15

I got another lunch with Rhea again and it's been so nice to have someone to talk to that knows about Rio and what he does. To know that if I need to talk to someone about it, I can turn to her who has experienced it first hand. I have Peri too, since he knows, but he hasn't experienced it, like she has. 

"We should plan another dinner." she suggests. 

"Oh, yes! And this time, I'll actually be prepared. Maybe I can convince Rio to do it at his place." 

she laughs a little "I'm sure if anyone can, it's you. But, we can always do it at my house, so we can send him outside with Marcus so we can talk about him." 

"I bet he'll sense it in the air." I joke. 

"Probably." she laughs. 

"Like, how does he always know everything that's going on?" 

"He has eyes everywhere." she gestures around. 

I know she was joking, I think, but I don't doubt that he does have someone watching everyone immediate in his life. 

I return to the store and was trying to finish inventory when the front door bell rang. It was a man, who wanted to buy flowers for his assistant because it's her birthday. We chatted a little while we picked out the flowers and I arranged them and he paid and left. Mick nor Eric were here today, which I found a little odd, but I guess Rio had realized that Beth probably wasn't going to be showing up anytime soon. 

When I returned home from work, exhausted, from working open too close to finish ordering some supplies and count inventory. I collapse on the couch and slide my shoes off, grabbing the remote when my phone dinged. I groaned and reached into my purse. It was Rio...

Come outside. 

I didn't bother answering as I slide on different shoes and grabbed my keys. His car was sitting right by the main entrance. The moment he sees me he rolls the window down and instructs me to get in, which I do. 

He doesn't speak the entire drive and I wonder what got him into such a mood. A part of me wants to ask him, but I figured if he wants to talk about then he will. 

He drives us to his place and he doesn't speak until we actually enter the apartment and he closes the door. 

"How was work?" he asks, heading towards the kitchen. 

"It was fine, I guess." I shrug, "How was your day?" I take a seat on the shiny couch. 

"Haven't received my cut from Beth, had to handle that. Then, heard about your little adventure." 

"Adventure?" my brows furrowing. 

"Having lunch with Rhea. And your little guest at the shop." he explained. 

"Oh, I had lunch with Rhea and I don't know what guest you're talking about." 

"Heard it was more than just a customer, mama. Heard you two got along real well." he returns from the kitchen carrying a short glass with bourbon inside. 

"I have no idea what you're talking about." 

"He was there a bit longer than he should've been." he says, joining me on the couch. 

I think about all the customers that had come in and the only one that stayed the longest was the one that came after I returned from lunch. 

"The guy who bought flowers for his assistant? How do you even know that?" I ask. 

"Don't worry about it." 

"No, Rio. I'm going to worry about it because neither Mick or Eric were there so they didn't tell you, so how do you know who came in MY shop?" I demand. 

"Just cause you didn't see them doesn't mean they weren't there." he shrugs. 

"You have people spying on me now?" 

"Why were you flirting with him?" he retorts. 

"It's called 'having a conversation'." I spit. 

"Need to stop having those kinds of conversations, mama." he leans back into the couch and takes a sip of the liquor. 

I look at him with pure shock that he just said that to me, "Excuse me?" 

"You heard me." 

"What's gotten into you? You've been so over-protective lately, since Beth threw that stupid pool ball and now you're icing me out. I don't understand." 

"You only understand a fraction of what's going on." 

"So, why don't you tell me?" I ask. 

"You don't need to know." 

We stare at each other for a moment, before I nod my head and stand up, quickly heading to the door. 

"Where you going, Darlin'?" he asks, and I can hear the smirk growing on his face. 

"Home." I say, opening the door and slamming it behind me. I don't care if he drove me here, I can get home easily. 

I hear him calling out my name as I race down the stairs. Just before I get outside the building a hand grabs mine and I spin around. 

"You're not leaving." he states, glaring down at me. 

"You're going to force me to stay somewhere I'm not welcomed?" 

"All I said-" 

I cut him off, "You basically told me to not speak to my customers and not ask you about your 'business' when you bring me along all the time!" I yell. 

He doesn't say anything, just continues to glare down at me. I scoff and yank my hand away and leave the building. I hail a cab and give them my address. 

Two days went by with no communication from either Citrine and Rio. Citrine went to work, neither Mick or Eric showed up, she would get home and struggl to relax as she thought about the fight she had with Rio. She decided enough was enough and grabbed her keys and headed out the door. 

On the other side of town Rio sat at the bar top. His mind running a million miles from the fight he had with Citrine, to what he learned from his lawyer earlier in the day. When Beth Boland strolled in offering him a drink. 

"I own the place." he states. 

She begins to inform him that 'Boland Bubbles' was officially open. He seemed unimpressed. Beth immediately knew he was in a mood, figuring it was because he had yet to get his cut. 

"A tequila for the chief. Top-shelf." she instructs. "Do you have anything without alcohol or caffeine?" 

Rio immediately turns to the woman that sits to his right, letting out a loud sigh through his nose. 

"Just bourbon, neat." she requests. The man not having to say anything to signal he was growing more annoyed by the second. 

Beth grabs a Pamphlet from her purse and slides it over to him, mumbling that he should be more excited. 

"Ain't always about you, is it?" he says, looking down towards the ground. 

"It's what you wanted." Beth says, not understand the attitude she was receiving. 

"You know what? I got other stuff on my mind." he says, growing more impatient. He stands up to leave the bar. 

"I need that gun." she whispers.

Causing Rio to stop his tracks. He stood right by her side, staring down at her. Beth feeling intimidated. 

"I'm sorry, what?" he whispers. 

"We're up and running. I'm making you bank. It doesn't make sense to hold it over me anymore." she says. 

Rio looks down at the woman, "You know what?" he stops for a moment before speaking again, "You're right." 

"I am?" she asks. 

"Yeah. Not gonna hold it over you anymore."

"Thanks." 

"Cops might, though." a small smirk on his face. 

He informs her that he has to go in for questioning and how he doesn't need to 'tell' them anything. Beth tries to tell him that she goes to prison then he won't get money from the new shop. 

"Priorities, huh?" he says, before making his exit out of the bar. 

Citrine had tried knocking on his door a few times, before giving up. She had headed back out of the complex and towards the bar where she knew he frequents. She walked in, looking all around to find Beth sitting alone with an empty glass in front of her. She debated on asking here if Rio was there. 

If she's here, then he must be. She thought. 

"He just left." Beth mumbles, watching her through the mirror that hung on the back of the bar. Citrine nods and walks back out the door, trying to find the man. She wanders around the block, but never once finding him or his car. Eventually she gives up and returns back home feeling defeated. 

She lays in her bed, contemplating. Maybe we weren't meant to be together. Maybe this is the universe's way of letting things end. If I found him tonight there was no guarantee that we would've worked it out. 

She lets out a groan before trying to fall asleep. 

Citrine still felt defeated the next day, and day after that, and the day after that, until a week had gone by. She still hadn't heard from Rio and in her brain it was confirmation that they were truly over. She had been living on auto-pilot, and it was slowly leading her into a downward spiral. She hadn't been answering any calls or texts expecting when asking Nat and Sarah to cover shifts. Even Rhea had reached out at one to check-in on her, just to receive her voicemail. 

She hadn't realized how close she had gotten used to having him in her life. She was doing just fine before and now she could barely get out of bed. 

She was sick, sick of lying to her friends and to herself. This time had given her the chance to realize she loves Rio, but now there was no point in telling him. She decided it was time to call Peri and ask for advise. 

"Damn, have you tried calling him?" he asks after hearing the whole story. 

"No." she whimpers, trying not to start crying, yet again. 

"Maybe you should, if you want to work things out. Or, you could try that bar again. You tried one time to find him and didn't give him aheads up that you were out searching for him. I doubt he would let you wander the streets, even if you two are fighting." Peri reasoned. 

Citrine sniffles, deciding that Peri had a point. That she couldn't really blame Rio that she didn't find him when he didn't know she was looking for him. 

"What about Beth, though? She knew I was looking for him. She must've told him I was." 

"You don't know that, she probably didn't think twice about it. I say, go and try to find him again. And if anything you come out here and stay with me for a bit." he proposes. 

Citrine manages to pull herself out of bed and get ready enough to seem like she hasn't been laying in the same spot for a week straight. She tosses her phone in her bag, grabbing the handle along with keys and headed outside to her car. 

She drove to the bar, if he wasn't there she would wait. She walks to the door before stopping at the window. Instantly regretting leaving her apartment. There he stood, leaning over the pool table with Beth. The same pool table they had played at and Beth had tossed a ball near her. Remembering how concerned he had been for her and now he was showing the same person who had thrown the ball how to play the game. 

Tears instantly began coming down her face, she waits on the side of the building for Beth to leave so she can confront him. By the time Beth did leave, it seemed she had to storm out, but Citrine had pulled herself together and was ready to storm in. 

"Haven't seen you around lately, Darlin'." he comments, shooting a ball into the pocket. 

"Don't know why you would need to when you have her." I shrug. 

"What are you talking about?" he asks, walking closer to me. 

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You know usually when someone accuses someone of cheating, it's the accuser that is usually the one cheating." I take a step back, not wanting him closer to me.  

"You trying to tell me something?" he says, growing annoyed. 

"You accused me of flirting with a customer, but I saw you leaned over this stupid pool table showing her how to play, moving her hair out of her face." I spit. 

"Haven't seen you all this time and you think you can come in here and what? Try to prove I've been cheating on you?" he laughs, wickedly. 

"Actually, I wanted to try to work things out, like I did a week ago and I couldn't find you. And I'm sure she didn't tell you, because she saw me in here the other night." I inform him. 

"Could've called." he shrug, turning back towards his game. 

My heart instantly sinking. He is acting like he doesn't care about me at all. 

"A phone works both ways, Rio. And you didn't reach out either. So, I guess that's it." I reach up and unclasp the necklace I hadn't taken off and lay it on the pool table's edge. 

"What's it?" he asks, looking down at the necklace and back up to me. 

"I'm done." I say, turning around and heading for the exit, turning back towards him to say "I also wanted to tell you that I love you." I leave the building, not looking back. 

I return to my apartment and tell Nat and Sarah I had to head out of town and if they couldn't watch the shop than let it stay closed and too not worry about it. I packed a bag and booked a ticket online, it costs more since it was so last minute, but running away from my problems seems like the best thing to do. I pulled out my phone to text Peri the time my flight would arrive and immediately shut down my phone.