But I Broke My Wings for You

by OyHumbug

When seventeen year old Rio - just three months shy of his eighteenth birthday - is released from Juvie, the last thing he wants or thinks he needs is some pushy, know-it-all social worker gettin' all up in his business, but at least she's easy on the eyes, yeah?

But I Broke My Wings for You
A Brio AU One Shot

You get used to it. At least, Rio did. It still sucks, but apparently, he's adaptable… or some shit.

Take, for example, the food. It's all plastic mashed potatoes and meat of questionable origin, but a kid from the hood doesn't attend public school for twelve years and not learn how to swallow down and stomach fake ass, government supplied, free lunches. (And people wonder why America has an obesity problem.)

But the one thing that Rio simply couldn't acclimate to was the noise. Even at night when he and all of his fellow juvenile delinquents were supposed to be sleepin', the quiet was just so damn loud. So, when he saw her for the first time - his social worker, and wasn't that a fuckin' joke, when he saw her huge, fuckin' perfect tits, all Rio wanted to do was bury his face between 'em and allow the silence to envelope him. Swallowed, and sheltered, and smothered by those milky, round and heavy globes, he knew that, for the first time in six months, all he would hear would be her heartbeat.

"I thought a conjugal would be a little more private than this, but if an audience is your kink, Baby, I'm down."

"Cute." But her irritated tone, closed off expression, and suddenly stiff posture told Rio that she found him anything but. "And very original."

He shrugged, leanin' back in his bolted down, metal chair, foldin' his hands purposefully in front of his crotch. It was just human nature for the eye to be drawn to movement, and Elizabeth Marks - it's what the work badge clipped to her snug, little cardigan sweater said - did exactly what her body was conditioned to do. She looked, and Rio smirked. "It just proves how social I already am. Now, if you want to be someone I get to know real well, we can make the arrangements, but, otherwise, I think you should be leavin'. I don't need you."

"Too bad the state of Michigan neither cares about what you want or what you think you need, Mr. Pérez. Furthermore," Elizabeth was apparently gettin' the wind in her sails, and Rio couldn't say that he hated it. The flush that started on the apples of her cheeks quickly spread down her neck, onto her chest, and then disappeared underneath her clothes, and her posture became even more rigid, thrustin' that gorgeous rack out, and up, and towards him even more. The pretty picture she painted made Rio shift uncomfortably in his chair. "I've seen your test scores, so why don't you pay us both the respect to not deny your own intelligence. You know exactly what a social worker does, and it's not to socialize with you."

"So then what are you doing here, Darlin'?"

Primly, she replied, "I'm here to discuss your future. You're being released soon."

"You're not tellin' me anything I don't already know."

She ignored him. "And a part of your release is someone - me - to help guarantee that you don't end up in trouble again."

"I'll be eighteen in a few months," Rio told her, hopin' she would take it as the brush off it was meant to be.

She didn't. "I'm perfectly aware of that, thank you."

Movin' so suddenly that it made Elizabeth startle, Rio sprang forward, restin' his arms on the ledge before him and practically pressin' his face against the glass that separated the two of them. "If you think I'm gonna let you put me in some kind of foster care situation, you've got another thing comin', Sweetheart."

Despite the fact that she jumped, Elizabeth maintained her composure, her cool. "I've met your Grandmother. Rosa is a wonderful woman who loves you very much," she spoke calmly, soothingly. She was attemptin' to placate him. "I also know exactly why you stole that money, and so does she," Elizabeth told him pointedly. She allowed that information to sit with him for several, silent moments before pressin' on. "Trust me, I don't believe in breaking up families… even non-traditional ones. I'm not that kind of social worker."

That piqued Rio's attention. "Yeah," he asked, quirkin' an interested brow. "What kind of social worker are you then?"

"The kind who realizes that, for you, the problem wasn't your environment; it was the opportunities… or lack thereof... afforded to you. So, I'm going to help you fix that. To do so, I need to know one thing: which do you prefer, Mr. Pérez: college or career?"

That wasn't what he wanted to hear from her. Sure, the reassurance that he wouldn't be placed with some fat fuckers living off the checks the state sent them for their foster kids every month was a relief, but Rio was now curious about Miss Elizabeth Marks. There was obviously a story there, somethin' that made her the self-professed different kind of social worker. If he was gonna make the most of the next few months of her pokin' and proddin' her way into his life, then he needed to know what made her tick. He had a feelin' whatever her personal experience with the system was, that was his place to start.

Relaxin' back once more, Rio flashed her a confident, cocky smile, "You don't need to worry your pretty little head about that, Baby. I've already got everythin' figured out. Now, if you wanted to come along for the ride with me, I wouldn't say no. After all, you're one fine piece of… arm candy."

"If you really had it all figured out," she mocked him, rollin' her eyes as she stood, tossin' some bigass, ridiculous bag over her shoulder. She literally canted to the side under its weight. "Then I wouldn't be here, would I?"

"Oh, come on, Ma, don't be like that." He stood, too, but Rio did not take even a single step away from the window. "Haven't you heard that you should never walk away in anger, though I must confess that the view is spectacular."

Elizabeth froze just as she reached the exit, but she didn't turn back around or even glance over her shoulder towards him. "College or career," she repeated, stressed. "If you don't have an answer for me the next time we meet, then I'll choose for you."

The woman might be fine as hell, but she be trippin' if she thought he'd let her… or anyone else, for that matter… map out his life for him.

/

"Yeah… I ain't ridin' in that."

Elizabeth was already folded partway inside of her piece of shit car when Rio spoke, his words makin' her stand up straight and, in confusion, look across the roof of the sub-compact at him. "Excuse me?"

"You raisin' pigs or somethin' in there, Ma?"

"No, just an Annie." Now, it was his turn to be bemused. "She's my kid sister. I have custody of her. We're still working on that whole idea of respecting other people's property. It's… an uphill climb." Rio snorted, agreein' with her. "But it doesn't smell as bad as it looks, I promise."

"You sure about that?"

Adorably, Elizabeth scrunched up her nose, ducked down so that she could stick her head inside of her car, and then sniffed. Poppin' back out, she proclaimed, "ocean fresh." So, somewhere amongst the clothes, shoes, books, and papers, there must also be an air freshener. Wonderful. "Besides," Elizabeth added, "I don't see anyone else here to give you a ride home."

His Grandmother wanted to be there, but she had already taken too many days off to visit him while he was in Juvie. So, the plan was for Elizabeth to ferry him home where she would then have dinner with him and his Grandmother to discuss his future. "I got friends," Rio argued, still refusin' to climb inside.

"Any of them psychic," Elizabeth taunted, makin' him frown. "Because neither of us have cell phones, so the only way you're getting in touch with one of them to ask for a ride is if you go back inside the detention center and call them collect."

Relentin' but grumblin' the entire time, Rio got himself situated into the passenger seat. Elizabeth barely had the car on and movin' before he was asking, "why you drivin' such a clunker when you wearin' a rock like that?" He nodded towards the diamond ring on her left hand.

"Just because my fiance comes from money, doesn't mean that I do, too."

"So, you engaged, huh?" Rio kind of figured that was the case, but it didn't mean he liked havin' his suspicions confirmed. As to why the news that Elizabeth had promised to marry another man bothered him so much? Well, he really wasn't ready to examine that any further than the fact that he wanted to fuck her, and she didn't seem like someone to cheat on a fiance.

"Why else would I be wearing an engagement ring?"

"I don't know," Rio shrugged, glancin' out of the window so that, even if Elizabeth did look over at him, she wouldn't be able to see anythin' besides the back of his closely shorn head. "Maybe you bought it for yourself. You know, all that self love bullshit."

"It's actually a family heirloom. It was Dean's Grandmother's."

He ignored the new information, still spinnin' alternative scenarios as to why she wore a diamond. "Or maybe you just frontin', hopin' to put off the sexy, younger man you meet through work - you know, the one who make you cream your little panties, who you get off to with thoughts of at night, wantin' to be professional and shit."

Of everythin' he had just said to her, Elizabeth's only reprimand was, "don't say panties."

Rio barked out a sharp round of laughter. "You f'real?"

"Yes. And so is Dean."

Well, if that didn't just kill the mood. "So, what does this Deansie do anyway?" At the derogatory, mockin' nickname, Elizabeth's eyes flashed towards him. "What?"

"Nothing," she denied. Then, as if she couldn't help herself, she explained, "it's just… that's what Annie calls him, too."

"Your brat of a sister might be a slob, but she's got the right idea about some things, at least."

This, too, Elizabeth ignored. "Dean sells cars. At his father's dealership. One day, when Kenneth retires, he'll inherit the business."

"And he lets you drive this?"

"Dean doesn't let me do anything. We're not married yet, and even if we were, I support myself. And Annie. I'm no one's kept woman. I watched my mother depend upon my father for everything, so when he left, she was suddenly gone, too." Intentionally brightenin' her tone, Elizabeth hastily changed the subject, makin' Rio groan. Just when they were finally gettin' somewhere, too. "But I'm glad to see you're thinking about jobs, asking about others' careers. If you're interested in being a car salesman, I'm sure Dean would be more than happy to let you shadow…."

"Yeah, that won't be necessary," he cut her off, barely repressin' a shudder at the very idea of wantin' to be anything like Elizabeth's fiance. The only part of Dean's life that Rio wanted was her. "I'm gonna be real with you, Sweetheart, a'ight?"

"As opposed to what," she asked him, smirkin'. "Have you been pretending with me?"

Pretendin'? Nah. But he'd definitely been actin' a certain way with her, givin' her more of the thug persona that he expected her to see when she looked at him. Maybe she was good at hidin' her judgement, but he didn't think so. Prim and proper Elizabeth seemed to be willin' to give him a chance, seemed to want to believe the best of him, so Rio figured it was time that he allowed her to at least see shades of who he really was. Plus, if he kept talkin' to her the way he had been, his Grandma would wash his mouth out with soap and beat his ass black and blue with one of her many wooden spoons.

"So, look. I already have a plan, right? For my future and shit."

Rio finally looked back towards Elizabeth, wantin' to see her expression for himself when he told her what he was gonna do with his life. For a brief moment, she took her eyes off of the road and met his gaze. "Yeah, and what's that?"

"I'm a boxer," he told her. Rio spoke earnestly, wantin' Elizabeth to realize that not only did he take the sport seriously, but he took her and her career seriously, too. "As soon as I turn eighteen, I'm gonna go pro. I'll train for the summer, and then, after I win my first fight, the checks will just start rollin' in, Baby. Grandma ain't gonna want for nothin' then, and I'm gonna invest, set myself up real nice for when I retire after a long and illustrious career as a title weight champion."

"Rio," she sighed, the sound comin' across as despairin' and not pityin' at least. And it was nice that she dropped the whole Mr. Pérez thing, too. She only needed to call him that if they were playin' a sex game or something'. "That doesn't seem very… practical."

"Maybe for someone who's never seen me fight."

Undeterred from her doubt, she asked, "what are the actual odds that you'll be able to make your dreams a reality?"

"Like I said, Baby, this is the plan, not a dream."

Becomin' frustrated, Elizabeth warned, "okay, I'm only going to ask you this one more time: college or career?"

"I ain't goin' to college, Darlin'. There's nothin' those pompous assholes or their blazers with the suede elbow patches can teach me that I can't learn for myself from a book." He'd completed his high school degree on his own, hadn't he, and that was only with the aid of the detention center's tiny and extremely outdated library. Bored and really not wantin' to go back home only to return to high school in the fall… again - only, this time, with a criminal record, Rio finished his courses on his own. Apparently, that had been a mistake. If he still needed to finish high school, Elizabeth wouldn't be on his back about college or a career, and he'd be able to kill the next three months - until he turned eighteen - by flirtin' with her, maybe convincin' her to be his birthday present come August.

"Well, if you're serious about boxing being your future, your career, then you need to get there first, and I highly doubt that's free. There are usually costs associated with any sport - equipment, fees, and more. Plus, do you just expect your Grandmother to feed, clothe, and shelter you for the foreseeable future until this first fight, this first check, that you're just assuming you'll get comes in, because that doesn't seem very fair, and your previous actions prove just how little you like the idea of being a burden on your loved ones."

He hated to admit it, but she had a point. "Fine," Rio smiled magnanimously, though the gesture held very little benevolence. "What exactly are you proposin' to me?"

His word choice had been intentional, and they seemed to hit home as Elizabeth shivered slightly before respondin', "you need a job - something that will pay you a decent wage but also work around your practice schedule."

"Training," Rio corrected her.

"What?"

"In boxin', it's called trainin', not practicin'."

"Well, while I'm helping you find employment, you can teach me all of the proper terminology."

"You know," he teased her, unwillin' to let the opportunity she provided him go by unaddressed. "The best way to learn somethin' is by doin'."

"You want to get me in the ring?" Before he could even retort flirtatiously - and hell yeah, Rio wanted to get her in the ring, Elizabeth was blushin' all high and low. Flustered, she mumbled, "you know what I mean."

It was enough - her unintentional innuendo, so he allowed the moment to breathe, to just exist between them, before gallantly lettin' it go. Sort of. "Or maybe I just want you to watch me show you how it's done?"

Elizabeth coughed, the pink that kissed her cheeks, her dimpled chin, the hollow between her collar bones deepenin', becomin' richer, darker. She refused to look at him, suddenly immensely interested in checkin' her mirrors. As she held the steerin' wheel with both hands - her knuckles white with tension and strain, she suggested, "perhaps there are some books you could recommend for me?"

"Yeah, Sweetheart. When we get home, I'll take you into my room, and I'll show you exactly what I've got. Everythin' I have is yours."

For several seconds, Elizabeth could do nothin' but bite her bottom lip. Rio wasn't sure if she was suppressin' a whimper or a rejoinder, but either way, he knew he was gettin' to her. As he was simply starin' at her, Elizabeth suddenly jumped, reachin' over to the console with her right hand. "Music," she exclaimed almost desperately, turnin' on the radio. "You haven't heard anything new in months. You should… scroll through the dial, familiarize yourself with what's popular now."

"Yeah, I don't let anyone to tell me what to like," he challenged, though, at the same time, Rio finally relented, givin' her a chance to regather herself and relax once again. After all, they had the rest of the afternoon and the evenin' together, and he could be generous like that. Flippin' through the channels more on autopilot than anythin' else, Rio couldn't help but notice that, even when they weren't talkin' with one another, there was still an energy, a charge, that existed between them. He didn't need to ask to know that she felt it, too.

/

"Annie, my little sister, is going to be so jealous of this meal."

"Well, it can be our secret," his Grandmother replied. "You don't have to tell her."

Having just finished showerin' and changin', because despite Juvie havin' showers, too, he desperately needed to wash that place off of him for good, as Rio leaned in the kitchen doorway, observin' them without their notice, he watched as Elizabeth scrunched up her nose and giggled. "If you had a younger sibling, you'd know that I kind of do." His Grandma laughed. After their moment of levity, Elizabeth asked, "do you always cook dinners like this?"

"I think it is important for a family to eat together every night, and I enjoy cooking for my grandsons. It's an easy way to show them my love. But I admit that this is a little much… even for me. I just wanted Rio to have all of his favorites tonight, to let him know how happy I am to have him home with me… where he belongs… once again. And don't let that skinny frame fool you. My Rio can eat. He just works it all off in the ring afterwards." She allowed Elizabeth to absorb her words before askin', "what about you? Do you cook?"

"I do, actually. Nothing like this - yet," Elizabeth further praised his Grandma, "but I had to figure out how to make some easy dishes when my sister and I were both still kids. Otherwise, Annie would have lived off of Oops, All Berries! and Cheetos. While I was in college and working full time to support us, it was difficult to always find the time, but I tried to, because it seemed like the only time Annie would tell me anything about her life was when she was talking with her mouth full of the dinners I made for us. Now that I've graduated, it should be easier to make her a home cooked meal every night."

"It sounds like you had to grow up young. How long have you been taking care of your sister?"

"Legally, since I turned eighteen, so it's been just a little longer than four years now, but even when our mother was still alive, Annie was more mine than hers. I didn't need a baby doll; I had the real thing."

"And your fiance," his Grandmother continued to pry. If Rio wasn't already plannin' on kissin' her in thanks for the cookies she had made him, then he'd owe her for all the information she was draggin' out of Elizabeth. "Does he appreciate your cooking efforts?"

"When he comes over for dinner, yeah, I think so, but he's been asking me to learn how to bake recently."

"Well, if you can cook, you can bake. There are some tricks, though." Catchin' sight of him, his Grandma implored, "ah, Mijo! Come over and show Elizabeth how she can test to make sure she doesn't have any rotten eggs."

As Rio did as he was told, gettin' out a glass bowl, fillin' it with water, and retrievin' the partially used carton of eggs from the fridge, Elizabeth protested, "really, Rosa, you can just call me Beth."

"I will not," his Grandmother refused. "Elizabeth is too beautiful of a name - not that Beth isn't lovely, too - not to use. It is the name of queens. Embrace it. Own it and your power."

"Yeah, Elizabeth," he teased, appreciatin' yet another of her blushes and wantin' to make it spread and last even longer. "Be a boss bitch."

"Language, Rio," his Grandma scolded, playfully slappin' him on the back of the head as she came over to the table. While Rio physically dropped the eggs into the water, she explained what he was doing. "If an egg is fresh, then it will float; if an egg is rotten, it will sink to the bottom of the bowl. And you must get rid of any rotten eggs, because it will ruin the whole dozen if you don't. Unfortunately, for our demonstration, I've already tested these, so none will sink, but it's a good thing for our dessert later that none of them were rotten."

Snappin' his gaze up to his Grandmother's, Rio inquired, "did you make your dulce de leche flan?" Moanin' in anticipation, he was already turnin' to Elizabeth before Rosa could answer. "I don't care if you've had flan before, you haven't tasted anythin' until you've had this flan."

"This will be my first time having flan of any kind," Elizabeth commented with a small, warm smile.

"Everything will be ready soon," his Grandma informed them, movin' back to the stove. Throwin' instructions over her shoulder, she said, "after you dry those eggs and put them back away for me, be the gentleman that I raised you to be and show our guest where she can wash up for dinner."

Elizabeth helped him towel off the eggs and then insisted on handin' them to him one at a time, their fingers brushin' together with every exchange. Once the carton was back in the refrigerator, Rio led her from the kitchen and down the short hallway where, at the end, the house's only bathroom was located. With his Grandmother just a few rooms away and with her words ringin' in his ears, he simply allowed Elizabeth to walk by him, not attemptin' to push his way inside with her. He even walked away after Elizabeth shut the door, standin' just outside of the kitchen so he could watch for her return. But Elizabeth didn't come directly to the kitchen. Instead, she stopped outside of the open doorway to his room, lookin' inside curiously until he came to stand beside her.

"You can go in, you know. I have no objections to you in my bed… room, Mami."

As she wandered around, she taunted, "I see Rosa didn't just cook for your homecoming. She cleaned, too."

"She might have dusted while I was gone, but my room was always this clean, Elizabeth. Juvie didn't teach me to make my bed every mornin'; I've been doin' that since I was tall enough to reach over the mattress."

She just hummed, hands gently touchin' the posters and drawings hangin' on his walls - some of them datin' from before he could even write his own name, fingers reverently smoothie' over his trophies, medals, and ribbons. "And you say being a professional boxer isn't your dream."

"Maybe it was at one time," he conceded, "but I've put too much time and effort in at this point for it to be anythin' less than my reality."

"Rosa seems to believe in you."

Of course she did, because she knew for herself exactly what Rio was about to tell Elizabeth. "Because I'm good, Sweetheart."

Clearin' her throat, Elizabeth gestured towards his bookcase. "Okay, so start my boxing education. What should I read first?"

They approached the tomes together, Rio askin', "if you find a Detroit Public Library stamp on the inside of a few of them, are you gonna make me sign over my first paycheck towards late book fees?"

Elizabeth laughed, rollin' her eyes. "No. I think that is one theft that is more a rite of passage than it is a crime."

As he was selectin' several from the shelves - both biographies of the greats and behind the scenes accounts from trainers and the like, his Grandmother called out, "kids, dinner!" Rio expected Elizabeth to grumble that she wasn't a child, that she was an adult, his social worker, but she just seemed pleased to be included under the same endearment that Rosa used for Rio in that moment.

As they approached the kitchen together, both of their arms laden down with several books, Elizabeth chuckled, elbowin' him in the side playfully. "I might be newly out of school now, but I don't have this much freetime, Rio!"

If her dedication and loyalty to her first post-collegiate job, to him, made her feel beholden to read everythin' he was lendin' her, then that would mean less time for that stupid fiance of hers. Elizabeth wanted him to plan for the future? Well, he was plannin'. It just might not be his future he necessarily had in mind at the moment.

/

It had been less than 24 hours since his release from Juvie, but Rio was already headin' back to the gym. During dinner the night before, he made Elizabeth promise him that she would pick him up bright and early, as soon as she made sure her little sister actually went to school. While he knew that the gym wouldn't have been able to hold his spot while he was gone, there was no better way to announce his return - or show off for Elizabeth - than to just get back in the ring. There'd been no ring for him to train in at the detention center, but Rio shadow boxed in his cell for hours every day, and there had been plenty of free weights. That cliche about jail had certainly been true. So, he was in the best shape of his life, and he was just itchin' to lay someone out again with his right hook.

During the ride over in Elizabeth's disgustin' car, he wrapped his knuckles. Rio had set his alarm for hours before she would arrive, gettin' a run in - the luxury of all the fresh air he wanted again takin' his breath away more than the actual exertion of his laps around the neighborhood. He'd already warmed up, too - stretchin', jumpin' rope, goin' through his entire repertoire of core exercises. So, when he walked into the gym, havin' Elizabeth at his side makin' him puff out his chest just that much more, Rio was ready. He scanned the wide, open space for the first person who was ready to spar.

The guy was bigger than Rio - taller and bulkier, but he had no doubt that he could beat him. His extra size made his movements sluggish. It was almost like he was tellin' Rio exactly what punch he was gonna throw next even before he lifted his arms. And it was evident that he didn't understand how to properly harness his own power. An obvious gym rat, Rio's opponent depended upon his arm muscles instead of allowing the strength of his legs and torso to help back up his jabs and uppercuts. A butterfly he certainly was not. The whole time Rio was dominatin' his opponent, Elizabeth stood ringside, watchin' him. Out of the corner of Rio's eye, he could see her bitin' her lip, cheeks flushed. He wasn't sure if she had yet to blink since he'd first tapped gloves with his competitor before the fight started.

"Pérez, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"What's it look like I'm doin'," Rio fired back rhetorically. "I'm schoolin' your new boy. I hope this isn't the best you've been able to find while I was gone."

"You weren't gone," his trainer contradicted. "You were in prison."

"Actually, it was just juvenile detention, and you really shouldn't discuss it around strangers, because Rio's record, as a minor, has been sealed."

"And who the hell are you," the man who Rio was startin' to suspect was now actually his former trainer turned around to face and attack Elizabeth. Despite the fact that his opponent had backed into his corner as soon as their fight had been interrupted, Rio had stayed in the center of the ring, arms in position, but as Elizabeth was rounded on, he quickly climbed through the ropes, droppin' down onto the floor and beelinin' directly to her side. "I don't have time for some bitch one of my guys is dickin' down, and Rio's not even one of my guys anymore, so I have even less time for you."

"You don't talk to her like that," Rio warned.

Defendin' herself, Elizabeth took a step forward and proclaimed, "the only thing I am to Rio is his social worker. While I understand that boxing is traditionally a misogynistic sport, you are supposed to be a role model for the young men who train under you. So, act like it."

"If that mouth of yours can suck a big cock as well as it throws around those big words, then maybe we can work something out."

Rio was all for women's rights, and you couldn't be Rosa Pérez's grandson and not respect and admire a strong woman, but he also wasn't about to allow anyone, not even the man who, for years, he thought would help him win a middleweight title championship, to insult Elizabeth like that. It was one thing for Rio to flirt with her, to specifically choose his words to make her blush, because what he said to her wasn't a threat, wasn't a precursor to an attack or to takin' advantage of her. Insultin' her while, in the same breath, propositionin' her to trade a place for Rio in the gym again for sexual favors? Nah, that wasn't gonna fly with him.

Gently positionin' Elizabeth so that she was standin' behind him, Rio squared off against his former trainer. "So, obviously, I'm out. I've lost my place here at the gym, and you no longer want to work with me. And that's cool. Because the last thing I want is to get arrested again, and if I ever hear you say anything like that to her again, that's exactly where I'll end up." Tiltin' his chin up in what Rio knew was a confident, conceited angle, he nodded towards the fighter still standin' with his mouth agape in the ring. "Good luck with that one, yeah. You're gonna need it."

Somehow, he waited until they were outside before he rounded on her, strippin' off his gloves while he yelled, "jesus christ, Elizabeth. You of all people do not run your mouth around guys like that!"

"What's that supposed to mean," she challenged him, immediately offended. "All I did was defend myself and call that asshole on his bullshit!"

He knew she was right. Rio knew that Elizabeth hadn't been wrong in what she said, had earned the right to stick up for herself, but it also didn't change the fact that nothin' she said was gonna change anythin', and maybe if she had just kept her mouth shut, then he might have been able to talk the situation around. Maybe he could have salvaged his spot, convinced the gym to take him back on as a client without the usual membership fees and lesson costs. But now, even if his former trainer changed his mind, Rio couldn't work with him anyway, not after how he treated Elizabeth.

"Fuck!," he lashed out, throwin' his gloves as far as he could down the alley they were standin' in front of. He really wanted to hit somethin', but the only things close by would break his hand, and Rio might have been a lot of things, but he wasn't self-sabotagin'.

While he breathed deeply, tryin' to recenter himself, he heard the telltale click of Elizabeth's shoes as she walked away and then towards him once again, apparently retrievin' his gloves for him. When she put them back in his hands, she whispered, "there are other gyms, Rio. Other trainers."

"Yeah, but this is the only one close enough for me to walk to, the only one who let me box and train for free. If I go somewhere else, then I'll need a car. I can't be dependin' on DDOT to get me there on time. And I'll need money for a membership, to pay for trainin' sessions. You know how many crap jobs I'll need to cover those types of expenses? Shit. Too many to actually have time to box."

Tentatively, she asked, "what about boxing collegiately for now? Between your test scores and your athletic abilities, I have no doubt that you'd be able to get a scholarship."

"I told you, Elizabeth. I ain't goin' to college."

"Alright then," she nodded once in determination, in acceptance. "So, we find you the job that does pay enough."

"Oh really, and how am I gonna do that?"

"Easy," Elizabeth scoffed. "You use your secret weapon."

"What, I beat someone up until they cry uncle and agree to hire me at salary with full benefits?"

"What, no," she exclaimed, soundin' horrified. It finally cracked through Rio's horrible mood, makin' him chuckle. "Me. I'm your secret weapon. I can do this, Rio. Trust me."

Maybe he was startin' to do just that.

/

For as much as it felt like, during the first two days after his release, his was Elizabeth's only case, Rio crashed back down to reality the morning after their disastrous visit to the gym. Elizabeth might literally still be in her first month of employment with the city of Detroit, but she had interned there durin' her last semester of college, so she had hit the ground runnin' upon officially being hired, a full caseload her immediate burden. While she still called almost daily to check-in, she mostly spoke with his Grandmother - either not trustin' Rio to tell her the truth about how he was really doin' or not trustin' herself with their continued, growing closeness. So, when she came down the stairs of his Grandma's house and into the basement where he was workin' on the old heavy bag his Grandpa had installed decades before, it had been weeks since he had last seen her.

Without breakin' his pattern or turnin' to look at her, Rio teased, "breakin' and enterin' is a felony, Darlin'. What kind of example are you settin' for me - a juvenile delinquent under your mentorship - or for your impressionable, baby sister?"

"Unlike you," she taunted in return, "I'm not going to steal anything."

"Yeah, why have sticky fingers when you could just hock that rock?"

Ignorin' him, Elizabeth continued, "and, furthermore, I have a standing invitation from Rosa herself."

"And does that invitation include oglin' her grandson?" To further emphasize his point, Rio hugged the bag until it was still and moved over the old table where, earlier, he had put his shirt and a water bottle. Pickin' up the shirt, he used it to wipe the sweat off of his face, his arms, his chest, knowin' Elizabeth's gaze was trackin' his every move.

"I'm not… ogling!," she sputtered, protestin'. "I'm trying to have a conversation with you, and it's only polite that I look at you while we are speaking. If you could extend to me the same courtesy, I would appreciate it."

"Don't worry, Baby. I'm seein' you even when my eyes are closed."

The only way he could describe the noise that Elizabeth made in response was a squeak. "How're those books comin' along? You ready for your first lesson? I'm warmed up. You could change into some of my clothes, and I'll show you how I hit it."

Ignorin' the innuendos, Elizabeth focused on the only non-sexual part of his remarks. "I have finished several of the books I borrowed from you. They're in my bag upstairs. Annie has been endlessly amused by my sudden interest in anything athletic, especially boxing."

"You tell her about me?"

"The last thing I need is for either of you to be an influence on the other. So, to answer your question, no, I did not tell Annie about you. I don't talk to her about any of my cases," Elizabeth clarified, relegatin' Rio to the same status as everyone else with whom she worked. It stung… as did what she said next. "Besides, you're just seventeen, Rio. A child. It would be unprofessional of me to discuss you or your situation with anyone but especially my kid sister."

Narrowin' his gaze, Rio observed Elizabeth closely. She squirmed slightly under his attention. If that was how she wanted to play it - remindin' him of his age, that she was legally an adult while he was not, and ignorin' the very real friction and pull between them, then so be it… at least until he turned eighteen. After his birthday, though, the gloves were comin' off. He'd be fair game for her then, and he'd no longer be in her life professionally. As soon as he was of age, he'd be finished with all of the social work bullshit. He'd still want Elizabeth in his life, but it would be personal. He would be personal for her, not work.

"So, what you're sayin' is that I'm your dirty little secret, huh, Ma?"

Flustered, she argued, "there's nothing dirty or little about you, Rio."

"Damn straight, Darlin'!"

"That's not what…," she started, only to cut herself with a frustrated shake of her head and a deep, bracin' breath. "You're not a secret. It's just policy."

Tired of being called nothin' more than a job for her, Rio changed the topic. "Why you here, then?"

"What do you know about construction, home remodeling, maintenance?" He could hear the relief coatin' her voice.

"Just look around you," he gestured towards the house. "Who do you think's been fixin' this place up since my Grandfather died?"

"Well, you have an older brother, Nick, don't you? Maybe he's the handy one in the family."

"Cousin," Rio automatically corrected her.

He turned away to reach for his water bottle, not wanting her to see his reaction to her mentionin' Nick, because shit, he should have known that she knew about his cousin. After all, she had access to his files, and his Grandma wasn't shy about talkin' up both of her boys, but he hated hearin' Nick's name out of her mouth, and instinctively, Rio knew it was in both of their best interests to keep Elizabeth as far away from his cousin as he could.

So far, after Rio'd come home from Juvie, Nick had been keepin' his distance. He was still workin' as a golf pro at the country club and, apparently, takin' summer courses with the hope of graduatin' early. There were some nights when he didn't even come home to sleep - pullin' all-nighters in the computer lab on campus or crashin' with friends, so Rio hadn't seen much of him yet. And that was probably a good thing, considerin' Nick's role in Rio's arrest and subsequent conviction and incarceration.

"The only thing that selfish dick knows how to fix is a game. When I stole from that rich asshole, Nick was pullin' in good tip money at the club, but do you think he was willin' to give even a dime to Grandma? Nah, that shit fell on me, and you see where we are now."

"Well, alright then," Elizabeth reacted, noddin' as she absorbed everythin' he had just said. "Good. Because I was able to get you temporary work on a construction crew. It's full-time, Monday through Friday, with the chance of overtime on the weekends if the weather permits. If the foreman likes you and you do good work, then there's a chance the job could become permanent. The pay is… frustratingly good, considering you'll make far more than me, and I have a bachelor's degree from U of M - Dearborn."

"See, Mami, what'd I tell you about college?"

"Yeah, well, some of us aspire to more than just fame and fortune."

"Who said anything about becoming famous? I just want to win."

"And take care of Rosa."

"There's nothin' wrong with a grandson respectin' and honorin' his Grandmother." Water bottle empty and avoidance tactics all used up, Rio spun back around and immediately headed towards the stairs, beckonin' for Elizabeth to follow him. "Look, I need a refill, and I should probably eat somethin' before goin' a few more rounds against the bag."

She walked so closely behind him that he could feel the heat of her body singein' his back. Once in the kitchen, Rio made a beeline for the fridge, grabbin' himself a yogurt and a banana. While he started to eat, Elizabeth started talkin'. "So, the job starts on Monday. I wrote the address down for you. I'll just leave it here," she said while puttin' a piece of paper down on the table. "If you can provide your own tools, you'll get paid more an hour. I took a look at the bus schedule, and I think you'll be able to…."

"How'd you hear about this job, anyway," Rio interrupted her. "Carman didn't sell some scam builder a fleet of trucks, and now they're all buddy-buddy, scratchin' each other's backs and passin' favors back and forth like a couple of crooks, right?" Because the last thing Rio wanted was a job, even one that paid well, that he owed to Elizabeth's insufferable fiance. He'd never met the guy, but he just knew he'd hate him.

Ignorin' the slights against Dean, Elizabeth said, "for your information, my best friend, Ruby, is a waitress in a diner downtown. One of her regulars just so happens to own a construction company. He comes in almost every morning and meets with his foremen over eggs benedict and coffee. I often stop by on my way into work to say hello, picking up a coffee to go, and I overheard a conversation about them hiring some new guys for a big project. I approached, I asked, I got you a job. And you're welcome."

Genuinely sincere, he responded, "thank you, Elizabeth."

Tossin' his banana peel, Rio slid open the drawer which held the silverware, selectin' a spoon and almost immediately diggin' into his yogurt. At the same time, Elizabeth reached for her Mary Poppins bag. "So, should I just leave your books here, or…."

"Nah," he refuted, shakin' his head. "You're familiar enough with my room by now. You know where they go. If you put 'em back, then you can grab yourself a few more."

"As much as I appreciate your generosity and your desire for me to understand you and your sport, I don't know how many more books about boxing I can read, Rio."

Despite her words, however, Elizabeth still did as he suggested. He understood where she was comin' from, though. As much as he loved boxin', he read all kinds of books himself, his bookcase provin' as much. For someone who was new to the sport and possessed no real interest in it, the constant diet of boxin' biographies and tell-alls had to be a lot. So, when Rio eventually went back to his room to change after a few more hours workin' out in the basement and a shower, he wasn't surprised to find that Elizabeth had borrowed several novels instead.

Her change of genre gave him an idea, too. Now that she found him a job, he suspected that he'd hear and see even less of her, but as long as she had books to return to him, she'd come back, because unlike Rio and contrary to her joke about everyone pilferin' a book or two from their public library, Elizabeth wouldn't keep somethin' that she borrowed from him, especially not while she was still workin' his case. So, maybe he'd ask for her to bring him somethin' of hers to read as well, returnin' the favor of her curiosity, so to speak. Because she'd want her books back, too. Hell, he wouldn't be surprised if she wrote Property of Beth Marks in every one of 'em… even if for no other reason than to protect 'em from her little sister. Elizabeth just seemed like the type - all wound up tight and fastidious like that. No, that wouldn't surprise Rio at all. What did surprise him, however, was how much he liked those things about her.

/

Before she even had the door open far enough so that he could see her, Elizabeth was already hissin' his name, apparently havin' used the peephole… which was a good-fuckin'-thing, considerin' the location of her apartment made his neighborhood look like 1950s suburbia hell. "Rio!" After lookin' over his shoulder and then down the hallway, she continued, "what are you doing here?"

He answered her question with one of his own. "Gonna let me in, Ma?" Rio could see her weighin' her options, so he decided to… offer his assistance in the matter. "What do you think would be worse: compromisin' those ethics of yours just a little bit by showin' some hospitality or havin' one of your neighbors see me standin' outside your home?"

Although she stepped back far enough for him to enter, hastily closin' the door behind him, Elizabeth evidently wasn't ready to make nice yet. "How do you even know where I live?"

He shrugged, like it was obvious, and it should have been… if she was payin' attention. "You told my Grandma." Because Rosa adored Elizabeth, and she thought Rio could do no wrong… despite all of the evidence to the contrary, so when he asked her for Elizabeth's address, she had gladly given it to him - even going so far as to offer to make the girls some cookies for him to take to them when he visited. If that wasn't his Grandmother's approval, Rio didn't know what was.

"It's late," Elizabeth accused, bringin' him back to the moment.

"Yeah, well, someone made it pretty damn clear that they didn't want her little sister gettin' cozy with the criminal element."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it!"

He did, but that didn't mean Rio wasn't gonna give Elizabeth shit about it anyway. "So, I thought I'd wait until late, hopin' Annie was asleep already but you were still up - maybe wearin' your pjs, all soft and warm in bed, readin' one of the books you borrowed from me."

Elizabeth snorted, turnin' away from him to curl up and settle into the couch. Without invitation, Rio sat down beside her, liftin' his hips briefly in order to adjust and get comfortable. "You got lucky tonight."

"Not yet, Baby, but I like the way you thinkin'."

Elizabeth didn't even bat a lash at his leadin' remark. Apparently, Rio needed to step up his game. She was gettin' used to his flirtin', adaptin' to it. "Normally, Annie is the night owl, and I'm the old lady in bed before 10:00. I think she might be coming down with something."

"In July?"

"Summer flu is a thing, Rio."

"Yeah, so's a hangover."

"Annie isn't… she wouldn't…." Sittin' back with a tired sigh, Elizabeth closed her eyes as she groaned in frustration. "God, she totally would." Shakin' off the moment, Elizabeth sat up straight once again and slightly angled her body towards him. "You know, you never did tell me why you're here. Were you just in the neighborhood, or did you somehow know that I needed a seventeen year old's insight into my sixteen year old sister's behavior?"

Frownin' at yet another reminder of his age - Elizabeth never failed to sneak one in during every conversation they shared, Rio was once again grateful that his birthday was in less than a month. "Actually, I have somethin' for you." Reachin' inside of his light hoodie, he removed a hardback book, holdin' it out towards Elizabeth." She tensed at first, obviously wary of whatever it was he was offerin' her, but Rio didn't take offense. He figured, with her job, she had probably seen her fair share of nasty shit. For someone who'd had her own version of a messed up childhood, she certainly didn't choose an easy life for herself. He respected that.

"You came all this way to lend me another boxing biography?"

"Nah," Rio denied, smirkin' in amusement, because he could hear the cocktail of dread and duty colorin' her words. Someone had reached their sports books quota. "This is a novel. A classic. For you to keep, you know? As in a gift. Consider it a thanks… for the job and everythin'."

Blindly, she took the book from him, already launchin' into a salvo of questions about his work. "How is that going, by the way? Ruby hasn't complained of any evil looks or stiffed tips, so I'm guessing the boss likes you. Has there been any mention yet of them hiring you on full…" It must have been then that she realized exactly what she was holdin'. "Rio, this is Pride and Prejudice."

He thought about teasin' her, sayin' somethin' about how it was good to know that she really could read, seein' as how it was his personal library occupyin' all her free time that summer, but he thought better of it as he watched her reverently run her hands over the near pristine yet faded cover. "I figured one willful and obstinate Elizabeth would appreciate the adventures of another."

Her gaze rocketed up to his. "You've read Pride and Prejudice?"

"Hasn't every kid who's attended an American high school? I may be a couple of years younger than you..."

"Five," she corrected him, cuttin' him off. "You're five years younger than me."

"More like four," he argued. Given that he now knew her birthday was in May, there was actually four years and three months between them, which basic roundin' then said he was right, and she was wrong. "As I was sayin', if they haven't changed the curriculum in the past century or more, they certainly haven't changed it since you graduated."

She acknowledged his point with a tilt of her head. "But this looks really old, though not in a bad way."

"It ain't no first edition or anythin'," Rio reassured her. Noddin' towards the book, he said, "go ahead. Open it. I know you dyin' to look at the title page." He wasn't lyin' to her either. It wasn't a first edition. But it was a first printin' of some 19th century edition featurin' black and white illustrations. He looked it up. It was valuable. But Rio wasn't gonna tell Elizabeth that. If she figured it out for herself? Fine. But its monetary value didn't really matter… not to him, and he didn't think, at the end of the day, it would matter to Elizabeth either. If her car and her apartment were any indication, she wasn't a materialistic person.

After readin' the name of the publishin' house and the date of publication, she turned to him. "Where did you find it?" Before he could answer, she returned to the back of the front cover, obviously looking for a Detroit Public Library stamp. Rio had to chuckle. He might have a few books that he'd never returned, but those boxin' titles were ones he was pretty sure no one but him had ever checked out. It wasn't like he was gonna raid the main branch's Special Collections unit or anything.

"Some idiot at the flea market didn't know what he had with that book, so I felt it was my responsibility to take it off his hands and give it a home where it would be properly appreciated."

Laughin' gleefully, Elizabeth taunted, "you go to the flea market?"

"Nah," he protested, though there was no heat behind his denial. "My Grandma goes to the flea market; I just carry her purchases for her." It was the least Rio could do for the woman who raised him, who loved him unconditionally, who supported him even after he went to Juvie, who never once said she was disappointed in him. For that, he could sacrifice a Saturday morning once every month.

"And, yet, here we are with you gifting me a very special copy of my favorite book." He wasn't sure if it was intentional or not, but Elizabeth brought the hardback up to her chest, huggin' it against her. "Thank you, Rio," she told him sincerely. Before he could respond, however, she was already chargin' ahead, gently chastisin' him, "but you really should be saving for a car, so you can start training again."

With her reprimand, Rio was caught somewhere between appreciatin' how much she cared and dislikin' the fact that she still thought he needed someone, needed her, to take care of him. "Don't worry, Sweetheart. Between the job you got me and the side hustle I now have goin'..."

"Oh, god, do I even want to know," she asked, liftin' her right elbow to press it against the arm of the sofa, restin' her head against her open palm.

He rolled his eyes, smirkin' indulgently. "It's perfectly legal." She scoffed, the sound one of obvious disbelief. "Look, sometimes the foremen overestimate the amount of supplies we'll need for a job. We can't exactly return 'em, and it's a pain in the ass to hold onto 'em until another job comes along that requires the same supplies. So, I have a deal with the boss. I sell off the excess, split the profits with him, and because he buys in bulk and at cost, we clean up. It's better for the customer, too, because most crews just charge them for what was ordered, not used, but we don't do that."

"You might be good with your boss, but I cannot think your coworkers like this arrangement too much."

"They been there for years already, though, right, and they never thought of it themselves. Besides, most of 'em are just content with their paychecks. They don't wanna put any more time in than their regular shifts. And sellin' that shit takes some real legwork, yeah?"

"Well, when you're ready to buy your car, let me know, because I'll get you an appointment at Boland Motors." Rio grew tense, realizin' exactly why Elizabeth thought he should go to that specific dealership. "Dean will make sure you get exactly what you want at the best price."

"Sweetheart, even if I didn't know that's where your fiance worked, I still wouldn't buy my wheels from Boland Motors." She opened her mouth to protest, but he kept talkin', makin' her audibly snap her jaw shut. "Have you seen their commercials?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at him. "Do not let your pride stand in the way of you getting the best deal, Rio."

And, shit, yeah, maybe it was his pride talkin', but it wasn't just that either. "It's not pride, Darlin', it's common sense. You just don't buy a car from a man who makes you feel embarrassed while watchin' him make a fool of himself on TV." And, really, now that he knew who Elizabeth was engaged to, he had to wonder what the hell the doofus was holdin' over her head. No way was it the sex. All it took was one look at the guy to know that much. If Rio had to guess, it was probably somethin' from when Elizabeth was still a kid herself. Hell, she and Deansie were probably high school sweethearts, their relationship now one more of loyalty than actual love, and, damn, was that a depressin' thought.

"The commercials are really bad," Elizabeth admitted, blushin' at what she no doubt believed to be her betrayal. "But Dean is really good at his job. He knows cars, can sell to anyone."

"Yeah, but I'm not just anyone, am I, Elizabeth?" Decidin' to end their conversation there - it wasn't that Rio wanted to leave; he just recognized that he had pushed her as far as he could that night, he stood up, shovin' his hands in the pockets of his zipped up hoodie and noddin' his head towards the door. "I should go, yeah - can't have you mad at me for preventin' you from gettin' your beauty sleep." Rio paused there, allowin' Elizabeth to stand up and walk him towards the door. "Though you don't need it," he added, makin' her fidget, her hands foldin' the hem of the casual, loose and baggy t-shirt she wore. It took every ounce of restraint Rio had not to reach out and touch her - nothing overt, nothing even meant to seduce. He just… he wanted to brush back the lock of hair that kept fallin' into her face, trace a finger along one of her cheekbones, attempt to lose the pad of his thumb in the hollow of her chin.

"Thank you - again - for my book."

He just nodded in acknowledgement before sayin', "sweet dreams, Elizabeth."

Outside of her apartment, he waited until he heard her locks click into place, and then he turned and walked away.

/

Maybe if Rio hadn't had so much on his mind as he made his way towards where Beth was sittin' on the park bench, waitin' for him, then he would have taken a moment to realize it was an odd place for the two of 'em to meet. But he was distracted, practically jittery with it. He finally found a new gym, someplace centrally located so that, no matter where his job site was around Detroit, the commute to his trainin' sessions was doable. He had a car, and he was even thinkin' about rentin' a small apartment for himself, his Grandma's place too out of the way. Plus, once the weather changed in a few months' time, Nick would be around more, and Rio was likin' the current distance between him and his cousin.

Then there was Elizabeth herself. After what felt like the longest three months of his life, Rio had finally turned eighteen that day, meanin' she was no longer his social worker. He was debatin' the best way to express to her that, even if he was no longer a case to her, that didn't mean they couldn't still be in each other's lives. For now, he'd be her friend - her friend that was so flirtatious with her that sometimes it bordered on inappropriate. But he would also need to know just how long she would need for him to wait until she deemed it appropriate for a former client to ask her out. Rio really hoped it wasn't too much longer, because it seemed like he existed in a permanent state of blue balls, and he was probably gonna develop a severe case of carpal tunnel if he didn't get inside of her. And soon.

But his preoccupation wasn't just about himself; he couldn't stop thinkin' about Elizabeth either… not just how much he wanted to fuck her. He was curious about what she was readin' now, if she managed to get Annie to clean out the back of her car yet. He knew that her goal was for Annie… and the sub-compact… to start the new school year fresh and with a clean slate… and seat. Speakin' of Annie, he wondered how many other bouts of summer flu she had since the first, last, and only time he'd visited Elizabeth at her place. Plus, his Grandma wanted him to invite her over for dinner again, and she was even offerin' to give Elizabeth some bakin' lessons.

So, when he sat down beside her - a wide ass smile on his face that even Rio could admit was probably a little goofy lookin', he wasn't at all prepared to find Elizabeth in tears - face splotchy and red with emotion, not happiness, embarrassment, and arousal as he was used to, but still achingly beautiful. He could have teased her, he could have made the moment all about himself and promised her that, just because he'd no longer be her client, didn't mean she needed to cry; he'd still be around - even more so, if he had his way, but Rio recognized that, whatever had upset Elizabeth, it was too serious, too fraught for jokes. Instead, he wrapped his left arm around her shoulders, tugged her closer, and with very little invitation necessary on his part, felt her collapse against his chest. "Hey now," he said, usin' the hand that was already curved around her to soothingly stroke her long, wind tousled, auburn locks, while findin' her hand clutched into the front of his shirt and holding it with his own.

"I don't think I can do this anymore," she confessed on a whisper. He immediately jumped to so many different conclusions as to what this she was referring to, some good - like denyin' her feelings for him any longer; some absolutely fuckin' terrible - like bein' in his life at all.

"Do what, Sweetheart?"

"Be a social worker," she admitted on a hiccupped sob.

Lettin' go of her hand, Rio used his fingers to tilt her chin up so that he could could look at her, could read her eyes as he asked, "did somethin' happen, did one of your clients hurt you?"

"No, no," she was quick to reassure him. "It's not that; it's nothing like that." And thank fuck! Because while he was determined not to end up in jail ever again, prison would have been a small price to pay if some punkass kid had hurt her. "It's just… Annie's pregnant." With her admission, Rio felt like the air was knocked from his lungs, and any softness Elizabeth had previously been showin' him disappeared. She launched herself from his arms and started to pace in front of their bench.

"All these months - her exhaustion, the nausea that would come and go. I mean, I didn't even notice that she wasn't… that she didn't…"

"You can say it, you know," he told her. "I don't have sisters, but I'm not unevolved either. It's a natural part of bein' a woman, Elizabeth." Fillin' in her incomplete thoughts, he said, "she wasn't gettin' her period, and she didn't need you to buy her tampons."

She emitted a little whine, admittin' that he was right, before comin' to a complete stop, facin' him, and blurtin' out, "Dean thinks I should quit my job."

"Yeah, well, I think you should quit Dean, but you the only one who can make either of those decisions, Elizabeth."

Ignorin' him, she explained further, "he says that we'll push up the date of the wedding, that Annie and I can move in with him, and that this way I'll really be able to focus on my sister, be there for her during her pregnancy and after the baby is born."

Screwin' up his face in doubt, Rio challenged, "and you couldn't do that while also havin' a job?"

"Dean thinks…"

"Yeah, I don't give a shit what that dick thinks!," he interrupted her, cuttin' her off.

But Elizabeth was undeterred. "He thinks that I've been too distracted by…." Her thought trailed off, but it was like Rio could hear what she had meant to say as loud and as clear between them as if the word had actually been spoken. You. "... my job, that maybe if I'd been paying more attention to Annie, this never would have happened."

"You have the sex talk with Annie?"

Elizabeth gave him a sharp nod before also admittin', "yes. Several times, in fact."

"And it was more than just 'the only truly safe sex is abstinence,' right?"

"We may be Irish, but we're not Catholic. At least, not practicing," she defended. "Besides, even if we were, this is Annie we're talking about here. If I tell her not to do something, that only makes her want to do even more."

"So, I'm guessin' you took her to the doctor, got her on the pill, provided her with the means of procurrin' condoms, too, yeah?" Standin' up, Rio didn't need Elizabeth's confirmation to know that he was right. "Sounds like to me that you did everythin' you could 'sides wrappin' her Baby Daddy's dick for him." Elizabeth's eyes went wide, and her face was suddenly burnin' with some lethal combination of horror and mortification.

"It wasn't enough, though," she stated.

"Maybe not," Rio acknowledged, shruggin'. "But it's not your fault either."

"But if I cannot keep my baby sister safe, then do I have any business thinking that I can help other kids?"

Scowlin', he challenged, "where's this sudden doubt in yourself comin' from, Ma? Did Dean say somethin' that made you think you were anythin' less than great at your job?"

"I mean, it's just common sense, Rio!" Elizabeth threw up her arms in frustration before continuin', "how do I have the gall to to try and fix other families when I cannot even keep my own family from breaking?"

"The condom might've broke, Baby, but your family didn't. In fact, it's just gettin' a little bigger, and you gonna be a fantastic aunt… just like you been a fantastic guardian for Annie and just like you are a fantastic social worker."

"Says the kid who only cooperated, because he wanted to have sex with me!"

He'd let the kid comment slide - for now, his new status as an official adult as of that morning not important in light of everythin' Elizabeth was facin'. "Maybe in the beginnin', yeah, but I hope you realize that I came to respect you, too. You're not like everyone else I dealt with while goin' through the whole Juvie process; you're not like anyone else. Sure, when I first saw you, I thought you were nothin' more than some uptight, rich, white bitch with an amazing set of tits, but you real, Mami; you been through it, too. Maybe your shit is different than mine, different than your other clients', but it all stinks the same in the end. This - your kid sister havin' a baby at sixteen - is only gonna make you even better at your job, give you somethin' else to learn from, to sympathize with, to make you more empathetic. And Annie and that baby'll be fine, too. After all, they got you, yeah?"

Runnin' her fingers through her hair, Beth worried, "Rio, I barely make ends meet now with my salary what it is. Babies are expensive."

Taking a challengin' stance, Rio folded his arms over his chest. "So, your solution is to quit your job, give up that salary, and let some dumbass car salesman support you like some kept woman?"

"You make it sound like I would be his mistress," Elizabeth fired back, hissing at him with narrowed eyes. "But I would be his wife, his partner - his equal partner."

"Nah, Sweetheart, you wouldn't," Rio argued. "Trust me, a man like that? It'd be his money, his house, his generosity allowin' you, your sister, and her baby to live with him. Blamin' you for Annie's troubles is not how a true partner should act. He should be talkin' you up, not puttin' you down."

"Even if I agreed with you, even if I admitted that you had a point, that still doesn't solve my financial problems."

For as imperfect as Elizabeth's own life had been, apparently she was determined to shield her sister from those same realities, from those same struggles. "If Annie is old enough to make a baby, then she's old enough to get a job, Darlin'. She works until she pops, savin' everythin' she makes, and then she goes back to work once she's able. Jugglin' school, work, and a kid won't be easy, but it's not like she won't have help. And, hell, you did it. Plus, make the Baby Daddy take responsibility for his actions, too. If anyone should know what options are available out there, it's you, Elizabeth."

She took several moments to think, to really hear what he'd been sayin' before respondin'. "When I'm standing here with you, talking with you, being held by you…." Elizabeth swallowed roughly, bit her bottom lip, and blushed - this time, pretty and sweet just like he preferred. "It all seems possible. I feel like I can do anything and, in turn, like Annie can do this, too. But I'm going to leave here tonight, and I'm going to go back home, and reality is going to crash down on top of me again. And then Dean will call or he'll come over, and I'm… I'm just going to want him to take this burden from my shoulders for me. I've been carrying so much on my own for so long, Rio, and I'm just… I'm tired."

He could understand that. Rio thought of his Grandmother and the burdens that had been foisted upon her. She raised her family. They weren't perfect, they struggled at times, and they had their problems like all families do, but there was no shortage of love or happy memories. But then, just when her own children started having babies of their own, one by one, she lost her family far too soon… only to have a second one thrust upon her - a Grandmother raisin' her grandbabies and mostly doin' it on her own, because her own children had died, leaving her grandchildren behind as orphans, and her husband had followed shortly thereafter. Rosa should've been retired, should've been living' it up somewhere warm, and safe, and fun, but, instead, she was stuck takin' care of him and his messes and tryin' to stay above whatever shit Nick's machinations was bringin' their way.

He didn't wish his Grandma's life on Elizabeth, but he also knew that she was strong and capable enough to handle it should somethin' similar happen to her. "You once told me that Dean doesn't let you do anythin', because you support yourself, you support Annie, and you never wanted to end up in a situation like your own mother. Well, now it's time to prove it, Elizabeth. If you won't let Dean tell you what to drive or where to live, don't let him make you smaller just so that he can feel bigger either. Yeah, you might want help. Hell, you deserve some help. But you don't need it, especially when that help comes with strings that will tie you down, try to control you, and make you less than who you are."

Sighin', Elizabeth offered him a wan, exhausted, sad smile. "When did you get so wise, Rio Pérez?"

"Probably when I turned eighteen this mornin'," he said with a wink.

"Oh no! I forgot, I'm so sorry! It's just, with everything going on…."

"It's alright, Mami," he reassured her. Mentally sayin' fuck it, Rio stepped forward, crowdin' his body against Elizabeth's, and finally grantin' himself the pleasure of really touchin' her. Her traced her plump, often tortured mouth, tryin' to memorize its fullness, just how soft it was. He allowed his touch to follow the curve of her ears, found and mapped every freckle, and feathered his digits over her lush lashes. In his explorations, Elizabeth's eyes fell shut, and she leaned against him, Rio bendin' at the knees so that he could rest their foreheads together. They didn't kiss, but they breathed each other in, the dew from her lips, from her breath, warmed and mixed with his own. "You're allowed to think about yourself sometimes instead of always thinkin' about others, yeah?"

"I have a lot to consider, a lot to figure out." He nodded his head against hers, the movement just enough to show her that he understood. "So, I probably won't see you again… for a while."

Rio wanted to argue with her. Hell, he contemplated just closing the last inch between them and kissin' her, because he just knew that was all it would take for Elizabeth to fall into him entirely. But when he had her, he didn't want it to be because she was runnin' away from somethin' or tryin' to forget. If she made the move to kiss him, he'd never be able to push her away. He didn't possess that kind of restraint. But he could hold himself back… at least, mostly.

Standing tall to his full height, Rio looked down upon Elizabeth's tear stained yet delicate and so damn gorgeous face. The fingers of his right hand finally found that stray strand of hair that drove him crazy with distraction, wild with lust. First, he curled his digit around it, and then he smoothed it back behind her ear. "When you're ready," he was aware of how loaded his words were, but Rio couldn't temper his goodbye, not this time. "You know where to find me. And if you need me before then for… I don't know - to scare a Baby Daddy straight or for a good book recommendation, I'm just a phone call away, Elizabeth."

Rio never thought he'd face anything more difficult than those steps that had carried him out of his Grandmother's warm, solid embrace and into the juvenile detention center ten months before, but walking away from Elizabeth Marks that afternoon was a wound, a cut so deep, he knew he would never forget… nor recover from completely.

/

"You've been avoiding me, Brother."

Rio was sittin' on top of the picnic table in his Grandmother's backyard… just thinkin' - thinkin' about how he was gonna tell Rosa about movin' out, wonderin' how a sixteen year old girl he'd never met was dealin' with her pregnancy, missin' Elizabeth - when he was interrupted by the very last voice he wanted to hear. "Then why don't you take the hint, Cousin, and leave me be."

Nick took a seat beside him but thankfully kept his distance. Rio couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable Nick appeared, sittin' on top of the table rather than on the bench as was expected, as was proper. He smirked. "Now, is that anyway to talk to family, especially someone who comes to you with a business proposal?"

"Yeah, I already have a job." Two, actually, if you considered his side gig a kind of employment. Plus, he was boxin' again, trainin' to get into fightin' form and workin' towards seein' his name as the challenger on a poster for a middleweight bout.

"Don't remind me," Nick scoffed, soundin' disgusted. "It's embarrassing - my brother lowering himself to be someone else's insignificant worker ant when he should be the king."

Rio didn't waste his time explain' to Nick that there was no ant king, the males servin' no other purpose than matin' with the queen before dyin' soon afterwards. If the college boy couldn't figure that out for himself, Rio certainly wasn't volunteerin' to be his tutor. Instead, he pointed out, "don't you mean that you should be king, and I should be workin' for you, the snitch who sent me away for seven months, instead?"

"You act like it was maximum security, not Juvie, Brother," Nick mocked him, laughin' at Rio's expense. He had to fist his hands in his pockets and grit his teeth together to not just… lose it, wailin' on his cousin until any familial resemblance was long obliterated.

"Whatever you sellin', I'm not interested."

Rio had hoped that the ice in his voice, that the stiffness of his posture would finally drive Nick away… at least for the night, but he wasn't so lucky. "Does your new boy scout act have something to do with that stacked white bitch who was coming around for a while?"

So, evidently, despite Nick's absence, he had still been keepin' tabs on Rio the last five months. The realization was… soberin'. Still, he wasn't gonna give him the information he sought, especially not about Elizabeth. Because he knew exactly who Nick was referrin' to, but he wasn't gonna admit it. Feignin' confusion, he asked, "who?"

"Oh, come on, man! How many redheads with a killer rack and skin as pale as the driven snow do you know?"

Laughin' despite the situation not bein' funny at all, Rio questioned, "do you mean my social worker," infusin' as much amusement and disbelief into his voice as he could. "Shit, as soon as I was eighteen and not her problem any more, I'm pretty sure she left so quickly that you can still see her tire marks on the road outside of Grandma's house."

"Really… and that's it? That's all she was to you, just some government busybody that you had to appease for a few months?"

"What else would she be," Rio scoffed, soundin' disgusted.

"I don't know. I thought you might have been hittin' it."

"Man, no piece of ass is worth that much bitch-ass drama. And since when have curvy white girls been my type?"

"Ah, so then it's boxing."

Mind scramblin', Rio tried to piece together what Nick was really drivin' at. He obviously believed that there was somethin' more than just Rio's distrust of him that was preventin' Rio from acceptin' whatever shady ass proposal he was floatin'. By his line of questionin', he must have thought it was either Elizabeth or boxin'. What Rio couldn't figure out was what Nick planned to do once he landed upon what he saw as the impediment to his plan; what Rio didn't doubt was his instincts from months before, tellin' him that it would be best for all involved if he kept his cousin as far away from Elizabeth as possible, no matter what the consequences of doin' so would mean for the rest of his life.

"Dude, I have no idea what you're talkin' about. But here's the thing," Rio stated, climbin' to his feet and makin' a move to leave. "I don't care either."

Nick's next words made Rio's steps come to a sudden and screechin' halt. "You know, I thought I killed that dream once and for all when I went to your gym and explained to them that you… weren't good for their business."

"Excuse me?" If there had been an edge to his voice before, it was now as sharp as a razor blade. And deadlier.

Nick stood as well, but he didn't approach Rio. "I need you focused, hungry, and this… childish fantasy of yours of becoming a professional boxer is just a distraction."

"I stopped carin' about what you need the moment you sold me out to the cops," Rio told his cousin, stalkin' forward to get into his face. He was only four inches taller than Nick, but he made sure his cousin felt every bit of their height difference while he stared him down. "As far as I'm concerned, Grandma is my only family. You? You are dead to me."

If things had been different, if Rio had never met Elizabeth, maybe he would have been susceptible to Nick's plans for him. But he did meet Elizabeth, and somewhere between his initial objectification of her and his eventual feelings for her, her belief in him made him believe in himself again. Besides, he would be a hypocrite if he gave into Nick's pressure. He told Elizabeth that she shouldn't make herself less in order for someone else to feel like they were more, and he wasn't about to belittle himself for anyone either, especially not a cousin who only cared about what Rio could do for him.

Nick waited until Rio was at the gate which would take him into the alley and around to where he had parked his car. "Aw, don't be like that, Brother."

He paused long enough to show that he heard the threat lurkin' beneath the humor of Nick's words, to show that, though he recognized the danger Nick presented, Rio was never going to be controlled by him again.

/

It was five nights later. Rio was leavin' the gym, the night surroundin' him cold - colder than the usual crispness of a Detroit fall - and dark. He had climbed out of the ring nearly half an hour earlier before showerin' and gettin' pulled into a conversation with another boxer while was leavin', but his mind was still on the punches he had thrown that evenin' - both the ones that had landed and those that had missed. Maybe that's what had him distracted, or maybe he just wasn't as aware as he should have been, his life safe enough to make that a possibility. But whatever the reason, it took him a while to realize that someone was followin' him. Too long.

The dark figure was practically on Rio's heels by the time he became aware of him. Spinnin' around to face who he assumed would be a stranger, Rio was surprised to realize that he recognized the other man. He was from the same neighborhood where Rio had grown up, where his Grandma lived, where Rio had just left behind for the first place of his own. He was a few years older than Rio, a quiet guy but seemingly nice enough, though everyone knew that he was in the life. It took Rio a few seconds to place his name, but the curious and hesitant greeting of, "Mick?," had only just escaped his lips before he watched in horror as a gun was lifted and directed towards him.

"Your brother sends his regards," was the last thing Rio heard before a gunshot sang through the night, breaking the stillness and quiet. He staggered back and into a brick wall from the impact of the bullet enterin' his shoulder. Or maybe it was his arm. Jesus, Rio couldn't tell. The blast just seemed to cover the entire right side of his body. He felt an intense burnin' sensation - stipplin' from the point blank shot his somehow both cloudy with pain and yet startling clear mind told him. But then he felt nothin'. From his neck to the very tips of his fingers, all feelin' just ceased like a switch had been flipped somewhere inside of his body. He couldn't feel the pain, he couldn't feel the blood seepin' out of his wound and soakin' into his clothes, and some people might have found the absence of both to be a blessin', but Rio knew; he knew what it meant.

It was then that his legs finally gave out on him, and he crashed to the hard, unforgivin', and dirty pavement in a boneless, uncoordinated heap.

His gym was located downtown, right in the center of the city, so it was busy. Practically every third business was some kind of bar or club. So, Rio knew that the gunshot wouldn't go unnoticed, that someone would call it in, and an ambulance would arrive in time before he bled out. He wasn't gonna die. But he'd never box again, and at least in that moment, such a fate felt even worse than death. In savin' Elizabeth, he had sacrificed his own dream, all of his plans, his future, the very reality he had been shapin' for himself since he was nothin' more than some little kid with stars in his eyes and a fighter's spirit flowin' through his veins. In a single moment, with just one bullet, it was all just… gone, broken for good.

/

"Yo, Boss! There's some loud mouthed social worker in the office, wanting to talk to - and I quote 'whoever is actually in charge around here, because I refuse to think that someone actually named their child Pop.'"

He was in the ring, his back towards his assistant. Well, Eddie really wasn't an assistant so much as he was like a house guest that came for a visit but never actually left. The kid couldn't box for shit, but he fancied himself a future agent. Consequently, Eddie liked hangin' around the gym but said he couldn't afford the membership fees, so in exchange for passably answerin' the phone and occasionally wipin' down the equipment, Rio allowed him to give himself a title he definitely didn't live up to or earn. "I'm a little busy here, Eddie."

"Yeah, I can see that," the kid replied, the touch of sarcasm in his voice gratin' on Rio's nerves. "And I told that bi… I told that lady that, too." For once, Eddie seemed to remember Rio's rule that, at least when inside of his gym, the guys were all to respect women, correctin' himself before Rio could.

Rio never thought this would be his life. Ownin' a boxin' gym? Sure. But not until after he owned the World Boxing Association… or at least his weight class in it. After what Nick did to him, though, his boxin' career was over before it even had a chance to begin. He lost his spot, his job, his apartment, his car, and he nearly lost his arm. It was only after years of physical therapy that Rio was able to regain partial mobility, but he'd never have enough range of motion again to really box. He still sparred on occasion with the sympathetic opponent, and sometimes it felt like the heavy bag was his best friend, but what he could do in a ring these days was a far cry from his abilities as a teenager.

After movin' back in with his Grandmother, it felt like he was startin' from scratch - not just physically but in every aspect of his life. Eventually, Rio found employment bartendin'. What he lacked as a sympathetic listener he more than made up for with his looks and charm, the female clientele eatin' up his unattainability. He wasn't ashamed to admit that he milked their attraction for bigger tips, savin' up until he could buy the bar outright for himself. He lived frugally, didn't really need or want much, so a year after that, he bought the gym, too, usin' his old construction contacts and sources to fix it up on the cheap. And, now, here he was, trainin' young, mouthy, know-it-all shitheads just like he had once been.

"Fine. Tell her I'll need fifteen minutes to finish up this session, but as soon as it's done, I'm all hers."

"And here I thought that you've been mine since you were seventeen years old."

As soon as her voice, that voice, washed over Rio, he was flooded with a maelstrom of sensations. It had been nearly six years since the afternoon of his eighteenth birthday, since the last time he had seen her, but it would take at least a lifetime for Rio to forget Elizabeth Marks. An intense wave of warmth crashed over him, while at the same time, he shivered. He still hadn't laid eyes on her, he still hadn't turned around to verify with his eyes what his ears told him to be true, but Rio could feel that it was Elizabeth. His heart rate picked him, his palms started to sweat, and his cock twitched in his shorts.

"Everyone out," Rio ordered, his words nothin' more than a rasp. Pivotin' on the balls of his feet, he spun around 180 degrees until he was facin' out into the gym rather than towards the center of the ring. Lockin' his dark gaze with Elizabeth's wide, impossibly blue eyes, he added, "except you."

"Oh, come on, Rio," the kid he was trainin' complained. "My session isn't up, and I paid good money…."

"No one here believes you paid me even a dime, so shut up and get the hell out of my gym." Raisin' his voice, he yelled so that everyone else who was workin' out or sparrin' could hear him, too. "And that goes for the rest of you as well. Pop's is closed for the rest of the day."

"Do you want me to go make or sign or something," Eddie offered, hitchin' a thumb over his shoulder towards the front door.

Rio offered him a single word of command. "Leave."

It took several minutes for the place to completely clear out, but Rio never took his eyes off of Elizabeth as he waited for them to finally be alone again after so long, after so many years. He wasn't even sure if he blinked. Rio could have looked for her. Hell, he knew where she lived; it wouldn't have taken much searchin'. But he had been in a dark place after his injury, and then he'd been afraid of what he'd find if he sought her out. It was easier to think of her out there somewhere as a possibility than it was to go to her and find out that, in orderin' him shot, Nick had taken the hope of eventually bein' with Elizabeth, of lovin' Elizabeth, away from him, too. It wasn't like he had been celibate for the past six years - far from it, in fact, but random hookups and one night stands did not compare to a marriage, to kids.

With that thought, his gaze finally dropped from her face, seekin' out that telltale, all important finger. When Rio found it free of Dean's overcompensation of an heirloom ring, he smiled. "Of all the gyms in Detroit, you walk into mine?"

"Well, to be fair, I thought it was Pop's."

"No you didn't," Rio accompanied his words with a tattoo of amused laughter. God, he had missed her bravado. His eyes found her chest, his grin deepened. Amongst other things. "You might not have known it was my gym, but Eddie told me what you thought of the name."

"And should I tell you what I thought of Eddie?"

Another bark of laughter escaped him before he said, "nah, Ma. Your obvious disregard for Eddie's authority was heard loud and clear by everyone, trust me."

"He really isn't a competent assistant, Rio."

"Yeah, that's more a title he gave himself than anythin' else. I kind of see him as an uncoordinated and untalented mascot for the gym." This time, it was Elizabeth's turn to laugh, her giggle makin' Rio feel damn good. If he preened slightly, it felt earned. Movin' until he was leanin' against the top rope - his good arm braced under his right, he asked, "so, what're you doin' here anyway? I think we both know you're not lookin' to poach my receptionist. You finally ready for that lesson?"

Elizabeth approached him, but he wouldn't exactly call it walkin'; it was more like sashsayin', those hypnotizin' hips tickin' back and forth like the prettiest goddamn metronome he'd ever seen. "Well, you see, there's this kid."

"There always is with you, Darlin'." At her moue of acknowledgement, he teased, "it's not Annie again, is it, or that munchkin of hers startin' young?"

"No, of course not," she became slightly flustered. Standin' above her the way he was, Rio had an excellent vantage point, and he still could not tell where that signature blush of hers ended. "I mean, Annie is still Annie, but Sadie, my niece, is just… I know all aunts probably think their nieces are perfect, but Sadie really is."

"I'm guessin' she gets it from her Aunt Elizabeth." Rio received another happy flush for his words. "Well, if it's not about one of yours, then I'm thinkin' you took my advice. You still a social worker?"

"I am," Elizabeth confirmed with a proud little tilt of her lips.

"Good."

"So, about this kid…?" He grinned, nodded, silently tellin' her to lay it on him. "He's fifteen, smart as a whip, but his family is a little indulgent… in a disinterested way. Yes, he's been in some trouble, but he isn't troubled himself, you know? I just think he needs some discipline, a strong male role model in his life. He's not a fighter by any means. It's not like I see a future for him as a professional boxer. But I think the athletic pursuit, the training, the structure of sparring sessions and even punch combinations would be good for him. When I started asking around for gym recommendations, I was told about Pop's."

"It's named for my Grandfather. He boxed… just for fun and to stay in shape, but some of my favorite childhood moments with him was watchin' old fights or watchin' him warm up on the heavy bag. He was the one who got me into the sport. I called him Pop, thought namin' my gym for him was a good way to honor his memory."

"Did you ever get that title fight you planned on for yourself?" Hesitatin', Elizabeth admitted, "for years, I read the sports section of the local papers, looking for your name. I even tried to watch those sports news shows, but I admit that I usually zoned out after the first few minutes." Rio flashed her an indulgent, crooked grin at the confession. "I googled your name, too, but nothing came up, so I thought maybe you'd changed it… like a stage name or a nom de plume. Do athletes use stage names?"

Rather than answer any of her queries, he posed one of his own. "So, what you're sayin' is that you thought about me?"

"God, Rio, I don't think a day went by when I didn't think about you!"

Climbin' out of the ring, his approach made her back up several steps, but Rio wanted to be standin' directly before her, lookin' her in the eyes, when she answered his next question. "Why didn't you come and find me?"

Elizabeth was twistin' her fingers together before she even said a word in response. "After I last saw you, the next couple of years with Annie and the baby were… difficult. Plus, I had just broken up with Dean - my long term fiance, my only boyfriend, and you didn't feel like a rebound, Rio. Then, it was like I always had an excuse. You would be too busy for me, too accomplished for me, you had probably long since forgotten about me." Shrugging, she finished with, "and you never came to find me either."

"C'mere," he told her.

Elizabeth obviously wasn't expectin' that. She blinked several times, an unsettled, "what?", fallin' from her full, pink lips.

Rather than repeat himself, Rio issued a second command. "Take off my shirt, Mami." When she hesitated, he softened the directive, nearly desperate. "Please, Elizabeth."

For the first year after he was shot, Rio pretty much lived in sweatpants and zippered hoodies. Gettin' dressed was a struggle, and he couldn't stomach the idea of askin' his Grandma to button his jeans or help him wrestle his way into a t-shirt. As he relearned to do simple tasks that he had once taken for granted, the ability to dress himself returned as well, though pullovers still sometimes posed difficulties. Without the full range of motion in his right arm, Rio had to first remove his left from its sleeve, then duck his head through the neck hole, before finally slidin' the shirt off of his injured arm. Needin' to really think about what he was doin' and the extra steps were worth it, though, not to see the curiosity and pity in other people's eyes if they caught sight of his scars while shirtless.

Bitin' her lip, Elizabeth stepped forward, erasin' the scant distance between them. She reached for the hem of his black t-shirt, but he just shook his head, noddin' towards his left arm. Still, she didn't say anythin', though he could see the slight puzzlement in her gaze. Without question, though, she did as he silently instructed. By the time his right shoulder was bared to her gaze, she immediately dropped his shirt in favor of placin' her small, delicate hands upon his skin instead, his forgotten shirt slitherin' down the rest of his right arm to land unnoticed at his sneakered feet. Her touch was cool, especially against his burnin' flesh, and he wasn't sure if that would always be the case or just what their current circumstances dictated, but he was eager to find out.

"Rio?!," she practically sobbed.

"To answer your earlier questions, no, I never did get that title fight. In fact, I never fought professionally. And this is primarily why I never came for you either."

"When did this, did you...," she struggled to ask, chokin' on her words. Her big, bright, blue eyes were filled with unshed tears. He saw sadness in her gaze, heartache, but thankfully no pity, and she never did let a single tear fall. "Why… what happened to you, Rio?"

"It's been almost six years now," he at least was willin' to answer the when, partly, at least, in support of his next statement. Before he could say any more, though, Elizabeth cried out softly, obviously connecting the time when he was shot to when she had also left his life. "As for everythin' else? Honey, with you standin' here with me right now, nothin' else matters. I'll tell you, I will; I promise. But not right now. Not tonight. Not with you finally in my arms. I just… I need you to kiss me, Elizabeth. Can you do that?"

Rather than answer with her words, she bent her head down and embraced the scarred remains of his entrance wound. It was less of a kiss and more just Elizabeth restin' her parted lips against the puckered flesh of his shoulder, but he still felt the touch in every single nerve endin'. From there, she further surprised him by roundin' his body. As her fingers trailed after her like a shadow of her movements, her mouth found the larger, uglier scar from his exit wound, payin' it equal if not greater attention. By the time she came back around to stand in front of him, she had barely touched him, and Rio had yet to touch her, but he felt like he was about to explode from arousal and repressed sexual need. But it had been years of wantin' her, of needin' her, leadin' up to that moment, not just the last few minutes of havin' her so near and yet still so far away.

Thankfully, Elizabeth was just as desperate as he was. Her hands were on the waistband on his shorts even before his eyes had registered her before him once again. While she pushed them down and off of his narrow hips, Rio toed off his shoes and socks while reachin' for the buttons of Elizabeth's lightweight, summer sweater. As soon as she divested him of his underwear, her nimble fingers went to the back zipper of his own skirt, knockin' her ample, perfect hips back and forth to bring it down her thighs, lettin' it go once it reached her knees to fall to the floor. She then kicked her flats off and shoved her panties down before Rio was even half finished with the tiny mother of pearl closures hidin' her breasts from his greedy, hungry gaze.

"Just rip it already," Elizabeth part sobbed, part demanded. And who was Rio to deny her anythin'? As the buttons popped and flew all over the gym, Elizabeth slipped her hands underneath the back of her cardigan, unhookin' her bra, so that, as Rio pushed the sweater from her shoulders, her last piece of lingerie fell, too.

As soon as they were both completely naked, Rio immediately laid her down on the cold, harsh, concrete, but once he slid inside of her tight, wet, and warm cunt, that floor was suddenly the softest place he had ever been. With Elizabeth underneath him, he didn't know where to touch first. He simply wanted to consume all of her at once. His mouth found hers, their kisses slow and indulgent. It was the only aspect of their fuckin' in which they took their time to learn each other - to learn how the other tasted, to learn what sounds the other made when somethin' felt good, when somethin' felt even better, when somethin' felt the best they'd ever experienced, swallowin' those sounds which had immediately become their favorite songs.

At the same time, his hands found her breasts, her hips, her ass, and her thighs, while Elizabeth's touch shifted from the bird of prey in flight on his throat, to the back of his neck, down his spine, the small of his back, cupping his ass, only to reverse the path her fingers had just travelled and inevitably end up once more, over and over again, on his shoulder. It was like she needed the reassurance that he was real, that he was whole - damaged perhaps but still there with her.

When Rio first laid his palm over the heat of her pussy, he found her ready and waitin', drippin' for him. But, still, he dipped his fingers inside of her, knowin' that, no matter how aroused she might be for him, she needed stretchin' to take his cock. Besides, it wasn't just his cock that was eager for her, that craved her. All of Rio wanted all of Elizabeth, and that included her cunt. His dick, his fingers, and his mouth needed her pussy like he needed his next breath. He dreamed of her ridin' his thigh to completion, fantasized about her rubbin' and grindin' one out against his stomach. The thought of his nose pressin' against her sensitive little clit while she sat on his face and he tongue fucked her into multiple orgasms had gotten Rio off throughout the years so many times that he had lost count.

But all of that - and more - could wait. For now, Elizabeth was underneath him - her thighs parted and spread wide to cradle his hips, her legs wrapped around his waist as he drove his cock impossibly deep inside of her. Her arms held him close, held him in place, not wantin' him to withdraw… even if it meant that the two of them would never cum, instead locked forever together on just the very precipice of release. And Rio cradled her, too - one arm wrapped low around her hips to cup and caress, to squeeze her ass, while the other protected the back of her skull from the concrete floor.

They were sweaty, their skin stickin' together and slidin' apart in equal measure. Elizabeth's auburn hair had seemingly darkened to a deeper hue, and it draped over her breasts - those amazing, out of this world tits that bounced gloriously with every thrust of Rio's cock inside of her, the soft curls wrappin' around his right wrist, a single strand caught against the luscious fullness of her bottom lip. When they could not stave off their orgasms any longer, they seemed to share a silent agreement that neither of them would look away from the other. Eyes wide with wonder; with desire fulfilled and desire forever wantin', never satisfied; with lust, and love, and longin'; maybe even with forever, Elizabeth came first.

In her release, he finally learned just how far down her blush went. She flushed all the way to her pert and pebbled nipples, her blush the same hue as her areolas, while her nipples, normally the prettiest shade of pink, darkened to a near scarlet - the ripest of berries just waitin', beggin' for his mouth. It was the sight of that signature blush that finally pushed Rio over the edge, his orgasm shatterin' him into tiny pieces… only for Elizabeth's hands, her touch, her body wrapped around him to hold and put him back together again.

Afterwards, when they were still layin' on the cold floor but Rio had reversed their positions, rollin' under Elizabeth so that he could pull her on top of him, he could feel their combined cum tricklin' out of her pussy and onto his naked thigh. He lowered his hands to her ass, so he could pull her up higher against his body, repositionin' them so that her wet cunt could brush against his rapidly hardenin' cock. "So, are you gonna come back to my place with me? I'll make you flan."

The unexpected offer had Elizabeth laughin' loudly in delight. "That's either a slang term I'm unfamiliar with or the strangest line in the history of pick-ups."

"It ain't no line, Mami. I can bake now. Grandma insisted on it after I was injured. She said that bakin' is therapeutic, not just for the body but for the soul, too."

It was awkward livin' with his Grandmother after Mick shot him on Nick's orders. As much as Rio was tempted to tell everyone the truth about what had happened to him, he figured Rosa didn't deserve that. She'd already lost so much in her life; he couldn't be the one to take one of her grandson's away from her. Even without an explanation, though, she seemed to sense the unease, puttin' it lightly, between the two cousins, and Nick stopped comin' around as much once he realized that, even after he took boxin' away from Rio, Rio wasn't gonna work for him. After college, Nick became some small-time, local, crook of a politician, while he used and manipulated a steady stream of neighborhood punks to run and be the face of his little criminal empire. Rio wasn't sure how much his Grandma knew about Nick's two-faced approach to life, but family dinners were delicate and uncomfortable to say the least. However, the one thing that was never awkward in that house after his injury were those bakin' lessons. Despite his initial reluctance, those hours eventually became some of his most cherished with his Grandmother.

"Alright, I'll try your flan," Elizabeth relented. With her chin pressed against his chest, she looked up at him with narrowed yet humor filled eyes. "On one condition."

"And that would be?"

He thought it would be a demand for him to tell her everythin' about his gunshot wound, maybe even a need for him to lend her a shirt, seein' as how he had destroyed hers in their haste to fuck one another temporarily senseless. But, instead, Elizabeth bargained, "you agree to train and mentor the client I told you about earlier."

"You have yourself a deal, Baby," he readily, easily agreed.

/

Rio was still sporadically laughin' quietly to himself days later, admirin' her negotiatin' skills, when she introduced him to the little fifteen year old shithead he'd be teachin' how to box. Or maybe his mirth was from the adorable squeak she emitted when, after the kid walked away to change, leavin' them alone for a minute, he pinched her ass, punctuatin' his question of "your place or mine later, Sweetheart?" Because there was no way in fuckin' hell that, now that he had her, he was ever lettin' her go.