leonxrdovillarreal-blog

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

eastonvillarreal‌:

Easton could tell that his brother had a plan, he was too brilliant not to have one, he was the most protective of all of his family and he knew that just behind him Leo and Rosalie would have been just as ready to spill blood if anything had actually happened to Luna. He just had to let his brother work it out, no one would deny that Easton was smart, he was pretty much a genius if you gave him a laptop and a coding system and there was nothing he couldn’t do that way but when it came to the business, the dirty side of it all where they needed to be cold and calculated, that was Leo’s playground and they all knew it. “I know, I’m just tired of feeling like we have to worry, I mean I have Luna, and Rosalie she might have children, god knows you might actually let someone into that stern heart of yours even if you never have kids, and we’re all going to have people that could be used to hurt us. What if they went after Rosalie? She’s only small Leo, I know she’s terrifying as hell but you’re not telling me someone couldn’t scoop her up and take her. I don’t even know if I can be in the same room as a Yaashvardhan at the moment.” Of course there was the slightly exception of Jhanvi and he was sure that she would find some way to keep him talking that he could get over, so long as they didn’t talk then it might just be ok. “I’ll make amends….I promise – but speaking of amends there is something I have to tell you.” The male coughed slightly as he looked at his brother, it wasn’t going to do him any good if he tried to deal with it all on his own and Leo was his big brother. “Luna’s mom is back…and I don’t know what to do.” 

"Unfortunately, we'll always have to worry. About ourselves, about each other." It was the one downside to all the good things that had come to them through their newfound riches. It was the one reason why Leo had never allowed himself to settle down. It wasn't fair to the other person to expect them to be okay with what he did. Even if he did find someone who was okay with the morally grey work they did, how was he to know that they wouldn't be used as leverage against him should he find himself in a sticky situation? He was going to make a comment, but held his tongue. It wasn't worth it and Easton knew where he stood when it came to relationships... or lack thereof. "I understand completely." The thought of having to deal with of the Yashavardhans had put a foul taste in his mouth. His brother's other news stopped him in his tracks. "Excuse me, what? What does she want? If she's here for Luna, you need to tell her she can't have her. She left her. End of discussion."

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

mayorcarlisle‌:

The news had spread like wildfire, the flames not sparing the city’s beloved mayor. How many people had he shaken hands with today? How many had eyed him with that same pitiful glance? How many had offered false and empty condolences. He was a broken record, offering his hand up to stranger after stranger as they spoke of how truly sorry they were for his loss.

“We just heard…”

“We can’t imagine to understand how you must be feeling…“

“So sorry to hear about Mr. Bradley…” 

Reid. His moral compass in a younger life. Gone. Was there anything left of his previous existence? Was there anything good for him to cling onto? Had he done this? Did he inadvertently played a part in Reid’s demise? The skin on his fingers tips tingled with an anxious sensation and no matter how many times he flicked his wrists and willed the feeling away, it wouldn’t. He was marred. There was blood on his hands. Blood of his own kin. The ringing in his ears was interrupted by a voice. He wished he he had pretended he hadn’t heard it, but his flinch had already given him away. He reluctantly forced himself to turn in the direction of the other, avoiding eye contact at all costs. 

The fact that the body was found in Summervale alone was worrying. Leo had been busying himself all week as he tried to discover who the victim was of the fatal attack and why he had to die. In the end Leonardo heard the news along with everyone else in Kingston. The victim had been Benjamin’s cousin. From what he gathered, the two men had been close. Ben had often referred to him as a third brother. They were connected by blood and love and now Reid was dead. He knew this was bound to be excruciating on his friend and ally. That was precisely the reason why he made the drive to Kingston and city hall. A few brief words with his chief of staff alerted him that Ben was not in good place, but he decided that he had come too far to just turn around and go back to Summervale. 

“Ben?” The greeting was nothing like their usual ones and Leo couldn’t even fathom the state the other man was in. “I just heard the news.” There were no false apologies here. His friend didn’t deserve that. What he needed was action. “I had no idea. I had been trying to find out who it was all week, but it was too close to home. It would have looked suspicious. Ben... Ben are you listening to me? We’re going to find the person who did this. They need to answer for their actions.” If it was one of the families then the council demanded an explanation for such a drastic step taken without permission. If it was someone outside of their circle... Well then they needed to learn who this new threat was. 

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

@xjhanvis

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

eastonvillarreal‌:

“Un día hermano. Un día seremos todo lo que hay. Estaremos en la cima y nadie volverá a meterse con nosotros. Nadie tocará a nuestra familia y, si lo hacen, podemos acabar con ellos.” Easton muttered, someone had messed with his child and his brother was right. There wasn’t anything that they could do about it, not without starting a war that they weren’t powerful enough to win yet. He might not have felt like he had control over much, and his head might have been a little messed up but maybe what they needed was more, maybe Leo had taken them this far but it wasn’t enough. Leo had given them everything, and yet they still had to worry about the safety of the ones they loved whilst people like Amrita walked around playing god, each one of them were puppets to the woman and she didn’t care because she didn’t have anything to fear. “I graduated from MIT Leo and still no one in this town took me seriously until you came up with work.” He’d had loads of offers from other parts of the states but none from home where he really wanted to be. 

“Maybe we need more. We need to think bigger. We have power in Kingston, but maybe we need to secure power outside of here too. I can build any code you want, I can create any software you ask of me and Rosalie can find a way of getting it wherever we need. And you know there isn’t anywhere we can’t get into, even if people have put their own software in at most I’ll need a large coffee and good wifi.” Easton loved working because there was always an answer, there was a route, a pattern, something for him to focus on and the codes always moved at the same speed everything else in his brain did so he felt like he was on top of it all which very rarely happened for him. Looking at Leo he sighed softly. “You’ve given us everything Leo, and I’ll need your help to keep me in check for a little while longer but let us help you now.” 

Leo was hoping this could all just blow over and that the families would move on to more pressing issues. It would give him the time he needed to figure out where he could hit them without them realizing it was him. Even provoking an indirect attack right now would rouse suspicions. If they had beef with the Yashvardhans and something went awry then it would only be obvious who was to blame. Of course he wasn't going to turn his back on his family. Their pain was his pain and he wasn't going to stand off to the side while people hurt them.

"Slow down. Power doesn't come overnight. We've all worked hard to get to this point. All I'm saying is take a beat. Relax. Let's refocus and put this incident behind us. I know you don't want to. Neither do I, but it's the smartest way to go about this. Let everyone think we're okay. Let them think we've forgotten." Them as in the Yashvardhans. Mrs. Carlisle was a poor pawn used in Amrita's game; one that left everyone's relations a little more fractured. "Someone will pay. We just need time. Sometimes waiting is the best plan of action." He nodded at his own words. Sometimes it was crazy how confident he sounded when any action required high stakes. They were dangerous, but so were those that he demanded retribution from. "Listen to me... Make amends. it'll serve you better in the long run to be the benevolent one."

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

mrs-s-carlisle‌:

Sofia hadn’t even thought to check if the phone was still in the house, having assumed that Ben never would have left without it. But he had been in such a rush to get out, she hadn’t watched him leave but she was sure he had just headed for the door, that if it wasn’t in his coat pocket there was a possibility it wasn’t with him right now. “I don’t know,” She answered honestly, annoyed that she hadn’t thought of that herself before calling Leo over and dragging him into all of this mess, “I just assumed that it had been on him, he had just came in from work and then he left again, but I guess it’s possible that it’s still here.” She didn’t know whether that was a relief or not. After all, even if his phone was here he could still be in danger…or just really making it known that he didn’t want any contact with her. She pulled her nails into her mouth as she listened to the other man’s phone call, assuming just this once it wouldn’t be considered too rude to eavesdrop, and forced herself to be hopeful. Jaxon. Jaxon might at least have some answers. “I know,” She nodded, not staying positive for very long before she said, “But there’s a reason he has a bodyguard Leo. What if something happened that Jax just couldn’t handle?” She had no idea that he hadn’t wanted to say that out loud as she spoke about where the deepest darkest parts of her mind travelled.

She didn’t want to talk about the party anymore, having rehashed the whole incident more than enough times with more than enough people. The latest being her fight last night. She was still sorry for what had happened, but she couldn’t focus on that when it was the person she cared most about who was missing. How ironic, it seemed as though the universe had a sick sense of humour - or perhaps that’s just what karma was. She shook her head, trying to find a way to tell Leo that hadn’t been it. Sure the Holi party had been the explosion’s catalyst, but clearly the fuel had been mounting up for much longer than she had been aware. “That wasn’t-…He-,” She stuttered over herself as she attempted to find a way passed her own road blocks, trying to explain. “Ben doesn’t want to have children!” It didn’t come out as she’d intended, not meaning to shout or be so harsh, but it had just exploded out of her. She cleared her throat, once again reminding herself to stay in control before elaborating, “He don’t want us to have kids anymore. I think the Holi party and what Amrita said opened his eyes to how he really feels about it. And me. That’s what our fight was really about. And of course all the stuff that spiralled from it.”

"If I didn't want to be found, I'd take my phone and chuck it in the closest body of water." He didn't know what else he could tell Sofia that wouldn't have her worrying about her husband's well being. While he wished he could just assure her that Ben was fine, Leo needed to also make sure he was being realistic in their search. "Look, let's just give it a couple of hours. Maybe he'll call." He texted Easton to check credit card statements. If Ben had left his phone behind, Leo hoped he'd be careless enough to use his credit card. Anything that left some sort of digital footprint somewhere. Walking out over an argument like that was completely irresponsible and immature of the mayor, but Leo knew better than anyone that keeping your emotions in check in their business was a hard task. Benjamin wasn't exactly a season professional like the rest of them.

Leo had assumed that the fight had been over the events that occurred at the Holi party. The blurted out confession made him feel as though he was overstepping some kind of boundary. It was a topic that everyone was aware of, the Carlisles having wanted a child for so long now. Leonardo had been the one to approach Ben with the offer and there would always be a part of him that worried whether asking Benjamin to swim in such dangerous waters was worth it. When everyone was blaming him about how awful their lives were, would Ben turn around and hate him too? He let the thought fade into the darkness of his subconscious. This wasn't about him. Ben was still nowhere to be found and Sofia was worried.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Did he say why?" There was Leo again, attempting to be the middleman. He was doing his best to make sense of both husband and wife as he navigated the tense atmosphere and Sofia's tumultuous state. "I understand..." he began tentatively, "His reasoning. Our lives aren't really meant for the joys of parenthood. Easton got lucky, but at the same time..." Leo shook his head, looking out one of the windows as he tried to figure out just what he was trying to say. "You saw what happened." That was explanation enough.

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

rosalievillarreal‌:

As soon as Leo confirmed where Rosalie was he was filled with a dread. He knew that place all too well, but most of his memories from his day’s there were blurred, he knew the type of people that hung out there and the type of business that people got up too. He wished that he had spoken to Leo about her, he knew that she had spoken to Leo herself and she had spoken to him but he imagined that she had tried to brush of her worries with their brother the same way she had tried to do with him and maybe if they had planned an intervention, both sat down and spoken to her they could have done something more about it. The ride to the club was tense and he could feel every part of his body as his eyes stayed fixed to the road in front of them. Easton didn’t want to go, he didn’t want to step foot in a place like that because every part of the place was going to be filled with temptation but Leo had called him and he’d go anywhere for his siblings - either one of them. Letting the door shut behind him Easton took a large breath, his chest tight as he nodded in Leo’s direction, a dark gaze meeting and matching his own as they made their way into the club. He was a beat behind Leo and it was only the angry words and the way his brother came to a halt in front of him that cause his attention and his own body was suddenly as rigid as the elder Villarreals. “Get your hands the fuck off of her right now.” Easton warned, the way the other males hands were all over his sister enough to drown out anything else that was threatening to take his attention away from the matter at hand. 

@rosalievillarreal​

“You guys look like my brothers.” The girl said, not bothering to really look at the pair after an initial glance because she was almost sure neither of them would set foot inside this place. Her companion urged her forward a few more steps, dragging her right along with him. She laughed, trying to tell him to slow down, but it seemed he was preoccupied with something behind them. The shorter girl’s head rotated, and she let go of her things to move her hair out of her eyes to try and deduce just what he was so worried about.

Rosalie’s giggles faded into a more panicked sound as she heard her brothers’ voice ring out around her. She blinked, actually bringing a hand up to rub at her eyes before realizing that this wasn’t some figment her mind had cooked up. Both her brothers were standing here in front of her, and between the unsteady steps and bloodshot hues, there was no where to hide. Her hues bounced between the two men as the grip on her arm tightened a fraction. Rosalie gulped, tying to figure out anything that would make this situation any better, but it was all that she could do to stand atop of her precariously high heels as she was shoved forward towards the two.

 Rosalie wound up against Leo’s chest as the man fled, head awkwardly recoiling some because her lack of awareness. She felt her stomach lurch and couldn’t help but heave as she gripped at her abdomen and her head. “-You-aren’t supposed to be here.” Rosalie whispered, cringing as her shaking hands tried to leave her body but found themselves unable to. The shove had left her more disoriented before, and now the symptoms of her high were becoming more unbearable by the second.

@leonxrdovillarreal​

Leonardo wasn't sure what emotion to feel in that moment. Was it anger? Disappointment? Whatever it was, he didn't really have much time to think as Rosalie began to retch. His grip tightened, securing his sister in his hold. "Take her for a second. Get her outside." His words were directed at Easton as he made sure their sister was safely in his brother's arms. Without thinking, he jolted after the stranger. The guy was almost out of the club, but Leo caught up with him before he could disappear into the crowd.

His fist tightened on the collar of his jacket, shoving the man against the wall of the club. "What did you give her?!" The creep was flustered and scared, the tone in Leo's voice catching him off guard. "What did you give her?!" he repeated, his enraged voice this time booming over the music. "Nothing! Nothing, I swear!" Leo's eyes narrowed at him, not believing him for a second. "Don't you fucking lie to me," he was seething, "Tell me what you gave her!" The fear that permeated his captive's eyes had him confessing in seconds. "I swear I didn't give her anything! Just a drink. She was taking some pills earlier though! I swear I wasn't the one to give them to her man. Just let me go. I swear I'm telling the truth!" Leo let him go abruptly without another word. As the man scurried away, Leo also made his way back to his siblings though now he was more infuriated, more confused than before.

He met up with them, his gaze averting Rosalie as he spoke with Easton. "Pills." And alcohol, that much was obvious. But Easton must have known all that already... He didn’t need to go chasing after the other man to know that. Maybe Leo just wanted to believe that whatever Rosalie had ingested had been the other’s fault, slipping something into her drink. It was his worst nightmare to find out that she had been taking it all willingly. "Let's just get her home. Let her sleep this off. We can all talk in the morning." He ran a hand over his face as if the move would wipe the exhaustion and stress from his mind.

@eastonvillarreal​

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

xjhanvis‌:

A tiny smirk was on her lips at his words, because while he said it so confidently, both of them knew that the caramel cake would help in the rather tumultuous waves this meeting had gotten swept up in. “The coffee,” she repeated, taking another sip of the bitter goodness before she placed it back down and watch as the cake was placed in front of both of them.

While normally Jhanvi hating letting others pay for her, this was an exception. Not only had Leo called for this meeting, but given the topic of conversation they’d just had–she figured arguing with him pointlessly wasn’t going to help anyone at this point. Instead she watched as he handled the payment before turning his brown hues on her once more. She nodded before taking one of the spoons that had been laid out on her side. But she didn’t dig into it instantly, her expression entirely passive while her thoughts ran from one tangent to the next.

But her thoughts weren’t the best place to be right now and so she decided to follow suit and dug into the dessert, her eyes closing for a second, relishing in the burst of indulgent flavours she could taste on her palette. “It’s fantastic,” she agreed with his praise. Her tongue darted out, sweeping up the little spot of caramel that had remained on her lips from her bite. She nodded at his acknowledgement of the apology before giving him a shrug. “Things are good, running smoothly as always. What about for you? How’s everything with work been going?” 

Leo didn't know why he was doing it, but he found himself licking his lips and relishing the sweetness from their shared dessert. Maybe he just wanted to make this meeting a little more tortuous for the woman seated across from him. It didn't help that he noticed her doing the exact same thing. "Work is fine," the man shrugged in response. He was talking about his work as if he had some normal 9 to 5 job, but they both knew that Hitman was far from your average line of work. Neither of their professions were what one would call average. The check returned and Leonardo signed off the receipt, making sure to leave a generous tip for their server. "I'm glad we both could leave here in a cordial manner Jhanvi. You know how I hate it when we all jump at each other's throats."

He gestured towards the last bite of their dessert, offering it up to Jhanvi Yashvardhan. Leo was satisfied with the way things had turned out. It definitely felt as thought he had tied up that loose end. Knowing that Easton and Jhanvi weren’t currently involved certainly crossed one thing off his long laundry list of concerns. "Unfortunately, I've got to get going. I have a very important phone call scheduled with a judge in twenty minutes and need to get back to the office. Some people just don't learn." He took one last drink from his water glass before standing, smoothing out his fitted suit. "This was lovely. I'll see you soon."  

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

rosalievillarreal‌:

Rosalie hadn’t meant to get this out of hand. She’d probably scared the life out of Leo a few days ago and had been doing her best to tone things down, but temptation was an ugly thing. She’d down a few pills at the hands of a friend before moving on to copious amount of alcohol. The world around her spun vigorously, trapping her to the confines as a booth. She was tripping hard, and she wasn’t too sure she could manage to stand up. Finding her phone, she sent a very illiterate text with her location to…who had she sent it to? She couldn’t be bothered to check, tossing her phone into the back of the booth before laying down next to it. Her eyes fell shut, and the urge to sleep began to win out. Rosalie dozed off, oblivious to the blaring music and flashing lights. She woke up to someone nudging her knee and holding out a drink. The petite girl sat up slowly, pouting a bit about the fact she’d been woken up before looking at the drink with minor interest. “Just finish it and we can go.” Rosalie nodded obediently, grabbing for the glass and finishing its contents within moments. With the help of her new male friend, Rosalie was up on her feet and heading towards the door. Boy, did she need a bed. She thought internally before a familiar face came into view just coming in the doorway. “Hey, I know youuu. Bye noww.” Her syllables dragging together as she grinned though she was being tugged away.

There was a feeling of dread as Leo drove to the address Rosa had texted him. It was familiar. He had been there before. There were no party spots hidden from him in Kingston. The city was his home after all. There were no locations or corners of this city and its six boroughs that were veiled from him. However, the knowledge that Rosalie was in a place like that after hearing from his brother that she was acting strange worried him. That in addition to the emotional conversation they had only twisted the knife in his core.

He parked the car on the street before the establishment, getting out of the driver's seat with trepidation. As he heard the passenger door close shut, Leo looked up to make eye contact with his brother. They had been through hell the last couple of weeks, but they were still here, still standing. Their locked gaze told Leo that whatever this was, they were going to get through it because they still had each other. He still hoped and prayed that this was nothing. "Let's go."

As he entered the building, he felt his brother beside him, a comfort that he couldn't begin to describe. That comfort left just as quickly as it came. The sight that met him forced the oxygen out of his lungs. "HEY!" His voice boomed, the music thankfully drowning out his voice to those in the general vicinity. His hand reached out to grab the strange man by the arm. "Where the fuck do you think you're going with my sister?"

@eastonvillarreal​

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

TEXT: Easton

Easton: She didn't seem herself the last time I spoke to her if I'm being honest. She was sad.

Easton: Yea I'll just let Mrs Jones know and see if she can watch Luna and then I'll be over.

Leonardo: Thanks. I hope I'm just overreacting, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'll see you soon.

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

islahadland‌:

It wasn’t until he had looked at her that she had actually realized there was a chance that this plan could backfire on her - after all the male could have been enjoying the younger girls attention or he might have become even more annoyed that there was now a second person he had to try and be nice to but watching his face she realized, with a small sigh of relief to herself that the male had figured out what she was doing and was going to play along. For a second she felt a small tinge of guilt as the girl clearly looked disappointed at her entrance but she shook it off, it was only going to have ended worse for her when she hadn’t gotten anywhere anyway, at least this way it wasn’t that the girl had to see herself as not good enough, just not quick enough. Rouge lips turned into a bright smile as she felt his press to her cheek and she didn’t find it to hard to slip into the role of adoring date as she gazed up at him. “Not worried I wouldn’t show I hope - you know I always come when you ask.” The blonde might have been trying to be helpful but she was also more than one class of wine in and her choice of words had her smirking. As the male turned his full attention to her she returned the favor, her eyes locking onto him. “Why hello.” She answered quietly. “This is the part where I’m supposed to be independent and strong and advise I can buy me own drink right?” She quizzed, a brow raising. “I think it is, but instead I’m just going to be smart and let you get me the free drink. Wine please, probably not a great idea to mix. I’m Isla.” Her last words were whispered for his ear’s only.  

Leo heard shifting behind him followed by the sound of heels clicking away. It was a relief to know that his unwanted visitor had finally decided to leave him be. It only meant that he could give his complete and undivided attention to the blonde who had saved him from spending another minute with that other woman. "I'd rather you let me buy a drink so I can spend a few more minutes with the woman who saved me from dying of sheer boredom." Leonardo raised one hand towards the bartender behind the counter, ordering the woman a glass of wine. "Leonardo," he introduced before quickly deciding to make conversation. "Do you do this often?" he mused, his lips quirking up in amusement at what had just occurred. "You know... Walking into bars and saving men from boring and unpleasant company? It's actually completely genius and I think I'll have to try it the next time I wander into a bar." This woman was resourceful if anything. Not only was he completely intrigued by her, but she also got a free drink out of the exchange and their time together had only begun. Who knew where this conversation was going to lead them. Somewhere dangerous he hoped. Leonardo was dying to have some fun, but with the right partner of course. He was very selective about who he shared his time and energy with. “What is it that you do when you’re not being charming your way into the hearts of unsuspecting victims such as myself?” he joked, bringing his drink to his parted lips once more. 

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

xjhanvis‌:

Jhanvi’s dark eyes flashed when she heard Leo mention Luna—she knew where he was going with that and was quite surprised the topic hadn’t really surfaced during this meeting yet. But then again, Leo clearly had other more important things to talk about. Still, she kept her lips pressed together in a tight line as he continued, aware that while he may not care for her opinion on the matter, she was in agreement with the rest of the council on what her mother had done even if she wouldn’t publicly announce it. Still, she supposed that it could’ve gone horribly worse with Leo declaring war on her family, and all hell would’ve broken loose. No, this was safer for everyone involved and she should stay quiet.

Leo was right though, she did know what was right in this whole scenario with Easton and so while their last conversation hadn’t gotten so well—she’d only gone over there to call the whole thing off anyways. Mixing whatever it was they were indulging in with the reality of their life—it was bound to end badly. Still, she hated that Leo was right and that she’d actually have to admit to it, and apologize for what she’d said before about him choosing to ask her to all it off because she was a woman. Given what she knew of the Villarreal family, she knew they didn’t regard women in that way.

Jhanvi was about to retort to the comment he made about adding some sweetness when the server appeared and she caught his Leo’s grin at her and couldn’t help the smile that had managed to find its way onto her lips. He could not have timed that better and she was amused even if she wouldn’t say so. When the server left with their order, she managed to speak once more. “So this caramel cake, meant to add some sweetness to the bitterness of the coffee or my company?” Without missing a beat she continued. “And I’m sorry for what I said before, about you treating women differently, it was uncalled for.”

Leo had many plans running through his head. He could see each one playing out, tormenting those who had crossed him. Hurting a Villarreal meant hurting one of his own and that wasn't something he took lying down. And yet, he knew it wasn't time. Luna was safe. Easton was stable. Things were slowly, but surely simmering down. Wasting a perfectly good attack on something that didn't warrant one seemed premature. Holding the information he had on the family close to his chest was the smartest plan of action at this point in time.

"Your coffee of course." Or was it? The dessert was placed between them along with the check. Leo stopped the server, reaching into the lining of his coat pocket to grab his wallet. Only when the credit card was secured in the slim black folder did he return his attentions back to the Yashvardhan woman and their singular dessert. "Bon Appétit." He picked up one of the two dainty spoons placed on the outer edges of the dish before digging, scooping up the baked sweetness and the vanilla ice cream the melted slowly atop it. Leo delighted in the taste of the cake, his favorite treat to order at the restaurant. He let the spoon drags slowly between his lips, "Exquisite, isn't it?"

He hummed with a nod, pleased with her apology. Even he couldn't have predicted that it would come so soon from the woman before him. "I appreciate that. Thank you, Jhanvi. How are things in Gold Crest these days?" He continued taking small bites from the cake between them, their meeting seeming to be ending on a much sweeter note than he had been anticipating.

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

TEXT: Easton

Easton: No I haven't heard from her at all today actually why?

Easton: Should I be worried?

Leonardo: We had a heart to heart the other day so I don’t know. I’m just a little worried because of the timing.

Leonardo: She sent me an address. If you want to meet up at my place we can check it out together?

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

TEXT: Easton

Leonardo: Hey... Have you heard from Rosa? I just got an odd text from her and she hasn't been responding to my calls or messages since.

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

ofwestons‌:

Weston’s eyes were studying the older male before him, though Leo seemed to be skimming through the files he had bought yet there was another sense of unease that the usually self-assured male agitated. If the raven-haired Maddox was being frank, it almost seemed as if the Villarreal was out of tune than his normal demeanor. Eyes flickering around quickly, not quite focused on the information laid before him, that it was jarring for Weston who’d only ever seen the other man as calm and collected. After several moments, Leo seemed to be pleased with that information he was able to gather, though Weston had only just begun his digging. After all, uncovering every deeply buried dirt and details was something he was exceptionally skilled at. “Some of my men are keeping an eye on his associates as well, we’ll find everything he’s hiding.” The raven-haired male assured him.  He opened his mouth once more to speak but stopped when older male began ordering his bodyguard out of the room and for a moment he also looked as if he appeared to be demanding Weston to do the same. Until his command came to sit, the raven-haired male didn’t bother retorting but it wasn’t like he was in any position to refuse either. Raising an eyebrow at him mildly, he walked over to seat he was gesturing to from where he’d be standing.

Weston wasn’t quite sure what to expect, he thought made another problem presented itself and something Leo wanted to keep between them. The older male’s demeanor changed completely now, appearing to be on the verge of losing it, but mostly the glare he was giving the Maddox that had him puzzled. Though, did he didn’t have to wait very long as he was now receiving what could be described, a verbal lashing from the Villarreal leader. The words itself didn’t faze Weston much, his expression as blank as it had been before but his eyes had hardened slightly. The two men had their small disagreements throughout their professional relationship but this had to be the first time the other male spoke to him in such a manner and moreover appeared to be berating him. Hazel pools fixed on the older male, he was listening of course but his mind was already working in several different directions. The only thing that really surprised Weston, was the knowledge of his involvement with Jhanvi. The two had been careful but he supposed a man like Leo could never be too cautious. It was somewhat amused for Weston to think that Leo and several others thought he strutted around like he believed himself to be some sort of chick magnet when really that hadn’t been the case. People assumed as much by one glance at Weston when they weren’t intimidated by him, he just never bothered to set them straight. The only comment he didn’t quite like was Leo’s insinuation that he wasn’t doing his job well because that was the one aspect of his life he had devoted his entire life into. Although, it would be unfair to lay the blame on Leo entirely, as Weston did realize anyone else could easily know who he was fooling around with. Past or present, Weston did understand Leo’s concern to a certain extent.

He let the other male finish speaking, letting him say what he wanted still watching him eerily until the other male went silent, no doubt expecting a ‘yes, sir’ or something along the lines of that. Well, Leo would be disappointed in his next response, but then again Weston never really cared about what others thought of him. Weston excelled at his job and never gave the other family members a chance to complain, kept his interactions with almost everyone to a business level, save for a few exceptions. But he would be damned if let the other male believe that Weston was anything less than skilled with his work. “Congratulations.” He responded without missing a beat on his reference to Weston and Jhanvi, though the other male had no clue it was a casual thing, again he wouldn’t delve too far into Leo’s concerns with Weston’s personal life. “Busy people like Veer and Amrita have more pressing things to worry about than who their daughter is fucking. Emery is a done chapter, and I’ll admit the festival was a momentary lapse in judgment that will not happen again.” Hazel eyes met the Villarreal dark ones, as Weston continued speaking. “I respect you, that much should be clear but don’t you dare accuse me of slacking on my job. When we both know I’ve done nothing but held up my end of the bargain since the day you hired me. You’re tense with what happened with Luna, understandably you want to be cautious but I’m the last person you need to be worrying about right now. If I wasn’t doing my job, you wouldn’t keep me around as long as you have.” Unlike Leo, his words were delivered in a more tranquil manner, because he really wasn’t looking to pick a fight with the male. Especially, since Leo and his family already had another stressful situation looming over them thanks to the Yashvardhan mother. Still, Weston couldn’t stop the nagging feeling of wondering why Leo seemed to be interested in his personal life. He’d told Leo of his past with Emery as a sign that it would remain in the past and not disrupt the piece Leo was trying achieve but somehow the other male was just as quick to keep reminding him for some unknown reason.

“I don’t appreciate the attitude.” Keeping people’s secrets for free was not in his nature. He usually charged a handsome fee for making sure things stayed under wraps. However, the Weston and his family had done a great deal upon arriving in Kingston and keeping his mouth shut was a sign of good faith. Had it been anyone else who spoke to him in such a tone, Leo wouldn’t have thought twice before taking action.

He was hoping Weston would show an ounce of regret, sober up even slightly. No such luck. "Your actions have consequences Weston. Being careless doesn't award you anything." When the Maddox family decided to stick around, Leonardo had to admit, he was apprehensive. It wasn't exactly a part of the original plan, but their services were priceless, all the families enjoying the luxury of keeping their hands clean while the Maddox men did the dirty work. Hard work for which they were paid handsomely well of course. He couldn't stop the guffaw of a laugh at Weston's claim. Oh if he only knew. Did Weston understand the modesty and restraint of the people he dealt with at all? Leonardo was no expert, but getting through to the older generations of the Kobayashi and Yashvardhan dynasties meant understanding the values and disciplines by which they operated. He supposed it wasn't entirely Weston's fault, but internally Leo was rolling his eyes and groaning, 'White people...' "I'd like to see you say that to Amrita's face. Maybe suggest it to Jhanvi, see how she feels about it."  

"No one is accusing you of slacking, but I am reminding you that even no strings attached arrangements can create giant messes. I'm asking that you keep your head down and focus on your work. There's a difference." Is this what Weston's uncle was teaching him? He frowned, his lips pressed into a thin line. "I have way too much on my plate. Mind my advice. Don't mind it. It's your life." Unfortunately, they were all so terribly intertwined that one person's transgressions could have a massive ripple effect throughout the five families. He had asked him long ago if his being around Emery was going to be a problem and Weston had assured him that it would. It would seem that those promises were beginning to fade into the past. 

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

islahadland‌:

@leonxrdovillarreal

Isla had spent more time at the local bar’s of Kingston that she liked to admit since she had been on leave. It was like she had been given an ounce of freedom and she couldn’t stop now that she had started to let herself loose a little. It wasn’t like she had gone wild but there had been far to much wine consumed over the past few weeks. Finding herself in another bar, this time the Nightshade Lounge of Summervale, she had to say it was one of the fancier places she had been so far - but there was very little entertainment. From across the bar she found her only source of entertainment for the night, a rather pathetic young looking woman trying to keep the attention of a man who clearly wasn’t bothered, in fact she wasn’t sure the woman had ever captured his attention in the first place and the longer she watched, the most desperate it was becoming. From the look on the males face he was trying to be polite, but the other party at the table just wasn’t getting the message. Knocking back the rest of her wine Isla slipped herself from her bar stool before making her way over to the pair, sliding herself directly in front of the male  slipping an arm around him. “Sorry I’m late, I was caught up in picking out heels.” She beamed up at the stranger before she turned to the girl stood looking at her with a look of confusion. “Thanks for keeping my date company but I have it from here.” She announced loudly as she turned her gaze back to the male her arms were wrapped around. 

The whiskey in his hands was the only the distracting him from the incessant manner in which his unwanted company was speaking. She was way too young for him and Leonardo was beginning to wonder if she was even legal. He bit his tongue lightly in his mouth, willing himself to not bite back rudely with some snarky comment about needing to see some ID.  He was one more shrill laugh away from giving up his gentlemanly behavior and telling her he was frankly not interested, nor would he ever be when he felt arms sliding around his sculpted torso. He turned in mild shock to see who it could be, realizing immediately that he had no idea who this blonde woman was. He also noted the knowing look in her eyes that clearly stated play along. He reached up to cover a hand with his own, turning his head to lace a quick peck on the side of her head. "Don't worry about it sweetheart. I was just about to call you. I was getting worried." The look on the young woman's face was so priceless, he wished he could have laughed, instead keeping a straight face as he looked apologetically towards her. "Thanks for keeping me company." He turned his back on her, giving the intriguing woman his complete attention. "Hi," he breathed, his smooth voice just loud enough that she could hear. His charming smile had returned as he addressed her. "Can I buy you a drink?"

[leonxrdovillarreal-blog]

mrs-s-carlisle‌:

Sofia didn’t want to admit that Leo might be right. Maybe there was no grave danger at all, perhaps her husband had just decided that he needed to spend a few days away from it all and gotten himself a hotel room before turning off his phone. However, that would not only mean that she’d created an emergency for nothing more than Ben needing some time off, but more importantly the things that he needed away from would all root back to her. What happily married woman wanted to know that she had driven her husband so far away that he was ignoring calls from their closest friend. Certainly not Sofia Carlisle.

What she wanted even less was to tell the man in front of her, or anybody that wasn’t involved, just what that fight had been about. She hadn’t gotten time to process the argument yet, her head fuzzy between the anger of the night before and the panic that had her biting her nails all morning. She wasn’t sure she ever wanted anybody to know the things that had been said between them, but certainly not before she’d come to terms with them herself. Unfortunately, now was not the time for her own personal wishes. If Ben really was in trouble and she had any slice of information that could help him it was her duty as the woman who loved him to share it. She nodded, slightly reassured that her friend wasn’t about to churn the harsh words around in the rumour mill, before she admitted, “It started about the Holi party…about Luna. And somehow it turned into being about…Esme. That was-…that was what we were going to call her. I don’t even know what happened but he said things and I said things and then I just let him go Leo.” Her voice was so thick with guilt, sorry that she had ever let him walk out the door without his right mind, that she had to swallow back some more tears. Now wasn’t the right time for emotions, she could have her reaction when she knew that he was safe and sound…or at least when he was found.

Leo called Benjamin's phone once again, but the same unending dial tone played followed by the sound of his voicemail. "Did he even take his phone with him?" he asked, exasperated that he was still getting nowhere in terms of getting into contact with Ben. If he could just know that the man was okay... He swiped through his contacts, calling Easton instead. "Hola... I need a favor. Can you track Benjamin Carlisle's cellphone? And Jaxon's as well while you're at it. No, he still hasn't shown up... Gracias." He hung up, turning back to Sofia with a heavy sigh. "Hopefully, this will give us some results. Jaxon's good at his job. He'd never leave Ben's side." Hopefully, Ben wasn't getting too smart. While evading his head of security wasn't an easy task, it wasn't impossible. A morbid thought crossed his mind, Jaxon wasn't answering and Ben was missing. Who was to say Jaxon wasn't the one floating in the Hudson, Benjamin being held hostage somewhere. But who would do such a thing? The lack of suspects allowed him to push the alternative aside.

He could hear how terrible she felt about the entire interaction and he could see how Ben would be upset. It was an odd feeling being stuck in the middle. He was trying to formulate some sort of response that remained neutral, all the while guilt slowly creeping up on him that it was their family who had inadvertently caused the issues. "That damn party..." he muttered, "Can't we enjoy one thing without our business ruining it?" When was the last time Leonardo attended a society event without someone bombarding him with some issue pertaining to arrangements with the other families? The complications that Amrita had created with her antics had a lasting ripple effect that he was sure even she couldn't have predicted. Or maybe she did. Maybe she was hoping everyone would break.

"What happened at the party... It was careless, but it could have happened to anyone. Unfortunately, this time it was you. Amrita would have taken her if she was with anyone else." It wasn't complete forgiveness, but rather understanding.