I know it was you, mama.
Okay, I knew he would figure out it was me, I was the closest to him to be able to do it. However, I hoped it would take longer than 5 freaking minutes. I wanted enough time to figure out what was on the damn thing. I pulled out of the parking space and drove to a local cafe that stays open late and quickly rushed inside, bag in hand. I ordered a tea, snagged a table in the back, so I could face the door. I set up my laptop and plugged in the adapter along with the flash drive.
I didn't need the cafe for the wifi, I just wanted to be in a public place, in case Rio showed up. Or worse, he sends someone. I grab my phone quickly, switching the device off. At this point, I don't know what he could do, and it wouldn't surprise me if he could find my location in a matter of minutes. I open the file and slump back into the chair as I realize what was on the drive. A perfect ten dollar note, front and back.
That's what his 'business' entails? Counterfeit bills? Is it weird to say that I was expecting a lot worse? I was expecting this to be some secret hacking code or something, I have no clue. Annie did tell me about the cars and pills, but this just seems like a step back. Didn't they start working for him with counterfeit bills? I save a copy to my laptop and to the backup account.
"You're good, Darlin'."
My head snaps up to see Rio sitting across me, with Mick standing right behind him. Can he teleport?
"Let's go." he motions his head to his left.
I quickly shake my head.
He leans forward, interlocking his hands on the table "This isn't funny, Citrine. Don't make it worse for yourself."
"I've probably already signed my death certificate." I sneer.
He just stares at me for a moment then reaches over and unplugs the drive from the adapter and hands it to Mick, who proceeds to walk straight out of the cafe.
"Why'd you take it?" he asks.
"I clearly don't know anything about your world and when I finally realized what was happening at the van, I just, I don't know I just took it." I confess, staring down at the table.
"When?"
"What?" I looked back up and he was leaning back in the chair.
"When did you take it?"
"When Beth was talking about a cookbook or something."
He nods his head before getting up, "Let's go."
Mick re-enters the shop and stands behind Rio once again.
"No."
He reaches down, snatching my bag from under the table. He shuts the laptop and puts it in, zipping it back up.
"One more chance." He warns, giving the bag to Mick.
I see an escape route, if I could get out of the booth and to the back I could circle around to my car. Luckily, my keys aren't in my bag. I practically jump from the booth, but am tackled by the man who has become constant in my life.
He grabs my hips and throws me over his shoulder. This is giving me flashbacks...
"Thanks for the tip, James." he waves to the guy behind the counter. Does he just know everybody?
I look around for help, but the cafe is now empty. Where did everyone go? There were some people when I came in. I drop my head back down and let myself be carried to my death bed. What if they're driving the van? I begin fidgeting around.
"I refuse to get in that van, Rio!" I scream.
"Stop." he demands.
"If you have or ever had any respect for me then you won't put me in that van, please!" I plead, tears beginning to roll down my face. The vehicle is unlocked and I'm placed by a black car door. I sink to my knees, bawling my eyes out at this point.
I hear voices, but I can't even register what is being said. My face is pulled upwards and I see Rio's face, concern filled his eyes. His mouth was moving, but I couldn't hear it due to the ringing in my ears. My eyes shut as my head drops back down. My heart felt as if it was exploding and I couldn't focus.
I feel my body being lifted into the vehicle as I thrash around. As soon as my body registers it's in the vehicle, I black out.
My head is pounding and my eyes want to stay shut, but I force them open. I'm not dead, surprisingly. I look around the unknown room. It appears to be a studio apartment. The bed was in a corner but there is living room furniture in the same room. I looked to the side and there was a picture of Rio and a kid, I'm assuming his kid. I quietly get out of the bed, noticing my bag, keys and shoes are nowhere in sight. Meaning I have no way of getting home.
I walk around the space and it does seem very... Rio. The couch and chairs are black, even the glass coffee table has black legs. There are a lot of places to sit, considering this is a studio apartment and he has one kid... like a lot of places. I know I don't have that many friends, so my seating area situation is very different, but come on, there are at least 20 actual seats in here!
I wonder further through and notice a small bedroom-like space, it's his son's room. Around the corner from the living room is a bathroom, it's nice, smells like his cologne. Off to the side was a walk in closet. He has three piles, each pile has three shirts and each shirt from a pile is the same... There were dark blue double doors and a random black door, that leads to who knows where, but one must be the exit. There are so many black pipes with dark wood shelves, it's in the closet and kitchen and it seems like that's the theme he went with, almost everything has dark wood or is black. Again, very Rio. I keep checking around for my belongings when I see the black door begin to open. I run back into the bathroom and hide in the far too fancy shower.
I hear a bit of rummaging around before he starts calling out my name. I hear him wandering through the apartment, occasionally calling out for me. Why didn't I just use the fire escape? I tuck into a corner of the shower as I hear him enter the room. He stops moving and says my name once again. This is the most he's ever said my actual name before, and I find that even more terrifying. Why didn't I just pretend to be using the bathroom? He's going to be even more mad that I hid! As I mentally scolded myself I didn't even hear him get closer.
It's just when I hear "Citrine." for the final time. I slowly lift my head from my knees and he's just inches from my face. He had squatted down right in front of me and I didn't even notice. I would be the first killed in a horror movie... and if this is about to turn into one then I'm perfect inspiration for some writer out there.
"There's been enough tears out of you, mama." he whispers, wiping the tears from my cheeks.
I sniffled, "Thought I'd make clean up easy for you."
"What are you talking about?" his brows furrowed in confusion.
"I stole from you." wiping my nose on my sleeve.
He shakes his head, "Come on, mama." he reaches under my arms and pulls me so I'm standing up. He takes my hand and pulls me out of the bathroom, back through the small hallway, and into the living room before stopping in the kitchen, "Sit down." He gestures to the stools and turns his back to the bag that wasn't there when I was investigating.
I take a seat and just watch him, getting plates down from the shelves and silverware out. Even his dishes are black. Its vibe, I'm not going to lie. He puts a plate down in front of me and a to-go drink, before sitting down on a stool on the side of the island. I look down at the plate that contains bacon, eggs and pancakes. He gestures for me to eat and doesn't start eating his own until I take my first bite. He takes an occasional glance at me as we eat in silence and I'm too anxious to make a sound; especially trying hard to make sure the fork doesn't scrap the plate.
He finishes first and takes his plate to the sink. Once I'm finished he takes my plate and I sit there watching him rinse the dishes off and place them in the dishwasher. When he's finished he looks up at me and walks around the island.
"We gotta have another talk." He gestures for me to follow him, and he takes us to his couch. He sits down on one end, closest to the door and I sit on the other end. I look down to the ground, playing with my hands.
"I know the when, how about the why?" he starts.
"Huh?"
"Why'd you take the drive?" he clarified.
"To see what was on it..."
"Why not ask?" he leans closer.
"I didn't know I could." still not looking up at him.
"So, you thought taking it was better?" he chuckles.
I shrug my shoulders.
"Nah, no shrugging." he concluded.
"There isn't really...I-I just took it. I didn't really think it through." I shrug again.
"Yeah, I noticed. No more of that, alright? If you want to know then I'll tell you, but don't just take shit." he spoke as if I was a child he had to scold.
"You're speaking to me as if I'm a child."
"What you did is some shit my kid wouldn't even pull." he remarks.
"Why did you go back on your word?"
"What are you talking about?" he sighs.
I pulled my head up, finally looking at him "You said that you wouldn't let Mick kill anyone in front of me and that's exactly what you did."
"It's complicated." he shrugs.
"No, no shrugging." I quote him.
"I wanted those housewives to think that you weren't anything special to me, so they would leave you alone." he explained.
"And your only way of doing that was to have me witness a murder?" I yell.
"Yeah, probably not my best move." he leans back into the sofa.
"Yeah, I noticed." I quote him again.
He chuckles and shakes his head "So, now you've seen the game. What's your next move, huh?"
"You didn't have to kill her." I mumbled.
"She would've ran straight to cops." he deduced.
"You don't know that."
"I've been in this a long time, I know." he crosses his arms, turning his head towards me.
"What if people go looking for her?" I asked
"Mick'll handle it."
We sit in silence for a moment. The only noise was from the street life below. He leans in close and lifts up the necklace that he had gotten me, "You thought I was going to kill you and you didn't take it off?" he looks up at me as he finishes.
"I-It wasn't exactly the first thing to come to mind."
he smiles up at me and lets the necklace slip from his fingers as he leans back "No more stealing?"
"No more stealing. And no more van situations."
"You got yourself a deal." he chuckles.
"Well, now what?"
"Depends, you work today?" he asked.
"No."
"Alright, you can come with me." he says, standing up.
"Where are we going?"
"You're going to meet my son." he says, walking over to the pantry, pulling out my shoes and phone. My mouth drops a little, I don't think I checked there...