The Flower Girl and the Gangster (Rio GG fanfic)

13

The constant ringing had woken me up. I groaned grabbing the annoying device, hitting the answer button without giving myself time to process who was calling me before the sun had even begun to rise. 

"What?" I snap. 

"Damn, rude! Is that anyway to talk to your brother?" 

"Peri?" I ask.

"Do you have another brother?" 

"Hold on, let me check." I tease. I maneuver out of the bed and head to the bathroom to not wake Rio. I closed the door before speaking again, "What's going on?" 

"I'm in town, thought we could get together." he explained. 

"So you call me at 4:30 in the morning to hang out?" 

"I just landed, I'm heading to my hotel now, thought we could get breakfast."

"How long are you in town for? You can just stay with me." I suggest. 

"You sure? I don't want to impose." 

"You're my brother, Peri. You're not imposing." 

"Do you still live in the same place?" 

"Yep, I'll meet you over there." I told him. 

"You're not home? Is my sister doing the walk of shame?" he jokes. 

"Hush, and no I'm not. I'll explain later." 

I hang up the phone and leave the bathroom. I don't want to wake Rio, so I tiptoe around the space gathering my belongings before leaving as quietly as I could. I could only lock the doorknob's lock, but I'm sure Rio, of all people, would be fine. 

I catch a cab to take me back to the bar so I can grab my car before returning to my apartment. Peri was already at my door waiting for me. 

"Shoes in hand? Are you sure this wasn't a walk of shame?" he pulls me into a hug, which I return. 

"It wasn't, I was just in a rush." I huff, unlocking the door. 

I let him take my room because I don't mind sleeping on my couch and we head back out to a diner for breakfast. I don't tell him anything about Rio until after we get back to my apartment. 

"So, you're dating a dangerous gangster?" he asks, after I told him everything.

"Basically, yes." I sighed. 

"But, you like him, right? Like you aren't just staying with him because he scares you?" 

"I do like him. He can be scary, but he doesn't act that way towards me." I confirm. 

"But, he's done his gang stuff in front of you. If you got questioned by the police, would you lie?" 

I shrug my shoulders, "I've never really thought too much about it..." 

"Does anyone else know you're dating this guy?" 

"Other than those three woman who work for him, no. Well, Sarah and Nat know he exists, but they don't know what he does." I explain. 

"Damn, we leave you here for two years by yourself and you go and get yourself a gangster man." he laughs. 

"Why are you in town anyways?" I change the subject. 

"Oh, I just missed you. Sapphire and Ruby said they haven't heard from you and neither have I so I decided to come check on you." 

"You know a phone works both ways..." 

"I'm a lawyer, I'm busy. And who knows what the other two are doing." he defends. 

My phone begins and I pick it up to see it's Rio.