29. River
Chapter Twenty-Nine
RIVER
I must have zoned out because I jolt when Teddy touches me. The worry and frustration in his blue eyes saddens me because I don’t have control over the reaction, at least not right now. He closes the car door and slowly scoots closer to me, testing my reaction.
My bottom lip trembles, causing him to pause. His face crumples with pain, which opens the floodgates again. I’m not scared of him, but I know my reaction is misleading. Tentatively, Teddy touches my shoulder, and I lean in his direction as I cry. Soon, I’m in his lap with both of his arms holding me tightly. I rest my forehead in the crook of his neck as I try to find composure.
“Fuck, baby. I’m never leaving your side again," he vows. I sniffle as the SUV starts moving. Teddy’s scent works its way into my consciousness and provides a calm that I couldn’t give myself. “I’d get rid of him again if I could just because he made you feel this way. It’s something I never wanted you to experience.”
The conviction in his words and the soft kisses he places on my face soothe me like a balm to my bruised comfort.
“I should have listened to my instinct and went back into the house,” I whisper.
Teddy cups my face so I can look him in the eyes. Eyes I feared I’d never see again. “While I support the statement because I always want you to trust your instincts, I don’t support the thought. Don’t you fucking dare blame yourself for this. The people who are responsible for all of this are paying for their sins.” He rests his forehead against mine. “I should have told you about Luciano. It’s more my fault than yours.”
“Told me?” I repeat, because I don’t know what he means.
Teddy closes his eyes, then opens them again. “I knew Andrea fired him. If I would have updated you, maybe we could have avoided this.”
I cup his face the best I can with him holding me. “I need you to follow your own advice. Surly has been trying to kidnap me for months. He wasn’t going to stop until he found a way.”
Teddy pecks my lips. “How dare you try to console me while I’m consoling you.”
A surprised laugh escapes my lips. I didn’t think anything would be funny for a long time. It’s a short-lived feeling as my emotions swing back the other way to produce more tears. Teddy just holds me tighter, reassuring me with his presence. Feeling his solid frame does wonders for my comfort.
The SUV stops at Andrea’s compound. I’d be surprised any other day, but it makes sense. Both Teddy and Andrea would not like how Luciano fooled me the way he did and would want to keep me in their sights.
Teddy laces our fingers together and leads me into the house.
“Come on, baby, Let’s wash the day away,” he offers.
I’d forgotten about the blood until I saw the concerned look back on his face. Memories of Luca’s dead body bring a fresh set of tears.
Dr. Porter and her sister Delaney both stand at the sight of us. They looked worried for different reasons. Dr. Porter, who I assumed was called for me, moves my way while Delaney looks around the room. Her eyes are not finding who she’s seeking. Although I'm dead tired and yearning for a bath, I can tell that she looks pretty.
Her hair is down and blown out into soft waves with a side part. Some hair falls over her eyes. Her spaghetti strap dress is a floor-length rose gold number with a split that displays her toned brown thigh. Stilettos make her look even taller. Stunning.
“Honey, I’m home!” Andrea announces before he appears from a different direction.
We all stop and look at him. He’s not as neat as usual. A bruise colors his face, and blood is splattered on his clothes. Both of his hands are wrapped in bandages, and he flexes them like they hurt. Delaney’s brow furrows with concern and she takes a step in his direction before she realizes what she’s doing. Hoping no one noticed, she stops and fixes her face into a neutral expression.
If I weren’t traumatized, I’d be fascinated. It appears that he possibly could have worked his way into her feelings. I know that’s the case when he walks over to me and pulls me into a hug. I peek around him in time to see Delaney drop her gaze to her shoes. She probably thinks he didn’t see her, but I know Andrea is damn perceptive.
“You had us worried,” Andrea admits. He pulls away from me to look me in the eyes, wiping the tears I didn’t know were still running with his thumbs. “Surly can’t bother you anymore unless he learns how to haunt people as a ghost. If he does, I’ll kill him again.”
His tone is icy, but his statement is somehow the sweetest thing he’s ever said to me.
“Thank you, Andrea,” I whisper.
That’s all I have, and he understands that. He gives me the first soft smile I’ve ever seen on him as he nods. Andrea abruptly turns his attention back to Delaney, grabbing her before she can react. She gasps in surprise just before Andrea’s mouth covers hers. He kisses her stupid; it’s the only way I can describe it.
Dr. Porter looks torn between helping me or her sister. Eventually, she shakes her head and gives me her attention. She pulls me into a kind hug, then quickly looks over me.
“Oh goodness, River! Let’s get you cleaned up and checked out.”
I don’t respond because Andrea releases a low growl and breaks the kiss.
Delaney blinks slowly like she’s coming out of being hypnotized.
“That’s how you’re supposed to greet your future husband…” he tells her.
I don’t hear her response because Teddy is ushering me in the opposite direction. “I’ll get her cleaned up while you set up and we’ll meet you in the room,” Theodore says to Dr. Porter, and she nods.
“Thank you, Dr. Porter,” I start, but she cuts me off.
“At this rate, please call me Kennedy,” she corrects me.
“Kennedy,” I repeat. “Thank you, Kennedy.”
She smiles at me while Theodore pulls me in the direction of his room. I’m not surprised that he has his own wing in Andrea’s house. It'd make sense that he'd need somewhere to go where his ex couldn't follow.
He turns to say something, but I pull him into another big hug. Our baby kicks both of us as I continue to hold on to him. The fear I felt washes over me again as everything that happened to me spews from my mouth like a broken faucet.
“After they put me in the bloody truck with Luca’s body, I still had faith you and Andrea would find me, but I prayed anyway. I’m thankful I was right. Surly wanted to use my pregnant body until I gave birth. Mario was going to take the baby, and Surly would have sent me to some buyer with a milk kink.”
The more I talk, the tighter his hold gets on me. I can feel his anger; it’s as if it vibrates through his body. Teddy takes a few deep breaths, then his grip loosens enough for me to pull away. Looking at him is like a switch flipped. His face is like stone and his eyes shine with cold fury. I’ve seen glimpses of the guy he used to be, but now he’s on full display. If he were a cartoon, he would have transformed or started glowing. The best way I can describe it is Bruce Banner versus The Hulk, but Teddy doesn’t grow or turn green.
He moves back into my space, but I fight the urge to turn away. I know none of his anger is for me. I know he won’t hurt me. Seeing my Teddy in the mindset that makes him Trunk is more beautiful than it should be.
“I can’t kill Mario twice, River. I can’t break all his bones again. If I could, I’d do it every day to make you feel better. What I can do is hunt down the sick fuck who paid for you and make him suffer for ever thinking it was okay to purchase my woman. Any woman, for that fact.” He grabs my chin. “And I’ll happily destroy anyone like him on my way to him. For now, we’re going to get you cleaned up so the doctor can make sure my woman and child are fine. Okay?”
Hours ago, I would have sworn I’d be too traumatized to get turned on, but Teddy just proved me dead wrong.
“Whatever you like.”
A small smirk pulls at his lips. “You’re not supposed to like this side of me, River.”
“Trunk is dead sexy,” I admit as he rips off and throws away my clothes. “I like all sides of you, Teddy.”
He steps away and turns on the spray, adjusting the temperature to his liking. I stand naked, still fascinated that his anger is at the surface despite his gentleness towards me. His shoes, vest, shirt, and pants are all removed with an frustrated flare while he probably plots the death of all the unknown men.
Raging and naked. Magnificent.
He grabs me by my wrist and pulls me flush against his body. “I won’t rest until you’re comfortable again, River.”
“Damn, if this was any other day…”
“You’d already be coming and begging me for mercy.”
My eyelids flutter at his suggestion. “Fuck, I love you,” I admit, no longer caring that I may be the only one saying it for a while.
I’ll still respect any time he needs, but I can’t hide my feelings. It doesn’t hurt my feelings when he smirks but doesn’t respond. Teddy pulls us into the shower and starts lathering the sponge to wash me. I wet my hair and wash my face. He hasn’t moved, but I feel him behind me as I rinse my face. Turning my back to the spray, I push the water out of my eyes.
Teddy stares down at me, the blue of his eyes shining with a quality I’ve never seen before. I get stuck staring into his gaze. The water pelts around us as we stare at each other as if meeting for the first time. He tugs one of my wet tendrils but doesn’t drop eye contact. This is the closest his face will ever get to the thinking face he says I have when I’m hesitating to ask or say something.
He tucks a finger under my chin and steals a quick kiss. One of his dimples pops before he speaks.
“I love you too, River. You will be my wife soon.”