Olivia, Javier, Damon, and two other men arrived at a restaurant. Olivia allowed them all to go in before she did. The door opened, and she guessed Rafael was the one to do so. Walking in, she was shocked by his appearance. His clothes were bloody, he had blood splattered on his face and a huge cut on his side. The blood from the wound dripped to the floor.
"Olivia?" Rafael was shocked just as she was. "What are you doing here?" Olivia walked past him, to where the others were standing. "No, wait Olivia!" Not able to stop her, he stood back. "Fuck."
Olivia stumbled into the room and it was like seeing one of her cases all over again. Three bodies lay on the ground. The closest to her had two bullets in the chest. The second one had some cuts and punches on the face and a gunshot to the neck. The third was the one that shook her. Rafael must have forced him to bite the edge of the brick floor and stepped on his head. His bottom jaw was broken off his upper jaw, some of his teeth were scattered on the ground. She couldn't make his face. Looking back at him, Rafael wouldn't meet her eyes.
"Rafael?"
"The Metas were never going to let us out of this deal. After this last payment, they were going to kill us all." Rafael said. "Salazar is going to have to report back to his bosses. When he doesn't, they'll come looking for him."
"And when they do?" Javier asked.
"We'll be ready." Rafael growled.
Olivia shook her head, still not being able to look away from the bodies. Rafael may have loyal soldiers, but he was severely outnumbered.
Javier as it turned out, was thinking the same. "Rafael, they have ten times the men, the money, the power."
"Not if we take out their leaders." He glanced at Olivia, then back to Javier. "Here. Mexico and in prison."
Javier's eyes went wide. "El Mozo himself?"
"It's the only way." Rafael replied. "We do it before the Metas find out what happened, and wipe out every Los Angelicos and Barba family member. We work in complete silence. No one can know."
"Understood." Javier glanced around, it was a bloody mess. "Nobody will know. You want me to put bodyguards on the family?"
Rafael was quick to shut that down. "No. Keep everything status quo so they don't suspect anything, and believe that I lived up to my word. Which means you're supposed to be dead, carnal. Get these bodies back to the safe house. You…lay low."
"Pop!" Damon called from behind the counter. "We have a problem." He played around with the computer system and pulled out footage from the recent events. "Looks like there was a witness." It was clear a female ran out of the kitchen and out the door. "Let me help. I can do this." Rafael seemed like he was going to protest, but in the end, agreed.
Olivia had walked into the kitchen area and grabbed some towels, alcohol, and a first aid kit. She needed to see how badly hurt he was.
Rafael approached Javier, as they were wrapping the bodies. "Why is she here Javier?"
"She wouldn't take no for an answer Rafael. Besides your son was to one to give her the clear." Javier replied.
Olivia walked over to him and held her hand out for him. "Come." Rafael glared at the laughing man, as he was pulled away. Pulling him into the bathroom, she sat him on the toilet and began cleaning him. This was becoming a routine for them. In the two months, she had been with them, this had occurred one too many times. Always dragging him to the bathroom and cleaning the blood and wounds. He no longer protested about it and simply allowed it to happen. Once all the blood was off his face, she cleaned the few scratches he had. "I am going to need you to take off your shirt." Seeing the wince he gave, Olivia decided to help him out. Unbuttoning the shirt as gently as she was capable of, Olivia helped slip his arm out. The blood was already drying up against his chest. Turning on the hot water she wet the towel. Running the towel over his chest and removing the blood as best she could, Olivia found the cut. "How did it happen?" It was a bullet scrape over by his shoulder. He has another knife wound just by his pec.
Rafael glanced down at himself, with a bit of confusion. "That was before I got ahold of the gun. One of Miguel's monkeys took the shot."
"Well it's not too deep, so I won't need to stitch it up. Simply clean it and cover it, but I will need to change the dressing in a few hours." Olivia explained. It wasn't long before Rafael was buttoning up his shirt once more. "All done."
"Thank you." Rafael whispered. Seeing her avoid his eyes, or more like him in general. He grabbed her by the arm gently and turned her to face him once more. "I am sorry you had to see that. You weren't even supposed to be here Olivia. Why did you come here?"
"I was worried." Olivia snapped. "I thought you would be back to see Jack get home safely. Instead, I have to wait three hours, before Javier says he got a call."
"This was why I didn't say anything. This was not something you needed or had to see." Rafael snapped, regretting it the moment she tried to step away from him. "But now you know how far I am willing to go for my family. That man threaten to kill my family, my children, my brother, and you. I wasn't going to let him walk away after that."
"You do realize you started a war." Olivia reminded him.
Rafael nodded. "I know. But an army is only as good as their leader is to guide them. Take the leader away and you have no order. The Metas may be ruthless and bloodthirsty animals, but they don't know how to operate without a head man."
"So take out the bosses and let them crumble." Olivia rephrased.
Rafael nodded. "Yes."
"Pops!" Damon called from the back.
Rafael gave her a small smile. "I'll be back."
Olivia nodded but followed him out. She waited until he was occupied with Damon and Javier to make her move. Discreetly going towards the computer and inserting the USB into the slot, she waited. Messing around with on keyboard, the surveillance video began to download into it. Just as she pulled it out Javier stepped into the room.
"What are you doing dreamer?" Javier asked.
Olivia shrugged. "Seeing how things went down. Pretty brutal."
Javier gave her a sad smile. "Last time I ever saw him snap like that, was after Haley's death." His eyes dropped to the floor. It was never easy for him to speak of his sister. "The family is all to Rafael. He would give his life for those he considers a part of the family. That includes you to dreamer."
"Javier?"
"Yeah?"
"Why are you calling me dreamer?"
Javier chuckled. "It was Allison's idea. She says you get dreamy eyes every time you look at Rafael."
Olivia was sure her jaw dropped. "I do not!"
"Hey, just saying what it is." Javier shrugged, although he couldn't stop his laughing.
Rafael popped through the door. "What's so funny?"
Javier shook his head. "Nothing, just telling dreamer here how she got her name."
"Oh."
Olivia narrowed her eyes at him. "You knew?"
"What?" Rafael asked. "That Allison was the one to suggest it? Or the reason behind the suggestion?"
"Both!"
"She told me a days ago." Rafael said it as if it was the most ordinary thing out there. His daughter tells him, she is going to nickname Olivia dreamer. The reason? Cause she supposedly gets dreamy eyes when she looks at him. And he simply shrugs. "Javier, after you and the boys take the bodies to the warehouse, I want you to lay low for a few days." Glancing at Olivia with a hesitant look, he cleared his throat. "Don't forget about the arm."
Javier frowned. "What arm?"
"If I have to repeat myself, I will be taking yours instead." Rafael growled.
Javier nodded not once faxed by the threatening tone. "Of course." He then glanced at Olivia. "What about dreamer? Want me to take her back home?"
"No, I'll take her." He passed a rag over his blood-stained clothes. "Have to shower and change anyway."
Olivia having had to walk by the bloody scene, faltered. She was about to get into the car with the man who did this. She puts away men like him and she was getting in the car with one. Yet she knew deep down he wouldn't hurt her. It was one of those gut feelings.
Neither spoke for the past half hour in the car. After counting the 20th street light, Olivia couldn't take it anymore. "Rafael?"
"Yeah?"
"Where are you from?" Olivia asked. Now her team might know a lot about his present time, but they knew nothing of his past life. No mother, father, or how he came to be what he is. To know an unsub, they needed to know of his past life. What made him into what he was.
Rafael seemed to grip the steering wheel in a nervous gesture. "I was born here."
"And your parents?"
"I don't want to talk about that Olivia." Rafael snipped.
Olivia rolled her eyes and leaned back in the seat. "Sorry."
Giving her a sigh, he took her hand in his. "I am not one to talk about my parent's death. Someday I might, but not now." To her surprise, he gave her wrist a small kiss. "I have been meaning to ask you."
"What?"
"I am going to take a shower and regardless of what happened tonight, I want you to get ready."
Olivia glanced at him as if he was stupid. "You just killed three men Rafael and you want to go on a date?"
Rafael nodded. "Javier and the others are already taking care of it. I can only do what I must tomorrow. So we have the night free."
Olivia scoffed, with a shake of her head. "And if I say no?"
Rafael pulled to the curb and unlocked the doors. "You can walk home."
Olivia gaped at him, looking from him to the door. "Excuse me?"
"Go out with me tonight, refuse and you are walking home." Rafael shrugged, his features giving nothing away. "Pick."
Leaning back in the seat, she crossed her arms. "Fine, but I want it to be known this is blackmail."
Laughing he pulled back into the streets. "You do realize the house is a block away." Olivia glared at him, as the gang lord continued to laugh. Only this time it wasn't a sarcastic one, it was a full-blown laugh. Free of problems and fears. He was being himself, something she noticed he doesn't do so often.
Olivia had rushed to her room and decided to get ready. Turning on the water she rushed back to the room and arranged the clothes she was going to wear for the night, along with the makeup she was going to use. By the time she returned to the bathroom, the water was ready for her. Olivia had picked out with the help of Allison, a simple and elegant black cocktail dress. The dress hugged her just right, snuggling against her waist and ass. Glancing at herself in the mirror, she smiled. The one thing she loved about the dress was the open back. It would give her date a full eye of her back stopping just at the bottom. The front held a certain limit to her cleavage, not showing too much, but giving just the right amount of tease. As she tried to decide how to fix her hair, Olivia gave up and allowed it to stay down. She wasn't even sure why she was fussing so much over this. This date although it may mean something to Rafael, couldn't mean anything to her. Once she fixed her makeup she grabbed her phone and snapped a quick picture. Regardless of what she knew Craigen was going to say about breaking protocol, Olivia sent the picture to Melinda. She needed the girl's thoughts on her dress. To her surprise, the phone ranged.
"Hello?"
"OMG! You look amazing! Beautiful! Gorgeous! You will have him drooling all night for you." Amanda yelled, having seen the picture seconds ago.
Olivia laughed. "Thank you, Amanda, but does Craigen know you are calling?"
Amanda hummed. "Yes, he gave us the clear. We are having takeout, but I wished I can see you! You look stunning!"
"You really do Olivia, it suits you perfectly." Fin complimented having taken the phone away from Amanda.
Olivia thanked him, double-checking to make sure no one was coming her way. "Don't hang up Carrisi wants to say hi." Some movement was heard in the background.
"Hey, perfect choice in dress. It looks absolutely stunning on you." Carrisi approved with a hum. "He won't be able to keep his eyes off you."
"Eyes?" Rollins's laughter was heard in the background. "You mean his hands."
Olivia blushed at the comment. Although they were wanting to keep the option of allowing this to lead to the bedroom out, she knew it could happen. Suddenly she remembered. "Did anyone else see the picture?" There was no response from either at the moment. "Who?"
"Elliot." Amanda laughed. "You should have seen his face when he saw it."
"Oh god. That picture is to be erased." Olivia grumbled.
Amanda scoffed. "Fine, but I am keeping a copy. Melinda has got to see this."
Hearing a knock on her door, she cursed quietly. Grabbing her purse and a personal phone, she whispered into the phone. "I have to go, talk to you later." Hanging up she tossed the phone into her purse and calmed herself before exiting her room.
As she stepped outside she froze at the sight before her. Rafael stood before her, with a small box in his hand. He was dressed in all black. He wore black Levi's pants and a black dress shirt. A jacket over his shirt, keeping the elegance. His hair was neatly combed and so was his beard had been trimmed. He looked even better than she had seen him. The universe was playing with her, making sure she suffered through this betrayal. For the first time, she was regretting doing this.
Rafael's eyes scanned over her in fascination. She was a walking beauty. "Beautiful." He grabbed her hand and lightly kissed it. "I brought you something, now at the time I didn't know what you were going to wear, so I went on a hutch." He held out a velvet case to her. "Open it."
With somewhat giddy excitement, she opened it slowly and gasped. It was beautiful. It held a necklace with three diamonds in the shape of Orchids. It was elegant and simple.
Looking up at the man she smiled. "Thank you, but you didn't have to really."
Rafael shook his head. "I wanted to. Plus I won't take no for an answer." Grabbing the necklace from the box, he walked around her. Olivia grabbed her hair and pulled it up. The cold of the silver caused her to shiver. Latching on the clip, he allowed it to fall into place. "Done."
Looking down at it, she placed her hand over it. "I love it." Turning to face him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you."
Rafael was a bit taken back but hesitantly wrapped his arms around her waist. "My pleasure." Pulling back he kept his hands on her waist and grinned. "How about we get going."
