Velocity Shift
By –TempestRaces
Ch.5 –Russians?
Storm looked back over her shoulder and saw Taylor standing in the place she'd left him. Though his gaze was totally unreadable Storm could sense his resolve to be left all alone yet again just from his stance. While a second before she'd been ready to escape from Taylor's presence she decided she couldn't leave him standing there all alone. "What about you?" She asked softly as Devon pulled on her hand, as though telling her to leave well enough alone and leave Taylor where he was. Out of her life.
"If you want me to." He answered and didn't move. He wasn't sure what he wanted, he was willing to follow her lead if she knew her own mind better then he knew his at that moment.
"Up to you. I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with, like go to a club or know I stayed out after curfew." She smirked playfully at him, sensing there was a hidden depth to Taylor that most people never saw, but that if she could find it he'd make it well worth her time and effort to do so. He sauntered up to her.
"I think I can handle it if you're sure you'll have me around." His black eyes had a uncharacteristic sheen to them that Storm would have to guess was trace amounts of lingering shame.
"I'll have you. For now. Pull anything like what you just did again and I can't guarantee what'll happen. We clear?"
"As crystal. Let's go." Storm sighed at Taylor still pulling the bossy attitude on her and allowed him to take her hand away from Devon as he led her back toward her car.
"I know you don't think you're driving." Storm said as they walked up toward the Skyline where it sat, unaware of the drama that had been played out this evening.
"You sure you ok?" Taylor asked quietly, not wanting anyone to hear him question her strength, but needing to know.
"Fine." She answered just as softly, but with a trace of resentment lingering in her tone.
"Ok. Lead the way." Taylor slid into the car, watching as Storm did the same and did up her seatbelt.
She put the car in gear and backed it out of the parking spot, watching to make sure Devon was following her. Once she saw the lights of the MX-6 behind her she took off, Devon close behind. Despite her best efforts to lose her friend on the way from a to b Devon stuck on her tail. Storm did it more to make Taylor uncomfortable then anything else.
They pulled up to one of New York's most popular clubs. The street out front was lined with limos and the lineup to get in was stretched half way down the street. Storm pulled into the parking lot and parked the car. Devon took the spot next to her. The spots were clearly labeled VIP only.
"I don't think you should park here." Taylor looked around at the various Beamers, Lexus', and Mercedes that filled the lot.
"This is my spot. It'd be anyone else parked here that'd be in trouble." Storm got out of the car and used her remote to click the trunk open. She quickly stuffed a handful of something into her pocket and slammed the trunk shut. "You ready?" She looked at Taylor expectantly.
"Yeah, I'm ready. What's in your pocket?"
"Money, car keys…lip gloss. The usual. Why?"
"What part of 'the usual' did you just get outta the trunk?"
"Money." Storm answered and looked away, starting to walk around the corner of the building toward the front line. Taylor gave up on getting the truth out of her with a sigh and followed her friend Devon, who was following Storm. He watched as the two younger people circumvented the line and went right to the door. He watched as Storm and the bouncer gave each other a kiss on each cheek and wasn't surprised when they were admitted without a fuss or paying cover.
He was surprised when they walked right around the metal detectors and weren't made to take their coats off and check them. He'd never buy that Storm was simply a regular customer of the joint. The treatment she was getting was right up to how they treated her father at Pizzo's and Benny owned that club.
Storm looked over her shoulder and found Taylor slightly behind her in the crowd. She waited on him to catch up.
"Well, what do you think?"
"I think it's loud and the flashing lights are gonna give me a seizure." Taylor squinted his eyes, trying to adjust to the lighting. He wasn't the kind of guy who hit dance clubs so the flashing lights and deafening music were not anything he was use to.
"You'll do a'ight." Storm reassured him but sounded preoccupied. Taylor watched as she stuck a hand in her pocket and looked around. He watched as a smile lit her face when a young, strangely dressed man walked up to her. They exchanged a half hug then did some sort of odd handshake. Something about it didn't sit right with Taylor but he let it slide.
"Come dance." Devon said to Storm and started to drag her out onto the dance floor.
"You know I always end up looking stupid when you try to get me to do that organized hip hop shit with you." Storm answered, but allowed herself to be led toward the dance floor. "You be ok here Taylor, or are you coming with?"
"I'll wait here." Taylor answered and leaned on a railing surrounding the floor. He watched as Storm and her group of friends fell into some sort of formation and waited for the DJ to start a new song. As soon as Storm was gone from his side three girls walked up to him and started to make conversation.
Storm watched the skanks move in on Taylor as soon as she'd walked away. "Look at the hoe's." Storm said to Devon with a sarcastically raised eyebrow.
"Let them have him." Devon said, with a great deal of feeling. He couldn't shake the feeling that this Taylor was bad news.
"Hell no. It's a pride thing if it's anything Dev. He's mine and they better push on. I don't wanna have to act a fool up here tonight."
"If he'd look at those girls twice over you then he's the fool."
"That remains to be seen." Storm answered. As if to prove a fool was the last thing he was Taylor sent the girls away from him curtly and went back to watching Storm. Storm took a deep breath and caught the beat as best she could when the DJ dropped the next song. She tried to follow Dev's lead but she wasn't very good at picking up their hip hop on the fly. When the song was over Storm was just as happy to get off the dance floor. Rather then go right back to Taylor's side she decided to tour the rest of the crowd and mingle.
Taylor watched Storm go and watched her do more of her peculiar handshake with various people as she went around the room. He noted she always stuck her hand back into the opposite pocket when it was released by the person who shook it. It wasn't sitting right with him. When she was almost back at his side she was greeted by a large man with a shaved head and a thick goatee.
She did her same 'European' greeting with the man, air kissing him on both cheeks as he did the same to her. Something about the man didn't sit right with Taylor either so he started their way, intent on finding out who he was and what Storm was into.
"You are getting proper treatment in my club, da?" The large man asked Storm with a smile in a heavily accented voice. Russians, Taylor though. What is Storm doing involved with Russians?
"Of course Vanya. I'm always at home here."
Taylor paused to listen in to their conversation before they noticed him. He was intrigued by what he'd heard already.
"My lovely Storm, when are you going to accept my offer of position in my crew? I need someone like you on my side."
"You know Vanya that I'm far too Italian to ever take a job to work for a Russian, da?"
The man known as Vanya laughed at her question. "Ah, but beautiful girl, while the Italians leave you to languish doing small time job as you do now, I would put you to work as you were born to do. Better to be boss then underling podi ku'evo?" Is it not so, Ivan asked Storm in his native tongue. The fact that Storm understood shocked Taylor even more.
"Da. But someday I will be a boss in my own family." Storm was smiling, it was clear this was an old discussion that neither party had ever grown tired of. Taylor snorted at Storm's declaration. Over his and her father's dead bodies.
"You will be old woman when this happens. Come work for me while you are still young enough to enjoy job and pretty enough to have your pick of my sons." Ivan puffed out his chest, proud of his boys.
"My family would disown me if I went to work for the Russians, even if they won't let me work for them. Let alone married a man who wasn't from Sicily."
"There are all kinds of family. They treat you with so little respect; it would hardly be a loss. In Russia our views are not so old world and rigid. Good soldier is good soldier. You say you don't want to offend your family but they have not the same concern for offending you. Besides, you would gain new family with me. Comrades are family too, da?"
"Oh Vanya!" Storm chuckled. "If you didn't try to convince me to come work for you I'd die of shock."
"And if you ever said yes I would expire for same reason." Ivan chuckled with his response as well.
Storm felt the eyes on her and turned to find Taylor staring at her. "Taylor, come here a second would ya?" Taylor walked over to where Storm stood, a look that could have been a disapproving scowl on his face.
"Where'd you disappear to when you stopped dancing?" Taylor looked down at Storm.
"To meet some friends. I'd like you to meet Ivan Romanoff. Vanya, this is Taylor."
"Ah, so is Taylor in the flesh?" Ivan looked Taylor up and down, seeming pleased by what he saw. "I suppose it would do me no more good to attempt to buy you away from Mr. Demaret then it does his lovely daughter."
"I'm fairly happy where I am." Taylor replied in his typical gruff tone, not liking the situation of being in the Russian man's club or being head hunted for a new job by him either.
"I can offer you things that Benny 'Chains' and his comrades never will. You could run crew for me, could be lieutenant in my army. You will never be more then soldier for Demaret and that must be clear to you. My people know what is like to be ostracized for being Jew. You would go far with us Mr. Reese."
"Now Vanya, the boy said he was happy with my father." Storm chided gently, knowing that while she honestly liked the Russian man and had been quite tempted by his offer several times, Taylor was likely to take offense and start trouble.
"Ah but lovely Bella, you can not blame me for trying. You need anything you will let me know, Da?"
"Of course." Storm answered and exchanged the same farewell as she had greeting with the Russian man. Taylor watched as they air kissed beside each other's cheeks and the man known as Ivan, or Vanya to his close friends, such as Storm it seemed, turned to walk away.
"I will drop off supply in usual place?" Ivan paused to question Storm, almost like an afterthought.
"That'd be fine Vanya. Perhaps I'll see you around the club later, da?"
"Da. Have fun and of course my VIP room is at your disposal." Ivan walked away.
"When did you learn Russian?" Taylor asked, looking at Storm in a new light.
"In high school when I started doing odd jobs for Vanya."
"Your dad would definitely not like this." Taylor looked honestly concerned.
"I know. But he won't give me my shot so what else am I supposed to do? I keep saying no to Ivan's job offers but it's getting harder and harder not to say yes. I'd be running a crew in no time. The Russian's aren't as rigid, haven't been around as long and they aren't as hierarchical. But I do his odd jobs and he pays me well enough to make working for him on a permanent basis look very attractive."
"So that's where the money for the car comes from."
"A lot of it, yeah. It's my job. I work for him like you work for Teddy. On contract when it suits him to ask me and it suits me to say yes."
"What are you doin for him in here tonight?" Taylor asked, ready to have some answers.
"I'm just here to party with my friends tonight." Storm's eyes shifted away from his and Taylor knew she was keeping something from him.
"You're not a very good liar Storm." Taylor smiled despite himself.
"I actually am a very good liar. It's just you I can't lie to I guess." Storm shocked herself with her admission.
"So what are you doin."
"Makin my money." Storm looked away, knowing there was a big fight coming when Taylor did find out what she was doing when she wasn't making a fool of herself trying to dance as if she was in a rap or hip hop video like her friends could do so well.
"For the Russian?"
"In a round about way." Storm danced around a true answer and started to walk away. Taylor decided in the interest of continued peace and not having another public fight with Storm, he'd let it go.
"You looked pretty pathetic out there. You're not much of a dancer are ya?"
"I can dance just fine. It's that choreographed shit I can't do."
"I find it hard to believe that you can dance in any way after that sad display you put on with your friends."
"Ok hotshot, let's go." Storm took Taylor's hand and started to drag him out onto the dance floor.
"Oh no. I didn't say I wanted to dance. I just said you weren't very good at it."
"Oh, so you can't dance at all but you're mocking my attempts? That's rich! Hello, Mr. Kettle? There's a call for you." Storm held out her cell phone mockingly. "It's the Pot, he'd like to talk about whose black."
"I don't dance." Taylor stood with his feet planted and stared at Storm. He was not dancing with her in front of thousands of people.
"Suit yourself." Storm answered glibly and started to weave her way out onto the dance floor where her friend Devon was dancing with several other guys and gals from races.
Taylor watched as her friend CJ said something into Storm's ear. Whatever it was made her laugh. Really laugh. She threw her head back and laughed with her whole body. He'd never made her laugh like that. Giggle or chuckle but never had he engaged her so thoroughly as her buddy CJ did. When she had her laughter under control she slapped CJ on the shoulder and as the music started he grabbed her playfully around the waist and they started to dance together.
Storm hadn't been lying when she'd told him she could certainly dance one on one just fine. Taylor felt his jealousy rising but he kept it in check as he watched Storm and CJ dance with their hands all over each other.
"She is very beautiful, da?"
Taylor looked to his side in shock. The large Russian man from earlier had materialized at his side.
"She's pretty enough."
"But better then that is attitude."
"Her attitude stinks." Taylor spoke without thinking but Ivan only laughed.
"Of course you are right. It does. But for what she was born to do is perfect. The fire is strong in her, spirit is strong. She would make fine lieutenant in my army. And fine wife for oldest son. But she is determined to work for her own father. And I think more interested in you then in my son, Da?"
"I've known her brother since second grade." Taylor's answer was noncommittal.
"Ah, then is duty to her brother that you look out for her?"
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be." For all his attempts at vagueness it was clear that Ivan understood the unspoken themes of what Taylor was saying.
"The two of you would make good team working for me. You will think on this?"
"I couldn't work with her. We'd kill each other in hours."
"You would keep the fighting at home where belongs. You would look out for each other, and plan well together. She cares for you. Never has she brought guest to my club. I have heard of you. However, despite her reluctance to take job with me full time I have come to care for girl. Hurt her and I may not be the only one deprived of your services. You understand?"
Taylor was more amused by the Russian's threats then scared but he only nodded that he understood. When it came down to it Taylor knew Benny and Teddy would be the ones to fear, and he also knew they'd be on his side. But it was strange to see a man of such a different culture dote on the tough and aloof Storm Demaret. When Taylor looked over to his side again the Russian had disappeared as silently as he'd arrived. Taylor shook his head, finding humour in how his night was going.
And as it was 2am, he wished his night would come to an end. Storm however was still going strong. She'd walked off the floor with CJ at the end of the song and was again making a round of the dance floor, greeting people and putting something into her pocket each time. She made her way around the club and reached the main bar. She got a drink and Taylor never saw any money change hands. It was clear she didn't pay for her drinks in Ivan's club. So why did she say she had to get more money out of her trunk when they'd arrived? It wasn't adding up.
Storm drained her drink and asked for another. She quickly drained it too and got a third. She started to sip on it, not wanting to get drunk, just to relax a bit. She could feel Taylor's eyes on her.
"This guy you're with Storm, are you sure he's good news?" CJ asked as both he and Storm reclined on their elbows on the bar, watching the scene. Every once in awhile Storm would talk to people who walked up to her but mostly she just talked to CJ.
"No. Hell no. He's bad news CJ. But so'm I so…" Storm shrugged. "He's just my bro's boy."
"He likes you."
"He hates me. He thinks I'm too mouthy, too tough, and too bossy to be around."
"Then why's he here?"
"Cause he thinks I need a keeper. He's tried to get me out of street racing, out of my own way, and out of this club all since we hit races earlier. He pretty much thinks I'm useless."
"Then why he still here? Shouldn't you have kicked his fool ass to the curb by now? It's not like you to put up with shit like that."
"I know he's not likely to be your type but look at him. I'm not likely to find anybody hotter then him now am I?" Storm laughed.
"Yeah, well physical's all find and good for the first while, but when the blush wears off the rose, where will you be?"
"A few months older."
"Exactly. And no farther ahead."
"But they'll have been a hell of a few months."
"So what's he do?"
"He's in collections." Storm answered vaguely.
"And he's on his way over here." CJ said as he watched Taylor approach.
"Storm. I want to go home." Taylor didn't waste any time on pleasantries before he stated his demands.
"Go then. I'll catch ya around."
"It's 2:30. How much longer are you planning on staying here?"
"Closes at 3. I'll leave then." Storm looked up at Taylor and took a sip of her drink. "You want a drink?"
"No. I want to go home."
"You can wait half an hour." Storm drained her drink and set the glass down. "You comin back on the floor C?"
"Nope. I've had it. I was on my feet all day at the store and then at races. I'm about done in Storm. Thank god I don't have to be anywhere tomorrow."
"Ok then. I'll say 'night now incase I don't catch you in the closing crowd." The two bumped closed fists and Storm walked off. Taylor decided to follow her. He was getting really tired but he wasn't going to tell her that.
Storm looked back over her shoulder and caught the look of weariness on Taylor's face. When he caught her looking he schooled it back into his typical no expression look. She started to take pity on him. She was use to going all day and night; she got off on the rush it gave her. Not only was Taylor not use to her scene the fight at the races might have been harder on him then he'd let on.
"One more song then we'll leave ok? That way we won't get caught in the closing rush."
"Ok."
A slow song with a strong beat started to play.
"Come dance with me. It's not hard ya know?"
"I don't think so." Taylor tried to hang back.
"I do. Come on." She pulled on his hand harder and he eventually gave in and allowed himself to be led onto the floor.
He found he didn't have to do much work anyway as he watched Storm do her dance with him. The way she moved was reminding him why he'd asked her out in the first place and he found he wasn't quite as rushed to leave as he had been. He started to get into their movements and just enjoyed himself.
When the song ended Storm led Taylor off the dance floor with a sigh. They headed out to the car and got in.