Arranged marriage to the princess of the Red Scorpions

Richard knew that it was a bold move but he couldn't keep his fingers off the phone in his pocket. One little call. One he hoped would be answered and assist with cleaning this mess up. Having muted his phone to avoid any potential disturbances before coming to meet with Jovani proved useful. Not even Marcus would be able to tell what he was up to.

"For once, I think that you should listen to this one, Marcus. Samuel isn't like the rest of us." No. He was tenacious and stubborn but had no skills or fighting prowess to back him up. Whatever the kid used to push back couldn't have even been called bravado.

"And I think Richard that you shouldn't go about butting yourself into things that don't concern you." One glare from Marcus shut the other up. Thirty minutes without an incident was decent. No sense in ruining it before Richard could find a solution. He needed to figure something else out, especially after seeing how the other option had already vacated the area.

Cain was a great example of exactly why mercenaries were not to be trusted. They never cared about anyone else except for themselves. The mafioso's fingers itched to do one of three things - light a cigar, punch Marcus, or run his hand out of the hair. The last was the most harmless action he could that wouldn't trigger the Vedova Nera man.

"You shouldn't talk with Richard that way if you're supposedly friends or good acquaintances." For the first time since entering the room and starting to talk with Samuel, Marcus let out a sharp, shrill laugh. The reaction caught the younger cousin off-guard. The high pitch sound didn't match Marcus's tone of voice. It didn't even sound quite human if that was even possible.

"Again with that word." The words came out as a bark around the laughter. Samuel found himself blinking in disbelief as he watched the transformation. Was this guy for real? Nothing he said seemed remotely funny enough to invoke such a reaction.

"You see Sammy, on the biggest lies in the world is the word 'friend'. Maybe in the outside world, they exist. But, in our world? You will find no such thing. Unless someone is actually fool enough to sign away their life to. Even then though, there's always the risk that they will betray you anyways." The laughter slowly died off as Marcus continued to speak, something bitter replacing it as his gaze drifted over to Richard.

"Don't think about looking at me that way. You were the one who decided to drift away even after I tried to help you. I can't be blamed for the choices that you went about making." Richard had done enough of that over the years. He didn't need the person responsible coming back just to put him back into that box.

"Oh, Richard. I don't blame you for the choices I made. I blame you for what you taught me that led me to make some of my choices. Without you, things would have turned out very differently I should think." Jovani and he certainly wouldn't have ended up in different spaces. He may have even been able to be the one to take over at the end of the day. Obviously if the right... 'accidents' were to take place.

Differently isn't the word I would use for this kind of situation." Richard retorted, hand still on his phone as he waited for his phone to stop buzzing.

Had something happened? Surely not. The hospital was one of the safest places to be...

Ugh, he really needed the other person to decide to pick up sooner rather than later.

"You see cousin? This is why I don't bother with such trivial things. Buying loyalty is much better than going about and trying to make friends."

"And that's why you have been going around spending all this time without anyone by your side." Richard's words seemed to hit the sore spot he was looking for as Marcus almost rounded on him. The dark look in his eyes spoke volumes more than the clenched fists at his side.

"Spend all this time alone without anyone at my side? You say that like it is a problem and not a personal choice that I made myself." Marcus took one step forward but Richard didn't move. He wouldn't.

"I have been doing everything without anyone at my side because the last thing I need is someone holding me back. I would be better off cutting off my right hand and tying weights around my legs if I was looking to be handicapped." The taller cousin sneered at the other mafioso.

"I think Sammy here would benefit from seeing the contrast between someone who lets people to close and one who knows better. I think even if he's not from this world, he can easily see that there is a power difference which makes it evident which path is the better one to follow." Marcus cocked his head slightly as he looked back to see what Samuel's response would be. Come now. Even a na?ve fool such as little Sammy should be able to see which path was the better one to follow.

"I think without other people around, you can't really call yourself truly strong." Samuel's words were not what Marcus wanted to hear. Not strong? How in the world could the brat not see how wrong he was by saying that?

"Marcus. I told you already that I think that you would be better off leaving. Samuel isn't going to go about responding the way that you expect him to." Richard hardly finished speaking before the buzzing in his phone stopped. There went the one lifeline that he had been hoping to be able to rely on.

Fuck! This was not the time for anyone not being able to answer the phone. Certainly, the Red Scorpions had a lot going on themselves but this call was important.

Now what?