Treacherous.

17

I debated letting him have this power over me again, but if I'm being honest he never lost it.

"I've been working with this lady." He nodded. "She was in a tough spot- I mean I did shoot her husband." He shrugged, making my eyes go wide with surprise. "She had to chose between me or a cop that was closing in on us... She chose the cop."

He was watching my fingers twirl my fork around my plate. I dropped it, getting his attention.

He watched me for a moment then continued.

"Put three bullets in me."

Everything about his story sounded personal to me. He involved her husband. She shot him. The fact that she's a woman.

"Why?" I shook my head.

"She wanted to save her own ass." He answered easily, reaching forward to cut a piece of french toast and lift it to my lips.

"Really?" I asked, looking down at the fork. "That's it?"

"Whatchu mean?" He turned the fork, bringing it to his own lips.

I ignored the tingling in my gut at the lips that I really did miss.

"Sounds personal." I bit my lip, hoping I was wrong. But at the sight of his jaw slowing and his gaze falling, I knew I wasn't wrong.

"Cause it was? Wasn't it?" I skewed my lips to the side and pushed down the I-Told-You-So feeling that feeling that overwhelmed me.

"It was." He nodded. "It ain't like that anymore. Just business Mami."

"Even after she shot you?" I raised my eyebrows.

"I'm not saying I'm working with her. Whatever happens next is just business."

"Well I don't..." I shook my head. "I don't want anything to do with that." I spoke before he could explain anything else.

He leaned forward to sit his chin on his fist, and look at me.

"Who was he?" He asked again.

"Ah ah." I shook my head. "So she shot you? Where have you been for the past two months Rio?"

"Healing up. The cop saved me, made me take a deal so I don't do no time."

"So you turned her in?" I squinted, not following his vague description.

"Nah, I got my half of the deal and cut him loose." His eyes glanced up at me, as if testing to see how much I wanted to hear.

The apparent disgust in my face obviously told him I'd heard enough.

He was quiet until he let out a sigh and stood to move around the counter.

My body couldn't help but relax into his touch, as he closed his hands over my upper arms.

"Are you okay now?" I breathed, closing my eyes.

"I'm fine mama." His breath was warm over my shoulders. I could feel him moving closer, ready to press his lips against my neck. "Who was he?"

My eyes popped open, and I clenched my jaw. "Why do you care, Rio?"

"You must have me mistaken?" He stood up, coaxing a gasp from me as he tugged my seat out.

I glared up at him, seeing his awaiting eyes.

"He was some guy my parents work with. I met him on Christmas."

Rio didn't expect to actually be hurt by her answer. Of course it would be some random man but not someone her family would know. Not someone that would probably be a way better fit for her than him. And something about her spending two holidays with this guy made Rio's heart plummet.

"And I'm not gonna explain myself to you-"

"How was he?" Rio took a step forward leaning one of his hips against the counter, keeping me in my seat.

"Stop-"

"Come on. How was he?" He lifted his hand to place his fingers over the base of my neck. My body responded to the soft touch as if he had never left.

"He was nothing like you." I muttered. "He was soft and sweet."

He made a face at my words and smacked his lips.

"I can be sweet." He tilted his head.

"Since when?" I rolled my eyes.

"Since you."

My heart skipped a beat and I shook my head, repressing the new, featherlight feeling in my chest.

I lifted my hand to push it against his chest, and get him to step back. His hand left me to hold my hand against his chest.

"Come on Isabel." He sighed, finally smiling. "I'm sorry, let me make it up to you."

"Rio I'm serious." I shook my head. "You scared the shit out of me." I still couldn't believe he was really in front of me.

Rio lifted my hand in his and brought my knuckles to his lips.

"I'm sorry, Mami. I couldn't exactly call." He tugged me from my seat, pulling me into him.

"Never again." I met his eyes.

"Never." He huffed, dropping his hands to grip my sides and lift me onto the counter. "Now come on." He whined. "I missed these lips."

I shook my head, knowing it was stupid to just forgive him but he had crushed all of my willpower with a kiss to my neck.

I let out a breath, lifting my feet on to edge of the counter. My hand found the back of his neck, holding him as close as he could possibly get. His slightly longer facial hair was driving me to my wits end.

He trailed his kisses from my neck up to my chin and met my lips. They seemed warmer and plumper than I had remembered. His hands moved passed my thighs to lock my legs around himself.

"I missed you." I admitted through a heavy breath.

"I know you did." He let out a smirk.

It didn't take much to escalate our reunion seeing as I was already in my robe.

"Been a while, huh?" I let out a pant, working my fingers around his belt.

"All the better." He watched my fingers work and lifted his hands to tuck my loose hair behind my ears.

Rio watched her soft, eager eyes as they flicked between him and his belt. He held back a smile at her flustered state and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her again. He wanted a new side of her. A new side of both of them.

He kicked her bedroom door behind him and laid her at the end of the mattress.

Rio wanted to enjoy every moment of her and worship her body. He knew he couldn't make up for the time they had lost, but he would do his best.

Rio coaxed one last gasp from me, getting me to release my death grip on my sheets.

I sat up, grabbing at his shoulders to tug him up to meet my lips. His tongue was eager to meet mine and share the taste he'd surely missed.

He was different this time, there was no hair tugging, or grabbing and spanking. He was soft. And though I definitely preferred the real, unrestrained Rio- I thought it was sweet.