"Russo" someone shouts from behind making Richie to turn around, he smiles as he finds Flora walking his way.

"What a surprise" Lucero speaks as he follows behind his wife and goes to shake Richie's hand.

"Yeah, I did not knew you were joining" he states before he says his hello to Flora.

"Is Alana with you?" she questions looking around.

"No, I came alone" Richie replies and the woman nods her head.

"Good choice" with that said she turns around to walk away and Lucero sighs.

"So, I heard you have volunteered to take care of the next shipment" he states and Richie nods as he quietly sips on his drink.

A loud wail makes both men look around and Lucero closes his eyes cursing.

"I said not to bring them" he grumbles and Richie frowns.

"You brought your kids?" he asks in amusement and Lucero shakes his head.

"Not me, but her" he states before making his way towards where the sounds were coming from and Richie follows.

"Make him stop" Lucero orders as he gets in the room to find his wife picking Liam.

"May I?" Richie asks as he walks towards the kid and picks him up rubbing the back of him in a soothing manner.

"See, that's how a father should be" Flora cannot help but comment.

"Is he unwell?" Richie asks Flora who nods her head.

"Yes, that's why I did not wanted to leave him alone back home" she speaks taking Liam in her arms.

"Have you tried using balm on his feet, it helps sleep him well" Richie suggests.

"I will try it" she smiles as Liam calms down.

"I think he is hungry as well" Flora comments as she walks towards the bed before Lucero mutters he will go search for milk and disappear.

"He is not used to being around the boys" Flora informs to Richie as she lays Liam down.

"He will come around" Richie replies not knowing what to say.

"So, what a noble man like you doing in a place like this?" she questions facing him and Richie stares at her in amusement.

*******

"Noble is not the word I would tagged myself as" he smiles politely and she grins.

"Well there are plenty of other words Alana have given you" she teases making the man nod.

"She must have a good reason to give me names"

"It would have been really nice if Alana was with you, there are few names I would like to call my husband" she sighs as she sits on the bed.

"Of course" he nods his head looking around the room before his eyes lands on Flora who stares at him with a serious look.

"What are you doing in here Richie? Does Alana knows what you are even doing? Because trust me she would never let you be in here...

She has already lost her brother to the like of the people around in here" she questions and he just stays quiet.

"I see, you are just like him. Every time I want a reaction out of Luc, all he does is just stare in silence and that irks me the most...

What it is about you men and the silence?" she questions and he just shrugs his shoulder before his replies comes.

"Perhaps, we are good at keeping our thoughts to ourselves"

"Even if those thoughts of yours are killing us?" she questions.

"Or maybe those thoughts are saving you all" he clarifies and she tilts her head to side before getting up as she stands in front of him gazing on his face.

"It's not just your face she fell for" she comments as she steps too close before speaking.

"Just don't die on her" she warns.

"What's going on?" Lucero's voice makes Flora glance at her husband while Richie steps away clearing his throat.

"I was just complementing Rich on his fatherly skills" Flora comments as she takes the bottle he got for Liam.

"Rich" Lucero raises a brow at the endearment.

"Yes, short for Richie. You know how floor is short for Flora may be that is why you always walk all over me" she cannot help but jab and Lucero grits his teeth.

"I will leave" Richie starts to walk away but Flora grabs his wrists stopping him.

"Stay, I need to know all about babies" she speaks which does not fare well with Lucero.

"Wife" Lucero reminds her with a sharp tone but she ignores her husband.

"I am sure, you are doing..." Richie once again starts wanting to be anywhere but in presence of the couple as he was wise enough to know he should not be in the room.

"Does Alana breastfeed your son?" Flora asks as she takes Liam in her arms and wakes up the kid to drink the milk.

"Yes"

"Wonderful, I wish I could breastfeed them. I did heard that we can do so you know, science has done wonders..."

"Enough" Lucero's shout makes the kid jump in Flora's arms before she turns to glare at the man only to find Richie has left the room.

"If you cannot handle my talks then you are free to get out of my sight"

"We are here to attend the party not..."

"You are here to attend it? While I am to pretend to be your trophy wife"

"I am sending the babysitter to take care of them, I am sure they will survive without their step-mother for few hours" he jabs and her nose flares in anger.

"Keep poking me but be sure to know I will poke you right back" she warns making him take a threatening step her way before he stops as Richie walks back in.

*******

The live music in the room takes away everyone's attention, Richie stands at the bar as he pretends to enjoying the music while his eyes moves around the room. His eyes lands on Lucero and his wife who takes the dance floor and sways along before he fills a touch on his shoulder and turns around to find Lia.

"Russo, so glad you made it" the woman smiles widely and Richie puts his glass away before greeting her.

"Thank you for the invite" he thanks the woman who waves her hand in the air.

"Nonsense, it's a pleasure to have you with us. After all I have heard many of good things on about the man who gives the best protection to the one when need be" she smiles before holding her hand out for him to take.

"Dance?" she asks and Richie nods as he takes her hand in his before taking her out on the dance floor.

"So, where is the wife?" she asks the man.

"I arrived alone"

"Oh such a shame or perhaps Alana harbors too much hate on us for what happened to her brother. But, she should know better every one of us should know better what happens to the traitors...

I hope you do not share the same hostility towards us as your wife does" she asks with a threat within her lines.

"I would not be here if I did"

"Good to know, we need strong men in our side Russo and I hope our acquaintance does not end just here" she smiles before she stops dancing in holds on his arms patting on it and interrupts the dance between Lucero and his wife.

"Leon, the man of the hour" she cheers as she not so subtly push Flora away and gets in Lucero's arms.

"Just an hour" Flora mutters as he holds Richie's arms and starts to dance with him.

"Excuse me?" Richie asks.

"Of course she would know, if he lasts for an hour or so" she grumbles making Richie bite on the inside of his cheeks as he understands what she meant before Flora laughs out loud at her own joke.

"This is ridiculous" she adds as she clutches onto Richie's arms as she cannot stop laughing and he looks around to find Lucero along with the entire room watching them.

"Flora" Richie whispers as he tries to push her away and she steps away muttering a sorry.

"Drinks?" she asks as she takes his arm and walks towards the bar.

"Whatever you are playing at, it's working" he reminds her and she frowns.

"Playing?" she asks in confusion.

"Your husband seems jealous which is doing no good to me" he clarifies and Flora's frown deepens.

"Oh he should be jealous because you are far better human than him but I am not playing at anything" she clarifies as she turns to stare at her husband.

"To the world he looks like a jealous husband but in my eyes I see a man who has no clue what to do with a wife" she sighs as she raises the glass of wine in her husband's way before gulping it down.

"Excuse me" she mutters as the said husband makes his way straight towards her.

*******

"I do not like the easiness my wife has with you, Russo" Lucero warns as he stands in front of Richie.

"It's..." Richie starts but stop as Lucero puts his hand on Richie's shoulder and grips it.

"She is too naïve of a woman but you are smart enough to know better than be seen with her" he adds and Richie nods his head.

"Leon" a voice from behind makes Lucero stiffen and he slowly turns around to face the man.

"Father" Lucero greets.

"Where's your wife?" the man questions.

"Right here" Flora shouts as she hurries to greet her father-in-law.

"For a moment I thought you did not join" the man smiles at Flora who smiles back as she hugs the man.

"As if I had a choice" she jokes and the man grins.

"Your father will be arriving soon" the man states as he touches her temple and wipes it.

"Go freshen up" Lucero asks his wife as he pulls her closer to his side.

"I am fine" Flora whispers as she steps away from him before she pulls Richie at the front.

"This is Richie Russo, he and his wife had been kind to me when I had gone to have a little vacation on my own in their city" she expresses and Lucero's father eyes the man.

"Richie, meet my Godfather and father-in-law Leon Lucero Senior" she smiles and both the man shakes their head.

"Weird tradition that they have to name their eldest son Leon" she clarifies and old man smiles.

"It will not be so weird when you bear my first grandchild" the man teases and Flora goes to open her mouth to say something but Lucero stops her.

"Russo, here is Donovan's son-in-law" Lucero speaks as he pulls his wife to his side once again.

"Donovan?" the old man frowns as if to remember the name before he nods his head.

"Did you invite him?" Lucero's father asks his son who shakes his head no.

"I did" Lia speaks as she walks towards them before hugging the man.

"Lia, good to see you joined us. How is your father?" the man asks and the girl smiles wide.

"He is better" she speaks before she eyes Russo.

"Russo, here has one of the biggest security companies in the world. He has the best of the men at his beck and call...

Even the men Price hires come directly through him and the most alluring thing about his security the men are loyal to the bone...

I invited him for the sole purpose of introducing him to everyone, so maybe we can learn about few things on being loyal from him" she winks at Richie.

"Russo, hmm...are you by any chance son of Rodrick Russo?" the man asks.

"Yes"

"Interesting" the man smiles as he takes Flora's hand and pulls her towards the dance floor.

"Mind joining this old man for a dance before we move into more serious things?" the man asks and Flora groans.

"I just danced"

"Now, now, is this the way you speak with your Godfather" the man teases as he twirls Flora.

********

Richie slowly steps away from the party on going, as most of the men have quietly left the party as soon as Flora's father Fabio Salvatore arrived. He had watched from afar as the party had stopped as the man arrived before Lucero along with his father greeted the man.

Exchanging few words they all stepped out of the party along with few other party goers who follows the group, he waited for a while before thinking better and following where few of them went.

Richie quietly enters the hallway as he looks around to see if someone saw him when he finds it deserted he hurries to check on where all of them went. He halts and hides in the darkness as two men steps out of a room, holding his breath he hopes they do not catch him.

The men turns around and enters the room next door much to Richie's relief, he hurries to check on the door to see if any of it is unlocked. Poking his head in he checks inside the empty room, he pulls out a lighter from his pocket before he lights a cigar and holds it near the fire detector before dropping it on the ground.

The alarms goes off as soon the detector senses the smoke making him hurry out of the room join back into the party to find everyone panicking looking around for the source of fire and just as he thought the men who had disappeared earlier walks out to check on the damage.

"It's okay everyone wrong alarm, someone forgot to throw their cigar away" one of the men informs and Richie hurries to Lucero's side.

"Hey, I think this is Flora's" Richie pulls out Flora's purse and hands him.

"How did you..." but before Lucero could question his father calls him back and he walks away.

Richie breathes in relief as Lucero walks away with his wife's purse. Richie next searches for Flora and when he does not find her he walks out of the party.

Getting inside of the empty stall, Richie locks the door as he pulls out his earphone and connects it with his phone, he holds his breath hoping his plan works as he sits on the toilet seat and tries to listen to the men that had no idea he had Flora's phone on speaker so he can hear what they were discussing about.

*******

Salvatore takes the seat at the head of the table before everyone settles in, he looks around the table eyeing each of the members as they fill in as he clears his throat and begins.

"Time and again, I have warned each of you to not do any foolish acts but have anyone of you heed my warnings?" he starts as he looks around the table, but no one dares to speak.

"You may think just because I am not there that I do not know of things. Count your heads are there exactly the numbers that were here last time?" he questions and all eyes remains on the empty seat.

"That is the price you each will pay if you do no follow the set rules. Reed made a grave mistake of saying the forbidden things he should not, none of you will ever speak of the term Purgatory in my absence or presence...

It's forbidden even for me, but you all gave me no choice. Foolish man, thought he could boast around with that word and be superior in front of others and now he could not even be human enough to get a chance to get buried...

And how dare anyone of you not even think on looking into the strangers you bring inside of this place? I have chosen each of you precisely to do my bidding so how dare you turn your back on me!" his voice even if low held a shout that shook each of their soul.

"I have given each of you your responsibilities, each of you enough power to handle things on my behalf so if next I find an argument on who will do the work just remember you all may have entered in this room on your own but you will not leave this room at all...

Lia, you will be the one handling the shipments from now on. You are smart enough to figure things out. Now, get out of here" he orders as all of them get up from their seat except for Lucero and his father.

*******

"Where's Flora?" Salvatore questions as his eyes land on the purse on the table.

"She is in the room" Lucero replies and Salvatore stares at his son-in-law for quiet sometimes before he takes a deep breath.

"I did not marry off my daughter for the sake of it. Your family and mine goes a very long way and I wanted to strengthen that bond by letting my only child be in your care...

But it seems I made a grave and greater mistake on doing so, if it was not for the fact you are soon to be head of the family I would have called you out...

You are the next leader to lead two families in your shoulders, so don't for a second think your movements are not being watched and measured Lucero...

Inviting a total stranger to your house, letting my daughter go visit the said stranger's territory unwatched if that does not boil my blood" he curses.

"You may have learned the art of sex but you my boy fail terrible at the art of seduction, she is your wife. If you cannot handle one mere little girl then I will have to re think on handover of two families, your father and believed you can lead...

Even a blind man can sense the strain you two have in the marriage. I do not care what you do with the slaves at your beck and call Lucero but if an heir is not born from both of yours bonding then..." the man lets the words hang on the air.

"Look into Russo, he married the daughter of a family whose son tried to betray us and he himself is more than well acquainted with the Price...

Long ago, our families have vowed to never cross each other's path but if need be Price will have to be erased if not sooner than later...

The rumors are that a new threat has entered within the Price family, while they are distracted dealing with it, we better move up our games" he lets that part in and Richie pulls the earphone out of his ear as he waits for a while before he walks out of the bathroom.