Georgia didn’t have to wait for Anthony long, though to her those 20 mins he took before he got there seemed like a lifetime. Every car that zoomed by her alerted her and had her heart thundering in fear as she worried it might’ve been a police car or something.
In the time before he came however, she finally took her time to reply to Sky and Maddie’s anxious texts. She assured them she was alive and okay, and that she had finally made it to moore after two days on the road. Their replies came almost instantly. They expressed their concern and their support, and promised her they’d always be there for her when she needed it.
A pang of longing hit her then, and she wished for nothing more than to hear their voices. However when she reached over to activate the group call, she felt the roar of a powerful engine coming close. And even without looking up, something just told her it was anthony.
She pocket her phone, and exited her car as she watched the bright red sport car approaching. The car's polished exterior gleamed in the sunlight, reflecting the world around it like a mirror. It was a striking display of wealth and opulence. A reminder of the life she was about to throw herself into once again.
The car pulled up in no time, and she could see the thick bob of hair of Anthony from the open rooftop. He jumped out of the car with practiced ease, and she came face to face with a face of the past she was beginning to forget. Anthony had bright blonde hair and a variation of blue eyes like hers, he had thick eyebrows and a crooked nose. His lips were thin with light stubble growing out above his lips and chin. Oh how much he’d grown from the young small boy she once knew.
“Georgia!” He exclaimed on landing, his face flushed with excitement and his mouth wide in a grin. It really was her, he thought. Though her hair was hidden in a beanie, and her skin was more golden than he remembered, it was still her! And goddamn how fine has she aged!
He had to pinch himself to snatch himself out of the natural male urge to appreciate the fineness of her body. Which couldn’t be hidden even by the bland T shirt she wore, and some cargo shorts. Georgia had always been the more beautiful of the two sisters, though they shared similar features. Something about Georgia however just shone with allure and sensuality, even when she was 16 years old. He wasn’t proud to admit that he’d had a crush on her, even though she had been his cousin.
Georgia who was sensitive to such thought couldn’t help but notice the appreciation in Anthony's gaze, and she recalled a time when he had a youthful crush on her, despite their familial relationship. She quickly pushed those thoughts aside remembering the unpleasant memories associated with that, focusing on the present situation.
"Anthony," she said, her tone still composed and emotionless. She had to be careful. She had no idea what had happened during her long absence, and she couldn't afford to trust anyone blindly. Her past had taught her that.
"Let's not waste time. I need your help," she continued, getting straight to the point. There was too much at stake for pleasantries.
“Jeez Georgie, it’s always business with you ain’t it? Even after 10 years you haven’t changed much,” he grinned, opening his arms wide as he walked closer to her, “At least a hug, gosh how I’ve missed you,”
Georgia couldn't help but offer a faint, almost reluctant smile at Anthony's words. Despite the long time they had spent apart and the complicated circumstances surrounding their reunion, some things still hadn't changed it seemed. Anthony's cheerful demeanor and easygoing nature still seemed intact.
She tentatively stepped forward after a little hesitation, and embraced him in a brief hug. It was a strange blend of emotions for her, a mix of nostalgia, uncertainty, and a touch of genuine affection. Damn, she really had missed him.
"I've missed you too, Anthony," she admitted softly. "But we have a lot to catch up on, and there are things I need to sort out quickly."
As they separated from the hug, she met his eyes, her cerulean blue gaze locking onto his pale blue ones. "First, tell me everything you know about what's been happening in the family and the city." She needed information to navigate how she was going to go about in the city again.
A strange emotion crossed of Anthony’s face, and he wondered if he should tell her about what was going on. “Tell me first, why you have trouble going through the police?” He asks instead, she would know everything when they got back home eventually.
Georgia hesitated for a moment, considering how much to reveal. She decided to be somewhat candid without revealing all the details. No matter how friendly she’d been with Anthony before, it has been ten years since she last saw him. And someone can change alot in that time. She simply didn’t trust him now.
“I’ve been framed for a crime I didn’t commit, and now I’m on the run. So would you help me? Please?” She skimped over the details, not willing to divulge any more.
Anthony considered her words carefully, his brow furrowing as he attempted to read between the lines. He knew there was more to her story than she was letting on, but he decided to respect her privacy for now. But he would get to the bottom of the matter eventually. They would need every information about this elusive cousin of his if they planned to set their plan in motion.
His smile turned extra sweet, and his stance softened some more, “You know I will always have your back, right Cuz? Come now, with me with you the cops wouldn’t dare give you a hard time,”
Georgia looked at her cousin for a few hard seconds. Something was going on. She decided. There was no way, Anthony would be this excited to see her if all was well. And he had that familiar twinkle in his eyes when he was scheming something, and the little twitch of his nose when he was hiding something. What are you planning Anthony? Or are you here on behalf of the Valentinos?
“Thanks anthony, I owe you a bunch,” her face broke into a smile that transformed her whole face. Georgia was absolutely gorgeous, but her most stunning feature was her smile. She decided if he wanted to play games immediately they met again, two could play at it.
Anthony was in awe, as he stood almost blinded by the brief smile that crossed his cousin’s pouty lips. He wondered, not for the first time, how was it that the two sisters were so different despite having the exact same face. Alexia certainly had never left him in overwhelming admiration at her ill intentioned smile. He wondered again, if the plan they had in motion would really work. The two sisters were so fundamentally different, he didn’t know how they could achieve their aim.
“Anthony?” Georgia called, seeing the man just standing there blankly looking at her face.
“Right, sorry. Come on in then lemme take you for a ride,” he snapped out of his trance, to grin widely at Georgia as he motioned towards his expensive race car in pride.
“No thanks. I have my own ride here. I’ll just follow you from behind.” Georgia said, watching as Anthony gaze a once over at her car before ridicule flashed through his eyes.
“No offense Georgie, but you’d rather ride in that 2010 audi than in my 2023 Ferrari?” He looked at her with some pity and a feeling of self importance.
Georgie only felt half annoyed at Anthony’s tone, before she reminded herself that half the people in the city sounded like him. If she got annoyed every time they opened their mouths, she’d have a permanent frown etched on her face.
"None taken, Anthony," she replied, her tone steady. "I'll stick with my Audi. I've grown quite attached to it."
It had been a car she’d bought with her own hard earned money, and she wouldn’t let someone like Anthony who had never worked for anything in his life, to make her feel less.
Anthony seeing that he’d somehow offended her, quickly apologized with a sheepish smile. “My bad Georgie, go on then, I’ll lead the way.” With that, he walked over to his flashy red car and slid in, the thought of what was to come making the grin on his face unable to fall.
Georgie though hesitant of Anthony’s intentions got into the car and drove steadily behind him. Whatever he had planned, she decided would be better than being stuck in prison and subjected to all kinds of inhumane assault. She remembered every one of Arthur’s threats, and she knew very well he would see to it that she experienced it all.
Anthony raced along the road, slowing once in a while when he got too far from Georgie, it didn’t take them long to reach the police checkpoint at their pace. There almost ten cars were stopped, as they were thoroughly searched each before they were allowed in.
Anthony however swerved his car away from the lined vehicle but instead went to an empty gate to the side. And the officers all let him through without batting an eye. However, when Georgia made motions to follow, almost six of them descended upon her car, their faces engraved in a tight scowl as they approached her fully armed.
Georgia's heart raced as the police officers surrounded her car. She knew that these were the moments where everything was at stake. One wrong move, and she could end up in handcuffs, powerless to change her fate.
The officers converged on Georgia's car, blocking her path as their stern expressions hinted at no room for negotiation. In the tense silence that followed, Anthony swiftly exited his Ferrari and, with an air of authority, approached the officers surrounding Georgia's Audi.
"Excuse me, officers," Anthony began, his voice calm and laced with an air of privilege. "This is my cousin, Maya Valentino, and she's with me. I vouch for her. There's been a little mix-up with her registration, but I assure you, everything is in order.”
The mention of the Valentino name caused an immediate shift in the officers' demeanor. An immediately their stance lowered and they looked at her with greasy smiles.
One of the officers stepped forward, nodding in acknowledgment. "We understand, Mr. Valentino. Apologies for the inconvenience. We'll let your cousin through right away."
And with that she was allowed to smoothly pass through the checkpoint, her heart in her throat as she thought of how close she was to being apprehended. Thank goodness she called Anthony. She didn’t even bother to think why he’d lied about her name.
And now that he’d done her this huge favor, she can only imagine what the sly man wanted in return for his troubles.