TIGERLILLY- THE BRAVO BOYS [book two]

Chapter FIFTY EIGHT

River O'riley

...three days later...

We coast though the downtown streets heading towards her father's private airstrip by the river where the trade is set to take place, a contemplative quiet shrouding the cab of the sedan when suddenly Frankie reaches down to the gearshift, placing her hand over mine...

I've seen her sad before, I've seen her fearful and I've seen her happy, but today I'm not sure what she is.. Quiet and lost in her own thoughts, she gives nothing away.. Unreadably blank and eerily calm, she reminds me now of her father.. I can see him in her eyes.. Stoic and steely.. Ever since we climbed out of bed this morning she has been a walking question mark to me and whenever I attempt to understand or ask what the matter is, she dismisses the question with a simple joyless smile and answers with single one word responses..

The constant silence and stillness makes my teeth itch and my muscles tense, only now broken by her comforting touch and contrasting whispered warning.. "I have a terrible feeling- something bad is going to happen tonight, Tiger.."

I glance over at her, certain I should take her prediction into account.. "Bad like how, Wallflower?"

"I told you- I don't see how.." She answers with a discontented sigh that sinks to the pit of my stomach where it sits, heavy as a lead lure.. "I see what.. I see the outcome- the destination- not the journey.. The future is not fixed, it is fluid that flows on from a moment.. A moment just like this one.."

"It's a little late to turn back now, baby.." I shift in my seat, uncomfortable, her warning wreaking havoc on my confidence.. "Maybe ye' nervous and it's mixing up ye' signals.." I smile, trying to make light of my concerns and her observations.. Truthfully, I have a bad feeling myself, but I'm not about to cause her any more anxiety..

Fair Xiao is not a man known to show mercy, and culturally I know there is little chance he would ever approve of me taking his daughter's hand.. If I were honest with myself, that's the reason I proposed to her, knowing it would be my only chance to express just how much I love her before she is convinced that there is a far more appropriate and deserving match for her elsewhere..

"Maybe.." She hums doubtfully.. "Or maybe you just don't want to admit that you know as well as I do how this ends.."

I pull up at a stop light, struggling to keep my angst in check.. "What? Ends? Why would ye' say that?"

What would I do without her?
How could I keep living?
How would I ever be able to breathe again?

It was one thing to have never know this feeling, this relentless sense of need and want that wraps me up in her.. But to return to the meaningless existence I had been living before Frankie would be impossible..

Losing her could so easily break me..

"I want to believe so badly that we will be together forever.." She fidgets with the shiny golden engagement ring on her finger and stares blankly out the window.. "But this feeling- This knowing- I can't ignore it.."

When the light turns green I ignore it and the car behind us starts to honk angrily.. Nothing around us matters as I reach across to take her face in my hands, bringing her beautiful almond eyes back to mine.. "Have I ever let ye' down before, baby? Have I given ye' a reason not to trust me?"

"No.." She mumbles.. "Never.."

"Then believe in us, Frankie.. Believe in me.."

"I do.." She gives me a watery smile, so brave and sweet that all I can do is lean in and kiss her perfect, pouty mouth..