She held one heel dangerously close to Callis' throat. All she needed to do is drive that spike downward, and Callis' life would change forever.

Before she could lose whatever control she so tenuously gripped onto at the moment, he stepped up to her, placed a hand over the hand that held the knife, then reached for her leg and set her foot carefully onto the floor.

"I'm okay, baby. Calm down now. His goons didn't hurt me. See," he pointed to where the gorillas sat on the floor, their hands twined and cuffed in and around the legs of the bar stool, "they aren't going anywhere and their guns are there on the bar.

"Let the bad man live."

 

[Asa]

She heard him say put the knife down and had not even realize she had pried it out of the bar and had it in her hand again.

How... (Groan) do... You know...about... (Cough) Boston?

Callis finally managed to utter.

And... How did... Vinnie boy...ever get... The better of you?

She leaned down staring I his face.

I was one of the shadows you lost to and now... You owe your pathetic carcasses survival to that cop you threatened. I would advise you thank him.

 

[susurrus]

Lance was a little disappointed that he'd simply stood by while the three thugs were taken care of by others. Still, it had been entertaining and a little disturbing seeing how it all went down, and without a true casualty, though it was pretty obvious that Gabriella would have gladly ended Callis with little thought. He wasn't sure what Gabriella had been like before she had walked through his door, but the woman who'd so handily taken down such a large, menacing man was definitely a force to be reckoned with. He'd gotten a taste of the kind of woman she was, even though it was on her terms, not his. Regardless, he envied Greg, wondering what kinds of things the two got to when they were alone together, and wished even more than ever that he could get a piece of her.

***

Again with Boston. Greg was both curious, and at the same time, didn't want to know what had happened in Boston. Gabriella had hinted some of the Boston thing, but hadn't elaborated. At the moment, he was fine with that. It had to be perfectly horrific, and he wasn't up for such a story right now.

He was a little taken aback when Gabriella told Callis that he should thank Greg for saving his life. He wondered if Gabriella really would have taken the man's life. Again, he was pretty sure she had it in her to do, but he didn't know what he'd have thought of her had she gone through with it, right there in front of him.

As far as when Callis asked how Vince had gotten his hands on Gabriella, Greg glanced to Lance. He saw no reaction whatsoever from the man who'd taken her to the man who'd abused her when she was younger.

Greg really didn't want to hear the big man's "gratitude." He was sure that, even though he was defeated, there was seething rage hiding behind the defeat on the surface at the moment.

 

[Asa]

One of the waitresses moved over removing knives from Gabriella's reach Cor now till these guys were gone from the building.

Gabriella just looked to Greg then to the blood on her hands and in an almost unfeeling voice commented.

I should get cleaned up. Fairly sure I have at least a busted lip and maybe a couple of cracked ribs... Nothing major love... I'm fine.

She turned and made her way to the sink behind the bar to wash the blood off her hands slowly returning to her normal relaxed self if not calmer and happier. The fight having exorcised and sated that combative side nicely after the Vince fiasco.

 

[susurrus]

Greg stepped over to Lance, who still stood in the door of his office. He hadn't moved from the spot through it all.

"You should call 911. Got some way to restrain Callis so he doesn't go anywhere till the cops arrive?"

***

Lance listened to Greg, then nodded. He then retreated into the office and emerged once more with a length of rope. He and Greg trussed up Callis so he couldn't go anywhere, then Lance got on the phone and made the call.

 

[Asa]

She was calm... Happy as she walked back over to Greg and Lance.

So now we wait and see if the legal system here can hold him?

She didn't even look at the ones who moments ago thought they would hold the bar hostage with fear.

 

[susurrus]

Greg didn't really care for the insinuation of Gabriella's seemingly innocent remark, but he didn't say anything. The hope was that both this Callis and Vince had made enough enemies over the years, and too few allies, that life would be hard, and brief, for them both on the inside.

"We'll just have to wait and see," Lance said. "If not, I've still got my bat, you've got your knife, and I've got a whole bar full of people willing and able to do just what they just did to defend themselves from the likes of assholes like these guys."

Surprisingly, the police showed up with great alacrity. The flashing lights could be seen streaking across the windows outside. Lance turned to Greg. "If you want to duck out until your buddies are gone, now's the time to do it. I'm sure they'll have questions if they see Dallis all sliced up and you standing there. Go on into the back room. They'll probably want to ask questions of everybody in the place, wouldn't you think?"

"Most likely," Greg responded. "It'd be good if I wasn't one of them." He kissed Gabriella briefly, then retreated into the storeroom to wait out the potential police interrogation.

 

[Asa]

She had set down the knife... More like stabbed it into the bar but had no memory of picking it back up. Luckily with cops coming in she had enough beginnings of bruises and such to make any claim of self defense believable.

She smiled to Greg as he went to hide from the others before slipping into the act and slowly almost collapsing letting one of the cops catch her. Clearly the adrenaline rush wearing off and feat taking over.

 

[susurrus]

Greg felt like a coward, hiding while the others confronted the police, but there were many things in his life right now that he'd just rather not have to try to explain to his fellow officers. It would seem to some that he was hanging out with the "wrong kind of people." He really didn't care to have to try and explain his girlfriend. So, he sat and listened to all the bustle going on out in the main room, and he didn't emerge again until one of the girls came and told him, "The cops are gone."

He came out to see that Lance had joined the gang out at the bar; a rarity, as Greg had assumed, after such an ordeal, he'd have had a girl or two in his office.

Walking around the bar, he waited for Gabriella to finish serving the patrons, then stepped up to her, threw his arms around her and kissed her, ignoring the catcalls and rude remarks.

"Another chapter of your life rewritten?" he asked.

 

[Asa]

Not one that needed to be rewritten. My brothers and I wiped the floor with his plans of turning the two major factions against each other and being able to take over Boston without getting his hands dirty once both factions wiped each other out but he didn't know about us.

She snuggled in his arms.

Thank you love. I... I am trying to temper my normal ways of handling stuff with the fact that I am seeing a cop and need to play more by the rules of law.

 

[susurrus]

Greg refused to let go of Gabriella, even in front of all these people. Hell, it wasn't like they hadn't seen it before. Lance only had one rule: no out-and-out sex in the public room. Many was the time that the party had gone to the storage room or out to the alley. And, of course, there were his antics in his office. However, there wasn't a lot of sex going on at his place among the patrons. Most of them decided to take it elsewhere, a little more private.

"Thank you," Greg told her. "Trust me, there are times with the Callis types, that I'd like to forget I'm a cop and let whatever happens, happen. But I swore to uphold the law to the best of my abilities, and letting you go on him bent that oath a bit, but you did let him live, which was a good thing. Remind me to try to stay on your good side, okay?"

***

Lance sat at the bar with a glass of something. He didn't even ask. He'd just told Gabriella to pour something, he didn't care what. H didn't normally drink up his profits, but after Callis's reappearance, he needed something, and for once, it wasn't pussy. That would come, but for the moment, he decided to celebrate with the people who'd done all the work getting those assholes out of his place.

 

[Asa]

Alexi would have been proud I think that I have adapted to a new angle of life.

She fixed herself a bourbon and stayed curled in his embrace.

I seriously don't remember prying the knife back out of the bar while I was fighting him.

 

[susurrus]

"A new way of life?" Greg asked. "What, that Callis is actually walking away rather than being carried out in a body bag?"

He let Gabriella get her drink, then watched as she took a long draw off it.

"It seemed like you started out behind the bar, then suddenly, there you were, all over Callis, and the knife was in your hand. If I wasn't afraid I'd be witness to a murder, I'd have been more impressed. As it was, though, it was amazing to watch.

"And his goons didn't have a chance. They'd been given orders to take me out, so when all the others started wailing on them, they didn't know what to do. Apparently, their orders didn't extend to defending themselves. Good thing, too, or this might have come out a whole lot different."

Greg glanced over at Lance, then back to Gabriella. "Y'know, I'm feeling kind of horny after all this adrenaline. Lance is sitting out here. What say we go use his office for what he usually uses it for?"