Talking To The Wall

Danny sat there in utter shock. Ryder stood up and greeted Tony Pintaro with a hug and then smiled down at Danny but it soon faltered seeing the glare Danny was giving him.

"Okay, don't get mad. I know this is a surprise to you but hear me out." Danny gritted his teeth just about ready to punch him in the face.

"Are you with that asshole? Trying to take my sister for your own gain, is that what this is about?" Danny screamed, both Tony and Ryder backing away from him. Ryder took a deep breath and shook his head.

"No, Danny. My name is Ryder Vance. Tony is my mother's brother. When I was young she passed away and Tony took me in. He tried to intergrate me into the...family buisness but I didn't want to be apart of it. I left about five years ago to live on my own in Chicago. I came back to the city because I missed it, no matter what it was still my home but I didn't come back to try and take over. Moving in next door to your sister was a coincidence." Danny took a minute to try and process the information before he said anything.

"O-okay. What about, Leo? Why doesn't he know who you are? And my father?" Danny remembered the close relationship his father and Tony had with one another. He must have known about Ryder.

"I didn't grow up with Leo."

"Ryder stayed with my first wife, his mother's best friend. I came to visit Ryder whenever I could." Tony finished for Ryder.

"And your father already knew who I was. He called me the next day to speak with me and I told him how I felt. I still meant what I said Danny, I'm in love with Mikayla and I'll be damned if I let Leo use her for his own gain." Ryder's face was as serious as ever. Something inside Danny told him that he needed to trust what Ryder was saying. So far Ryder hadn't done anything to hurt Mikayla.

"Okay...so what's the plan then?" Danny looked between the two of them. Ryder smiled and looked over at his uncle who had taken a deep breath.

"My son is an idiot, I'll admit that. However, I'd like to go about this with the least possible bloodshed. Think we can accomplish that?" Tony looked over at Danny, knowing his temper.

"Yeah, yeah. As long as he hasn't hurt her, no bloodshed." Danny muttered regretfully. He really just wanted to give Leo one really good hit.

"Okay then. You boys, go get changed and we wait here." Ryder and Danny looked at him like he was crazy.

"What?"

"Leo called, he said he's coming over with news and to break out the champange. I'm guessing he's bringing your sister." Danny looked at Tony surprised and then nodded his head.

"Okay, great. Let's go." Ryder chuckled at Danny's reaction and headed to the back to get changed into something a bit nicer and not dirty.