"So."

Steven began as he poured two wine glasses of Cremé de cassis of-way full. He turned to Connie, his Reina, sitting in nothing but a knee-length robe, just getting out of the shower a few moments earlier, "where did you pick up our new houseguest?"

His eyes went to the cracked scarlet door on the eastern wall that leads to their bedroom, now being occupied by a sleeping nonbinary tween, "would have prepared the cot or the couch."

Connie gave a light scoff, appreciative of the attempt at levity, "It was a split decision." she gripped the wine glass from underneath between her left middle and ring finger, setting it against her palm as she lifted the glass to her full, straight lips; taking a sip of the sweet liquor. A smile settled on her face as she exhaled deeply.

"You know that I was supposed to meet with McLouth today." She started.

"Kevin," Steven kissed his teeth, taking a seat across from Connie, "that upstart...You told me that he wanted to discuss some business." He took a sip with an arched eyebrow.

"Yeah, well...

___________________

* Earlier that day *

"Maheswaran, glad you decided to come." Kevin McLouth commented as he led Connie through the city's container yard

.A male model and actor, who some would say ' plays' mafia rather than actually is mafia; something that's hard to dispute. With his need to be in the spotlight, wear and flash his (family) prestige and wealth, and show disrespect to other families to be viewed as a cool,' tough guy.'

A vast and foolish difference from his father, Kenneth.

"Curiosity got me here." She began, hands in her blue and gold pinstripe slack pockets, "Where is your father at?"

Kenneth was across the country, trying to get a director to let his son into a new action movie. Her girls at Shangri -la told her this, getting it from the old dog mouth himself and triple checking before delivering it. Kenneth won't be back for another few weeks, a couple of months at most. Jeffrey Santino is a man of his craft, and she would know.

She and Jeff have been friends since Middle School.

"Why?" He asked with a slight sneer, "You're doing business with me, Ms.Connie."

"Just wondering if the head of your family approves of this 'partnership.'"

"I'm the active head.." He started before a bit of strained sensuality leaked into his voice, "and I sought this partnership out, woman ."

She almost laughed at the smug smirk on his lips, the hurt pride in his voice, and the way his perverted gaze ran over her figure. 'Oh, he's such a weak-hearted fool! I don't know what's harder to believe: that he is a mafioso or that he's older than me?' She arched her left brow at Kevin yet kept a nonchalant facial visage.

"Guess so..." Connie spoke evenly, "tell me, why are we here?"

Kevin bit the back of his bottom lip in annoyance that his charms were being brushed aside. "A person of business, I can respect that." They continued to walk through aisles of metal containers, Kevin slightly leading. "So I've recently been in contact with a person of high status, some overseas tycoon or rather." He gave her a smirk." They are coming to pick up a purchase they made a few months ago and will be in the city in a couple of weeks."

"Ok...What that has to do with me?" Connie inquired.

-Thump!-

"The hells was that?" Connie turned westward to the sound of something crashing into metal.

"The reason why I want you and some of your crew to deliver the package.* Kevin admitted. "This has been the fifth time this week."

"What exactly Is it you're delivering?" Connie kissed her teeth.

" Ow! My finger, you little brat!" A gruff female voice yelled out from the west. " Come back here!!"

The sound of footsteps on gravel caught Connie's ears. Looking down the aisle where the sound came from, her eyes expanded when behind one of the corners, a kid no older than twelve came running down.

A fresh cut on their left cheek, bruised on the other, their clothes ratty and unkempt as were their hair. Their dark brown eyes full of fatigue and fear but still blazing with rebellion.

"Fucking, brat," Kevin growled as he stepped towards the kid. "More trouble than they're worth."

"No. No, no." The kid slowed to a stop before taking a step back when they saw Kevin. They were about to run when they felt the air knock out of their body and lift off the ground, as Kevin's skin, point-tip shoes made deep contact with their stomach. They fell to their knees before falling face down, holding their stomach as a sobbing groan erupting from them.

"Why do you try to run? You're a bride-to-be. Paid for by a prince." Kevin taunted, "and a big payday for me, my big score, and I'm sure they would want their spouse to be pretty or at least healthy. so stop giving me reasons to best you." He lifted his foot, " AND FUCKING BEHAVE ALREADY!" Kevin dropped his foot straight down.

-PAMPF!-

The sensation of explosive pain surged through Kevin's jaw as he lost his balance and tumbled toward a nearby red container. He spat out a bit of liquid crimson and shook his head before looking towards Connie.

"You trafficking in my city, Kid?" She glared intensely into his eye; her first tightened as she marched towards him.

"So what, ever heard of the 'value of human life '?!" Kevin challenged as she rubbed his jaw, "you never done such a thing?" He gave a taunting laugh, "Not as badass as I thought."

"I don't deal in people or poison."Connie started folding her arms, "I'm mafia, not a monster." She turned her head to the sounds of footsteps coming from the corner, seeing a large woman with twin cone for hair and blue eyes full of worry.

"Boss!" The woman called before reaching behind to pull out a gun. You alright?"

"Just a little disagreement, " Kevin told his minion, "Holly, get the ki-

"Don't you take a step toward them," Connie warned.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Holly spat as she stalked towers Connie, putting her gun to the Indian beauty skull; she grinned at the silence, " You think you're some-

-BANG!-BANG!-BANG!-

"And I like this jacket," Connie stated coolly as Holly crumpled in front of her, three bullet holes in her kidneys and liver before getting two more in her shoulders and a pistol whip to her skull from Connie's Baretta, knocking her out, before turning to Kevin who looked scared straight. " I'm gonna take the kid." She told him, a neutral stare in her eyes.

Kevin glared as she turned away from him and kneeled towards the tween, helping them to their feet and putting their pinstripe jacket on them, leaving the twin-gun holsters under her arms, where her Baretta's were held. Watching them begin to walk away, he reached behind his coat and pulled out a switchblade as he crept towards their backs.

His steps were a bit too heavy as he approached, and he paid for it...

With an elbow to his face when he tried to stab Connie.

"Black town car with the lion decal on the right door," Connie told the kid as she passed them her car keys.

"B-but."

"Go, Kid," Connie ordered, walking up to Kevin, who was nursing his bleeding nose," you should have attended to your girl."

"Shut up," Kevin yelled, taking a swing towards her face, the blade missing by a mile.

"Sheesh, you are pathetic." Connie started dodging another blow before delivering a right hook to his elbow, knocking it out of place and making him drop the knife, which she caught with her left.

Kevin threw a left hook to her cheek only to receive his knife jammed into his wrist after she ducked. He didn't have time to grimace fully as Connie's fist met this stomach, making him stumbled back and fall against a red container with a - krsch!-.

He looked up only to feel explosive pain to his face and skull as Connie connected.

- krsch!- Again, - krsch!- And again , - krsch!- And again, - krsch!-. And again, - krsch!-And again.

For ninety solidarity seconds, she pummeled the upstart without remorse, to her knuckles started to swell, his moans became gargles, his eyes became shut and weighted. Her hits became slightly more sticky with his blood.

She stopped looking at her work, keeping him in his feet by gripping his tie. "there is no child trafficking in my city; you hear me?" She didn't wait for his answer as she delivered one last haymaker before letting him slide down to sit on the floor.

With a spat to his beaten form, Connie turned, leaving the two wannabes to stool in their defeat, call for their boys to assist or die where they lay.

She couldn't give a damn as she wiped her knuckles on her blouse and walked out of the yard towards her car, where the tween was seated in the passenger seat.

____________

* present*

"And that's how it went down." Connie started as she downed the last of her cassis , savoring the taste with her eyes closed.

-chu!-

She grinned, feeling his lips meet her knuckles, turning to her partner, her Rey, as he peppered her hand with kisses. "I'm ok, Steven."

"I know." He looked up at her, holding her hand, massaging her knuckles with his thumb, "So you just left them there. Think Keeneth gonna want some compensation or revenge?"

"Don't know, don't care." She answered, getting up and sitting on his lap, facing him.

"Do you think he might have known about Stevonnie?" He asked, holding her by the hips

"Doubtful, human-trafficking isn't really his style and trusting Kevin with such a thing?" Connie shook her head. "No, I think this was all Kevin trying to make a move." She sighed as she pressed up against him.

"So what's next? Should we try to see who is coming for Stevonnie and try to persuade them otherwise?"

"That's definitely a start. Also, we need to get them some papers...Sure we can get Peri for that." She yawned, "for now, just wanna rest."

Steven chuckled as he picked her up and carried her to the voice, laying down himself and placing her on top of him. His hands, holding her back and waist as she breathes lowly, sleep already taking her.

With a small kiss on her head as she snuggled closer, and a smallyaen himself, he joined her in slumber.