Chapter 4 --

Lulu settled into a chair at Jakes. If it hadn't been for the promise of free beer, and Dante's eyes boring wholes into her back she never would have come, yet there she was sitting in Jake's avoiding a boy, by talking to another one. It wasn't that she was using Matt, well no more-so than he had been using her to make Georgie jealous. Which she doubted had worked, Georgie only had eyes for Diego, though Matt loved the chase, everyone knew that Georgie wasn't interested.

"You could at least pretend to be interested in what your date is doing." A voice said from behind her. She sighed, knowing all too well who stood behind her. "Though if you were trying to make me jealous by leaving with the toolbag it worked."

Lulu once again felt her cheeks burn as she turned to face Dante. "Not that its any of your business, but I'm not the kind of girl who needs to keep tabs on the guy she is with 24/7."

"So your WITH him?" Dante asked her, Lulu was sure he already knew the answer.

"Well I'm not 'WITH' him." She corrected, placing air quotes around the word with. "We are just friends."

"So he won't mind if I sit with you than?" Dante asked. Lulu watched as he pointed to the pool table Matt was standing at.

"No, but I do." Lulu said. She didn't know why she couldn't just be nice to him, but something about Dante had gotten to her, and she wasn't quiet ready to figure out what she thought of him. "and you know my brothers aren't to keen on me talking to strangers."

"Well I'm not a stranger."

"No, you're just a friendly neighborhood mobster…I think being a stranger would do me less harm." Lulu retorted. She watched as Dante feigned being hurt.

"You know it's not my chosen profession." Dante said, Lulu decided she would soften a bit towards him. He was right he had been bread for this, just as Johnny and Diego were. "I believe the same as you that there are ways to handle things without violence, and bloodshed. However when the man your up against doesn't see things that way, there is no choice."

"There's always a choice, you could leave." Lulu said, remembering that Johnny had only a year ago left his family, giving up the money and power that came with it.

"Cause that worked so well for your ex?" Lulu cringed at the question, it had worked, sort of. "When Johnny left he forced his sister to marry Lorenzo."

Lulu didn't know much about Claudia, just that her marriage to Lorenzo Alcazar had created peace among the mob Families in Port Charles, she had never really thought of why though. Lulu looked at Dante with curiosity, Johnny had never explained mob dealings, it just was what it was with him. When he had started doing odd jobs for Lorenzo again had been the beginning of the end for them. "How would that have forced her? Claudia is definitely capable of making her own decisions." Lulu asked quietly.

"Well from what I understand Anthony Zacharra hasn't been stable for a long time." Lulu nodded, telling him that he was correct. "Well his puppet master, Trevor right? Well he needed Johnny to step in and look like he was making the calls, when Johnny refused the only action that Trevor and Anthony had was to basically sell Claudia."

"That's sick." Lulu said, she understood why Johnny had hated it so much now, Claudia didn't love Lorenzo, she had done it as a callous business transaction. The mere thought made her sick, so much so that she was happy when Coleman appeared holding shot glasses and a bottle of whiskey, offering a friendly change of subject. "How much do I owe you Coleman?"

"Its on the house." Lulu eyed Coleman. "Fine Diego called and said that you three were to drink on him." Coleman pointed to include Matt who was obviously taking advantage of being able to drink on the mob.

"How did he know about the gate crasher?" Lulu asked, knowing full well that Diego had undoubtedly watched Dante leave the party after her. "I didn't see any guards follow when we left."

"Don't ask me, I'm just following orders." Lulu let out a sigh and picked up the glasses and whiskey, and headed towards Matt.

"I come bearing gifts from Diego." Lulu said handing the shot glass to him.

"Are you sure it's safe to drink?" Matt said eyeing the bottle as Lulu poured herself a shot and handed the bottle to Dante. "It's not as if he likes me, or your new friend."

"No, but you forgot that he does like me." Lulu stated defending Diego. It was true Diego Alcazar liked few people, and hitting on Georgie hadn't landed Matt on the list of friends. "Now take a shot and be thankful for the free liquor."

Dante let out a small laugh, reminding Lulu that he was still standing at her side. "Quite the bossy one aren't we?"

"Only when I have to be." Dante downed his shot and poured himself another one. Lulu soon followed suit. She knew she would regret it as she was listening to Maxie shriek in the morning, but right that moment she didn't care.