Chapter 61: External Problems On Hold, Internal Problems On The Rise

1 week later,

"And that's what happened." Ricky recounted the story to Eddy, who gazed out the window, the scenery outside unchanged, as if time itself had paused, leaving the world in an unbroken stillness.

"What about the sheets?" Eddy turned to Ricky, catching the nervous smile that flickered across his face.

"I'm getting you the best sheets money can buy, they're being shipped from overseas," Ricky said, patting Eddy's shoulder. 

"If you don't mind waiting a little longer, they'll be here in a day or two." Ricky cheerfully said, trying to excite Eddy, but as usual, he remained as unresponsive as ever.

"I can wait another two days." Eddy whispered and Ricky ignored all fatal signs as he smiled.

Maybe deep down, Ricky could sense the cracks forming beneath the surface, subtle yet undeniable. 

The way Eddy's gaze seemed to linger too long on nothing, or how his responses grew more distant with each passing day, it all painted a picture Ricky didn't want to see. 

He knew, on some level, that something was off, that the silence between them wasn't just the comfortable quiet of old friends but a growing chasm of unresolved pain. 

Yet, Ricky clung to the hope that Eddy was getting better. 

He desperately wanted to believe that the worst had passed, that the man who had once been so full of life was slowly finding his way back. 

"Glad to hear it buddy, then I'll be seeing you." Ricky stood up, hesitated for a brief moment as if weighing his thoughts, and then walked out the door to find Frank.

"Frank?" Ricky asked his question just as Frank, holding a vase of flowers, gave him a nod in acknowledgment.

"Hey Slick." Frank forced a smile, but Ricky could see the strain beneath it. 

Eddy's condition had taken a toll on Frank, wearing down his usual cheerful and laughing demeanor until it was just a shadow of what it used to be. 

The lightness in Frank's eyes had dimmed, and the carefree spirit Ricky had always known seemed to be slipping away.

"Are you here to see-"

"Yeah, I'm here to see Eddy." Frank spoke, his words hanging in the air, only deepening the awkward atmosphere between them. 

Ricky, feeling the tension, let out a dry cough, trying to break the silence but finding no relief from the uneasy stillness.

"Then, I'll let you get to it." Ricky quickly excused himself, walking out in a hurried manner to escape the uncomfortable situation.

"Thanks for coming to visit him, Slick." Frank called out to Ricky, who stopped and turned around, managing to pull a smile across his face.

"Of course Franky, what are friends for?"

The drive to the compound was subdued, marked by a heavy silence since visiting Eddy always took a toll on Ricky's mood, and he exhaled deeply, the weight of his frustration palpable.

"You did good in your efforts, young Ricky." Alexander popped his head out of Ricky's shirt pocket, a familiar sight. 

He had become so accustomed to his cozy spot in the pocket that he was either hanging out with Chester or relaxing in Ricky's pocket.

"You sure? Because Eddy looks like a walking corpse to me." Ricky thought, frustration mounting as he thumped his head against the steering wheel.

"Recovery is not a simple road but an unmarked path that needs to forged by oneself, ar-"

"Aristotle told you that, got it.'' Ricky nodded, and Alexander scrunched his brows in response as Ricky steered the car into the compound. 

He hadn't had the chance to talk with Lucky yet; after returning from his first-class flight, Lucky hadn't come back to the house.

Lucky had been working non-stop for the past week, so much so that he hadn't even left the office. 

However, Ricky wasn't in any rush to deliver the money as the grand spectacle he was planning could wait; timing was everything, and there was no need to rush it.

Locking the door behind him, Ricky entered the house and made his way upstairs. 

As he approached Lucky's office, he noticed the door slightly ajar and upon peeking inside, he saw his father sitting there, his face buried in both hands, a rare moment of vulnerability laid bare before him, catching Ricky off guard.

"Pops, you alright-" Ricky peeked his head, expecting to be yelled at then continue on his day.

"He did it Slick, you were right." Lucky slapped a piece of paper onto the table with a sharp thud. 

Ricky raised an eyebrow and leaned in, skimming the document with growing curiosity.

"What are you talking about?" Ricky said, confusion evident in his voice as he glanced at Lucky after reading complete gibberish, who slowly looked up, his expression unreadable.

"After you warned me about a rat, I went to Dewey's office and found him already packing up, like he'd been tipped off in advance that you were heading to the border." Lucky pinched the bridge of his nose, frustration evident. 

Ricky nodding along and sinking into a chair, absorbing the weight of what Lucky had just revealed.

"Yeah, and then you went to see Robert's father. After realizing he had nothing to do with sending him there, you asked for a favor-"

"I asked for two favors." Lucky raised two fingers, signaling something unspoken, causing Ricky to arch an eyebrow in response.

"The second favor came when I found out that Dewey was pulling out of his office," Lucky informed Ricky, whose eyes widened in surprise.

The implication was clear: Dewey was leaving the New York District Attorney's office and the news hit Ricky like a bolt of excitement, and he nearly jumped out of his seat in joy.

"This is f*cking great news, what are you on about, let's get wasted in celebration-"

"It would've been good news, if I didn't ask for my next favor." Lucky quickly reached out, stopping Ricky in his tracks, halting his attempt to stand up.

"I asked Senator Robert to make it look like Dewey was still working at the prosecutor's office and sent out three letters," Lucky explained as he looked up as Ricky, still processing the information, glanced at the letter once more.

"I gave three identical letters to Meyer, Frank, and Genovese, each with the same message but one key difference." Lucky held up a finger, continuing to gaze at the ceiling as he recalled the details.

"After the word 'Freight' I put a period on Meyer's, a comma on Frank's, and lastly I didn't put anything." Lucky said, while Ricky looked down with a wry smile

"I know I ain't an English professor, but this is a run-on sentence, which means it was Genovese." Ricky said with a smile, pleased with his deduction only for Lucky's face to fall into a heartbroken expression.

"Pops, you okay?"Ricky asked, puzzled, since this was supposed to be good news, yet he seemed to be the only one celebrating.

"Slick, my best friend, my brother, betrayed me, how could I be okay at this news?" Lucky turned his gaze to Ricky, who appeared genuinely surprised.

"But-"

"Slick, how would you feel if Jake betrayed you?" Lucky painted the picture, Ricky showing a weird look at this statement.

"He wouldn't-...." Ricky wanted to refute before realizing Lucky's meaning, sitting in his chair with an unnerving silence. 

"Pops I'm-"

*SIGH*

"It's fine, but I really want to be alone right now." Lucky waved Ricky off and, with a decisive move, retrieved a very expensive bottle of wine he had skillfully hidden from Ricky's reach.

"No." Lucky popped the bottle open before Ricky could even ask for a sip, grumbling to himself as he did so.

"I didn't want it anyways." Ricky scoffed out the door as Lucky sat in his office.

Pouring glass after glass, Lucky tried to drown his feelings with the hazy comfort of alcohol. 

Even as he drank himself into a slumber, the sting of betrayal lingered, refusing to fade. 

Genovese had been his oldest and closest friend, though Lucky was used to being cold to those outside his family, especially those who betrayed him, this was different. 

This was the criminal underworld, where loyalty was as elusive as trust and when it was earned, you clung to it with everything you had, for to lose it could mean your own downfall.

But what hurt the most were not the wounds you saw, but the ones that came out of nowhere. 

It felt like a dagger was lodged in his back, piercing his heart, as he bled out the love he once had for his brother. 

So, he sipped the wine slowly, trying to numb the relentless pain while gazing at the picture of him and Genovese laughing about something stupid.

"Goddammit Genovese, what have you done?" 

The next day,

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ricky was about to head to his car when he noticed Abraham leaning casually against it.

"Kid, let me ex-"

*BAM*

*POP*

Ricky didn't let Abraham finish his sentence as he swung his fist with force, dislocating the old man's jaw and sending him crashing to the ground.

*Crack*

"Geez kid, do you go around hitting the elderly like that?" Abraham jerked his dislocated jaw back into its rightful place, hissing at Ricky with a pained expression.

"Only the ones that piss me off." Ricky scoffed, thinking that he'd even slap a woman if she left him for dead the way Abraham had.

"Hey you're pops tortured me enough-"

"YOU LEFT ME WITH TO DIE-"

"BUT YOU DIDN'T-"

"You're right." Ricky said, rolling up his sleeves as Abraham had a foreboding feeling.

"I'll leave you on the verge of death and then we'll be even, what do you say?" Ricky let out a maddening chuckle and Abrahm held up his hands.

"I come in peace not pieces, please." Abraham said, stumbling to his feet with a forced smile.

"You sure? Because I could've sworn you're a piece of sh*t." Ricky shook his head while taking a step forward.

"Alright, alright, I'm here on behalf of the church to bring you back for the trials of succession, to inherit the position of the black knight." Abarham let out a short and brief explanation, uttering it quickly as Ricky showed a weird expression.

"What are you-"

"Look."Abraham pulled out an old scroll and handed it to Ricky as he took it with a puzzled expression, unfolding it carefully as he examined its contents.

"Nope." Ricky immediately let go and raised his hands as Abraham swiftly caught the scroll before it could drop. 

The portrait within was strikingly similar to Ricky; if one didn't notice the differences in eye and hair color, they might have mistaken it for a depiction of him.

In reality, the portrait was of the notorious Sir Percival of Scandia. 

Ricky, overwhelmed by shock, abandoned his car and fled from Abraham, who flinched in surprise before quickly giving chase.

"KID THIS IS SERIOUS, YOU ARE DESTINED TO INHERIT THIS POSITION!" Abraham yelled after Ricky who shook his head, increasing the distance between them.

"NOPE, NO WAY, I CAN LITERALLY SMELL THE TROUBLES AND HEADACHES OOZING FROM THAT POSITION AND I AIN'T DOING IT!" Ricky yelled behind him as Abraham started breathing heavily and dramatically.

"KID, THIS IS YOUR DESTINY, YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM IT!" Abraham yelled after him, but Ricky only increased his speed, determined to put as much distance between them as possible.

"WATCH ME!" Ricky laughed maniacally as he rounded the corner. 

By the time Abraham followed, Ricky had already vanished, leaving only the echoes of his laughter behind.

*HUFF*

*HUFF*

*HUFF*

*HUFF*

"I'm too old for this sh*t." Abraham slumped against the wall, wiping his forehead with a weary hand. 

He lazily pulled out the scroll and thumped his head against the wall in frustration.

"Why didn't your descendant inherit your chivalry, Sir Percivial?" Abraham lamented as he stared at the drawing, his frustration palpable as he reaffirmed his commitment to his mission. 

Sent specifically to retrieve Ricky as compensation for the slap-on-the-wrist punishment imposed by the council. 

Father Sebastian had been particularly insistent, urging him to bring Ricky back, for the world needed the Black Knight.

Unfortunately, Abraham faced a dilemma since until Ricky entered the battle for succession, the appointment of the next Black Knight was on hold. 

The old ways of the church operated this way, but there was a loophole: if Ricky were to die, the position would automatically pass to Ernst.

Ernst already rubbed Abraham the wrong way but after hearing about the situation in Germany with the sudden rise of Htiler and the Nazi's, he knew that the title and position couldn't fall into Ernst's hands.

But most of all, Abraham understood the power of that sword and the gravity of the situation. 

Although he considered Ricky to be literal trash, Ernst was a different kind of threat, rotten to the core, spreading decay and destruction wherever he went.

Meanwhile, Ricky eventually arrived at school and despite having run nearly three miles, he barely showed any signs of fatigue as he took his seat.

A smile brightened Ricky's face, only to fade when he reached the steps. 

Instead of finding his beloved Maria standing alone, he saw her accompanied by the unwelcome leech that made up Betty.

'God dammit.' Ricky sighed as he walked forward. 

When Maria saw him, her face lit up, and she rushed over to him with evident excitement.

"Ricky!" Maria leaped into Ricky's arms, as she often did, and he caught her effortlessly, twirling her around with a grin.

"How's my little dove doing?" Ricky pecked Maria on the lips, turning to her with a warm smile as he completely ignored Betty, who looked down, feeling a pang of guilt. 

Unlike Ruth, Betty genuinely valued Maria's friendship. 

However, her issues with Joseph led her to monopolize Maria's time, which in turn fueled Ricky's disdain for her presence which she obviously felt bad for.

"You're free tonight, right?" Ricky asked since he wanted to take Maria out, only for her to show a guilty expression.

"Ricky I-"

"No, I understand." Ricky pulled Maria into a warm hug, and she smiled, surrendering to the comfort of his embrace.

"You're the bestest boyfriend ever!" Maria said, as Ricky, clearly frustrated, stared directly at Betty, who looked away.

"Only for my little dove."

20 minutes later,

*BAM*

"Are you going to be a problem?" Ricky slammed Betty's locker shut, making her flinch in response after he made sure Maria left for class.

"N-No Ricky, I promise I'm not trying to get between-"

"Seriously? I literally can't even be around Maria without seeing you in my peripheral vision." Ricky seethed at Betty who bit her lip while waving her hands.

Looking around to ensure the halls were empty, Ricky didn't want any rumors spreading as he quickly pulled Betty aside to a more secluded spot.

"Come with me." Ricky led Betty to the gymnasium, walked purposefully toward the storage room, and, with a rough shove, threw her inside before closing the door firmly behind him.

"Alright spill it, why the hell can't I even get a moment of Maria's time-"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Betty yelled, her voice trembling with fear, as Ricky locked the door behind them.

"What do you mean you don't know, she tells me that you-"

"I keep telling her that I'm fine, but she keeps making plans with me and insisting we talk about my feelings. I'm really sorry!" Betty began to tear up, her emotions spilling over into sobs as Ricky saw her genuine distress, he realized she wasn't lying.

"Huh?" Ricky tilted his head, taken aback by this sudden proclamation.

*Sniff*

"I swear, Ricky, I'm really not trying to come between you two. It's just that Maria always wants to talk about my feelings. Even when I don't want to, she insists," Betty whined, her voice quivering as Ricky began to feel a twinge of discomfort while listening to her.

"So please don't rape me-"

"Whoa, whoa." Ricky halted that train of thought before it could gain traction.

"Why would you think I was going to rape you?" Ricky initially said, while Betty held her hands up, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"YOU THREW ME IN THIS ENCLOSED ROOM AND LOCKED THE DOOR BEHIND YOU!" Betty screamed in fright, and Ricky looked around, taking a step back to observe the situation from a third-person perspective.

"Ohhhhhhhh~" Ricky inadvertently acknowledged that Betty had a point; his actions could indeed have been misinterpreted in that way.

"Uh well, good news, I'm not going to rape you." Ricky gave her a finger gun gesture, but it did nothing to alleviate the tension.

*SNIFF*

"I WANT MY MOMMY!" Betty continued to cry as Ricky scratched his head and sighed in frustration.

"Dammit."

1 hour later,

"And he never listens to me, Joseph always treats me like an object and nothing more, I want to be seen and heard." Betty sniffed, curled up against her legs, while Ricky sat on the side with a bored expression.

"Uh huh." Ricky spoke dryly before sitting up and grabbing Betty's collar.

"Alright, we're done talking now that I've proved that I'm not gonna rape you, so let's get out of here." Ricky said, his words confusing Betty as she looked puzzled while he opened the storage room door.

*Thud*

"MARIA!" Betty gasped as Maria tumbled onto the floor, her expression filled with guilt as she glanced around.

"How did I end up here, I could've sworn-" Maria played dumb, feigning amnesia.

"Stop, and Betty get out." Ricky cut off Maria's obvious lie and threw Betty out of the room before slamming the door shut behind her.

*Sniff*

"I'm going home." Betty wiped her eyes and headed out of the gymnasium, leaving Ricky and Maria alone.

"Um, you see I-"

"Maria, what's wrong and why do you keep avoiding me?" Ricky got straight to the point, causing Maria to flinch.

"I'm not avoiding you-"

"Lie."

"No, I'm really not-"

"Liar."

"....." 

Maria remained silent as Ricky waited for the truth and after a long pause, she steeled herself and prepared to speak.

"I'm scared." Maria confessed, and Ricky felt an immediate wave of disheartenment.

"Of me?" Ricky asked, and Maria's eyes widened as she sprang to her feet.

"No, oh gosh no Ricky, I love you." Maria moved in for a hug, but Ricky looked at her with a mixture of confusion and disbelief, grappling with her truthful words.

"Then what is it?" Ricky asked as Maria buried her face in his chest, remaining there for a long time.

"I'm scared of, you know-....sex." Maria confessed, and Ricky raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips.

"What?" Ricky let out a laugh, Maria gazing up at him with unease.

"I-....I saw you changing one day and also saw your-" Maria's face reddened at her implication, and Ricky quickly grasped the problem.

"You saw my big co-"

"RICKY!" Maria, overcome with embarrassment, hit his chest, while Ricky burst into hysterical laughter.

"For a second there I thought you just didn't like me anymore." Ricky let out a sigh of relief as Maria pinched him.

"I would never lose these feelings, I love you Ricky." Maria said with a toothy smile as Ricky nodded along, caressing her cheek.

"I love you too." Ricky said, though for some reason, Maria sensed his tone was a bit more half-hearted than usual but she shrugged it off.

"And when I told Aunty Ninfa, she said it would hurt at first but reassured me that if your strokes were as grand as the wave itself, I'd be fine-...whatever that means," Maria confessed, nestled in Ricky's arms.

"Wait, how many people know about my cock?" Ricky asked with a raised brow and Maria actually had to think about it.

"Maria."

"I'm only joshing ya, I only told her." Maria laughed at Ricky's deadpan expression as they both let out sighs.

"Why didn't you just tell me-"

"Because I was scared you'd be mad." Maria confessed her deepest fear, but Ricky only shook his head.

"I would never be mad at you for being uncomfortable." Ricky genuinely spoke, his tone fill with warmth that settled Maria's distressed heart.

"You're different Maria, you're special, unlike any others, I'll wait for you." Ricky started to speak but paused as an image of Raven flashed in his mind as he quickly turned his attention to Maria, who covered her mouth in surprise.

"Ricky~" Maria's eyes welled up with emotion as she cupped Ricky's cheeks, drawing him into a deep, sensual kiss. 

Their lips moved in unison, with Maria surrendering entirely to Ricky's embrace and when they finally pulled back, the connection between them lingered in the air, leaving Maria breathless and utterly captivated.

"I love you, Ricky." Maria's eyes sparkled with affection as she smiled warmly, and Ricky couldn't help but return the gesture, his own smile reflecting the connection they shared.

"I love you too."

6 hours later

[Short R18]

"Ha~"

"Ha~"

"Ha~"

Alina clutched the bedsheets of the hotel bed where she and Ricky had first tangled themselves together.

Alina moaned out fanatically, her body completely surrendered to Ricky's control as he held her legs apart, thrusting deeply into the pussy that would soon bear his child.

The thought of leaving his mark on her body forever turned him on, fueling his desire as he plunged deeper into her pussy.

Ricky pushed her legs back beside her moaning face, driving his cock deeper into her as her body had fully adapted to his length, taking him in completely with each thrust.

Gritting his teeth, Ricky quickened his pace, his balls slapping rhythmically against her ass, creating a lewd, unspoken melody that echoed their intense entanglement.

His balls throbbed as he delivered one final, powerful thrust, releasing his entire load deep inside Alina. 

Her head pressed into the sheets beneath them, while Ricky massaged her ass, his eyes lingering on the graceful curve of her beautiful back.

"God I really needed this Alina, I really needed you." Ricky said, spreading her ass to reveal the tight little hole nestled just above her pussy.

Have Alina completely give herself to you(Complete):

Reward: +3 Vitality

Ricky let Alina recover from their bout as he stood by the side, staring down at his wallet with an unreadable expression. 

Once she had regained her composure, Alina crawled over to the edge of the bed, sitting behind him and wrapping her arms around his back. 

She gently kissed his neck, her tender touch conveying a mix of affection and intimacy while her eyes filled with a warmth only destined for him.

"What's wrong?" Alina sensed something weighing on Ricky's mind and leaned in, letting out a sensual whisper.

*Sigh*

"I've just got a lot on my plate and too many people keeping things from me," Ricky said, glancing at the black card in his hand. 

He didn't call Lucky out on the high table situation after seeing him completely distraught after the betrayal of Genovese, but the frustration was evident in his tone.

"The continental?" Alina rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes fixed on the black card in his hand.

"It's something that Lucky gave me way back, why, do you know it?" Ricky turned to her as she nodded, her gaze locked on him before she leaned in and gave him a tender peck on the lips.

"Not really." Alina pouted, sad that she couldn't alleviate the unease in his heart. 

"All I know is that there's a hotel that only accepts reservations for exclusive members, or whatever that means." Alina shrugged, having heard murmurs about how the hotel turns away many people unless they have a reservation or membership.

"Hmmmmmm." Ricky hummed thoughtfully before sliding the card back into his wallet. Even though he didn't understand why Lucky hadn't shared more details, he still trusted him.

"Ah, I almost forgot." Ricky leaned down, rummaging through his coat pocket before pulling out a set of keys.

"Bought it and put the house under your name, told you I'd take care of you." Ricky smiled as he handed the keys to Alina. 

She took them carefully into her hands, her eyes wide with awe as if they were a national treasure.

"It's a two story, four bedroom, three bath, and a place where Marco, Danielle-I mean Sofia, and our little one can all have rooms." Ricky smirked at her priceless reaction and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Oh Ricky~" Alina's eyes welled up with tears as she kissed him passionately, overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness of the gift. 

Ricky stood up and positioned himself at the foot of the bed, slipping on his shirt before reaching for his pants.

"Do you want me to send you off with a goodbye." Alina whispered softly as she slid down, positioning her face at the front of his towering cock..

"I mean, if you wouldn't mind."