The street lights seemed to be running when in fact it was the car that was moving. It wasn't the same car Everett used to pick us up a week ago; it was Rhys'. The vehicle was a newer model than that of his brother, I could tell that even though I didn't know much about cars. We should be talking, Rhys and I, we were on a date after all, but there was something I couldn't get off my mind: Tim had called his fiancée that Tuesday afternoon and told her that I would be going out on a date and with who. Winnie's reaction had not been what I'd expected though; instead of waiting for me to phone her after my shift, she'd stormed into the Milk & Cream just minutes after Rhys had left. And she had been far less ecstatic than I'd thought she would be.

I didn't need for her to remove the hood to the red raincoat to know who she was. I could tell it was Winnie just by the way she surged in; I could also tell she wasn't happy. There was no "Hello" or "How are you"; she grabbed me by the hand and dragged me to the supply room, not even stopping to peck her significant other on the way there. I stagger when she pushed me in and almost collided with a stack of card boxes. The door was slammed and locked behind us and the red waterproof fabric was removed from her body and carelessly discarded on the floor.

"Are you out of your mind?" She questioned in the strictest of maternal tones, her arm folded at the elbows and her hands touching the sides of her slim waist. "There's a serial killer on the loose and you are going out with someone from the Bullets? Are you insane, Riley? What if it is him? And even I it is not him, what if it's someone else from his gang?"

Everything was asked so fast that it took me some time and a series of rapid blinks to assimilate her words. At least now her behavior made sense.

"No." I shook my head. "I told you before, Winnie, they are not a gang; more like a... society within a society."

"And how do you know that in their society it's not acceptable to kill?" She went on, her head bobbing as she spoke. "It could be a rite of passage for them."

"They are not like that." I protested again. I would've sounded more believable if I could give her examples as to why, but something told me she wouldn't recognize my gut feeling as enough of an evidence.

"Because they told you so?" She went on. "Sure," she removed her right hand from her waist to waive in front of her, "believe everything they say. Have you ever heard anyone outside of their society say anything nice about them?"

"No," I replied again, with less confidence than before; colleagues and patrons had always advised me to keep a distance from the 'gang'. "But I haven't heard of them actually getting arrested for murder either. Maybe the police haven't found anything on the Bullets because there's nothing to find."

"Or because they have at least one of them working at the police station," Winnie contradicted with a smug smile, crossing her arms over her chest. "You said that chick from the news was their leader's cousin."

Even though my friend made a good point, I was not going to give up. I was sure that neither Rhys, nor his family - in the private or broader sense of the term - were capable of such atrocities. How could they? They each raised money to help those in need; you didn't do that if you preached violence and murder.

"Oh, and all the other policemen are in it too?" I asked, mirroring her stance. "That Detective Callum included? The one that everybody in town considers one of the best; the one that your own fiancé keep praising."

For the first time today, Winnie looked as if she didn't know what to say. I'd bet she'd been planning her arguments and my possible counterarguments from the moment the call with Tim had ended to when she burst in the Milk & Cream. She didn't look like she was expecting this one though and I had to fight back a smile as I watched her face go from angry to surprised and then disconcerted.

"I don't know..." She replied, her hands falling to her sides. "Maybe?"

"You met Keri," I went on, assured again. "Do you think she's capable of something like that?"

"Well, no, but she doesn't seem like their leader either; looks can be deceiving." She was on the offence once more, but less certain in her words. The fire in her brown eyes was gone. "Rhys seems nice enough when he's here, but how do you know that won't change when you are alone with him?"

"We are going to a public place and he knows I've told people I'd be going out with him," I calmly pointed out. Her next words made me gape:

"Let's make it a double date."

"What? No! It's our first date; I can't bring other people along." And she was asking me if I was out of my mind? It was a first date and those are supposed to be romantic. You didn't let your overprotective best friends tag along and make your date feel like they were into the dingy interrogation room of the police precinct, playing good cop-bad cop. I didn't have to guess which one Winnie would be.

"Even though your life may depend on it?" Her hands were back at the sides of her waist and her head was bobbing once more. That was when you knew Winnie was pissed off: her head went up and down like that of a chicken which wasn't sure whether or not to peck the grain, lying on the ground before it.

"I trust Rhys." That should've been enough for her. She knew what I'd been through, she knew how I'd gotten my scar, so she should have also known that ever since that fateful evening, I was careful with who to trust. So even though I'd known Rhys for only about a month, it should've been enough. But it wasn't.

"Maybe the victims trusted whoever killed them too." I groaned at her retort. I should've known that she wouldn't give up.

"According to the news, the victims had nothing in common, friends or acquaintances included. And no one's ever mentioned any relationship between them and the Silver Bullets," I commented. "Don't you think the reporters would've used that? Just imagine how much newspapers they'd sell with a title like 'Fearsome Local Gang Is the Main Suspect in the Recent Murders'."

"You suck at making up catchy titles." She noted when she couldn't think of a good way to argue with what I'd said. She gave a tired sigh, closing her eyes for a moment and I realized I'd finally won. "But you have a point," She admitted, looking at me. "A news reporter would've utilized such a connection even if it was something as farfetched as the Bullets getting their groceries at the same place as one of the victims."

I couldn't keep the proud smile off my face this time; it was a rare chance to celebrate your victory after going against Winona.

"I just don't want you to get hurt," she whispered.

"I know."

"Be careful, okay?"

"I will be... mom."

"I'm not that old," she slapped me playfully over the elbow. "And call me when you get back."

"So you'll know that I'm alive or so I could share the naughty details about the date?" I teased.

"Both," she replied, smiling sheepishly at me.

The caress over my left shoulder was gentle, but it startled me nevertheless. The car had stopped in front of the cinema and a crease had formed between Rhys' bushy eyebrows.

"Is everything alright, Riley?" He asked quietly. "Have you... Have you changed your mind about tonight?"

"About the date? No, no, Rhys, I haven't changed my mind," I hurried to reassure him. "I was thinking about one of my colleagues and... stuff," I concluded lamely. I didn't feel like sharing with him what had taken place in the storage room three days ago. We were on a date; you didn't bring up suspicious best friends and serial killers during a date. "So which movie do you want to watch?" I asked as I unbuckled.

"I don't know." His hand fell off my shoulder and he removed his seatbelt as well. "Both movies start at the same time. I think I'm more inclined to see the romantic comedy though."

"Really?" I perked up. "I love romantic comedies."

"So do I."

We spent about a minute, sitting still and simply looking at each other with a smile on our faces. When I felt the blood creep into by cheeks, I turned and got out.

"The romantic comedy it is," I said and heard two simultaneous thuds as we closed the car doors.

"Do you want to get some popcorn?" Rhys suggested as we walked towards the entrance, slipping through a crowd getting out of the building; a movie must've just ended.

"Can we get one of those big packages and share?" I snuck a glance towards him. I was keeping my head low as the blush had yet to go away.

"Sure." He sped up and opened the door for me. "I'd love to share with you."

As I took a closer look at him, it was very hard not to let out a giggle; Rhys was ever redder than me.

*****

Two and a half hours later, we were walking back to the parking lot under the lightest of drizzles. You could barely feel the rain on your skin; I only noticed the drops when the streetlamps illuminated them. Rhys once again held a door opened for me, this time to his car. He'd been very sweet during the movie. We'd barely whispered while we watched it - we didn't want to disturb the other couples - but he had let me have the majority of the popcorn. A few times our fingers brushed as we reached for the treats at the same time; we'd turn to each other and I'd wonder whose smile was more sheepish, his or mine. At one point I got cold and wrapped my arms around my torso. Not ten seconds later, Rhys was taking off his leather jacket; I still had it draped over my shoulders as I sat into the vehicle and buckled up.

We didn't speak during the ride to my apartment. It wasn't an awkward silence though. Rhys had a small smile the entire time his hands were on the wheel and so did; I could see the reflection of my face in the car window as I looked outside. There were no negative thought this time, no recollections of arguments with friends about potential killers.

I didn't even try to open the door when we reached my building; I waited for Rhys to do that; I enjoyed it when he did that. He didn't disappoint. Just a moment after the vehicle stopped moving, he jumped out and strode to the other side. I had a huge grin as I got out and the two of us slowly climbed the few steps to the outside landing. We stopped in front of the door and my smile dimmed when I remembered the gawky handshake we'd parted with last time we were here. I wasn't going to let him get away with that tonight.

"So..." I began as I played with my keys, reluctant to put one in the lock. "I enjoyed tonight."

"So did I."

I held back a frown; half of a minute of silence wasn't what I was going for either.

"Goodnight," I said leaning slightly forward. Rhys imitated the gesture, lowering his face towards mine. I closed my eyes and smiled when his lips touched my skin. It wasn't as innocent as when your friends kissed your cheek; his lips lingered longer than a peck and they were too close to my mouth for this to be purely platonic. The kiss was sweet and very gentlemen-like. But that was not the kiss I wanted.

When he moved back, I moved forward. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed the part I wanted to: his lips. In an instant, something in him awakened. Rhys was no longer gentle. I yelped, startled, as he raised me up to place me on the ornamented railing. His hands moved to my face and covered my cheeks as he kept kissing me with hunger contradicting the courteous behavior he had displayed less than a minute ago. I replied just as eagerly, his jacket slipping off my shoulders as I wrapped my arms around his neck. I liked this passionate side of Rhys even if his kisses were a little clumsy.

He pulled away too soon for my liking. I took a deep breath and lurched forward but he placed his hands over my chest to stop me.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to be so impetuous, Riley," he breathed out, his voice much raspier than usual.
"I don't mind," I reassured him, placing my hands over his. He moved them so that our fingers were entwined.

"I want to take it slowly, Riley; to show you that I'm serious about us." He was looking me straight in the eyes, pleading me to understand. "I don't want to hook up every other Friday night. I want a real relationship."

"I'd like that too," I smiled, pulling him towards me. "And just because we made out on our first date instead of say goodbye with a kiss on the cheek, it doesn't mean that we are not serious and that I'd think you just want a booty call." He was smiling as well now, the corners of his eyes wrinkling over the faintly flushed cheeks. "So do you want to come up to my apartment or what?"

*****

A/N: DO YOU THINK EVERYTHING BETWEEN THEM IS HAPPENING TOO SOON ESPECIALLY GIVEN HOW RILEY FELT IN CH. 1 AND THAT THERE'S A KILLER ON THE LOOSE? They've only known each other for five weeks after all.

Or do you agree with the pace of the story and think Rhys should follow Riley to his apartment?

Also, are you angry at Winnie?

Have a great time wattpading, everybody, and please VOTE if you enjoyed the chapter!

PS: I laughed when I was writing the part about the jacket. During the date between Glory and Tyson in Here We Go Again, she pretended to be cold so he'd give her his jacket; when he didn't take the hint, she actually asked him whether he'd give it to her and he replied with "So I'll be the one who's cold?" Practical, isn't he? You haven't read my Here We Go Again? Why don't you give it a try? It doesn't have werewolves but it's completed so you won't have to wait for updates ;)