Differences in Intimidation

Who: Lucas and Max
Where: The Echo
When: morning

He’d gotten a call about a dead body being found which drug Lucas out of bed earlier than usual. The crime scene had been useless though and after trying to pester the detective on the scene, he’d gotten growled at, actually growled at and wound up leaving for the office. He had enough to work with for now at least.

Max was waiting for him -- had been for some time now. He’d scrubbed his hands, gotten rid of the evidence, and then snuck into Lucas’ office to poke around like the snoop he was. Killing the woman had soothed his nerves, abated his anger and frustration but there was a manic glint in his blue eyes as he still floated on the rush. It wasn’t a positive high. It left him feeling waspish and threatening, like nothing bad could happen to him but he still had snuck in, knew that no one had seen him.

When Lucas came to the office, he didn’t look up from where the desk drawers he was going through. Arienne’s words still echoed in his mind and he didn’t like it still. “Close the door,” he ordered tonelessly.

Lucas should have expected Max. That crime scene had a certain Max air about it. Closing the door Lucas rolled his eyes a little. Still, he did as Max said. If Max was fresh from a kill...well then the crazy was at the surface. “I saw your handiwork already. No need to worry about the usual things. I’ll take care of it.” His tone was even, not letting much through as he set down his bag and pulled off his coat to hang on the rack in the corner. “Did you need something out of my desk?” Or are you snooping for no reason?

Max flipped through some more papers, curious about some of the things he saw and put them in the folder he had laying on the desk. “Just doing my job,” he continued in the chillingly toneless manner. He was focused despite the manic glint that had yet to fall on his cousin. Focused and cold. “I’ve removed the guards you’ve put on my house. I can take care of my sister. I don’t need your meddling in affairs that aren’t yours to meddle in.” He rarely gave orders to Lucas. There’d never been a need to but Lucas had crossed a line and he was tired of playing nice. He wasn’t nice. There was no reason for him to play it.

Lucas watched, less and less amused as Max actually took things from his desk. “Which job are you doing? Because she wasn’t a hit.” He sat in one of the chairs across from his desk, watching his cousin. “Did you now? I wasn’t meddling. You know that. I was merely doing what I could do to help.” There was no use in arguing. The crazy that needed to be locked up was out. Max wouldn’t hurt him, probably not, but Lucas wasn’t foolish enough to poke a dragon.

His eyes finally flicked up to Lucas and he stood slowly, picking up the folder as he went. There was a stern set to his shoulders, the straightness in his back that was reminiscent of some kind of big cat on the prowl. Coiled and ready to strike. “My job is head of security for the family. That means making sure that our informants and payees are doing their jobs. My contractors loyal, and providing security to those who need it. You were meddling because you think you’re better than I am and that you know what’s best because you’re Lucas DiGiovanni and that name was taken away from me. You, Lucas, have no right to do so. You have no leverage or weight when it comes to ordering security protections because they are under my command. I’ll let it slide this time. I know you must have felt guilty after upsetting Arienne so much -- I figured it out. She doesn’t talk to many people and you were the last one she saw. But remember this. I may not have the DiGiovanni name anymore, but I’m the one in the meetings, staffing the houses, giving the orders. You Lucas, are the fucking lap dog and you need to remember that. You are nothing compared to me.”

Lucas held Max’s gaze, best he could. They should have locked you up ages ago. The words stung, but they were words of a madman. Under his command, until he completely snapped of course. “Of course Max,” he wound up saying, again knowing better. This was another point where the family might be falling apart. They hadn’t locked this gem up in a basement. “So, for my article...was she anyone in particular or were you just...in need.”

He watched Lucas for a moment, his gaze unflinching and cold. He knew Lucas was trying to pander to him. They all did it. Don’t make Max angry, he’s liable to kill us all. “Just a present for the night coroner, December. She seems like she needs interesting things to keep her occupied.” The smile he flashed was cold and barely there but his teeth glinted like his eyes.

December. That was a person he hadn’t spoken to in a long time. Feo had taken up most of his time, which meant that he hadn’t paid a call on his dominatrix...well not since his aunt had died and he’d gone by the morgue. Maybe he owed her a visit. “I think she’s been pretty busy lately. And the girl is interesting enough on her own, doesn’t really need help.” Lucas’ eyes drifted to the folder on his desk, not sure why it was his cousin was stealing from him and not happy about it.

“Well it keeps her from finding me being the interesting one,” he said and snapped the folder shut. “Thanks for these. I’ll return them when I’m done.” He tucked the folder under one of his arms and moved from behind the desk and approached Lucas. He loomed over him with that steady look and wondered if he should mention Feo. That he knew. “Tell Feoline I send my regards,” he said.

“What exactly are those?” he asked, nodding to the folder. “What goes on in here is my job you know Max.” What little role he’d been given. He was only looking over him because Lucas was still sitting, but he gave Max that, right up until he mentioned Feo. Tilting his head to the side a little he stood, slowly. “Excuse me?” They knew one another, he knew that, but hearing Max speak like that...well how did Max know that he was with Feo?

It was funny seeing Lucas react like that and Max didn’t move back as Lucas stood. He wanted to make Lucas uncomfortable, stumbling and awkward. “I said to give Rasmussin my regards when you see her next.”

Lucas nodded, turning to sit on his desk instead. “Not sure what you mean?” he asked. Why did he know about her? Sure Lucas had taken his little gem out, paraded her around on his arm, but Max had not been there. Not then.

Shrugging, Max saluted Lucas with the folder and his cold smile turned into more genuine amusement. “Well, I’ve known Feoline for a long time,” he said. “And I know her... very well.” Let Lucas chew on that little nibblet. Not that Max had ever done anything with Feo but the salacious smirk would certainly have Lucas wondering. Which was the whole point. “I’ll bring these back when I’m done.”

He wanted to open his mouth, to say something, but he kept his mouth shut. Somehow he’d even managed to keep the twitch out of his features. “Still not entirely sure what you’re talking about cousin, but sure fine. Just make sure I get my things back.” She would have mentioned sleeping with him wouldn’t she? That was different than just some person. That was Max.