To Love A Criminal

FOUR

Gianna expects the car ride to be awkward, but it isn't.  They bond over their shared interest in rap songs, they name drop some of their favorites rappers and lip-sync any song they know that plays on the radio. As time passes, her strong grip on her suitcase slowly eases as Jacob becomes less of a stranger.

At 11; 58 pm, Jacobs pulls up into the driveway of his home. A four-bedroom bungalow, far cry from what Gianna expects. She had something worse in her mind, like a trailer.

Jacob turns off the engine and looks over to the passenger seat, "Let's go in?" Jason says with a small smile. He opens the door and gets down.

Gianna's nerves are back. Her tight grip on her suitcase is also back. She is to enter uncharted territory and her instincts are to flee, as dramatic has it sounds.

Gianna summons courage gets down from the car and follows him into the house. Jacob tells her they have to be extremely quiet because everyone is asleep. They sneak into the house like a bunch of teenagers coming back from a party.

"I will go prepare the room, it might take time given the fact that men slept there,"  Jacob says.

Gianna nods, standing in a spot as if she moves a dragon might wake.

"Please, have a seat." Jacob gestures to the brown leather chairs in the living room.

Gianna nods again, still not moving. Jacob nods back in understanding before he walks into a dark path leading to the bedrooms.

As time pass, Gianna's legs start to hurt so she walks around the dimly lit living room. From the living room, one can see the dining and kitchen. Everything looks small compared to where she's from. It's cozy and she likes it.

"Done," Jacob announces as he returns to the sitting room.  "Come with me," Jacobs says before disappearing into the dark path again.

Gianna hesitates at first but follows behind him after a deep breath. They walk into a room that smells like it has been recently sprayed with air freshener, courtesy Jacob.  For one, it's far better than the room at the Sunshine motel. No whore moans, if they are rats; she can't hear them and the sheets look clean.

She notices stuff in cartons, probably the things of the previous occupant.

Gianna turns to Jacob who is watching her every move, to see if she likes what she sees because he feels he did a good job getting rid of his brother's trash.

"Thank you," Gianna simply says putting her suitcase on the ground.

"So, I didn't catch your name."

Gianna pauses for a second, "Ann," She says, recalling what her fake Id reads. 

Ann Wheeler.

It sounds so foreign but it's something she will have to get used to.

"Ann," Jacob whispers, "Have a good night, Ann." He says before walking out.

~~~

24 hours of Gianna's disappearance. The Rae's Mansion.  Kaylee and Angelo in the sitting room, no-one utters a word, there are no words to say.

"I have called the police," Gio walks in like a hero, ready to save the day. "I will contact all media houses, her face will be all over the news. I will offer a million dollars for anyone who knows her location. Everyone will be looking for her."

"No," Kaylee says. For the first time since the incident, she looks up at her son.

Gio's heart skips a beat but he doesn't show it. That love of a mother is gone, he can see it.