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Post by JULIANNA KRAVEC on Oct 27, 2013 14:38:53 GMT -8
| she's hell on heels That girl, she's a loaded gun Gonna take 'em out take 'em one by one She knows when she's dressed to kill She'll put a bullet in your heart just to feel the thrill She walks like she's walkin' on water She moves like the boss's daughter She rides like a '67 Chevy In her drop top red and white and blue Cuz she's hell on heels And she turns my wheels With her devil smile and her angel eyes She got me all hypnotized And she's hell on heels Lunch breaks lead to drinks in cheap hotels I’m just another guy she’d burn inside her She wanted so much to get rid of Daddy’s goons. It had worked, of course—well she only had one goon to ditch—but now it didn’t seem like such a good idea. It had been such a brilliant plan, as well. Expensive maybe, but brilliant! In a way. The only reason why she liked to ditch them was because she knew they reported everything back to Daddy. Though she enjoyed the protection, she liked her privacy—even if it was only for a few hours a day that she went “missing.”
This plan would have given her most of the day!
Julianna had paid another girl that looked similar to her to trade clothes and have her go hang out with the Henchman of the Day. She’d gone for it, too! Julianna didn’t even have to do any negotiating. Just give her the check for a couple hundos and then bam. She was getting in the car and driving off. Hopefully she wouldn’t get the poor girl into any trouble.
Ah well. At least she was free.
Or rather, had been free.
Unfortunately she had only gotten to a couple more stores to shop on her own before she was being harassed. Of course. The irony ran deep here. Julianna slapped away a groping hand and sniffed in contempt. “Keep your grubby mitts off me or I’ll have your head,” she threated, standing tall. There were three of them in total. They didn’t look like big thugs, just a couple of regular guys who thought they’d harass the pretty lady they saw in a commercial on their television. Secretly Julianna loved the attention, but she also wished she had her goon back.
They seemed to like how feisty she was. Well that was fine. They could keep digging themselves a deeper grave. She had their faces, and when she got out of this—which she would, undoubtedly—then all she had to do was say a few little words, tell them where she found them, and then just wait for the news to find a couple of bodies in the river.
Hmph. That’d show them.
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Post by DOMINIC R. MARSTEN on Nov 22, 2013 12:05:44 GMT -8
So much for a day off.
Dominic suppressed an irritated sigh as he snuffed his cigarette out against a brick wall, smoke billowing in gentle lines from the tip before he dumped the thing in a nearby trash can and pressed forward. Sunlight bounced off his glasses, obscuring his eyes with fierce rays of light, but his brow was furrowed and his jaw was tight, which were more than adequate hints that he wasn’t in the best of moods. By the time he entered the store, it was no better. It was stupid to get involved with someone else’s business. He had learned that a long time ago, and in some ways it was extremely important to the Society that he remain discreet in everything he did. For once, however, it seemed as if he couldn’t live up to the streak of indifference he usually displayed out in public. Honestly, he couldn’t tell what it was, but he nonetheless walked up behind one of the men harassing the young lady, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and tugged him away hard enough to throw the idiot into a nearby clothing rack. He supposed he was more pissed with the store owner than he was with the young men, because if anybody around here wasn’t doing their job and keeping customers from being harassed, it was the person that owned the shop.
“I believe the lady said to keep your hands off,” Dominic said impatiently as the remaining two stepped back. Dominic was reasonably more fit than they were to say the least, but what really made them back off was the venomous look in his eye. He was not amused either to hear a plethora of swears spill from the mouth of the first one, and even snapped at him to watch his mouth. Dominic did not like nasty language. It almost looked as if there might actually be a fight in the middle of the store because of it, but Dominic was unreasonably calm about what was unfolding. The first young man shot to his feet as gracefully has he possibly could—difficult to do when you were drowned in clothes—but when the kid’s hand shot forward, Dominic grabbed his wrist and twisted, reaching forward with his other hand to fist a section of his shirt and draw him forward. “I would advise,” Dominic said, dropping his voice to a dangerous whisper, “that you do not pursue this course of action.”
And maybe that was enough. There was something in his voice that when he released the kid, it ended any possibility of a fight. The young man stood there rubbing the pain out of his wrist, face red with embarrassment and rage, but he didn’t step forward again. It helped that the owner had finally taken interest as well and demanded that they all cut it out, but it was too late to do anything about what had already happened. The damage was done, and the boys would leave her alone. Dominic slid his gaze toward her, almost growling out the words, “Three in one day. I cannot fathom what you did to draw so much attention to yourself. Or how you're going to stop it from happening again.”
Words!: 534 Tag!: Open Date!: May 11th
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Post by JULIANNA KRAVEC on Nov 22, 2013 12:17:34 GMT -8
| she's hell on heels That girl, she's a loaded gun Gonna take 'em out take 'em one by one She knows when she's dressed to kill She'll put a bullet in your heart just to feel the thrill She walks like she's walkin' on water She moves like the boss's daughter She rides like a '67 Chevy In her drop top red and white and blue Cuz she's hell on heels And she turns my wheels With her devil smile and her angel eyes She got me all hypnotized And she's hell on heels Lunch breaks lead to drinks in cheap hotels I’m just another guy she’d burn inside her Where was her rape whistle? Oh wait she didn’t have one. Where was an employee? Oh wait, they barely had enough. Well whatever. This was her fault for ditching her body guard. She’d just have to deal with the consequences and fight for herself. Ha. Fight for herself. That entailed kicking them where the sun don’t shine, maybe stepping on some toes, and perhaps the mace hidden in her purse to top it all off. . . . She’d never bothered with real self-defense classes but Daddy made sure she at least could handle herself a little bit should something like this happen.
But it didn’t come to that. A very nice person popped up out of nowhere and freed her from dirtying her own hands. All the better, really. A proper woman like herself shouldn’t be dealing with ruffians. It was unbecoming, and if a potential employer caught wind, it could be bad for her. Maybe good—probably good—but also possibly bad.
At first Julianna imagined that Goon of the Day had found her and come to her rescue using some sort of bodyguard sixth-sense, but nope. She didn’t recognize this man. Not at all. She watched with mute fascination as he dealt with them swiftly and with minimal casualties. He sure talked more than her bodyguards usually did, but that because some of them didn’t speak very good English. Well, that was an improvement.
Once they ran off, Julianna straightened out her jacket and smiled politely at the her savior. She probably could have dealt with it herself, but why deal with someone when someone else can do it for you?
“I’m just talented,” she crooned, watching the three men dash out of the store. Julianna was a petty woman, though, and she’d probably still ask super nicely for her dad to go teach them an even better lesson than this man had. Yes, petty indeed. “I’m afraid that it’ll become even more frequent however, the more famous I become! I’m an actress, you see—well, I’m going to be an actress!”
She eyed the man for a little bit. She didn’t know if he was the type, but he seemed like he could handle himself and she needed a replacement for Goon of the Day. . . . Well, money could buy you anything! “How would you like to escort me around on my errands? I can pay you handsomely, of course,” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes for good measure.
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Post by DOMINIC R. MARSTEN on Nov 22, 2013 13:20:17 GMT -8
“Clearly,” Dominic muttered under his breath after she admitted she had a talent for attracting trouble. He swept his arms over his sleeves as if to dust off the brief contact he’d had with the idiots that were harassing her. The situation was only made worse by the fact that she seemed to be a rising actress—or at the very least a young woman determined to make a bigger name for herself in the future. That would, of course, inevitably attract more attention and with it, more trouble. Dominic reached up and pressed a few fingers to his temple, more or less only half listening until she finally dropped the real bomb on him. Escort her? It was supposed to be his day off. However, she did mention money. Lucky for her he was already in this sort of business, and though his brow rose at the very suggestion, he responded coolly enough. “My going rate is high,” he said, unfazed by the innocent-eye-fluttering technique. He had long since learned his way around minor wiles like that one. “But fair enough. I’ll take the job.” It was the first time he was literally hired on the spot, but as a former marine turned Impedio Society Hunter, Dominic was more than capable of protecting her. He would never openly admit it but at that very moment he carried enough weapons on him to get himself arrested—because only one or two he had an actual license for.
“For today, anyway,” he added. “If this is going to be a thing with you, you might want to consider applying for actual bodyguard service so you don’t have to rely on one of us stepping in like this, just on the off-chance we might be nearby.” He lowered his hand back to his side and reached into his pocket. He had a business card from the service actually, but it really only listed the address of the building itself, not his name or any of his fellow workers. Dominic usually focused on the higher tier jobs—things that usually involved situations of life and death, so the likelihood of running into her again, short of her throwing a lot of money around, was small. But for today he could manage that much. She needed it anyway, if she was already tackling three nuisances this early in the day.
“You call and make an appointment, and if it helps, tell them Dominic Marsten sent you. They assign you guards based on what you’re looking for and give you a rate. I’ll help you out today, so you don’t have to worry about making an appointment right now, but it might be in your best interest to look into it for the future, Ms…?” He trailed, waiting for an introduction.
Words!: 000 Tag!: Open Date!: Month 0th 0000
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Post by JULIANNA KRAVEC on Nov 22, 2013 15:34:12 GMT -8
| she's hell on heels That girl, she's a loaded gun Gonna take 'em out take 'em one by one She knows when she's dressed to kill She'll put a bullet in your heart just to feel the thrill She walks like she's walkin' on water She moves like the boss's daughter She rides like a '67 Chevy In her drop top red and white and blue Cuz she's hell on heels And she turns my wheels With her devil smile and her angel eyes She got me all hypnotized And she's hell on heels Lunch breaks lead to drinks in cheap hotels I’m just another guy she’d burn inside her Julianna was convinced it was the butterfly lashes that made him take the job. Whether or not that was the case was moot. That was how it happened in her head so that was how it happened forever and ever. She smiled and clapped her hands together in victory, just one time, and allowed herself one delighted hop with matching squeak. A new bodyguard! Maybe just for the day but it was still good enough! And he didn't work for Daddy!
"Believe me darling I already have bodyguards. Your concern is adorable, though!" she giggled, taking all liberties and wrapping her arm around his. Unless he didn't like that and pulled away. But whatever she'd keep trying until he gave up. The goons always let her do it and she was used to getting what she wanted, even if it was something as petty as this.
Well. We already established how petty she is.
She waved her hand dismissively. "It's a long story and I won't bore you with the details. Suffice to say that I hired a doppleganger for the day and they could be anywhere right now. It most likely was a bad oversight on my part but I do what I can for a few free moments! Lucky me that a real bodyguard showed up! Maybe I give your company a call! After I see how well you work!" she giggled, pocketing the card he gave her. Daddy wouldn't like it when he found out she was paying another bodyguard service, but she needed to start becoming independent!
Of course that could wait until after she became a big star and didn't need to suckle on Daddy's bank account. Until then. . . well she still needed to be a little dependent. Maybe it was best not to make him think she could be on her own. For now.
"Kravec. Julianna Kravec. You can call me Julianna though. Or Jules! Whichever you prefer, darling. Just not Julie. That is old woman name," she said with a little roll of her eyes. She did so hate that nickname. She stopped her trek through the store to confirm his name. "You said your name is. . . Marsten, yes? Or is that just who I am to say sent me?"
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Post by DOMINIC R. MARSTEN on Nov 22, 2013 16:08:17 GMT -8
Oh dear god. She was dancing. Why was she dancing? Dominic tensed, but sighed a second later as she looped her arm through his, cocking a brow as she explained herself; he quickly determined that her personality fell under the categories of charismatic and energetic, bursting at the seams with too much vibrancy. She might as well be glowing at the thought that she had a brand new buttmonkey bodyguard to mess with, and Dominic had long since learned to recognize that familiar, almost playful, glint in her eye. He had probably volunteered to make his life hell for the rest of the day. “You can never show too much concern,” he growled after her initial comment, hiding that wariness. However, he did not miss the fact that she stated, plain as day, that she already had bodyguards. That was an interesting thing to admit. The way Dominic saw it, they were either incompetent morons or she had probably—yes. As she continued to explain, he cringed inwardly—she had ditched them. Dear god, he was babysitting a young woman that didn’t want to be guarded and specialized in being a trouble magnet.
“Ms. Kravec, then,” Dominic said, pausing as he reconsidered that name. Something about it tasted familiar on his tongue, but he couldn’t place it. He had other things to worry about anyway. “Marsten will be fine,” he confessed once they eventually came around to that part. He was used to people referring to him by his last name while he was on a job anyway. It made sense. It kept an air of professionalism. “Now, Ms. Kravec, I suggest we finish up here with whatever it was you were doing. If you have any personal belongings or bags, let’s gather them and move on. I believe this particular store owner may or may not be aggravated with our presence here, and I don’t think either of us would like to deal with the police today. I can,” he added tactfully, “but it would be ill advised.” Dominic flicked his gaze to her again, looking down to meet her eyes.
“One more thing,” he said. “If there is anything I need to know—any special circumstances—surrounding your identity or why someone might find it crucial to bother you, I should know about it.” She didn’t exactly have the “star” reputation of other actors and actresses either. That would take more time. So why would she need bodyguards now, when her career had barely taken off? Was there something else he was missing? He was certain that a piece of the puzzle didn’t fit. That she was keeping back important information that as her current self security manager, he should know. “I consider myself a patient man, Ms. Kravec, but given what has happened today I would suggest that you not attempt to abandon or trick me as you have your other guards, even if you are unwilling to tell me anything more about the subject.”
Words!: 000 Tag!: Open Date!: Month 0th 0000
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Post by JULIANNA KRAVEC on Nov 22, 2013 17:16:56 GMT -8
| she's hell on heels That girl, she's a loaded gun Gonna take 'em out take 'em one by one She knows when she's dressed to kill She'll put a bullet in your heart just to feel the thrill She walks like she's walkin' on water She moves like the boss's daughter She rides like a '67 Chevy In her drop top red and white and blue Cuz she's hell on heels And she turns my wheels With her devil smile and her angel eyes She got me all hypnotized And she's hell on heels Lunch breaks lead to drinks in cheap hotels I’m just another guy she’d burn inside her Julianna had to think about that a bit. She didn’t enjoy being called Ms. Kravec but she could deal. After all, he was probably just trying to remain professional. That was something she really ought to be working on as well. Her professionalism. Well there would be time for that later. Now she had to leave before cops showed up.
That would definitely make Daddy happy.
“I don’t know why we would be questioned by police. I have not pressed charges against the hooligans. It was not my fault,” she retorted. Though it sounded more like a pout than anything else. At least he was letting her hold on to him. Good boy. She didn’t have to fight for it like she had to when she first started doing it to Daddy’s henchmen. “But I would like to avoid that in any case. Far too troublesome than it is worth.”
She didn’t want to shop at this store anyway. The clothes were all last season. The only good thing about the store were its shoes, but they weren’t worth sticking around and perhaps talking to the cops. Not worth it at all.
His next question was terribly prying and it seemed as if she had stirred up some sort of thought process within the man. Daddy’s name was popular among other people in the business, and she was sure that if he was a body guard then he probably knew about it. Maybe even had to protect someone from him. Hopefully for him, though, or else this would get really awkward really fast. Julianna wasn’t ashamed of her father’s business though.
The doorbell rang as they exited the building and Julianna stopped for a second to glance around for her next target. “Yes, yes of course. My body guard would need to know these things,” she murmured, stalling for just a bit while she got her wits about her. “Perhaps you heard Daddy, Yuri Kravec. But perhaps not.”
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Post by DOMINIC R. MARSTEN on Nov 23, 2013 0:42:57 GMT -8
Instead of laughing, instead of paling, or tensing up or even saying anything at all, Dominic did little more than narrow his eyes at the name Julianna dropped. Suddenly it all clicked into place and made a world of sense. That was why her last name tugged at his memory so and why she required bodyguards in spite of the fact that her career reputation was menial—she was essentially a mob boss’s princess. Interesting—Dominic could count on one hand the amount of times a target that Kravec picked out of a crowd managed to escape his sharp-eyed assassins. On the bodyguard side of business, the Kravec name was both a curse and a blessing for obvious reasons. As it stood, Dominic had no personal quarrels with the man, criminal or otherwise. A job was a job. Dominic was almost certain he had at one point accepted a job that had to deal with Kravec in some form or another, but the details of it now escaped him. Clearly, the specifics were minutiae. He didn’t care at all.
“I know of him,” he admitted, voice equally low, wearing an expression of pure indifference as he looked down at her. Maybe his low-key response would surprise her, or maybe not. Either way, it was what it was. Dominic knew how to hold a poker face and he literally gave no emotional ground on the matter. With his other hand he reached up and pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, finally raising his voice again to a normal tone. “Now let’s grab your things, Princess, and get going. I don’t think either of us are in the position to be dealing with cops at all.” He meant it as a joke, but Dominic wasn’t entirely certain at this point, and his humor might have fallen on deaf ears because of how serious his expression was.
Whether he liked it or not, she was a princess, and that came with a whole slew of new problems.
This information certainly made Dominic’s job all the more serious. His mind was partially blown that she ditched her bodyguards so carelessly. Yes, her father’s reputation offered some protection from most people that might hurt her, but enemies, particularly in Kravec’s line of work, cropped up from time to time too. On her own without some protection, she was an easy target. It was almost astounding to him that ‘Daddy’ let her parade around the city, constantly defying her assigned bodyguards and more or less ditching them with decoys so she could do as she pleased. Dominic really knew how to pick them, didn’t he?
“We’ll find another store,” he said. “Wherever you need, or want, to go,” he offered.
Words!: 000 Tag!: Open Date!: Month 0th 0000
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Post by JULIANNA KRAVEC on Nov 23, 2013 11:08:16 GMT -8
| she's hell on heels That girl, she's a loaded gun Gonna take 'em out take 'em one by one She knows when she's dressed to kill She'll put a bullet in your heart just to feel the thrill She walks like she's walkin' on water She moves like the boss's daughter She rides like a '67 Chevy In her drop top red and white and blue Cuz she's hell on heels And she turns my wheels With her devil smile and her angel eyes She got me all hypnotized And she's hell on heels Lunch breaks lead to drinks in cheap hotels I’m just another guy she’d burn inside her Julianna smiled and hunched up her shoulders slightly with delight. The man didn’t seem to care one way or another who Daddy was, but just knowing that this man knew who he was gave her just enough satisfaction. She was used to bodyguards and their silly little “I’m an unemotional machine” façade, so it came to no surprise. Who knew what his mind was doing behind those cute little glasses!
“Very good! Then that should answer your question!” she giggled, tightening her arm around his in a little half-arm-hug-thing. She wasn’t too worried about the cops showing up, but hurried out nonetheless. “And you have no need to worry! Why would I hire you only to later ditch you in a store somewhere? I simply grow tired of Daddy’s bodyguards from time to time and wish for privacy! I know, it is foolish, but I need what I need!”
It was a half-assed explanation but whatever. He didn’t need her life-story. It was mostly just a fun little game she played occasionally. Oh sure, Daddy got on her about it, but it was all harmless fun—and Daddy could never be mad at his little girl for too long! She knew just how to play him!
She smiled and scanned. What store? What store. . . . “Good! It will only be a few more hours, then I must be going to another promotional photoshoot. What was the rate you were speaking of?” she asked absent-mindedly. There! That one! She tugged on Marsten’s arm to spur him into movement and led him across the street—when it was safe to cross, of course—and into a very large building full of shiny diamonds.
They were a girl’s best friend, after all. Maybe she’d find a pretty new set of earrings.
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Post by DOMINIC R. MARSTEN on Nov 23, 2013 15:08:15 GMT -8
Dominic was going to have to get used to this arm tugging thing. It seemed to be a consistent motion with her, but at least now she was relatively delighted again and they were off of the not-so-safe subject that was her father and his line of business. The name Kravec was not one that was casually thrown around in conversation, after all. “Mmhm,” Dominic grunted half-heartedly after hearing Julianna's animated explanation. He was all too pleased to leave the store behind however, mostly because Dominic was not all that happy with the impatient looks the owner kept throwing his way. Clearly that ridiculous tussle left an impression. “You forget you also need to be safe,” he said absently. “And given the circumstances I’m lowering the rate to $75 an hour.” And that was criminally cheap compared to the typical payment plans the company charged on his behalf. Then again, his usual contracts were much more dangerous than simple shopping sprees, mob princess or not. On more than one occasion he’d been forced to kill. Even so, Dominic cut the rest of his explanation off, tugged forward again. They seemed to be heading across the street.
And he soon found himself standing in the middle of a store that glittered with all types of rare jewels and diamonds. He should have expected as much. “I’m going to guess you’ve got a golden credit card with no limits on it,” he muttered, finding his composure again after she pulled him in here. He would probably end up helping her cart around everything she bought today, which made him no better than an errand boy, actually. Dominic resisted a sigh. “Have you ever considered what you would do if you didn’t have your father’s money at your disposal?” It was a harmless question, but more or less one to keep the conversation going while he kept an eye out. He had a sneaking suspicion that if he didn’t talk, she would find something to talk about instead.
This was just not going to be one of those bodyguarding missions where his client went about their respective business and never said one word to him. She didn't seem the type.
Note: Going to kill family members that keep pulling me away from the computer. =_=
Words!: 000 Tag!: Open Date!: Month 0th 0000
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Post by JULIANNA KRAVEC on Nov 23, 2013 17:41:39 GMT -8
| she's hell on heels That girl, she's a loaded gun Gonna take 'em out take 'em one by one She knows when she's dressed to kill She'll put a bullet in your heart just to feel the thrill She walks like she's walkin' on water She moves like the boss's daughter She rides like a '67 Chevy In her drop top red and white and blue Cuz she's hell on heels And she turns my wheels With her devil smile and her angel eyes She got me all hypnotized And she's hell on heels Lunch breaks lead to drinks in cheap hotels I’m just another guy she’d burn inside her “Really? Lowered for little old me?” she said with a coy little smile. “Don’t worry, love. I am always in public places. Those three hooligans were obviously way over their league. They probably didn’t mean any true harm. They were in the middle of a store, after all. But at least you drove them away!”
It had all been minor offenses. Couple of less than complimentary words, a few eager hands, nothing she couldn’t particularly handle. It definitely would have gotten extremely uncomfortable if they had been left to their own devices, but she would have slapped and kicked and probably been extremely loud, causing even more of a scene than her impromptu bodyguard had. She’d almost forgotten he’d nearly broken someone’s wrist.
Well the guy probably deserved it. Who knew.
Julianna let go of his arm long enough to admire a brilliant necklace just dripping with all kinds of jewels and silver and diamonds. She ran it over her hand and gave Marsten a distracted glance as he spoke to her. She wore a huge grin, like a child in a candy store. “It’s platinum, actually. But I promised Daddy I wouldn’t use it frugally. He likes to spoil me but he doesn’t want me robbing him! I tell him when I want to go on a shopping spree and he lets me know if it’s okay!”
She straightened up and moved over to the rack of fancy earrings. Yes, this what she came here for. Maybe she’d see how well Marsten did as a wingman to her shopping.
“Daddy wouldn’t cut me off. Not with me trying to find my own work! I promised I would fund my own stuff just as soon as my career takes off! It’s only a matter of time! I have an excellent manager,” she assured him, pulling out a pair of sapphire earrings and comparing them to some ruby earrings.
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Post by DOMINIC R. MARSTEN on Nov 23, 2013 18:14:50 GMT -8
Dominic snorted and tailed after her.
Quite frankly, he wasn’t worried about small fry. He was more concerned with direct enemies and competition to Kravec’s business than frisky morons that were flirting out of their league. He was not the sort of man to let his guard down either, and public places meant squat to desperate competitors looking for a way to wound the Russian king of crime. Really, it was only a matter of time before even Kravec’s security measures faltered to an unexpected sleight of hand or a cleverer opponent, and one day Julianna might find herself smack in the middle of all that backlash. Hopefully, Dominic wouldn’t be around for that drama; he did not expect to stay involved in the Russian mob for long if he could help it. For the moment at least, he had to act as the shield, and he was almost certain that if anything bad did happen while he was on the job and Julianna was hurt or otherwise killed, he would quickly find himself a top priority on Kravec’s Wanted-Dead list. If not the primary suspect. Funny enough, Dominic wasn’t exactly too worried about it, just annoyed. It would stir up trouble for the Society and detract him away from the bulk of his real work, but really when it came down to brass tacks, the Society’s guns were bigger than anything that Kravec could cook up. Simply put, sometimes even the mob and mafia found themselves in something that was far, far over their heads.
And Dominic hoped it would never come to that. Because even with the Society’s resources, it would still be a nasty fight.
For the time being however, there was no conflict. He was capable of acting like a reasonable bodyguard. Dominic listened intently as Julianna spoke, watching her first hold up the dazzling jeweled necklace before moving on to the earrings. He found himself smirking in spite of the fact that when he responded, he did so coolly, revealing no amusement or curiosity in his tone whatsoever. “Ah, but you’ve never considered the what-ifs? Can you always expect someone else to do everything on your behalf? To protect you?” It was almost impossible for Dominic to fathom. He was the type of man that not only kept a slot for an extra knife or two in his boot, but a roll of cash too for the sake of emergencies. The way he saw it, he was never prepared enough, but he didn’t overdo it—he was just too attuned to the reality of life to believe any different. “It doesn’t scare you?” he asked, indifferent. “The sapphires are beautiful, by the way," he added absently, “but the rubies are bold. They suit you.”
Words!: 000 Tag!: Open Date!: Month 0th 0000
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Post by JULIANNA KRAVEC on Nov 23, 2013 19:15:51 GMT -8
| she's hell on heels That girl, she's a loaded gun Gonna take 'em out take 'em one by one She knows when she's dressed to kill She'll put a bullet in your heart just to feel the thrill She walks like she's walkin' on water She moves like the boss's daughter She rides like a '67 Chevy In her drop top red and white and blue Cuz she's hell on heels And she turns my wheels With her devil smile and her angel eyes She got me all hypnotized And she's hell on heels Lunch breaks lead to drinks in cheap hotels I’m just another guy she’d burn inside her Julianna glanced confidently over her shoulder. The what-ifs? What if Daddy cut her off? What if something happened to his cash flow? Bah, it was poppycock. Daddy had always been there for her, and if not him, his bodyguards. Or in the case of today, someone else who could act like a bodyguard, even if only for a few hours.
“Yes, actually,” she said confidently, holding the earrings up a little higher to see them in better light.
Where was the sales associate? Weren’t they like sharks in jewelry stores? Based off commission and all that jazz? Poor service!
She glanced at him again as he recommended the rubies. Her eyes lit up slightly and she looked at them a little closer. Yes, yes bold. She liked bold. Smiling, she set down the sapphire earrings back into their little cubby and looked around. Most of the time these places had everything behind glass, but these were just demo earrings. She needed the real thing!
His concern really was adorable. Or maybe he was making small-talk. Well it was still adorable. “I have some savings, though, if it makes you feel better. My small gigs add up over time, you see. I am not completely crazy. I do not spend money as quick as I earn it. . . . Just Daddy’s! But again—not limitless!” she assured him. She wasn’t going to be completely dependent on Daddy all of her life. So long as she was working, Daddy let her spend.
Eventually, she’d be able to spend her own money!
“Ah-yes—please, these ruby earrings, spasibo,” she requested after finally flagging down an associate. Perhaps they hadn’t seen dollar bill signs when she’d walked into the door, but now they definitely would. And just as she’d expected, the sales associate started to peddle more accessories that matched the ruby earrings.
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Post by DOMINIC R. MARSTEN on Nov 23, 2013 20:59:18 GMT -8
“Well then, Princess, at least you’ve thought of some things and prepared for others,” Dominic said, more or less amused that money seemed to be her only primary concern as they neared the front of the store. He had to remember though—someone in Julianna’s position, the daughter of a mob boss—might very well have spent her entire life with a diamond spoon in her mouth. She expected other people to do the bulk of the menial chores and complications that came with everyday life—including the thought of protecting herself—but he supposed without people like her, people like him wouldn’t receive fat paychecks for personal security service. So the system, however screwed up it was to let someone live in their own spoiled world like that, worked. It would have been fascinating to sit down and think about objectively, but for the time being, it was more concerning than it was beguiling.
He at least made some effort to comment on some of the jewelry pieces that were not-so-subtly being hawked off on her, purposely aiming to lower some of the outrageous prices via manipulation. Really, with Dominic’s straight faced, serious expression and the hard edge to his gaze it was hard to believe he was lying at all when he occasionally mentioned how one or two pieces were beautiful yes, but had been offered on sale at a competitor’s business for much less. The very suggestion that the store might lose a potential customer because Dominic “dropped” these hints forced the vendor to take other measures to keep Julianna’s attention and business. Deals were produced; suddenly some prices dropped substantially if they were bought in sets and other, rarer items were brought out and shown off.
Dominic found it amusing and maybe it was somewhat cruel, but he never once faltered in the act and whatever Julianna picked out usually came with a fantastic price drop and an excellent warranty deal. Eventually he would help her gather whatever she bought and hold it for her, walking with her out of the store wearing a self-satisfied smirk. “I know you have your platinum card, but money is money. Every cent you save is one less heart attack for your old man. So. Where to next, Ms. Kravec?”
He had a few skills of his own that didn’t have to do with combat. Surprise surprise.
Words!: 000 Tag!: Open Date!: Month 0th 0000
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Post by JULIANNA KRAVEC on Nov 23, 2013 23:25:52 GMT -8
| she's hell on heels That girl, she's a loaded gun Gonna take 'em out take 'em one by one She knows when she's dressed to kill She'll put a bullet in your heart just to feel the thrill She walks like she's walkin' on water She moves like the boss's daughter She rides like a '67 Chevy In her drop top red and white and blue Cuz she's hell on heels And she turns my wheels With her devil smile and her angel eyes She got me all hypnotized And she's hell on heels Lunch breaks lead to drinks in cheap hotels I’m just another guy she’d burn inside her Julianna smiled. “I also learned to be at least a little prepared for the worst case scenario, you know. Daddy didn’t raise no fool,” she quipped, reaching out to just barely touch the tip of his little nose. Either he was feigning concern because she was paying him too or he was genuinely concerned that she was going to get herself into trouble. Or maybe he was concerned about the trouble she would get him into.
She gleefully followed the harried sales associate around, far too gleeful at the prices he was gouging for her. At Marsten’s prodding and haggling, of course. Yes, he was much better than her regular guards! They just followed her around to make sure she didn’t get hurt or robbed. This guy—this guy actually helped!
Now she had more jewelry than she knew what to do with. The little boxes were placed into little bags, and the little bags placed into big bags, all to make sure that the wares inside were safe and sound. They were probably getting away with highway robbery, but oh well. They’d have to deal!
Once outside, Julianna giggled gleefully and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a friendly little squeeze. Oh this was just amazing! “You sir! Are you sure you don’t want to come be my bodyguard full-time? My regular henchmen wouldn’t have done anything! I wouldn’t have even gotten some of these things if you hadn’t made them haggle so hard! Where did you learn to do that?” she asked. The next store could wait.
The answer was important, but she didn’t want to be completely rude! “I need new shoes, then I’ll need a ride to my photoshoot! I’m sure they’ve discovered that my doppleganger is not me, but that still buys us some time!”
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Post by DOMINIC R. MARSTEN on Nov 24, 2013 1:17:04 GMT -8
First the boop on the nose and now a hug. He didn’t know what to think of her sometimes. Dominic blinked when Julianna first wrapped her arms around him and rewarded him with an unexpected hug; in a lot of ways she was not the sort of client Dominic usually associated with, and he almost didn’t know how to react because of it. Hugs were…not a thing with him. So he stood there for one solid second, bewildered by this phenomenon and uncertain of what to do next. His hands were full anyway. Thankfully, the confusion didn’t last long and he regained his composure quickly enough, looking for the entire world as if he hadn’t lost it in the first place. “Hm. It’s the oldest trick in the book,” he answered. “Usually acquired when you don’t have much money to spend but are desperate enough to still buy. That’s where haggling comes in—the poor man’s manipulation. It helps if you can lie with a straight face.” He paused and then added in a grumble, eyes narrowing, “And I’ve had to buy jewelry for women before and I swear to god these places try to rob a man blind. I’m not sorry.”
Sometimes the origin of a specific behavior or skill wasn’t as wise and glamorous as they were cracked up to be. In this case, Dominic’s haggling skill was not. He supposed he had a background in bargaining for weapons as well, but he was so bitter about the jewelry crap that it could very well have fueled the bulk of his reasoning. He did not, however, miss the rest of what she said.
“Do me a favor then, Princess. When we get close to your photoshoot, you call your father and let him know you’re still alive and well. And maybe mention that poor girl you switched yourself out with didn’t quite realize what she was getting into. And I will help you haggle for the rest of the day on anything you want. Deal?”
Words!: 000 Tag!: Open Date!: Month 0th 0000
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Post by JULIANNA KRAVEC on Nov 24, 2013 11:28:24 GMT -8
| she's hell on heels That girl, she's a loaded gun Gonna take 'em out take 'em one by one She knows when she's dressed to kill She'll put a bullet in your heart just to feel the thrill She walks like she's walkin' on water She moves like the boss's daughter She rides like a '67 Chevy In her drop top red and white and blue Cuz she's hell on heels And she turns my wheels With her devil smile and her angel eyes She got me all hypnotized And she's hell on heels Lunch breaks lead to drinks in cheap hotels I’m just another guy she’d burn inside her Julianna nodded and pretended to be businesslike. "Then it is a deal, good sir!" she said as formally as possible, ruining the effect with a terrible ad-lib of a salut. She meant to do so anyway--well, tell Daddy about the woman. She'd bribed her after all, promised it would just be a long car-ride to wherever she wanted to go in her fancy black car. The last thing she wanted was to accidentally get the poor dear killed or scared witless while she was interrogated by Daddy's goons. Julianna hadn't seen them do stuff like that, but she assumed it probably wasn't fun for whoever they were interrogating.
At least he wasn't making her make the call now. That would totally ruin her little shopping spree! She couldn't guarantee that Daddy would pick up his phone, but she could at least call her Bodyguard after he didn't pick up. Though it would be fairly soon that they realized Julianna was not the Julianna they wanted.
She led Marsten off toward the many stores, passing by the fronts and staring into the windows. At least he was good at carrying bags. She wondered how many he could fit on his arms--one of her other bodyguards could fit quite a bit! He couldn't always be available for her shopping, but she sure loved it when he could. She passed by store after store, blowing them off, until she found the perfect one. "This one! This one always has the best shoes!" she declared suddenly, striding through the automatic doors. She knew right where to go to find the shoes, too.
While browsing the shelves for the perfect pair of boots, she glanced at Marsten. "How did you get into the bodyguard business, hmm? Daddy's are usually friends of the family," she asked. Her goons weren't usually good for conversation. More often than not she found herself talking to herself. At least Marsten spoke back.
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Post by DOMINIC R. MARSTEN on Nov 24, 2013 12:43:35 GMT -8
Well, at least she had agreed to it, so Dominic wouldn’t be as concerned about that other kid or the fact that her father might attempt to have him shot on the spot later. After all, from the old man’s perspective, Dominic could very well have kidnapped her because he had absolutely no context or background information about the situation at all. If phone calls weren’t made, there could be misunderstandings, and frankly, Dominic didn’t have the time to put up with such things. So with that agreement made, he obediently followed after her, keeping enough of a distance and watching the streets for any sign of trouble while she caroused the shops and peeked in through the windows. He carried her bags and occasionally remarked on something whenever she inquired anything, but he did not openly speak again until she had finally found a store that she genuinely liked and practically skipped inside, giddy with excitement, to check out the shoes. It really was like babysitting a spoiled princess, but he showed no outward signs of annoyance. In fact, he wasn’t even sure he was annoyed.
Maybe amused was the correct word. Everything about her personality clashed with how he lived his life. It was both intriguing and completely baffling. It would certainly take time to grow accustomed to, but he wouldn’t lie and say he wasn’t fascinated by the whole thing.
“I was in the Marines once,” he explained. His brow furrowed, but otherwise he didn’t seem at all bothered. “And picked up, more or less, by a security company of sorts once I left. There were initiation procedures to be done of course. Simple things that tested skill, preparation and combat levels in order to determine where I would best fit in the rank of things. I’ve been doing the work since; there’s a reason my rate is phenomenally high.” It was a half lie. Many different aspects of those statements were true, but they had nothing to do with the bodyguarding industry. No, the major ‘security’ network that had picked him out of the military had been the Impedio Society, and it just so happened that he excelled at private security on the side. But Dominic couldn’t tell Julianna such things, in fact, there wasn’t a lick of doubt in his voice as he said it. It sounded believable and true. “I imagine it saves your father an enormous amount of money to rely on those close to the family. It’s a smart move to make,” he added.
“Though, let’s face it. If you can trick them all the time he might want to reconsider who he’s hiring.”
Words!: 000 Tag!: Open Date!: Month 0th 0000
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Post by JULIANNA KRAVEC on Nov 24, 2013 13:43:07 GMT -8
| she's hell on heels That girl, she's a loaded gun Gonna take 'em out take 'em one by one She knows when she's dressed to kill She'll put a bullet in your heart just to feel the thrill She walks like she's walkin' on water She moves like the boss's daughter She rides like a '67 Chevy In her drop top red and white and blue Cuz she's hell on heels And she turns my wheels With her devil smile and her angel eyes She got me all hypnotized And she's hell on heels Lunch breaks lead to drinks in cheap hotels I’m just another guy she’d burn inside her Julianna pulled a box out from the pile in the right size--a pair of strappy heels instead of boots, black in color--and sat down on one of the little benches. She usually just ignored the mirrors on it and went for the full-size mirrors. She kicked off the kitten heels she was wearing and started to slip on the new ones. "It sounds like you led a fascinating life before all of this!" she commented while tying the shoes up her ankles. "Do you see a lot of action, then? As a body-guard? Are your clients usually more. . . in danger than I am currently?"
She really did want to know more about this person who was guarding her body. Or carrying her bags. Whichever way you'd prefer to look at it. It was more like she needed a shopping buddy than a real bodyguard. If it was up to Julianna she would be with a girlfriend and doing all of this shopping. But oh well. Daddy liked to make sure she was protected.
Once the shoes were snug but not too tight, she got up and sauntered gracefully to the full-length mirror nearby, twisting and extending her legs to make sure they looked nice. "You underestimate how crafty I can truly be, Marsten!" she giggled, looking up at him before doing a little lap around the bench to see how they felt walking. One of them was a little tight around the toes, but not too much tighter. "I mean, they learn my tricks eventually and I have to learn new ones. It's more of a game. . . see who can be ditched and who can't. Some of them I can't shake no matter what I try. I just managed to get lucky today!"
Well, that was enough of that. She sat back down and started to stow the shoes back in their boxes, placing the little wads of construction paper or whatever it was they used into the shoes and arranging them to fit in the box.
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Post by DOMINIC R. MARSTEN on Nov 24, 2013 14:35:16 GMT -8
Dominic wound up accepting any shoes Julianna didn’t want to keep and re-shelving them for her, perhaps just to keep his hands busy, but he tilted his head slightly at her question, brow rising until he smirked. He adjusted his glasses once more and looked back at her. “Too much, action,” he confessed. Really, between his Society work and private security duties, it really was too much. Most people in his position would have at least dropped one or the other, not juggled both. But Dominic enjoyed the challenge, even if he would never admit it. “In the beginning it wasn’t considered a normal day unless I was in direct danger of dying. Skill comes with experience, my dear. I’ve been shot at, stabbed, broken bones, bruised. It happens in this line of work, but I give as much as I get, Ms. Kravec,” he admitted coldly. Light flooded his glasses, making his expression seem somehow more menacing. “My rate is high because of my success. My clients are kept happy because they remain alive. And that usually means that those trying to kill them—don’t.” That was more than an adequate hint that he had effectively killed numerous men and women throughout his career. “Everything else,” he said tactfully, “is just a bonus.”
Dominic was no stranger to dumping bodies either. There were a number of things the private security company he worked for didn’t know about him, but they didn’t need to know, really. Nonetheless, he opted to continue his explanation.
“For example, I don’t really have to help you with your shopping. It’s your prerogative to buy what you anything you like and I don’t have to step in and help you adjust prices. I don’t have to hold conversation with you or even be complacent with your demands. My duty is strictly relegated to protection. But I choose otherwise. It makes the job more interesting. But you’re right. I do underestimate you. Have you ever considered what would happen if you were to fuel such antics toward something genuinely productive? Game or not, it’s no easy feat giving a practiced guard the slip. Imagine if you were to put such diabolical aspirations to real use in the kind of industry your father dabbles in.” He slid his gaze her way, a sly glint in his eye. “You could temper it into something truly impressive, if you tried.”
Naturally of course, compliments were a package deal offered to his clients, but he also meant it. Julianna had potential, even if she was a ridiculously spoiled kid.
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