sugar cane dance with the devil

* a dependent blog of dustanddevils run by liv

[prettierpoison]

prettierpoison ▸ a dependent blog of dustanddevils penned by liv

𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒊 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒏 | 32, vet & moonlighting neutral medic, simone ashley intro ▸ visage ▸ musings

𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒓𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒌 | 38, pit manager at gold rush & le syndicat spécialiste (trainer & fixer), berk cankat intro ▸ visage ▸ musings

𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒐 | 29, stable manager at the davila ranch, camila morrone intro ▸ visage ▸ musings

𝒈𝒊𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒊 𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒔𝒐 | 34, detective & secret le syndicat dirty cop, michele morrone intro ▸ visage ▸ musings

𝒔𝒂𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒛 | 26, dead end nightclub bartender & aces / eights hangaround, maia reficco intro ▸ visage ▸ musings

𝒔𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒏 | 35, criminal defense lawyer, meghann fahy intro ▸ visage ▸ musings

[thesakeofmotion]

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

[prettierpoison]

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

[dissenteds]

"oh,  i'm  certain  they  did  it,"  roman  rasped  in  response,  his  jaw  tight  and  his  lip  nearly  curled  in  disgust  as  a  predator's  blue  gaze  drifted  toward  those  in  the  suits.  "but  i  know  they  gonna  try  to  pin  it  on  us."  the  ace's  president  had  already  been  sniffing  out  the  setup.  when  his  attention  returned  to  sabrina  his  expression  didn't  soften.  it  wasn't  a  reflection  of  his  opinion  of  her,  the  outlaw  was  on  edge  from  the  turn  of  events.  already  watching  his  back  and  surroundings  all  night  in  what  felt  like  a  viper's  pit  the  blond  felt  the  prickle  of  war.  it  wasn't  subtle  anymore,  it  was  the  buzz  of  overhead  lights  getting  louder  and  louder  before  they  burst.  "i  want  you  to  do  me  a  favor,"  roman  told  her,  didn't  ask,  "burrow  in  and  listen  closely.  find  out  as  much  as  you  can.  hit  me  with  any  updates,  big  or  small."

[prettierpoison]

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

[caedmilfolie]

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

She slid into the chair that was offered to her opposite him, folding her hands neatly in her lap, posture straight and composed. Aiming to be the picture of calm. That was, if calm had a pulse she could feel in her throat. “I was informed by a colleague of yours that you needed a statement about my drive to the event last night,” she continued on an even tone, offering him a small, controlled smile. “I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, but I’m happy to walk you through my route and the timing, if it helps.”

[prettierpoison]

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

tension crackled like lightning between them. ignoring that proverbial elephant in the room. " yes. " he cleared his throat. " anything related to your night that seemed out of the ordinary as well as the last time you saw the mayor. " eyes skillfully avoided him as he took notes on her file.

[maythe4th]

[prettierpoison]

@cowboykillcr

[prettierpoison]

where - police station including - selin demir @sanguisinvia

perching himself on the edge of the desk, he set the cup of coffee down. they might not be partners, but gio still knew how she liked hers. " how many times have you read the autopsy report? " his own drink passed to his lips. the hot liquid slid down his throat. he had gotten his hands on it as soon as it finished and still had read it as recently as this morning. it had been a gnarly death. even with his experience in a bigger city with higher crime rates, this still was a shocking report. for anyone, let alone a mayor.

[wrongtitle]

[cowboykillcr]

Marco   knew   he   was   breaking   the   rules   the   second   the   door   opened,   and   he   didn’t   try   to   talk   his   way   out   of   it.   No   call.   No   warning.   Just   him   standing   there   with   the   weight   of   it   all   written   into   his   posture.   “I   know,”   he   said   quietly   when   she   said   it,   gaze   dropping   for   a   beat   before   lifting   again   —   not   defensive,   just   tired.   He   hadn’t   planned   this.   That   was   the   problem.   The   need   to   see   his   son   had   hit   him   out   of   nowhere,   sharp   and   insistent,   and   he’d   followed   it   before   he   could   talk   himself   out   of   it.

Santi’s   feet   hit   the   floor   and   Marco   was   already   lowering   himself,   arms   opening   just   in   time   to   catch   him.   The   collision   knocked   the   breath   from   his   lungs,   but   he   held   on   anyway,   pressing   his   forehead   into   dark   curls   like   he   was   grounding   himself   there.   “Hey   kiddo,”   he   murmured,   thumb   brushing   beneath   tear-wet   lashes.   Under   his   breath,   barely   meant   to   be   heard,   he   added,   “You’d   have   said   no   if   I   called.”   Slowly,   he   stood,   keeping   Santi   close   for   a   second   before   setting   him   down   gently.   Marco   faced   Devi   then   —   really   faced   her   —   jaw   tight,   voice   low.   “Can   I   come   inside?”

[prettierpoison]

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

santi's cries of please amma made denying him entry impossible. she squared her real emotions away and put on a smile for their son's sake. " okay, but only if you take daddy with you back to the kitchen table. you need to finish your dinner. " devi shot marco a look saying they'd have the real conversation later. but for now, santi missed his father and marco did love their son.

[taiintedsouls]

  ────      𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐀𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏       ╱ feat. sabrina

TOBIAS wasn't one for visits especially when he wasn't in a good mood . ❛ give me a second ! ❜ he exclaimed loudly as he threw himself off of the bed at the clubhouse , making his way to the door . an annoyed sigh escapes his brims as the knocking proceeds ❛ did you not hea ----- ❜ he stopped once he swung the door open and saw who it was ❛ what're you doing HERE ?! ❜

[prettierpoison]

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

[prettierpoison]

where - davila ranch including - dominic stewart @neonspurs

boots approached from behind and ellie glanced over her shoulder - already soothing the horse when they flicked their ears at the new arrival. the mare was doing well in her pregnancy and should deliver a healthy baby any day now. at least according to the breeding specialist she had just spoken to. " need something? " ellie asked, all business to let him know she didn't want to play with him. everyone else might have thought dom was one of the most charming on the ranch, but she saw through his act. had since day one.

[prettierpoison]

where - carla's home including - carla aguilar @neonspurs

leaning back in the chair, gio shot carla a steely glance that held humor under the dark hues. " well, now that wasn't such a bad dinner. " he grunted. " maybe one of these days we can say some of the russo cooking genes rubbed off. " a smile broke out on his lips. these dinners had become a semi regular thing between them since his move out here. reaching for the bottle of wine from his collection, gio topped them both off.

[dinah-lance]

[experienceandobservation]

Camila Morrone | Wonderland | Spring 2023 | 📷 Brendan Wixted

[fassylovergallery]

michele x the housemaid

[prettierpoison]

where - red mesa diner including - audrey liu @devilishdeed

the counter at the dusty diner was one of the places gio usually haunted if one were to study his routine. especially in the late hours following a particularly long shift. the greasy food and bad coffee were actually nirvana when combined with tired eyes and that soreness that only exhaustion could bring. they worked almost as well as the best single malt whiskey he sometimes had after a shift. the diner was pretty empty this time of night so he was alone at the counter. a plate of half eaten food sat in front of him. a crossword puzzle from the local paper held his attention. the pen was poised between his lips. he was alone. that was until someone slid in only one seat down from him. " six letters, calligraphy flourishes. "

[luckr0t]

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

her gaze lifted to the deputy, slow and unimpressed. “ and he’s not daft, ” she added sickeningly sweetly. “ he’s thorough. there’s a difference. one’s a personality flaw, the other’s job security. ” she let that sit for half a second before flashing the cop a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “ she’s told you she saw nothing, you’ve written it down twice. if you’d like, i can spell it for you a third time. but i do charge for tutoring, and i don't think you could afford me on your shit salary. ” mars scrunches her nose at the cop, faking sympathy. the cops jaw tightened. mars doesn't blink. there was something almost playful in her posture — but her body was angled just slightly between devi and the uniform. protective. casual. dangerous. “ unless you’re planning on babysitting, maybe we don’t escalate a woman who’s already said she has nothing to report and just wants to get back to her fuckin' kids. ” mars tilted her head just slightly, studying him like a puzzle she could solve if she cared enough. “ so, ” she finished evenly, “ are we done here, or do you need a fourth identical statement for the scrapbook? at least let her make a private call, dude. c'mon, have a fuckin' heart! ”

[prettierpoison]

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

whatever this murder was, devi had nothing to do with it. she knew the forces that worked behind the shadows - had gotten an education during her time with marco. but she had nothing to do with the expansion of power or any of their squabbles over turf. devi had made sure of that by divorcing marco when he couldn't stay away from it all.

" thorough would be understanding what nothing means and releasing me when I have no involvement. " devi snapped. her anger was directed at the cop though. the cop only grew more stubborn as the woman tried to help. insulting his intelligence only made him dig his feet in now as he tried to feel like a big man and told them both he'd hold them all night if they didn't calm down and let him do his job.

[prettierpoison]

where - police station including - willa morrissey @valleywild

everything was all hands on deck until the case was solved. this was the biggest case this department had seen. hell probably this whole town. the murder of a mayor would be a big deal anywhere. he had been assigned talking to some of the people who were called in today. family members, friends, coworkers, those who should have sen his last moments and could shed some light on his last moments. due to the large volume, gio himself was given some names to conduct the interviews with. after having spoken to an aide in the office, he was shifting through his notes as a uniformed officer brought the next person over. " thank you for coming in today, we appreciate you offering any insi- " words died instantly on his tongue. willa morrissey was led to his desk. because of course she was. the universe had a sick sense of humor.