jessegdixon: What kind of romance story would this be if he didn't end up reforming at least a little bit because of Veronica? Haha

This parts a little boring. Sorry, it's mostly filler for story development. I still hope you enjoy it. Questions/ comments/ concerns? Feel free to leave a review!

"Jimmy come by yet?" Marco asked Philly the next morning.

"Not yet, boss." Philly admitted as he counted the night's earnings. "Heard your Marietti girl raked it in at the club last night. Held her own against Betty, too. She's a little pistol, that one. Boys seemed kind of jealous."

Marco smirked deviously. He liked when other people wanted his things. "Yeah, well they can just stay jealous. Find Jimmy and get him here. If he hasn't found our new competition by now, he never will."

"You got it, boss."

Jimmy walked in the filthy kitchen and took a seat at the table, right across from Marco. The man was tweaking hard, so Marco had a pretty good idea he had found what he was supposed to. "Well?" He asked.

"They're led by some guy they call Big Louis. They have a bar on 47th they deal out of, but it's temporary. Said they recently lost their warehouse and are trying to make a quick buck to build back revenue."

Marco quickly connected the dots in his head. "I'm willing to bet anything these are the fucks from the Upper Westside."

"The one's who killed Marietti?" Philly asked.

"Marietti?" Jimmy asked, "Isn't that the last name of your girl, Marco?"

"Shut the fuck up, Jimmy." Marco snapped, slamming his hands down on the table. "Round the boys up. We're gonna pay them a little visit."

Veronica sat with Annette at Willy's soda shop sipping on her usual cherry soda. "All we did was kiss, I swear."

"Marco Vendetti doesn't just kiss. Are you at least being safe? Marco's bad news. I don't wanna see you get hurt."

"Believe me, I don't wanna get hurt, either. We're just having fun until I leave. I can't get tied down in Brooklyn."

"Well, just watch yourself." Annette looked up nervously from her seat in the direction of the door. "Cool it, Leon and Bobby just walked in."

"What? We can't talk?"

"Let's just say if Marco and the Vipers are ultimate evil, Leon and his friends are all that is good." She whispered. "The Viper's aren't even allowed on this side of the street."

Leon sat on the stool beside Annette and kissed her cheek. "Hey, Veronica." He nodded at me. "Word on the street is your wrapped around Marco's finger."

"I'd say it was the other way around." Veronica smirked. She had only met the boy once and didn't know much about him besides what Annette had told her. "So are you guys going to go to the Feast?" She asked, changing the subject deliberately.

"We go every year." Annette laughed, happy at the change in conversation. "It's kind of a tradition."

A young boy with thick brows ran in, straight up to Leon, saying "Allie boy" was really messed up at the club.

"Those fuckin' Vipers." Leon yelled. He looked cross at Veronica. "You need to watch your fucking boy!" He barked, jumping up and running out the door in the direction of Marco's club.

"Leon!" Annette cried, jumping up from her seat and running to the door, leaning against the frame for support.

Veronica followed her new friend, placing a comforting hand on her arm and watching the man run down the street.

When Leon got to the club, it was mostly empty save for Philly and a few of the Velvets who never seemed to leave. Alphonse was passed out cold on the floor near the bar. "Where the fuck is Marco?" He hollered, grabbing at his brother and slapping his face. "The fuck did he take?"

"Whatever he could get his hands on." Philly shrugged, handing Leon a cold rag.

"You tell fucking Marco to stop this. He can't keep selling him drugs."

Marco lead the rest of his gang out to 47th street, entering the bar like he owned the place and startling the men inside. "Which one of you is Big Louis?" Marco asked.

The group of men parted and a tall, strong looking man walked forward. "That would be me. Who's asking?"

Marco ignored the question. "You're selling here in Viper's territory. Taking our business. It's gonna stop."

"Yeah? Lemme guess, you're gonna make me?"

"Oh, he's not as dumb as he looks, folks!" Marco laughed, taking a broad step forward, pulling his knife out of his pocket and twirling it in his fingers. "You're gonna fucking stop selling on our turf, or I'm gonna make you fucking stop. Simple as that."

"Look," The guy said more calmly, "We're only trying to make a quick buck before we can go back to the city. Not exactly our cup of tea, Brooklyn."

"What happened in the city? You morons stupid enough to kill a cop, you deserve everything you fucking get."

"What, you read a story in the paper and suddenly you know what happened?" Louis laughed. "What the paper didn't print, was that that cop, Marietti, he was a fucking crooked piece of shit. He was supposed to cover our tracks in exchange for some quick cash, only he didn't hold up his end of the bargain. So yeah, we killed him. And we'd do it again if we could. Lost everything because of that rat mother fucker."

Marco wanted to charge at him. He wanted to avenge Marietti's life. These dumb fucks had hurt Veronica by killing her father. No one was allowed to hurt Marco's girl but Marco.

He promised Fritzy no bloodshed on his streets. He had to hold up to that promise. For now, at least. "You've got a week to relocate. You fuck with my business, I'll fuck up yours. End of fucking story." Marco said. He snapped his fingers and the boys followed him out.