Gangster's Paradise // Rio (Good Girls)

23. buy more time

Isla groaned as she turned to the side, her hand reaching up to massage her pounding temple. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked around the room, realizing she didn't even remember how she got home last night or how she ended up in her bed.

With aching muscles, Isla slowly sat up, feeling the sickness twist in her stomach. She regretted whatever she had done the previous night, although her memory was hazy at best. All she could recall was that Rio had been there, and she had probably engaged in things she shouldn't have.

Isla got out of bed and made her way slowly to the kitchen, rubbing her eyes along the way. She reached into the medicine cabinet, grabbing some aspirin to alleviate her headache. Afterward, she poured herself a cup of coffee and put the medicine in her mouth, preparing to wash it down. However, she paused mid-gulp, her eyes fixed on the coffee, as she swallowed hard and realized she hadn't even made it.

"How are you feeling, Mama?" his voice came from behind her. Isla tightly gripped the coffee cup in her hands before slowly turning to look at him. He sat there, lightly petting Buddy on the head.

"Queasy," Isla replied, sitting down her cup. "What are you doing here?" she asked, walking around the counter and leaning against it, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

""Axel and Emma, they had the nerve to call me up this morning, all desperate and whiny. They were blabbering about being done, not wanting to play the game anymore," Rio chuckled dryly. "Well, I ain't one to let go that easily. Gave 'em a damn week to scrape up the rest of the cash they owe me. Let's see if those two clowns can hustle their way out of this mess." Isla's heart dropped. She knew that they had earned a significant amount working for him, but she also knew it was far too much to come up with in just a week.

"And if they can't come up with it?" Isla asked, her voice trembling as she took a slow, shaky breath. Rio's dark eyes met hers as he maintained a calm expression.

"We ain't dealing with 'ifs' here, Isla," Rio replied. It felt as if her world began to crumble once again, and tears welled up in her eyes as she placed her hand on her pounding head.

"You can't," Isla whispered, her voice almost pleading as she looked at him with teary eyes. "Please, you can't. You know there's no way they can come up with that money in a week."

"One week," he said, making his way over to her. He gently rubbed his thumb under her eyes to wipe away the tears. "They knew what it was when they first started, and they understood the risk they were taking when they asked to get out." Isla shook her head and backed away from him. Her hands ran under her eyes, wiping her cheeks as they came down to her trembling lips. Slowly, she lifted her hand and pointed at him.

"Get out," she said in a low voice, but he didn't move. "Get the fuck out!" Isla raised her voice, growing louder and more desperate.

"I'll see you in a week," Rio replied calmly and walked out. Isla covered her mouth with her hands, feeling her stomach clench even harder. She couldn't hold it back anymore. She ran over to the sink, pulling back her hair, and vomited. She wasn't going to let this happen. Taking a deep breath, she wiped her mouth with her hand and grabbed her keys, making her way out the door.

Her first stop was the gun store. Although Isla didn't particularly like guns, she understood the importance of knowing how to use one properly, especially if it came down to protecting her brother and sister. With a determined mindset, she entered the store and spoke to the knowledgeable staff about her needs.

Afterward, Isla headed to the bank. She needed to explore all possible options to gather the necessary funds within a week. She discussed her situation with a bank representative, explaining the urgency and exploring potential solutions. She knew it was a long shot, but she had to exhaust every possibility to save her family from the impending consequences.

As Isla walked out of the bank, clutching the bag tightly as she hurried towards her car. She had made up her mind – she was not going to let him hurt them. Over the past four years of her residency, she had diligently saved a significant amount from each paycheck. In addition to that, she had been approved for a personal loan, bringing her total to approximately $170,960.

Originally, Isla had planned to use this money to pay off her student loans, but circumstances had changed. After what Rio said this morning, she realized she had to prioritize her safety and that of her brother and sister.

She knew what she had to do. Isla decided to give the money to her siblings so they could pay off Rio and ensure his departure from their lives. She couldn't take the risk of this happening. Although it meant postponing her plans to pay off her student loans, she was confident that with time, she would be able to save up once more.

As Isla reached her car, she took a deep breath. Determination filled her eyes as she started the engine.

She shifted her car into Drive and sped off towards axle's house. Arriving in a rush, Isla grabbed the bag of money flung open her car door and hurried to the front door. Without bothering to knock, she swung it open and entered, finding Emma and axle standing there.

"How much more do you have to pay off to him?" Isla demanded, walking straight up to them.

"Well, he said not to tell you," emma hesitated, but Isla cut her off abruptly.

"I don't care! I don't care what he said!" Isla exclaimed, pulling up the turtleneck around her neck to hide her bruised skin. "Look, will $170,960 be enough?" she asked, her eyes searching theirs for a glimmer of hope.

"What? I... I..." emma trailed off, as she looked to axle

"It's barely half of it," Axel said, looking down. Isla's tears streamed down her face.

"We need to get more time," Isla said through her sobs. "I'm going to buy you more time." She stood up from the chair, grabbed the bag of money, and looked at them. "Axel, do you know where he lives?"

"I mean, yeah, but Isla, you can't—" Axel started, but she cut him off.

"Tell me where he lives!" Isla's voice was filled with determination and desperation. She was willing to do whatever it took to find a solution, even if it meant confronting the person who held their fate in his hands.