CHAPTER 8

Cassian stood in front of the floor to ceiling mirror clad in a black tux. He looked himself over for the third time. His mind kept wandering back to that day. Why did Romanoff calling out for one of his subordinates tick him off so much? It simply seemed to rub him the wrong way? He clicked his tongue in annoyance as he did another once over. Satisfied with his look, hair slicked back to show his forehead and a to show off his electric grey eyes, he smirked. He made a lot of effort in today's looks because it was a charity gala where he and a few other selected bachelors were to auction themselves to raise enough money for some Foundation for which he didn't give enough fuck's to know more about.

He walked out of his walk-in closet to find Damien standing by the door.

"I'm not going to bail, you can stop playing babysitter now," he said coldly. Damien didn't say anything and that made Cassian scoff out a sarcastic laugh. "The least you can do is provide entertainment if you are going to stick to me like super glue all night," he said as he walked over to his desk to get his phone and wallet. He turned slightly to look over Damien and gave him a nasty sneer before turning back. It's not that he didn't like him but he also didn't particularly adore the man. He was a tattletale. And that's why they had a fall out. Damien used to be loyal to him and only him. He didn't know when or how his father dug his claws into Damien but he didn't like it. Mostly because he didn't like his privacy invaded all the damn time. He sighed, thinking about it was giving him a migraine.

"Let's go then," he said as he walked over to Damien and slapped his cheek playfully. "Try to smile, hmm?" He said with a soft fond smile of his own.

"We'll be late," Damien said in a monotone. Cassian laughed and looked down. He was tempted to just run his hands through his hair and forgo the whole gala thing. He smacked his lips and looked up with a smile, contrary to the annoyed look in his eyes.

"Fuck you, Damien," he said with the friendliest smile he could muster at that moment, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. Damien scoffed.

"You already did," he whispered but it was loud enough for Cassian to catch it. His eyes blazing, Cassian threw a punch unexpectedly and hit him square in the jaw. He roughly pulled open the door and stormed out.

"Asshole," he said under his breath as he approached the grand staircase. He turned back and saw Damien walking out of his room flexing his jaw. He was tempted to just throw him off the staircase for what he said. It wasn't true but that didn't make it any less embarrassing. He sighed. "Put some ice on it," he turned away again but Damien spoke.

"You didn't have to sock me so hard," he grumbled.

"You're lucky to be alive, don't push it," he spat as he left. His descent was accompanied by his friend's laughter. He felt his face heating up slightly. He came face to face with his dad at the foot of the staircase.

"Why are you blushing?" His father asked with a confused look on his face. Then he burst out laughing when he saw Damien standing behind his eldest son. "What did you do?" He asked Damien.

"I'm not blushing! Fuck both of you," Cassian exploded as he stomped out of the house.

"Wait till your mother hears you cursing at your father that way," he yelled after his son.

"She will scold you for making her son angry on such an important day," a sweet voice carried through the hall from the top of the staircase. Damien looked up towards the voice and was greeted by Mrs. Marcella Verona D'Angelo. She was the true boss of the D'Angelo Mafia but people didn't need to know that. It was a world ruled by men after all.

"I wasn't the one that made him angry," he tried to defend himself albeit weakly. His wife just shook her head as she smiled fondly at her husband. She glided down the staircase with elegance as she kept her eyes on her husband. Her silver grey dress would sparkle every time it caught the light. Her makeup was just enough to accentuate her features and her neckline was adorned in a simple chain that held the family name. Her hand that grasped the railing softly yet steadily moved almost as if it was floating just above the wood. Her diamond ring, not too expensive but just pricy enough to show they were not lacking, matched with her husband's, who was looking at her like she was the most beautiful treasure in the world, like the most precious gem of them all. She was the love of his life, she was the only one for him.

"let's not keep our patrons waiting any longer", he said as he led his beloved wife out if the house with Damien following close behind.

They walked out of the front doors and got into the limousine already parked in front if it ready for them to board and ride in. They got in and the driver drove them to the event venue at a steady pace, the ride was rather silent, apart from Cassian's parents being all lovey-dovey and complimenting each other constantly with Cassian and Damien awkwardly trying to ignore the overly showy couple by looking out the window.

After twenty minutes, the awkward ride finally came to an end, much to Cassian and Damien's relief. They entered the building and walked through the house to the end of the hallway to the huge double door. They waited for the person at the door to announce their arrival and just as they had expected, every single head in the hall turned to the door's direction. They, of course, being the members of the formidable D'Angelo family walked in with pride, their heads held high and an aura of wealth, charm and confidence oozing from the D'Angelo trio and Damien, who walked by Cassian's side.

What else was to be expected from the D'Angelo family to be honest? They were a family of literal legends, Mrs. D'Angelo was the world's highest paid Fashion model who owned her own fashion line as well and Mr. D'Angelo was the owner of a multinational company which earned billions in a year, staying in the top 3 positions in the world of business. And what could be said of their heir? Cassian D'Angelo was a prodigal son, the kind that every parent would want to have, with an excellent performance in academic, sports as well as extracurricular activities and being the school president during his years in education, he was an excellent businessman in the making, along with his best friend and right hand man Damien who was just as excellent and helped Cassian with almost everything. This was a family everyone would look up to and fear but also the kind everyone would want to gossip about. The kind of family that was always in the spotlight.