Chapter Nine
Viv
“He loves me.” I pick the petal off the rose and drop it to the floor, staring at last one that remains on the flower. “He loves me not.”
I’ve been playing this game for what feels like hours, and I keep getting the same answer. Heck, the universe apparently just doesn’t want us to be together. Knox would be shocked if he knew what I’ve done with the bouquet of white roses he bought me.
I turn to the woman seated on the couch with me, pouting sorrowfully at her. This isn’t how I imagined getting to know my future sister-in-law.
On the long ride here, I sometimes thought about meeting Ruth. I figured it would go one of two ways. She would either hate the sight of me and make my reunion with Knox difficult…or she would adore me like a little sister and we would bond over clothes and makeup.
Not much bonding has been happening in the day I’ve known her.
Poor girl has had to deal with my roller coaster of emotions, trying to comfort me even when she has no idea what’s been causing my mess of moods. It’s not a great first impression. Still, I can’t help myself.
I want Kyle. I miss him.
Does that make me pathetic? That I’ve allowed myself to care so deeply for someone that I see no one else but them?
Christ, where is he? Why the hell won’t he come to me? It would probably hurt less if he broke things off with me to my face instead of just…dismissing me.
That handsome jerk. He has no right to do this to me!
“You should go back to the party,” I suggest, tossing the rose stem on the table. “I don’t want to ruin the night for you.”
“You’re not,” Ruth assures me, patting my hand sympathetically. “This is my chance to find out what Knox was like when he was younger and I’m not wasting it.”
“Really? I’m not ruining your night?” I ask, feeling grateful for the woman my brother chose to be with. “You haven’t even asked why there are rose petals scattered all over your living room floor.”
“They add color to the place, I can’t complain.”
I smile, my first genuine smile in what feels like forever. “So, you want to know about Knox’s crazy past?”
She nods eagerly, leaning in closer. “What was he like when you were a kid?”
I smile fondly. “He took care of me. I was just a kid, so I didn’t even realize how much he sacrificed for me, you know? He was busy raising a child and taking care of our mother when he was barely an adult himself. He was always there for me.”
“Is that why you’re sad?” she asks. “Do you feel like he’s not paying much attention to you now that he has a fiancée?”
I blink at her as the meaning of her words sets in.
“Christ, is that what you think?” I ask, alarmed that my emotions could be misinterpreted this way.
Shit, of course she would be confused when I’ve acted like a brat for the short time she’s known me.
“I’m not…it’s not Knox I’m mad at. I couldn’t be happier for him.
For both of you. Having a sister is something I’ve always wanted, and I’m glad that it’s you,” I say, taking her hands before dropping my eyes to the scattered petals.
“It’s not Knox’s attention I’m craving.”
“Someone else then?”
I nod. “I haven’t seen him once since we got here.”
Ruth goes quiet for a moment and I sense it the second she realizes. “Kyle?” she gasps. “The handsome redheaded prospect that everyone adores? That Kyle?”
Jealousy sends ice chilling my blood. “What do you mean everyone adores him? He’s seeing someone?”
She laughs, her eyes lighting up with humor. “Not that I know of,” she assures me. “He just gets along with everyone so we’re all fond of him. Are you telling me that he’s ignoring you?”
“Yes,” I say, staring back down at the petals. “Something happened on the trip, and I thought…at least, it felt like there were feelings between us, but since we arrived, he’s gone missing and I know he’s avoiding me.”
“He’s probably nervous about facing Knox,” Ruth says with a kind smile.
“You have no idea how protective your brother is. When he got your call, he was ready to come for you even after the accident. Saint and I had to tell him that he wouldn’t be able to drive you through several states with that many injuries. He could barely walk.”
“I was a little hurt when he didn’t come to get me himself.”
“He wanted to, quite desperately,” she assures me. “Knox cares deeply about you and Kyle knows this. I bet that’s why he’s waiting things out first.”
“But he’s hurting me,” I choke out, finally letting go of the tears that have been clogging my throat. “Why is it so easy for him to just ignore me? He hasn’t checked on me, not once since I got here!”
“I’m sorry, honey,” Ruth whispers, pulling me into a warm hug, and I realize that I’ve been getting a lot of those lately. “Give him time and he’ll come around—”
A knock on the door cuts her off and we both turn to stare at it. It comes again before the voice I’ve been missing calls out, “Viv, are you in there?”
“Well, I guess he’s come around.” Ruth chuckles, running the back of her hands over my wet cheeks. “There now, don’t cry.”
“I’m not crying,” I sniff.
She laughs. “And they say I’m stubborn.” She gives me another quick hug before getting up. “I think I’ll leave you two to talk, and I’ll go see where my fiancé wandered off to.”
I grab her hand before she can leave, offering her a smile. “I was being honest when I said that I’m glad it’s you. Knox is the luckiest man alive.”
She returns my smile, and I spot the bright sheen in her eyes and the emotions dancing on her expression.
“I’ll be sure to remind him of that.” She walks to the door and opens it, moving aside to let Kyle in.
“Nice jacket,” she comments as he walks past her, and my eyes are quickly drawn to it as well.
“Thanks,” Kyle responds, waiting until Ruth has left before shutting the door and turning to me.
And Christ, he looks so good, even though I want to hate him for leaving me in doubt for as long as he did. Heck, maybe he’s here to put the final nail the coffin and put an end to things.
I force myself to breathe, to slow down my runaway emotions, but when his eyes meet mine, I find myself drowning in them. Those beautiful forest-green eyes I spent all night thinking about. My stomach twists when he takes a step forward, his eyes…panicked.
“You’re crying,” he says thickly, rushing forward and kneeling in front of me. He places his hands on my lap as his eyes search mine. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“What’s wrong?” I cry out in disbelief, shoving his hands from my lap and pushing away from him. How dare he ask me this after the heartache he’s put me through?
“Viv—”
“You!” I hiss, running a hand through my hair. “You, Kyle. You’re what’s wrong with me!”
“Baby—”
“Was it easy for you? To just walk away and pretend that nothing happened between us?” I start pacing, stomping on the rose petals layered on the floor.
“You didn’t even have the decency to tell me to my face that it’s over.
Fine, I get that we just agreed to be together during the trip, but last night… I thought…”
I turn away when the tears come again, and he’s in front of me in a flash, wiping my tears with his thumbs.
“Fuck baby, don’t cry. You’re killing me,” he groans before wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into an embrace.
I place my hand on his chest to push him back, but he’s so much bigger.
So much stronger and…warm. Familiar. So I give up on the fight and let him hold me, my hands swinging helplessly by my sides.
“It wasn’t easy for me to stay away, baby, but I had to. I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“It’s your fault,” I sniff into his shirt, wanting to hate him but I love him too darn much. “It’s all your fault for making me fall in love with you and then ghosting me the second we arrive in Chicago.”
I don’t realize what I’ve said until he pulls back, hands on my shoulders and eyes wide as they stare down at me. “You love me?”
Shit.
Is that what I said?
For heaven’s sake. Did I just confess my love to the man I’m supposed to angry with?
I consider backtracking, even though it would be a lie that I don’t think I could pull off. But the other option is confessing and getting my heart broken all over again. “It doesn’t matter,” I whisper, looking away. “I’ll get over it.” Maybe. I doubt it, but a girl can hope.
“I love you, Vivienne,” he says, leaning in and brushing his mouth over mine. I’m too shocked to react. “You’re everything to me.”
Surely that’s not true. “You left me in that car. Alone. Ghosted me.”
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he says, kissing my brows.
“I didn’t want there to be tension between Knox and me, ruining your moment.
He would have known, your brother. One look at me and Knox would have seen my feelings for you on my face, and I couldn’t anticipate his reaction.
I didn’t want that to overshadow your reunion. ”
Beyond the hurt, I realize that he’s right. It would have hurt me to watch the two people I love get into a fight. “You’re here now. Does that mean you’ve spoken with him?”
“I have.”
I run my eyes over his handsome face. Other than the tired lines under his eyes, he’s unscathed. “You guys didn’t fight, did you?”
He grins. “No, we didn't. I’ve been mentally preparing myself to fight with your brother, but he just laughed in my face when I told him I was in love with you. Wasn’t surprised. Gave me his blessing.”
“You told him?”
“I had to,” he whispers, kissing my wet cheeks. “I’ve been dying, Viv. Not being able to see and touch you has been pure torture.”
“Me too.”
I bite into my lip, staring into those pretty green eyes and seeing the need in them. I don’t even have to look down to see the outline of his erection; I can tell he’s aroused.
And darn it, so am I.