Risk it All

by Fiona Price

  "I've never heard of this guy before." Matt spoke.

  "Neither have I, but he looks like bad news from the little we have on him. Interpol is looking for him, but he seems to have dropped off the grid. There's no record of him ever traveling to the states, but he's no stranger to crime. He could have come to Miami another way, or he's got men doing the work for him. Right now, there aren't any ties to organized crime associated with him, but he might just be a major player in an upcoming operation." Alissa answered with the brief knowledge she was provided on the computer.

  "We know they have a tie to this guy, but the next step is figuring out why the mob would want to take these guys out. It's time to find their motive. Alissa and Matt, get on that." Shane assigned as he was going to make calls to the crime lab to see if they could dig deeper into their victims as well.

  "Vicki and Scarlet, head down to the Medical Examiner with this new information. It might call for a second look-over now that we know what we might be in for."

  With their assignments, they all broke off into their teams.

  Alissa was sitting in Matt's office, looking over the case files for the victims of the presumed mob hits. It was just the two of them, Shane had left for the crime lab and left them alone. They were looking over the evidence, bouncing theories off of each other and trying to piece together a case against the mafia, also trying to find out which one they were looking for. Alissa tried to keep it just at that, but they hadn't been alone together since the bar incident and since Matt tried to apologize for it in the office. They hadn't talked about what happened. Suddenly, they had visitors knocking at his door.

  "Excuse me for a second." He said as he got up and answered the door. Alissa looked over at the two women at his door.

  "Mom, this is unexpected, what are you doing here? Who's this?" Matt asked, genuinely surprised at the visit. "Who let you guys up here?"

  "Matty, darling, this is Vanessa Williams!" His mom introduced the bombshell blonde standing next to her.

  "Nice to meet you, Vanessa. Mom, really, what's this all about?" He asked, and then the two women walked inside the office. "I'm still at work, guys."

  "Well, Matt, you told me about Shane's wedding coming up, and you said you didn't have a date. I know you don't like it when I try to set you up, but I've found you a date to the wedding in a couple of weeks! She's a veterinarian, an Aquarius, and very single."

  At that last statement, the room became very tense. Matt didn't know what to do, and Alissa was shocked and confused.

  "Mom, it's such a small wedding, I don't need a date. Vanessa, thank you, but I think I'll go alone-" Matt began, not making things any better with Alissa.

  "Matt, you need to start dating! You spend too much time alone and we both think it'll be good for you to get out there."

  "If I say yes, will you go? Now really isn't a good time." Matt asked, trying to do some damage control- and failing.

  "Absolutely. But who's this over here?" She answered, then directed her attention towards Alissa who could barely comprehend what was happening.

  "Trust me, I'm just Matt's coworker. He made that clear." She answered icily, getting up off the couch and packing up the case files into her backpack. "And I'm on my way out."

  Alissa shot a glance to Matt, not believing what just happened.

  “She looks like your type, Matt, but I see she’s engaged, so someone beat you to the punch!” His mom joked. Alissa bit her lip and looked down at her hand and the glistening rings.

  “Sweetie, they’re on the wrong hand!” She exclaimed, and Alissa looked her directly in the eyes.

  “I know, my fiancée died so I can’t really wear them on my left hand anymore.” She explained, coming to terms with her feelings that she wasn’t ready to let go of Alex.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that, darling, my apologies. I’m so sorry for your loss, I’m sure you miss him like nothing else.”

  “I miss her every day, thank you.” She emphasized. Matt stepped in at this point, trying to do damage control that wouldn’t help the situation at all. It was all happening so fast and there was no way for him to address each piece individually. There just wasn’t time to unpack it all. It caused Matt’s head to spin, and he felt like if it wasn’t attached to his body, it would go flying off.

  "Mom, please go, Alissa, please stay, and Vanessa, I'm sorry about all of this." Matt spoke, trying to address everyone all at once. Matt's mom and Vanessa were on their way out, and Matt closed the door behind them. Alissa didn't even know how to react, and Matt was trying to backpedal on the situation that just happened. Alissa spoke first.

  "You haven't even told your mom about me? About us?" Alissa asked, the hurt showing through her voice. "She thinks you're single, so she's setting you up with girls? How long has that been going on? How long since I've been around? Why haven't you told her?"

  "Because every time I've had something good, I've lost it too soon. I didn't want to tell her about you and then have it be gone, and have to explain that to her."

  "You didn't know that this would last." She sighed, starting to understand. "You're right. It didn't. That, that right there, was it."

  "Alissa, I don't want this to be over-"

  "Then start making commitments, Matt! You didn't tell your mom about us. You don't even call me your girlfriend! I know what I want, and it's you. But, we obviously want very different things from each other. Take Vanessa to the goddamn wedding. Tell your mom that one will work out, you swear, and you better hope it will. You better hope that it won't be a lie, because this one didn't work out." Alissa spoke before pushing past him towards the office door.

  "Alissa, where are you going with the files? We're supposed to be working together on this."

  "I'd rather work the case alone than be around you." Alissa responded before she turned and found her way out, bumping into Shane who only heard the tail end of their argument. Matt was stunned.

  "Do I want to know what just happened?" Shane asked. "I'm worried."

  "Yeah, my mom dropped in uninvited with a girl she set up as my date to your wedding. I never told her about Alissa, because it was so new and nothing was set in stone, so she came back with this girl named Vanessa and now everything is a disaster."

  "Oh, my God." Shane spoke in disbelief. "Dude, this is fucked up. You gotta fix this, before it all goes to hell."

  "I would, but the thing is, I think it already has."

  Matt was right. On top of everything that happened, that was the defining moment for them. Matt wasn't sure if he could ever come back from that, but all he could focus on was the upcoming wedding. He was going to take Vanessa, he was going to be Shane's best man, and then afterwards, he could devote all his time to figuring things out with Alissa. Only if it wasn't too late. It was a calculated risk he took, but boy, was he bad at the math that went into it.

  Of course, Matt didn't really tell Shane about his process, and he quickly learned that it was a bad idea when he showed up to the wedding with Vanessa, Shane not knowing what she looked like. Many of the guests had already arrived, including Scarlet, Max, Alissa, Shane’s parents and Vicki’s parents. Scarlet’s jet-black hair cascaded straight down the back of her Kelly-green dress. Shane looked around and everything was going exactly according to plan, except when he saw an unfamiliar blonde.

  "Uh, Matt, who the hell is that?" Shane asked, pulling Matt to the side, away from earshot of everybody in the chapel.

  "That's Vanessa."

  "What happened with Alissa, man? Did things really not resolve themselves? I thought you were going to take care of it and fix things with her."

  "I tried, and things got worse when I didn't tell my mom I was seeing Alissa and she set me up with this date for the wedding. Things might have been fine if it wasn't for that. Alissa freaked, as she should have, called it off and we haven't really been talking since."

  "Matt, that was the very last thing you should have done. Having unresolved issues with Alissa an
d then bringing another date made things a million times worse."

  "I'm sorry, Shane, I couldn't get out of it."

  Shane sighed, shaking his head before having a moment of thought.

  "Just tell me you have the rings."

  "I know this is fucked, but I'm still your best man. Yes, I have the rings."

  "Good. Come on, it's time to head up to the altar." Shane spoke before they took their places. The violinist began to play her solo that Vicki would process up the aisle in. Her wedding dress was a simple white gown with thin straps and a high thigh slit with a corset back. Her hair was curled and secured with a shiny crystal clip and she carried a small bouquet of daylilies.

  Alissa sat in the back by herself, trying to position herself so she wouldn't have to lock eyes with Matt during the whole ceremony. She wanted to make a quick and quiet exit if she had to, since she was still feeling emotionally raw and had to look at the gorgeous Vanessa make eyes at Matt in front of her. Vanessa was wearing a navy-blue suede dress which complemented her tan skin and blonde hair. Alissa was wearing a wraparound yellow linen dress with wedges, yet again feeling inadequate. But, she had to push it down, since the day was about celebrating Vicki and Shane. It would be horrible of her to miss that fact and cloud the occasion with her own baggage. She took a few deep breaths and got herself together in time to hear Shane start the vows.

  "Victoria, you are the ultimate light in my life. I thought I knew happiness until I found you, and you showed me more compassion, understanding, kindness and generosity than I had ever experienced in my life, ever. I thought you must be an angel, and not once have I been proven wrong. When I was in darkness, I never knew if things were going to get better for me. But you, Victoria, have given me a second chance at life. Your love is unconditional, and I felt it. I felt it every time that I had to leave, wondering if it was the last. I can only hope to be like you one day. You are my idol, you are my sunshine, you are my reason for being. You teach me every day and in every way that yes, it is possible to love you more and more. I can't wait for forever with you." Shane spoke, the words flowing right from his heart, and Alissa's throat became choked. It was now Vicki's turn, and nobody was sure if they could keep in the tears much longer.

  "Shane, when I first met you, I knew I had met the one. The one that would give me a challenge, push me out of my comfort zone so I could achieve success, the one that would be my biggest supporter, and the one that I knew no matter what happened in life, no matter how far away we were, you would always be a part of my life. I'm not very religious, but each time you were deployed I prayed that you would be watched over so you could always come home. And you always came home to me. Something special happened on the day we met, and it's lit a fire that will forever be kindled inside of me. I will love you forever, Commander Shane McAndrews." Vicki spoke, her vows so genuine, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. She could barely hold back the tears herself.

  Vicki and Shane had put on the rings, and the minister pronounced them husband and wife. They shared a kiss that the gods themselves envied, and their small wedding party was ready to celebrate over dinner.

  Alissa spent a lot of time crying in her car. She was the first one out of that chapel after the bride and groom, and she just couldn't run fast enough. She rested her head against the steering wheel of her convertible, the top all the way up on the beautiful evening so nobody could hear her cry. Matt saw her for a brief moment before he got into Vanessa's white BMW and she drove them to the restaurant. Matt knew it was far from over.

  Alissa wasn't the last to arrive, but she surely wasn't the first. She had to wipe her tears, reapply her makeup, drink some water and put eye drops in that would reduce her redness. She hugged Vicki so tightly and then Shane, congratulating them on the occasion. Alissa sat at her end of the table, trying to make it through the appetizer but she found it hard to eat. Her hands shook as she lifted her utensils or her glass, and as hard as she tried to avoid it, Shane noticed. Alissa excused herself from the table, stepping out from their rented room and trying to breathe. Shane stepped out a few moments after, trying not to make it obvious that things were not going well.

  "Alissa, if you have to go, please, don't let me hold you back." Shane spoke to her in the hallway just outside the restaurant they were hosting the reception at. "I know what's happening and I know you're hurt. Take your dinner to go, and don't feel bad."

  He knew that Alissa was barely holding it together, watching Vanessa climb all over Matt and share dinner and laugh with all their friends. Alissa didn't want to bail out too soon, but she was forever grateful that Shane understood what was going on. Alissa really had to go.

  "Thanks, Shane. I know petty drama like this is the last thing you want on your wedding day, and I tried to keep it down, but the shit will always want to come out sooner or later. I just can't fight this feeling that Vanessa isn't who she says she is, either. Nothing feels right about this, and if I don't get out of here, then I won't be able to stop myself from crying."

  "Alissa, please, it's alright. Take care of yourself, and I'll see you soon. Get some rest." He spoke before helping Alissa put on her jacket and walk her out.

  Shane sat back down at the table, trying to keep his composure and not make anyone worry or question what was going on.

  "Hey, where'd Alissa go?" Vicki whispered to Shane, noticing her presence was missing.

  "She got really sick all of a sudden and had to leave. Something just wasn't settling right with her stomach." Shane covered, then giving Matt a glance from across the table. Nobody else knew what was going on, not Shane's parents, not Vicki's parents, not any of their friends, not even Vanessa.

  Of course, Matt knew. So did Shane, and he wouldn't let Matt get away without making it right with Alissa.

  Alissa’s heart had dropped deep into her stomach. She barely had the front door of her house closed before she began sobbing, not caring that her makeup would be absolutely destroyed. The pain came and it just kept coming, and hearing Matt’s mom bring up the engagement rings and making her talk about Alex’s murder was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Alissa could barely breathe, her lungs felt like they were full of rocks. She had to let her thoughts out, so she screamed, she cursed god, but she also spoke to Alex.

  Alissa spun the rings on her right finger, her teeth trying to contain her quivering lips.

  “Alex, I love you so much. I miss the woman I fell in love with. I would give anything to get her back. It sucks and it’s not fair and we should have been happy, but that’s not the cards we were dealt, okay? I miss the hell out of you, I do. I think about you every day. I still even have dreams about you, Alex. I’m never going to forget you. But I think I have to let you go.” Alissa spoke, hoping wherever Alex was, she would hear her, and she would understand.

  Alissa took Alex’s ring off her finger first and held it in her palm. It was much harder for Alissa to take off her own engagement ring, the gorgeous solitaire that Alex proposed to her with. But, she did it.

  Her hands felt empty. They felt naked. But, it was a necessary evil that had to be done. She had to let go.

  She put the rings away in her jewelry box.

  Trouble was coming, though, in waves bigger than they expected, and it might have already been too late for apologies.

  XII

  Vanessa and Matt had gone out a few times before the wedding, and that was mostly by the hand of Vanessa. She initiated a lot of their interactions, because Matt was still so hesitant to be going out with her. She was exactly his type and she was just so hot, so Matt went out with her after she convinced him to do so. He tried to keep things platonic, due to the unresolved relationship with Alissa, but Vanessa charmed him in a way he just didn't understand. It was like he was lured in by her. The platonic thing Matt tried to do didn't last as long as Vanessa was around. His plan was screwed.

  They had returned to Matt's house after the wedding reception dinner, and Matt was wearing his all black tuxedo,
but not for long. They were kissing up his driveway and into his house, and Vanessa took the lead. She pushed Matt down onto the couch, sliding his suit jacket off his shoulders and pulling his tie off. She kicked off her heels and straddled his lap, his hands landed on her hips. Her blonde hair cascaded against her blue suede dress as she unbuttoned his black shirt. Matt kissed her neck as he pulled down the zipper of her dress, the slim straps falling off her shoulders revealing her lingerie. Matt groaned at the sight, feeling a little guilty about Alissa, but he pushed it of his mind for the night. Vanessa grabbed him by the collar and pushed him into his room as he sunk his hands deep into her hair as they kissed. Vanessa easily took his mind off of Alissa for her purposes before bringing him right back to the subject he wanted to avoid.

  "So, tell me more about your partner, Shane." Vanessa spoke as she was putting on Matt's dress shirt while Matt was still laying down, catching his breath.

  "How come you want to talk about Shane? I mean, not five minutes ago, you were pulling my hair." Matt asked, a little confused at the transition between two subjects she wanted to take.

  "I just want to know about you and your team! What you do is interesting. Plus, it seems like there's still some drama."

  "Of course, there's a little bit of drama. We're right in the middle of a case that we've connected to organized crime, there are three people who turned up dead all with connections to an up-and-coming mobster. Shane's wedding happened right during this investigation, and all I can think about is work. The wedding itself was great, but Alissa expected to have me as her date and it was really weird for everyone, Shane was upset, Alissa didn't stay, it's a disaster."

  "That's strange. What mob are you looking at?"

  "I shouldn't really be talking about it, but we actually have no idea. It's not any of the major ones, and nobody has ever heard of the guy we have our eye on."

  "Who's the guy?" She asked.

  "You'll never know who he is. Does the name Andrei Petrovitch mean anything to you?"