Page 14 of Rough Ride

“Max doesn’t like to personally get his hands dirty,” Kye explained. “When I spoke with him, told him the dangers of taking this shit back to trial, I convinced him that you still had value. To give you another chance,” Kye defended.

“Another chance?” Eliana asked incredulously. “This wasn’t even a first chance!” she yelled and swatted the papers off the table. They blew through the air and Kye let out a long breath as he waited for them to settle.

“You’re still alive, both of us are, I call that a win for today.”

“Don’t expect me to thank you,” Eliana muttered and placed both hands on the table. Kye walked over to her and placed a hand on her back.

“I don’t,” he replied rubbing gentle, soothing circles. His touch calmed her and for the first time in three days, she felt the tremors settle in her body.

“I hate this. I hate feeling trapped.”

“I know you do,” Kye said empathetically and as she hadn’t pushed him away, he took the chance to pull her closer. “That’s how Max gets to you, though. He’ll exploit any weakness he can find. Don’t let him get into your head. Max isn’t showing it, but he’s desperate. This last heart attack nearly killed him. I have a feeling I know the players he’s trying to get released. Call it a last-ditch-effort, but he’s making a final power play trying to ensure his legacy lives on.”

“I can’t think about this anymore tonight,” Eliana said resting her forehead on his shoulder, his hands still attempting to massage the tension out of her muscles. “I just want to close my eyes and pretend we’re seventeen again. Does that sound stupid?”

“No, baby,” Kye answered grinning down at her. “Close your eyes,” he instructed and she smiled as she did. Taking her left hand in his he gently rocked her. He rested his chin on the top of her head and Eliana wrapped her arm around his neck. “We’re at prom. Missy just won prom queen, that awful DJ is playing watered down oldies and one of the soccer players just spiked the punch.”

“Maybe I’ll have a second glass then,” Eliana laughed and Kye wrapped her in a tight embrace before releasing her.

“Your wish is my command,” he said dramatically and opened the freezer for a second time. Instead of ice, this time he removed a bottle of vodka that frosted over when he set it on the counter. Pouring it into two glasses, they clinked glasses before drinking. “Easy, Tiger,” Kye chuckled when she poured herself a second.

“I think I’ve earned it,” she replied and felt the warmth spreading through her abdomen as she drank. “In fact, I think I’m going to take the rest of this upstairs and climb into a hot bath.”

“You should eat something,” he suggested and Eliana shook her head.

“I’m not hungry, just thirsty,” she said sloshing the liquid in the bottle. Kye watched her walk upstairs, the onslaught of alcohol making her hips sway just a little more. A few minutes later he heard the water running upstairs and began pulling contents out of the refrigerator.

* * *

Kye hadn’t heard a sound from upstairs in nearly an hour. Tossing his phone onto the counter, he grabbed one of the plates from the table he had set and made his way upstairs. He’d been hoping Eliana would come back down wanting to fill her stomach with more than vodka, so he’d cooked a pot of spaghetti and lit the candlesticks. An hour after the shower had turned off, he lost patience in waiting.

Eliana’s door was ajar so he nudged it with his foot, balancing a plate in one hand and a bottle of wine with two glasses in the other. He nearly dropped all of them when he saw Eliana standing at her mirror in nothing but blue lace underwear. She was distracted as she held a book in her hand she was reading and Kye barely managed to duck back out of the room and knock before he was spotted.

“Hold on!” Eliana called and Kye grinned as the image of her plump ass in those panties still filled his mind. “Come in!” Kye entered more loudly this time. She had pulled on an oversized, cotton t-shirt and had slid under the covers of her bed.

“Thought you might have drowned,” he joked. “I brought food.”

“Mm, I’m starved,” Eliana said accepting the plate from him. “Carbs, you read my mind.” Giving him a flirty wink she grabbed the fork took a mouthful. “Aren’t you eating?” she asked and had to cover her mouth with her hand as it was full of food.

“Mine’s downstairs,” he said and stepped toward the door.

“Mmm, stay,” she protested and caught his hand. “Plenty here for two,” she said and offered him the plate back. Kye smiled and kicked the door shut before plopping on the bed next to her and taking the fork.

“What were you reading?” he questioned.

“Huh?” Eliana asked as she tried to pull the wine cork off with her teeth. Kye caught himself, he wasn’t supposed to have seen her.

“That,” he said recovering quickly as he pointed to the white book on the vanity. “It’s still open, figured you were reading it.

“Oh,” Eliana said and slid out of bed. Though the shirt was long, it wasn’t long enough to deprive him another peek of cheek. “Believe it or not,” she began and nearly tripped back into the bed. Kye had to set the plate on the nightstand to keep it from spilling as she dived back under the covers. “This is my old diary,” she concluded and flipped through a few pages. “Nothing but Harvard, Harvard, Harvard.”

“Oh no!” Kye said and stopped her on a page, “I see my name!” Eliana tugged the book away from him.

“No way, that’s private,” she said squirming as he reached over her for it.

“Come on what does it say? It’s about me I should get to know.” He was practically laying on her now and using his long arms he grabbed it from her.

“Kye!” Eliana laughed, “I can’t breathe!” he rolled onto his back and held the diary up to read it. Eliana reached for it but he jerked it away.