I expelled a breath through my nose.
“You ready?” she asked. I took a moment before I told her that I was.
“Come on,” Trini said and slipped out of her car. I took that moment to take a few deep breaths, and then I climbed out too.
We quickly followed the direction River went to catch up with her.
“River!” I called out to get her attention. She stopped walking and looked over at me. A crooked smile was on her face. That made me not want to approach her, but I knew I had to do this.
I had a child coming, and there was no way I could bring them into this war. I needed it to end—for them.
She looked at Trini and simpered. Because of Makari, I knew they’d crossed paths a time or two.
River folded her arms across her chest and glared at us.
“If y’all think I’m one to be intimidated, think again,” she spoke menacingly. I lifted my hands up in surrender.
“I’m not here to start any trouble, I’m here to help you,” I said. River stared at us, and then she suddenly fell out laughing.
“Help me?” River laughed at me. “Girl, you think you can help me?”
I allowed her to laugh until she stopped.
“Help me with what exactly?” she questioned, arms folded across her chest again.
“River, I know that you’re loyal to Sony and Ocean, but they haven’t been loyal to you,” I said. Her face changed, and her eyes turned to slits.
“Are you trying to say that my own sister is fucking my husband?”
I didn’t answer, but I knew my silence was telling that that was exactly what I was trying to say.
“Girl, please! You think I’m gonna believe your lies over my fucking sister?! Bitch, you’re lying!”
Her outburst was expected. Ocean was her sister, and I was just a stranger, but unfortunately, sometimes the closest person to you would hurt you the most.
“I’m not, River, and you know it!” I yelled back. She looked away from me, and I watched as the emotions displayed on her face. River was confused, which I could understand. It wasn’t easy trying to believe that your own sister would hurt youlike that. But deep down inside, I also knew she was confused because she felt what I was saying was the truth too.
“You know I’m not, just like you knew I wasn’t lying about what Sony tried to do to me.”
Her eyes shot my way.
“Fuck this shit,” she snapped.
River turned and rushed away, but I pulled her back to face me.
“So, why did you help me that night?”
It was nobody but River who helped me that night Sony tried to rape me for the second time. Even if she didn’t want to believe me, she saw it with her own eyes and chose to help me.
River’s mouth opened and closed, but she didn’t say anything. Again, that look of confusion was mirrored on her face. Her shoulders slumped a little. Her eyes focused on the ground as her brain tried to make sense of it all.
“I never meant to hurt Hell, and I know you know that too.”
“Bitch, you’re standing in my face after admitting it was my husband you tried to poison,” she lowly snarled at me. “Why the fuck should I listen to you?”
“He’s not worth your loyalty, River, and I think deep down inside, you know it too.” I then turned to Trini and said, “Let’s go.”
River suddenly grabbed my wrist. She looked at me, her emotions going from anger to confusion to hesitation.
