"Lee, come downstairs, I need to talk to you" Dom poked his head inside her room, searching the commodious cubic space before finding her curled up on her bed, pen and notebook in hand.
"About?" she questioned, never looking up from her notebook. Dom had become annoyed with her constant inquiry. He often asked himself why he couldn't have happened upon a girl who'd have known and understood her place. Even so, he often found it equally attractive and charming. He supposed any decent Italian woman would have a mouth her size. He honestly didn't know whether she was Italian or not, but he liked to think she was.
"You'll find out when you get down there," he nearly croaked at her. Lee looked up, flashing him a nearly amused look with her piercing blue eyes. Dom never really could resist her hypnotically blue puppy-dog eyes and inexorable female charm. "Just come downstairs when you're done," he corrected hesitantly, a slightly softer tone captivating his baritone voice. Lee nodded, returning her attention to her notebook. She finished her paragraph and closed the notebook, setting it down on the bed beside her and sitting herself up. She lingered there on the edge of the bed, working up the gumption to stand and face what she assumed would be a lecture concerning her earlier inquiries. Though she wasn't sure she wanted to, she knew she had to go down there regardless, so she rose from the bed and hesitantly headed down the stairs.
When she arrived downstairs she noticed the light on in the kitchen, which was unusual for this hour. "Oh god, he's in there waiting for me like a hawk," she amusedly thought to herself.
"Dom, why would you want to talk to me at this hour," she began, heading for the kitchen. "It's gotta be at least midnight, how did you know I wasn't asl-..." Lee cut herself short as she turned the corner into the kitchen, noticing a strange man seated at the table across from Dom. He was a nice looking black man, dressed in a nice white -- probably Italian -- suit. He stood immediately upon her arrival, walking briskly over to her, extending his hand. Lee just glared at him for a moment before shaking her head to alert herself and extending her own hand to shake his.
"Name's Lance." Lee smiled in response. "You must be Lee. I've heard good things about you." Lee smiled as he pointed to emphasize certain words.
After the proper greetings, they each sat themselves down at the table awaiting Dom's continuance. Dom leaned forward, folding his hands on the table in front of him.
"This is another good friend of Tommy's, Lee" Dom began, glancing at Lee. Lee cocked an eyebrow.
"Oh, you know Tommy?" Lance inquired, glancing over at Lee.
"Not personally," She replied.
"I've mentioned him a couple times," Dom interjected. Lee smirked. A thousand retorts rushed into her mind, but she decided now wasn't the time to start an argument. She nodded instead.
"Gee Dom, for somebody who sounds so disliked, it sure seems like he has a lot of friends," she quipped, cocking an eyebrow and grinning deviously at Dom. She, herself, was beginning to question the actual existence of the man. Dom just stared at Lee for a moment before continuing as if she hadn't said a word.
"Lance needs some... help with a business associate," Dom began again, as if he was trying to break something to her softly. "I figured it was time you try a little business on your own Lee." Lee frowned. "Figures," she thought to herself. "That is, if you think you're ready," he finished. Lee thought for a moment before shaking her head slightly and replying.
"I'm not s-..."
"I think this would be a great opportunity for you, Lee," Dom cut her off, stern voice and narrowed eyes. Lee nodded, taking the hint.
"Sure, why not," she finally replied, airing a false confidence. "If you think I'm ready."
"Good. I remembered how well you fought when I first brought you here." "Brought you here," Lee repeated in her mind. "I figured you'd be perfect for what Lance here needs. You understand, he'll have to see for himself, though." Lee frowned again.
"So then the point of this conversation was?..."
"To make sure you agreed," Dom replied, apparently more than slightly disgruntled that she was not only questioning him, but in front of company as well.
"And if I hadn't?" Lee secretly knew she shouldn't be pushing his buttons like this, but she just couldn't stop herself.
"That'll be all, Lee. You can go back to bed now." Lee rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to speak again, but Dom immediately quieted her. "I said that'll be all," he repeated, firmer this time. Lee scowled and shot him a look before standing and walking out of the room, leaving the two men alone to talk.
"So Dom, why haven't you told Tommy about her yet?" Lance questioned.
"I don't think she's ready to meet him yet," he stated simply. Lance chuckled.
"Afraid he's gon' steal yo' girl, huh?" Lance quipped with a grin.
"Not at all. Tommy's a tough man. I'm not sure she's ready to face him yet." Lance continued to grin, suspecting he was right despite Dom's denials.
"So like I said, afraid he's gon' steal yo' girl, right?" Lance, still grinning, repeated. Dom glanced over at Lance, his eyes narrowed from annoyance of Lance's repetition.
"Like I said, he's a tough man. He runs a strict business, she'd be more useful to him with a little more experience on the streets." When Lance was still grinning, Dom decided to try to drive the conversation back to the point. "Speaking of which, I think you'll find her skills useful to your situation," Dom stated professionally.
"I've never seen you take mouth like that off of anyone, man. What's goin' on that you ain't tellin' me?" Lance continued to question, making Dom realize he wasn't giving it up.
"I don't know what you're talkin' about," Dom replied, shifting slightly in his seat. Lance chuckled again.
"That girl gave you lip all over the damn place. Anyone else and you woulda capped 'em right there. You turnin' soft or somethin'?"
"She's more useful to me alive, Lance." Dom paused for a moment, trying to think of a new way to change the subject. Lance ended up doing it for him.
"So Tommy's been askin' about you. Why you ain't been to the Pole Position lately and all." Lance glanced over at Dom interrogatively. "So why haven't you been over lately?"
"I've been too busy for whores lately," Dom replied readily. Lance shook his head.
"Ain't no business too important to take a little time off to, uh, get ya' mind off things," Lance winked. Dom grinned and shook his head.
"Apparently you haven't spent much time workin' on business." Lance scowled and Dom smiled proudly, pleased with his equal annoyance of Lance. "Maybe we could start now, then," Dom began, again shifting the conversation toward the initial point of meeting. This time Lance conquered, still a little perturbed at Dom's earlier crack. As Lance nodded, Dom continued on with business as planned.