Hello, Who is this?

40) Where do we go from here

Riley was sore and tired still when the sun light woke her. She was startled to find herself alone in bed. She was a light sleeper and hadn't been sleeping well for the last month worrying about Michael and having to possibly work with her one time best friends and family. She had told her soulmates that the girls hated her now but she really didn't know. She hadn't spoken to them since Maze saw her with Lucifer. It worried her more than she would admit to anyone. 

After getting up, she looked around their personal space and opted to get dressed when Friday informed her they were in the common area of the living floors. "Thanks Iron Lady." Riley decided on a pair of comfy leggings and one of Steve's shirts due to comfort. 

"I told you before, it isn't something I will condone. When she tells us herself, then and only then will we see it that way. She has always been a member of our family. Our daughter calls her mama Ree. If she truly wants nothing to do with us, then she will have to say so herself. I have a feeling it wasn't her who blocked or numbers and it wasn't her who added us to the banned list of this tower. Does she even know that you four cut us out of her life so completely?"

Riley paused in the doorway having heard the rant. Had her mates truly cut her family off without telling her and making her feel as if they hated her. Chloe was never one to confront needlessly so if she was the one ranting like she was, that meant that she was beyond furious. As Riley listened though, she realized Chloe wasn't the only one. She, herself was equally furious at the turn of events. 

Clearing her throat, she made her presence known as she walked into the room to face not only her mates but also Lucifer and his mates as well. She watched as her mates paled and Lucifer seemed to get more sad while Chloe appeared to be more smug as Maze watched on with a raised brow. The women knew that Ry was not one to mess with but also knew that she was hurting in many ways. 

"Well, that is very true Chloe, I didn't do any of that. I spent the last month thinking you and Maze hated me now. I knew Lucifer would wait for me to make the first move and I couldn't yet. I felt horrible for using you Lucifer. I know it was both of our idea to keep them from looking but it hurt on so many levels. I love you but not like that." 

Lucifer simply waved his hand at her to silence her for a moment. "Ry, you are more family than anything and while you are a lovely woman and drop dead gorgeous, I had to think of my mates every moment of the interaction in order to sell it." Riley laughed hard and smiled widely at him. "I did too."

All four of her mates seemed to perk up at the admission from both of them. Before Tony could say a word though, Riley silenced him with a glare. 

"We all could have had this settled a few weeks ago had we been able to contact one another. I thought they had blocked my number too. I am going to guess that was your doing, right Mister Stark?" 

Tony scratched the back of his neck before crossing his arms and staring right back at her. "I was afraid we would lose you if you talked to those you had trusted more than us."

"More than you? I trusted him to play a part so as to keep you safe. Did none of you ever do something you didn't like in order to protect those you care about? Maybe give your daughter someone else's last name? Perhaps kiss a teammate in order to keep your cover? Oh! Fake your death a time or two so that nobody suspected you to be alive and threaten your family? Nothing at all like kissing a friend to keep your mates safe, you're right."

All of her mates looked away and thought about what she said. Bucky looked back and told her her was sorry for keeping more secrets immediately after promising there wouldn't be any more.

Turning from her mates, she faced her friends. "I think we need to discuss this stuff later. I will ensure you have the ability to get ahold of me as needed but, first things first, Michael. He is working with Hydra on a project called Centipede. We need to work together to take him out of the picture and shut the project down. I am working with N-Fury to keep Rumlow in his cell and nowhere near the actual fight. His job is to provide info and nothing more, at least if I can help it."

Lucifer stood and straightened his sleeves before clearing his throat and eyeing the entire group. His eyes lingering on Steve and Tony more than the others. "Michael is a special case. Always jealous of me but never realizing he had it easier than most. All he ever wanted was what wasn't his. He slept with Maze just to prove we were the same but she realized it wasn't me and kicked his ass all the way to a different country. When he returned, I ensured nobody would mistake him for me again. He now sports a long scar along his face. I am not one to be trifled with either."

"What could he want with a program that creates enhanced super soldiers though?" 

"That is a good question but I honestly don't know why my brother does half of what he does. However, we need to keep any connection between Riley and myself as discreet as possible. He already tries to manipulate my mates, I don't want him ruining my friendship with her any more than it already is."

Loki smiled a small mischievous smile before asking the man before him; "How could he ruin something that is already long lost?"

Riley's brows furrowed as she considered the question. Tony looked smug as he turned to face Lucifer and hear his answer. Bucky was watching Riley and discretely wrapped his hand around her wrist as a small gesture of support. Steve was watching Lucifer's mates who had been awfully quiet since Riley walked out. He had a feeling they weren't as okay with her as they were pretending to be. 

"Honestly alien boy, I can think of a few ways. Number one being kidnapping her and making it seem like I couldn't take no for an answer. Number two going something along the lines of forcing himself on her and claiming it was me. Riley has been through too much in her life to be subjected to the likes of my brother. He is not a good person in any way. His only redeeming quality was that he had my devilish good looks. Now even that is denied him. So, no, Riley is to be nowhere near him. I'm sure you all understand that. Who had to interrogate the trash we brought in last month?"

Riley gulped because she knew she was about to make the devil angry. "I-I did. I went in and got him talking and even agree to help Shield with information. He has been providing info all month and apparently offered to be a mole for Shield when it came to Michael."

Lucifer physically deflated and softened as he listened to her. He was hurting for his friend but he knew he couldn't hold her like he used to without someone reading too far into it now. "How did you manage that Ry?"

Riley gave a small smile and turned towards the other women in the room. "I am sorry that I cost us our friendship. You two have been my sister's over the years and I hope we can work together on this. I am very sorry for the pain and anger I have caused you."

Chloe silenced her with a hand gesture before looking her in her eyes. "No, you misunderstand. We aren't mad or hurt that you used Lucifer to ensure your mate's safety. We are hurt and angry that we weren't told of the plan or offered to help you on the mission. We love you because you are our family too. We never even considered it to be a real thing between you two. It wasn't like you at all and we wanted to help you too." Maze came up next to Chloe and together they hugged. Chloe cried while Maze held onto her. Riley wrapped her arms around them both and asked if it was okay to have Trixie come over with Morgan later that night. She needed to see her makeshift daughter too. It had been a very long month without her. They all laughed at the idea and decided to let the LA Pack stay the night in the tower if it was easier for everyone while they planned their next move.