20

"Can you wrap this?" Rio asks me. 

I pick up the metal sheet and examine it, "What is it?" 

"The plate to make more funny money." 

"Canadian money?" 

He nods his head. 

I grab the supplies and wrap it with the shiny paper he picked out, tying it up in a dark blue ribbon before passing it back to him. He thanked me with kiss before heading off to drop off the package. 

"Alrighty then..." 

I help Rio unload his car with the supplies the housewives would need to make the money. I haven't been to the shop since everything went down with Lucy... it's weird being back here. I follow him down the short staircase and through the back door where Beth was waiting, alone. She looked a little shocked to see me. I always found it weird that she chose to always meet with him alone, and yet she does everything to betray him...

Rio places his arm full on the table, before grabbing mine from me, sending me a wink. I don't stop the smile forming as I move around him to sit at the tall table. 

"What's all this?" Beth asks. 

"Ink, chemicals, paper." he says. 

"The hologram is polymer." 

"One-stop shop. Everything you need." He takes a seat beside me.

"Why are you making it so easy?" 

"Cause you bitches made it so messy." he retorts. A little laugh forces its way out before I could stop it. 

"What happens when I gotta wash it?" Beth grows annoyed. 

"Don't worry about it." 

"Where am I suppose to do it? Duty Free? Time Hortons downtown? They take Canadian?" 

"You don't have to." I could tell he's growing more and more annoyed, but Beth keeps pushing. 

"What about my cut?"

"What about it?" he leans on his hand. 

"Does it come in loonies?"

"Elizabeth." he snaps, placing his head in his hands, frustration radiating off of him, "All you have to do is print and drop." 

I see a shadow moving outside and nudge him a little bit to warn him. He takes a glance at me, then the door.

"Your husband's here." he states.

I look to my left and there stood Dean as the door shut behind him. He looked shocked to see Rio sitting across from Beth. And confused when he saw me. Clearly, not knowing who I am, but from Rio I knew of him. Rio sends him a little wave before resting his chin back in his hand. 

Dean holds a set of car keys in his hand "Just need to... trade cars." 

"Now?" Beth's eyes becoming watery. 

"Thought we'd hit the road early for, you know...-"

"Oh! Kenny's game, yeah." she stands up walking over to her bag, beginning to dig through it. 

Rio clicks his tongue at the other man a couple times telling him "You're not suppose to be here." 

"Yeah, neither are you." Dean says. 

A laugh erupts from Rio telling him, "Nah, man, I mean, it's not gonna be good for anyone when the cops come." gesturing towards the ankle monitor. 

"I'm within range. It's low battery." 

Beth finally hands her husband the keys telling him to go, which he does. Rio is very annoyed and I don't know what he'll do if either of them try anything. Luckily, he wraps up everything pretty quickly after that incident. 

"You know she's going to complain about having to drop it, right?" I ask as we climb back into his car. 

"Yeah." he sighs, turning the key into the ignition.

"You know I love you, right?" I smile. 

He chuckles a little, "Yeah? I love you too, Darlin'."

I've been waiting to tell Rio about Nick showing up at the shop for days now, for all I know Nick has already told him. He hasn't been acting that different towards me, but he is growing frustrated easier lately. 

It seems like he's only relaxed when he's at his place, my place or with Marcus. And I don't want to ruin his very few relaxing moments by telling him his cousin tried to get me to go on a date with him, the same day that said cousin slammed a stool into his face causing the black eye he still wears. But, I need to tell him. I need to before Nick does, assuming he hasn't already. 

Marcus had already been returned too Rhea, and we were driving back to mine since it's a bit closer. Hopefully, he won't be too mad that I've waited for so long to tell him...

"What's got you thinkin' so hard over there? Can see the gears grinding." he jokes. 

"I need to tell you something. And I've waited so long to do it, because it just never seemed like a good time." 

"Tell me, Citrine." he demands, and happy Rio is gone. 

"Remember a few days ago when we were at the gym when um-" 

"I got a stool to the face." 

"Yeah... something happened earlier that day and I was going to tell you then, but Nick came and everything..." 

"Citrine." he growls. 

"He asked me out." I blurted. 

The brakes were slammed into the floor, sending me forward before getting jerked back by the seatbelt. The cars behind us immediately start beeping at us. 

"I should've told you sooner, but so much has been going on and I didn't want to put more pressure on you, but I didn't want you to not know and I didn't want him to tell you and you think I was hiding it from you." I ramble. 

He doesn't say anything, just continues staring at the road ahead. The cars begin to move around us, some still beeping. 

"Rio?" I try reaching out to him, but he jerks his arm away from me. I pull my legs into my chest, wrapping my arms around them. I blink the tears away that were trying to form. 

He finally begins driving once more, still not saying a word. We pull up to my building and I unbuckle myself, letting my legs drop back onto the floor. I exit the vehicle, shutting the door behind as I wait for Rio to do the same. But, he doesn't. In fact, the moment I take one step back from the car, he reverses the car and leaves me in the dark parking lot, alone. 

I don't fight the tears as they stream down my face. I climb the stairs to my apartment and lock myself inside. What have I done? I shouldn't have told him... but if I didn't tell him and he eventually found out, he would be even madder than he is now... He has the right to be mad, I know. I just don't want him mad at me, and now he is...

I still haven't heard from Rio and it's been days, and I'm getting really worried. Who am I kidding? I'm past worried, I'm at the point where I'm willing to go to Nick if it means he has heard from him. I've called and texted him, but with no response. 

Which leads me to where I am sitting, in a very uncomfortable chair outside of his office. 

"He's ready for you now." the guy told me, who's desk sat right out the office. 

I grab my bag and walk into the room, closing the door behind me. 

"Well, you don't look like you're here for the sewer expansion meeting." he jokes. 

"Ew, I'm not." I say, walking further into the office. 

He lets out a laugh and tell me to take a seat. 

I plump down on another uncomfortable chair, placing my bag on the chair beside me. 

"You know they're actually very interesting."

"Really?" 

"No, not at all." he continues laughing. I try to laugh as best I could, "So, what can I do for you, Citrine?" 

"Have you heard from Rio?" I blurt, not seeing the point in hiding my real agenda of my being here. 

He leans back in his seat, placing his hands together, "You haven't?" 

"No, and I'm getting a bit worried." 

"I'm sure he's fine. This isn't abnormal for him." 

"It's abnormal for me." I whisper. 

He takes a second, studying me, "You're really worried." 

I nod my head, like duh why else would I be here? 

He picks up the phone and begins dialing a number, placing the office phone on speaker. The ringing slightly echos in the room before a deep "Yeah?" is heard. 

My heart drops. It's Rio, and he's okay. So, he really is just ignoring me...

"Hey, brother, what're you up too?" Nick asks. 

"Cousin. And just business, man." 

"I haven't heard from you and just wanted to check in." 

"Nah, everything's cool." 

"Alright, well let me know when business calms down and we'll grab lunch." Nick tells him. 

"Cool." Rio replies before hanging up. 

I lean back into the chair, staring at a snow globe Nick keeps on his desk. 

"He's alright." Nick shrugs. 

I nod my head slightly, feeling defeated. A voice comes through the intercom telling Nick that people are waiting in a conference room. 

"Thank you for calling him." I grab my bag and start for the door. 

"Hey, wait!" he calls out to me, rushing over to me, "Why don't you stick around here and we'll grab something to eat after this meeting."

"I don't think he'll like that very much." I know he won't like it...

"And it's clear he's ignoring you. Wouldn't it be nice to not let him dictate every move you make."

He's like the devil on your shoulder in old cartoons... 

I let out a sigh and agree, knowing I'll regret it later when Rio, for sure, finds out.  

I can't believe I'm saying this, but the lunch is going well... he's talking a bit about his work and asking me questions about myself, and we're laughing. 

"So, why didn't you come to that garden program?" he asks. 

"I didn't want to intrude."

"He told you not too, huh?" he smirks. This family and smirking...

I gave him a little nod.

"How about you swing by tomorrow? I have to go and you can keep us from killing anything." he jokes. 

I see how he became part of the council now... he's very charismatic, if I paid any attention to politics I would've probably voted for him.

"Alright, but fair warning I'm better at arranging flowers than gardening." 

"Then it's guaranteed to come out beautiful." 

Unbeknown to Citrine or Nick there was someone hiding in the corner of the restaurant, watching their every move to report it back to Rio. As he got the updates his blood began boil.

"Everyone, meet Citrine. She's going to be taking over, making sure we don't kill whatever we plant." Nick says. 

"Hi there, I'm just really here to help. Maybe you can show me what you got started with and we'll go from there?" 

"Let's get to it!" Nick calls out to everyone, "You can follow me around for a lap, and if you see someone who needs help just jump on in." he whispers to me as everyone goes to their flower beds. 

"Sounds good." I grin. 

I followed him around and slightly tweaked certain things that the kids were doing, but overall they were doing fine. They had the right soil and the equipment. 

"It's going to come out beautiful." I say to him.

"Cause you came to help." he smiles. 

"I don't know about that. They seem to be doing a great job, and a lot of them seem to like it." 

"I think it helps to have a pretty face around as motivation." enter the smirk. 

I could feel my cheeks getting pink, but hopefully he couldn't tell. 

My one day to sleep in and my phone starts ringing. I groan and silence the call, yanking the covers up to my chin. The phone starts ringing again, I let out a sigh, grabbing it. 

"What?" I groan. 

"We need your help, he has Annie." Beth cries out. 

"Who?" 

"My sister!" she screams. 

"I'm half asleep, you're lucky I know my own name." I pull myself up, letting the cover fall, "Now, who has her?" 

"Rio." 

"Are you sure? I mean kidnapping doesn't exactly seem to be his thing."

"I know he does." she spits. 

"And what would you like me to do then?" 

"Talk to him, get her back." 

"Yeah, we're not exactly on speaking terms right now." I sigh. 

"He'll listen to you." 

"You, out of all people, should know that when he's mad at you... it doesn't matter what you say." 

"Please, she's my sister. We were arguing over a stupid blender she took and I-I can't let that be the last thing we ever talked about." I can hear her sniffling. 

"Alright, it's going to be okay. Have you talked to him?" 

"No." 

"Do you know why he took her?" 

"We didn't finish a drop. We were being followed, we thought it was cops so we blew through the money at a casino." she explains.

"You didn't call him to ask or at least tell him you're being followed?" 

"You, of all people, should know that he's not someone you just call." she retorts. 

"Alright, well maybe he wants the money you blew through."

"We'll get some together, could-could you meet us at the bar?"

"I'll get ready now and meet you over there." I agree. 

I walk in behind Beth and Ruby. Rio was sitting with his back facing the door, Mick in his usual seat. He glances at me and raises an eyebrow. I let the girls slide into the seat in front of Rio, while I sat behind them. 

The look Rio gives me makes me feel like I'm already dead. Beth slaps down a wad of cash on the table. 

"What's this?" he asks.

"First installment." Beth says. 

"We'll get the rest." Ruby finishes.

"Oh, I know you will." 

"Give her back." Beth demands.

"Okay." 

"Okay." Ruby sighs. 

"Where should I send the first installment?" 

"Rio." I warn. He gives me a look before turning his attention back to Beth. 

"What do you want?" Beth spits. 

He waves Mick over, "You know how much of my money you left in that casino?"

"All of it?" Ruby asks.

"All of it. Guess we'll call it even." 

"I don't want to be even!" Beth yells. 

"She ain't worth more than that."

"Rio, just give her back." I demand. 

"Oh, think you come here demanding things? Nah. Not sure how we'll use her, though." 

"I'll think of something." Mick comments, making Rio chuckle.

"I want my sister back!" Beth screams, slapping the table. 

"Do you?" 

Mick plops a duffle bag on the table. 

"Finish the job then." Rio finishes, standing up. The two corner me in the booth. Rio yanks me up and throws me over his shoulder, "Rio! Let me go!" I yell. But the two keep walking til the three of us are standing out back of the bar. 

He finally lets me down and I quickly try to make a run for it, but I'm stopped by Mick. 

"Damn, Mick. Thought we were cool." 

He gives me a shrug. 

"What are you doing with them?" Rio asks. 

"Beth called me." I sigh, turning back to face him. 

"So, you just came running? They're your new friends now, huh?" 

"Defiantly not, but you kidnapped her sister, she panicked and called me. What was I suppose to tell her, huh? Go jump in Lake Erie?"

"Could've told her 'no'." he says.

"Well, I didn't."

"No, you didn't." he shakes his head, walking closer to me. "You didn't say 'no' to having a lunch with a councilman, or his invitation to garden with him." he growls. 

Well, shit...

"It's funny, could've sworn I told you not to go." he laughs. 

"Could've sworn you were ignoring me." I snap.

"Wanted revenge then, huh?" 

"I didn't say that! You were ignoring me and I was worried. I ran out of options so I went to Nick to see if he had heard from you, and then he called you. Yeah, you remember that call? I was in the room! And you just-just sounded perfectly fine while I was wondering if you would ever speak to me again. Or if I was going to wake up with Mick standing in the corner of my room, putting a silencer on a Glock!" I yell, tears rolling down my face. "You answered his call, no problem when he's the one who asked me to dinner. And I told him to leave. At his office he persuaded me to lunch and then the garden program. I shouldn't have went, I'll admit that. But you could've answered my calls, Rio! You could've just texted me saying you needed time or something! Anything would've been better than just silence!"

He stood there, taking in everything I had just screamed. He nods to the back door, telling Mick to leave, which he does, "So, what now, then, huh?" 

"I-I don't know." 

"Gotta figure it out, Darlin'."

"What do you want from me, Christopher?" I sigh, removing the tears with my sleeve. 

"Don't want you around them."

"And I don't want to be ignored for days on end."

He nods his head. 

"And you gotta start talking to me more. I understand you being upset, you have that right but when you just ditch me at my apartment and ghost me there's a problem. You want to figure things out, but if you talked to me more about what you're feeling then we can work things out faster."

"You're right." he says, stepping closer. I reach out to him and he pulls me into a hug. 

"I love you, Christopher."

"Love you, Darlin'." he kisses the top of my head when I bury my face into his chest.

"You still gotta return Annie though." I mumble. 

"Mick won't hurt her." he whispers.