Savage Romance: A Rio FanFic

Chapter 29

When my Uber pulled up to Rhea's mom's house, I was shaking like fucking crazy. I just wanted my baby girl. I needed her in my arms to really believe she was okay. I couldn't even let my mind go to the dark places where my husband was or could be. I was sent a text on my burner when I landed that after I ensured our daughter was safe, I was to head up to a cabin in Big Bear to wait for Rio. 

I knocked on the front door and took in the Los Angeles sunset. It was beautiful here, but honestly, all the beautiful scenery in the world didn't mean shit to me without my family. 

When Rhea answered the door, she had Izzy hoisted on her hip. I had only been separated from my baby for only a week, and she already looked bigger. Tears started to well up in my eyes as she reached for me. I took her into my arms and kissed her forehead. She was so beautiful, and her little face made my heart melt. 

"Hi, my baby girl. Hello." I cooed. I hugged Rhea with my free arm and kissed her cheek. 

"I'm so glad you are okay." She said into my hair. 

"I can't stay long. I just had to come and say goodbye." 

"Wait, I am confused. I thought you were going to stay here?" Rhea asked. 

"I was supposed to, but I got a text on my burner telling me to head up to Big Bear. My Uber is waiting. Listen, Rhea. I don't know how long I will be gone. I don't know where I am even going. Rio and I being around you all are too dangerous. Take care of my daughter. If I don't make it back to her, promise me you'll love her like she is yours." I said, Rhea, nodding her head.

"I already do." She said, her eyes welling up with tears. 

"Where's Marcus?" I asked. 

"Already asleep."

"Okay, hug him from momma Andy. Tell him we love him. Eddie is getting it together, but we are sending you money. A lot of it. Use it for whatever you guys need." I said, giving her one last hug. "Take care of yourself," I said, handing Izzy back to Rhea. The minute my baby was no longer in my arms, I instantly felt a gaping hole in my heart. It crushed me. 

When I made it up to the Big Bear cabin, I tipped my driver and headed inside. The cabin was nice, small, and honestly looked like it hadn't been lived in for months. I walked around the cabin, dropping my messenger bag to the ground. I paced back and forth, knowing damn well I wouldn't be able to relax until Rio was here. 

Just as I was getting ready to call him on the burner, which I knew not to do, I heard tires coming up the gravel driveway. I saw the headlights peek through the sheer curtains in the living room, and I stopped in my tracks. I took my Glock out and stood by the door, ready to shoot if I needed to. I watched the door open to the side of me slowly, and my heart started to race. I honestly wasn't sure if it could even be Rio because that would have been quick. Just as I started to raise my gun, I saw Rio turn to shut the door. He deadbolted all of the locks, and my panic somehow increased. I exhaled in relief and put the safety on. I shoved my piece in my jeans and threw myself into his arms. He sighed into my hair and kissed my forehead. 

"What the fuck is happening?" I pleaded. 

"Sit down, babe. It's a long story." Rio said as he led me over to the sofa. He sat me down and sat across from me on the coffee table. He put his hands on my knees and caressed my leg. He looked at me, looking like he wasn't sure how to speak. "Gretchen..." He started to say. 

"Your former attorney, Gretchen?" I verified. He nodded. 

"She was the one who ordered the hit on me...and you. She has wanted us dead for a while now. And her husband, well...dude lost his job last year, and they have been hurting for cash ever since." He said. 

"Okay, so they wanted our money. But why does Gretchen want us dead? It's not like you fired her. She quit, right?" I asked. Rio tensed his jaw and looked away from me. Fucking Christ. "She didn't quit. You fired her." 

"Yeah. I had to." 

  "Why?" I asked, my head turned slightly. I knew what was coming wouldn't be good, and it would force me to look away from my beautiful, criminal husband. Rio exhaled sharply and brought his hands to his lips as if he was praying. 

"I was hittin' it. Before I met you, it was right after Beth almost killed me. It was just a few times. Then I met you. I swear, darlin', I never touched her after I met you. I broke it off with her soon after you started working with me, and she fuckin' lost it. She told me that she would make me happier than you could. She said all kinds of crazy shit. I found out that she was following you around and trying to build a case against you to turn into the FBI. So I fired her, and now, looking back, I know I should have killed her. But I didn't. I was trying to do things differently as you would. But now, she and her husband have hired an army. It seems like. We are trying to offset their offers to these guys, and we have succeeded in a couple. The husband was dealt with. But Gretchen was nowhere to be found when we raided their loft." He said, taking my now trembling hands into his. "I love you so much. I am so sorry for all of this." 

As angry as I wanted to be, I knew my jealousy would get me nowhere. I believed him when he said that it didn't happen after he met me. But the green little monster in me was still very much in the mood to kick the shit out of his former attorney. 

"Okay, so Gretchen wanted revenge. Her husband wanted our money. Is that all?" I asked. 

"Yeah. Well, apparently, Beth hired some hitman to off me earlier this year, but it didn't pan out. I guess that is funnier than concerning, though." He said, laughing slightly. I was so defeated and exhausted that I didn't have it in me to be furious with Beth right now. 

Rio took my face into his hands and locked his beautiful eyes with mine. 

"I am not gonna let anything happen to you or our family. Understand?" He asked. I nodded my head as I ran my hands down his wrists. He pressed his lips to mine, and my body molded to his. 

Suddenly, my ears were ringing. Not terribly, but I knew that ring. It was a gunshot. I tried to process everything around me, the broken glass on the window behind Rio, where the bullet had gone through. Rio's hands dropping to his sides. He looked at me with panicked eyes, and I saw blood start to protrude from his mouth. 

"Fuck no! Baby? Rio! Baby, look at me!" I said as I suddenly heard more bullets. My adrenaline kicked in, and within seconds, I had drug Rio behind the sofa. I sat next to him and tried to put pressure on his wound while pulling my Glock out all at once. Rio started to cough, blood spewing. I looked around the sofa, and I saw a brunette standing in the now kicked-in door. I stood up and kept my gun on her. She had hers pointed at my chest. 

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I growled, tears streaming down my face.  

"I gave him everything. EVERYTHING! I gave up so much so I could be with him. Instead, he rejects me...for you!" Gretchen yelled. 

"Put the fucking gun down bitch." 

"Who the hell do you thi-..." She started to say as she stepped towards me. I took my chances and fired three shots into her. She stumbled back and writhed on the ground. I went over and grabbed her piece from her hands, thankful she didn't have a chance to shoot me back. 

I could hear Rio gasping for air, and I pulled my phone out. Everything blurred, and all I could see was Rio, twisting in pain on the ground in front of me. I knelt and put his head in my lap. 

"Hang on, baby, I am calling for help. Please hang on." I cried. He looked up at me and smiled. 

"You were worth it." He gasped before closing his eyes. 

"No. No. No. No, Rio, please!" I said, shaking him. "Baby, please, please don't leave me. We need you, babe, please!" I begged. I sat there, trying to catch my breath as my whole life seemed to crumble before me.