Lydia was shocked by everything, but understanding in a way that only she could be. She’s my best friend, proving over and over again that she’s the best person I’ve ever known. I told her how I’m in love with Riven, to which she responded with a “duh.” I think we’re all going to be all right, after all.
? ? ?
I’m back at Riven’s place, lying in his bed with my head on his bare chest. It’s morning now, as the light filters in through the dark shades of his floor-to-ceiling window.
“Sloane?” he asks against the top of my head.
“Yeah?” I ask.
“Move in,” he says. “I mean, if you want to.”
I grin at his unexpected question and at the way I seem to make him nervous. “Yeah, I’d like that.” I lift my head to look at him. “I’d love that.”
He smiles, and it’s a look that I could easily stare at for the rest of my life. I hope that I get to.
“Yeah?” he asks, a boyish grin taking over his face.
“Yeah,” I say, reaching up to place a single kiss on his lips.
“How did I get so lucky?”
“I ask myself the same question every day,” I say.
There’s a long, comforting silence before he speaks again. “The first thing that I want you to do when you move in is to walk around in nothing but that lace green set. You know, the one you said you wearall day, every day.” He smirks, brushing a thumb over my bottom lip.
I playfully slap a hand over his chest. “Ha, Ha,” I joke. “What if I walk around like this instead?” I ask, voice entwined in a soft seduction.
“Mmmm,” he murmurs, trailing his gaze down my bare skin while leaving goosebumps in the wake. “Such a tempting offer, darling. Watch it, or I’ll throw every piece of clothing you own into a pile and light a match.”
“Only if we can dance around the fire together under the moonlight.” He laughs loudly, the sounds unguarded are carefree. It reminds me of how rare a sound it truly is, and how nice it is to hear it now.
“You are so perfect, you know that?” he asks.
“I’m gonna need you to remember you said that once we’ve been living together for a few weeks,” I tease, nuzzling my cheek into the side of his neck. His woodsy aroma consumes my senses.
“What are we doing tonight?” I ask, giggling at how quickly we’ve become “we” people.
“Well, I’m so glad you asked, actually.” He pauses. “It was supposed to be a surprise, but I’m shit at keeping them from you these days.” He pauses again, and I lift my head to look at him while leaning against my hand. “Reverb is playing a show tonight at … Moonvale.”
I sit up onto my knees, throwing my hands over my mouth. “Moonvale? Oh my, Riven! That is amazing. Moonvale is the largest venue around here.” I can hardly conceal my excitement.
He laughs. “I know, I know. It’s unbelievable, really.”
“How? When?” I blurt out.
“When I was at Sonus earlier, dealing with Dorian,” he says, jaw flexing at the memory of it, “Cal and I ran into Ashley, our manager. She told us that the venue called and requested us. Cal and I were the first to hear of it. And because of everything that went down, Ashley wasn’t sure who to tell first. We threwtogether a board of our most trusted employees, and they’ve been working on the details ever since. It’s happening. We arereallygoing to headline at fucking Moonvale.” He says the words like he’s having trouble believing them, like a small part of him still doesn’t think that he even deserves to.
I rest a hand on his cheek, turning his head until he meets my eyes. “Hey, look at me. You deserve this, all of it. You are worthy of this, and so much more, Riven. Let the fans see you for who you are, without all of the noise. Those frequencies weren’t what made Reverb great. You, Raithe, Callum, and Malakai are. This show is yours, theirs, no longer tied to Sabel or the Eden Frequency. You can do this, and I’ll be right there to cheer you on. Your biggest fan.”
He places a hand over mine, interlacing our fingers. “I don’t deserve you,” he says, eyes nearly rimming with tears that threaten to fall at any second. In an instant, he reins them back in. Despite himself, a single tear still falls down his cheek. I lift my opposite hand, wiping it away.
“Thank you, Sloane. Thank you for seeing me and for loving me all the same.” I’m taken aback by his vulnerability, seemingly at a loss for words of my own.
I nod once, leaning over and lying back down against his chest. He runs his hand over my hair, and I doze off listening to the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath my ear.
? ? ?
I’m standing in front of Riven’s bathroom mirror, my hair straightened to perfection. I chose a fitted black slip dress that clings to my curves. The dress cuts just above the knee, with a high slit and a delicate lace neckline. I throw on a pair of silver-studded wrist cuffs that make my skin crawl with desire.I decided on a smoky gray eye shadow to match the eyes of the man who’s now walking up behind me.
