Jovani could focus on what kind of plan he would devise to get Richard out of his state later. Right now, Marcus took front and center importance to deal with.

He would have to have a proper chat with his cousin now that he was back on his feet. Well, mostly back on his feet. Between the drugs and the hit to his head, standing turned out to be more of a challenge than Jovani anticipated.

Keeping his balance with both his hands carefully placed on the edge of the bed, Jovani shut his eyes. Focusing on the darkness that greeted him behind his eyelids did little to stop feeling like the whole world was spiraling around him.

Jovani would've welcomed the bitter taste of alcohol at the back of his throat and the accompanying hangover to the way he currently felt. This was why Eve always told him not to mix drugs and painkillers.Meh. Whatever didn't kill him would just help to make him stronger in the long run.

Neither Samuel nor Richard said anything, although he could feel both their eyes on him. One was harboring a bucketful more of contempt than the other."I am glad you are getting so much entertainment from watching me struggle. You do know though, that there are better things you can be doing." Jovani's voice came out strained even to his own ears as he forced himself to stand up through the dizziness. The vertigo vanished only to be replaced by a skull-splitting headache.

"Such as? You are the one who said you had a plan on how to deal with things. Wouldn't it be better for you to tell us what to do?" Richard crossed his arms but kept one eye on the phone in his left hand while the other focused on the Vedova Nera boss. Any moment now someone would have to respond. The mafioso had sent enough messages that someone wouldn't be able to ignore them.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that you needed someone to direct you because you're incapable of doing anything on your own. If you need something to do, then do us both a favor and go find Alonso." Jovani was in far too much pain and way too fed up to hide the venom in his own voice.

Shit. With the way he was fairing, it would take him longer than anticipated before he could go and talk with Marcus. Though it was highly unlikely talking would be what they'd end up doing.

"Don't you think that you should be the one to do that? it is your fault, he ended up in his current state." Richard raised one eyebrow as he stubbornly stayed standing in the same place.

"First, you say that you need directions, and now that you have them, you're going to argue with me? I thought that I would be the best person to talk with Marcus but if you would rather take that job on, be my guest." Jovani made a show of waving his hand in the direction of the door as he silently dared Richard to go and speak to the other cousin.

"Why don't both of you go and speak with Marcus? I can go find Alonso and see how he is." Both men quickly shot down Samuel's suggestion.

"Absolutely not." Both replied in almost near unison, causing the tension in the room to rise even further. Richard refused to acknowledge Jovani despite the heated stare directed at him. He would not give the other the pleasure of seeing the current expression on his face."'Why not? It seems that out of the three of us, you two know him best. You're all obviously old friends, and Jovani, he is your cousin." Samuel pointed to each man in turn as he continued.

"I don't think me talking to him will do much as I don't know him that well. I do have a good relationship with Alonso." Or at least he liked to believe that the right-hand mane didn't mind him.

"You make a strong argument Sammy. However, friends would not be the right word to use. Even you can see by the way that things stand right now, we don't exactly get on all that well." That was putting it lightly. Richard didn't correct the other man. He only offered a curt nod of his head in agreement.

"I would be fine to talk with Marcus on my own. Things aren't likely to work themselves out if this one comes with me though." Until he saw where his fault lay within the complicated web of their entangled relationship. Being the stubborn fool that he was, Jovani would only end up adding more fuel to the fire.

"If you both want to go and find Alonso, that would work fine. I can go deal with Marcus myself. Emily is likely still with him." The words came across as more of a directive than a suggestion as Richard made his way to the door.

"Don't even think that you can use Em as some type of shield." Richard paused with a hand poised over the door knob. A callous smile stretched across his lips as he turned and gave Jovani a knowing look.

lightsΝοvel "Isn't it more your style to do that kind of thing? Certainly not something you need to worry about with me. I was never the one to sell out or use those closet to me."

Those words struck a cord with Jovani who began to fume. The Mafioso didn't stick to see what would come of that eruption. There were more important matters to attend to.

In the meantime, Samuel could deal with his cousin. It would do the kid some good to see the less flattering side of his cousin early on.

Richard moved purposely as he walked down the hall.

It wasn't his style to break hearts, illusions, dreams, or opinion. That didn't mean though he wouldn't pull the curtains up on others to reveal their secrets.