Mr.Big Shot // Rio (Good Girls)

Chapter Five: Cookies And Crime

Alexa spent the next day repacking and scheduling a flight home. She barely thought about the events of the past day, but her head practically skipped a beat when she heard a notification come from her phone.

There was no reason to think it was him, but she still let out a breathy laugh of relief when she saw Beth's contact name light up on her screen.

Meet at my house in fifteen.

Then, in case Alexa needed more convincing,

I made cookies.

She grabbed her car keys, responding once she was in her car.

Be there in ten.

-

Beth cradled a mug in her palms, steam swirling by her red lips. "I just don't see why this is a bad thing. That one trip was worth 100,000 dollars!"

Alexa scoffed. "It was worth 30 grand, tops. It was an initiation, not anything special. Don't get your hopes up for a life of crime."

"We could use 30 grand, Alexa..." She looked down at the stack of unopened bills hidden under cheap magazines on the counter. "I get that you're all set in life, but if you're already in town, maybe we could give it a shot." She turned her eyes up hopefully at her.

"Give it a shot?" She gave a harsh laugh. "You don't 'give it a shot' with this. You do it, and you don't stop until you either die or get killed. This isn't baking."

Her face reddened. "I don't know what else to do."

"Then find something else!" Her voice raised, her fingers curling into fists. She had already been on thin ice, and this felt too far. "You don't do one run and become a boss. You want to join a gang because the only thing supporting your family is your husband's sweet-talking and how shiny cars look on any given day."

Beth's finger tapped the counter, expression turning stony cold as she gave a reproachful look to Alexa.

"Sorry." She lowered her head, resting it on her knuckles. "That is just a really stupid idea."

"Oh yeah," Beth nodded, mouth pressing into a line. "Because you obviously know so much about this. Are we sure Annie should be around her?" She glanced back at Ruby, her voice sharpening.

"What are you trying to say, Beth?"

"I'm saying that you've been awfully knowledgable about this, and if I looked up the company you said you work for, I don't think I'd find it." She quirked an eyebrow. "Makes me wonder what your extracurriculars are. What did you say your day job was again?"

"So you're okay with committing crimes until someone does it better than you? Because I'm just keeping you all from getting caught. I'd be more than fine leaving you to the cops if that's what your ego would prefer."

"Can you both shut up?" Annie hit the counter, using a mug as a gavel and nearly spilling her hot cocoa over herself. "Without Alexa, we get caught. Without this job, prison's our best bet, because we'd be homeless."

Alexa gritted her teeth, resting her forehead on the edge of the counter. "I can... send payments. Just give you guys a bit of a boost. I'll help you guys out with the mortgage and stuff. No need for this, right?"

Ruby finally spoke up, looking into her tea, head bowed slightly. "Sara is in the hospital. I don't like admitting it, but Annie is right. We need the money."

"Sara?" She felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't thought about medical costs. She hadn't seen Sara since a Christmas party a few years ago. "She's still sick?" Alexa sat back down.

Ruby nodded. "We had to put her on a transplant list. Until she gets a kidney, she needs these meds, and they're like 10 Gs a month, and insurance won't pay. Like, what's insurance even for, then?" She waved her arms in frustration, dragging them down her face and massaging her temples.

"Oh, Ruby." Beth moved to put her hands on Ruby's shoulders. "She's in the hospital? I didn't know, I'm so sorry."

"She- She'll be okay. We need the medicine so she'll be okay. We can't homeschool and she has soccer."

"I..." Alexa let out a breath through gritted teeth. "So you guys really need this?"

Ruby nodded, giving a glance to Beth who mimicked the motion. "Yes. We really do."

Alexa looked at Annie, who was staring at her fingers guiltily. "Yeah... I-" She sighed. "Minimum wage doesn't cover custody lawyers."

"What?" Alex scowled. "Noah? That son of a-"

"Young ears," Beth warned. She still looked upset about Alexa's earlier comment, but something else was pinching the features of her face. Alexa couldn't quite put her finger on it and chalked it up to sleep deprivation.

"So...?" Beth gave a hopeful look to Alexa, who finally nodded reluctantly.

"I guess I'd better cancel my plane back," she said, pulling her phone out of her pocket.

Beth let out a relieved sigh, shoulders slumping forward. "Oh thank God."

"What? Worried I'd drink all your rosé before agreeing?"

"No, I just-" She bit her lip, teeth leaving faint marks on her red lips. "I did something."

"I get hives every time you say that," Ruby warned.

"I... might've already texted him." She winced, ginger hair bobbing as she shrugged.

Alexa's glassy eyes widened, flashing dangerously. "You did what now?"

"Back at that rest stop in Canada, I... took his number. From your phone. I didn't plan to text, or anything, I just thought that maybe it'd be good to have on hand, just in case." Beth gave an anxious laugh, high and breathy.

"Okay, no reason to overreact," Annie laughed tensely, raising her hands between them to diffuse Alexa's imminent outburst. "She's probably talking about... some other, very important rich person. Not gang-friend."

"I am, actually," Beth said quietly. Annie groaned, peeking between her fingers to watch Alexa's barely-restrained reaction. Beth wordlessly pushed the wine bottle across the counter toward her.

"I... am fine. This is fine. This is... okay. Okay." Alexa grumbled, lips pressing into a line as she slid down to rest her cheek on the countertop, pulling her fluffy hood over her face. "I am perfectly fine because this is perfectly fine," she said, strained voice indicating otherwise.

Annie inhaled through her teeth. "I'm kind of guessing it's not-"

"Ya think?" Ruby took the wine, pouring herself another glass. "Beth, I love you, but that is the dumbest thing you've ever done."

"It gets worse," Beth continued softly.

Alexa had collected herself. "Look, I've hit my maximum emotional distress threshold for today, so unless he's in this house, I don't give a shit."

Beth cleared her throat awkwardly. "More wine, anyone?"

Heavier footsteps descended the stairs, his voice audibly smug as his familiar drawl sauntered into the room. "Back for more, doll?"

"Oh, motherfu-"