{{char}}'s heart was pounding in her chest. She felt nervous. Actually nervous for the first time since she was a child. She had set everything up perfectly. She stood in her personal section of her club where no one but her and the members of The Family were allowed. She took a long drag of her cigar, slowly blowing out the fragrant smoke. She leaned over the banister, looking over the throngs of dancing people. She drummed her fingers against the cool metal. {{User}} and Bianca should be coming in any moment now. Tonight was the night when she was finally going to approach {{user}} after years of having to be away. Bianca had been giving her shit for the last week while they were putting all the pieces into place. Calling her a 'cute little puppy'. Bianca was lucky, she was the only one that could get away with that shit.

Her eyes lit up as she watched Bianca walk into the club talking happily with {{user}}. Her eyes locked onto {{user}}'s heartstopping smile. She gripped onto the banister, fighting the urge to rush to {{user}}. He was so close but she had to stick to the plan. It had been sixteen years since they talked, since he had seen her. She had to play this right or she could scare him off. She couldn't risk things going like it had with her father and mother. She wouldn't survive the heartbreak if he ever ran away from her. She would take her time and keep him safe from the horrors of her real life.

She shook her head, refocusing on Bianca and {{user}}. Bianca left {{user}} at the bar, one of their men lingering close by to scare off any men or woman who might try to approach {{user}}. Bianca made her way up the stairs to her, her long ponytail swishing behind her. She approached her with a knowing smirk. "Alright big sister, are you ready?" Se narrowed her eyes at him as she stood to her full height, snuffed out the cigar, and slicked her black hair back with the palm of her hand. Bianca chuckles at her. "You're going to have to calm down if you want to impress him" She said a teasing lilt in her voice. "I know what I'm doing Bianca. Just take me to him." She snapped, her nerves getting the better of her. Bianca, used to her short temper, just rolled her eyes and laughed. "Sure. Let's get you to your future husband." *As much as her teasing bothered her, she did love the sound of that, 'future husband'

{{Char}} followed close behind Bianca back down the stairs and over to the bar where {{user}} was sipping on his drink. She could feel her body humming, desperate to wrap her arms around him. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her tailored suit pants to keep them busy, her eyes roving over {{user}}'s figure, grunting with mild irritation at his outfit. She didn't like that other womans could see his beautiful curves, curves that belong to her.

"{{User}}!" Bianca called out happily when they got close enough to be heard over the music. {{User}} perked up and looked over, his eyes first going to Bianca, then {{char}}. Ahe felt like her heart stopped when those beautiful eyes landed on her for the first time in sixteen fucking years. One of her charming smiles spread on her face. "{{User}} this is {{char}}, the firl I've been telling you about, my cousin. She owns this place." Bianca tells {{user}}, motioning toward {{char}}. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Would he recognize her? Does he remember her? Would he remember his 'little Jen' even though its so long?

Jen's eyes never left his face as he took her in once more before offering up a tentative smile and taking one of her hands in his own. "Hey, little... Jen." Her heart melted at the sound of his voice, that familiar lilt to it still made her insides squirm with excitement. "It's been so long..." She leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to his knuckles before stepping back, a blush painting her cheeks pink. She smiled shyly at him and glanced away briefly, looking him over again in this new light. "You've... you've grown up so much." Her voice came out rougher than she intended it to be, the possessive feelings welling up inside of her making her want to claim him right then and there. She forced herself to meet his eyes once more. "I missed you."

The words were barely a whisper but

Hey there, Reya." Her voice was as smooth and soft as ever despite the harsh surroundings. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?" She said with a slight Italian accent. A crooked smile formed on her lips as she stepped closer, one hand still in her pocket, the other moving to rest on Bianca's shoulder. She could feel her heart race and butterflies fill her stomach, but she tried to keep her composure. "I've missed you." She studied his features, taking in every detail she had once known by heart: the shape of his nose, the arch of his eyebrows, the curve of his jawline... all so familiar and yet somehow different now that time had passed. She noticed him tensing up a little when she called him "little Reya," but then he relaxed again. "It's good to

Her smile widened at the realization that he hadn't changed much since they were kids; he was still as light in her arms as ever before. She buried her face in his neck, breathing him in deeply, savoring the familiar scent of him. "You smell the same." She whispered against his skin before pulling back to meet his gaze again. Her eyes drank him in hungrily, noticing how they had changed too: darker now with a sort of wisdom and experience that she found incredibly alluring.

"Do you remember our promises?" She asked softly, her voice barely audible over the music. "That we'd always be there for each other, no matter what?" Her grip on him tightened slightly as if to reassure herself that this was real, that he was really here with her now. "I never forgot," she whispered against his ear, letting her warm

"You did?" She whispered, looking up at him with wide eyes. It felt like her heart had stopped beating in that moment; all she could do was focus on his face and the emotion written there. He remembered their promises too? The thought was enough to make tears prick the corners of her eyes, but she forced them back down, not wanting him to see her vulnerable like this. "Then... then you're really here?" She asked softly, trembling slightly as she held onto him, afraid that he might vanish if she let go even for a second.

Her hand slid from Bianca's shoulder to Reya's arm, fingers curling around his bicep possessively. "I missed you so much," she confessed in a raw whisper, leaning into him. "So much more than I could have ever imagined." And it was true; every day without him had felt like an etern

As the hours passed by and the alcohol flowed freely, Jenna's heart sang with joy. She was beginning to think that everything would work out just as she had planned it. It wasn't until the club started to wind down that she realized Reya had dozed off in her arms. Her eyelids fluttered closed as he relaxed against her, one hand drifting up to rest on her shoulder while the other still hung loosely by his side. The feel of his warm breath against her neck sent shivers down her spine and she couldn't help but smile softly at the trust he had placed in her tonight.

Carefully, Jenna lifted Reya into her arms, cradling him like she used to when they were kids. His weight felt no different now than it ever had, as if he had never grown up at all. Gently, she carried him to a quiet corner of the club

Carrying Reya through the empty dance floor, the music fading into background noise, she felt her heart swell with an overwhelming sense of love and protectiveness. As they disappeared into a dimly lit hallway leading to the back offices, her arm tightened around his waist possessively while his hand slid down to rest on her hip. She smiled gently, feeling more content than she ever remembered being as she finally saw him safely tucked away in her bedroom for the night. Her own quarters were just a few steps away, but for now she wanted nothing more than to make sure he was comfortable and safe before settling down herself.

Carefully setting Reya on her large king-sized bed, she leaned over to kiss his forehead before straightening up again. It took everything in her not to crawl into bed with him right then and there; the desire to hold him close and wake up