"HEY RUBY!" Jade smiled, walking over to Ruby as she noticed her little sister, Lily, was with chatting to Ruby's daughter Sara. It couldn't have been more perfect.

"Oh! Hey Jade," She nervously shuffled around, "How are you? I noticed you haven't been around lately. Always happy to take Lily if you need, I noticed some of the other moms-"

"Don't even start me," Jade tried her best to frown, softening her voice, "Let's just say I cant even get my bills paid."

A big lie.

"Are you guys okay at home?" She furrowed her brows, leaning closer into the conversation. Jade had her hooked.

"I mean it's just me and Lily, and I just got laid off from work and-" Jade began to to ramble in hopes of Ruby taking the bait. Of course she did. Bless that woman.

Ruby sighed, "Look... M-my friends and I are running a shoppers club, and we're earning heaps of money. Maybe it could help you out. We need some more people too. Corporate's hiring."

Jade thought it was interesting that they were recruiting others. It just didn't seem like an operation Rio would allow. Then again, maybe Agent Turner was wrong, maybe they're all far in it and they've changed Rio's outlook; she'd applaud them. It would help him get caught.

"Would you be interested?" She continued, "Girls gotta help girls out."

"That'd be lovely," Jade smiled at her, "Let me know when you guys are meeting-"

"Oh, we're meeting tonight!" She said, holding onto Sara, "I'll message you the details, it's at my friend Beth's house."

"Beth Boland?" Jade's eyes went wide, "Her husband owns the car dealership around here, doesn't he?"

"Yeah," She shrugged, "Myself, her and Annie Marks. I-It's a new business."

"You're honestly a lifesaver!" Jade held the longest, fakest, smile she ever had, "Hey, Lily and I have to go but text me? This would be really great for us."

"Of course!"

——

AFTER A FEW HOURS, Jade went to Fine and Frugal, hoping to see Annie. She knew she didn't particularly need to, but it would help if she'd slightly befriended the two before seeing Beth; knowing all too well there's a massive difference between working with him and working for him.

"Thanks for shopping at Fine and Frugal, we hope you're having a Fine and Frugal day," She heard Annie mutter as I walked to her cashier. God, she looked miserable.

"Hi my name is Annie, I hope you're-"

"Annie Marks?" Jade innocently asked, throwing a chocolate bar and some snacks onto the checkout, "Hey, are you friends with Ruby?"

"W-what about Ruby?" She awkwardly shuffled around in her spot as she started to scan Jade's items, noting how both women had been incredibly on edge.

"Oh, she just invited me to your shoppers group," Jade stuck her hand out, "It's nice to meet you!"

"Ohhhhh," She rolled her eyes happily, "Of course."

"Yeah, I guess I'll be seeing you guys tonight!" Jade truly tried smile even harder, "How long have you guys been running it?"

"Just over a few months," She shrugged, scanning my last few items, "It's really helping out our community."

Jade leaned over the counter, grabbing a bag for her things, "I'm sure it is."

——

"HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE MAMAS," Rio chuckled as Jade walked into her backyard, only to notice him sitting in his hoodie on her garden bench. Damn, that was fast. How did he already know?

"Lily's home, you better leave," Jade growled, walking toward him. She watched as he shook his head, the man couldn't stop snickering, "Lily loves me."

"Loved.. and Lily doesn't even know you," She rolled her eyes, yawning at him, "Agent Turners almost got me a warrant, any day now I could turn you in. You really shouldn't show up around here anymore. It's too hot, I'm giving you a head start."

Rio stood, walking straight toward her, "Oh darling, I'm giving you the head start."

He held out his hands, dramatically, "Go on, cuff me. Do it. I know you want to."

"Mhm," I sighed, "A girl could only fucking dream."

"Maybe we should reverse the roles like last time," He chuckled, again. Rio stretched out his arms, "I can't believe you're still on this FBI shit. At least when you were a bounty hunter, we could have a little fun. I've been waiting for you, Jade."

Though she knew it wouldn't threaten him, Jade reached for her handgun that was laying delicately in her purse, "Time for you to go."

His voice annoyed her. The way he flaunted his sarcastic attitude. The way he knew she wouldn't do anything to him. He tilted his head, "Y'know, Marcus misses you. He asks about you a lot. When's Jade gonna come over to play? Hey dad, how come you don't see Jade no more?"

"Cus I grew up," She shrugged, Rio walking so close to her that her gun pressed hard into his chest, "Nah, it's cus you turned your back on me."

"Still a touchy subject for you, I see," She looked him up and down, "But uh, I can clearly see why you miss me. You better tell your girls to pull their heads in, I've been back on you for one day and their so-"

"Nah, darlin," Rio looked down at the gun, then back to Jade, "You been stuck on me this whole damn time. You're the one who keeps coming back baby, I would've laid that shit to rest."

He knocked the gun out of her hands, surprised her grip was soft enough for him to do it. Rio leaned into her ear, "You send those women down, you won't find my prints on any of it."

"Excuse me?"

His face was completely amused, pulling away from Jade, "Good luck with that warrant, by the way."

"What did you do?" She chewed at the inside of her cheeks, Rio making his exit.

"Get Agent Turner to call you," He called out, "Someone blocked his appeal to get a warrant for my arrest."

"Like I didn't expect you to buy yourself time," Jade yelled, "Must've really found yourself in hot water this fucking time."

"Careful, I think you might wake the whole neighbourhood up," Rio paused at her backyard gate, "Don't get so worked up, Jade. Remember, we ain't like that anymore."

He'd pointed to her porch door too, where Lily had seemingly run downstairs. She pushed it open with just enough time for Rio to leave, Was that Uncle Christopher?"

"Don't call him that," Jade ushered her little sister back inside, waiting on Lily's tangent, "Come on, what happened between you two?"

"I told you, he's a bad man," Jade insisted, "And you need to promise me that if you ever see him around you, or the house, you'll tell me straight away."

"Whatever," Lily said, dissspointed in the lack of gossip or answers. Though, Jade didn't have enough time to even think about that, hearing the sound of a text reach her phone.

rio
you still look so
beautiful as always.