"Do you have to go?"  Azeri cringed as the words had flown from her mouth before she could stop them.  But still even as she loathed the fact that what she deemed to be weakness was showing, the way she felt about the man before her rang out in every syllable.  In a typical Jesse manner, he had simply laughed and assured her that this was the easy part.  Azeri snorted...  Easy.  She didn't know enough about this life, but Jesse hadn't hidden many of the details, if any, of what he had to do next from his Right Hand Lady.  And as much as she wouldn't admit it, Azeri was terrified.  

"You stay here and pour us some drinks.  I'll be back before you're even done."  

Azeri glared daggers at him.  She knew what he meant, but still it angered her.  "Come back to me in one piece Brother."

And with that infuriatingly cocky smile, he was gone.  Lovely bounded out after him but only followed him a few paces until their Leader had gotten into his car and driven off to meet the next piece of his fateful walk in this life.  Azeri shuddered.  A drink might be necessary but she wasn't about to show any more feeling than she already had.  Besides...  

She had a party to attend to.

Grinning mischievously she swept out and saw that the preparations were complete.  Everyone who was anyone had received an invitation to celebrate what was such a momentous occasion.  The highlight of any Leader's career...  The ascension to Godfather.  And who better to take on that title just as many incredible beings had before him?  Than her Goldbrick.  She chuckled softly to herself shaking her head a little as she steeled herself to greet those that had already begun gathering after her letters had gone out far and wide to invite them to this place.  That man never had been a Goldbrick to her.  Nor to the two small balls of russet fluff that flanked her.  She almost wouldn't have noticed them except for the fact that Lovely, sensing the fiery haired woman's unease, had pressed lightly against her calf in support.  Azeri smiled warmly to the small vulpine before reaching down and giving them each a scritch.  "Would have let you go with him girl...  If he didn't have to do this alone."  But standing tall, she also wouldn't admit that she would have gotten in that car in half a shake of a fox's tail if he'd allow it.

One more breath drawn, Azeri would throw open the doors to the gathering hall grinning as people already had drinks being poured.  "Evening one and all!  Thank you for coming!  I expect the guest of honor will be here any minute-"  Shots rang out cutting Azeri's words short, and despite the careful cultivation of her facial features, she couldn't keep the brief flash of fear from making itself known in those eyes.  But just as fast, it was gone.  "Please enjoy the music and enjoy the refreshments!  Not an expense was spared on this evening.  I assure you."  She smiled almost demurely, her eyes dancing but if one paid enough attention, they'd notice how her eyes danced to the window every so often.  But what was done was done...  Whatever the outcome.

The driver pulled Enzo and Johnny up to the front of the building where they are celebrating Goldbrick's ascension to Godfather. Johnny got out of the front and opened the passenger door for Enzo. Enzo got out of the car looking around up at the building, he looked at Johnny smiling. "Yes, boss you look good," Johnny said to Enzo as he had went and got a new suit for this event. Johnny shut the door and walked in front of Enzo making their way into the building. "Jesus, I guess they spared no expense." He and Johnny had a chuckle as they entered.

His eye caught AzeriBikiak and made his way to her, "Azeri, this is unbelievable. You outdid yourself for sure on this one." He leaned in pressing one cheek to another as old Italians would pay one's respect to another. "How is Goldbrick doing?"

Azeri busied herself moving through the growing crowd.  She smiled and made small talk...  Both things that she sucked at.  But hey, she'd do most anything for the man of this hour.  Not that she'd tell him that!  She couldn't help but continue to cast a glance to the door and even the enormous picture window that showed the beautiful evening outside.  She had to give it to the City of Angels.  It boasted quite the scenery wherever you looked.  But more than this, it showed a brilliant view of the road.  Biting her lip as she felt like the time was ticking by  much more slowly than she had anticipated.  The way Jesse had spoken of the task, it would be an in and out sort of thing...  But would it really?  Shuddering a tiny bit, she shook her head.  Of course it would be!  And in no time he'd be here enjoying the festivities.  

Upon hearing her name, Azeri spun around, her striking dress in colors of flame in full bloom flaring out around her slender form.  Enzo.  A smile drifted to her lips displaying her pleasure at seeing the man in attendance.  His praise brought the smallest tint of pink to her cheeks.  Then again that could just as easily be from exertion of running about playing hostess.  She shrugged a little as she leaned in to return the customary greeting.  "It was all Lovely's idea.  I swear the fox has a flair for the dramatic."  Her eyes glittered in a mischievous manner.  "Good.  He's doing good.  He should be here any minute now."  She nodded trying to inject as much confidence as she possibly could into her statement.  But was she trying to convince Enzo?  Or was she trying to convince herself?

The old man put up more of a fight than Jesse could even fathom the godfather could.  What exactly was he expecting though; to just walk in, and the proud old bastard would lay down and die?   Only a fool would have expected that.   He wasn't expecting the fight to last as long as it did, or for him to end up getting hit.  The battle took longer than expected, so his injury was only going to make him even later than expected.  As he sat in the shot up office while one of his more medically inclined bodyguards tended to his wound, Jesse couldn't help but wonder how mad his Right Hand would be at him being so much later than he promised her he would be. 

As the man finished up with his cleaning and stitching, Jesse waved him away. "I'm clean and won't bleed all over my new shirt right?"

"No, but sir.  You need to realize, a few more inches and you'd have been dead man, not one suffering a bad scratch. You're LUCKY it as just a graze."  His bodyguard pleaded with him.

"It wasn't? What good does it do me to dwell on what might have been. I didn't die, must be a reason for it.  Right now I'm pretty sure that reason is to show up at the party to assure our dear Miss Bikiak that I am indeed alive and well, and that we now lead all of Pasadena." Jesse gave his bodyguard a quick smile, "Now lets go." 

The trip to the party only took a few minutes.  Jesse's face couldn't have been brighter as he entered the party. "Ya really out done yourself, Az." Jesse thought he said to himself as his arrival had been announced by barrage of yapps followed by a flying flash of russet fur. With a soft, "Umph" from Goldbrick was the only sound on the landing of Little Man upon Jesse's shoulders.  He gave his for legged companion a quick scratch behind the ears before wandering over to Enzo . 

"Enzo, my friend!" Jesse exclaimed while reaching his hand out to shake that of his fellow mob boss. "It's good to see you, I am glad to see you here to help us celebrate this hard fought victory."

He took a quick glance over Enzo's shoulder and noticed his right hand, "HEY! AzeriBikiak get over here! You did amazing!" His voice was as bright as the smile on his face.

Azeri tried.  She tried hard to busy herself with talking to the guests and yet as the minutes passed by she couldn't help but feel an increasing worry for the man she so felt so indebted to.  Should it take this long?  The guests were enjoying themselves and hardly even needed her attention at this point and the mere here and there words were not doing it for the ansty young woman anymore.  She moved quietly over to the window where she found a certain young russet figure.  A soft smile spread across her lips as she reached over to stroke Lovely's ears.  "I know girl.  Hang in there, he'll be here."  The small vulpine gave the softest of whines and Azeri shook her head gently.  There never was such an aware creature...  At least as far as she knew.  But just then Lovely's ears flicked forward and like a shot she tore off to the side toward the door.  Azeri blinked a couple times but then saw the car.  Her heart leaped in her chest and she had only to wait.  But she was determined not to look the doleful puppy dog that she was feeling right now.  

Just at that inopportune moment, two of their guests decided to bombard her with questions about Jesse and she insisted that he'd be there any moment, but they kept talking...  She kept her growls to herself and kept her composure, making small talk at a time where she envied Lovely's post at the door.  But there...  It opened and the man of the hour swept in as if he'd just been out for an evening jaunt.  Azeri felt her breath whoosh from her chest as she gently excused herself from the interaction knowing they'd understand.  She turned on her heel and her trained eyes swept the crowd in front of her.  There...  Her ears, her fox, they did not deceive her.  This was made even more evident by the applause that broke out across those gathered.  Just as her eyes met his, she grinned as he called her on over just after Little Man decided to accost him.  Clicking her tongue in slight disapproval she moved with quick determined steps to weave through the crowd and carefully collect the furred beast from Jessse's shoulders.  She stroked Little Man's ears before putting him down.  Lovely weaved on in and took her turn greeting her Jesse, twining lightly between his ankles and against his calf in a manner more feline than vulpine, but it was just her.  

His praise fell upon her ears and she felt her cheeks warm.  Her brightened eyes sparkled like the sun on the river and she beamed as she soaked it up allowing her gaze to dart around the festivities for a moment.  "The only one I care a mite that sees it has just walked through the door..."  Her voice carried to him even if it was just a little softer than normal and carried a good amount of her concern but also relief and thrill to see him whole and in one piece.  "You did it."  She stated the fact softly before letting out a whoop unable to contain herself even doing a bit of a spin in her silly manner.  Hey, it was time for celebration, was it not?  Snagging a pair of wine glasses off a passing tray, she held one out to Jesse.  "To LA...  To new beginnings... To you.  Let's make beautiful things happen."

Enzo smiled, "Yes congrats to you both, I couldn't be happier for you." Enzo grabbed his glass as well as he lifted it, "To LA and new beginnings." Enzo let them get back to the parting making his way over to the food tray smiling as he was waiting for his right hand to make an appearance. Doing a quick scan for Ralph_Lombino. Not seeing him he decided to make a plate and snack on some while he waited. 

It has been awhile since her feet had landed in LA, knowing Jesse Goldbrick and @AzeriBikiak, They would still be celebrating the new title of Pasadena's one and only Goldbrick taking hold of Godfather. Truth be told Freyja had been tied up in more than one ways, with a bottle of cheap whiskey in hand much like the one they shared all so many moons ago.

Stumbling into the establishment in a black silk dress, her eyes fell on the two friends having a solid laugh with Enzo. Clearing her throat as her heels clicked on the floor approaching the group.

"Well if it isn't Godfather Bakker, gotta say that sounds kinda smooth no? Unlike this whiskey... " swirling the bottle with a smirk on her face. 

"I hope I am not interrupting I just wanted to say Congratulations love, hearing you had reached this amazing accomplishment brought me nothing but joy my dear and pride, you have worked hard, with such dedication and drive it's honestly so awe worthy." 

 Giving the appointed Godfather of Pasadena a warm hug and her smile grew she whispered in his ear "I am so fucking proud of you m'dear.. I knew you could do it..." noticing a slight wince and hiss escape from Jesse she cleared her throat pulling away slightly as she glanced around unscrewing the bottle to the empty tumblers with a smile on her face "Anyone fancy a top up?"