THEY SAILED FOR four days of non-stop voyaging, longer than they did in the cargo ship. Fortunately, as if the world willed that they returned to the dreaded city, the weather was fine and highly appropriate for a trip to the sea, and based on forecasts, the wind would be blowing northeast. It was quite easy to navigate without any weather interruptions save for the few struggles to cross certain parts of the waters, in which they had to dock for a while to avoid getting roughed up by the waves. During the trip, nobody almost talked, and Claude would just occasionally glance at Reena, who would either stay on the deck or in the cabin. He remained nestled in the cockpit with Marcus and Leigh, consciously observing their surroundings.

As they neared Liberty City where the overall climate rather changed, he saw Reena almost falling asleep on the deck, her head leaning on her shoulder awkwardly. Unable to stop himself, he approached, hoping that she would respond to him in a friendlier way.

"Let's get inside," he said as he touched her arm.

She flinched. When she looked up, she quickly drew her arm and slid away. "I'm okay, I want to see when we're already near." Then, she turned her head in the opposite direction.

"Do you want me to get you something?"

Reena didn't answer him at all, making him realize that he was talking to a wall. Disappointingly, Claude found his way back into the cockpit. Marcus was on the helm while Leigh took a nap. When he checked his phone, he saw that he had received a message from 8-Ball.

"Asuka Kasen offers a place. She called me the other day. She wants to talk to you."

Frowning, he quickly sent a message back. "How did she know we're heading to LC?"

He wanted to throw his phone and cut all his communications.

"Sorry, Brother. Didn't mean to tell her. She tells me you can go to her in Newport."

Hours passed, and soon, from afar, Staunton Island was already visible. The closer they got, the more Claude felt hopeless. With Reena's unwavering doubts, he found himself looking at a dead end.

0-0-0-0-0

The twilight had already set when they arrived at the Newport docks. Still, Reena had not spoken a word as she picked her things up and got off the boat. She waved Tommy's men goodbye and alighted from the yacht without even waiting for him.

"Reena," Claude called out, but she did not look back. Sighing heavily, he nodded firmly at Marcus and Leigh before he himself left the craft and started walking toward the berth.

With an overwhelming sense of fatigue and frustration, they both crossed the wooden deck and climbed up the stairs. For Claude, each step was heavier than before accompanied by a pounding of his chest that withheld feelings yet to be unfolded. Following Reena close behind, he cursed every second that they began to spend again in Liberty City.

As they emerged from the mooring, they were met by Asuka Kasen and a couple of her Yakuzas in her pool garden, the very place where Claude met with her for a job. He didn't want to see her, and he certainly didn't want her to see Reena, but did he have any other choice?

"Welcome to the two of you," the Japanese greeted, particularly looking at Claude. She waved her hand slightly to the left. "You'll be taking that building. The room's been furnished. Everything you need's in there."

Reena peered at Asuka slightly and said, "Thank you," then she walked toward the left wing, leaving Claude and Asuka in the garden. He watched her as she entered the building, and the Japanese motioned for one of the Yakuzas to lead her to the room's location. When she was out of their sight, Asuka wasted no time, paying her attention back to Claude.

"It's been a long time, reaper man."

"Don't call me that," he answered almost immediately, meeting Asuka's equally callous glares. Like her, he didn't have time for graces, and as clear as he could, he wanted to show her that he didn't and never intended to go back anymore. "What do you need from me?"

"We found her phone in the Panlantic Construction Site. Have you talked to her by any chance?"

Claude shook his head. "No, I haven't."

"She sent you a message, and you called her."

"I did, but she never picked up like what I've told you."

Showing Maria's phone to Claude as she came closer, Asuka repeated, "No. You talked to her."

She passed the device to him, showing the logs of the call. Aside from the missed calls he had made before the phone died, there was already a history of an almost five-minute conversation. Checking the time and date on which the talk was made, he found himself looking at the left wing and realized that Reena must have called the number while he was with Tommy.

"It must be–" he paused, remembering that he did not want to disclose any of his or their personal dilemmas with Asuka. Shifting his gaze back at her, he asked, "Have you discovered anything?"

"The Colombian on the site told me of their jefe, Catalina. Do you know her?"

Hearing the name of the person he hated never failed to tear a nerve in his body. What was more excruciating, however, was the realization that she – Catalina – could have lured Maria into Fort Staunton, found her phone, and used it to call him. Eyes gaping, the source of Reena's insecurities had finally become known, making him finally understand why she was asking a lot of questions.

"I know you didn't care about Maria, but I do," Asuka said, catching his attention once again. "She couldn't get over you, and I think… the reason why she went to Fort Staunton was to give information about you… or your little girlfriend to the Cartel."

"You should hold her on a leash then."

Asuka scoffed. She seemed to force a smirk, the twisting of her lips looked so coerced that clearly showed her desire to retaliate against what he said. "My friend's not a beast, unlike you, though she might act… stupidly, most of the time."

"Is this another job, Ms. Kasen?"

She gave him a firm nod. "In exchange for everything, you will help me look for her and get back at that cunt. Do we have a deal?"

"Expect that I want no less than to get back at her as well," he responded, knowing well enough that he needed her help and temporary protection as he looked for a better location for them to stay. But in Liberty City, was there any prudent place for them at all?

"Good. On the third, I'll be introducing you to my brother…"

FROM THE WINDOWS on the second floor of the Mansion, Catalina watched a police cruiser leave the premises. A blanket was wrapped around her chest down to her feet, covering her naked body that curved beneath the sheets. She was holding a cigarette in her right hand, though she had barely put it in her mouth. The smoke just rose and dispersed in the air as she let time pass by.

Knocking on the door and clearing his throat, a Colombian reported, "Jefe, men in Staunton said a yacht arrived in the Newport."

Slightly she turned, seeing the Colombian by the doorway. "Yakuzas?"

"No, jefe. The yacht came from the South, a couple was welcomed by Kasen."

Catalina put the cigarette in her mouth, the stick dangling between her clenching teeth as she let the blanket fall to the floor. She grabbed her clothes and put them on, not minding whether the Colombian was still there. In fact, she didn't mind if he would watch her and be aroused. She could use another cock.

As soon as she had buttoned her crop top, she turned around and passed the Colombian on the exit whose eyes were fixated on her ass. Yet, she couldn't care less, aiming for the room on the ground floor that was guarded by two more men. They unlocked the door for her, letting her into the dimly-lit chamber.

"Hey!" A sharp voice echoed in the almost empty room. "What are you gonna do to me?!"

"Seems like your friend has a new company," she goaded, right brow raising with a delightful smirk. "Guess you'd be spending New Year's Eve all alone."

"Please! Could you just let me go? I had… I had nothing to offer you!"

"Oh, please, you do, bitch…" Catalina said, stepping closer to the corner. Once she reached a safe spot, she crouched down and rested her arm on her knees. "You gave me the picture, and you're giving me your friend."

Maria's hands stretched in an instant, fingers with long nails clawing toward her, but Catalina was swift to lean back, avoiding what could have been a scratch on her face.

"You're a fucking bitch!" Maria exclaimed and cried at the same time, struggling to get off the shackles on her feet that were affixed to the wall. "Asuka's gonna come for you!"

Catalina loved to laugh, especially when she was seeing someone suffering and hoping for nothing. She found Maria so amusing, easily pushed and tricked. One moment, she was cursing and raving. After a second, she was crying and pleading. She liked how Maria's cluelessness and uncertainty broke her down, making her feel reliant on mercy.

However, she wanted more. Not Maria, but someone else. Someone she could put in the same pathetic situation that would make the person beg for her pity.

"Say," she said, flashing a wicked grin on her face that seemed to terrify Maria even more, "would you like some company?"

"Why? Are you gonna stay with me? Doesn't someone want to be with you?!"

Her hand raised in the air, backslapping Maria's face in no time. If there was one thing that Catalina hated the most, it was when somebody would talk back to her. Miguel, for an instance, seemed easier to move on from because he was a useless little talker.

"If you talk to me again like that, I'm gonna tie you upside down."

"Wait until Asuka gets you!"

"Oh," she laughed, her menacing smile lingering on her lips. "I doubt that very much…"

THE NIGHT PASSED, and Reena stayed in the loft above while she assumed that Claude took the couch in the living space. Though the night was cool enough to make someone relax in an instant, she could not sleep. She peeked downstairs and saw him lying on the cushion with an arm above his eyes. The balcony was left exposed, and the icy wind from the sea blew into the room. Reena climbed down the stairs as softly as she could, passing him by and walking toward the balcony.

Reena looked at the sea and the distant Portland Rock, deep into her thoughts. From the expanse, colorful lanterns and lights flickered, though they didn't look lovely as the beams in the South. She leaned forward to the metal railings and closed her eyes, feeling the crisp air that enfolded her bare shoulders and arms. In her mind, she wished that things were over… that she could go back to how it was before… before the suffering… before him.

At her back, she heard footsteps approaching. Much to her surprise, Claude leaned forward as well, looking toward wherever she was staring at. She could hear the lenient waves of the waters making echoes in the empty night sky, filling in the silence that enveloped them for a while.

She knew he had wanted to talk – perhaps, to comfort her from her doubts and take back everything he said that night.

While she struggled to keep her eyes on Liberty Strait, she heard him say, "Catalina had been my partner since I was 20."

Reena did not look at him, but her grasp on the railings tightened. She wanted to shush him out, but she couldn't. Her heart was clearly telling her to listen.

"I was here in Liberty City because of her. She said we would build our lives here. I followed her wherever she wanted to go."

The wind blew whistling sounds in the air enjoined by the faint sputters of water on the docks.

"We did things together, eventually getting involved in the Cartel. For almost a decade, we went through the worst and still came out of those together. But I didn't know she resented me."

Reena felt her throat drying up as if she was choking on the air she breathed.

"One day she told me, we'll rob the Liberty City Bank, and after getting our share, we're going far away to start anew. I wanted to marry her after, to start our own family…"

A trickle of tears started to fall from her eyes. She had longed to hear all these from Claude, but not anymore. All she felt now were pain and sorrow, and she just wanted to let them go.

"When we robbed the bank, she shot me and left me to die. I was arrested, imprisoned, and eventually, I escaped. In prison, I thought I fell short; I wasn't able to give her what she wants that's why she did that. I wanted to get her back. I wanted her to love me again..." He looked at the Portland Rock while clenching his fists. "I always dream about that second, waking up at the moment of my death. She was always the last person I saw."

Reena wiped her tears as she tried to stifle her sobs.

"I loved her. I truly did. I thought about her every single day. She's all I think of until… you came."

She held her breath, or she couldn't? The wind had suddenly stopped blowing, halting all the noise that surrounded them, the stillness of the night reverberating.

"Last night I dreamed about it again, but it was no longer Catalina. It was you. I-I don't know what happened, but with you, something inside me changed. I was not supposed to help you, but I can't just leave you. And I don't understand myself since then. I tried my best to avoid you, keep away… but I always find myself looking for you, hoping to see you, to talk to you, and when I had the chance… I-I can't stop anymore." He looked at her with pleading eyes as if he was ready to pour everything out of his chest. "And when I said you fucked me up, I meant that." He let go of his hold on the railings and approached her.

She felt the warmth of his hands on her arms, closing her eyes to indulge in the remaining reveries she was letting herself be immersed with. As she slowly felt his breath on her hair, she thought of turning around and grabbing his face... to kiss him and forgive and forget. Yet, she knew that her weary heart could not take more of the doubts.

He was her first love and probably the last, but Reena wanted to stand up for herself... that she would not rely on his feelings toward her to keep moving. So, before she could comply, she turned around and gently pushed him away.

"I think it's best if…" she paused, thinking if it would be right to say it. However, living in secret and silence was not the life she wanted, let alone with the man she had fallen in love with. Reena, at her weakest point, dauntlessly said, "…if we'll stop doing this." Without looking at him, she pulled her hands to her side, letting go of her touch on his body, and walked past him.

She left him standing on the balcony. It looked like he was going to say something else, but she quickly walked away from him, because even though he would say that he loved her, she didn't want to hear it anymore...

I'm not a native English speaker, so I appreciate it if you can correct my expressions and choice of words, or suggest better ways to express things! I also highly appreciate receiving favorites and comments if you like the story! Thank you so much for reading! 3