24. Chapter 23
Leo
“Ithink we need to have a chat—man-to-man.” Hunter passes me a beer which I take, but my head is not fully in the room.
The girls disappeared into the nook after the game finished, and I’ve been trying my hardest to keep my eyes off Ria all evening.
But I felt the heat of her gaze, and every time I allowed myself a chance to look over at her, she would quickly look away.
She was pretty much silent throughout the whole hockey game, which confused me no end.
Ria normally shouts so loud when the Seals are playing I leave with a buzzing in my ears, but not tonight.
Tonight she was subdued, and I know it has to be something to do with Cole.
Hunter throws himself down in his chair opposite me. Elbows on his knees, he interlaces his fingers and stares intently at me. “Leo, let’s talk.”
Does he know about Seduction Stone?
No, of course he doesn’t, you fool. Plus saying that in my head when I’m talking to him sounds like I’m trying to seduce him. The thought has me smiling.
“A serious chat, Leo,” Hunter says, his tone taking on the edge that I know well. It’s the tone that he uses to rein me in.
“Yep, sorry, just thought of something.” He raises his brow at me to explain.
Quick, think of something to distract him.
“Just thinking about if fish had feet instead of fins.”
Got to love my ADHD brain.
“What?” He laughs.
“Think about it. They would look weird. Would they have little fish shoes?”
“Okay, you’re ridiculous. I’ve often wondered what it’s like in your head.”
Trust me, you don’t want to know.
“It’s pure chaos up here.” I tap my temple. “But please continue. Serious chat.” Nicely diverted but I am now thinking about fish wearing sneakers or stilettos and I have to force myself to focus.
“I know you’re living with Ria while this whole thing is going on, so I want you to look after her.
” He sighs. “You obviously know what that prick did to her, and I know she says she’s healed but I’m not completely sure she is.
Ria’s controlled, and doing something so impulsive is out of character for her.
I’m worried she will lose herself. You will take care of her, right? ”
“Of course. That goes without saying.”
“Good.” He lets out an exaggerated breath before continuing. “I’m having Deacon look into Ezra.”
“What? Why?”
“The man bought out Peak. That went for serious dollars; how did he get the funds? What has he been doing all this time? Something just doesn’t add up.”
He isn’t wrong. It doesn’t add up. Ezra may have made a name for himself at Bright in New York and has accumulated some serious wealth, but to buy out a multi-billion dollar investment company that has offices not only in London but New York, Sydney, and Hong Kong? I just can’t see it.
“That thought has crossed my mind. Along with him just disappearing like that? The man vanished. Not that I cared what he was doing; I just cared about the state he left Ria in.” I can feel my spine straighten as I remember how broken she was when she realized he had left her.
I never want to see her like that again.
She was a shell of herself, nothing like the sensational woman she is. “Have you talked with Ria about this?”
“Not yet.” He runs his fingers through his hair as he leans back in his chair. “I don’t want to have her spiral if he comes up with nothing.”
“Brother, this is Deacon. He is going to come up with something. That man knows everything. It’s fucking scary.”
“I know,” he groans. “And that’s what is worrying me.”
“You’ve got to tell her. She deserves to know what you’re planning.” My tone is harsh as I stare across at my best friend.
“You’re right; I know you are.” He levels his gaze with mine. “But what if he finds something out and I can’t fix it for her?”
“Then I’ll fix it for her.”
Kai - First night alone as a married couple. I want all the details!
Leo - Nothing is going to happen.
Kai - Maybe not yet. Give me a few weeks and you’ll be singing a different tune.
People say I’m hard to deal with, but Kai is a whole other level. As we walk into Ria’s home, which is now going to be my new home for as long as she can put up with the facade, I’m vibrating with so much energy I’m physically about to explode.
“Did you want a drink before bed?” She trails her fingers up my arm before squeezing my shoulder, making my brain short-circuit because this feels like flirting and I’m not sure how I should react. All I seem capable of doing is nodding.
“Great,” she says quietly as she moves to flick on the kettle. “Tea okay?”
Again all I do is nod because my words have fucked off and left me.
Which in all honesty I’m happy about. If I say something right now, it will more than likely be how she is taking up too much space in my head.
I’d grasp her waist, push her against her kitchen island, and crash my lips down on hers, finally tasting exactly how sweet and perfect she is.
Shit, I have to get a hold of myself.
This whole situation has my perfectly built walls crumbling, and I’m moments away from showing her my real feelings that I’ve spent years trying to hide. I need her to want me in the way that I crave her.
“You’ve been a bit quiet tonight,” she says as she busies herself making our tea.
“I could say the same about you.” Look at that, you can talk to her and not sound like a complete dick.
“It’s been a strange day.” She laughs, pouring boiling water into our mugs.
“It has.” She hands me my mug and gestures for me to walk through into the living room.
We sit down on her sofa, and she faces me. “I’m trying to get my head around a lot here, so I’m really sorry if I seem off.”
“Don’t apologize, Ri Ri. Your life right now is a little chaotic and that’s not normal for you. I get it; you like order, and I promise I’ll help you get that again.”
“That means the world—thank you.” She shakes her head, looking into her mug. “I seriously fucked up when I fell for that prick, didn’t I?”
“You didn’t. You thought you were falling for someone who was going to be your forever. He is the one who fucked up. And I’m looking forward to you showing him how not to mess with Ria fucking Stone.”
She laughs and it really is my favorite sound.
Light and infectious. “I guess you’re right.
” Moving closer, she tucks her legs up on the couch, still cradling her mug, and leans into my side, her head against my shoulder.
I force my body not to stiffen at the intimate position.
Instead I wrap my arm around her and she snuggles in, a soft sigh falling from her lips as her body relaxes against mine.
The ticking of the large ornate clock is the only sound, and the longer she stays tucked into my side, the calmer and more at peace I become.
The rampant thoughts that normally roll around my head when I’m surrounded by silence never come, and I’m no longer forcing my body to relax as she nuzzles farther into my side.
I allow my head to lean against hers, and I enjoy the sense of peace.
“I’ve never had this.”
“What?” she says dreamily as she drags her palm across my stomach, causing my muscles to flex.
“Someone to come home to.” She stills and I scrunch my eyes closed.
“I mean, shit, not that this is real or anything; I know that. I just mean… Fuck, just forget I said that.” Sitting straight, I take her now empty mug and lean forward to place both on the coffee table, plastering a fake smile on my face as I settle back on the coach.
“You know me, always rambling and saying utter crap.”
“Shh.” She sits on her heels and presses her finger to my lips.
Bright blue eyes sparkle up at me with a twinkle of humor as a small, warm smile spreads across her face.
“I like your ramblings.” Removing her finger from my lip, she cups my cheek lightly, stroking her thumb across my stubble.
The tiny frown line appears between her brow as she continues.
“It makes me sad that you have never had this. It must be lonely.”
“Sometimes.”
“Why haven’t you had this before?” She settles back into my side and warmth floods me. “You’ve always had a long line of women who would love to make a life with you.”
“Make a life?” I scoff. “No, those women wanted the lifestyle I could give them, not a life.”
She trails her hand across my chest, resting it on my pec, my heart rate spiking at the intimate touch. “But you want that, a life with someone, I mean?”
“I do.” My heart is heavy in my chest as I realize I’ve never admitted that out loud before.
“So why not date someone who you could make that life with?”
“I’m scared.”
“Scared?”
“I shouldn’t be talking about this.” Curling my hand into a fist, I try to stand, my whole body burning up. She is making me say things that I have kept buried, and if I show her what I’m hiding, it could break me.
Holding steady, she presses her palm into my chest, forcing me to stay. “Leo, talk to me,” she pleads.
Looking away, I let out a ragged breath. “Love hurts and I’m not willing to risk it.”
“But taking a risk, betting on something, is sometimes the best thing we can do.”
“But I’m not willing to hurt someone.”
“Why would you be the one hurting them? You’re one of the kindest, most loving people I know.”
“I wouldn’t mean to do it, but sometimes things are out of our control.
Having someone fall in love with me and then they lose me?
I never want to hold that power over someone.
I’ve seen what love and loss does to a person.
I’ve seen and felt a heart physically break, and to know that I was the cause of such grief and pain? I just can’t do it.”
“Leo,” she sighs, slipping out of my hold and turning to face me.
Cupping my face with both her hands, she stares deep into my eyes, so deep I know she’s trying to get to the depth of my soul.
“Love is a gift, a treasure, and it breaks my heart knowing you hold back because of this fear. I know you see a broken man when you look at your dad, but that’s not what I see.
” She brushes her thumbs across my cheeks and her eyes are glassy.
“I see a man who has known and felt a deep love with his soulmate, the one person who owned every part of him. And I bet if you asked him, he would do it again and again. Life with your mom was his dream, no matter how short.”
“But he’s broken,” I whisper.
“Is he?”
“He has never moved on.”
“Why should he? He found what he was looking for. So don’t let this fear hold you back from finding love. She is out there. Your life is out there waiting for you to take her hand and lead her through it.”
“You’re quite poetic, aren’t you, Ri Ri?
” I give her a half smile and she rolls her eyes.
removing her hands from my face, and I hate that she has taken her warmth with her.
But this has gotten too deep for me. The words she’s saying hit too close to home as I know she’s out there.
The one I could make a life with. She is right here next to me.
“Never change, Leo.” Settling back into the crook of my arm, she sighs in contentment.
“I don’t plan on it.”