Riker has been on the best behavior he's ever been.
He follows orders thoroughly, takes more jobs, and never breaks curfew.
And he never ever strays too far from the warehouse of where he thinks they're keeping her.
Her younger sister, the genius, Reena has tried to infiltrate through their databases with her hacking equipment. But at every turn, they're ready, and Riker can only take so much disappointment before he had his sister pull out from it in general and focus on the publishing company he purchased.
His fists are clenched so tight, he doesn't care that one of his nails dig into his palm and cause him to bleed. The blood drips down to the ground, and he takes a deep breath.
Doing a job while emotions are running high will make the process sloppier and cause for mistakes to be made.
Riker cannot afford mistakes, and he closes his eyes as the memory dances at the forefront of his mind...
He'd caught up to her too late, Skylar bound and sitting in a wooden chair. The room was an old and crumbling room in the broken-down jailhouse, the smell of water filling his nose.
Skylar had her eyes closed, mouth gagged with what looked like part of her shirt, the camisole on her torso being the only thing that covered the upper part of her body. Her jeans were ripped from the struggle she'd had, and rope were tied at the ankles, keeping her in place.
She was unconscious, and if Riker stared hard enough, he could see the dried blood on the back of her neck from where she'd been hit in the back of the head with the butt of a gun.
"Jace...she doesn't have to be here. Let me take her place." Riker had pleaded with the man that caught her. It was a risky thing to do; if Juno, the head boss, heard him talk like this, Skylar would be even worse for wear.
Juno liked to keep a tight leash on his lackeys, and he'd found Riker's sense of independence and rebellion annoying.
Before Jace can reply, the double doors burst open, and every muscle of Riker tightened, his jaw clenched.
"Well, well, well." Juno said, as he stepped in, his eyes landing on everyone and settling on Skylar. "This is the little girl that took out three of my men? How sad. I really need to get better people then to work for me, because that just isn't cutting it."
Juno Liko, the tall and somewhat unhinged fifty-year-old who didn't look his age. He had dark curling hair, sharp almost black eyes, and a trimmed mustache and beard. He was tan, with tattoos on his neck that disappeared under his black tailored suit, the tie a crimson red. His hair was slicked back, shiny with hair product, and he wore shiny loafers that gleamed whenever spattered with blood.
Juno took a step towards Skylar, everyone taking a step back, and Riker locking his muscles as he stared helplessly at Skylar. Juno cupped her face, her eyes still shut, and he turned her face this way and that before letting her head drop. Riker had to look down at his shoes to rein in his anger.
"I will say, she's a pretty thing. Nothing on you, Kira." Juno assured the redhead, and she gave him a tight smile as Juno stepped forward and took her hand, kissing the top of it. "I heard you are to be wedded to one of my lackeys sometime soon. I wish you the best of luck and lots of happiness in your union."
"Thank you for your blessing, boss." Kira said, her Russian accent thickening. Juno let her go then, and his black eyes landed on Riker.
"For a man about to be wedded, you don't look so happy Riker. You should take Kira out and celebrate." Juno conversed, pulling out a wad of cash from his pocket. "Here, take this and take Kira out for a nice dinner. I'll handle the situation here at hand."
"No offense, boss, but I'd rather stay. And possibly take the girl's punishment on her behalf. It's my fault that she was able to find us in the first place. I should be disciplined instead of her." Riker said tightly, eyes focused on Juno's shoes.
He heard an intake of breath, and flinched when Juno laughed, his booming voice spreading out all over the room. Skylar flinched, but otherwise her eyes stayed closed.
"You like her." Juno said, voice filled with surprise and a hard edge. "You like her despite being engaged. She must be something special if you're willing to take the punishment in her place." He placed a hand on the back of her head, stiffening at the blood that settled on his hand from her wound. Juno snapped his fingers, and one of his goons gave him a rag, wiping the blood off his hand.
For a moment, no one said anything, and when Riker looked back up, Juno was lost in thought, his face giving nothing away.
Riker felt like a cornered animal; he'd been told just what Juno was capable of, but never gave it much thought. Now, in this situation, every case scenario flooded his mind, and it took his all to keep his body still, and not bolt with Skylar in his arms out of the room.
"Tell you what. I'll make you a deal. Complete fifty jobs for me, and I'll keep her safe. Once the jobs are up, I'll let her go. And I don't want to hear any complaints from your co-workers or this little doll," Juno pulled out a pocketknife from his pants, "will pay for your actions. Do I make myself clear?"
Riker made a noise of agreement, his insides twisting. He'd been so close of breaking free from the yakuza life, and now here he was, being dragged deeper into it.
Before he could say anything else, Juno reached over and yanked up Skylar's camisole, looking all over her torso for something before his eyes landed on her ribs. Faint scarring from what looked like a tattoo removal was placed on there, and Juno frowned.
"Research her. I want to make sure she has no more ties to anyone else in case I need to kill her." Juno ordered, and a chorus of yes sirs sounded out. Juno stalked off, dismissing everyone in the room, and Riker watched helpless as Jace lifted up Skylar, not even bothering to fix her camisole so it was properly covering her.
And Riker continued to watch as they walked out of the room, Kira placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
She'd murmured comforting words in Russian but they fell on deaf ears.
Now...
Riker was with Nick in Dallas, their target moving into what looked like shady hotel. Nick, who'd been trying to make conversation with Riker had finally given up, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.
At the smell of smoke, Riker made a face. He hated that smell, and Nick blew the smoke in a different direction, eyes never meeting his.
"Do you think they're feeding her?" he asked quietly, Nick tilting his head to the side.
"Well...Juno did say so, and he keeps his promises. And threats." Nick replied, putting out the cigarette under his boot. Nighttime was slowly creeping around them, and though Riker still had that sense of unease settling in his stomach, his shoulders were less tensed at Nick's assurance.
Their mission was a simple one; kill the head of the prostitution ring, and place one of Juno's men as the new boss to claim it as his own.
A, B, C, easy as 1,2,3.
Nick and Riker don't even bother with masks, heading towards the hotel, going through the back. Nick, with ease, picks the lock, Riker standing lookout as his eyes look over the area in case he needs to take them out.
The door swings open, and without another word, they both enter.
The hallways are full of flashing lights and music that drowns out the sounds of people laughing and singing while under the influence.
Riker ignores these distractions, moving to the door where a sign that reads Employees Only in bold words.
When the doorknob doesn't budge, Nick pulls out his gun from the back of his waistband, and shoots at it twice. The people on the other side of the room scream, running past each other.
Riker busts down the door, smiling hugely, eyes wide with the familiar crazed look people are afraid of. His target sits in an overstuffed chair, a girl on his lap.
At first, Riker pays her no mind, but the idiot man is clutching her and using her like an almost shield. When Riker looks up at her, he freezes.
Her hair is piled on her head in fat curls, ending just at the nape of her neck, a fox mask covering her whole face. She's wearing a fancy sparkly bra, and rhinestone panties with fishnets, and four-inch spiked heels.
That's not what makes Riker freeze though. Her hair is the same shade as Skylar's and for a moment, he wonders if it is her.
The man, Gauche, takes this moment then to shove the girl off of him, and slam his big meaty fist on the side of Riker's jaw. Nick swears, and Riker sees stars, stumbling back as Gauche makes a break for it out the door.
Nick rushes after him, tackling Gauche to the ground and beating his face in, Riker standing up on shaky legs.
He's disoriented, struggling back up to his legs, as Nick pulls out his gun and shoots Gauche dead.
Riker walks up to Nick, rubbing over the spot on his jaw where it's now swollen and bruised, and Nick glares at him.
"What the fuck, Riker? You totally froze out there and this asshole almost got away because of it!" Nick admonished him.
"I-" Riker was about to say, when he heard a tsk-tsk noise and looked out the hall. Jace stood there, phone to his ear, and shook his head at Riker, face somber.
Riker froze, and even Nick looked up, swearing under his breath.
Riker's fumble might have costed Skylar something gravely.