Ruthless ; B•E

Eighteen

"Where's Aliza?" Alexander asked while walking into Billie's house.
   "In the garage. Learning how to weld." Billie awkwardly answered back while leading him to the garage.
   "Bil I did it- oh hi." Aliza lifted her head up and removed the welding mask only to see her older brother.
     "Why is she welding? It's not safe."  Alexander whispered while walking further into the garage.
   "The girl is twenty years old Alexander. I think she knows what's safe for her. Minnie don't you think it's time to take it a break and drink some water?" Billie asked while unplugging the welding machine from the wall.
   "I guess so." Aliza took off the mask completely and tossed the gloves on top.    
   "I see you got your dream car." Alexander cleared his throat while walking around the car.
    "Yeah." Aliza quietly replied.
  "You don't know much about how are you going to get it on the track without a mechanic?"
    "Actually. Um. Im rebuilding it from scratch." Aliza said and then she walked into the house meanwhile Billie was receiving the nastiest look from Aliza's brother.
    "What? Are you seriously mad that she's happy?" Billie growled while closing the hood of the car.
    "She'd be happier at home Billie. It's been almost an entire year that she's been gone."
   "It's her choice. Don't force it." Billie walked away and met Aliza in the kitchen.
   "There's sandwiches in the fridge." Billie said while walking away.
   After Alexander left and Billie was relaxing Aliza went back into the garage and found herself welding once again. 
    This time she finally perfected it and then moved on to gutting the car from its parts.
   She pulled the motor out with a cherry picker of course and moved on to the rest.
   Until everything was out.
By now about four hours have passed and she was getting tired.
    Aliza went back into the house and took a quick shower but Billie knocked on the door.
   "Come in." Aliza said through the splashing of the water.
    "I'm heading out for a bit, dinners on the table." She spoke.
   "Okay. Be safe." Aliza responded.
  "I'm not going out yet."
   Aliza turned off the water and Billie handed her a towel and turned her back so Aliza can step out of the shower.
    Aliza wrapped the towel around herself and Billie walked out of the bathroom, allowing Aliza to get dressed and finally Aliza came out.
    "Why are you waiting? You usually just leave." Aliza asked while sitting on the bed while Billie loaded her gun.
   "Because now I have someone to tell me to be safe while I'm out. Come here." Billie said while turning around and tucking her gun into the holster on her waist.
    Aliza got up and walked toward Billie who opened her arms.
    "I'll be back in an hour or two. Just gonna take care of some business Kay?" Billie's voice was calm and sweeter than usual.
   Aliza nodded and Billie pulled away from the hug and quickly pecked her lips.
    "Don't forget about your dinner okay?" Billie swept the loose hairs out of Aliza's face and kissed her cheek before leaving the house. And after aliza ate her dinner she sat down in the couch and read a book.   
   But she had fallen asleep.
That while two hours of Billie being gone Aliza slept. But once she got home she carefully removed the girl from the couch and took her up to bed before she went to shower.
After Billie showered she didn't notice that Aliza was awake while she was on her way to her office to hopefully get some work done but Aliza followed her.
"Can I come in?" Aliza asked while knocking on the door.
"Yeah, come in Minnie."
Aliza walked in and Billie patted her lap. Aliza climbed onto her lap and rested her head on Billie's chest while she worked in silence.
"Hows the car coming along?" Billie asked while typing.
"My transmission has a leak. I think it might be the gasket but I'm not one hundred percent sure."
Billie gave a slight chuckle and held Aliza closer to her while she typed with her free hand.
   "Are you happy here Aliza?" Billie paused and scooted the laptop away from her to fully focus her attention on the young girl.
   "Of course I am. I don't really get yelled at or threatened. I cry less..." Aliza trailed off, listing things she likes about being here with Billie.
    "And when you got to know me and how sensitive I am you changed your whole demeanor towards me." She added.
   Billie's heart melted and she just hugged Aliza.
"I promise I'll always try to understand you ma. And you're safe here and I'll protect you." 
    Billie's soft side was so extremely comforting. It made Aliza feel like she finally mattered. But that all went downhill the next morning.
   Billie wasn't home and Aliza was in the garage trying to find the leak in her transmission and someone walked into the garage.   
    He was tall, but not as tall as Alexander.
He had a mask on but she could see the piercing green color of his eyes. 
    He had a knife in his hand, clutched tightly against his side.
   "Take the mask off and tell me where Billie is." His cold voice rumbled through Aliza's body making her shiver.
    "I-I. She isn't here." Aliza's voice was so small and shaky.
   She didn't know what to do other than to run inside and quickly snatch her gun from the nightstand in the bedroom.
   But by then she had a knife in her back.  
She yelped and pulled the trigger, shooting him right in between his eyes, leaving blood dripping off of Aliza's face.   
    She stood there.
In complete unbelief.   
   She pulled the knife out and sat against the wall crying while trying to call Billie. 
   Her small hands were shaking with every number she dialed.
   And before you know it Billie was running inside, shouting Aliza's name while checking every single room until she ran into the bedroom.
    "Shit. Cmere baby." Billie helped Aliza up and lifted her off of the ground bridal style while applying pressure to her wound.
    "Calm down. You're alright. It's not bad I promise. I'm getting you help." Billie ran her outside and gently placed her in the backseat of the car before whipping it out of the driveway and speeding to the hospital.
    "You're okay. You're okay Liza. I promise you're okay." Billie grunted while carrying her into the hospital.
    The nurses crowed around Aliza as Billie lifted her onto the gurney and they took her in the back.
   Billie couldn't stay though. 
She was at risk of being caught by the police here.
  She took a deep breath and ran out the exit door and back into her car.
   She waited for hours.
Hours on end until finally Aliza called her.

"Billie?"

"Hi baby... are you okay? How many stitches?"

Poor Billie was so worried.
   She feels at fault for this entire thing.

"Yeah... I'm okay. I got 7 stitches. It was a small stab just like you promised."

Billie could hear the small smile in Aliza's voice.
   She took a deep, calming breath and went inside to retrieve the girl and bring her home.  
   By then Billie had her mafia family come in and dispose of the body and clean every inch of the room, making sure not to leave the smallest drop of blood.
  "Give me your hand." Billie said while reaching over the center console.
   Billie intertwined her fingers with Aliza's and held her hand tightly, occasionally giving a reassuring squeeze.
    "It's going to be okay. We're gonna go back to Los Angeles soon."
   Once they arrived at Billie's house Alexander, Elijah, Natasha and Vincent were standing outside with worried expressions in their faces.
   You know, all except for Alexander.
He had a look of anger, his eyebrows were furrowed and his face was fuming red.    
    Billie carried Aliza out of the car and set her down on the stairs. Everyone walked up to Billie.   
   "You lied when you said she was safe here with you. Natasha, go get Aliza's belongings and put them in the car. She's coming home." Alexander's voice was so hoarse and angry.
  Aliza looked at Billie with her eyes wide and glossy.
   Before Billie could say anything Aliza stood up and took a deep breath.
   "I'm not going anywhere with you. Living with you is torture and the whole time I was there I thought to myself... hm. Maybe everything would be better if you actually drug the knife across my throat and let me bleed out." Aliza walked calmly inside and fell on to her knees.
    She cried so hard.
There was nothing anyone could do about how she was feeling in this moment.   
    She was feeling guilt and regret for being alive.
"Come here Minnie." Billie sniffled quietly while sitting on the couch.
    Billie embraced Aliza, gently of course due to her injury.
    "You don't have to go anywhere you don't want to okay? It's your choice and... I'm so glad that you're alive. It makes something inside of me feel so special that you choose me over anyone with your life and... I- i love you."
    Aliza had never heard Billie say those three words.
   It made her stomach drop.
Aliza cried harder while trying to get out the words she wants to say.
   "I love you more." Was all she could get out of her tired lungs.
    "Look at me. Cmon. Look at me Minnie." Billie whispered.
    She lifted her head up, looking into Billie's eyes with tears still flowing out of her own.
    Billie wiped Aliza's tears with her thumbs and pulled her in for a very gentle kiss.
     "Stop all that crying now. Everything is okay."