Chapter 46
Willow
I giggle as Elijah’s hands find my hips, pulling me up and close against him, my back pressed against his chest. We have barely stepped through the door of our house.
We’ve just returned from an amazing weekend in Newquay, our bags dropped carelessly by the entrance, and already he’s all over me like a man possessed.
“Elijah,” I laugh, wriggling slightly. “Put me down.”
He ignores that altogether, fingers digging into my sides as he tickles my ribs. I squeal, trying to twist away, but it's useless with the way his muscled arms have me pinned.
“We need to be at your mum's soon,” I remind him, breathless.
His teeth graze lightly over my neck, and I shiver despite myself.
“I can be quick.”
I snort, turning my head to give him a look as he finally sets me back on my feet.
“You don't know what quick is.” I chuckle.
He just grinned from ear to ear, adjusting his cap because he knew I had a thing for it.
“You've been insatiable all weekend.”
“Can you blame me?” he remarks. “I have a beautiful girlfriend.”
I don't even get the chance to roll my eyes because, as soon as I step into the living room, I freeze mid-step and all thoughts disappear from my mind.
Elijah walks straight into me, and he stills too. I don't need to look at him to know he's seen them.
He doesn't say anything.
Just shifts to the side of me.
My smile disappears.
“River.”
His name slips out before I can stop it, quiet and disbelieving.
He's meant to be at Moira's.
And that bitch is meant to be anywhere but here.
My stomach tightens with dread and anger as my eyes flick to Rose. She's standing there with a knowing smirk on her fake face as her gaze locks onto where Elijah stands, just a little too close to me.
Just like that, I know why she's here.
“So it's true.”
Rivers' voice is quiet, but the hurt hits harder than if he’s shouted. It cuts straight through me, stealing the air from my lungs.
This wasn't how he was supposed to find out.
Not like this. Not now.
I swallow, my throat suddenly dry—not because I’m ashamed, but because I know what this will look like to him.
Like betrayal.
“I can explain—”
“Go on then.”
“Isn't it obvious, sweetheart?” Rose lets out a little tut and moves forward. “They've been having an affair.”
My jaw tightens. I want to snap back, to wipe that smug look off her face, but I don't get the chance.
Elijah beats me to it.
“The only person who cheated here is you, Rose. There's been no affair. We aren't together anymore, so get off your high horse before you go accusing people of the things you have already done.”
Her eyes flashed with annoyance.
“So you're not denying it,” she presses.
I try to move toward River, but he shakes his head to tell me no. Then he stands, running a hand through his hair and pacing once, as if he’s trying to get a hold of himself.
“How long?” he asks.
“For a while,” I answer quietly.
“I need specifics.”
“You don’t.” It’s not important. “It’s just been a while. We were going to tell you; I just—I didn’t know how.”
He drags a hand down his face, letting out a harsh breath.
“How is that hard?” he snaps, frustration finally breaking through. “How is it hard to tell me you've been fucking my dad? You hated him.”
I flinch away.
There's a thin line between love and hate.
And I’m glad I found it with Elijah.
There is no regret now, nor will there ever be.
Elijah shifts in front of me at the change in River’s tone, his instincts to protect me. Although River would never hurt me.
He wouldn't hurt a fly.
Rose, on the other hand… that's a different story.
She has hurt me before, and she knows I will retaliate if she tries again.
“It isn't her fault. If you need someone to blame. Blame me.”
“I do blame you. It wasn't long ago that she couldn't stand you. Did you take advantage of her?”
“Not even remotely close, so scratch that thought.” He was so calm about it, and I just want River to know it was me who started all of this.
Elijah was the perfect gentleman.
“You clearly did something for her to jump into bed with you. Out of all the fucking people you could have fucked to get over mum, why did it have to be her?”
“Don’t refer to your sister as just a meaningless fling because she is so much more than that, and if you give me the chance to explain…”
My hand closes around his elbow, pulling him back just enough so I can step in front of him. A silent I've got this.
When I look back at River, the sight of him guts me.
There are tears in his eyes.
My chest cracks.
“It's not like that,” I say, softer now, trying to make him see. “He was there for me through everything. He... he saved me, River.”
He saved me in so many ways.
“Oh, please,” Rose cuts in. “He was just trying to get into your pants, Willow. Don't be so naive.”
A feeling inside me breaks, like an elastic band that has been stretched too far.
“Shut up,” I spat, my voice shaking with anger as I turned on her. “You had no right. No fucking right.”
She doesn't even care; she just smiles, showing all her teeth.
“Do you hate me that much?” I push. “That you'd go out of your way to hurt your own son just to spite me? Or Elijah?”
Stupid question. We all know she hates me; there's no surprise that she's pulled this stunt.
River moves before I can react. He shoves past me, and in the same breath, his fist connects with Elijah's jaw.
“Elijah,” I shout as his head snaps to the side from the force.
My heart stutters, panic flooding through me.
River isn't a violent person. He rarely raises his voice when he's angry, so seeing him hurt his dad is completely out of character for him.
“River—”
He turns away, fury etched on his face as he casts one last, heated glance at Elijah. His fist clenches, trembling from their confrontation. The silence that follows is heavy, thick with unspoken words.
Without another word, he strides to the door, each step imbued with rage.
When he slams the front door, it reverberates through the house like a thunderclap, a jarring reminder of the rift between us.
Left in the aftermath, I stand there, grappling with a storm of emotions—fear, sorrow, and an unsettling uncertainty about what comes next.
Everything inside me tightens painfully.
I know he’s angry and hurt because I didn’t tell him—my brother and best friend.
The one person I've always told everything to.
No matter how busy our lives got, that has never changed.
Until now.
I hate myself for lying to him, but not for what I have been keeping from him.
“Are you okay?” I choke out, my lip trembling as I already see a red bruise forming.
Elijah doesn't even acknowledge what happened, likely believing he deserved it. His attention is solely on me as he takes my hand, lifting it gently and pressing a soft kiss to the back of it.
“You go after him. I’ll deal with her.”
Tears blur my vision; the weight of everything crashes down on me like a hurricane.
“Trust me,” he adds, his green eyes boring into mine. “Nothing changes between us. It’ll be okay, I promise.”
He inclines toward me and places a gentle, reassuring kiss on my head.
I really hope so.
“God, you're disgusting.”
Rose's voice interrupts, causing the anger to surface once again.
“I always knew you were a homewrecker, and now your own brother hates you, and I didn’t have to do a single thing.”
“That’s enough,” Elijah sneers. “You don't get to speak to her like that.”
This time, I headed towards her. So sick of her shit.
Every instinct in me is screaming to run after River, to fix this before it breaks completely; however, I can't leave without giving her a piece of my mind.
I won't let her think that she's won.
Not when the two people she's just tried tearing apart mean everything to me.
I come to a halt in front of her, pointing a finger at her chest.
“Listen to me because I won't be repeating myself.”
For once, she doesn't interrupt.
“You didn't win, and after this, I never want to see your face again. You're a disgusting piece of shit for what you did to my dad… and to Elijah. You deserved neither of them.” Her expression falters. “You're going to spend the rest of your life alone, and honestly? I feel sorry for you.”
I glance back for a split second, pulling the strength from him.
“Because that man standing behind me—the one you were foolish enough to cheat on—is now mine. You lost a good one, and I hope you feel that loss every single day for the rest of your miserable life.”
The look on her face is priceless.
“I hate you.” I clench my fists tightly. “Do you know what really pisses me off? It should be you buried in the ground, not my dad.”
For a moment, I can’t breathe. It might be a bit extreme, but she has caused so much pain in my life, and that’s a fact. The reality that she is here, breathing and living a life my dad deserved, feels profoundly wrong.
Bad things should happen to bad people.
I turn away because I am so done with her. I don't want to hear anything else she has to say.
Elijah's right there.
The moment his eyes meet mine, they soften, revealing a clear sense of pride in his expression.
“I love you.”
There's no faltering.
“I love you,” he says back.
And just like that, it’s clear to me.
The only life that Rose has ruined in all of this is her own.
Elijah loves me, and I love him. Now she understands that our relationship is more meaningful than she believed.
She thought it was insignificant, that he was just manipulating me out of guilt for what happened years ago, and that I was simply consumed by grief, willing to settle for anyone who would have me.
It might have started like that before Elijah, but now I have found the person I want to spend my life with, while she rots alone.
Karma is a bitch.