'Why are we both here.?' The words kept ringing through my head even days later sitting across a table from Rio and Mick, I've kept hearing Mick's voice in my head these last couple days 'you're not expendable' his rough but somewhat comforting voice would repeat in my head. I hadn't told anyone about the softer side I saw of Mick, I thought that might be something that'd be better kept between the both of us. I sat at the table spacing out a bit glancing at Mick just trying to make eye contact to have some sort of proof that what happened wasn't all in my head, when Rio's voice broke through my trance.
"You got a hard on for my man or something.?" His voice taunting, when I didn't answer him, he just continued.
"Don't worry, I'm not gonna have him reach out and get you right here in broad daylight, what fun would that be when you can see it comin.?" I felt a slight shiver go down my spine at Rio's threat
"there's no reason for threats, we've paid our debts" Beth said firm
"Yeah, the thing is I don't like how you bitches keep trying to cross me" his sole attention on Beth now
"We've assured you it will not happen again" her eyes don't break from his during this whole exchange, it all hits me at once how strong Beth's feelings for Rio actually are. You can practically feel the sexual tension between them, and while I know this arrangement has led there before, she swore to Ruby and I it was only sex. What does this mean.? I ask myself does Rio like her too.? Is this what Mick meant.? And if so, how did he see this before me.? Before Ruby.? I'm broken out of my spiraling thought process by Rio slowly getting up and walking over to Beth
"you'd better hope not, I'd hate to have to mess up something so pretty" he says slowly stroking her face. Making me even more suspicious.
"Let's head out, they know what they need to do" he says turning his back to us and walking away leaving Mick to follow him, but not before his eyes finally meet mine.
"We need to talk" I mutter at Beth after Mick and Rio leave my eye sight.
"what's going on now Annie.?" Beth and Ruby are looking at me exhausted, like I have nothing good to say and I guess I really don't.
"Not here, your house, my house, Ruby's house but not here" I hate the way they look at me like I'm a chore they have to put up with and nothing that I say is of any importance but this, this is important so I ignore it for one more time
"Okay, my house. I'll meet you guys there" Beth says looking around
"This is serious Beth" I say giving her a look to make sure she knows she can't just brush me off
"Alright, well talk at the house Annie" she says with a sigh. When we finally reach her house, they make sure we have wine before we sit down on the couch
"what's up Annie.?" Ruby asks after taking a deep breath and a big sip of wine
"You like gang friend.!" I accused pointing at Beth, but I see both of them roll their eyes
"This again Annie we've been over this it was just sex. A while ago actually so I don't know why this is even being brought up right now" Beth leans down further into the couch
"Mick said something to me the other day that had me thinking and when I watched the two of you today, I could see it, he likes you as much as you like him.!" I accuse setting my wine glass on her coffee table
"that's ridiculous" she said rolling her eyes at me
"No, you can't wave me off this time Beth, he really only speaks to you, he arranges everything through you so to him you're our ring leader, you're the one scamming him, why does he only go after Ruby and I.?" I ask looking between her and Ruby waving my hands but I don't give them a chance to respond
"there's also the soft touches, the intense eye contacts it's like the two of you have silent conversations, how close he gets to you because he knows you like it.!" My voice gets higher at the end my eyes burning holes into Beth.
"I don't know if it's this wine or if she's actually making sense" Ruby says taking yet another sip of her wine, I just throw my hands up and nodded in Ruby's direction to get my point across
"Guys don't be ridiculous" Beth says still trying to disagree
"No, you don't be ridiculous, I don't know about Ruby but I could get used to you having feelings for him but you don't get to lie to us about them, we're in this together. You're gambling with our lives, maybe even the lives of our kids" I say getting a little angry at her.
"He wouldn't go after the kids.!" She defends and we all go dead quiet after that. There's a thick silence that falls over us no one daring to say anything for a long while.
"Maybe you should do some self-reflecting and come to terms with your feelings, pushing any type of feeling down isn't good for anyone, especially in this situation" I look between Beth and Ruby before rubbing my hands together and getting up
"Where are you going.?" Beth asks her voice rough
"Home, you need some time to think and Ben's at Greg's for the night so I get to binge watch TV and eat junk food without hearing how bad it is for me" I look back at them and give them a weak smile
"I'll talk to you guys tomorrow" I hear small goodbyes in the back ground before I exit Beth's house and get into my car and drive to my apartment building as I'm walking to the main door; I feel a hand enclose on my arm I jump in shock and use my other arm to jerk my elbow back to slam it into my captures ribs but feel someone grab my elbow as well. I hear a familiar chuckle behind me and feel warm breath on my neck.
"I'm glad you know some self-defense sugar" I hear as I'm released and turn around only to find Mick.
"Oh, come on, didn't Rio just say we were good.?" I question looking at the handsome tattooed man… wait handsome.?
"you girls are. I'm not here to take you. Just with the way you were staring at me so hard today I figured you had something to say" he says staring so deep into my eyes I swear he was looking right into my soul
"You had to give me a freaking heart attack.?" I ask putting a hand on my chest.
"Sorry sugar, I would've waited outside your apartment but didn't want people to talk, would've broke in but didn't know if your kid was home" he says rubbing the back of his neck.
"Thanks, I actually appreciate that" I say as I start to walk inside figuring he'll follow. We reach my apartment and I unlock the door kicking it open letting him in first.
"So, where's the kid.?" He asks looking around. I try to think back to a time he's been in my home before but come up blank
"Umm. At his dads for the weekend. after this week though, I'll be shocked if he makes it through the night there" I say shaking my head
"What do you mean.?" He stops looking around to look at me with scrunched up Brow
"He was just scared when Rio brought me to you, thought I went missing, which I guess I really did huh.?" I laugh now scratching the back of my neck
"I found him at Beth's the next day. Asleep on the couch so he wasn't alone or anything" I kept mumbling mainly to myself.
"I'm sure Rio didn't even think about your kid, I want you to know none of us would hurt kids. Rio wouldn't order that's shit, couldn't stand it himself" I gave him a smile and a small laugh
"it's actually hilarious you say that because Beth was just defending the same thing" he gives a light chuckle.
"Yeah, they're wrapped" he says dragging it off I nod in agreement.
"You know you talk a lot about her" he says as he drapes himself on my small couch
"What.?" I asked confused
"that's sister of yours, you talk a lot about her" he looks at me with that intense stare again almost as if he's reading my whole life story
"we've been through a lot together; it was just us for a while." He nods in understanding
"No parents" I give a grim smile
"absentee "it was now his turn for the grim smile.
"Selfish is more like it" I laugh but agree none the less
"What about you, any family.?" I ask with my head tilted as I go to sit on a chair kiddie corner from the couch
"You sure you wanna know sugar.?" I laugh and nodded
"Besides Rio I have a grandma no brothers or sisters a couple more cousins and a daughter" he says smiling at me and I actually think it's 100% real for the first time
"Wait wait wait, what do you mean besides Rio.! And you have a daughter.? How old is she.? What's her name.?" I start spitting out questions
"Hold on sugar give me a second to answer, yes Rio is my family and not in some were super close friends so we consider each other family type of way. He's my cousin, his mom and my dad are siblings we were raised together by our grandma, my daughter is 6 she's…. Well one in a million to say the least her name is Alina" I look at him for a whole minute before I shake off my shock
"You realize you just told me your whole life story.?" I ask the shock evident in my voice
"Not all sugar, just some" I smile at him
"Well, I said I was gonna binge watch TV and eat junk food while my kid was gone, you wanna join.?" I ask with a huge smile
"sure"