sleeping at the wheel || LENNOX

[ava rae woodward]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] [style=text-align: center] she tries so hard to get away [/style] [style=font-size: 10px; line-height: 10px; padding: 25px; margin-top: -10px; color: CCCCCC;]she knew that she didn't need to live this way anymore, but it was something that she just couldn't erase from her mind. she needed to steal to keep herself going. it was how she had lived since escaping from her captors. she had never been caught by the authorities, she had never been seen by any of the people around her because she was intelligent when she chose the moment to steal. however, now that it was colder, there were less people out and about. she had to be even more careful, but the situation still made her uneasy because of the lack of crowds. she didn't want to get caught. she couldn't afford to get caught because she would land herself right in front of her brother in the police station and she didn't want to embarrass him or soil his name. but it was hard for her to forget her survival instinct. the years locked down in that basement had taught her how to possess an iron will and determination, and she certainly wasn't going to lose it very easily. sighing to herself as she walked along, her big blue eyes peeled for a perfect place to nick something from, she shook her head slightly, raising a hand to readjust her black beanie. it covered her long, naturally wavy brown locks, and she was glad that it kept her hair out of her eyes. her green cargo like material jacket was inconspicuous, and the black sweatshirt peeking out from beneath it wasn't out of the ordinary either. her black combat boots gave her traction in the light snow that had fallen, and although her skinny jeans didn't leave her much room to store the stolen items, the black messenger bag hanging over her shoulder made that possible. readjusting her fingerless gloves on her hands, she finally caught sight of what she could successfully steal. it was a little market, and it was perfect for what she needed. not having the money to pay for things because she didn't have a job, she had to resort to this. rhett had told her time and time again that he would lend her money, that she could pay him back whenever she could, but she knew that he would never allow her to pay him anything. her brother was devoted and loyal, and her loved her endlessly, and she returned those emotions. but she needed to start making her own life for herself, like she had started to before being found here. while she appreciated everything that her brother did, she was petrified that she wouldn't go anywhere in life because of her lack of schooling, and because she was living off of her brother. knowing that he wouldn't ever allow her to see it that way, she bit her bottom lip and thought a silent apology to her brother, although he would never hear it. ducking into the market through the sliding glass doors, she combed the aisles, looking for the most crowded areas. finding a ton of people milling about the fresh fruits and vegetables, she started to that area, swiping an apple or two, and then a cucumber, and then a couple of carrots. when she was finished with that aisle, she started to the bread aisle and managed to shove a loaf into her bag. not wanting to push her luck, she lurked around the front of the store for a moment and decided on buying a drink. grabbing a soda from the fridge, she smiled pleasantly at the clerk and paid in quarters for the beverage. thanking him, she hurried out of the store, suddenly hearing someone call out miss behind her. her heart beat increased at that, skipping a beat as she hurried down the rather deserted sidewalk. skidding around the next corner, her eyes widened and she let out a small squeal of surprise as she collided face to face with a man that was much bigger than her. however, any man was bigger than her because she was so petite. their size difference didn't help her situation though, for the impact sent her flying to the ground, on which she landed heavily. her back end twinged in pain from the snowy sidewalk, but that didn't keep her attention for long. she watched in horror as her stolen goods tumbled out of her sloppily clasped messenger bag. her eyes lifted up in a rather guilty fashion to the man she had collided with. "sorry, so sorry. hope you're alright." scrambling to her knees, she grabbed the apple that was rolling past her and shoved it back into her bag, grabbing the other goods as well. clasping the bag properly this time, she pushed herself to her feet and tried stepping around the man. "i'll be going now. have a nice day. sorry about that again." she finished quickly, knowing that the entire predicament was strange. she just hoped nothing would come of this moment. [/style] tagged; lennox. words; l.a.z.y. notes; gah it sucks, i'm sorry! TEMPLATE BY LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE @ CAUTION 2.0

[LENNOX RAFFERTY SELWYN]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=style, width: 500px] maybe it`s the way you were taught or maybe it`s the way we fought [/style][style=background-color: 1b1b1b; width: 200px; height: 300px; float: right; border: 0px solid #0e0e0e; padding: 8px; color: 454545; overflow: auto; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 9px; line-height: 95%;]sometimes lennox wondered if connor had purchased roisin and reaver and given him the female to make a point. knowing his brother, he had. connor loved to make jabs at lennox's sexuality, and honestly, the jokes got old. but connor loved it, and he imagined his older brother would never give it up. the original idea had been to breed the two dogs and make it into a side business, but lennox had gotten roisin fixed just to fuck with connor's plan. it had garnered him a black eye and connor promising never to get reaver fixed just so he would piss in lennox's bedroom, but it was worth it. roisin brushed past lennox's leg, and his vanity was thankful his jacket was tan so her reddish fur wouldn't stick to it and be visible. the dog shed so horribly during certain times of the year, and lennox was a naturally clean person. yet another attribute that connor loved to pull out and use as ammunition in his 'lennox is gay' campaign. lennox had grown to ignore it. his gloved fingers petted behind the dog's shaggy ear before he patted her on her shoulders and sent her back out in front of him as they walked down the icy sidewalk. although she was well-trained and would never run off without him, he was forced to walk her on a leash. it was ironic how he followed pet laws considering his family practically owned boston, but lennox enjoyed order. he was a walking contradiction perhaps, but that wasn't for him to decide. he was a man who hated and loved his brother with equal measure, and followed him blindly despite the fact that he would be the first to speak up and disagree with him if the moment arose. a walking contradiction indeed. roisin pulled off in front of him, off on her own business as he fell into his thoughts. he had the opening party of irish rose in a week, and he had much on his plate. he was so lost, as he rounded the corner, that he slammed into a smaller form before he could stop himself. he wasn't walking quickly, so the girl slammed in to him, knocking the wind out of both of them as he stood stunned and she fell to her behind on the snowy ground. his eyes instantly snapped down to the items that flew out of her bag and then up to a man advancing toward the scene from the nearby shops. lennox was an extremely observant and intuitive man, and he pieced the observations together and came to a conclusion. tugging only slightly on roisin's leash, the dog seemed to inherently understand her master's desire, and she bounded toward the grocer, cutting him off temporarily with her lapping tongue and wagging tail. bending down, he offered the female his hand, his eyes finally focusing on her as he offered her help from the ground. she scrambled to collect the items which had fallen from her bag as roisin sufficiently kept the grocer preoccupied. when she finally rose, lennox's observant gaze flickered over her face. how was it possible for such a beauty to exist in boston of all places? the freckles across her nose seemed too cute and out of place for the aquiline beauty of her face, and he enjoyed the aesthetic irony. "you couldn't hurt me by running in to me. just knocked the wind out of me a bit. how about you? you hit the ground pretty hard," he pointed out, his irish accent breaking through despite the fact that he had a habit of suppressing it unlike his family members. he was the business leader of the family, and he didn't like his accent getting in the way and distracting his clients. but this time, he couldn't help it. it was a deep, soothing voice, very dissimilar to his brother connor's bass, demanding tone. as she moved to go around him, he stepped to the side, forgetting that his hand was looped through roisin's leash and he essentially trapped the girl in inadvertently. "oh, excuse me," he apologized, stepping to the side to unwrap her. this brought him face-to-face with the grocer who had successfully gotten around the irish wolfhound and was straightening his clothes, reaching for the girl at lennox's side. hey, give back what you stole, missy, the grocer snapped, reaching for her. lennox's arm snaked out so fast, grasping the man's wrist as he was inches from the girl's bag. his dark hazel-green eyes flashed, and he offered the man a pleasant smile. he took in the details of the man, slightly shorter than him, obviously bostonian by birth, middle-aged and married by the tan line on his left ring finger. he gently, yet firmly, pushed the man's arm away from the damsel before wrapping roisin's leash nonchalantly around his wrist, perfectly at ease. "i believe you're mistaken, sir," he commented coolly. i saw her! you can't tell me the little thief didn't do it! "i am not telling you anything..." lennox pointed out, straightening his tan duster jacket with his free hand before crossing his hands calmly over his waist. roisin came to sit at his side, her head at his hip. "...i'm merely saying you're mistaken. this young lady doesn't seem to have stolen anything to me. everything she has, she's had since i saw her, and that was before you accused her of stealing." he shrugged slightly as the man glared at him. who are you to say anything? that's my store she stole from. "i'm no one of importance really. just an innocent bystander," he held his hand out to the man, the leather of his glove creaking with the movement. "lennox selwyn." the grocer's eyes widened and he took a visible step backward. his eyes flickered down to lennox's hand and back up to his genial smile before he shook his head and held his hands up in defeat. fine. she didn't steal anything. just get away from my shop. with that, he turned on his heel and headed back to the grocery with a hasty gait. turning to the attractive brunette at his side, lennox shrugged his shoulders slightly and smiled at her. "he seemed like a nice enough fellow," his eyes glanced pointedly down at her bag before he looked back into her face, "i'd suggest trying the pomegranates next time. they're much better for your health than the apples from that place." he winked knowingly, his hand reaching down to scratch roisin behind her ear as she leaned lovingly against his right leg. [style=letter-spacing: 2px; border-bottom: 2px solid; padding: 2px] I ### | AVA | COMPLETE *hums* [/style]

table made by MADAME MARIANNA of CAUTION 2.0

[ava rae woodward]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] [style=text-align: center] she tries so hard to get away [/style] [style=font-size: 10px; line-height: 10px; padding: 25px; margin-top: -10px; color: CCCCCC;]ava struggled to gather the things around her, but she was momentarily distracted as the dog by this strange man's side went streaking by her. raising in eyebrow in question, she followed the canine with her gaze for a moment, glancing over her shoulder as she seemed to distract the grocer. turning her attention back to the man she had crashed into, she studied him as he bent down to help her gather her stolen goods. that action alone made her heart skip a beat out of nerves and she furrowed her brow, hearing his words as he explained that she couldn't hurt him by running into him. "right, of course." she responded quietly, trying to focus on getting her things in order once more. however, hearing his next words brought her attention back to him, and she studied his face as he showed genuine concern in his question. "i'm....fine. thank you." she described herself, not used to having someone ask her if she was okay. that was never an option when she had been trapped in that basement. they didn't care, and the lack of sympathy in her life had left her apathetic at best. her questions weren't genuine, her concern was only slightly turned to him. she couldn't help herself. it was what happened when you were raised strapped to a chair for most of your life. even though her years of freedom should have changed that, ava didn't know how to live a successful, solitary life. it was quite obvious in her failed attempts at creating a life for herself that didn't include illegal activity. her brother was a cop, for god's sakes, and a good one at that. he was well known in the precinct and she could be throwing his career down the drain, or at least his reputation. guilt crossed her features momentarily and she straightened before this man could see. she felt like he could look right through her and that made her uneasy. she had too many secrets to hide. standing, she stepped forward to try to extricate herself from the situation, but his dog leash stopped her in her tracks. ava sighed softly to herself in frustration, hearing him speak up and watching him step to the side. "it's alright.." she said softly, not wanting him to think she was offended in any way. but her breath was cut short as she heard the voice of the grocer, and she spun around quickly on her heel, nearly tumbling because of the force of her movement. unfortunately, to keep from falling, she had to grasp the young man's arm and she did so rather strongly. a blush rose to her freckled covered cheeks and she muttered an apology to the man she had clung to, releasing him once she had recovered her balance, only to bring rather timid, yet defiant eyes up to stare at the grocer as he accused her of her crimes. she couldn't deny a word that he said. she didn't move to touch her bag though, and as he reached out for her, for the bag, she found herself about to step back defensively, until the stranger snaked his arm out and grabbed the ornery grocer's arms. her eyes widened imperceptibly and her heart started hammering in her chest. what was he doing? he had no interest vested in her, so why did he see a point in helping her now? she was just some common street criminal, a street rat, as she had been accused in the past. he was clearly from a well bred lifestyle, and she didn't need his charity. resisting the urge to scowl as he did her a favor, she sighed softly and looked down at the irish wolfhound at his feet. she was smaller than ava expected the breed to be, but petite and pretty all the same. she didn't reach out to touch her, knowing that doing so could get her hand bitten since she didn't know the dog, but she did feel as if she owed the creature a thanks for distracting the man long enough for her to be able to pick up all of her spilled goods. shaking her head slightly, she raised her gaze as the man beside her announced himself as lennox selwyn. being new to boston, the name meant nothing to her, but she tilted her head slightly in response to the man's reaction before her. he looked as if he had seen a ghost, and he certainly couldn't seem to get out of there fast enough. watching him basically stumble off after a muttered claim to her innocence, she quirked an eyebrow and didn't take her gaze off of the grocer until he disappeared. feeling lennox's attention divert to her, she slowly glanced his way, looking sheepish, but slightly uneasy. "you didn't have to do that. but, thank you." seeing his smile somehow calmed her racing thoughts, his gentle voice lulling her into a sense of easiness despite her shortcomings. as lennox announced that the fellow seemed nice enough, ava scoffed in response. "if you value a man with a stick shoved up his ass, then by all means. nice fellow, it is." realizing her tongue had been way out of control, she reddened considerably because of her rudeness. however, she was never one to follow the moral code of society, but that didn't mean she had to say such things in front of a such a proper gentleman. "er, sorry." she spoke up timidly once more, then sighed and gathered her bag over her shoulder more firmly. figuring it was time to take off, she was surprised when he was suddenly gazing down at her bag and then offering her a suggestion. finally a small smile tugged at her lips and she fixed him with an incredulous look. "are you condoning my thievery, mr. selwyn?" she asked him delightfully, the smile becoming larger and more genuine as she stood in front of him. shaking her head, she spoke up once more, feeling rude that she knew his name and he didn't know hers. "i'm ava rae." she offered him pleasantly, not wanting to give him her last name because of the consequences it could drop upon rhett's shoulders. [/style] tagged; lennox. words; l.a.z.y. notes; gah it sucks, i'm sorry! TEMPLATE BY LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE @ CAUTION 2.0

[LENNOX RAFFERTY SELWYN]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=style, width: 500px] maybe it`s the way you were taught or maybe it`s the way we fought [/style][style=background-color: 1b1b1b; width: 200px; height: 300px; float: right; border: 0px solid #0e0e0e; padding: 8px; color: 454545; overflow: auto; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 9px; line-height: 95%;]lennox calmly stood, watching the entire altercation with the girl and the grocer as if from far away. it entertained him in a way, how untouchable he knew she would become as soon as he dropped his name. power appealed to him, although he didn't consider himself to have much of it - that was his brother's expertise, not his. when the man wisely deserted them, hightailing his way back to the store, lennox examined the girl before him. she didn't appear to him like the thieving type. in his experience, they were much more clever in the way they dressed and their technique. she obviously hadn't been entirely subtle if the grocer had noticed her stealing, so she was an amateur. she was dressed as well as any other young woman her age, and she looked about the same age as him if he was to have a guess. "not all of us do things for others because it's required of us," lennox teased slightly, his hazel eyes dancing merrily. it had been too long since he'd had someone - anyone, especially a female - to talk to outside of his family and business. he was so wrapped up in the business side of the mob that he didn't see the entertainment in the world around him. that included female companionship. connor carefully and expertly kept him cloistered away from women. it was highly hypocritical of his brother, of course, considering connor's former lifestyle, but that was only to be expected. lennox and connor couldn't be less alike, and connor did everything he could to guarantee himself the best service out of his younger brother. he depended on lennox to be the brains of the operation, reining in his more fiery personality and cleaning up his messes. it would be tiring work for any other man, but lennox's mind was programmed to do exactly as he always did. he thrived on order, and keeping the mafia in order was an obsession of his. so the opportunity to help someone just because he wanted to was not an opportunity he often had. the selwyns weren't exactly known for their hospitality. they were characterized by connor which automatically cast them in an unfavorable light to the human element of boston. their image would be much different if someone like lennox was in charge, for example. lennox smiled amusedly at her comments about the grocer, and her blushing made him smile to himself. he seldom saw women who had any modesty, whether in dress or speech, anymore and it entertained him that she would blush because of something she said. it reminded him ever so slightly of his sister kahlan, someone who was not afraid to speak her mind but held her tongue out of propriety when it was necessary. "don't apologize for saying what you think," he pointed out, shrugging his shoulders slightly as his gloved hands slipped into the pockets of his duster jacket. "no one says the truth anymore, just subtle twisted versions of it." his voice took on an aged wisdom to it with those words, the wisdom of a man forced to mature beyond his age. he was two years past being able to legally drink in the states, yet he was the business manager for the irish mafia. he was the right hand man to a bloodthirsty murderer and related to some of the deadliest criminals in massachusetts, if not the entire east coast. he was not your average twenty-three year old. "i wouldn't say that," he argued with an amused smile, shifting his weight to glance down the road before looking back at her, "but i do believe every beautiful woman should be allowed to do whatever she pleases. if that's stealing, then so be it." his smile was warm - uncharacteristic? no, not for lennox - as she followed his introduction with her own. he nodded slightly in response. "a lovely name for a lovely thief," he teased with a wink. "am i holding you up? i'm sure you must be itching to get home and eat your apples." the joke made him smile genuinely, relieved that he didn't have to talk about how much money the mob could get from a gun run or how long it would be until the next shipment of arms would arrive from europe. movement past her shoulder caught his eye, and a rumble through roisin's chest vibrated up his leg. the dog was well-trained and didn't react to her natural instincts without lennox's permission, but he could feel her tense at his side and he frowned imperceptibly as he looked past ava to the men walking behind her. he recognized them instantly, they were business affiliates with the mob, some of the very same men he'd just been thinking about. it was uncanny how he almost felt as if he'd summoned them with his thoughts, and his body tensed imperceptibly. a pleasant smile passed onto his face, different than the smirk he'd shared with ava, and he blinked as he stepped subtly to her side, his body inadvertently shielding her with his shoulder. the group entered an establishment nearby, a diner where their ilk was known to hang out, but the leader advanced toward lennox, a sly smile on his face. outwardly, to the unsuspecting citizens walking past, he seemed genial and pleased to see lennox, but all lesser criminals are intimidated and irritated by their betters. lennox could see the true hatred seething behind his smile, and lennox did a much better job at concealing his dislike for the man. he was capable of hiding his true feelings for someone much better than connor was. "monsieur marshall," lennox greeted pleasantly, extending his gloved hand to shake the man's hand. "monsieur selwyn," the man responded in his french accent, his eyebrows raising slightly. his eyes brushed over the girl at lennox's side, clearly interested in her, and irritation welled up within lennox's chest instantly. he knew the french. they dealt in cigarettes and women, and the lusty look in the man's eyes made lennox wish roisin would eat him. however, he reacted with natural grace and cool-headedness as was his way. his left arm easily slipped around ava's waist, his hand resting comfortably against her hip, not too low as to throw her off-guard or to make her uncomfortable, and his smile curved up slightly as the man turned back to look at him. understanding passed over the frenchman's face: she belonged to lennox. he was not to touch her. this wasn't true, of course, but the impression was enough to give him a small victory. he had protected her although she would never know it, and he innocently stared the french arms dealer down. "our meeting remains tomorrow, is that right?" lennox asked light-heartedly, gently pulling ava closer to his side. roisin's tail began to wag, thumping gently against the backs of his legs as he smirked at the frenchman. "mais oui. 10 heures?" "c'est vrai. see you then," lennox affirmed with a slight smile. he exuded confidence and calmness as marshall turned to address ava. "mademoiselle... monsieur," he tipped his head politely before smiling that smile that brimmed with his hatred at lennox. turning, he disappeared after his fellows and lennox gently released ava with a small sigh. [style=letter-spacing: 2px; border-bottom: 2px solid; padding: 2px] I ### | AVA | COMPLETE *hums* [/style]

table made by MADAME MARIANNA of CAUTION 2.0

[ava rae woodward]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] [style=text-align: center] she tries so hard to get away [/style] [style=font-size: 10px; line-height: 10px; padding: 25px; margin-top: -10px; color: CCCCCC;]try as she might, she couldn't get herself to deny that the man in front of her was good looking. his charm certainly helped the situation, and the genial smile that passed over his features as he told her that he didn't help her because he had to made her return his smile. ava didn't classify herself as the most observant individual, but the lifestyle that she had led so far had required her to be able to pick up on things. she noticed the genuine warmth in his eyes as he spoke to her and for some reason, in this stranger's presence, she felt calm and safe. ava didn't understand why exactly, but there was something about him that told her that she had nothing to fear from him in this moment. if that was to change later down the road, then so be it. but there was no guarantee that she would ever see this man again. she wasn't going to allow herself to be too affected by this meeting. she was just grateful that he had done what he had done, for she was successfully off the hook as the man disappeared around the corner. she sent lennox a questioning look, but she was too proper to ask him questions about his personal life just yet. wrapping her arms around herself for warmth from the chill in the air, she fixed him with an unreadable expression, watching as he smiled in amusement to her words. well, at least he was entertained and not offended by her inability to control her tongue. she was certain rhett wouldn't have been very happy about that comment. in fact, he wouldn't be very happy about this entire situation. she didn't know who the selwyns were, but rhett certainly did. and if he knew that she was not only stealing, but talking to one of the brothers, he would want to murder her himself. she would top it all off to her naivety of boston, but she was certain her brother would not believe it. ava was a smart girl. she had good instincts. she wasn't getting a bad vibe from this situation and she would normally if something negative were to arise. she wasn't worried and lennox didn't seem to be put off either. she was actually enjoying this literal run in and a part of her found herself not wanting to leave. she quirked her eyebrow at his words and nodded slowly. "don't i know it." oh, she had said too much, given too much away. forcing a smile upon her face, she force the memories and the images of her kidnappers from her mind and tried her best to appear normal. he didn't seem unintelligent though and she believed he would see straight through her. for some reason, his warm eyes gave her the impression that he wasn't a man who was easily fooled. it was then that his next words caught her attention, and she looked up at him, her eyes widening slightly as he said that he believed that every beautiful women deserved to do what they pleased, even if it was stealing. furrowing her brow, she glanced over her shoulder as if checking to see if he was referring to another young woman, but she knew before she even did that he was talking to her. shaking her head out of modesty, she spoke up. "i'll agree with the independence of that statement, however, you might need to get your vision checked, mr.selwyn." she parried easily, quick on her feet and quick with her mind. she was about to open her mouth to comment on his choice of the adjective lovely, but a blush was all he received because he diverted her attention by asking her if he was holding her up. fixing the man with a small look of indignation, she let out her frustration in a soft huff, giving him a playful glare, her lips turning upward in a smile. "no..my apples can wait, thank you very much." she caught his joke, taking it well as she usually did. reaching into her coat pocket, she felt around for the loose dollar bills that she knew were there. "actually, i don't know how busy you are, but will you let me buy you a coffee out of thanks? i know a great sidewalk shop that's pretty affordable." she explained to him, her blue eyes lifting to take in his gaze. her request was short lived though, for the man before her suddenly looked over her shoulder. she was aware of the dog growling and she breathed in sharply, her breath catching in her throat. something was wrong. her instincts told her to run, but for some reason her feet wouldn't listen to her. she didn't want to get pulled away. she didn't want to get taken again, and while the very notion was absurd, she couldn't stop imagining herself being held captive again. however, lennox helped her solve her situation as he stepped in front of her, causing her to pivot on her heel to face the impending danger. letting out a small sigh of relief at the man who approached them, she caught lennox moving to keep himself in front of her. furrowing her brow, she stared at his broad back wondering why in the world he would feel the need to put himself between her and this approaching stranger. she bit her tongue, intelligently so, watching as the french man came up to lennox and herself. as her savior greeted the stranger, she looked sideways at him as he greeted him like a business partner. now completely confused, she glanced back to the newcomer, watching him take in the sight of her like a hungry predator. suddenly uneasily, she want to leave but for some reason knew that she couldn't desert lennox at a time like this. she couldn't turn her back on these people, so she would do something else that would give her the protection she so desired. reaching out, she wrapped her arm around lennox's waist just as he turned and wrapped his strong arm around her own thin waist. feeling his hand brushing across her hip, she regarded the man in front of them silently, trying to hide the victory from her eyes as he seemed to stop drinking in her appearance. ava didn't understand men at all. in her opinion, she was nothing special to look at, but here was one man referring to her as beautiful, and another who seemed to want to take her away with him right this instant. glad for lennox's unspoken protection, she moved willingly to lean into him as he pulled her closer. wrapping her other arm around his front, she cuddled closer to him, secretly stealing his warmth to aid her. the cold was starting to reach her bones and she was quietly enjoying lennox's presence because of how warm he really was. the french man turned to go, and for good measure, she leaned up and kissed lennox's cheek with a small smile. "let's go get that coffee we were talking about. please?" she questioned him softly, but loud enough for the retreating man to hear. she had nodded politely in response to his words of departure but now she was left feeling uneasy and she was fine with bidding a hasty retreat. following the foreigner with her gaze, she didn't relax until he disappeared into the building the rest of his companions had gone into. breathing yet another sigh of relief, she danced away from lennox as he released her, pulling her jacket down with another sheepish expression. "well now i really owe you something after you saved me again." [/style] tagged; lennox. words; l.a.z.y. notes; gah it sucks, i'm sorry! TEMPLATE BY LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE @ CAUTION 2.0

[LENNOX RAFFERTY SELWYN]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=style, width: 500px] maybe it`s the way you were taught or maybe it`s the way we fought [/style][style=background-color: 1b1b1b; width: 200px; height: 300px; float: right; border: 0px solid #0e0e0e; padding: 8px; color: 454545; overflow: auto; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 9px; line-height: 95%;]he politely ignored her argument that she wasn't beautiful, and his attention was all too soon distracted by the arrival of the frenchman. he didn't get the opportunity to answer her question about getting him a coffee before marshall approached them and began eyeing her. lennox had never liked the french. they were womanizers, and he had a sneaking suspicion they dealt in sex trafficking. the idea sickened and repulsed him, selling human beings against their will. it was inhumane and unacceptable, and he disapproved greatly. just as he'd told ava, he believed a woman - anyone for that matter - had the right to do whatever they wanted. if that meant leading a life of crime or being an upstanding citizen, it didn't matter either way. it was the choice that mattered, the independence, the free will. she seemed to read his mind as his arm moved to slide around her waist, and her arm mirrored his movements. the act impressed him. she understood his intentions and added to the show. he liked it enough that his smirk widened as he stared marshall down. when her free arm moved to enclose his waist, his hand slid up her back and rested against her shoulders before moving to the back of her neck and massaging her beneath her brown hair, gentle soothing motions. the act convinced the french arms dealer and ran him off, leaving the two of them alone once more. he noticed she didn't disentangle herself from him, and he raised his eyebrows slightly as a smile curved over his face as she kissed him on his cheek. looking down at her as she suggested getting coffee once more, he allowed himself to smile fully. "were we talking about it, or were you talking about it, my lovely thief?" he asked her, an amused twinkle in his eye. he knew the french man overheard him just as the door closed, and he didn't care. it was all part of the act, yet he knew she genuinely wanted to do something to thank him for saving her from the grocer and the french as well, even if she didn't know their true danger. the moment the french man disappeared, he loosened his hold on her and she took the opportunity to put space between them, straightening her clothing. when she thanked him, he smiled at her, reaching out to playfully flick her under her chin. "i'm alright with you owing me, but i know the perfect place to get coffee at a time like this," he mentioned, glancing away from her and down the street in the direction marshall had come. impulsively, he reached down and took her hand and led her down the street, passing in front of the shop where the men had entered. roisin growled in her throat, still smelling them on the cold wintry air, and lennox gently tugged her along as he curved ava's hand forward so his arm was around her shoulders, warming her and pulling her close enough to she could speak to her with no one else able to hear. "play along for a moment, love," he whispered in an undertone, his lips brushing her ear as they passed the windows. out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the four french men sitting at a table near the front of the shop, and he smiled pleasantly at them as they walked past. they offered him polite nods of their heads, but he knew it was only because he was one of the ruling family in boston. if he was in paris, he'd been dead meat by now. purposefully looking away from them, he turned his face to ava, his mouth sinking in to her hair as he kissed the side of her head and pulled her past the shop. luck of the irish, the coffee shop owned by the irish mafia, was just down the street. it was the perfect place to escape the lurking french and where roisin would have the freedom to roam inside - and probably piss of neil, but lennox didn't much mind. they walked down the street, lennox's arm remaining protectively around her shoulders until they reached the cafe and he released her to pull the door open for her. seeing her sufficiently inside, he unhooked the irish wolfhound who yipped like a pup and bounded off toward the back to see if her buddy reaver was around. lennox removed his coat and hung it on the coatrack near the entrance, leaving him in his daily dress which consisted of a navy blue pin-striped suit, a white shirt underneath, and a pale pink tie to break up the dark colors. motioning toward one of the servers behind the counter who instantly recognized him, he motioned ava toward his usual table, pulling her chair out for her before seating himself. glancing over at her, he smiled slightly as the server arrived to take their order. he ordered his usual, waiting patiently while ava ordered something before he opened his mouth to speak once the waiter was gone. "if you truly do owe me, i believe i have a proposition for you," he mentioned. suddenly, he was interrupted by a fiery blond appearing out of the back of the cafe, roisin in tow, her wiry face covered in white powdered sugar. "lennox, your dog got into the powdered donuts again," kahlan griped, releasing roisin who slinked away from her as if she was a miniature dog and not a giant of a creature. she wagged her tail apologetically as kahlan glared down at her brother before realizing he had company. "oh! excuse me, i'm sorry. i'll...uh..." she glanced at ava and smiled sweetly before looking at lennox, her eyebrows raising slightly in question that he answered by a flash of his hazel eyes, "i didn't meant to interrupt. just keep the dog out here." she sniffed pointedly at him, and he nodded in acquiescence. "where were we?" he asked, neglecting to explain what had just happened or the fact that kahlan was his sister. [style=letter-spacing: 2px; border-bottom: 2px solid; padding: 2px] I ### | AVA | COMPLETE *hums* [/style]

table made by MADAME MARIANNA of CAUTION 2.0

[ava rae woodward]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] [style=text-align: center] she tries so hard to get away [/style] [style=font-size: 10px; line-height: 10px; padding: 25px; margin-top: -10px; color: CCCCCC;]uneasiness crowded her entire being as she stood beside lennox, feeling the eyes of the french man on her. she felt dirty in that instant, as if she was a prize to be won, so sinking into lennox for protection was something that she appreciated more than he would ever know. while she didn't have much experience when it came to being around a man, or anyone for that matter, she was trying to be as natural as she possibly could be. a quick glance up to his face told her that she was doing a good job, especially when she slipped her arm around him instead of tensing like some idiot would do. playing along with his game, sensing it was for her own safety, she offered a pleasant smile to marshall, further entangling herself with lennox by wrapping her other arm around his front. the man in front of them seemed to be deterred by that, and as she felt lennox's hand creep up her back, she leaned back into his touch, seemingly at peace. his touch to the back of her neck sent shivers up and down her spine and she forced herself not to gasp in surprise at the intimacy of his actions. ava had never been touched in that fashion before. the grabs to the back of her neck growing up had been harsh and unrestrained, leaving bruises and scratches that had long since scarred. she was glad for her long hair because it covered the carnage that had become her neck, and she was momentarily relieved that lennox was wearing gloves so that he couldn't feel the raised ridges on her skin. shewas sure that she could explain it away easily enough with some story of an accident when she was younger, but this perceptive young man seemed hard to dupe in such a way. however, she was saved from that disaster by the fact that he was wearing gloves, and that he couldn't feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest. taking an unnoticeable deep breath, she let it out slowly and forced herself to remain cuddled against lennox's side even though she was starting to grow uneasy with how close she could have been to revealing something that she was trying to desperately suppress. memories of her torturous years came up hard and fast, and she was glad when lennox's voice broke the silence, for it was what pulled her back to the present. as he smiled down at her and questioned her about the coffee, she glanced quickly to the back of the man who was now retreating and then met lennox's smile with one of her own. "well you know how much i love the stuff, babe." the pet name sounded foreign to her, but it slipped easily off of her tongue, even affectionately so. she could only seem to catch her breath when he released her and she took that moment to adjust her jacket. however, while she was looking down, she caught the movement of his hand out of the corner of her eye and she looked up just in time for him to flick her in the chin. mustering up a playful glare, she nudged him with her elbow as he spoke up once more, the smile actually real as she regarded him as cooly as she could manage. "fine. as long as you let me buy." she instructed him, watching him for his reaction. the fact is, ava didn't have a lot of money on her, but she would be able to afford two coffees. she was certain of it. hoping he wouldn't try to be the gentleman and offer to buy, she sighed and heard him speak up once again as he took her hand in his. quirking an eyebrow, she followed after him willingly and obediently, not truly certain of what was going on as he asked her to play along. not giving him an answer but figuring he knew what it would be, she only nodded as they reached the shop, and she put an adoring smile on her face as he wrapped his arm around her. she snuggled into him naturally, once again glad for his added warmth. wrapping her arm around his waist, she squeezed him for good measure as they passed the four french men sitting in the front window of the shop they had traveled to. suddenly, she felt his warm breath up against the side of her head and instead of turning to investigate, she let it happen, feeling the butterflies gather in her her stomach as he performed that simple action. losing her breath yet again because of this young irishman, she reddened considerably and turned to hide her face in his shoulder as they walked by the men. smiling to herself despite her embarrassment, she muttered into his shoulder. "you're gonna have to stop using me like this. i'm going to start thinking that you enjoy it." she teased him so that only he could hear, the smile making it harder for anyone other than him to hear as well. lifting her head as they seemed to clear the shop, she sighed and fully expected to be released from his hold. when he kept his arm protectively around her, she had to admit that she was more than surprised. no one had ever offered her this kind of protection before besides rhett, and she wasn't used to it. she was used to being hurt and while she knew that it wasn't fair for her to assume that everyone would treat her the same way, it was still difficult to change her observations. pushing those thoughts away, she settled comfortably against his side, leaving her arm wrapped around the back of him. she was comfortable and he seemed comfortable, so she tried not to think over think things. she had an awful habit of doing that. she stepped forward as he opened the door to the cafe, ducking inside and glad for the warmth even though it made her cheeks flush a bright red, causing her freckles to stand out even more. wishing that she could rid her complexion of the freckles, she rubbed her cheeks as if trying to get them to disappear, only making them stand out more. sighing to herself, she looked over her shoulder as the dog ran by and lennox stalled to hang his jacket up on the hook provided. not wanting to part with her jacket because of her protective nerves, she clung to her bag, keeping it against her stomach as she followed his indications. sitting down at the table, she let the bag stay in her lap, her jacket still done up because of the chill to her bones. her teeth chattered a bit but she ignored them as the waiter came over and asked what they wanted. as lennox ordered, ava managed to request a hot chocolate with cappuccino mixed in, which had become something of a favorite to the slim girl. her stomach deceived her and growled hungrily, but she tried her best to cover it up with a cough. shifting in her seat, she turned and looked at him as he said he had a proposition. furrowing her brow, she parted her lips to respond to him, but they were interrupted by an extremely pretty blonde coming out of the back of the shop with lennox's dog in tow. seeing the guilty expression on the dog's face made her smile and she ran a hand along the dog's back as she wiggled around the place once she was freed from the woman's clutches. turning a questioning eye to lennox, she glanced back and forth between him and the young woman, her thoughts instantly jumping to label her as the man's girlfriend. for some reason, she felt extremely disappointed by this realization and she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why. ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach, she watched as the girl turned to her and finally acknowledged her, seeming put off by the idea that ava was here. now suspicious, she watched her disappear after her apologies, once ava muttered that it was alright, she wasn't interrupting anything. turning her blue eyed gaze to her savior, she spoke genuinely enough, wanting to understand the relationship. "you said something about a proposition." she offered to him, and then couldn't get her mind off of the blonde who was now missing from their presence. "your girlfriend really didn't have to leave..." ava explained openly, only half meaning what she said. she was trying to figure out the truth, but she wouldn't want someone he cared about to have to leave on her account either. she was no one special and they would come to discover that soon enough. [/style] tagged; lennox. words; l.a.z.y. notes; gah it sucks, i'm sorry! TEMPLATE BY LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE @ CAUTION 2.0

[LENNOX RAFFERTY SELWYN]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=style, width: 500px] maybe it`s the way you were taught or maybe it`s the way we fought [/style][style=background-color: 1b1b1b; width: 200px; height: 300px; float: right; border: 0px solid #0e0e0e; padding: 8px; color: 454545; overflow: auto; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 9px; line-height: 95%;]lennox chuckled as the girl teased him about enjoying having his arm around her. "maybe i do, or maybe i would prefer you alive instead of a stain on the pavement," he answered with a smirk, "i guess you'll never know." with that, and a wink, he released her and held the door for her to enter good irish luck. he glanced back over his shoulder as she disappeared ahead of him, his observant gaze sweeping the street and sidewalk behind them. noticing a black mercedes sedan parked on the corner, where they'd first met, he frowned slightly to himself and entered the coffeeshop, taking a mental note to inform connor. if their french business partners intended some sort of coup, they needed to shut it down. it was bad for business, and it was honestly irritating. he became distracted as their drinks arrived before he was brought back to the present by his raging sister. she was wearing an apron so she'd obviously been helping out in the bakery to entertain herself. she loved meddling with various things within the mob, and she also loved muffins, so she often pestered neil to allow her to help him bake. of course the irishman would never deny her - she was his master's precious younger sister after all - so she did what she pleased. he dealt with her by coolly assuring her roisin wouldn't be invading the powdered donuts again, and she disappeared. he smiled to himself and wrapped his now-bare hands around his cappuccino mug as he returned his attention to ava. yes, she would do nicely for what he had in mind. he already had anna, a beautiful doe-eyed brunette, but ava was certainly attractive enough to join her. she was around the same height - men liked petite girls after all for it made them feel superior in a subtle, subconsciously barbaric way - and her hair was lighter, but her face was more aquiline. he enjoyed the aesthetically pleasing lines of her face, and her freckles added an innocent air to her that he knew would become popular with his clients. now, he merely had to convince her. however, she interrupted his thoughts by explaining his 'girlfriend' didn't have to leave, and he glanced up confusedly for a moment before he realized what she believed. he actually chuckled out loud and shook his head, waving off the statement. "kahlan isn't my girlfriend. she's my sister, and no, she doesn't need to stick around," he answered, his hazel eyes kind as he smiled at her before looking down at his mug. lifting his spoon from the table, he dipped it into the mug and swirled it around in a slow circle, drawing a line through the foam which rested precariously on the top. "as a disclaimer, i understand if you slap me and walk out the moment i pitch this idea to you. it's happened before," he pointed out, his eyebrows raising slightly as he sipped the hot caffeine and licked his lips with a slight, pleased side. placing the mug on the table between his hands, his fingers drew short lines out, away from one another, before uncurling to redraw the lines again in smooth, calm movements. "as i'm sure you've figured out, i don't belong to the normal citizen's echelon of society, but rather, to a darker more perverse side of boston," he explained, allowing his accent to seep its way into his words. he obviously was not born and raised as a bostonian - God forbid - and he had a distinctly old world feel to everything he did. he was unashamed of his heritage - as were all selwyns - but he also knew when to use it to his advantage. unlike his brothers, and even his sister, who had melded in to the american culture and society, lennox managed to maintain some air of europe about him. he had been an actor, he had played many roles on the broadway stage and he'd been many faces. it was a skill that aided him as the business side of the mafia. he was also a gambler, a personality trait that gave him the edge to make the leap he needed to be successful. however, despite the wise other-worldliness that ached around him, he had a calming personality and a soothing demeanor. he wasn't forceful like his brothers, and he wasn't hotheaded like them either. he knew when to make a deal and when to drop one. "i'm not going to pretend that what i'm offering you is anything a real gentleman would offer a lady," he added, sitting back in his chair, his right hand drawing lines vertically up and down his coffee mug as his left hand rested on roisin's wiry head, stroking her gently between her eyes. "there are a few things you need to know before i explain. i am the younger brother to connor selwyn, the leader of the irish mafia," he mentioned, his tone low although he knew he had nothing to hide in this coffeeshop. this was his domain. "those men we met on the street were french arms dealers and, possibly, sex traffickers. would you care for me to continue?" he smiled gently, perfectly at ease talking about killers and criminals and the illegal side of the world most people assumed didn't really exist. when he heard her response, he nodded slightly and pressed forward. "i run an escort service called irish rose. i need beautiful women who are smart and sharp and know how to convince a man they're having a good time, and you..." he trailed off and leaned over onto the table, smiling at her. "...are all of those things. you merely have to agree to my less-than-reputable request, a request no proper gentleman would ask. will you allow me to groom you and turn you into a high class social escort in service to the irish mob, and to myself?" his smile morphed into an amused smirk as his hazel eyes watched her for her reaction. [style=letter-spacing: 2px; border-bottom: 2px solid; padding: 2px] I ### | AVA | COMPLETE *hums* [/style]

table made by MADAME MARIANNA of CAUTION 2.0