Saving Grace

Serena Ambrose, 26, Nurse, Loyal to the Castellanos, Helps anyone in need

[claraxdambrose]

He let out a humorless laugh. Taking a deep drag, he finally turned around to face her. “No one asked you to! No one asked you to care about me or to patch me up! So how about you save yourself the trouble and cut your losses while you still can?!” he yelled, getting into her personal space. “I’m not going to make you do a fucking thing. Stand there all not for all I care. I’ll leave.”

[serena-ambrose-blog]

Despite how quickly he turned around and despite how he entered her personal space, yelling in her face, Serena did not back up one inch. She stood her ground and crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t fucking give up on others.” Her words were almost a growl, raising an eyebrow to challenge him. 

[claraxdambrose]

A harsh sigh left his lips, his back still to her as he dug around in his pockets for a cigarette and his lighter, needing something to help take the edge off. “You aren’t my fucking keeper, Serena,” he mumbled with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Lighting it up, he inhaled deeply, enjoying the way the nicotine hit his bloodstream. “Leave me alone.”

[serena-ambrose-blog]

“I’m not?” She demanded, her voice harsh. “Funny, I seem to be the one that patches your sorry ass up all the time. I’m the one who seems to give at least a small amount of a flying fuck about you.” Her voice was harsh, her hands moved to rest on her hips. “Make me.” 

[claraxdambrose]

Asher’s jaw clenched tightly, his body almost shaking with rage. He wasn’t exactly angry at Serena, but more so the situation. It was bringing up painful reminders about his brother, things he wished he could forget. He didn’t say anything, simply releasing her and turning his back towards her as he tried to keep himself in check. “You should go.”

[serena-ambrose-blog]

The sudden shift in the tension in the air made Serena step back. It was so abrupt that it almost felt like she had been slapped. Her jaw fell slack as she slowly started to glare at him. “No. I’m not leaving until I know you aren’t going to fucking explode or go get yourself killed.” 

[yeahtheyhurt]

Jordan pulled the door all the way open and held it for her. “I promise. Somethin’ to take the edge off is gonna go a long way to helpin’ you shake this shit off. And it ain’t gonna hurt me any, either.” Jordan smiled, “Come on; let’s go make Matty get off his ass and do some work for a change.”

[serena-ambrose-blog]

“That sounds like a good idea. Or at least a start.” She replied, following him inside as she shrugged off his jacket to give back to him. “You do realize that they would never do that? Castellanos don’t do the dirty work themselves, that’s why they have us.”

[claraxdambrose]

“Who knows?! It’s always a fucking possibility in this life! I’ve accepted that. I’ve accepted that everyday I could fuck up, and it’ll be my last. Then again, it’s not like there’s much I haven’t fucked up in my life so I really wouldn’t be surprised,” he practically growled in her face, his anger boiling under his skin. He suddenly grabbed her wrists, stopping her ineffectual fists from hitting his chest. “Stop,” he hissed.

[serena-ambrose-blog]

“Don’t be so fucking morbid!” She shouted, her own voice rising in anger as he countered everything he said. “This isn’t just about you anymore! We all have targets on our backs now just for our fucking jobs! Do you think we all deserve it?” When he grabbed her wrists, she tried to pull away, her face contorting in anger. “Let me go!” Her own words were hissed as well.” 

[claraxdambrose]

“That’s not what I’m asking for. I’m simply saying that it’s no surprise something like this finally happened to people like them! They’re in the fucking mob, for christ’s sake. It was only a matter of time before shit exploded in their faces,” he huffed. “You’re welcome,” he retorted, his tone full of sarcasm.

[serena-ambrose-blog]

“God, is that really what you think?” She asked him, whirling around on her heels to face him. “Yeah? Well guess what, you are in the mob! I am in the fucking mob! Are we going to be offed next?” She spat, her fist beating against his chest suddenly. “You. Are. Asking. For. It.” She shouted, each word matching another hit against his chest.

[aioig]

[hunterxoshea-blog]

“I’m going to kill whoever did this,” his voice was low - it was deadly in the sorts. Anyone who knew Hunter, knew that he wasn’t the type of guy to wish harm on anyone but there was one other time he felt like this and he felt like this towards his father when his wife died. His fingers curled into the palm of his hand as he glanced up at her face. “This person is going to die.”

[serena-ambrose-blog]

“I know... I know.” Serena whispered, her voice trying to be as soothing as she could make. She could guess what he was feeling. Shock, loss, grief, anger, denial. And many more emotions probably. But she just had to make sure he was alright, or well as alright as he could be. “I know, Hunter. They are going to pay.” 

[roman-wiley-blog]

“I know, I’m just hoping it doesn’t do anything to drag in those who aren’t involved.”

[serena-ambrose-blog]

“Me too. No one else needs to get involved in this crazy person’s fight.” 

[araminta-oshea]

Lucia looked around the room, the people, her people stood there in front of her, as sturdy as a statue, and she silently thanked God that nobody was going to leave her. The woman, the new capofamiglia of the Castellano, stood. “Very well,” she said. “With that being said, there is an unwritten code we all live by. It has kept this family as strong as it is because we never make exceptions. When you stand against us, you will be removed. When you betray us and endanger our lives, you die.”

“What happens now? What happens now is we find the stupid motherfucker who killed my mother. These people are trying to scare us off. Obviously they do not know me. They don’t know that I am Lucia Castellano and I don’t run away.  I destroy everything in my path. Dig up information from everyone possible. Every politician, every cop, every civilian. I want houses swept, I want every last one of our security cameras firewalled and impossible to be hacked. Then get a profile of all of everyone in our payroll. Make sure they know that their lives depend on what they see or hear, and who they let into my house.

I don’t care if we have to kill every damn person for this. We are sending them all a message; we fucking own this city.” she hissed. If mama and papa could see her now, they would weep.

“We are officially at war.”

[serena-ambrose-blog]

The last statement wasn’t that much of a surprise, but it sure carried a lot of weight. The room went silent as the declaration of war left their leader’s lips before cheers broke out. Serena slowly joined in, not as enthusiastically as the others, but knowing that whoever did this needed to pay. 

[yeahtheyhurt]

“Like I said before, I ain’t takin’ any walk-ins, and the one appointment I had later already rescheduled. I’m only here ‘cause I go fuckin’ crazy if I stay at home, you know?” Jordan nodded towards the door. “So let’s just go to L’Ubriaco or somethin’. You’ll feel a helluva lot better once you get a couple of drinks in you, See; I promise. All I gotta do is lock-up first.”

[serena-ambrose-blog]

“I feel you. I can’t sit around my apartment on my ass all day, I go crazy.” She told him shrugging as the wind blew down the alley one more time. “Then you can close up if you really want. And L’Ubriaco sounds fine. Yeah, well I hope you are right.” 

[submissiveellamac]

I…. I hear you.

[serena-ambrose-blog]

Do you really? It was not your fault, Ella.

[serena-ambrose-blog]

Text || Open

Ella: I'll start making the wine slushies!

Ella: Well, those are my rules as well, so I don't know what to tell you.

Ella: I'm not blind. I'm being realistic.

Serena: Great, see you soon.

Serena: Why can't you learn to play by my rules?

Serena: And you are not letting yourself believe that he could like you.

[claraxdambrose]

Of course I fucking know what I’m saying. That’s why I’m saying it. What do you want from me, Serena? Because I’m certainly not going to sit their and hold your hand and tell you everything is going to be okay? Because I’m sure as hell not that guy and it’s definitely not going to be fine.”

[serena-ambrose-blog]

I don’t think you do! You are asking for someone to come and try to off you next! What do you think you are fucking doing? Don’t you care at all about yourself? Is that what you think I want? That I want you to fucking hold my hand like a little girl? Thanks so much. 

[araminta-oshea]

“Evening, everyone” Lucia said as she walked into the room full of her clan. The people who were loyal to her father and mother. “I’m sure you all know why I’ve called you here.”

[serena-ambrose-blog]

Serena had been silent before Lucia had come into the large room filled to the brim with people who were loyal to her family. The noise died down the second the woman started speaking and Serena kept her gaze on her. 

[sebastiasnstangone-deactivated2]

[submissiveellamac]

I couldn’t save them.

[serena-ambrose-blog]

You couldn’t have if you tried. Ella... this isn’t your fault. Do you hear me?