Looking for the Weak Link

[Alex]

Giordano smiled, he was trying to to be too obvious about it, but he was giving the girl the cold shoulder. Which could mean many things, but if he was part of his daughters life chances are it meant only one thing, he was at least interested. He wondered about it and nodded towards the girl. "Someone waiting at home, hate to miss a strumpet like that."

Lucas shrugged and said, "Sort of."


"Sort of doesn't mean you give a girl like THAT the cold shoulder. I'd think it's more than sort of." Giordano wasn't sure how far to push for their relationship, but he needed to know if he could use Lucas for his purposes.

Lucas took another sip and appeared to think before answering. Finally, "Well, we're friends. Maybe more than friends."
He looked at him and then went on. "You know how it is. You meet someone and there's chemistry. A spark. A connection. Whatever you want to call it."
He tilted his head to the side for a moment and smiled. "Yeah. She's special to me."
Another sip. "I think she feels the same way but we haven't talked about it. I don't want to rush things with her."
He laughed to himself softly. "She's got...issues I guess you could say. A messed up family I bet. I just want her to feel safe with me before we go any further."


Giordano wanted to laugh, but he didn't. Messed up family? A dead mother, a father who well, hated her, wished she was dead, brothers and sisters who don't even know she really exists. Raised by an organization who wants her dead. Messed up was an understatement. "You don't think she feels safe? You own that business don't you? Son, we all got issues." He definitely had his answer though, he felt something for her. He wondered what useful information he could get from him, how much did he know. "But if she's got worse issues than you, what's keeping you around? She that amazing?"

Lucas didn't look at him and didn't answer for a moment. He just looked at the glass in his hand. "Yeah, I think she is. I mean I don't know her that well. Really, I don't know her at all."
He took a sip and let it go down. "But I think there's potential, with her. Potential for something good between us."


Giordano nodded, he was in it, which could provide leverage, she was Sentient, unloved, uncared for, he could only imagine that was the case in an organization like the Atharim. She craved people, human touch. Lucas was definitely more than just a friend to her. He smiled, he knew he could use this to his advantage. He probably wouldn't even have to lay a finger on his pretty little head. But he wouldn't hesitate if he had to. "Tell me about her, if you don't mind me asking. It's been a long time since I've heard of young love. Might help me understand the daughter I'm trying to reconnect with. She's found a first love."

But before he could answer, a phone rang. Giordano patted his fur coat down and found his wallet, it wasn't his. He looked over at Lucas who was also fumbling for his phone.