Used To Be My Girl

You Can't Trust That Family

Miles looked bored, uninterested as Sofia shyly made her way over to where he was leaning against the bar wall. He was scanning the guests dancing around them, noticing that they were being painfully cautious of their space. It made him roll his eyes. Being in a crime family had its perks, he couldn't deny it. But lately it seemed like there were more downsides than upsides. Sofia gently nudged him, smiling nervously.

"So... I guess we're supposed to be married aren't we?"

She giggled softly. Her brown hair was tied back in one long braid reaching down past her slender shoulders. Sofia was dressed in a modest red dress that covered her shoulders for the most part and stopped just past her knees. She wore a large black sun hat to shade herself from the heat.

Miles didn't smile at her though the corner of his lips twitched slightly. It wasn't her fault they were forced together after all. It was just the family way.

"Suppose we are."

He responded with an indifferent tone, sighing as he continued to look out at the dance floor. Miles ran a hand through his long hair, wincing as it tangled between his fingers. Sometimes he really contemplated just shaving the entire bloody thing off. Of course his family would hang him if he ever seriously did such a thing. There were certain grooming standards he was supposed to uphold after all.

Sofia slipped her arm around his where it was currently settled in his dress pants pocket. He stiffened, immediately wanting to pull away but she held onto his floral shirt insistently with her other hand.

"Come on.. just one dance?"

She pleaded, eyes not so subtly drifting down to where his collar was popped open and his toned chest was on full display along with the thick golden chain he always wore around his neck. Miles sighed, not bothering to hide his disdain at the thought of dancing with her. But one glare from the Don and he nodded at her, allowing Sofia to drag him onto the dance floor with the rest of the guests. He knew he didn't have a choice. It was either that or a bullet to the knee for disrespecting the Head Family's daughter. And that would have been the nicest outcome.

She pulled him out into the middle of the dance floor and the crowd melted away immediately, giving space to the two of them. There were bodyguards tailing them close by, in case anyone tried anything.

Not that anyone would.

Miles danced with her, gently slotting his arm around her tiny waist. They swayed to the beat of the band, some waltz like tune he'd heard before a long time ago but couldn't quite remember the name. After dancing for a while, the slow and sweet music sped up to a much faster pace and soon everyone was dancing wildly to the beat. One man in particular caught his eye, arms around a beautiful blonde who seemed to be absolutely enthralled by him. His slicked back hair had come undone from the dancing and was hanging handsomely over his face in a couple loose strands.

The man smirked as she pressed her back against him and he slipped his hands down to tightly grip her waist, leaning down and whispering something into her ear that made her blush bright red. She turned to look at him in disbelief and he leaned back and laughed, raising his arms above his head in a flourish and swaying side to side to the music. Miles blinked as he got a better look at the man's face, recognizing it from earlier.

Well, if it wasn't Alex bloody Turner.

Anyone that wasn't watching Miles and Sofia were most certainly watching Alex. And he knew it. That cocky little bastard seemed to love all the attention. The Don didn't seem too thrilled by it but Alex knew to keep his distance from the "happy couple" and not turn too much attention away from them. Just enough to make him a staple of the party.

He could see his mother glaring at Alex in disdain, leaning over to whisper something into his father's ear. His mother then pointed at a group seated around a table and turning his head to look, Miles heart dropped. Then it boiled with rage. Now he remembered why the Turner name was so familiar.

Last summer there had been a nasty turf war. And along with that turf war, came casualties. The Turner family had apparently decided the east end was suddenly their territory to collect money and run operations. Everyone knew the Kanes ran the East End, it wasn't a simple mistake. They knew what they were doing. So they fought and they didn't back down.

Not even when Miles' brother had been caught in the crossfire.

The image of blood running from his neck as he slowly drowned in it had seared itself into Miles mind for months after that. Even to this day, he'd still get nightmares about it. He hadn't seen who exactly fired the shot, only remembered the anguished scream he'd let out as he shot anyone who'd gotten close to them. Thinking if he just fought them off long enough that he'd be able to save his brother.

It was futile, however. Ramiro had died on the floor in a pool of a blood within a minute of being shot. He would have been sixteen this year. That was the moment when Miles had started questioning his loyalty to Rossi. Questioning his commitment to this crime family mentality.

Shaking his thoughts out of his head, Miles pushed Sofia to the side as gently as he could before marching his way over to where Alex was still talking to that blonde he'd been dancing with. You could see the rage emanating from Miles and as Alex looked up, his laughter and smile died off when he saw Miles' expression. Adjusting his necktie nervously, Alex looked up at him with caution.

"Miles?"

"You'll pay for what you bloody did."

Turner's family was already starting to get out of their seats to back up their family member. It made him sneer and he grabbed Alex by the collar, shaking him vigorously. Alex did nothing, only settled his hands on Miles shoulders for balance.

"You'll pay for MURDERING MY BROTHER!"

He screamed and suddenly the party around them grew quiet, the women gasping in surprise while the heads of the crime families subconsciously reached for their waistbands, preparing for a fight.

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DID?! AND HOW YOU TRIED TO GET AT ME WHILE I WAS DOWN?!"

Miles kept screaming, long past trying to keep his composure together. Alex didn't seem angry at all though, in fact if anything he looked extremely sad. It threw Miles off as his Father's iron grip circled around his bicep and pulled him off of Alex.

"He'll get his in due time, Miles. But now is not the time. I told you to be weary of who you talk to. But you didn't listen to me, you worthless dolt. You never do."

Miles' father dragged him up to Don Rossi, throwing him at the man's feet.

"We understand we've embarrassed you far too much today. And we are willing to do whatever it takes to see that this happy day isn't ruined for your wonderful daughter."

Miles' eyes drifted from the carpeted concrete in front of him to Sofia, who was standing beside her father with an unreadable look on her face. She leant down and whispered something into her father's ear and though he at first looked surprised, he then nodded in agreement with whatever she had said.

Rossi pointed at the Turner family, who had been scolding their son for talking to that filthy Kane boy.

"I think it's about time the Turners left this celebration. You've done enough already."

The family looked doubly shocked and horrified. Miles turned behind him to see Alex looking at him with that same sad expression from before. Was it... pity? That made Miles clench his fists, he didn't need anyone's fucking pity.

Certainly not Alex's.

Yet as they slowly turned to leave the party, Alex locked eyes with Miles and mouthed two words.

I'm sorry.