"Why were you upset though?"
Raye asked, treading her fingers through Brie's flexuous hair. Her head was laying on her chest moving with the steady rise and fall. Their bodies were exhausted from their physical activities some minutes ago but now they laid in an aftermath of tranquillity, nursing their naked bodies.
"Because Craig's being his usual self again and he has gotten Cassie worried which means I now have to be worried. Like what if he's in trouble Raye and doesn't want us to know?" Those words engendered Raye to feel a large wave of guilt wash over her mind and inevitably leaving her speechless.
What could she say to that? She was literally the one hiding Craig away and she couldn't tell her girlfriend about it. Well, she could, but that would break out an even worse argument between them, one far worse than they would've ever encountered.
"You guys should try asking him if he is. I'm sure he'll come around, you've mentioned that he's done this before so there should be nothing to worry about."
"I know, and maybe we're creating the problem in our heads. Maybe he just wants to be alone like always."
"Maybe," says the older girl.
"But I'm still going to be worried. I've always been worried about Craig but I often feel it's not my place to have him expose his life for me to see, so I give him his space."
"I understand, "
"I just wish he would come around and talk to us because I'm really concerned about Cassie."
"Do you need my help?" Raye tried to hand out some comfort to feel less guilty but it didn't work. She felt terrible.
"Not unless I think it's something we need to be worried about. Right now it's normal I guess." Brie yawned and Raye knew it was about time they both slept.
They were doing vigorous activities that now made their bodies ache but in a good way.
"I'll respect your wishes but I'm always here if you need any help."
"Thank you, " she kissed her on the cheek an act that always made Raye's stomach dance like a happy couple on their wedding day. She was often the one kissing Brie like that but when she reciprocated it made her feel like she was the luckiest human on the planet.
"Sleep tight okay baby, " Brie whispered, yawning again-snuggling up against her.
"You too baby." She kissed her forehead, switching off the light at the bedside.
It didn't take long for them both to fall asleep, thanks to the workout.
And for the first night in a week, Raye slept right through the night.
* * *
"What do you mean you can't find him?" She answered groggily, frowning while she did her best to listen to the rambling man on the other end of the line-the man she soon realizes is her uncle.
Jumping out of bed fully aware of the conversation, she walked right out of the room and further away so that Brienna couldn't hear her.
"Quando se n'è andato?"
(When did he leave?) She asked,
finally realising what her uncle was talking about. They couldn't find Craig.
"Questa mattina presto."
(Early this morning)
"Dimmi, come cazzo non l'hanno visto andarsene?"
(Tell me, how the fuck didn't they see him leave?)
Lucas sighed in her ear and she felt her heart as it raced away, but she did her best to remain calm. There was no need to get hot and bothered and then doing or saying something foolish.
"They said they just woke up and saw the room he was in empty. Do you have any idea where he might go?"He questioned.
"Honestly, I don't know. Maybe one of his sisters probably know." She whispered, peering over her shoulder to make sure that Brienna wasn't in sight.
"Okay, "
"Have you sent the guys over to her apartment?"
"Some of the guys left already but I don't think he's there."
"He might be. I'll be down there in a few minutes to meet you."
"Sure thing doll."
Hanging up the phone, Raye ran her hand through her bed tossed hair, locking down after a shiver attacked her body to realize she was naked.
The apartment was quiet and cold, she could remember leaving Brie still asleep in bed.
Strolling back over to their room, she found her woman curled up against her side of the bed and a warm smile crept up to her face. Brienna was hugging her pillow and quietly she snuck back into bed, planting a few kisses on her lips. She then watched her stir just a little but didn't wake. The smile that was fixed on her face disappeared when she remembered the situation.
Craig was missing, which meant he did the very thing she was advising him against- meet his sister. He didn't even take her advice and did it somewhere safe, he just ran off.
Shaking her head at the older guy's impulsion, Raye laid against the bed staring up with a hand-thrown across her forehead. She was tired and not just of the situation with him despite it being recent but she was tired of the entire gang thing. She was tired of the mafia and she was tired of the drama and the excitement it brought her.
At first, when she had just gotten into the business she was eager and hot for crime but now she wanted out completely. She wanted to sever all ties, retire somewhere nice, probably the countryside where she and Brienna could live far away from people.
She wanted a nice house and kids. Raye wanted those normal things, not illegal shit. No guns, no torture, no stealing, no murdering, no more of that. She just wanted to spend the rest of her life with the woman she loved, she knew that was asking too much but she was going to do her best to get it, she deserved it.
About an hour or so later, she'd dressed and had driven herself to the apartment complex. Her uncle was there and so were most of the guys.
"Tell me, how in the name of Christ did he leave this place?" Raye's voice had risen while talking to a few of the guys.
Mikey was there, Nicky, her cousin Elia along with Luca and some other guys.
"He must've done it when we were asleep," Mikey dragged and Raye turned her attention too him.
He was an obnoxious fella, talked too much, always chewing gum and smelled of a perfume that Raye hated.
He was cheap, as most of the guys but out of them all, he had the worse attitude.
"I know that, and that's my question. How could all of you sleep at the same time with him under your protection? Who'd you think would watch him?"
"Boss, we didn't think that he'd leave."
"You thought wrong Nicky and don't call me your fucking boss, I'm not it anymore." She spat. All the guys remained quiet, some even cast their gazes to the floor to avoid eye contact.
"So what are you then, your uncle's little sidekick or his advisor, the one whispering all the commands in his ear? Doesn't that still make you our boss?"
Raye frowned hard at what Mikey had uttered. She was doing her best to control her anger because as much as she tried to remain calm, the rage compiled high inside of her and she knew hearing the wrong thing would cause her to snap and right in front of everyone.
"Listen, Mikey, if I were you I'd shut my goddamned mouth, capisce? We're trying to work out where the fuck Craig is right now and all you care about is what my position is in the mafia?
That's something you shouldn't have to worry about."
"Oh but I do," he replied without an ounce of fear in his eyes and irritated Raye. Ignoring him as best as she could, Raye walked to the centre of the room, balling her hands into fists.
"Since all of you are useless and seem not to have a clue how important this guy is, I'll go find him myself and when I do it's going to be tight as a nun's knicker around here from then on. No more galavanting around on your free time, no more being idle. I'm tired of you useless turds." She spat, gazing at her uncle who chuckled at her words.
He was the only one in the room who probably wasn't scared of her. Her own cousins, his sons were and they had every right to be. When they were all younger, Raye was the hothead among them and loved pulling sick and twisted jokes resulting in them getting hurt- which her uncle Paul had a field day with. The only other person who didn't seem frightened by her venom was Mikey, but she knew she had more balls than he did.
Heading out of the building and then into her car, Raye made sure she had her weapon close by for just in case.
She might be going on a wild goose chase trying to find Craig she thought, pulling out of the street but on the other hand she felt like she already knew where he was.
Setting a course for Cassie's place she, drove fast. The whole ride her glare was deadpan and her anger still being there but tucked underneath the carpet of her mind. She didn't want to lose her cool just yet. She didn't want to lose her cool at all and hopefully, she didn't.