Joseph sat back as the men exited the room satisfied with the outcome
of events. Yet as he turned to look at his son, Jason's face told a
different tale. "I told you that Rocco and I would manage to handle this
in a peaceful manner," Joseph said with assuredness.
"Did I miss something?" Jason quipped, "or was it just that you and I were in different rooms?"
"Save the smart remarks for someone deserving of them," Joseph countered sternly.
Jason knew he had angered his father but he had no intention of backing down. This feeling that he had about Anthony Malucci, he couldn't shake. And no matter what he had been witness to minutes before – well Jason just wasn't buying it. "So you really think our problem is solved?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yes – yes I do."
"I wish I had your confidence."
"Rocco will handle his son," Joseph said as though he was reading his son's private thoughts.
"You can't be serious?!?! I know you and Rocco go way back but come on. The man's practically dying for god sakes!"
"So you keep reminding me."
"What makes you think that the minute that his father is barely cold in the ground that Anthony isn't gong to come gunning for what he thinks rightfully belongs to him?"
"I don't."
"YOU DON'T!" Jason echoed. "Then what the hell was this little show all about?"
"It was done, my son," Joseph sighed, taken aback at how suddenly shortsighted his successor appeared to be. "as a show of good faith to the other families. Should there come a time when war is imminent...."
"Which you know damn well it will be!" Jason interjected.
"I need the other families to align with us," Joseph continued as if Jason had never interrupted. "I couldn't let them think that I acted without considering every other alternative."
"So what, you think that they all are going to make nice now?" Jason asked sarcastically.
"What the hell has gotten into you Jason?" his father questioned. "We have used this strategy before and you have never ever been this obstinate."
"I don't trust Malucci that's all. I just don't think that he's going to roll over and play dead just because his father commands it."
"You heard Rocco yourself. Any action against our family would appear to be an act against Rocco himself...."
"You really believe that? You believe that Rocco would actually take out his own flesh and blood!?!?"
"It doesn't matter what I," he stressed, "believe. It only matters what Vincent believes."
"I still think we are asking for trouble," Jason pointed out again. "I don't put anything past Anthony Malucci."
"Neither do I. Why is it that you are assuming that I plan on sitting on my hands waiting for him to strike us again?"
"Aren't you?"
"Hardly not. If Anthony can't be trusted to keep his word to his father – well then," Joseph smiled his own sinister smile. "What he finds waiting for him in the next truck he thinks should belong to him – he will have wished that his father's men had gotten to him first." Jason raised his brow questioning. "Those few well placed threats you spoke of – they will be there son but only when the timing is right and only when they serve us. Do you understand what I am telling you?"
"I think so," Jason smiled finally getting a clearer picture of his father's actions and motives. Joseph Morgan has basically given Anthony Malucci just enough rope to hang himself and Jason certainly liked the image that thought conjured up.
"We better be getting back to the party before your mother comes looking for us again," Joseph said half joking half serious.
Just as the pair made their way outside, the sound of a loud commotion met their ears.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Anthony had to look twice at the face standing before him. He needed to readjust his eyes much in the same way needed to be done when going from complete darkness to the totally bright light of day. He hoped in doing so the image before him would disappear. That wasn't to be the case though.
"Not going to offer your wife a drink?" Elizabeth cooed taking great pleasure in Anthony's discomfort.
"What are you doing here?" he whispered through his pasted smile.
"This is a party is it not? And if I read the invitation correctly it was addressed to Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Malucci. I am still your wife am I not?" She tried to hide a smile while those around them eyed her curiously.
"You said something about wanting a drink," Anthony asked pulling her in the direction of the bar. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!?!" he barked as he made his way to the less crowded end of the pool area. There were people everywhere and Anthony suddenly felt like a caged animal in a carnival sideshow.
"I told you," Elizabeth returned innocently.
"Don't give me that bull shit! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!?!" He attempted to remain calm but that was one emotion that was failing him fast.
"Bull shit? You want to talk about bull shit?" Elizabeth spat. "This looks like a hell of a fucking business meeting!"
"What do you give a damn?"
The question stunned her silent. What did she really care for she wondered. At that exact moment Elizabeth didn't even know what had propelled her there in the first place.
"Anthony?" his date questioned as she made her way to where he and his wife stood.
"That's why I'm here!" Elizabeth shouted. "Don't you think it's time people knew who your TRUE wife is?"
Anthony's eyes darted between the woman that carried his name and one that on that was his plaything for the evening. Both women stared at him with piercing eyes, and image that he was sure wasn't lost on the quickly forming crowd.
"Anthony?" his date questioned again. "Who is this woman?" Her eyes trailed up and down Elizabeth's slender body.
"Yes, honey why don't you tell her EXACTLY who I am!" Elizabeth barked.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Anthony questioned Elizabeth again through clenched teeth.
"I think the lady is waiting for an answer." Elizabeth enjoyed for once having the upper hand. The fact that she would pay for it later hadn't come to play yet in her mind.
"DON'T PUSH ME ELIZABETH!" he warned.
"Anthony?" the other young woman's voice spoke again.
"Well it looks like the cat's got my husband's tongue," Elizabeth smiled with an outstretched hand. "Let me introduce myself. I am Elizabeth Malucci, Anthony's wife."
"You are married?" Elizabeth could tell from the look of sheer surprise on the other woman's face that Anthony had neglected to mention his marital status.
"Yes – that's right he's married!" Elizabeth bellowed waving her diamond in the girl's face. The sudden need to react this way threw Elizabeth into a bit of a tizzy. It was almost as though something inside her snapped.
"ELIZABETH!" Anthony reached for her arm as if it would be a way to silence her. Yet looking around he thought better of the idea. There were far too many people now watching for him to risk the wrath that his actions would incur.
Jason's eyes came to rest on the three people at the far end of the pool. Even from the fair distance he was standing he could hear their heated exchange. He suppressed a laugh as he watched and listened to whom he had come to finally understand was Anthony's wife.
"You are married?" he heard Anthony's date ask in horror.
"Damn right he's fucking married!" Jason watched as the beautiful young woman thrust the fist sporting a heavy diamond in the other's face just missing striking her by inches.
"YOU BASTARD!" The other woman screeched pushing her way passed him with enough force to send Anthony Malucci headlong into the awaiting pool of water.
Jason nearly doubled over in a fit of hysterics as Anthony splashed and sputtered in the deep end of the pool, that was until he saw Anthony emerge and make a mad dash for his wife who was in her own state of laughter.
Elizabeth was unable to contain her laughter. Just watching him sputtering in the water was poetic justice for her.
"YOU FUCKING WHORE!" he screamed at the goomah's retreating back. "AND YOU!" he bellowed again pointing at his wife. "YOU ARE GOING TO BE SORRY YOU EVER THOUGHT TO CROSS ME!" His voice was threatening as he pulled himself up the ladder.
Jason and his men pushed their way through the crowded patio. Enough damage had been done to Emily and Zander's party as it was already. He motioned for Johnny to remove Mrs. Malucci from the patio area while he and others would deal with Anthony.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Jason questioned all the while holding back his own pompous smile as water dripped from Malucci's tuxedo. "This is my family's party and you disrespect us by airing your dirty laundry here?"
"Mind your own fucking business, Morgan!" Anthony countered wiping the water from his face.
"You just made it my business!" Jason said resisting the urge to toss him in the water all over again.
"Jason?" Joseph and Cassandra said joining their son.
"Problem taken care of. No need to worry. Go back and enjoy yourselves. All of you." Jason now said to the on lookers. "Please, go enjoy the rest of the party."
Cassandra and Joseph were the only two to remain. "Son?" Joseph questioned again; sure that Anthony's unruly display only furthered Jason's dislike for the man.
"I can handle this one. Not to worry." Jason smiled. "Besides it appears that Mr. Malucci was just on his way out. I am sure the Max can show him the door."
"I'm not going anywhere without my wife!" Anthony countered forcefully.
"Seems to me that the woman you claimed to be your wife is long gone. Might I suggest that you try catching up with her?" Jason half laughed.
"FUCK YOU MORGAN! I am not leaving here without Elizabeth......"
"Anthony," a voice came from behind them, a voice belonging to his father. "I think it's time we should be going, before you can disgrace our family any further."
"Father... ..."
"NOW!!" Rocco Malucci cut his son short. "Jason," Rocco motioned for the youngest Morgan son to come forward, once Anthony was out of earshot.
"Yes?" Jason bent down.
"I think it would be prudent if my daughter in law wasn't to come home tonight. I believe my son needs some time to cool off, as I need some time to instruct him in the proper way things are handled."
"Do you think that is wise? I mean is she doesn't show up at home isn't that just going to piss him off all the more?" Jason questioned thoughts of just what Anthony Malucci was capable of flashing through his mind.
"You don't worry about a thing. I can handle my son. Just be sure that Elizabeth is not brought home this evening. I will be in touch.
Jason watched, as Rocco was wheeled away wondering all the time what he was supposed to do with Anthony's wife.
"Did I miss something?" Jason quipped, "or was it just that you and I were in different rooms?"
"Save the smart remarks for someone deserving of them," Joseph countered sternly.
Jason knew he had angered his father but he had no intention of backing down. This feeling that he had about Anthony Malucci, he couldn't shake. And no matter what he had been witness to minutes before – well Jason just wasn't buying it. "So you really think our problem is solved?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yes – yes I do."
"I wish I had your confidence."
"Rocco will handle his son," Joseph said as though he was reading his son's private thoughts.
"You can't be serious?!?! I know you and Rocco go way back but come on. The man's practically dying for god sakes!"
"So you keep reminding me."
"What makes you think that the minute that his father is barely cold in the ground that Anthony isn't gong to come gunning for what he thinks rightfully belongs to him?"
"I don't."
"YOU DON'T!" Jason echoed. "Then what the hell was this little show all about?"
"It was done, my son," Joseph sighed, taken aback at how suddenly shortsighted his successor appeared to be. "as a show of good faith to the other families. Should there come a time when war is imminent...."
"Which you know damn well it will be!" Jason interjected.
"I need the other families to align with us," Joseph continued as if Jason had never interrupted. "I couldn't let them think that I acted without considering every other alternative."
"So what, you think that they all are going to make nice now?" Jason asked sarcastically.
"What the hell has gotten into you Jason?" his father questioned. "We have used this strategy before and you have never ever been this obstinate."
"I don't trust Malucci that's all. I just don't think that he's going to roll over and play dead just because his father commands it."
"You heard Rocco yourself. Any action against our family would appear to be an act against Rocco himself...."
"You really believe that? You believe that Rocco would actually take out his own flesh and blood!?!?"
"It doesn't matter what I," he stressed, "believe. It only matters what Vincent believes."
"I still think we are asking for trouble," Jason pointed out again. "I don't put anything past Anthony Malucci."
"Neither do I. Why is it that you are assuming that I plan on sitting on my hands waiting for him to strike us again?"
"Aren't you?"
"Hardly not. If Anthony can't be trusted to keep his word to his father – well then," Joseph smiled his own sinister smile. "What he finds waiting for him in the next truck he thinks should belong to him – he will have wished that his father's men had gotten to him first." Jason raised his brow questioning. "Those few well placed threats you spoke of – they will be there son but only when the timing is right and only when they serve us. Do you understand what I am telling you?"
"I think so," Jason smiled finally getting a clearer picture of his father's actions and motives. Joseph Morgan has basically given Anthony Malucci just enough rope to hang himself and Jason certainly liked the image that thought conjured up.
"We better be getting back to the party before your mother comes looking for us again," Joseph said half joking half serious.
Just as the pair made their way outside, the sound of a loud commotion met their ears.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Anthony had to look twice at the face standing before him. He needed to readjust his eyes much in the same way needed to be done when going from complete darkness to the totally bright light of day. He hoped in doing so the image before him would disappear. That wasn't to be the case though.
"Not going to offer your wife a drink?" Elizabeth cooed taking great pleasure in Anthony's discomfort.
"What are you doing here?" he whispered through his pasted smile.
"This is a party is it not? And if I read the invitation correctly it was addressed to Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Malucci. I am still your wife am I not?" She tried to hide a smile while those around them eyed her curiously.
"You said something about wanting a drink," Anthony asked pulling her in the direction of the bar. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!?!" he barked as he made his way to the less crowded end of the pool area. There were people everywhere and Anthony suddenly felt like a caged animal in a carnival sideshow.
"I told you," Elizabeth returned innocently.
"Don't give me that bull shit! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!?!" He attempted to remain calm but that was one emotion that was failing him fast.
"Bull shit? You want to talk about bull shit?" Elizabeth spat. "This looks like a hell of a fucking business meeting!"
"What do you give a damn?"
The question stunned her silent. What did she really care for she wondered. At that exact moment Elizabeth didn't even know what had propelled her there in the first place.
"Anthony?" his date questioned as she made her way to where he and his wife stood.
"That's why I'm here!" Elizabeth shouted. "Don't you think it's time people knew who your TRUE wife is?"
Anthony's eyes darted between the woman that carried his name and one that on that was his plaything for the evening. Both women stared at him with piercing eyes, and image that he was sure wasn't lost on the quickly forming crowd.
"Anthony?" his date questioned again. "Who is this woman?" Her eyes trailed up and down Elizabeth's slender body.
"Yes, honey why don't you tell her EXACTLY who I am!" Elizabeth barked.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Anthony questioned Elizabeth again through clenched teeth.
"I think the lady is waiting for an answer." Elizabeth enjoyed for once having the upper hand. The fact that she would pay for it later hadn't come to play yet in her mind.
"DON'T PUSH ME ELIZABETH!" he warned.
"Anthony?" the other young woman's voice spoke again.
"Well it looks like the cat's got my husband's tongue," Elizabeth smiled with an outstretched hand. "Let me introduce myself. I am Elizabeth Malucci, Anthony's wife."
"You are married?" Elizabeth could tell from the look of sheer surprise on the other woman's face that Anthony had neglected to mention his marital status.
"Yes – that's right he's married!" Elizabeth bellowed waving her diamond in the girl's face. The sudden need to react this way threw Elizabeth into a bit of a tizzy. It was almost as though something inside her snapped.
"ELIZABETH!" Anthony reached for her arm as if it would be a way to silence her. Yet looking around he thought better of the idea. There were far too many people now watching for him to risk the wrath that his actions would incur.
Jason's eyes came to rest on the three people at the far end of the pool. Even from the fair distance he was standing he could hear their heated exchange. He suppressed a laugh as he watched and listened to whom he had come to finally understand was Anthony's wife.
"You are married?" he heard Anthony's date ask in horror.
"Damn right he's fucking married!" Jason watched as the beautiful young woman thrust the fist sporting a heavy diamond in the other's face just missing striking her by inches.
"YOU BASTARD!" The other woman screeched pushing her way passed him with enough force to send Anthony Malucci headlong into the awaiting pool of water.
Jason nearly doubled over in a fit of hysterics as Anthony splashed and sputtered in the deep end of the pool, that was until he saw Anthony emerge and make a mad dash for his wife who was in her own state of laughter.
Elizabeth was unable to contain her laughter. Just watching him sputtering in the water was poetic justice for her.
"YOU FUCKING WHORE!" he screamed at the goomah's retreating back. "AND YOU!" he bellowed again pointing at his wife. "YOU ARE GOING TO BE SORRY YOU EVER THOUGHT TO CROSS ME!" His voice was threatening as he pulled himself up the ladder.
Jason and his men pushed their way through the crowded patio. Enough damage had been done to Emily and Zander's party as it was already. He motioned for Johnny to remove Mrs. Malucci from the patio area while he and others would deal with Anthony.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Jason questioned all the while holding back his own pompous smile as water dripped from Malucci's tuxedo. "This is my family's party and you disrespect us by airing your dirty laundry here?"
"Mind your own fucking business, Morgan!" Anthony countered wiping the water from his face.
"You just made it my business!" Jason said resisting the urge to toss him in the water all over again.
"Jason?" Joseph and Cassandra said joining their son.
"Problem taken care of. No need to worry. Go back and enjoy yourselves. All of you." Jason now said to the on lookers. "Please, go enjoy the rest of the party."
Cassandra and Joseph were the only two to remain. "Son?" Joseph questioned again; sure that Anthony's unruly display only furthered Jason's dislike for the man.
"I can handle this one. Not to worry." Jason smiled. "Besides it appears that Mr. Malucci was just on his way out. I am sure the Max can show him the door."
"I'm not going anywhere without my wife!" Anthony countered forcefully.
"Seems to me that the woman you claimed to be your wife is long gone. Might I suggest that you try catching up with her?" Jason half laughed.
"FUCK YOU MORGAN! I am not leaving here without Elizabeth......"
"Anthony," a voice came from behind them, a voice belonging to his father. "I think it's time we should be going, before you can disgrace our family any further."
"Father... ..."
"NOW!!" Rocco Malucci cut his son short. "Jason," Rocco motioned for the youngest Morgan son to come forward, once Anthony was out of earshot.
"Yes?" Jason bent down.
"I think it would be prudent if my daughter in law wasn't to come home tonight. I believe my son needs some time to cool off, as I need some time to instruct him in the proper way things are handled."
"Do you think that is wise? I mean is she doesn't show up at home isn't that just going to piss him off all the more?" Jason questioned thoughts of just what Anthony Malucci was capable of flashing through his mind.
"You don't worry about a thing. I can handle my son. Just be sure that Elizabeth is not brought home this evening. I will be in touch.
Jason watched, as Rocco was wheeled away wondering all the time what he was supposed to do with Anthony's wife.