18

The foot traffic has been slow today, most orders went out on the delivery truck this morning, which left me to sit behind the counter, watching tv shows on my laptop. I've got caught up in the work I needed to get done after the delivery truck set off, which was hours ago.

The door chimed and I lifted my head from my hand to see Rio entering the building with his usual smirk, "Hey, Darlin'." 

"Hey." I mumbled, turning my attention back to the show. 

"You good?" 

"Yeah, it's just been slow today." 

"I got...a proposition for you." he slowly closing the laptop and leans on the counter. 

"Oh, yeah?" 

"What's upstairs in this building?"

"I don't know." I shrug.

"Is it yours?" 

"Technically, yeah. But, I never go up there. There was some boxes up there before I bought the place, but I haven't been up there since." 

"Why not?" 

"It's creepy." 

He chuckles "Mind if I see what's up there?" 

I get up and head to the office to search for the key. Since I never go up there I didn't see the point on keeping the key on me. I dig through the drawers, finding it at the bottom of some papers. I lock the main door before guiding Rio to the door, which leads to the stairs. 

"We usually use this little hallway for extra storage." I say, scooting a box away with my foot. 

"Wouldn't it be easier to use the room up there?" he asks. 

"Imagine carrying those boxes up and down the stairs though, and again it's creepy." 

We climb to the top and I pull out the key and unlock the door. There was a small window that faces the street, but it's just a big empty room, except the few boxes that were there when I first toured the building. 

"Those the boxes?" he asks, walking over to them. 

"Yep." 

He begins to rip off the tape to search through one of them. 

"Dude, you don't know what's in there!" I shriek. 

"I'll protect you, Darlin'." he laughs for a second before stopping abruptly. 

"Oh, don't tell me. Is it a dead rat or something?" 

"Nah, you got this place 5 years ago?" 

"Yeah, why?" 

"Just wondering why someone would leave this behind." He gestures me forward, and I slowly walk closer to one of the boxes and lean in. 

My eyes go wide, "Oh, shit! Are those real?" 

He picks up one of the guns, "Yeah." 

"What the fuck do I do? Call the cops?"

"Call them to come here, to a store that you own, about a box of guns upstairs?"

"Good point... I didn't know they were here though!"

"I'll take care of it, Darlin'. Get some of the boys to come pick em up." he shrugs, tossing the gun back into the box. 

"All the boxes?" 

"Gotta see what's in em." he slips in his hands into his jacket.

"Why'd you wanna come up here anyway?"

"Gotta move some money around, was wondering if I could find some here. Clearly, no one comes up here. No ones been looking for those." he gestures to the box.

"I mean, if you can find somewhere. Then, I guess." I shrug.

"You'd let me?" he smirks. 

"I guess, I mean I guess with the Feds on you, and your lady friends it's not easy." 

He nods his head, "I'll see what I can do with them, don't want you involved." 

"Alright, just let me know. I can always put it in the safe though." I shrug. 

Rio's guys came and picked up the boxes and disappeared without a trace. He told me about what went down with the fake mom and the bank situation and him threatening their families. I wasn't sure what to do, other than to listen. I couldn't offer any advice in this area. The only thing I could say was  to cut the cord between him and them. But, I have a feeling he would take a different meaning to that...

It was another day that I was working the shop alone. Since Sarah and Nat are both in school, I end up working a lot of days alone. The bell rang as I was spritzing the flowers. I faced the door to greet them, well him. It was Rio's cousin, Nick. 

"So this is the shop?" he says, looking over the shop.

"This is it." I nod, watching him. 

"It's nice. You work here alone?" 

"No, I have a couple of employees, but they're in school so I'm here most of time during the day by myself." 

"Right, right."

"Can I make you a coffee or a tea? I got a little Keurig the other day." I point towards the office. 

"Sounds good." he smiles. 

As the water heats up, I pull out my phone texting Rio, Your cousin is in my shop for some reason...

I grab a couple of sugar packets, creamer and the mug that held the coffee and walked back out of the office. I stayed behind the counter, to create some distance between us. 

He fixed his coffee, before asking, "So, what's the deal with you and him?" 

"Sorry?" 

"You're just not his typical 'friend'." 

"You don't even know me." 

"I just think you should be careful. Someone who owns a flower shop and brings a bouquet of flowers to meet 'his boss', shouldn't be doing what he does." he takes a sip of his coffee, his eyes never leaving mine. 

"Does he know you're here?" I ask. 

He laughs "Just trying to help." He pulls out a folded piece of paper, and opens it, "I'm doing a little garden program for at-risk kids. Maybe you could swing by, since you like flowers." 

I take the flyer and examine it, "I might be able to reach out to some people, see if they would be interested in donating anything." 

"That would be great." 

The front door swings open, Rio walking in with an angry expression on his face, "What're you doing here, Nick?"

"Just inviting your friend to my garden program." he smiles at Rio, who's face stays the same as he walks behind the counter to join me. He places his hand on my back, as he continues to glare at his cousin. 

"She said she would reach out to some people for donations." he continues. 

"Oh, did she now?" Rio looks away from Nick to me.

"Think about it." Nick says as he walks out the door. 

"Thank you for coming." I turn to face him, but his face remains the same. 

"Why'd you talk to him?"

"What was I suppose to do? Ignore him?"

Rio looks away from me for a moment before turning back, "He likes to take what I have. And now it looks like that's you." 

"I'm not leaving you for your cousin." I reach out for him, but he takes a step back. 

"Don't go to that garden shit, a'ight?"

"Okay."

"Don't call no body either."

"Okay." 

He steps forward, bringing me into his chest, "Don't want to lose you." he whispers.

I wrap my arms around him, "You're not losing me. Especially, to your cousin."

Luckily, I hadn't seen Nick and the event came and went. Rio has mellowed out since Nick didn't pop up again. I wish I knew more about their relationship, but I don't want to overwhelm him with what he has going on. And I don't want to pressure him to tell me something, when he isn't ready too. I understand talking about family can be difficult. 

We have date night plans tonight, he just had to meet up with Beth, first. I'm really grateful I haven't seen her or her friends in a while. I guess they knew what they tell me goes straight to Rio. I don't owe them anything. I know Rio has done bad things, but what has he done, that Beth hasn't at this point? 

He was suppose to pick me up at 8, but it was coming close to 8:30. I didn't want to worry, but it's hard when it comes to Beth. I know they have history, and I trust him. It's just her I don't trust, especially since she's playing a double agent. I called him and it went to voicemail. I didn't know what to do. I could go search for him, but what if he's phone died and he's on his way? My best choice is to wait. 

After a couple hours, I'm done waiting. I call his phone once more, but still no answer. I stand up from my seat on the couch and head towards the bathroom to take my makeup off. I'm getting really worried at this point. What if he's in jail or hurt or worse? I finish taking off my makeup and head out to search for him. 

I went to their usual meet up, not a soul to be found. Not even his car was there. I keep driving around, in search of him or his car. I try the bar, and his apartment, nothing. I didn't want to worry Rhea, so I don't call her. Oh god, what if something happened to Marcus or his grandma? 

I don't know what to do? I pull over into a parking lot to think. Where else could he be? I've checked everywhere I knew about. I'm sure there are other places I don't know about, but I'm not going on a hunt for those places.

Blue and red light suddenly become apparent behind me, "Shit." I mutter. I crack the window and turn off the car. The officer walks to my car, "License and registration." 

I quickly gather both and hand them to him, "May I ask why I'm getting pulled over, sir?" 

He doesn't say anything, just walks back to his car. I wait as patiently as I could for him to return. I need to continue searching for Rio... The man finally returns and hands me my stuff, which I quickly grab and toss in the seat beside me. 

A big black SUV pulls up in front of me as the officer stands beside my door. Nick gets out of the car and waves the officer over. They talk for a few moments before shaking hands and the officer goes back into his car and drives off. 

Nick walks up to my window, "What're you doing out here?" 

"Looking for Rio." 

"Why would you need to look for him?" he asks.

"We...had plans."

he nods, "Let's go get him." 

"Excuse me?" 

"I'll explain in the car." 

I roll my window back up and tuck my registration back into the glove box, sliding my license back into my wallet and finally shutting off the car. I slide into his passenger seat and buckle up. He starts driving off, leaving my car behind. 

"He said you would be at your apartment." he says, turning onto the main road.

"You've heard from him?" I turn to face him. 

"He told me to come check on you, tell you what was going on." he laughs.

"That doesn't sound like him." 

"He got arrested." 

"What?" I scream.

"He's not going to be charged, we're going to pick him up now." 

"How did this happen?" 

"That mom working for the feds. And with him doing what he's doing, it's bound to happen. It's not the first time I've had to get him off." 

The second he pulled the car to a stop at the police station, I jumped out of the car and waited for him. When I saw him walking out of the glass double doors, I sprinted to him. I didn't care if he's cousin was watching. I didn't care if the police knew I was connected to him. I just wanted to hug him and have a physical conformation that he was okay. 

I wrap my arms around him and lock them in place, "You're okay." I whisper. 

"What're you doing here?" he returns my hug, leaning his head on mine.

"I got worried when you didn't show up at my place and I went looking for you, I was scared that you were hurt or something. Then I ran into Nick, he told me you were here and what happened." I rambled.  

He ushers me to the car and I jump into the back seat so Rio could sit next to Nick, "Told you not to tell her." he mutters. 

"Sorry, brother. Those jail phones are spotty." 

"Cousin. What are we going to do about her?" 

"Nothing you want to do." Nick scoffs.

"I don't see another way." 

"That's why you got me, Brother." 

"Cousin." Rio turns to look out the window.

"You guys hungry?" Nick asks, turning the car on. 

I don't hear Rio reply, and Nick instructs us to buckle up. 

We ate at this little diner, and you could only hear the silverware hitting the plates. They would occasionally speak, but it was short. I was very uncomfortable. Afterwards, Nick dropped me and Rio back off at my car. Rio instructed I take us to my place and I do. 

He didn't really talk much, but he was angry. And I understood why... Beth kept betraying him and no one wants to spend hours in a precinct. Nick came to find me to tell me what happened, after Rio told him not to. Nick found out where I lived... which isn't a very comforting thought. I know he's in the council, but still. 

I told Rio he could spend the night with me and I would take him to get his car in the morning. He only nodded to response. He took a long shower and only really spoke when he told me to come to bed. He pulled me in close, the only real way I knew he wasn't mad at me for running to him at the police station. 

I'm just glad I'm not Beth right now...