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The argument had lasted too long. Rio knew that but he couldn’t get over it. He wanted Berth and she chose Dean.
“Loser!” He shouted.
Rio threw the picture of he and Beth to the wall. She was his and he knew she had a family but they could make a family. Far better than the one Dean offered.
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“Ruby please just watch them I need to go see Rio.”
“Sure but why?”
“I think he saw Dean kiss me. The way he ran off and wouldn’t talk to me. It was like we were back at square one. I have to go see him.”
Ruby nodded in understanding. Beth took off. She needed to get to Rio. Beth thought back to the moment she saw the hurt in Rio’s eyes. Dean had made his way over to the house. Beth guessed that Amber or whoever it was had left him again. Dean followed her as she got the kids dinner ready.
"Beth what can that- that gangster give you that I haven't?"
"Peace Dean." Beth said smoothly. Not wanting the kids to hear. "He gives me peace and understanding. He taught me to take care of my family after you messed it up. That's what he gives me."
Beth could see Dean's face redden as she said that. The last few months Dean had be stalling the divorce by not signing the papers and making Beth's life harder than when they were together.
Beth focused on the well traveled route. She pulled into the parking lot and pulled out her key to Rio's place.
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Rio paced his apartment. How could she hurt him after all that he had taught her. The nerve of that woman, he thought. Rio heard the key enter the door. "Here we go." He said.
"Rio!" Beth called out.
"In here." he replied softly.
"Can we talk?" Beth asked.
Rio just looked up at her and nodded, looking back down before the tears began to flow.
"That kiss meant nothing to me. Dean is making this so hard for me and I want you to know that he kissed me and I pushed him away immediately."
"Didn't look like it." Rio mumbled.
"I love you." Beth replied. It wasn't the first time she said it to someone. Although it was the first time she meant it to the person on the receiving end. "Rio did you hear me?"
Rio just looked at her as the tears began to fall. "Do you really?"
"Yes." Beth responded.
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They laid in bed wrapped in the cool sheets. Rain pattering on the window. Beth's eyes closed as she laid on Rio's chest, Leon Bridges playing in the background softly. She was right where she belonged with a man that showed a side of himself that she knows no one has seen. The man she really loved. The man of her dreams.
"What yo thinking about?" Rio asked.
"Forever with you."