The drive to the manor was not as intense as she thought it would be. Olivia had finally begun the true process of getting where she wanted to be. Now she can see firsthand their moves and operations. Hopefully, get enough proof to finally take them down. Glancing at her left hand she scoffed. Only she would be thinking of taking down the man that is currently holding her hand.
As they pulled in she spotted a black car she had never seen here. Walking into the office she smiled at Javier who was sitting on the couch. Beside him was a man she had seen a few times, she offered him a nod of the head. Rafael lead her towards the chair beside Javier and gestured for her to take a seat.
"Now what is the problem?" Rafael asked, taking a seat behind his desk.
"Damon." A young man replied, having walked into the office. He faltered at seeing Olivia in the room. "Rafael?"
Olivia fought hard to not react. Craigen had told her and showed her every picture of every member in the GTF. This man was one of them. She knew his name was Ryan. What the fuck was he doing here?
Rafael said nothing of it. "What about Damon?"
"Who is she?" The man asked again.
Rafael sighed, knowing he wouldn't get on with it unless he had a response. "The newest addition to the family. Now, what about Damon?"
"She your girl?" Ryan asked once more. Ryan had a feeling he had seen her somewhere.
Olivia frowned. "Do I look like a girl?"
Ryan rolled his eyes. "Sorry. Woman."
"Ryan!" Rafael snapped. "Why are you here?"
Ryan paced in front of Rafael's desk. "Damon is out of control, Rafael."
Rafael sighed leaning back into his chair. "What's wrong?" 'This again.'
"A batch of tainted butter hit the streets. People died. Even a kid." Ryan began.
Rafael frowned. "I hear it was the Koreans."
"No. It was Damon." Ryan all, but spat the name out. "He made a deal with their cook to taint the batch, so he could take over their customer base."
"No, look." Rafael leaned forward, his hands together. "I didn't authorize that. Are you sure?"
"Yes." Ryan assured. "And when I confronted him, he lied to my face. We're supposed to be on the same side here."
"How bad is it?" Olivia asked.
Ryan debated in answering but responded to Rafael as if he had asked the question. "Chapel knows it was Damon." Olivia was starting to believe this was a very, very bad idea. "But, I got him, the GTF, and NYPD to wait until Damon does something that'll help take you down."
"Well, a smart move I suppose." Rafael scoffed.
"It still doesn't solve the problem. It's the second time I've had to clean up Damon's mess. There won't be a third, Rafael." To everyone in the room that sounded like a threat.
Rafael stood. "What are you saying?"
Ryan leaned forward. "I want Damon removed from the family meetings, removed from any decision involving this family, from this day forward."
"Ryan, he is my son!" Rafael shouted. "I can not simply remove him."
"He betrayed you! Us!" Ryan shouted back, Rafael shook his head. He couldn't. "You say you want to take this family legit? You want to change our lives? Then start by changing Damon!" Giving him one last look he walked out.
Rafael threw his glass of scotch to the door. "Damit Damon!"
Javier ran a hand through his hair. "What do you want to do Rafael?"
Rafael shook his head. "Find Damon and anyone that was involved in this. Take them to the empty lot."
Olivia walked up to him cautiously. "What are you going to do?"
The man grabbed his keys and phone. Pulling open a drawer, he reached for his gun and placed it behind him. "Time to remind them who calls the shots here. Damon wants to take power, he has to fight for it." Walking out of the office slamming the door, he left Javier and Olivia behind.
Olivia turned to Javier. "What did he mean by that?" Fear for Damon was rising by the second. 'Would Rafael actually harm his son?'
"He is going to set things straight with his son." Javier grabbed his jacket. "This is not the first time Damon has betrayed or disappointed his father. He does things before thinking, and the majority of the time they have bad outcomes. Rafael is just fed up with it."
Olivia walked into her room and reached for the phone. "Craigen?"
"Hey, what's wrong?" Craigen was quick to figure out why she called. Something was wrong.
"What's this about the butters being tainted?"
"We received a few calls to GTF, mostly from clubs. The drug that the Koreans have been distributed has been tainted. It's killed six so far. Three underages. We have been trying to get the most we can off the street, but it's no use." Craigen explained. "How you hear?"
"They have a mole inside the department." Olivia mumbled.
Craigen quickly gestured for his team to follow him. "Olivia wait." Walking out they all climbed into one of the trucks. "What do you mean a mole? I know Chapel has had his suspicions, but no proof."
"He was here today, came to talk to Rafael about Damon." Olivia stopped and ran to her door, to ensure no one was passing by. "I assume you know of Damon."
"Yeah, seems like the kid thinks his old man is no longer fit to lead." Fin said.
"I don't know, but this guy works with the GTF. His first name is Ryan, didn't get a last. Craigen this man means something to Rafael." Olivia advised.
"What do you mean?" Elliot asked.
Olivia sighed. "Everyone respects Rafael, but this man is something else. He walked into Rafael's office and demanded Damon be removed from family meetings and decisions. Didn't take no for an answer and left."
"Any other and we would be finding a body." Amanda said. "Hey Olivia, what did you say was the name?"
"Ryan."
Craigen sighed. "It's Ryan the same Ryan I told you about earlier."
Olivia nodded to herself. "The partner of the one Damon killed."
"Why is he reporting to Rafael? I thought he had a vendetta towards him?" Fin wondered out loud.
"I'll dig up as much as I can about him." Amanda said. "Let's see just how far this connection between them goes."
"Olivia, did Ryan by any chance recognize you?" Fin asked.
"No, he was more surprised in seeing me there, at the meeting. I don't think he knew who I am."
Craigen shook his head. "I'll call and see if I can get him removed. Who knows maybe we can send him on a special request."
"Won't that get suspicious?" Amanda asked. "Suddenly the one-man link between Rafael and the GTF is removed. That might trigger Rafael into thinking something is up."
"Not if it comes from an outsider. Someone that has no connection between either of them." Craigen replied.
Elliot smirked. "You're thinking in agent Daina."
Craigen chuckled. "She owes us a favor or two. I am sure she can find something important for Ryan to do."
Olivia heard a voice coming down the hallway. "I'll call you all back." Hanging up she ran to her door and waited just the right moment to exit. Of course, she proceeds to exit right on time to fall into Rafael. "Sorry."
Rafael smiled softly. "You alright?"
Olivia nodded. "I'm fine, just tripped on my feet." Seeing them head for the door, she grabbed his arm. "May I come?" Rafael looked as if he was going to deny her request. "We agreed."
"No, you seduced me into agreeing." He pointed out.
Olivia shrugged. "But you still agreed."
With a heavy breath, he nodded. "Alright, but I am going to warn you. You are not going to like this."
Olivia frowned but gave him a stern nod. She's been chasing criminals for years. This shouldn't faze her too much.
Hopefully.
Olivia was confused as they pulled up into the lot Rafael's parents died. In the parking lot was also a black SUV parked. Javier had already been there, walked over to their SUV, and opened the door for her. Jumping out of the truck, she leaned by the hood of the truck. Rafael stood a few feet away from her, pacing back and forth. A few moments later a silver van pulls into the empty lot. Olivia recognized the driver as one of Damon's close friends. The young man was also one of the members of Los Angelico's.
Opening the door and lowering the ramp, Damon wheeled out. "Hey, pop. What are we doing here? What's this place?"
Rafael walked up to him, getting straight to the point. "I know what you did Damon. With the Koreans' butter supply. You think that was a good idea, huh?" Damon just shrugged with a smirk. "Well, maybe even I would have thought that was a good idea when I was younger. Inexperienced. Too inexperienced to understand that was a bad idea."
"But, it worked, you know?" Damon chuckled. "That bastard's supply is tainted. Basura. Now, these fools on the street are all craving for somebody to provide them a fix."
"You acted without my permission." Rafael yelled. "And now, Chapel and the NYPD—they got you in their sights, Damon. You keep putting the family at risk. Why didn't you come to me? I could've helped you. Ryan could've helped you."
Olivia noticed the slight change in Damon's attitude. The second Ryan was mentioned, Damon became angry. 'So, he doesn't like Ryan.'
"Ryan could have helped me?" Damon laughed. "I am sick of hearing about Ryan. What about me, your son? My future in this family."
"You're future? You'll be fine Damon." Rafael sighed. "As long as I am alive, you'll never want for anything."
"Money?" Damon spat the word. "I don't want money. I want Respect! Respeto! Why can't you respect me?"
"Because you have let me down too many times, son." Rafael spoke through a clenched jaw. His hands were fisted at his side, causing his knuckles to turn white. "How can you ask for respect, when you have never earned it? You want my respect? Think before you make a move." He turned his attention to Damon's friend. "You. You go along with this plan?"
Damon was quick to jump in. "He was just following my lead."
"And as a leader, Damon, you must learn that if you lead a man down the wrong path, there must be a price to pay."
"No, he's my friend pops."
"Perhaps, but he's my soldier and he should've known better." Without another word, he walked back towards the truck. Ignoring the pleads of his son.
Olivia noticed Javier move behind the man, a knife in his hands. Every fiber in her body was screaming to stop what she knew was going to happen. Before she could make a move, Rafael pulled her into his arms and hid her face in his chest. She cringed at hearing the man screaming, before choking on what she assumed was his own blood. Damon's voice pleading in vain for his friend's life.
"Don't look." Rafael whispered to her. "Come on." Guiding her back into the truck, he allowed her to get in first. "Jacob, get this cleaned up."
At no point did he let Olivia get a look out the window. He knew she wanted in and he had already given her his word, but that didn't mean she needed to see every aspect of it. It wasn't that she couldn't handle it, he knew she could. But it all came down to what she thought of him. He hated to admit it, but he truly cared what she thought about him. He wasn't the monster everyone made him out to be. He hoped he could show her the real Rafael Barba, without having to worry about someone coming after her.
Glancing over at her, he noticed the slight shiver. Raising his arm, he called her over. She showed little hesitation before snuggling into his side. "You are wondering why I had the boy killed." Olivia nodded. "This isn't the first time Damon has acted on his own accord. A few months back I trusted him with a shipment. Easy in and out, he took matters into his own hands. Killed a cop, brought the entire GTF down on the family. It took months of cleanup to get things back to normal. Damon has always believed he would end up at the top."
Olivia placed her hand on his chest, feeling the beating of his heart on her palm. "You were never going to let him." Rafael shook his head. "Why?"
"He doesn't have the skills. I give him a week before he gets killed. A month to drive Los Angelico's into the dirt." Rafael leaned his head back, exhaling loudly. "He was always closer to his mother. When she died, he believed he needed to step up. He grew up too quickly."
"What's the deal with Ryan?" Olivia asked.
Rafael debated for a second. In the end, she would have to be told regardless. "Ryan's father was a good friend of mine. He died when Ryan was about 12 years old. Ryan and Damon are two years apart. While Damon was still trying to prove he can take over, Ryan went into the army. I paid him through school, and when he came back he said he wanted to become a cop." Rafael chuckled. "When he was a child, Ryan would always follow me around. Asking questions nonstop about everything."
Olivia glanced up at him. "And Damon?"
"At that age, he was out hanging with friends. Wanted nothing to do with the business." Rafael stated. "But the moment he noticed Ryan was getting the training, Damon jumped in. At that time Ryan took off to join the police academy. I moved a few things around and he climbed the ladder a bit faster than others."
Then it clicked. "You wanted Ryan to take over?" Rafael nodded. "And now?"
He sighed, pulling her closer to him. "Now, I just want out. Finish what was started and disappear. Take the family and live in peace."
"Just the family." She teased.
Rafael pulled back, cupping her jaw. "Olivia, you have been living with us what? For over two months now. In that little time, you have become family quicker than anyone. Done more for them than anyone. You saved Damon. Cared for us. The second you pulled that trigger, you became family. Where I go you will go."
Olivia looked back down. "That's...a lot."
"I am not asking you to marry me." Rafael chuckled. "All I'm saying is you're family."
Olivia felt sick to her stomach. She knew she was going to betray him at the end of the day. Stand on the sidelines as he is taking away. In the process destroy the family that had come to consider her a part of them. Taking a deep breath, she froze at getting a whiff of his cologne. Closing her eyes, she laid her head on his shoulder. The rise and fall of his chest became a lullaby for her.
"You're tired?" Rafael whispered.
Olivia nodded. "Just a little."
Planting a kiss on her forehead, he sighed softly. "I'll wake you when we get home." Rafael did the complete opposite. Once the driver pulled into his driveway, he slid out of his seat and jogged to the other side pulling the door open. Hooking one arm under her legs and the other across her back, he lifted her. Pulling her out of the car he carried her into the house. Up the stairs and into the hallway, he was blocked by his daughter. "Allison?"
"What's wrong?!" She lunged forward pushing Olivia's hair away from her face. "Is she hurt?"
Rafael resisted rolling his eyes. "She's been with me the entire night."
"Why do you think I am asking?" Allison scoffed.
"She's fine." Rafael grumbled. "She fell asleep in the car, didn't want to wake her up." Walking around his daughter, he stopped at Olivia's door. "Allison can you op-"
"Yeah, I got it, daddy." Allison chuckled, pushing the door open. "Don't forget the goodnight kiss." She teased after her father.
Rafael decided to ignore the comment. Using his leg to keep Olivia steady, he pulled the covers back. Laying her down gently, he removed her heels and covered her up. Standing by the bedside, Rafael sighed as he pushed her hair away from her face.
Allison sneaked a peek into the room. She was surprised to find her father watching Olivia. His eyes held something she had never seen before. It wasn't love that much she knew, but close to it.
Rafael stood by her bedside for a moment. Just watching her sleep peacefully. Something he hasn't been able to do in years. He wasn't sure what this woman had done to him. He wasn't in love with her, but he was attracted. She was a fresh of breath air around the household. His kids seemed to enjoy having her around. As for him he still had his doubts. He knew this was moving fast. Giving her one last glance, he left the room quietly.
Walking into his office, he slumped into his chair. Having her join his operation was never part of the plan. He had hoped in keeping her out of it, but for some reason, she wanted in. The little devil on his shoulder screamed to get rid of her. To make her leave and never come back. But the even bigger devil yelled to let her. It's been ages since he has had a good woman by his side. One that he knew would always stand with them. Grabbing his phone, he exhaled deeply as he dialed the number.
"Find me everything you can about Olivia."
