Going against what he was told, once again, Fabrizio had ventured out from the Estate alone. He had an overwhelming urge for something sweet, after his excursion through the market. Dressed in a leather duster, with a lavender satin tie peeking out, crisp white dress shirt and black Armani trousers and belt. His feet were adorned with dressed up Doc Martins. Pushing his way into theTeas 'n Tomes shop, he smiled as he heard the bell chime. He found the sound pleasant, so he opened the door and closed it again, just so he could hear it.

Now leaving the door alone, he unbuttoned his coat and shrugged out of it. He left it to hang by the door as he walked into the shop. The entire place smelled delicious and his stomach rumbled hungrily. Once to the counter, an iced latte and piece of red velvet cake were ordered. He hummed softly and turned his back to the counter as the order was being filled. He had lain off the charm, no flirting this time. This was Andre's girl. The thought made him chuckle.

"His order can go on my bill, Gracias."

Fabrizio was torn from his thoughts as a familiar female voice echoed across the shoppe. He turned and smiled when he recognized the face leaning over the second floor balcony. Her green eyes sought Fabrizio's and she held his gaze for a moment or two before turning back to her chair.
When the order was up, Fabrizio grabbed it with a nodded thank you to the girl behind the counter. He found the stairs and climbed them two at a time until he was up on the second floor.

Fio was tucked away on the upper floor of the tea shoppe, settled in a chair that was angled so she could see the front door from where she sat. Before her on a small, rectangular coffee table were several folders and documents strewn across its surface. She was wearing a charcoal gray pants suit today, with her fiery curls artfully pinned back with bejeweled pins.

"Fio, my favorite cousin. So good to see you again." He smiled brightly and walked over to her. Leaning over, Fabrizio offered her a kiss to the cheek.

An amused expression crosses her Argentine features as he spoke, but she still offered her cheek for his kiss. "Since when have I been your favorite cousin?" Fio very nearly snorted in amusement, but didn't press him further.

He seated himself carefully beside her and set the cake down on a manila folder. "What're you doing?"

Brows furrowed as she reached forward and lifted the plate from off the envelope, pushed it aside and set the plate back down on the freshly cleared portion of the table. "I was going over some legal documents for my father." She began straightening the mess laid before her. "What're you doing out and about? Surely there are more interesting things to do on our side of town."

He hid a guilty grin behind his cup of coffee as he sipped it. Watching her tidy up her little mess, he settled back and crossed one leg over the other lazily. "I'm still looking for all those creatures Andre told me about. Most I've seen is a guy with blue skin." He shrugged and took another sip. "I'm surprised you're not going to tell me what an idiot I was for shooting at that weirdo the other night."

"I would have thought that went without saying," she replied smoothly. Her gaze snapped toward him. "You'll do well to do what my father brought you here for and nothing else, Bri." She sighed and her expression softened. "It's for your own good. The city is a lot more dangerous than you think."

He heeded her warning with a raised brow. "If I hadn't been there to distract him, he could have hurt you, Prima." A concerned smile eased over his face and he leaned forward to rest the coffee onto the table next to his plate of cake. "And if we all stick together, there's nothing this city can throw at us that can hurt us." His grin was a confident one. "Even Andre's lunatic ex's."

"Unfortunately, you've got it backwards. If I hadn't shown up, you could have been the one hurt. Reggie... well, Reggie won't touch me. Not yet. I have a feeling he knows there isn't much he could do to get under my skin. Please, just stay away from him." An uneasy feeling settled low in her stomach; Fio wasn't sure if she was getting through to her cousin. "And as for Andre's ex, well, I did tell him that Tyler was no good. I've got a man keeping an eye on him in case he does something stupid again, but I doubt he'll come around anymore. Not after what happened."

"Don't worry, Fio. I'll keep my distance from Reggie. Though I don't think that he wants to do anything to us but try to rile us up right now. What's he got against the family anyway?" He sat back and simply nodded in agreement with her on the Tyler situation. The plate of cake was brought into his lap and he lifted the fork to take a bite.

Fio was loathe to give Fabrizio any information regarding Reginald and sought to make it sound as non-chalant as possible. "He didn't part ways with my father very well. He used to work for us, see, and... was eventually let go. The man holds a grudge like none other."

Fabrizio nodded his understanding. Another mouthful of cake was taken and swallowed before he spoke again. "What did he do? I mean, for your father?" He lifted his brow and ate another mouthful.

"Reginald worked as Vladimir's security detail for many, many years. Andre and I grew up regarding him as one of the family. That's how he knows so much--unfortunately, my brother allows Noir to get under his skin. My father wouldn't stand for this terrorization; he's a strong man, really. But the last attempt Reggie made on his life gave him a heart attack. He hasn't been able to leave his room since."

Light dawned in his eyes as he wrapped his mind around the picture his cousin was painting. Chewing the cake slowly, then swallowing it, he leans forward to put the plate down. "Prima, if he's a threat to Uncle, then he's a threat to the entire family. How is it that nobody has wiped the man from existence?"

"He isn't a threat to my father anymore. Reggie couldn't get anywhere near the house and..." she hesitated, attempting to get a hold on her emotions. "Well, I don't think Papi will last for very much longer. Maybe six or seven months." She half-shrugged and busied herself by shuffling some papers. "Noir is difficult to keep eyes on. Hiding it what he does for a living. Francisco is working closely with Uncle Esteban--this is their job. The rest of us need to stay out of their business."

His expression softened when she spoke of his Uncle's impending demise. "Francisco and Esteban cannot be everywhere, all the time, Fio. If one of us should see this head hunter, then we should assist our cousin and uncle and finish the job if we can, yes?"

Fio smiled kindly. "This is why you're to stay out of it, Bri. Reggie's men are everywhere. If you even attempted to kill him, his men would shoot you down. No, this job requires much more than simply 'finishing the job' if we see him. Granted, I lost my patience the other day when he wouldn't leave, but had I not been there, you would have been killed. He... he doesn't have any attachment to you, Bri. We want to keep it that way, but it's more dangerous for you." Fiorella didn't know how else to make him understand. "There is a plan set in motion and you meddling won't help at all. The plan for Reggie is complicated. We don't want him dead. We don't want him maimed in any way." She stopped for a moment, going over in her head the lecture Francisco had given her after he'd heard she'd fired her weapon at Noir. "It's better this way."

"But Fio, I fired upon him, and yet, here I am." he smiled and put his arms out, only to drop them back to the loveseat. "So if I see him, just call Cisco and let him have all the fun."

"With all the smoke, I could have been hit by one of his men. You're forgetting that he doesn't want me hurt. Not yet anyway. However, yes, you're to call 'Cisco, but do not engage."

He shrugged then and leaned forward to pick up his coffee. "So how'd that guy treat you the other night?" There was a wicked glint to his eyes as he sat back and took a sip of coffee. He had fifty bucks riding on her answer.

Fio frowned, then shrugged at him. What did he care? "With Vincent? I hardly think it's the appropriate thing to discuss with you, especially since you've proved to be very immature about the whole thing."

That was the fire in Fio that he had hoped for. Innocent eyes looked back at her and he shook his head. "I'm just looking out for my favorite cousin. I don't want to see you hurt, Prima."

She grinned, then. "I can only get hurt if my emotions are involved." Fio began piling everything she'd brought with her into one large stack. "And Fiorella Rosa Bohannon gives her heart to no man." She stood, then, lifting the documents with her. She strode away from him silently and only paused just as she began descending the stairs. "But the night was wonderful, if you must know. Nothing happened until after midnight, so I think you owe my brother some money." After sending a wink in his direction, she disappeared downstairs. Moments later, the bell rang, signaling her departure.

Brizio watched her, a proud gleam in his eye. He knew that she'd hold off until after midnight, and had already paid Andre the money owed. He gave a wave as she headed out of the door, and then went back to eating his cake and sipping his coffee, enjoying the quiet.