Meeting the Ex (Part One)

Riley woke up partially sprawled on Eliot's bed. It had been almost a week since she had taken Sparky to the vet. Said dog was asleep in his doggy bed that Eliot had broken down and bought to keep him from sleeping on the couch. It seemed like he was doing better. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, yawning and noticing the note lying on the nightstand table. She reached over and picked it up, identifying Eliot's handwriting.

Riley,

Needed to get some groceries, didn't want to wake you, breakfast is on the stove.

Eliot

She set the note down and got up, stretching. Hmm…what to do, what to do? She thought, scratching her head. She looked around the bedroom and wrinkled her nose at the mess. Clean…that's what I'll do, she thought.

Eliot whistled as he walked into his apartment and stopped in his tracks. His apartment was spotless; the wooden coffee table, streak free and nearly shinning. No cup

rings, finger smudges noting.

"Riley?" he called as he shut the door.

She poked her head out of the hall bathroom. She had her hair pulled up into a bun and was wearing an old t-shirt of his and a pair of boxers with a batman logo on them. She had bleach spray in one hand and a towel in the other.

"Yes?" she asked.

"You cleaned," he answered.

She nodded and blew a strand of hair out of the way. "I cleaned the bedroom, the living room, the bathroom in the bedroom, the kitchen, and now this bathroom."

"Why?" he asked.

"I didn't have anything to do," she answered. "…did you not want me to?"

"What? No, that's fine," he told her while tossing his keys into the dish. He went into the kitchen and put the food away, careful not to mess up her neat arrangements.

The last time a girl had cleaned his apartment, she had put things he used regularly, like pots and pans, in places that he couldn't find them. Everything had its place when he cleaned, and Riley did best to actually follow that. He walked out of the kitchen, heading to the bedroom to shower, only stopping briefly to check on Sparky, when someone knocked on the door. He paused and walked over.

"Doesn't your building have one of those buzzer thingys to let people in?" Riley asked, walking out of the freshly cleaned bathroom and dropping the rubber gloves into the bucket.

Eliot nodded. "Could be Hardison. He hacks it sometimes, and Parker can break in." He walked over to the door and looked through the peephole.

Two men were standing in front of the door, both dressed in Italian suits, red silk ties, and leather shoes. Eliot motioned her over. She looked through the peephole and the color drained from her face.

"Italian mob," he stated.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"Very distinctive suits," he answered. "Why would they be here?"

"They work for Luciano," she answered. "I…have no idea how they got here."

He unlocked the door and opened it, blocking the doorway with arms crossed and giving them the Eliot stare down

"Can I help you two gentlemen?" he asked.

"We're looking for Riley. We know she's here so do yourself a big favor and let us in. We don't want any trouble," the older of the two answered.

"If you want to talk to her, you have to answer my questions," Eliot answered. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The men exchanged looks. "I'm Tony and this is Marcell," the younger answered. "We're dear friends of the girl and we have a package for her."

"Where's the package?" Eliot asked.

The older man picked up a box that had been lying on the floor. It was a fairly large and rectangular with an envelope attached to it. He held it out to Eliot, who cautiously took it.

"Just make sure she gets the package," Tony said before they walked off.

Eliot stepped back into the apartment, box in hand, and shut the door with his foot. Riley stood up from her seat on the couch and walked over. He set the box on the table and stared at it.

"What do you think it is?" she asked, biting her lip.

He crossed his arms over his chest again and shrugged. "How should I know?" he answered.

She reached out and opened the envelope. "It's an invitation," she said. "He's throwing a party and invited me and you, Nate, Sophie, Hardison, and Parker."

Eliot took the invitation from her hands and looked it over. "It's tomorrow," he added.

She took the top of the box off and moved the paper aside. "It's a dress," she said. She ran her fingers over the cloth before pulling the dress out of the box.

The dress was floor length and deep violet purple. The fabric was a soft silky texture with a slit down the left side of the dress. It zipped up in back, making the front look like a bodice with black lace tied in the front.

Eliot looked up from the invitation and set it on the table.

"You need to tell the others," he said.

Riley neatly put the dress back and placed the lid back on. She wrapped her arms around her self, sighing but nodding.

"Why? It's not like I'm actually going to go to the party," she answered, getting up. "I'll just take the dress back and no one will know."

"Riley. They deserve to know that the mafia has a tail on you," he replied. "You don't have to tell them everything."

"Hardison mentioned a meeting this afternoon at the restaurant," she told him. "Well more like an early dinner type thing."

"Great. Let's go," he said grabbing his keys.

"Umm…hello?" she asked.

"What?" he asked.

"I need to change," she answered.

"Oh, right," he said.

She rolled her eyes and went to the bedroom, coming out a few minutes later in black capris, a Star Wars t-shirt and a pair of vans. She had her laptop bag slung across one shoulder.

"Now are you ready?" he asked.

She nodded. "After you," she answered.

Riley timidly sipped her wine from her seat next to Hardison and Sophie, looking everywhere but at the others, hearing half of the conversation going on around her.

"You've been so quiet this evening," Sophie pointed out. "Everything alright, Dear?"

Riley smiled. "Sorry…just preoccupied."

"Mind sharing?" Nate asked.

"No no-"

"Someone got an invite to an Italian crime boss's mob party for the whole team," Eliot interrupted.

She shot him a withering look and sank lower in her seat. "He's not a crime boss…he's a…don" she said mumbling the last part finishing off her wine.

"Come again," Nate asked sitting up in his seat.

"…My ex is an Italian don," she answered with a shrug. "It's no big deal."

"Who exactly is your ex?" Sophie asked curiously.

"Really, Sophie?" Nate asked.

"What? It's not everyday you meet someone who used to date a don," she replied with a shrug.

"Luciano Alexander Montengro," Riley sighed. "We dated for a couple years."

"More like all of your high school years," Hardison said. "They were also engaged. When was the wedding date? Oh yeah, wasn't it a week from today?"

"Engaged?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah...what can I say...we were in love," she answered with a shrug.

Hardison snorted and sat up in his seat. "More like afraid for your life. Didn't he hold you at gunpoint a few times? And didn't nearly put you in a coma? No wait, was that before he pushed you down the stairs?" he asked matter of fact.

Sophie gasped and even Eliot looked sick at the thought.

"May I remind you he's a violent, raging alcoholic and an emotional blackmailer, and do not get me started on the affairs," he continued. "Man's an egotistical maniac. "That's not even the worst. Remember when I had that out of town thing a few years back? Yeah, it was making sure Riley didn't try to kill herself. Again," he replied.

Riley silently sat in her seat and poured herself another cup of wine gripping the glass like it was a life preserver

"He drove you to suicide?" Sophie asked softly.

"Slit her wrists the first time, overdosed the second, and shot herself for good measure," Hardison supplied clenching his fists.

Sophie gasped.

"How does he even know where we are?" Hardison asked looking to her across the table.

Riley shrugged. "I don't know all of his secrets," she told him.

"I find that funny," he replied sarcasm dripped off every word as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh shut up, Alec! I get it. I made a mistake and dated a don. Yeah, he was a douche and an asshole and, yes, he put me in the hospital, but he made me feel loved okay?! I was young and stupid and naïve and alone while big brother Alec was out playing good guy. No, I was alone and had to take care of myself. If it wasn't for Luciano I would be homeless on the damn street and I am not going back there again. And at least he never left me," she snapped.

Riley stood abruptly, the chair squeaking against the floor, hands clenched into fists and stormed out. The door slamming behind her.

The rest of the team sat in silence before Hardison got up and followed her, the restaurant door slamming behind him. Riley leaned against the back wall of the restaurant and kicked a pebble.

"I'm sorry...I crossed a line back there," Hardison apologized. "It's just...he messed you up, okay? I can never look at a hospital envelope or call the same way again because of what he did to you."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you," she muttered. "I guess...a part of me wants to think he's that same guy I fell in love with and not the monster he's turned into."

"So...when is this party of his?" he asked with a sigh.

"Tomorrow night," she answered. "He's having it at his father's."

"Well I guess I better see if I can get a tux," he smiled.

"We don't have to-"

"I got a few choice words to share with Lucy. Besides, you know me. I love to party," he said.

She smiled and pulled him into a hug. "I'm glad you're my brother."

"I would hope so," he teased. "Now come on. I think Sophie wants to play doting mother."