Flustered

*Sandra*

The way he was looking at the arrogant woman amused me. Jay was intrigued. I smiled at him as we walked past. "Jay, is it? My brother has been hanging around here for a while. I asked Hector to put him back on the straight and narrow, and he promised he would. Then I found out he was allowing him to work up here." She was rattling off about her brother and Jay couldn't help but look into her eyes. I will admit, she was a pretty lady. I want Jay to find love but I don't know that this Celine is the one he needs to find. She sounds a little too judgemental of the brotherhood, and what it stands for. "That Smoke guy, he is a monster. We hear dreadful stories about him around here. I have never even seen him. I told Hector to send him home." Celine continued to complain while I tried to focus on what Joseph was saying to the others. It irritated me that she called him a monster, but that's what he wanted most people to think, so I couldn't defend him. Instead, I stood up on my tippy toes and leaned into Joseph's ear, "Are you a monster?" I asked in a whisper, watching the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He looked back at me smiling, and nodding. A young guy with dark hair came walking through the hallway. He looked pissed. He was a skinny guy, with dark hair, and green eyes. He did look young to be in the position he found himself in. I thought back to Joseph, in Ohio, when he was just starting. I smiled. "Celine, What the fuck are you doing here?" He said as he walked up to his sister. She started to lecture him, telling him he was better than the men for hire around here. Jay flinched, not noticeably for everyone, but I noticed. "Excuse me, Celine is it?" I said walking towards her. I shot a look back to Joseph to tell him not to out himself. She stood up and looked at me, one hand on her hip. "I just want to take my brother home." She spat out, instantly becoming defensive. "Celine, I am not a fucking child anymore. You can't tell me what to do, or where to be. I love you sister, but you need to just go home."

"I think Raymond has expressed his desire to stay here. We will take care of him." Another man walked up beside the young guy. He looked Celine up and down and she defensively crossed her arms. "I didn't ask you, Jackson." She hissed. I felt the venom in her voice and realized Jackson must have been her ex. "What the fuck is all this drama?" Hector said walking up before I could open my mouth to speak. "Celine, I told you I wouldn't make Ray leave, and I won't. He wants to be here. I am not forcing him to work for me. He is nineteen and perfectly capable of making that choice for himself." Nineteen was young. He was a baby. I shook my head and decided to excuse myself. I felt Hector had it covered. I smiled at Joseph as I walked towards him. "That momma bear comes out when the girl hurt Jay's feelings, eh?" Joseph leaned down and said for only me to hear. I smiled up at him. He embraced me in a hug and I stayed there. It was nice to feel his arms around me. It felt like things had been so crazy that we didn't have time for these moments. "Hector, we have bigger problems to discuss," Joseph spoke in an authoritative tone. Hector nodded and looked to Jay, "Can you please escort Miss Celine from the property." Jay looked back at Joseph who nodded as well. "Escort me away? Like this is some kind of business?" She scoffed as she got up and headed for the door, Jay following behind her. I almost giggled at him as he walked by but thought better of it. I looked to Joseph who was now speaking with Hector about Jay's plan to confront Tommasso and the drone. The plan seemed insane to me, but they seemed very comfortable talking about this Risk board game operation they had planned. I shook my head and walked over to Sofia, who was standing beside Jackson and Raymond.

"This is Sunshine." Jackson turned to me after her introduction. He very openly looked me up and down. "Are you the one they are calling the queen?" He said smiling. I nodded, "I am." He nodded at me and walked away with no more words. He had white hair, but not like my grandfather in the old photos my Dad had shown me when I was young. More like every Russian bad guy in a high-action cop movie. It matched him though, he was tall and built like a bodybuilder. Most of these guys were though, so that I was used to. Raymond wasn't big, like Henry, he was still young and working towards "The Bodyguard" standard. Shortly after Jackson walked off, Raymond followed. Sofia seemed to not want to look in my direction. Was she mad at me over Jericho? Wasnt my fault. "Sofia, listen.." She put her hand up to stop me, "Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong, I did. Jericho did. Please don't apologize to me, sweetie." She said as she reached for my hand, squeezing it, and turning to walk away as well. I was sure she was mad at me. Was she? Was she just afraid to say she was, due to Joseph? I shook my head and walked back to the crew who was now in a large group by the door. Ken was going to show them what he meant when he said drone. One had already been delivered. I was curious to see as well so I followed them out the front door. When I walked out my eye caught Jay walking back up from the gate, he was smiling. "Jay!" I yelled and he shook his head no to me, as to tell me to keep my mouth shut. I did as he wanted. I sat there on the stoop watching as the drone flew high above us. It matched the sky so closely that it disappeared among the clouds. He was right, Ken, when he said no one would see it. It was completely gone. I watched from afar as they watched everything on the ground from a small mobile screen. The drone was very high but the zoom and video quality was astonishing. Truly amazing to see.

We walked back inside a while later, voices scattering as the group separated. We all decided to eat something easy for dinner. In three days we would see how well the drone worked. Jay was smiling at Joseph and Ken as they discussed the plan further. I stood off to the side feeling out of place. Hector yelled that he ordered pizza and Joseph shot a look at me. I know he had something to do with the choice, I hadn't had pizza in a while. It was my favorite. With Henry and all his grand master chef abilities, I was simple to please. I smiled at Joseph but headed to the room to pack the small things I had brought with me. I turned on the comm in my ear when I walked away. "Where are you going Sunshine?" I heard Joseph as soon as I rounded the corner to the room. "I am heading to the room. I am ready to go back to the city, just going to get all packed up. I miss Mrs. Jones." I said thinking fondly of our country house help. "I do too. I will ask her to come to the city for a while if you want. She doesn't like it there." He said back. I smiled, even though no one could see. He would do anything to make me happy. "No, that's okay. Let her stay home. Hopefully, we will be there soon, right boss?" two guards were standing in front of our door, and Jackson. I walked towards it smiling at them, but Jackson stopped me. "Sunshine, right?" I flinched but nodded. All of these men can't be like Jericho. "I hear you are headed back to the city. I want to go to the city. I want to work from there and Hector doesn't want me to leave the territory. Do you think, well, if you talked to Smoke you could convince him to let me move?" I was shocked and confused. I didn't know they needed permission to move. "I don't know if I can help Jackson, but I will ask him. I know we are leaving after dinner." He smiled and kissed my hand before walking back towards the hallway. I stood there for a moment, stunned, and walked into the room. Once inside, I heard Joseph laugh. "Asking the queen for a reference." He said to someone who wasn't me. "Jackson is a good man." For the first time, I heard Zeus. Where has he been?