Chapter 3
Riley sat on a bench behind Joe, her arms crossed over her chest, watching, as he was declared innocent. She looked at Nike Hume and bit her tongue, analyzing him. She watched as he rushed out of the courtroom and out of sight all together. Joe strutted coolly out of the courtroom, Riley following him closely.
Joe walked outside and smirked at the sounds of the cars. Riley remained back in the doorway, watching as the two Mustangs pulled up and stopped. She crossed her arms and leaned against the brick wall. Heco, Bodie and Baggy all looked up the steps at her. She nodded her head, acknowledging that she had seen them. Spink made his way up the steps and stopped a few feet in front of her.
"We're dropping Joe off, you coming?" He asked.
"Why would I miss this?" She asked back, a smirk appearing on her lips.
Riley pushed herself off of the brick wall and ran down the steps in front of Spink. She caught a glimpse of Nick Hume and shivered slightly. Billy was too busy congratulating Joe and praising him to notice the glare Mister Hume was giving them.
Spink got into the car that Riley wasn't getting into. Riley, on the other hand, climbed into the car with Billy and Joe, Bodie riding with Joe in the back, leaving Riley in the front seat. She remained silent the whole ride to where Billy was dropping Joe off at. It was only when Joe climbed out of the car that Riley even moved. She reached out her open window and grabbed Joe's hand, pulling him close to her.
"Joey, be careful." She whispered.
"Riley, there's nothing to worry about." Joe smiled at her.
"Promise me you'll be careful."
"Fine, I promise." Joe replied.
"Joey I love you." She nodded. Billy scoffed from the driver's seat at her.
"Riley, I'll see you later." He smiled.
She nodded at him and waved as he walked away from the car. Something didn't feel right about Joe. She tried to breathe more slowly and calmly. It was Billy who finally broke her from her thoughts.
"Are you done?" He asked, his hands on the steering wheel.
"Yeah." She shot back at him.
Billy pulled the car away, Riley watching the building from out her window. She stared and stared until she couldn't see the building anymore. She turned her head away from the window and stared at Billy, his eyes weren't moving from the road. The car was silent as they drove.
Riley hopped out of the car when Billy pulled into 'the office'. She marched right up the steps and leaned against the column on the left side of the doorway. She looked up at the sky, it was starting to turn dark, and night was approaching. Her stomach still felt uneasy but there was nothing she could do about it.
Billy strode up the steps, two at a time, easily conquering them in four strides. He stopped in his tracks, the rest of the boys continuing to walk into the office, completely ignoring Riley altogether. Billy took three steps and was already in front of her, he looked at her, void of any emotion.
"Ten minutes then we're going home." Billy stated.
"We?"
"You and me."
"Why?"
"I gave my corner to Heco, he owes me and I've got nothing else to fucking do."
"Why would I want to spend the night with you?" She asked, clearly disgusted by the suggestion.
"Because-"
"Because why?" She asked, her eyes widening in irritation.
"Because I will fuck your brains out." He smirked.
She looked at him and gagged. Billy stared at her. He knew full well that she was toying with his head; she had clearly given him signals that she wanted that before.
"No, I'm getting out of here." She shook her head.
"Riley get in the fucking car!"
"Not tonight Darley." She replied, ever so calm. His eyes narrowed at her and his nostrils flared.
"Fine, don't come home crying to me."
"Fine." She shrugged, stepping away from the column.
She shook her head at him as she walked right past him, heading back away from the building. Billy stared at he as she hopped down the steps, not phased by him, yet again. He was starting to lose his patience. Why wasn't she just afraid of him? He had yet to figure it out.
Riley walked down the sidewalk, her arms hanging at her sides, moving slightly as she walked. She had a slight bounce in her step, walking as though she was superior. She knew that if anyone even breathed at her wrong, she would kick their ass, and if she didn't, Joe and Billy would. Riley looked out at the cars parked on the side of the road, she laughed to herself at a nice, big Cadillac, clearly being parked in the wrong part of town. She laughed even harder as the man who owned the car struggled to get to his car before the few young teens started bagging on him.
She watched as the younger of the two teens landed a punch right on the guy's face, knocking him back but not down. Riley snorted with laughter at the two teens before jogging over to the owner of the Cadillac. She stood between the two teens and the man, staring at the teens with her steely glare. They almost laughed at her. Surely they could take out a girl.
The younger one tried to land a punch on her but she easily blocked it, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back. She pushed him away from the car, before shoving him out into the street where he landed on his knees. She turned around and grabbed the second one who had already tried to attack her. She fought him off easier than the first and pushed him down onto the road before kicking him in the side, watching him twitched with the force. The first teen she had taken out had stood up and started to run away, down the street. She watched for a few more seconds as the second teen did the same, running fast enough to catch up with the first.
Riley turned around and faced the man she had helped out. He stood with his back against his car, staring at her as though she had three heads. He reached out his hand and waited for her to take it.
"Th-Thank you miss." He stuttered. She took his hand and shook it before smiling at him and continuing on down the street.
Why she had chosen the man's side, she knew exactly. She hated to watch teenagers who think they own the world take out an easy target. She knew that they picked the man because he wouldn't put up much of a fight and then he'd be too scared to report it to anyone. It was a lesson they needed to be taught and she was the teacher: never underestimate your opponent. They had laughed when she first broke in, it always happened that way.
Riley turned around and looked back where the Cadillac had been just minutes earlier. She figured the man had climbed into his car and left immediately after, not bothering to put his life in danger to find out who had saved his life. Riley kept walking, past the Four Roses; no one was there, at least no one that she knew.
She let out a small yawn, it was getting late and she was somewhat tired from the long day, not to mention her little show of fighting off the two punk teens. Riley walked and walked, she walked until she hit the apartment. She walked right up into the apartment and up the stairs to the third floor where she now called home. She had nothing left outside of her life with Joe and Billy, Joe knew it. She pushed the door open and wandered inside.
Somehow, knowing that Joe wasn't going to be home at all that night was comforting. As she wandered into the apartment further, she knew that just because Joe wasn't home, didn't mean she was going to be all alone. She walked into the living room and spotted him, lying on the couch, spread out as far as he could possibly be. She swallowed the laugh in her throat and leaned against the back of the couch, he turned his head slowly and looked at her, he had clearly been drinking.
"Where the fuck have you been?" He asked, glaring at her now.
"Out and about."
"Doing what?"
"If I told you, you'd probably kill me." She replied, subduing a smile.
"Come here."
She pushed herself off of the couch and walked around it, standing over him. He sat up slightly, although still slouched into the couch. Hi legs moved from being on the couch to being stretched out and resting on the coffee table.
"You can't just go out by yourself." He stated, he could be moody and caring when he had been drinking, she always loved to see what he'd say to her.
"I'm a big girl." She replied with a smile.
"But you're my big girl."
She coughed at him to cover up her laugh. He sat up straight and moved his feet from off of the coffee table. He put his elbows on his knees and crossed them. Riley sat on the coffee table in front of him and looked at him, she wasn't laughing or smiling at him anymore.
"Billy…" She rarely called him that. Only when she was trying to make her point and when she was seriously in thought did she ever call him that.
"Riley, look. Do you want to keep pretending that you don't like me or do you want to know what I really thing of you?"
Riley leaned in closer, meaning she was listening now. Maybe earlier she would have just stood up and walked away but for the moment, her stomach finally felt fine. The uneasiness was completely wiped away and forgotten.
"Billy-"
"I want you." He said, flat out.
As much as she wanted him at that moment, she was reluctant. He was buzzed, probably halfway drunk and she didn't know if what he was saying was true or if he just wanted anyone at that moment. She moved back, sitting up straight. He raised his head and looked at her.
"No." She said quietly.
Billy's eyes widened and he clenched his jaw. She went to stand up, to walk away before she did anything stupid and regretful. Billy grabbed her wrist and pulled on her arm. She turned around and looked at him. For the first time in over five years, he looked scared. He pulled on her arm harder and she came crashing down onto him. He immediately wrapped his arms around her back and held her tight against him.
"Please Riley." He was begging her now.
For the first time in over five years, she found herself saying 'yes' to Billy Darley.
