But my feet keep moving, my knees wobbling. It’s not even a big deal. So what, we’ve spent the last few nights together? So what, we kissed and it felt like the earth stopped spinning?
I’m just the girl from the other side of the track, I’m not from his world, of course he would want someone like Rachel.
The first tear slips down my cheek and I can’t tell if it’s from sadness or embarrassment.
“Marly,” River is close as I rip the car door open but right before I’m able to get around it, the door slams shut and I jump back to save my fingers from being trapped. “Princess, it isn’t what it looks like.”
I swat at the tears on my cheeks, “It’s none of my business.”
His face crumbles as he watches those tears fall, “Fuck, princess, it really isn’t what it looks like.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rachel sashay out of the garage, flicking her long black hair over her shoulder. She’s so pretty, so perfect, I shouldn’t be surprised.
Her hand slides over River’s shoulder as she grins at me, “Everything okay, Mary?”
My teeth snap together.
“Fuck off, Rachel,” River bites, snatching out of her hold.
Rachel doesn’t seem fazed in the slightest, “Nice car. Daddy buy it for you?” She asks me directly before she pulls a set of keys from her pocket and openly slides it down the paintwork of my car. “Oops.”
River snaps so suddenly I can’t even react to the vandalism. The broken arm was one thing, but this,thisis a whole new side. He doesn’t show the anger, his exterior is calm, collected but every part of him is rigid as he glares at Rachel.
“I don’t give a shit who you are,” He growls, his voice steady, “I will bury you in the fucking woods. Get the fuck off my property before I do something neither of us will come back from.”
Rachel’s face drops, “River…”
“You and I, we are not a thing. We haveneverbeen a thing so whatever twisted little game you think you are playing; you’ve lost. I don’t know how much clearer I can make it for you, I would rather slide my cock across a grater than put it in you.”
“But we’re–”
“Nothing,” He hisses. “We are nothing. Get the fuck off my land!”
“My car,” She stammers.
“I’ll have your brother bring it to you,” He grinds out, “Now go. I don’t care if you have to walk five fucking miles, get the fuck off my property.”
She scrambles away and with every minute that passes, he watches her leave, his face hard, the anger evident in the lines of his brow and the downturn of his mouth. When she is no longer in sight, his face softens, and he turns his attention to me.
“Tell me you’re still here, princess,” He pleads, “Tell me I haven’t lost you yet.”
Chapter Twenty-three
Fuck, I wasn’t expecting Marly to show up.
“I’ll fix the car,” I step toward her, her body frozen, eyes wide, “I’m so sorry, princess.”
Slowly, I lift my hands and cradle her face, “It wasn’t what it looked like,” I’m rambling, I know I am, but she isn’t responding to me, “She’s nothing to me.”
“I know,” She finally breathes, “I didn’t, but I do now.”
My whole body sags with relief and my thumbs draw light circles against her cheekbones, “What are you doing here?” I ask.
“I,” Her eyes drop to my lips, “I wanted to see you.”
My smile is slow, “Is that right, princess?” I close the gap between us, pressing my body up against hers. “What did you want to see?”
“You haven’t kissed me again,” Her lashes flutter as her hands land against my abdomen, fingers curling in just enough, I can feel the scratch of her nails.
