67. Conversing & Reversing

Vienna found herself in Tristan's arms. It was warm. The silky feeling of his soft coat was quite making it hard for her to want to let go. But it was not just the material of his coat that made him irresistible. It was his calming presence filling her room with the need for her to be with him. As much as she didnt look forward to answer Tristan's questions that she knew was coming, she welcomed the moment and how she was feeling. He was rubbing circles behind her back now.

But it was time to let go as Tristan couldnt stop firing the questions "Vienna. Why are you crying? There is no way you can tell me its nothing. Ever since yesterday I feel that you have some heavy weights on your shoulders that you fail to share. I want answers. Why are you upset? Tell me what just happened while you were with my sister?"

Vienna slowly pulled away and stood looking at him "I am fine."

Tristan took out a handkerchief and reached his hand to her face to wipe her tears but she took it and Tristan let her. She wiped her eyes and then turned around walking away from Tristan that he did not like one bit.

Tristan said firmly "Vienna. I asked you a question."

Vienna sighed and turned around "You first Tristan. It doesnt work like this. You do know I dont like to talk about whats bothering me... Its not that easy to talk about it... But I could talk to your sister about it..."

Tristan crossed his arms over his chest. He said "Vienna. It really doesnt work like this. I expect you to not hide anything from me. Start telling me whats going on..."

Vienna said "If its about hiding... Then I think you definitely need to be the first... Go on. Go first... I asked you what you wanted to do after you dropped me off. You just left... You said it doesnt concern me but it did... I found out you went to see my cousin Stefano after you dropped me off... So tell me Tristan... What happened?"

Tristan asked "Did Viggo tell you?"

Vienna nodded.

Tristan said "Your twin needs to really get his business priorities right..." He then put his hands down on his hips "What else did he say?"

Vienna said "Well... He did say you will be mad when you go to Stefano..."

Tristan walked closer and asked "Why would I be? Did he say to you why?"

Vienna said "He did."

Tristan stood in front of her and touched her hair " Did he? What do you know?"

Vienna hesitated and then breathed "Everything... Everything you told him..."

Tristan said " I think I need to have a word with your brother..." He then turned to walk away.

Vienna asked "Where is Stefano?..."

Tristan turned around " He is here actually. In my car still... Waiting... I brought him back... I would like to question him further here instead of taking him to my house because that was the deal with Viggo... I dont hold Rosarios in my home against their will... But I need to find out everything he knows about Andrei Alexandrov. I need to know more than ever before... You have the right to know... He apparently said to Stefano that ... You are too pretty to kill... I need to find out what are the threats... I know every single criminal out there who is not O'Neil or Rosario is your enemy and they would want a piece of you and me... I am always ready to strike back if they ever dream of striking...But with him, I need to get as much information about him out of your cousin."

Vienna asked "Whats wrong with him saying that?"

Tristan froze. He looked at Vienna with an unreadable expression. He stared at her "What gives you that idea? Everything is wrong with how he has shown you disrespect..."

Vienna sighed "Anastasia Santiago who is my good friend told me, Andrei has a dark sense of humour... But... he lives by a code... He doesnt go back on his word... Well... If he thinks I am too pretty to kill then I am glad..."

Tristan said "Dont talk like that..."

Vienna walked to him "No Tristan please... Just don't over-exaggerate the situation and what he has said. The fact is his family and mine are not meant to be allies. I would have been surprised if he spoke about me respectfully... But if he thinks I am too pretty to kill then it might mean he wont ever kill me... I feel safe with you..." She then wrapped her arms around his neck as she stood on her tip toes and looked into his eyes "I do believe you dont need to interrogate my cousin... My father will follow this up and will increase my security if needed..."

Tristan asked "Vienna... I never forget anything..."

Vienna said "And I dont expect you to... But come on... I have enough security measures in place for me as it is... I am safe. I don't expect you to forgive or forget and you know it. But I do expect you to accept my request... Let my family handle this crisis... Stefano is my family... You will let Viggo handle it... Please Tristan..."

Tristan looked into her eyes " You ask me to be staying out of it... It's because of Stefano... Fine... I let him go. But I am not dropping this. I will deal with him my way..."

Vienna said "Why? No one needs to die... Wait... Are you ... jealous? Do you think he has feelings for me? You do don't you?" She then let go of him. She let her hands down and took a step back looking at him with questioning eyes " Why over react to a statement when my security is heavier than the presidents family at times? You are jealous... You think he has feelings for me. You know what? You say it yourself sometimes ... If they are worthy of me they would have to go through you and kill you... If he ever wanted to win me as a trophy he has to kill you first... If anything I think I should be arranging for more security for you..." She knew he did not like conversation reversal. His expression showed his disapproval. It was going to be a long conversing and reversing back and forth."

***

Lunch was becoming eventful as O'Neil's guests were arriving... Francesco did not like how O'Neil had was interfering in his plans... He knew what O'Neil was doing. His friendship was a curse and a blessing. O'Neil was trying to delay Francesco. This was his way of showing his displeasure for his plans. They were meant to focus on Jackson. Now his mother's decisions had changed his plans so he had decided to face his past in Sicily full on. He had to try even though he didn't wish to. Jackson was not far but this was not the time he was going to strike. He was recruiting and Francesco had enough trusted allies to cover the perimeter of his assets. Ironically the only one who could hinder him was O'Neil. If he was willing enough he could cause so much damage.

O'Neil walked to Francesco and offered Francesco a drink. They were now standing next the fire place as the guests were having drinks.

Francesco refused.

O'Neil said "Are you trying to be sober for tonight?"

Francesco looked at O'Neil as he had his hands in his pockets. Francesco stared across the room "Why are you hiding behind your family? Whatever you want to do, do it yourself."

O'Neil said "Sergio Giovanni is my wife's family and the rest are my trusted second cousins..."

Francesco looked at O'Neil "You brought him here to delay me."

O'Neil asked "Have I succeeded?"

Francesco said "What do you think?"

O'Neil said "Francesco ... nothing good will come out of making decisions based on emotions. Ever since your mother came I knew. Just knew with one hundred certainty that she was going to take you back to Sicily. Don't fall for it. Don't go. You don't need to go. You don't owe them anything... Even if you did, I think you have worked it off already. You have spared them when they treated you that way. They forced you to have a wedding. I know Adele wanted it that way. But you didn't. Don't go back. Don't give them the satisfaction."

Francesco noticed Adele was looking his way and she looked abit worried. He was sure he looked quite serious. So he gave her a smile and took the drink from O'Neil's hand. O'Neil touched his glass to his "You like to take my drink now. Don't you?"

Francesco said "Cheers..." He then drank.

O'Neil watched Adele look away. He then looked at Francesco "How far are you willing to go? You can't keep sacrificing your life..."

Francesco went silent as he drank.

O'Neil said "Of course. Choose silence. You are too afraid of what your words will do. You are afraid what your eldest son will do if you liberated him. Your words hit a cord with him..."

Francesco said "He was pretty defiant. He is too young to understand it..."

O'Neil said "No. He is not too young. He has no idea what you went through to build this life. He can't imagine it... Because you never allowed him to. That's why he wasn't understanding it."

Francesco said " I am glad. Lets hope it stays that way..."

O'Neil said " But it won't stay that way... Vincenzo just needed a few hours to get his head around your reaction or over reaction to what he sees as normal routine for him. He chose to act in a way that displeased you and he didn't understand why you wanted him excluded. It took my daughter to make him realise what he had done wrong... Because I taught her to... She knows because I allowed her to know..."

Francesco said " I expect your daughter to have more understanding of family affairs. She sees what he can't and that's what a man needs a woman for... To see what he can't. To make him feel what he can't imagine. To describe to him what's missing in the picture... A woman has maternal instinct. A man doesn't. But you do know the more she educates my son of feelings that are strange to him, the more he will know of what he is missing. Do you really want him to become wiser? I never thought you would."

O'Neil said " You are right. I will lock my daughter in a tower in a castle I will buy off the east coast ... Let's see how he gets past the security. I may buy some alligators from the black market to guard the doors. That's the closest to a dragon or is it?"

Francesco said "Sounds like a good scenario for an arcade game... I have taught him how to fight alligators by the way..." He then sipped from his drink.

O'Neil said " I bet he does. I was only joking. My daughter needs no alligators. She will bite your son's head off if he doesn't behave... But again ... It only will make him appreciate her more... What have you done?" O'Neil then said in a serious tone "Let's go over this again. Are you actually going through with this?

Francesco said "I know what you want. I can't do that."

O'Neil said "I would like to warn you. As your friend. This time, if you let them win and get away with giving you more pain and sorrow than before, I will take it personal. Very personal. So it's your choice. Either don't go. Or if you go, be prepared for my actions. If I feel offended and take it personal, I won't be compromising. I am done with watching you sacrifice yourself. It's over. Last time at your wedding I held back. I would have humiliated the don and would have destroyed all for his family. But I stopped myself. Whether it was the wrong choice I don't know. I said to myself I wait for the next time. But there was no next time... until now... I offer you what I offered years ago. I am here to help you even if you don't want it and don't need it..."

***

Lunch was being served and Viggo went up to inform Vienna and Tristan. He knocked on Vienna's door. She opened the door.

Viggo said "Lunch is here..."

Vienna sighed "Can we be excused? I need to talk to Tristan."

Viggo looked past Vienna at Tristan who was standing pacing the floor. He said "Why don't you go to lunch and I will talk to him." He then walked past her.

Vienna closed the door and didn't leave the room "There is no need."

Viggo walked to Tristan " What's going on?"

Vienna spoke as she stood next to the door "It's about Andrei Alexandrov. I ask Tristan to leave the case to be handled by our family but he wants to question Stefano and go his own way."

Viggo looked at Tristan "I think you have done enough Tristan. Don't you think?"

Tristan stopped pacing and turned to him sharply "Is that so?" Tristan then looked past Viggo and said "Vienna. I can't carry on this conversation in your presence. Do you mind stepping outside please?"

Vienna didn't move "Why?"

Viggo said "Vienna. Step outside."

Vienna did not want to leave.

Tristan looked past Viggo to Vienna "One minute Vienna. Not longer. I will be outside in a minute and we go to lunch."

Vienna reluctantly agreed. What could go wrong in one minute. So she went outside.

As she left, Viggo said " Stop taking this personal. This is obviously bothering my sister. Don't you wish to take this to another level... to the extreme? You exposed my sister to the Russians. We don't put the blame on you... Vienna is a Rosario. You won't be interfering in this matter. Do we have a problem?"

Tristan said "I choose not to answer your question Viggo... You can't challenge me on this..."

Viggo said " If I don't handle it well, I will be held responsible. So what's your problem? Just stay out of matters that don't concern you. Vienna has a family. You are not her family. You don't need

to deal with the matter. It's important look closer to home to eliminate threats... Your people have done enough. Don't you agree?"

There was so much tension in the room now.

Tristan said calmly but firmly " I agree. It's very important to me... Andrei named some names... I will be investigating them all. Some people are selling weapons to Jackson."

Viggo asked "Who are they?"

Tristan said "I need to look close to home you said. My people made a mess. I will ensure it's resolved. I will update you on the information as soon as I finish my investigation." He then tried to walk past him but Viggo put his hand on his chest. "Wait. So it's true then. You drop the case with Andrei and we handle it. You investigate those names he gave you and I leave you to it..."

Tristan looked at Viggo's hand "Don't put your hand on me Viggo. It's like an invitation... It tempts me to make you pay..."

Viggo asked "For what?"

Tristan said "For not telling Vienna "please" when you asked her to step outside..."

Viggo said " Are you serious?"

****

When the door opened, only Tristan came out "Let's go." He said.

Vienna asked "Where is Viggo?"

Tristan said "He is busy..."

Vienna asked "With what?"

Tristan thought to himself "Breathing." He smiled at Vienna "He will catch up."