Mafia by Blood (wlw)

33 - Getaway

"Do you think we should resign from Olivia soon? We haven't had a meeting here for weeks now. And it's not like we need the money anyway," Madison said, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. She and Derek sat together in the office early in the morning, with no customers yet. Since her sister had come into the picture, more things had started happening at the villa as Capo wanted to stay close to Mac.

"I guess we should. It's taking too much time. I feel like I don't have time for everything I want to do," Derek replied, looking the blonde up and down.

"Oh? What is it that you don't have time for?" Madison raised her brows, having a feeling where this was heading.

"Taking you out on a date," Derek said boldly.

"I'm sure we can find some time for that," she winked, liking how direct he was. When it came to Madison's dating life, she hated games or beating around the bush. It was much better to be direct and go for what you wanted. A smirk spread across Derek's face as he stood up from the chair and approached Madison. Placing his hand on her inner thigh, he whispered in her ear, "Can't wait." Then he left the office to help the customer who had just entered.

                                                                                                                                ***

For the first time ever, Noelle was late. Mac leaned against the brick wall of her high school and checked her phone; still no messages from her. Another minute passed before a black-clad figure on a motorcycle sped into the parking lot. The rider didn't stop until they were right in front of Mac, who could already tell who the mysterious rider was. A smile spread across her face as Noelle took off her helmet and fixed her ponytail.

"I know I'm late, I'm sorry, but I couldn't find another helmet for you," the older girl said, handing Mac the spare helmet she had finally found.

"No worries. I didn't know you had a motorcycle," Mac said, studying the vehicle with her eyes and fingertips.

"I do," Noelle winked. "Now, get on." She extended her hand and helped Mac onto the motorcycle.

"Can I take your backpack?" Mac asked as she made herself comfortable, the only thing in her way being the backpack on Noelle's back. The older girl pulled the straps down her arms and handed it to Mac.

"Thanks," Mac said, scooting closer to Noelle and wrapped her arms around her waist. She had no idea where they were going, but that was one of the things she loved about Noelle—she was mystical.

Noelle started the engine again and took them out of the schoolyard and toward the highway. Mac's hair flew in the wind as they whizzed past cars. She clung to Noelle for dear life, who was going way over the speed limit. Not that Mac minded; she loved the adrenaline rush from the fast speed and trusted Noelle had full control over the vehicle.

After nearly an hour of driving, Noelle finally parked at the side of the road. She scanned her surroundings and saw no one in sight. She had been paying close attention to the mirrors to ensure they weren't being followed. A small gun was packed underneath her clothes, along with some knives, just in case. She intertwined their fingers and led the younger girl down a path that led to a beautiful, hidden spot—a field covered in flowers leading to a small, crystal-clear lake, surrounded by mountains.

"This place is beautiful," Mac said, taking in the breathtaking view.

"I know," Noelle winked and gently took the backpack from Mac, opening it to pull out a blanket. She spread it on the ground and laid out some snacks and sodas.

"How did you find this place?" Mac asked as they sat down and got comfortable. Noelle opened two soda cans and handed one to Mac.

"Maddie and I used to play here when we were kids. My brother Jacob too, sometimes. We used to live in a small house not far from here. It was the best foster home we ever lived in, and our last, until our foster parents... died in a fire. Maddie rescued my brother, who got stuck between the flames, but we couldn't save them," Noelle shared, memories of her troubled past swirling around in her mind. The younger girl listened carefully; Noelle was finally talking about her past for the first time, which Mac appreciated. She inched closer with the soda in her hand, placing her other hand lovingly on Noelle's thigh.

"I imagine that was hard for all of you. What happened next?" Mac paid close attention to Noelle's body language, looking for any sign of discomfort but found none.

"The fire came from Maddie's room, so she got all the blame. Now that I know who she really is, I think it might've been a murder attempt. We had no luck finding a family that wanted the three of us, and my brother and I refused to live in a home without Maddie, so we lived in a group home for a couple of years. But we hated it. The people working there treated us like criminals. It was around this time Capo 'found' us, or so we thought for many years. Now we know it wasn't a coincidence; I guess she decided Maddie was at the right age then, so she took us all in. Obviously, we didn't say no to living in a villa and getting everything we wanted," the older girl explained in detail, while Mac rested her head gently on Noelle's shoulder. She loved that the three of them had stuck together no matter what. Finally, she understood the bond between Noelle and Madison a little better.

"Do you regret it?" Mac asked, tilting her head slightly to look into Noelle's emerald eyes.

"Regret what?" Noelle asked, running her fingers through Mac's long, blonde hair.

"Accepting Michelle's offer."

"No. I have everything I could ever want. I probably also wouldn't have met you. I do wonder where I would've been sometimes, but no. I don't regret it," Noelle said, pulling Mac even closer. "What about you? Do you regret moving here now that you know everything?"

"Not at all. I finally know the truth about who I am, and although it's scary as hell, I'd rather know it than be living a lie with an alcoholic father," Mac said, taking a sip of her soda.

"I can understand that. I felt like my life completely changed once Capo revealed her identity, so I can't even begin to think how it must've been for you," Noelle said, placing a soft kiss on Mac's forehead before crawling back to her backpack and grabbing some chocolate.

"Yeah. I appreciate you sharing about your past. I know you don't like to talk about it," Mac said, her eyes landing on Noelle's lips unintentionally, which the dark-haired girl caught.

"Well, I think it's important to be open with my girlfriend about my past," Noelle said, biting her lower lip.

Mac arched her eyebrows, "So I'm your girlfriend?"

"Yes. I mean, yes?" Noelle asked awkwardly.

Mac brought her hands to Noelle's face and pulled her in for a quick kiss. "Yes."