Mills and Mafia (LuanaXVictorian)

[Luana_Blodwyn]

Maeve couldn't believe how well their plans were working. First the cars and then Jimmy's shooting with his shotgun. Several men were bleeding on the ground the others scattered to hiding. Though they didn't have a lot of rounds to practice Jimmy had taught her well. Seeking targets by sound and shooting at an exposed limb. The claymores detonated around the side of the house. An explosion that rattled the windows and likely killed whoever was fool enough to try and surround them. Next thing she knew Jimmy was inside. She manned the belt of ammunition, holding it so it wouldn't snag. She winced when Jimmy open fired, the sound hammering her skull. Outside was entire devastation. Bursts of red mist appeared even behind trees. The trail foolish, those who didn't stay covered, were ripped in half by the rounds. The sight chilled her and made he just a little ill.

Few enough were left when the devastation of the .50 cal was over. Those that could run did so, leaving their dead and wounded behind. She couldn't believe how well their plan worked. As planned she took up a rifle and went out with Jimmy. He would grab someone and they would drag the wounded in for questions. Their luck wasn't over yet. Dave was still alive and bleeding from multiple shotgun wounds. Maeve kept a careful watch as Dave was grabbed up and hauled into the cottage. As they retreated one man crept from behind a thick old oak. The gun was up and fired in an instant. The bully tore through his chest and the man fell back stone dead.

Inside Maeve kept the rifle trained on Dave. The man was pale from pain and blood loss. He growled at the rough handling. "Get nuthin' outta me. Ain't no stool pigeon." He snarled up at the pair. Maeve growled right back and stood on a shotgun wound on his leg. The man yowled like a sick cat. "Boss wants both ya dead! Put Frucelli out of business. Get off my leg ya stupid slut!" Maeve applied more pressure, all of her weight, before stepping off. Dave whimpered as he lay in an ever growing puddle of his own blood.

 

[Luana_Blodwyn]

When Jimmy left Maeve wondered if she had gone too far. She could feel the heat and rage burning her from the inside. Directly insulting her and threatening Jimmy was something she would not tolerate. Her face impassive she watched as Dave moaned and whimpered in pain. He would die. There was no way he would survive his wounds, not this far out in the sticks. She slowly knelt beside the wounded man. "Where does this Mafia war stand? How many are with Frucelli? How many with DeNapoli?" She asked this almost politely, kindly. "Ahh fuck you, ya bitch," he growled through clenched teeth. Maeve sighed and gently grabbed the man's chin, holding the rifle propped on its butt with her other hand. "Tell me and I will help you with the pain." Maybe it was her tone or the promise of relief from the agony that made him speak. "Frucelli's only got two allies. My boss's got the rest. Frucelli and Nostros are gonna be destroyed." Maeve nodded as she stood, putting the barrel of the rifle against his temple. He turned a fascinating shade of green. "You said...!" "I said I will help with the pain. No pain." Jimmy would hear the gunshot from inside the house.

Maeve walked out to the lake, having left the rifle inside. Her blue cotton dress had a large spot of wet blood on the skirts from kneeling in the pool of it. Further up a spray of blood from Dave's head. She was uncommonly calm as she removed her boots and waded into the lake to wash the blood off. Once clean enough she found Jimmy once more. Her cotton dress nearly see through and well stained with Dave's lifeblood. "Your family is going to fall. They only have one other on their side. The way I see it, if they die I no longer have loans to owe them. I'm sending Ma back to Ireland with Liam. Then I want to find Don DeNapoli. Get him to call off the hits on us. I'll make him an offer he can't refuse."

It made her sick to think she would have to wrestle around these bastards more. But if she wanted her family to survive, her family business to thrive, she would have to play their games. "I'll pay him protection money for the mill and my family, let him hire the muscle to keep unions away. I'm not losing what my father built and let fall to ruin." Something had snapped in her. Maybe it was the violence or the realization of this horrible underbelly world. She had never felt so determined before. So sure and ready to take on the world.

Looking up at Jimmy she stepped closer to him. One hand dug into his shirt, gripping the material, and she pulled him down to kiss him. It was short but passionate. She pulled back just enough so her lips barely brushed against his. "Let's stay here for just one more night. One night we can pretend none of this happened. That we're just two normal people without nine Italian Mafia families after them. I'll clean up the body inside, you cook us up some dinner. I'll even have a bit of wine," she added with a small smirk.

 

[Luana_Blodwyn]

Jimmy was a far better cook than her so she let him have his way in the kitchen. That had been their routine. She would clean the dishes later. For the time being she had sucked into the empty room to change. Carefully and nearly she separated her curling strand of fire. It was always a chore to dry them this way but for once she wanted to look nice. Their last peaceful night together. She wasn't certain just what would come next. No, she would t worry about it just yet. As she worked on her hair ever so carefully she hummed to herself. Once dry and very lightly dabbed with a sweet rose oil it hung down in elegant, spiraling waves. Satisfied she pinned the fronts to the side to keep the fiery curls out of her face.

She put on the nicest dress she had brought. Soft and flowing in a delicate shade of green it complimented her eyes while contrasting magnificently with her hair. No point in shoes, her bare feet peeked out from the hem of the dress that hovered just about an inch off the ground. Finally pleased with her reflection in the tall mirror she walked out to the open living space. Jimmy had laid out the table already with his signature pasta dishes and glasses of wine. But it wasn't the meal that made her pause.

Her feet faltered but a few steps from the door. Her heart thrummed a beat as her stomach seemed to learn to fly trapeze. Red dusted across her cheeks as she stared a Jimmy. He was always handsome. With nice, fitted trousers and tailored shirt, his hair slick back with pomade, he was utterly devastating. She realized she had been staring and her blush brightened, creeping to her ears.

With a slow breath she walked over to the table to join him. Suddenly she felt as shy as when they had first met. Jumpy as a colt in a new pen. She was being silly. This was Jimmy. Her savior, her lover, her friend. "At some point you should teach me to cook," she said glancing at the spread. After her failed stew she figured the skill beyond her. However she did remember his lesson with properly eating pasta. Still not as neat as him she did the best she could. In fact she had at least not gotten sauce on herself in a few days.

 

[Luana_Blodwyn]

Maeve smiled at him. She certainly didn't stay just for his cooking abilities. Though I. Their current situation they were a great deal of help. The room was silent. A strangely unfortable silence. She had really felt uncomfortable around him for some time. There was a great deal they had to talk about. Yet she had hoped they would be able to simply spend the evening in simplicity. No mills, no Mafia, no death and destruction. Just Maeve and Jimmy. Possibly two simple country folk, living a simple life together. But it seemed Jimmy had other ideas for the evening. She couldn't fault him. Their future loomed as a banshee in the mist. Ready and waiting for unwary travelers.

Maeve listened to Jimmy's ideas about their possible future. She smiled a bit at the idea of fleeing to Mexico and quietly laughed at the notion of becoming robbers in the west. Perhaps he was serious about it all. She had been trying to twirl her pasta as he spoke but for her it wasn't quite second nature yet. It required too much focus so she set down fork and spoon to look up at him.

She reached out and rested a small hand on his forearm. Her smile was gentle, almost wistful. "I would love nothing more than return to a peaceful life. Go to a new country and start over again. Spend the rest of our days living simply and...and together." A bright flush crept across her neck at that and she looked away for a moment. When she looked back to him a determined set came to her jaw. Her usually smiling face serious and almost grim. "But how can we just run away? I don't wish to live a life on the fringes of the world. And I don't want to live a life of danger outside of the law. Besides there is my mother and Liam. I can't just run off and leave them to your unscrupulous Mafia family. Or worse, to the other families."

Maeve pulled back and sat upright in her chair, hands folded in her lap. "Until I can be certain of their safety there is no other option for me but to go back. Five thousand might be enough to see them to Ireland safely. We still have family there that could take them in. Then I will deal with these criminals. Even if it means letting the head of the family that killed my father put their hands on the mill. I can't run from this. If you want to...go off and be some wild outlaw in the west well...I...I can't stop you." Her voice faltered a moment. "But we aren't married and you have no obligation to protect me. Your mafia family and their one ally are going to fall. When the dust clears from their inane war then perhaps it will be possible to regain control of my life and my family. Father went about his business practices the wrong way. I will see to it that the debts are paid and the mill is as free as it can be. Barring whatever sort of protection money this other family will require."

Maeve paused and took a deep , calming breath. Even as she spoke with force and confidence she felt her courage waver. Like as not this endeavor might end up getting her killed. Worse yet, it could get Jimmy killed. At beast he would leave to start a new life out west as he had suggested. "I don't expect you to go along with it. And...and I don't expect you to stay. I certainly don't want to see you get killed over my pride and possible foolishness."

 

[Luana_Blodwyn]

The meal went by quietly and slowly. After she said her peace it seemed Jimmy was neither detoured or soothed. She wrestled wither her pasta, eating small bites and certainly taking more sips of wine. The evening was not going in a direction she had hoped. Inwardly she was feeling defeated. Jimmy didn't like her ideas of dealing with the Mafia. Perhaps he was right. He did know more about how the seedy underworld worked than she did. Still, how could she run? Her family legacy up in smoke. If she were a worse daughter she would curse her father's name.

She hadn't taken a bite in a while. While her mind whirls about she simply twined the pasta round and round. When Jimmy spoke up she jumped a little. Maeve put down her fork and looked up to Jimmy as he spoke.

As he elaborated on his point she felt a sick feeling grow in her stomach. It only got worse as he said she might persuade this Capone fellow with sex. The sheer idea made her nauseous. Her ears felt hot and had a funny ringing in them. Slowly anger began to froth in her gut. How could he even think of something like that. Her face turned a mottled red both from the seething fury and shame that he would even think she would consider such a plan.

Just as he finished his monologue she opened her mouth. Eyebrows furrowed and body tensed she was ready to give the verbal lashing of the century. But something gave her pause. His hunched shoulders, the hesitation in his voice, downcast eyes. Her fury melted away like a spring snow. He didn't care for the idea either. Perhaps he would miss her or perhaps he didn't want to lose her to such a notorious crime boss. Maybe he didn't want to see her go through it. Regardless he liked the idea about as much as she did.

After a moment of silence Maeve stood up from her chair. She walked around the table, nudging it away. With just enough room she slid herself into Jimmy's lap. A leg on either side and her dress hiked up to an unladylike height, she twine her arms around his neck and rested her forehead against his. "I couldn't even consider it," she said gently. "For my own self and...and for you. How could I tie myself to such a man in such a way?" Her face flushes red again. "I love you Jimmy. I could never take that path knowing I could never see you again."

Lightly her fingers brush the back of his neck. Back and forth. Gentle as feathers. "I suppose Mexico or out west is our better option then. Or Kentucky where they raise and race the derby horses. I would like that. We could work on a farm together. It's a simple life but...I've had enough excitement for a life time."