Detective Bernardi, to what do I owe the pleasure.
The man's dark lecherous eyes roved over her and Sami had to fight the urge to cringe knowing it would give him satisfaction to see her cringing in front of him. She had known Joe since she was a kid, a tall, tan-skin and dark-haired man with a ready smile. He had always seemed nice on the few occasions she had wandered into the precinct looking for her father, but he obviously hid his brand of evil, well.
"Our mutual friend wanted to make sure you got the message the other night." He said once he finished his blatant roving.
"Friend?" She scoffed, tauntingly, "You're a lackey Joe, always have been, always will be."
His eyes flashed in anger and his hand flashed out wrapping around her throat. It was a threatening but non-lethal hold and Sami stared him down in the face of it. She needed him riled up to the point that he wouldn't take care with his words.
"I'm no one's lackey." The dirty detective growled.
"Right," Sami mocked, "You're Lucky Skids' lackey and my father barely notices the work you put in at the station. I heard you got passed over for a promotion… again."
Luciano 'Lucky Skids' Silvero was a low level mafia thug who had wanted to climb the ranks. Picking up a small town like Salem was far easier pickings than a big city and with his dubious connections to the Italian mob, the other criminals in town were getting in line. He was also the man who was extorting her and had been since Lucas's stupid mistake before he died. The police in Salem couldn't touch him, but Sami could and so she played the scared widow for the most part, willing to part with almost all her cash. But it was for a purpose, all to bring him down and Joseph Bernardi was the first step.
"Did you hear that at the monthly family dinners? I hear all the kids are invited, guess you're not Commander Brady's kid, huh?" He shot back hoping he's hit a sore spot and normally he would but not today.
Sami refused to be baited. Her relationship had been over with her parents a long time ago. She needed to control this encounter because when this was all over she was bringing down every one of the bastard's in Lucky's operation.
Shrugging, she put on an air of indifference, "I know I'm not daddy's little girl Joe but you… you're pathetic. Always the lackey and never an heir."
"You little bitch, your sanctimonious father doesn't know that half the force is crooked, willing to inform for anyone who wants to know, but I'm the smartest, though Commander Brady doesn't know it, because Lucky keeps me well fed to make sure the small people of Salem get the message. The next time you're rude to me, you won't have that pretty little face any more."
He finally released her and Sami cleared her throat, putting on an air of indifference.
"Tell your boss, I'll have the full amount in two weeks. No more paying to the account."
"Is that so?" He raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"Yes, and tell him, as long as he keeps away from me, I don't care what he does."
"You don't give the orders here, bitch."
"I know that," she smirked, "The question is do you?"
Sami ended the conversation, walking off. It was her first big confession and with all the other dealings she had on Lucky, soon that wanna-be thug would be no more.
"Damn it!" EJ threw the phone down on the desk.
"You know, I'm starting to get a complex." He looked up to see Philip propped against the door to his study, formerly his father's study. "Every time I turn up here, at your invitation, I might add, you're in a bad mood."
EJ rolled his eyes at his best friend, "I need your advice."
"A Dimera seeking advice from a Kiriakis, whatever has the world come to."
"Shut it!"
Philip grinned, "Good to see a little bit of America has made it past that cold British veneer."
"Will you be quiet!"
"Alright, fine," he finally sat in the chair across from EJ, "what do you need?
"Your help picking a ring for Samantha." He pulled open the top drawer and pulled out a velvet case showing off several priceless rings.
A low whistle emerged from Philip's mouth, "These from the Dimera vault?"
"Yes."
"Mel, would probably be the best person to ask or Sami herself."
"I thought of that, but your wife seems missing in action as well as my own fiancé."
"Spoken like a true novice." The Kiriakis heir teased, "They' re at Java having breakfast. Mel's on the afternoon shift at the hospital starting today, so she wanted to have breakfast with Sami. I'll text her to stop by before she goes to the hospital."
"Thank you." EJ replied with a sigh of relief before looking up to see Philip watching him quizzically. "What?"
"Nothing. Just never thought I'd see the day when you would worry about what trinket to give a woman; a Dimera one at that."
"I wanted her to like it, nothing more than that. She will be wearing it from now on."
"You mean until the year is up." The youngest Kiriakis pointed out helpfully.
EJ's eyes narrowed in his direction, "Precisely."
"Right," Philip nodded sagely, but EJ could see the glint of amusement in his eye, "because that's what you said. Now that, that's settled, when are you going to post the bans?"
"What?"
"Make a debut, inform Mr. Harker, assume your position as C.E.O." He waved his hand as he clarified.
"I have a meeting with Harker today and a board meeting in the morning. It's a formality at this point, but as soon as I am married, I will assume the C.E.O of Dimera Enterprises. There is no need for anything else.
"You should take Sami to the meeting with Harker, he's less likely to give you grief with her there and your debut as a couple should be at the University Hospital Charity Gala.
"I hadn't planned on going."
"Mel helped organize it my friend so you are going. The outgoing mayor and the hopefuls will be there as well as the other 'movers and shakers' in this town. Salem might be a small town relative to many places, but it might behoove yout to play nice with the locals since Dimera Enterprises is based here."
"I'll never understand why our fathers' chose this town."
"My father came here for love. Yours… I don't know but it might be interesting to find out. Now I'll bid you adieu as I still have work to do today."