COHABITATION

11

Val woke with her heart pounding, another dream––or rather, nightmare––about Luca and their last fight. She hadn't allowed herself to let him occupy space in her mind since he died, simply not being able to take the heartache that came with it. And now? She was dreaming about it.

The burning warehouse and hearing his cry, the heat of the flames that kept her at bay, and the red licorice twists left laying neatly on the front doorstep.

She opened her eyes and for the first time in days didn't feel sick to her stomach, or at least not ill. Rio's warmth against her back brought her back from her hellscape of a nightmare, oh right, now he knows.

Although the old pain she had buried deep for years is back, Val figured maybe it could be therapeutic. Maybe she could learn to mourn her brother, let go of her anxiety and hurt.

He didn't know everything, but maybe letting him in a little like this was okay, maybe things could be good for once. Even as she thought the words that she knew couldn't be true, she had a small hope in her heart.

The urge to pee was the only thing that forced her to leave the bed, gently lifting Rio's arm and placing it back on the bed.

Trying to stay asleep she kept the bathroom light off and left the door open a small bit. She was still reeling from calling Rio her brother's name. Rio had a way of spotting the cracks in her defense mechanisms and breaking them wide open.

Though she guessed they were both doing that for each other. She decided to take her temp, figuring she had finally broken the neverending fever. While waiting for the thermometer to beep, she was startled by Rio's voice in the bedroom.

It was soft, was he sleep talking? She tiptoed to the door and peeked out of the slim opening.

She was surprised to see the bed empty, but soon spotted him near the window, on his phone.

"Mick. I can't hear a thing you say, told you to quit callin' me from your car's bluetooth," He's almost whispering, and Val nearly lets a laugh slip at his irritation.

"What the hell's Dags doin' in Belleville?" She glances down at his hand that is now in a tight fist against his leg.

Belleville? She didn't know any areas in Detroit with that name.

"Dead or alive, Dags better be in my eyesight in 24 hours," Rio's voice ran eerily rough, her heart skipped a beat as she finally saw the man who ran a gang.

"Do whatever's necessary, I'on care how it happens," Rio clicked his phone off and tossed it on the bed before running a palm over his face.

Not even letting his phone sit there for a moment, he turned around and grabbed it again. Making quick work of a number, the phone was back against his ear. He worried his bottom lip as it rang, she could hear the dull sound from where she was still hiding.

A muffled voice answered and spoke a few words before Rio barked, "Above your paygrade," before muttering a curse word in spanish under his breath.

A moment later Rio's back straightened, his stance was tense, he feared whoever was just put on the line.

"Just had an update," His voice lacked the controlled anger that it usually held, always simmering just below the surface. He spoke to this person with respect, Val's eyebrows shot up as she realized that this could potentially be Rio's boss.

A sudden thought popped into her head. How much of her life had she shared with Rio versus how much he had shared with her? She knew almost nothing about him.