After Dusk ✞ Gecko Brothers [1]

TWO

   "It's okay.."

   But, it most certainly is not okay. She can't believe that they actually took her, that she even made it out of the liquor store alive, and then she wonders about everyone else, if they too had made it out.

   The thought makes her feel uneasy, and she just needs everything to stop for a second.

   "Pull over." She blurts out, putting her hand on the seat in front of her.

   "What?" Seth questions, and Richie turns his attention back to her.

   Flashbacks of what happened at the store swirl around in her head like a whirlpool, and all she can think of is all of that blood. So much blood.

   "Pull over." She says once more, and this time she's more demanding, because she's got a feeling that if this car doesn't stop she's going to hurl. Again.

   "Stop the car, Seth." Richie tells his brother, who rolls his eyes in annoyance. "She doesn't feel good."

   Seth lets out a huff, and pulls over. The car comes to a halt, and the second Ava hears the click of the door unlocking, she stumbles out. Her legs almost give out again, but Richie's at her side with a hand to her waist, steadying her.

   When she feels his large hand on her, she looks up at him and wonders how he can be so gentle and commit such monstrosities. He's violent, yet strangely collected, and he's always so so silent.

   And that scares Ava. He scares Ava.

   Her eyes dart to his left hand, and she notices it's wrapped around with duct tape. On instinct, she takes his hand and lifts her gaze to his and he's looking like he could swallow her whole.

   "What happened?" Ava asks.

   "A bullet."

   She nods slow, her eyes flitting back to their hands as she runs her thumb softly along the tape.

   Seth walks around the car, and stops in his tracks when he spots the two of them and watches. He watches the way his brother's fingers spread alongside her back, the way he's holding her close.

   And he doesn't like it. Not one bit.

   "Alright," He says. "love fest is over."

   Ava lets go of Richie, and she turns to face the older brother, who's a lot closer than she'd expected.

   "You okay?" He asks her, looking away from his brother.

   She sees in his eyes that he's being genuine, that he's actually concerned, but that doesn't change the fact that right now, she kind of hates him.

   Her eyes narrow on the gecko, as she folds her arms over her chest.

   "Why am I here?"

   "My brother says you got a relative that works down at the border," He tells her. "is this true?"

   "Of course it's true." Richie interjects. "I know it is."

   She doesn't say anything, mostly cause she doesn't know what the right answer is. So, she decides to deflect.

   "What makes you think I'm gonna tell you?" Ava asks, and stares up at him with a defiance in her eyes, like she's daring him to do something. "You're not gonna kill me."

   And she's not talking about Richie, because honestly, she's not sure he won't kill her. But, Seth is different. She knows he doesn't want to hurt her, that he won't. She saw the way that he was careful around the two women, around her - even the Texas ranger, he hadn't wanted to hurt.