"Scratches"

"Mind if I talk to my girl?" Rio starts, huskily, before Vince and I.

I remain frozen, briefly examining the unfamiliar scratches on the gang leader's face. I haven't seen him in... weeks.

Since Cal's death.

My heart still hammers mercilessly, as Rio folds his hands in wait, on my doorstep.

His showcasing smile soon withers, as his dark brown eyes practically glare at Vince.

"In case I wasn't clear, I said I need to talk to my girl." Rio repeats rather sternly, this time.

"I'm sorry who are you?" Vince begins bitterly, next to me. I'm quick to rest a reassuring hand across my partner's broad shoulder, attracting his confused gaze.

"It's alright, Vince. He's a friend." I assure him, momentarily flicking my gaze onto Rio's who observes my hand on Vince.

Such a false statement tasted bitter on my tongue. But I said what I had to.

Vince has to leave.

The heavy tension between the three of us is nearly unbearable. And dangerous.

I watch the gang leader's cut lip curve up, as his eyes flash mischievously, at the sight before him. I hurriedly let my hand fall back to my side, before looking to Vince again.

"I'll call you." I tell Vince, in sudden hopes that he'd hurry and leave.

Vince's solid brown eyes glint with hesitation, as he searches my eyes. Then, he speaks.

"Okay." he says lowly, before finally moving past Rio and walking towards his parked car in my rocky driveway.

For a moment I feel the shoulders beneath my black leather jacket ease, as remote relief takes over me.

But there's still a lethal darkness that tops the anger nearing a subtle boiling peek within me. My blue-green irises don't unlatch from Rio's.

But before I get started on asking him why he's here - though I'm completely and utterly certain of the answer - curiosity piles atop the grave anger pulsating inside me.

And I have to ask.

"What happened to your face?" I ask bluntly, standing before him.

My blue-green eyes drift over the gang leader's shoulder, a moment, to see Vince back out of the driveway in his silver BMW before driving off. A soft breath escapes my red lips.

"I told you I was gonna take care of Peterson's boys." Rio clarifies, huskily, when I meet his blazing gaze again.

My brows then slightly furrow in his direction, while I take in his explanation.

He did keep his word.

The gangster is quick to release an amused chuckle, averting his gaze down to the porch rug beneath him a moment as he brings a hand up to scratch his cheek.

"I got to 'em right after I dropped you off that night, Isabel." he informs, picking back up his piercing gaze to meet mine again.

"Yeah I had little fun with paying them a visit." he remarks, mischievously.

And with his amused smile still plastered, Rio sweeps his tongue across his lips.

"So while I'm out tryna have your back, you're out tryna take down my kingdom." he drags out huskily, keeping his dark brown eyes on mine.

Before him, I then gently swallow.

"What do you want?" I question, sternly, setting my jaw.

Upon my doorstep Rio then cocks up a brow, as his jawline remains clenched, hard. At this point his smile is far gone. As if it were never there.

"What do I want?" he returns suddenly, beginning in sudden yet deliberate steps towards me. Instinctively I back up, as his taller figure starts backing me up into my own house - before the unpredictable gang leader slams my front door shut behind him.

My pulse quickens the moment my back hits a wall. And before I can move, before I can blink, Rio's taller figure hovers.

His jaw is still locked and set hard, as a dangerous wave of warmth radiates from him.

I stand still, feeling glued to the wooden floor beneath me.

And suddenly, my breath hitches when the gang leader pulls out something from the rim of his dark jeans.

I then feel the cold steel of a gun press against my neck. I attempt to take another step back but I can't.

I'm bound to this lethal proximity.

Rio's brown eyes are studying my own, as he briefly licks his lips.

"You messed up, darlin'." he says lowly against me, going to gently push back strands of my blonde hair from my face, a moment.

I then watch him examine my features, it seems. His gaze still sparks with a pestilent fire.

"I got your card." he whispers huskily. And from the gentle rising of my chest, I feel his own brush against mine, as I'm engulfed in an unfamiliar heat.
"You shouldn't of done what you did." Rio adds; his tone laced in utter rawness, against me.

"It's your fault." I spit in return; my gaze briefly scanning across the recovering scratches upon his face.

"Nah," Rio only shakes his head in discord, keeping his blazing brown eyes locked on mine. "Peterson took my men after I told 'em not to. And you think I was just gonna give 'em back his money?" Rio plasters a questionable brow atop of a pout, before me.

"It lead to my brother's life being taken, Rio." I snap sternly, keeping hold of his piercing gaze.

Rio's gun is still pressed against my neck, but somehow, somewhere, there's a part of me that knows he won't pull the trigger.

Yet my heart still pounds vigorously within my chest, and I can't tame it.

"And you just made everything a whole lot worse for yourself, Isabel." Rio claims lowly.

Rio's burning gaze penetrates me.

"You brought this on yourself. So suck it up." I push Rio away from me without a sliver of hesitation, watching him step back from my abrupt force and widening the lethal space between our distinct figures.

His jaw only hardens more, if even possible, as he now stands tightening the deadly grip he obtains on his gun.

"You're playing with fire, Detective." The gang leader warns lowly.

I quickly run a hand through my blonde waves, starting in quick tracks towards Rio.

And just when I stop inches away from his taller figure, I feel my blood pump cold, as I glare into his dark eyes.

"I am the fire." I whisper, as my blue-green irises flash darkly on his - refusing to tear my bold gaze from off the gangster's.

In turn, Rio sounds a faint humorless laugh, before his lips quirk upward.

And there is then a glint of mischief to flicker across his brown eyes - but I note the sliver of something unrecognizable that passes, too.

I only gather a vague mix of trouble, curiosity, and a spark of intrigue to suffice from Rio.

But I'm too furious to focus on that right now.

"Okay," Rio suddenly says huskily, beginning to start in deliberate tracks towards me once more. He keeps his brown eyes on my gaze.

"Fire on fire, Isabel. Let's see where it takes us." The gang leader adds rawly, stopping his towering frame just inches away from me.

And I find myself holding my breath.

"Oh I'm playin' a rivalry card in return, darlin'. Just a head's up that I'll be comin' in hard." he states.

As Rio stands lethally close, with a hardened jawline, I then realize how no one has never looked at me the way he is now.

Dangerously. Darkly.

Tonight I ignited within Rio a flame I never had imagined I would be the one to light.

And now he's never made it any more clearer - that as for the two distinct figures standing in the foyer of this house declaring a grave rivalry - he's fully and indubitably all in for it.

So am I.

My breath is held at the sudden curve of Rio's lips again, pulling me from my inner thoughts, before I watch him search my blue-green eyes with an unreadable flash to flicker across his own irises.

"Never thought it would come to this." he says, almost gently, remaining close.

"Get some sleep while you can, Isabel." Rio finishes rather domineeringly, before turning around to head towards my front door, dismissing himself.

And before I can make out another word - he's gone. I'm left standing still, and remotely tense, in the house that is soon engulfed in sudden silence.

I release the breath I held, at our once dangerous proximity, as my heart refuses to reduce it's profuse and rapid speed.

---

Heyy, loves! Three chapters in one day!! (AND IN THREE HOURS) YAY!! I think that's a record!

Which one out of the three was your favorite?

Hope you all have a spectacular day tomorrow!!

xx