BEHIND THE MASK- BOOK II

TWENTY-TWO: GUNS N ROSES

Riley then smiled, feeling a little bit better. "You're right. I do need to settle things with them once and for all. After this, I want to go home. I'm done with America."

"Me too, baby."

Soon after, Riley grabbed her clutch. Cameron grabbed his wallet and car keys. Then they headed to the garage.

"Which car are we taking?" Riley asked.

"The Bugatti," he smirked. "Why?"

She laughed lightly. "Real subtle, Cam. Real subtle."

"What? I want to make sure my queen arrives in style," he shrugged.

She shook her head knowing he could be a show-off sometimes.

Not long after, they arrived at the location that her mother gave the address. It was a house, not just a house but a penthouse that overlooked the upper eastside of Manhattan. Cameron parked his car at a distance. Far enough so that no one from the family could see. Then they headed to the entrance.

"Name?" the guard at the door asked.

"Sylvia Jones," Riley answered.

The guard looked at her skeptically. "But you're not—"

"I'm her plus one." She interrupted.

"And him?"

"He is my bodyguard. He has to be with me in case something bad happens," Riley said smoothly.

The guard stepped aside letting them pass. "Alright, you can go in."

Without questioning it, Riley and Cameron went inside. Music was playing, people were drinking, talking, and laughing. However, that vibe didn't last very long. All eyes were on Riley as she approached her mother with her arm linked with Cameron's.

"You sure know how to make an entrance," Sylvia mused. "Glad you two could make it though."

"Thank you for inviting us," Cameron chuckled.

"The pleasure is all mine. Let's hope we can come out of this unscathed," Sylvia responded.

Everything was smoothly. Riley was able to talk to some of her younger cousins. Cameron was able to get to know some of her cousins as well. However, Riley couldn't help but feel uneasy as she could feel eyes on her. Cameron noticed this and went closer to her.

"Feel uneasy?" he asked, checking on her.

She nodded. "Someone's watching me. I can feel it."

"Point them out to me."

Without making obvious, she motioned toward the left side of the room. Cameron looked at where she was pointing to, seeing a man with a glass in hand looking in her direction—almost glaring even. Then Sylvia noticed.

"Are you alright, Riley?" Sylvia whispered.

"I'm being watched," Riley revealed.

Sylvia looked in the direction that Cameron was looking toward. She then realized who was watching Riley. "That's your uncle Tito, remember?"

Riley looked in his direction, trying to remember. She thought back to the last birthday party she had with her, her ninth birthday. "From my ninth birthday party, he was there."

The man watching her finally made up his mind and approached them. Alongside him, was a woman that Riley felt some familiarity with. Again, the memory of her ninth birthday party surfaced and she made the connection. That was the man's wife. Her uncle looked at her up and down in disbelief then at his sister.