Nothing got drug lords together, and up brighter, then Sunday sermons.The Wolves on the left of the beach pews, and the Bears on the right. The pastor backdropped by the sea.

Apple wore her hair long today. Over her ears. A dark lavender dress that went up to her chin. And black lace gloves swirling to her elbows.

And nothing got Mr and Mrs Bloodworth to dress their daughter up more modestly then trouble the previous night. Usually, they had her looking like a slut even at church sermons.

Not that Cassian cared. He'd only stolen a couple of glances at the beginning to get a good laugh. And the only reason he was even still thinking about her wasn't because he was surprised by how particularly exhausted she looked. No.

He had gone back to the terrace before church to look for his phone, and no surprise, it wasn't there. No doubt the bitch had stolen it to get back at him for her parents beating her. And he wasn't going to let it slide. Cassian would find a way to get her alone just as soon as that old pastor put down the dreadful book.

"Eyes forward, Cassian, don't let your father catch you looking over there," Cassian's mother squeezed his hand, drawing his eyes back from the wrong side of the pews. He hadn't even realized he was still looking.

"It's not like that ma," he squeezed her hand back.

She gave him her unconvinced "mmmm", and turned to him in a half whisper and smiling eyes.

"You may fool everyone else here, my love, but I know my boy well."

The sermon continued, and he didn't press more on the matter. But Cassian didn't like the implication she was making. No, didn't like was an underestimation.

The old man finally gave his blessings a couple of minutes later, and the throng began to disperse around into the morning finery the hotel staff had prepared.

Cassian jumped up with a kiss on his ma's cheek,

"I'll be back," he rasped absentmindedly.

"Mmmm," she left him for the bar down the beach. Cassian turned to spot his father, but the big man was already inside with the pastor for confessions. God, he needed it.

"Cassian!" Mateo called a bit further on the other side of the beach, waving his hand over to him and the other Bratva brats always following Cassian around. He didn't have time for those idiots right now.

Cassian turned again, but nothing.

He could figure out where every other person on this godforsaken beach had gone except for her. He didn't actually care much about his phone, he could always buy another. But that bitch had to learn her lesson. Yes, she needed to know she couldn't just mess with him so easily.

Even on parting with the pews, there was a clear divide between the bears and the wolves. If he wanted to find her, there would be no way around it then invading the dogs. He stood on that invisible threshold between the chairs, on the other end of it, black haired, pale skinned assholes drank bellinis and spoke in there loud language. He felt the forbiddance of it, of crossing that threshold, like if he stepped over it, there would be no going back. This was just about a phone, right?

"Fuck it," he whispered to the world, and plunged over the line.

If everyone was ignoring his presence before, or at least, pretending they were, now eyes were far from keeping to themselves. Both bears and wolves turned alike, watching the bear cub make his way through enemy territory. Conversation grew quiet in the strained tension of the beach. Mateo instantly got up to go after his friend but Mateo's mother held him back by the shoulder.

Cassian continued on without a care. He may be on their turf, but all those spineless fools knew better then to stop him. His was a family no one wanted to mess with, Moscow's and wops alike.

He turned for a deserted path going off the beach. Surrounded by tall shrubbery on one side, and beach huts on the other. It's supposed to lead into the small little European village around the resort, but none of these city folks would be interested in that. A slight whimper trailed down the hollowness. And like a man entranced, he followed after.

It didn't take long to find the injured dog, back pressed up against one of the beach huts. Hair trailing down above her head. Crouched and sobbing into her beautiful lap.

He stepped onto a branch and startled her. She jumped and grabbed a stick, pointing it in his direction like she could actually hurt him with it. Cassian could have laughed if massacre wasn't running down her face, wet strands of curls weren't stuck on her cheek, and her face wasn't flushed a slight red.

"Ha," Apple breathed,

"Of course, just when I'm feeling the shittiest you have to be around the corner, fucking great,"

she, on the other hand, chuckled at the sky, covering her eyes with her palm in defeat.

Cassian chuckled too, but all sardonic humour was lost in his laugh.

"Don't worry, doll, I'm not here to give you a second chance into my pants," he closed the distance between them in a single step, letting her still drawn stick poke the chest of his black Sunday blouse.

"Just give me my phone and we both won't have to tolerate each other's presence anymore."

Apple's reddened eyes shot back down to his face, incredulously asking,

"you can't be serious?" her tone barely concealing her growing rage.

"Very serious, Mary, don't pretend you didn't take it, no one else was on that terrace except me and you."

Apple laughed in disbelief. What had she ever done to deserve all this? She slammed the stick back onto the ground, hoping to convey her anger but instead just feeling like some toddler throwing a tantrum. And when it was clear in the wise of Butler's eyes that there would be no convincing him of her innocence, she turned dramatically to stomp away. His rough skin gripped her wrist. "Apple--" She yanked her hand free, but he threw his arms around her waist.

"What the fuck are you doing!" Apple's face had completely flushed her signature color. "Give me my fucking phone Mary, I'm sick of dealing with you."

She struggled in his embrace. "I'm only going to say this once," an idea that could only be described as divinely inspired came to her, and she swung her leg up, "I didn't take you're god damn phone Butler," her thighs swayed back, her feet rising up to collide with a critical part behind her. The crunch under her feet felt satisfying. Butler instantly let go of her waist, bending in two to hug his crushed manhood "you bitch--" She didn't hesitate, taking his moment of weakness to bolt down the rest of the sandy path.

Seeing his prey getting away, Cassian tried to swallow his pain. His crotch felt like it was on fire, and his head was really starting to burn up with what was no doubt a fever from yesterdays escapade. But he bit his tongue and forced himself up. He wasn't letting her escape. And with all his grit, he forced himself into jog after her. 

Unbeknownst to either, a third party lingered back down the beach, having witnessed the heated intermingling of forbiddance. And the start of a scheme, that would lead all involved to there doom, began to form.