Devour You

7

Victoria

Come on, the gangster demanded as his fingers enwrapped around my wrist, leading our figures out onto my front porch - leaving behind the $25,000 on my kitchen island's surface.

Hurriedly, I turn to lock the front door, before having to spin on my heels and follow into step by the gangster's side. Quickening my pace, I watch Rio get into his sleek BMW parked across my street behind lingering mossy trees.

Without anymore words, he disappears behind the driver side door, and I take it upon myself to enter his vehicle - claiming the leather passenger seat. Immediately, the engine roars to life as he turns on the ignition.

I shift in my seat, facing him. Rio's hand is clenched around the steering wheel, hard, his knuckles white - as he presses on the gas pedal with much force.

"Care to tell me what the heck is going on?" I raise my tone, my pulse quickening from the dangerous speed he directs as he travels down the street.

I watch the solemn gangster lick his full lips before he answers. "We're having problems." He says, his tone laced with frustration. My brows furrow instantly. "Us? What kind of problems?!" I ask in confusion, my voice slightly panicked.

Rio shakes his head in turn, his jaw still set and clenched hard. "Nah, not us." He says rather abruptly - and yet my heart hammers afterward. I lick my lips, irritation beginning to flood within me from his unspoken explanation.

"I got into it with Chris." He clarifies, referring to his best boy, focusing on the road ahead.

"Chris? Isn't he like-"

"Like my brother? Yeah." Rio finishes instead, licking his lips momentarily as he shakes his head. An amused chuckle sounds from the gangster next to me, and I watch him with wary.

"You know sweetheart, the crazy thing is he didn't want me killing 'em." He says in amusement, still never meeting my frantic and observant gaze.

"Killing who?!" I ask worriedly, watching him focused ahead as he presses down on the gas with more pressure. "And where are we going?!"

Rio lazily peels his gaze over to me, and his dark irises hold my own a moment. "Remember the guy who stole from me in Puerto Rico, we killed him?" He asks, catching me off guard. "Yeah, his family ain't too happy about that. They want blood, our blood. Mine, the gang's, yours."

Rio booms a humorous chuckle again. "But nah, they ain't touching nobody." He averts his attention onto the highway ahead. "I don't know how they figured out we're the ones who killed 'em but they did. And Chris tried talking me into 'negotiating' with them." The gangster's full lips curve upward, and he throws his head back onto the leather seat.

"Who do I look like to you? Negotiating...imagine that." He smiles, laughing sadistically, facing ahead still. I swallow.

"Well...maybe Chris has a point. Killing would just...lead to more problems and..." I mumble, before hurriedly having to plant either of my palms onto the dashboard as Rio swerves his car into the lot of his old place. He claims a parking space outside of the familiar brick building.

"Next time wear a seatbelt." He orders, opening his door to step out. I narrow my gaze onto the back of him, before he shuts the car door - and I decide to exit as well.

I rush up to his side, as he continues in his smooth and hurried pace up the cemented porch steps. "Hey, wait." I say, reaching out to grip the gangster's arm, stopping him.

When Rio turns around, his jaw clenches once more as he peers down at me. His deep brown irises penetrate me, but I contain myself, staring up at him; heart racing.

"Please just calm down." I breathe, running a hand through my disheveled hair. "Why am I here, huh? You brought me here to kill the man's family with you?"

"It's another gang, darlin'. His family is the gang." He says. "This isn't my first time coming against another gang, sweetheart, but I do know how dangerous it can be. Do you know how much blood this can lead to?" He questions lowly, aggressively.

"Which brings us back to my question. Why am I here? You, too, really shouldn't be here. If this leads to another homicide..."

"Let it lead to another one." He interjects. "Who cares? You're in this too. You're one of us now, remember?"

I release a frustrated breath, never releasing his blazing gaze. "I know." I state. "But I care, about you, Rio. And that's whether you like it or not. So pull yourself together and lets just go home, OK?" I plead.

For a brief second, Rio's solemn features soften as he searches either of my brown eyes, before he deliberately shakes his head - in refusal.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, darlin'." He confirms, turning in his black jacket to pull open the tall metal back door. He peers over his shoulder. "You coming or what?"

I stand on the cemented porch, folding my arms firmly across my chest when I release another breath. Then, the gangster turns to walk off, heading into the building that I haven't stepped inside of since what seems to be forever.

Now, if I do step inside, it'll be me stepping inside for the very first time as his business partner.

Rio no longer hovers, as his frame is no longer under the doorway. My breath hitches - as I stare at the open metal door that he left open for me.

--

The large room is cool, as the thin and cold air lingers. My eyes scan across the men standing around the metal table that we all surround - that only a few women hover around too. My gaze lands on Chris Attwood - a rather larger bruise plastered across his right cheek that I assume where Rio took his hit.

Chris' dark eyes flick up to meet my own, as they haven't in months. Kindly, I send a small smile. Chris does too, in turn, but it's faint - before it soon falters when Rio breaks the silence.

"Alright, listen up. We've gotta a gang that'll be traveling down from Puerto Rico, real soon. There's at least as many members of them as there are us. And they're all angry for what somebody did to one of 'em..."

Rio's deep brown eyes latch onto mine, as I stand in the crowd. I swallow lightly, briefly glancing across everyone that's probably going to think this is my fault - acknowledging that I'm the one who pulled the trigger, though Rio did too.

I then face the gangster as he licks his full lips, deliberately. "I shot one of their members. I killed him right there in cold blood the moment I saw him." He informs his gang, falsely, and my breath is caught in my throat - confusion and curiosity swirling within my veins as I watch the gangster.

Why is he covering me?! We both shot him!

"Because he took from us, he took money that I got back. And at that time I didn't know he was involved with a gang." Rio explains, and his dark irises land on mine again.

And watching him watch me, I can't help but to ask myself the taunting question; did he know?

"Now his people are on their way for revenge." Rio breathes, glancing across his gang once more. Low whispers and grumbles sound around me.

I part my lips, correcting him to inform the gang of my included doings. "Actually-" Suddenly I slightly jump at the sound of the gangster clasping his hands together, stopping me.

"So, here's what we're gonna do." Rio states, before taking in a breath of preparation - and I do the same simultaneously, having no other choice.

---

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