21. Chapter Twenty One
It rang, the phone rang. I expected it to go straight to voicemail, just like every other call, but this time it rang. Does that mean she”s forgiven me? Is she listening to the messages? What the fuck?
I hit redial and it rings once before going back to voicemail again. Fuck!
I light up another smoke and ponder my options. Do I keep trying? Pray that she’ll answer eventually? Do I give up on her and find someone else who’s less of a challenge? Fuck no! I like that she’s hard to get and makes me work for it. Fuck knows why, but I do.
I try calling one last time, but when it still goes to voicemail I decide to give it a rest. At least for now.
“Give me a rum and coke,” I bark as I head inside and make my way to the bar.
“Sure thing,” Declan replies.
“Actually, hold the rum,” I shout, as an idea hits me.
“What? So just Coke then?” Declan asks, clearly confused.
“Yeah. Got a lot of money riding on this next game. Gotta stay sharp,” I lie, knowing full well I could beat these chumps with my eyes closed.
Declan pours my drink with a nod, seeming content with my lie. “Cheers man,” I say as I grab my drink and make my way over to the table.
I spend the next hour or so playing poker until it”s just me and my brother”s lackey left at the table. “I raise you $20,” I call out as I throw the money on the table.
“You gotta fold, Tuck,” Nate says, trying to minimize the shame his lackey is about to feel.
“All in,” he replies, as he glares at me.
“Full house!” he calls out proudly.
“Not as good as a straight flush,” I laugh, as I see Tucker”s eyes widen in surprise.
“Fuck!” he calls out as I begin to swipe the cash, which has to be at least $150, off the table.
I watch Tucker leave and head towards the bathroom, so I follow him.
“Good game,” I say as I enter.
“Oh yeah? Tell that to my girl when she realizes I blew our date money on gambling,” he huffs. I”ve got him exactly where I want him.
“From what Nate tells me, she”s gonna have your balls in a blender when she finds out,” I add with a chuckle. Did I hear him and Nate talking about this super expensive date he was taking his girl on? Yes, I did. Have I already figured out this punk has absolutely zero backbone and is super easy to manipulate? Also yes.
“I know, she”s gonna frigging kill me,” he whines, keeping his head down and rubbing the back of his neck anxiously.
“Well, how about we do a ‘lil win/ win?” I coax. “How about you lend me your phone for half an hour and I give you back the money I just won? Seem fair?” I ask, cocking my brow.
“My phone? Give me back the money you just won? Why would you do that?” Tucker asks, although I can see on his face he”s intrigued.
“Well, you”re my brother”s best friend, and I know he’d hate to see you upset your girl,” I lie. “Plus my phone’s broken and I really need to call John about a big job I”ve got lined up for tomorrow.” I lie again.
“Oh yeah? That makes sense. Thanks man, you”re really doing me a solid.” Tucker”s relief is obvious. It”s like taking candy from a baby. I almost feel guilty. Almost.
“Here,” he says, reaching into his pocket and handing me his phone.
“Thanks,” I reply with a smirk. I pull out a wad of cash and thrust it at him as I snatch the phone from his hand. “Now fuck off. This is private,” I add.
I see a flash of confusion and fear form on Tucker”s face as he turns and walks away without saying anything else.
I find the number and dial it.
“Hello,” a sleepy, sexy voice at the end of the phone says. I’m speechless for a moment.
“Tucker, is that you?” Riley asks. “I”m not with Ava at the moment.”
I don”t wanna give anything away so I mumble, “Where are you?” while covering the microphone with my hand.
“I can”t hear you very well, Tucker. But I”m not with Ava at the moment, I”m at home. Harper’s with her though, if you wanna try her phone.” Jackpot!
I got all I needed so I hang up and delete the call history.
“I”m off,” I announce as I throw Tucker”s phone onto the table and grab my jacket from the back of the chair.
“Wait, I”ll drive you home,” Nate offers, but I just keep walking.
I can hear Nate’s footsteps behind me, “It”s fine, my Uber is waiting outside,” I lie. Not wanting to have another one of Nate’s goddamn, ‘I”ll be the designated driver,’ lectures. After all, I”ve not had a drink in hours. I”m fine.
I hop on my bike and drive straight to Riley”s house. I bang on the door, not giving a fuck if anyone else is home or who I might wake up.
“I”m coming, hold your horses,” I hear from inside seconds before the door flies open, and I see Riley”s beautiful face. As soon as she realizes it”s me, she attempts to close the door. But I’m faster than her and I put my foot in the doorway to stop her.
“Fucking move, Gabe. I don”t wanna see you,” Riley huffs as she continues trying to push the door closed.
“I”m not going anywhere,” I reply as I shove the door open.
I feel the door connect with something just as I hear a thud. “Ouch!” Riley cries out and I push the door open slowly to see her sitting in a heap on the floor.
“Shit, did I do that? Sorry! Fuck!” I exclaim. Why do I keep hurting this girl, even when I don”t want to?
I bend down and carefully lift her to her feet, cupping her cheeks. I turn her head from side to side looking for marks. But thankfully I don”t see any. “I’m fine!” she snaps, pulling away from me. “You have to go,” she tells me as she attempts to push me backwards out the door, but I refuse to budge.
“I”m not going anywhere!”
“Gabe, please,” Riley pleads,and I can hear the sadness in her voice.
“Not till you talk to me,” I add, trying to make eye contact with her. If only she would look at me, truly look at me, she would see how sorry I am; and know that I feel something for her.
“I can”t,” she whimpers and I feel my heart splintering a bit more.
I”m unsure what to do; the fiery temper and anger I can take, fuck, I love her spiciness. But the sad, almost broken version of Riley is too much. I have no idea how to make her feel better, how to bring her back to herself. So I do the only thing I know; I lean down and kiss her.
She tries to resist at first, before opening her mouth to give me access.
I kiss her harder, she gives my tongue entry to her mouth and I can feel my cock coming alive in my pants. I get caught up in the moment and I move my hand to slide it under her shirt.
“No!” Riley shouts as she pushes me away forcefully.
“You don”t change do you?” she snaps angrily. “You think that after everything you can just kiss me, make me fall for you all over again, just to get what you want. Well, that”s not me!” I can feel the anger and frustration radiating from her.
“Well kinda, but it”s not like that. I mean yeah, I wanted to make us both feel better. But not in the way you think,” I stutter. What the fuck do I say? I can feel my anger creeping up within me. She’s acting like I was wrong to kiss her, to try to take things a step further. She was into that just as much as me!
I attempt to take a step forward, hoping she’ll let me inside since I don”t really want to air my feelings to the whole street, but she pushes me back again, this time closing the door behind us both.
“Shit, are your parents home?” I say in a hushed voice.
“No, they”re at a function,” she says, shaking her head. “But that”s not the point, you”re still not coming inside.”
“Why?” I ask, feeling confused. What is she hiding?
“Because if you come in we both know how this will end,” she says as she places her hand on her hips and gives me that sassy look of hers.
Would that be so bad? I mean, the best way to settle an argument is in the bedroom right? We do our best talking in the bedroom. She usually forgives me when we are alone in the bedroom.
I don’t fuck things up there. I know exactly what to do and say to make her smile then.
Riley’s words bring me back to the situation at hand. “What do you want from me, Gabe? Do you want to be my boyfriend? Hold hands in the park, go on fancy dates? Or do you just want to fuck?”
“Err, I don”t date. Fuck maybe? No, I don”t wanna just fuck, I want…”
“What? You want what, Gabe?” Riley snaps.
“I don”t fucking know!” I snap back.
“Well, then there’s your fucking problem. Until you do know, you gotta leave me alone. Let me heal. Let me move on.” I see the tears making another appearance in her eyes.
“I want YOU, okay. I don”t know what that means, but I want you. I can”t stop thinking about you.” I shout back honestly.
“Fine, then let”s go tell the world we”re a couple. You call Kelly up right now and tell her you”re no longer single, and you don”t want to ever see her again.”
“I don”t care about her. She”s a whore, but…”
“But nothing! You”ve said everything you need to. If you”re not ready to shout it to the world, then I”m not willing to be anything more. I”ve been the secret girlfriend and the long distance girlfriend. I”m not willing to do it again. Either you stand up and proudly tell the world we”re together. Or you leave right now.”
“It”s not that easy. I don”t know how to do this. I”ve never done the whole dating thing before. It”s gonna take time. My head is fifty shades of fucked up.” I again attempt to reach out and touch her, praying that our bodies can say what my words cannot, but she slaps my hand away.
“No, Gabe, this isn’t about fucking sex. I need more!” she cries.
“I don”t fucking know how to have a normal relationship,” I implore but it”s clearly falling on deaf ears. Why can’t this be enough for her? Why aren’t I enough for her?
“Well then I suggest you learn. I suggest you go get some fucking help to deal with whatever the fuck is broken in you and come back to me when you know how to deal with a relationship that’s not solely based on sex!” she shouts.
“Don”t cry,” I beg, as I see the tears begin to run down her beautiful cheeks.
“I”m not crying! I”m just angry!” she screams back, this time so loudly it causes her voice to crack. “Just go!” she says sadly as she turns to walk back inside.
I don”t want to, but I know if I don”t leave now my own temper is gonna force me to say something, anything to hurt her just so she doesn”t see the hurt inside me. I know that if I say or do anything else to hurt her, I”ll never win her back.
“Fine!” I snap back as I turn and finally allow her to slam the door behind me.