Guns and Roses

Twelve ~ Rya

I can't believe he wants me to bring Matthew.

I swipe on a coat of dark red lipstick and muss up my waves slightly before pulling a few strands of hair from my lips that got caught on the lipstick.

The door opens and I see Matthew appear in the reflection. "You ready?" He asks me. His tone is blunt, a tone he's never used with me before.

I nod and grab my clutch before following him from the house. My cheek is still throbbing but I say nothing. When we make it to the foyer, Rafa is sitting on the stairs holding a joint between his split lips.

He had thrown a punch at me last night and I sent one straight back. He doesn't seem to remember, that, or he doesn't care.

We walk out and get into my car. Matthew fixes his blazer collar and sits back. Neither of us say anything until we've pulled out onto the road. I toss the note from Santiago out the window and close it again.

"Liam said that you're still selling behind Angels" I say, breaking the awkward silence "I didn't see you the other night though"

That was as close as I am ever going to admit that I was looking for him. Today was so quiet without him. Usually we would do something together on a Saturday but not this week.

He sniffs and wipes his nose with the back of his hand. "Glove compartment" I tell him.

He opens it up and pulls out the box of tissues that's been there since we got together in the winter when he got sick a lot.

I catch the smile in his face as he sees them but it's gone after he blows his nose. "There's a girl that's claimed the spot during the weekend. Mostly I visit my customers now"

I nod and pull into the car park of the hotel. Neither of us say anything again.

"I shouldn't have left" he says quietly as I reach for my seatbelt. "You were upset and I should have stayed with you"

I unclip my belt and get out of the car without a word. I don't want to talk about that night. I don't want to think about how much it hurt after he left.

He steps in front of me before I can make it to the hotel. "Rya" he says and strokes my cheek before cupping my face "I still love you"

I love you too.

But I don't say the words. I've never said the words. He told me that he loved me over and over for the past month or so and never once asked that I say it back.

What I feel for Matthew is completely new and strange and I don't know what it is. Saying the words seems dangerous- like I'm giving him a piece of myself. Becoming vulnerable in a way that I never have before.

It terrifies me.

He doesn't want a verbal response and starts to lean in. The combination of his skin on mine and our closeness is like a drug and I'm leaning in towards him until our lips collide in a passionate and desperate kiss.

His hands drop to my waist and pulls me closer to him and my hands go to his face and hold him to me. When our kiss breaks I rest my forehead against his "I've missed you" I tell him.

He smiles and squeezes my hip "We're going to be late" he whispers.

We scurry into the hotel and are escorted to our table where my heart starts to race for an entirely different reason.

Santiago strolls over as confident as ever and takes his place in front of us. He's an older man, maybe in his late 40s, early 50s and is an arrogant prick.

He is one of the most powerful men in the world with both the Russian and Italian mafia relying on his little empire to supply drugs. The Italians in America and the Russians in Europe - a good arrangement between us that stops all hell from breaking loose.

"Matthew" he greets and glances at me but doesn't acknowledge me verbally. He never does.

I sit forward and kick the briefcase along the floor to him. "Same arrangement as always? I take it your men will deliver tonight?"

He smiles at me in a condescending manner that has my blood boiling "Calm down, little girl. Relax, smile" I continue to glare at him and he shrugs me off "Just you sit there and keep looking pretty while I discuss this with Matthew"

Matthew looks a little uncomfortable. He doesn't really understand the transaction that's going on and there's no way he can bullshit his way through this. "I really think you should speak with Rya about this. She's the boss around here"

Santiago looks back at me with a small smirk and a surprised look in his eyes. "Really? I guess, with your father in prison and your grandfather dead there wasn't really any other option"

"You have your money," I tell him quickly before I shoot him with the gun in my clutch. "Will you deliver your end or not?"

He nods "The deal will be carried out the same way it has for the past few decades" He reaches down beneath the table and picks up the briefcase and had a quick glance inside.

At the corner of my eye, at the top of the stairs, I see a crouched figure watching us through the banister but they don't see me looking.

What the hell is Quinn doing here?

A few tables over, a man gets to his feet and pulls something black out of his back pocket. "GET DOWN!" I shout at Matthew and Santiago and then the shooting starts.