#beth boland

"I'm sorry, Ms. Mendez. Looking at the progression of your mother's illness, we're going to want to start more aggressive treatments." Your ears ring white as you stare at the doctor, processing what he's saying.

"¿Mija, qué le dije?" Your mom's voice fades in, pulling you out of the trance.

"Hmm, what? Oh, sorry mama...let me finish listening." You translate back into Spanish, trying to fathom how to interpret such news. The doctor continued, asking if there were any other questions, handing you an envelope containing treatment options, prognosis, medication regimens, and, unfortunately, the cost.

The number repeats in your mind while you both situate yourselves in the car. You translate everything to her while in the parking lot as she uses her finger to smooth out your brows.

"Mami, you'll get wrinkles if you frown so much." She says with a soft smile on her face.

"Don't worry, I've lived a good life, you and your brother being the best parts. I'm going to try my best, but if it's my time, then God make it easy on both you and me." You nuzzle against her fingers, eyes closed as you feel tears begin to prick at the corners.

You weren't prepared to cry, at least not facing her.

"Te quiero mucho." You inhale, opening your eyes with a pained smile of your own. While she may not have been your biological mother, it takes a special person to find a child and raise them as their own through all these years. Eva Mendez was that special person. She was a housekeeper who settled in the Metro Detroit area to both provide and care for two children. Since then, it's been the three of you. You, your mom, and your younger brother.

You pulled into the driveway, dropping your mom off but leaving the car on. "I'll be right back; I'm going to grab a few things for dinner." She nodded and waved as you pulled out, heading to the local grocery.

Fine & Frugal... You thought placing the tostadas in your basket. Frugal my ass, everything's just getting more expensive... Sighing, you continued down the aisles to the register, hoodie covering your eyes to hide that you had been crying on the way there.

"Imma need you all to get down on the ground, cell phones out of your pockets now!"

You hear the commotion, seeing three masked, and what appeared to be women, pointing small, black handguns around. Shit, this can't be happening right now! You exclaimed in your head, quickly ducking behind the aisle end cap to avoid being seen.

You quickly took your cellphone out to dial 9-1-1, only to have the screen light up with a low battery sign. Oh, you've actually gotta be fucking joking! You swore at yourself in hiding, watching the events unfold before you. Sweat brimmed your brow as you shuffled to stay out of sight.

God, please, I don't ask for much but help me just this once! You prayed. You heard one woman in particular yelling repeatedly till all of a sudden, you heard footsteps running towards the back of the store where you were hiding.

As they scurried away, you heard something drop on the floor. Turning to look, your eyes lit up, seeing a few stacks of bills on the floor. Your heart thumped as the security guards' footsteps got louder. Without thinking, you snatched the cash up, stashing it in your hoodie. The manager approached shortly after.

"Are you ok, miss?" He asked frantically. "I'm better now..." You let out a shaky smile.

"We're gonna need everyone to stay put for questioning while we get a hold of the police if you can come with me." He starts to walk off towards the front of the store, but you had other plans, walking quickly towards the back exit and parking lot, being unknowingly watched from the camera above.

Pulling into your driveway, grinning from ear to ear, you couldn't help but cheer with delight and exhilaration.

"¡Gracias a Dios! I can't believe that just happened." You quickly rushed inside, dropping the groceries on the counter as you rushed to your room, your mom and brother's eyes following your figure with surprise as the door thudded and clicked behind you.

You jumped on your bed, plugged your phone in, and began taking out the money, fanning it across the comforter. You stared hard as you began counting the bills, thoroughly placing them into piles.

"10k..." You breathed. This could cover Mama's first half of bills. You thought as you placed the money into separate envelopes to be deposited.

"Y/N? Mom said dinner's ready!" your eight-year-old brother chirped through your door. "Coming!" You yelled back, stashing the money underneath your bed.

"Thanks for cooking mama, I'll take care of the dishes tonight." You smiled from the couch as you helped your brother finish his homework. You were interrupted by your phone lighting up, displaying the text, "Pyramid tonight, don't be late." - Lorenzo.

"Gracias mija," your mom said next to you, causing you to quickly turn your phone off as she kissed both yours and your brother's foreheads goodnight. "Alex, come, let's get you ready for bed and give your sister some peace for the night. As they walked away, you sighed looking back at the text. The Pyramid was a gentleman's club that you started working at when your mom first got sick.

Originally, it was supposed to be a short term thing, but money is always a need, and your needs kept adding up. You'd already taken out more than a few advances with Lorenzo, the owner, and at this point you knew if he called, that meant you went. He was never rough with any of the girls, took out fair cuts too, but a cut was still a cut, and you needed all the money you could get.

1:00 am. The nightstand clock blinked as you finished packing your heels and bag for the night.

You had done this routine plenty of times over. Pack your bag, scope the house, and sneak through the window. Tony was already waiting down the street for you. You lowered yourself out the window, stealthily making your way down the sidewalk. Tapping on the window of the red, old-school, Lincoln town car, you pointed at the lock, smiling apologetically at the startled Tony.

Tony, aka Anthony, and you had been friends since grade school. He often came over to help tutor both you and Alex since he was more studious. Always getting A's in school and even getting an internship at the local elementary school teaching. He reached over and unlocked the door.

"Now, Y/N girl, you know I'm sick of dropping you off at this club!" He said, gripping the steering wheel with a pout. As you got into the car, you gave his arm a squeeze with a hum to follow.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry, Tony. You're the only one I can trust, though. As soon as mama's treatment is complete, I'll stop, promise!" Saying in a gushy voice, pushing your lips forward to mimic his pouting expression.

Driving down the street and entering onto the highway, he fixes his glasses, looking off onto the road ahead.

"I just wish you'd let me help you...I can always get you a job at the school; Pops still got his rep up in there being a math teacher. It wouldn't be hard, and we could get you out of this lifestyle. I hate seeing you in there." You could tell he was frustrated; it's not the first time he's told you this, and as much as you'd love to take his offer and live a regular life, it just wasn't feasible currently.

He pulled up into the parking lot as you grabbed your bag. "At least think about it." He said, grabbing your hand and squeezing it. You nodded, smiling gently back before letting go and closing the door behind you.

Bright lights welcomed your figure as you heard a boisterous voice ahead of you, following the smell of a freshly lit cigar.

"Y/N, what'd I tell you, babe? You always forget the don't be late part!" Lorenzo waltzes up to you, giving your cheek a squeeze. "Got a good feeling about tonight, make me some money will ya?" He saunters off to go fraternize with the other dancers and staff.

You make your way to the dressing room, slipping off your sweats and hoodie into a two-piece skirt and bralette, embellished with rhinestones, and matching your glittery tall heels. Your silk press, that once was up in rollers, fell freely and framed your shoulders as you placed your hoops in and began doing your face. Lash after lash, blush, and finally a glossy lip to finish.

You looked into the mirror. In another life, what could this face have been, and what was your potential? You stood up, blowing a kiss in the mirror, Make me some money, you thought as you headed towards the stage.

As the music played, your hips flowed with the beats as you gripped the pole. Sliding the toe of your heels around it with ease. You added a few twirls and lowered yourself onto the floor and back up again, multiple eyes glued to your form as money made its way onto the stage. An older man wearing a wedding ring beckoned you forward, to which you complied and were rewarded with a 100$ placed in the strap of your bralette. You winked as you sauntered back to the pole.

One set of eyes in particular caught you from the corner of the club. Dark and wanting, like they were there to take. Your heart started to thump faster as you finished your set and collected the cash, quickly looking back to see the eyes had vanished. That was weird, you thought. You didn't know why they were so unsettling, but you weren't going to snoop around and find out.

After ordering a margarita from the bar, you headed back to your dressing room for a few touch-ups. Settling into the chair, you rubbed your temples, unable to get those eyes out of your head.

You looked up towards the mirror and saw a figure move in the corner of the room. You spun around quickly, a scream attempting to leave your lips before it was muffled by a man clasping a hand over your mouth.

Your back was pinned against him as you frantically scanned the room spotting another grunt barricading the door. You squirmed to free yourself but the figure behind you grabbed and placed both your wrists to your side with his other hand. Your eyes finally landed on the dark eyes you had caught in the crowd earlier, now standing in front of you.

"Hey, mama." A deep rasp settled in the air.

"We've been looking for you."

A|N: We made it to the end of the first chapter, how are we feeling? I love a good cliff hanger ending! Again I hope that everyone enjoyed reading and please feel free to like and leave comments. I love seeing what others reactions and thoughts are. Eventually as more chapters come out, I will include a masterlist so that everything can be more accessible. Again, I want to thank everyone for being so supportive and give a shout out to @saradika for the beautiful rose divider. I feel it's fitting. See everyone in the next chapter! -Dropche

Please do not steal, copy, translate, or feed my work into AI!

In between sloppy kisses and soft grips, he led them to the third floor. He dug into his pockets for his keys, hating to be away from her for even a second. If she was hungry for his touch, he was ravenous for hers. She’d chosen him. (Y/N) could have gone to her sisters, warned them about the wrath that would be coming their way. Instead, she chose him.

The second the front door closed behind them, clothes were coming off their bodies. They left a trail of items behind as they kissed and walked to the bed, not caring where they landed. They tried their best to be quiet given the hour of the night, but it wasn’t enough. Their pants and moans bounced off the walls, and they hoped they were thick enough that their neighbors wouldn’t get a late-night show they didn’t ask for.

Once they reached the bed, (Y/N) finally saw the extent of what had been done to him. Under the light of the moon, her eyes followed the scattered purple marks across his chest, and she couldn’t stop herself from touching the dark bruises that littered his skin. “What’d they do to you?” she said under her breath, feeling tears well in the corners of her eyes. “Does it hurt?”

“Not anymore,” he said, placing a hand on her chin to force her eyes to his. “Nothin’ hurts when I’m witchu.”

(Y/N) was the one to kiss him this time. She was soft, sneaking her tongue into his mouth, gifting him a comfort he had been denied for days. Her hand cradled his cheek, careful not to touch the angry bruise on his cheek. They breathed into each other at that moment, speaking into existence the things their vocal cords could not confess. If their kiss was a promise, their lips had cemented it.

“Take me,” she whispered out of breath, resting her forehead against his. “I need you.”

Who was he to deny her?

Rio kissed from her jaw to her neck, using her distraction to lay her gently on the bed. Unlike every other encounter they'd had, he wanted to take things slow. Not just because his body was screaming at him, but because he wanted to savor the moment. (Y/N) wasn't just another body he'd taken to bed; there was something about her that made him care more than he should have.

“Chris,” she moaned, but he didn't stop. “Chris,” she breathed again, to no avail. Rio continued kissing down her body, nipping at her skin to claim her as his. “Christopher,” she said once more, this time cradling his cheek softly to force his eyes onto hers. “I need you. Now.”

“I just spent a day in jail,” he grinned. “Imma take my time with you, sweetheart.”

In a swift move, he hooked his arms under her legs, pulling her to the edge of the bed and siphoning an excited yelp from her mouth. The only thing that was going through his head for the past hours was coming back to (Y/N). The thought that she could have known about the takedown and not told him had run through his mind, but it didn't sit well with him. There was no fiber in his body that felt like she would ever do that—not when she had proven many times she would do the opposite.

He trailed her legs with the tip of his tongue, only stopping every other second to kiss and nibble at her skin. (Y/N)'s back arched off the bed at his touch, following his movements unconsciously. There was nothing she could do. She was under his spell, and there was nothing in her that wanted to break it. Whether it was a blessing or a curse, she didn't know. And at that moment, it was the last thing that mattered. Not when Rio's mouth was on the skin of her thighs, inching his way closer to where she needed him at a punishingly slow pace.

“You're so wet,” he chuckled. “Is it all for me?”

His breath on her skin felt like fire, dangerous but inviting. (Y/N) wanted to touch the flame; she wanted to feel it eat and singe away at her until there was nothing left. She wanted the pain and the destruction. She wanted him. “Yes,” she breathed as his fingers spread her. He laughed softly at her needy response, licking his slip before using the tip of his tongue to learn the sides of her cunt. “Please, Christopher.”

“Watchu want, baby?” he growled, surprising himself and (Y/N) with the pet name. Rio wasn't one to use it; he didn't know it lived in his vocabulary. But it felt so right. Seeing her strewn before him, disheveled only for him, made him feel some type of way. Possessive, maybe? In... “You gotta tell me whatcu want.”

“Touch me,” she mewled. “I need you to touch me, Christopher. Stop teasing me.”

Rio hadn't learned how to stop playing with his food. He liked seeing her teetering on the edge, begging for him, yearning for his touch. He loved her mewling and groaning at every misdirected caress, her body aching for his closeness.

But he also knew how to devour exquisiteness. And there was no better dish than the one before him.

Without any hesitation, Rio closed his mouth around her aching clit, using his tongue to tease the bundle of nerves as he sucked softly. (Y/N) gripped the sheets in response, letting out a guttural moan that made the man chuckle against her skin. He had her in his grip, controlling when and how she got her release. He had power over her, power over her reactions, power over... power over her heart. And as scary as it was, he couldn't picture himself relinquishing it anytime soon.

He liked to feel her squirm under him as he held her down by the hips. He loved the way she tried to thread her fingers through non-existent locks, instead digging her nails into the skin of his nape. He relished in the needy moans that left her throat as she panted her way into an orgasm. He couldn't imagine a world where he wasn't the one making her feel that way.

“Damn, baby,” he chuckled as he swiped his tongue across his lips. “I thought I was the one who spent the day behind bars. So fucking needy.”

“I told you already,” she smiled, “I need you, Christopher.”

“I guess I've teased you enough. Huh, sweetheart?” he smirked, making his way up her body before he kissed her lips softly. “Do you want me inside, baby?”

“Yes,” she breathed, her eyes hooded by her lids. “Please.”

Her whimpers were just as beautiful as her moans, and Rio wanted nothing more than to hear them over and over again. Yet, teasing her meant restraining himself. He took pride in his resilience, but he needed her in that moment as much as she said she needed him. Waiting would simply create too much pressure inside him, and he was already close to bursting.

As he towered over her, Rio kissed her once more. Unlike every other kiss they had shared in their intimacy, he took his time. They were always hungry and desperate, using every second they had to leave their mark on each other's bodies. But at that moment, there was no thirst to quench, no time to run out. They would have enough nights to throw each other around, to salvage their bodies in passionate outbursts. Tonight, they had something far greater, something that would take god himself to break.

One word.

Four letters.

All in silence.

He snaked his arms under (Y/N), pulling him onto his lap as he sat on the bed. He sought closeness, sought union, sought...

Rio used one hand to hold himself up to her entrance while using the other to cradle her face close. His eyes bore into hers, watching even the most minuscule expression as she sank down on his lap. (Y/N)’s mouth parted in a quiet gasp at the stretch, her eyes fluttering closed in pleasure. He committed to memory the way bliss washed over her face, painting a satisfied smile on her face. Moonlight painted her skin beautifully, illuminating her form in the darkness of the apartment. She looked ethereal, a goddess among mortals. Had there been a few drinks in him, Rio was sure a tear would leave his eye.

(Y/N) was the one to start moving, slowly adjusting to the intrusion and taking deep breaths from the sensation. Unlike every encounter before, every move was slow and calculated. The journey toward their climax was prolonged, but the sensations were heightened. Every rise and fall of her body brought Rio's cock deeper inside her, filling her in a way she'd never felt before.

Maybe it was the sentiment of the night—the decision to merge their lives in the most intimate ways. Maybe it was the adrenaline leaving their bodies after an eventful day. Maybe it was simply a mystical connection they felt. But that moment felt different. Everything about their movements and their sensations was different. They felt like a promise, a silent resolution of where their relationship was headed. Most of the important things they had to discuss were not spoken, but they were cemented with their bodies.

“You're so fucking beautiful, baby,” Rio groaned, softly gripping the hair on her nape. “So fucking perfect.”

“And yours,” she grinned, breathless as she quickened the pace.

His grip on her hip tightened, and a moan escaped his throat at her words. “Say that again.”

"I'm yours.”

“Again,” he growled.

“I'm yours, Christopher,” she moaned. “Only yours.”

“Fuck,” Rio choked. (Y/N) tightened around her, mewling as she chased her end. She rose and fell on his length over and over, using his shoulders for stability as her head fell back in pleasure. His eyes tidied her body—every curve, every freckle, every line. The man perused her like it would be the last time he ever did. And with the FBI sniffing so close, he couldn’t be sure it wouldn’t be. “God, you’re so fucking beautiful.”

Rio was breathless, completely enticed by the woman on top of him. Even buried inside her, he felt too far from her. He picked up the hand that had fallen from her neck and pulled her closer once more, pressing his lips to her mouth, savoring her taste as he swallowed every moan that escaped her. His hips met hers, rolling together in perfect choreography. Their climaxes were nearing, and their bodies were exerting every ounce of energy they had toward it.

“I’m close,” (Y/N) panted, resting her forehead against Rio’s. Her arms crossed behind his neck, her hands resting on his head. “Feels so good, baby. Fuck, I l…”

Before she could say anything else, Rio crashed his lips onto hers, quieting with his tongue what she was about to say. Those words would change everything, and he knew they could never take them back. They carried more weight than a kiss, than a fuck, than a house key. Those three words had the power to shatter the fragile foundation on which they had built their relationship. Everything about them was only a few words away from crumbling, and he couldn't have that—not at that moment.

“Oh god!” (Y/N) wailed as she finally came undone, the tight knot inside her loosening as pleasure ransacked across her body. Had Rio not been holding onto her, she was sure to have fallen backward, exhaustion taking over.

But even in her state, she did not stop her movements. (Y/N) kept up with her movements, her walls clenching around Rio as she rode him through her own orgasm. She knew how close she had been to possibly ruining it all before it started, mumbling words that would destroy the bubble they had created for themselves. It had been thoughtless, careless, brought up in the heat of the moment, yet they held so much power. Strong enough to break them apart if they were even insinuated. They were good as they were—perfect even. They were in synch, in agreement. There was nothing to change.

By the time Rio came, they were both out of breath; their chests heaving and their bodies shimmering with sweat. They remained in each other's arms as they calmed, engulfed in a tight embrace. Only the sounds of their breathing filled the air, filling the room with a matching symphony. There was nothing to say anymore. Not when Rio's head rested on (Y/N)'s chest, her cheek pressed against it. They were simply there with each other.

At some point in the night, they had succumbed to sleep, finding their way under the covers. By the time (Y/N) woke up, she was wrapped around Rio, their limbs tangled together in a mess of flesh. She felt different as her eyes fluttered open, the sun barely making its way up on the horizon. For a moment, she felt disconcerted, unsure of her surroundings and how she had gotten there. That was until flashbacks of the night before assaulted her brain.

Rio and Twitch had been arrested because of her sisters; he'd been beaten and interrogated for almost an entire day. Beth had learned of Dean's lies after she, Annie, and Ruby robbed Fine & Frugal once more. Sarah had finally gotten her liver transplant. Yet the biggest change of all was that she had agreed to move in with a man she barely knew.

But somehow, she felt deep inside her it was the right thing to do. There had been no hesitation in her answer, no dread freezing her veins with regret. (Y/N) felt resolute and satisfied with her choice. All she hoped was that she didn't come to regret it.

With difficulty, she freed herself from Rio's grasp, stretching her limbs to ease the soreness in her muscles. She couldn't recall getting dressed, but she noticed the oversized T-shirt that covered her body. It was obvious who it belonged to—there weren't many options to choose from. There were no clothes like it in her bag, and there was nothing of hers in the apartment. Obviously, at some point in the night, Rio clothed her with one of his shirts.

She couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face as she walked toward the kitchen. Even if Rio would probably sleep for a few more hours, she still had to go to the hospital, and she couldn't leave him without breakfast. Surprisingly, his fridge was still full, and the groceries seemed fresh, unlike the first time she had been in the apartment.

“You always look so damn good in this kitchen,” Rio's groggy voice spoke into her ear, his arms snaking across her waist. “Now, I'm gonna get to see it every day, huh?”

“Maybe,” she smirked. “I could have changed my mind since last night.”

He tensed slightly, trying his best not to show it. “Hm," he mumbled. “And have you?”

“I haven't,” she chuckled. “And you?”

“You're crazy for even thinking that,” he said. “You just say the word and I'll have you moved here in an hour.”

“I think it'll be better if I do it little by little. Wouldn't want Beth questioning what you're doing at her house with her little sister.”

“She'll just have to get used to it,” he shrugged as he pulled her closer to him, kissing her cheek. “I'm not planning on letting you go. Ever.”

It wasn't until she was dressed and in her car that (Y/N) finally switched her phone on, suddenly bombarded by a barrage of notifications. Between missed calls and text messages, she couldn't react fast enough as the bubbles kept inundating her screen. Only one message stood out.

Please don't be dead.

It had been sent by Beth to their sister group chat only an hour before she turned the device on. Scrolling through the messages took her a couple of minutes. They mainly consisted of Annie sending 911 messages and a series of emojis that (Y/N) didn't understand until she saw Beth's. Dean had been shot by Rio, and they had been in the hospital all night.

She should have been angry at him, maybe even disappointed. The man she had just decided to live with had shot her brother-in-law and had almost killed him—she was sure he would have been dead if that's what Rio wanted. She should have gone running for the hills and not given it a second thought. Instead, something crossed her mind that should have scared her.

He should have finished the job, she thought. Dean had been the cause of Beth's problems. He's cheated, spent their money, lied, and pretended to have cancer to manipulate her sister into staying with him. In (Y/N)s eyes, he wasn't worth the grace Beth had shown him and was better gone than sucking the life out of her sister. She wasn't angry Rio had shot Dean; she was upset he'd decided his life was worth sparing.

(Y/N) still had some time to spare before she had to go to the hospital, and she decided to ease her sisters’ worries by heading to Beth's house. Not only did she have to make sure she was okay, but she had to tell her she was moving out. Maybe it wasn't the right moment, but it was something she knew had to be done sooner rather than later. And she wanted to do things head-on instead of letting her sister find an empty guesthouse.

The house seemed too silent when she arrived, even colder possibly. The kids still had to be with Dean's mom, of course. Probably getting ready for school as she walked inside. After his accident, there was no way Beth would have been able to keep them while she brought him back from the hospital. And with his new wound, she wouldn't allow them in the home until there was no sign of the attack.

That's why finding her on her knees in the dining room, scrubbing away blood, was no surprise to (Y/N). “Hey, Beth,” she peeped. "I just got your messages.”

The mug Beth had in her hands stumbled to the ground, bouncing on the carpet in the very puddle of blood she had been cleaning, whiskey mixing with the crimson liquid. She scrambled to her feet as soon as her teary eyes fell on her sister, wrapping her arms around her, afraid she was merely a figment of her imagination. “Thank god, you're okay,” she exclaimed. “I thought something had happened to you. Where were you?”

“I'm sorry,” (Y/N) said. “My phone died, and I was exhausted after my shift, so I stayed at Mike's. I didn't...”

“(Y/N), I know you weren't with him,” Beth pushed, her brows furrowing. “I called him, too, and he told me you weren't there. Don't you dare lie to me right now. I thought you were dead. So, where the hell were you?”   

Next ->

A/N: what do y'all think this will mean for reader and Beth's relationship? just how far do you guys think either of them will go? and just how will Rio screw everything up? 🫣🫣 If you’d like to be tagged in this or any other story: click here Make sure you have my notifications on so you know every time I post!