19. Maddison
Maddison
S omewhere between researching the school and attempting to return to doing my schoolwork, I fall asleep and stay that way the entire night. I’m woken up by the alarm I set on my phone screeching like a banshee on crack.
I blink my eyes open and, with a groan, fumble around on the nightstand until my fingers brush my phone. Then I crack my eyes open and silence the alarm. I almost fall back asleep but force myself to sit up. I rub my eyes with the heels of my hands before throwing the covers off of me.
It’s complicated to get up, slip on a pair of running shorts, a tank top, and my sneakers, but I manage. I pull on a pair of sweats over my shorts, put on my sneakers, pull up my hair into a high ponytail, grab a hoodie, and endeavor into the living room with an empty water bottle.
It’s dark in the room, so I flip on a lamp and pad softly over to the sink, not wanting to wake Lily up. Once my water bottle is full, I toss it and my phone into a bag and head out of the room.
The hallway is eerily silent, and through the windows, the sky is lingering with hints of nighttime, only a pale trickle of sunlight is visible as it creeps over the hill line.
“God, River, you’re nuts,” I mumble to myself as I make a turn toward the exit doors?—
And I crash into someone with so much force I stumble back.
“Shit,” the person curses. “Are you okay?”
When I lift my gaze, I discover the person I ran into is none other than Finn. He’s wearing a green T-shirt and gym shorts, along with sneakers, and his eyes look less bloodshot today.
“Yeah, I’m just peachy.” I adjust the handle of my bag. “Sorry about that. I’m not used to functioning this early in the morning, so I’m basically running in zombie mode.”
He laughs. “Well, at least you’re still amusing in zombie mode.”
“Am I?” I question with an arch of my brow.
He grins, but that morphs into confusion. “Why are you awake so early?”
“Why are you?”
“I’m heading to football practice. I was just heading back to my room because I forgot my water bottle.”
“Well, I’m heading to practice, too, but for running.”
“Really? I didn’t know that happened this early.”
“It doesn’t. I’m just doing a run with your brother.”
“River?” He gapes at me. “Seriously?”
“Yeah, seriously. I don’t know why you’re so surprised by this. I think it’s been made pretty known around this school that him and I are spending time today.” I make a mocking gasp. “Which is scandalous, at least with the way everyone is acting.”
“It sort of is,” he reminds me. “Remember, my brother is betrothed.”
“So? We’re not dating. Hell, we’re not even friends.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yeah. We barely know each other.”
“So? You can become friends with someone you barely know.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “Oh yeah? Then what does that make us ?”
His lips spread into a grin. “I already told you that you and I are besties.”
“Okay then, bestie, I have a question for you. And since you’re my friend, you have to answer.”
His eyes glint with amusement. “Do I?”
“Yep.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Why were you with Eli yesterday? Because Lily told me that he used to bully her.”
His expression drops. “He was just getting some notes from me.”
“Let me guess, you did the exchange in the library?”
“How did …? Wait—did you follow me yesterday?”
I shrug. “Lily was hurt that you were hanging out with Eli, and I thought perhaps it was a friendly visit between the two of you, so yeah, I followed you into the library where you disappeared.”
His face pales, and the increasing sunlight trickling through the window reflects across his face and highlights his worry. “Maddy, you have to forget about what you saw yesterday.” He nervously glances left then right before inching toward me.
I angle my head up to meet his gaze. “But I don’t know what I saw. That’s the point.”
He leans in closer, his voice lowering. “And that’s how it needs to stay. Trust me.”
“Trust you? I don’t even know you.”
“Yeah, but …” He shakes his head. “Why does this even matter to you?”
“I’m not sure,” I reply honestly. “It just seems like between the message written on mine and Lily’s door, me getting grabbed at the party, and now you are vanishing into thin air in the library … this place seems kind of sketchy, which is saying a lot considering I’m from northside. And if I’ve learned anything from living there, it’s that the more information you have, the safer you are.”
“That’s not how it works here,” he whispers, touching my arm. “The less you know, the better.”
“So, I’m just supposed to what?” I question. “Wait around until whoever grabbed me or left the message comes after me? And what about your sister? The message could’ve been for her.”
“I …” He trails off, his throat muscles bobbing as he swallows hard. “Can you just drop this? Please ?”
The begging catch in his voice causes something inside me to break a little.
“Please, Mommy, I’m so hungry.”
“Please, Mommy, I’m scared.”
“Please, Mommy, help me.”
“Fine, I’ll drop it.” I pause then add, “For now. But if anything else weird happens, I will start digging around until my fingers have blisters.”
“Is that a metaphor?”
“Nah, I plan on having to dig up a body or two. I mean, doesn’t every mystery lead to that?”
He gives me a hardy-har look but visibly relaxes. “Thank you.” He offers me a smidgeon of a smile. “I have to go get my water bottle. Be careful, okay?”
I give him a salute, and then we part ways with him heading toward the dorms and me pushing out the door and stepping into the cool morning air.
The track is located on the far-left corner, beside the football stadium. The separation of the two shows how wealthy this school is whereas, at the community college, the two are combined with the field being located in the center of the track.
The air has a slight chill to it as I walk, even with the hoodie I slipped on, and the atmosphere is still, calm, peaceful. In my dreams, when I envision my future, I picture myself living in this kind of existence?—
“No, just give me a second,” someone says as I round the corner of the building and step onto the path that leads to the track.
A series of benches lining a sidewalk comes into my view, and standing beside those benches are four guys, one of which is Noah. He has a hood drawn over his head, but his bright green eyes are a dead giveaway that it’s him.
A tall guy with auburn gets up in his face. “No more seconds. I want it now.”
A shorter guy with long black hair positions himself on the left side of Noah while the third guy—a bodybuilder of a dude with cropped blond hair and sporting a tank top—moves to the right side of him. He’s surrounded, and panic flashes in Noah’s eyes as he steps back, bumping into a bench.
“I don’t have it right now.” Tension ripples through his body. “But give me until the end of the day?—”
The tall guy slams his hands against Noah’s chest and shoves him. Noah staggers backward, tumbling over the bench and landing on his ass.
“Time’s up, Noah.” Tall Guy steps onto the bench while the other two guys move around.
A fight is brewing, and shit is about to get ugly. I could walk away—I’ve seen a ton of fights go down, so it’s not like this is new to me. Normally, I stay out of it because I don’t want to get my ass kicked, too—or arrested. But they’ve got him outnumbered three to one. Plus, he’s Lily, Finn, and River’s stepbrother. While they may hate him, I would like to believe that they wouldn’t want him getting his ass beat.
Sucking in a breath, I stride over to them like I’m sort of a boss bitch, which I am not, but these guys don’t know me.
“Hey, there you are.” I wind around the guys and straight up to Noah, who’s scrambling to stand up. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
Noah blinks up at me, puzzlement etched across his features.
“Sorry, I thought we were meeting out front.” I offer him my hand, and his confusion remains as he places his hand in mine and lets me help him to his feet.
“Who the hell are you?” the guy with auburn hair asks me.
I face him, putting on my best I-give-zero-hells expression. “I’m Maddy. Who the hell are you?”
“I’m the guy who’s about to kick your boyfriend’s ass,” he replies with a cocky grin.
“Really?” I ask, all blasé. And I can tell my inference is throwing him off. “Why?”
“That’s none of your business, northside trash. And if you knew what was good for you, you’d walk away from this.” He crosses his arms, his smirk magnifying.
So, apparently, he didn’t know my name but knew who I was. And has given me a nickname.
Awesome.
“Hey,” Noah starts, moving forward protectively.
“I got this,” I cut him off with a look. Then I cross my arms and mirror the auburn guy’s snotty attitude. “Northside trash, huh? So, you do know who I am. Or, at least, where I come from.” I step forward, getting in his face. “But I’m guessing you have no clue how northside works, so I will lay it down for you. Your gangly, little bitch boy ass would get beat down by the most pathetic of the north-siders, which FYI, isn’t me. I lay more in the middle, mostly because I have a mean right hook, like to carry a can of pepper spray and a Taser on me at all times, and I’ve been known to kick the hell out of guys’ balls when I get really pissed off. In fact, I kicked one guy so hard he had to have surgery, and now he’s impotent.”
His eyes darken. “You’re so full of shit.”
“Wanna test out that theory?” I challenge. “Because you’re standing in kicking range right now.” I move to lift my leg up.
He stumbles back so swiftly he bumps into one of his friends.
I bite back a laugh, and Noah covers his mouth with his hand.
Auburn hair dude turns livid but doesn’t step toward me again.
“I’m giving you an extra twenty-four hours.” He points at Noah. “If you don’t pay up, even your girlfriend won’t be able to bail you out.” With that, he reels around and storms off with his lackeys hauling after him.
Great. I have a plummeting feeling in my gut that a rumor will be whirling around school that Noah and I are dating.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Noah mutters once the guys are out of sight.
“I think you meant to say you’re welcome .” I bend down to scoop up a phone that’s lying on the ground. “Is this yours?”
He takes it from me and shoves it into his pocket. “It must’ve fallen out when I tripped over the bench.” His chest rises and falls as he huffs out a breath. “I’m so screwed.” He reaches up, drags the hood of his head, and yanks his fingers through his hair.
“Why?” I wonder, shifting my weight.
“Don’t worry about it.” He starts to walk away.
I snag a hold of the sleeve of his jacket. “You owe me an explanation because I have a feeling that what I just did is going to come back to bite me in the ass.”
His eyes search mine, and then he sighs. “I was supposed to sell them something, but I couldn’t get the merchandise.”
“What? Like steroids?”
“No,” he responds too quickly. When I lift a brow, he anxiously scratches the back of his neck. “It’s not steroids, but another type of performance drug … How did you even know it was about that?”
“Lucky guess,” I reply. “But mostly, it was because the auburn hair guy looked like a wannabe athlete.”
“That auburn-haired guy’s name is Daniel, and he may look like a wannabe athlete, but Greyson—the big dude—is on the boxing team, so Daniel could’ve had mine or your ass kicked. I think he just backed off because you’re a girl.” He pulls an apologetic face. “Sorry, that probably sounded sexist. I just meant that most guys don’t feel comfortable hitting girls.”
“You’re fine,” I assure him. “And maybe most guys around here don’t, but on northside, they do.” My mind drifts back to the night I was arrested when Drew and his friends jumped me. God knows what would’ve happened to me if the police hadn’t shown up. Then again, I was arrested, so …
“How come you came up short?” I wonder. “I mean, with the steroids? And why are you even dealing, anyway? Because I’m guessing you don’t need the money.”
He wavers, fidgeting uncomfortably, heavy reluctance flowing from him.
“You owe me,” I remind him again. “So, come on; tell me your story, bro.”
His gaze slides to mine, and his eyes are sparkling with shocked surprise. “You’re extremely pushy.”
“And you’re being extremely cagey. Which, whatever, I really don’t care. But like I said, I just put myself on the line for you, and I’d like to know why.”
He blows out a breath, his lips parting, “When I was in high school?—”
“Maddy?” River’s voice cuts through the moment as he walks toward us from the direction of where I was heading before I decided to intervene with this guy’s drama.
He’s wearing a pair of dark blue running shorts, a blank top, and running sneakers. His dark eyes shift from me to Noah, and he literally stops in his tracks. He blinks a few times then continues toward me.
“What’re you doing?” He directs his question to Noah.
“Standing here, talking to Maddison,” Noah replies in an even tone.
“No, I mean, why are you even out here?” Noah stops just short of him. “You don’t usually get up this early.”
“There’s a first for everything,” Noah tells him while pulling his hood back over his head. “Chill, I was just out for a walk. And now I’m going to go get ready for class.” With that, he walks away, his gaze sneaking in my direction.
I give a look that warns him this conversation isn’t over.
“What was that about?” River asks when Noah is out of earshot. “I can tell Noah was lying through his teeth.”
“Maybe you should talk to him about it,” I suggest. “I don’t want to get caught in the middle of this.”
He wavers, rubbing his lips together as he studies me. “Just be careful around him, okay? He always comes off nice initially, but there’s more to Noah than what he shows people.”
“All right.” I’m surprised he’s letting this go so easily. “Sorry I’m late for our practice session. I was on time, I promise. But I got distracted with … well, you know.”
“You’re fine,” he assures me as we walk up the path toward the track. “I always add ten minutes onto any time I give someone to meet me. I do it mostly out of habit because Finn is always late.”
I smile at that. “I saw him in the hallway, running late because he forgot his water bottle.”
“He’s good at forgetting stuff, too.” He smiles as we reach an iron gate. “And is slow to respond to text messages.”
“What’s he good at then?” I wonder as he grabs the gate handle and pulls it open.
“Flirting, football, pretending he doesn’t give a shit when he really does.” He walks through and lets the gate swing shut behind him. “He’s a good guy, though. A bit flakey, but he can be a good friend if you don’t mind dealing with that.”
“I can be flakey sometimes, too. But that’s mostly because I’m not used to having obligations. Well, except for track and school. Those are choices, though.”
“Your parents don’t give you any rules?” He treads cautiously as we stop on a grassy section beside the track. Beside one of the few benches nearby is a green bag and a jacket lying on the ground.
“My mother had one rule for me, and that was not to be seen or heard. If I obeyed that, everything was peachy.” I set my bag down beside his. “Of course, when I got older, she changed the rules and wanted me to be seen and heard while I was talking to her. You got a glimpse of that while I was in jail.”
He rubs his hand. “What about your dad?”
My heart rate increases at the mention of my father, because not only is he a terrible man, but he’s the root of most of the problems weeding my life right now.
“You know, you don’t need to talk about him if you don’t want to,” River says, as if reading my emotions.
“Thanks.” I shake off the anxiety creeping up on me and plaster on a cheery smile. “So, what exactly are we doing on this fine, sunny morning?” I peer up at the sky and note dark clouds looming in the distance. “Or I guess I should say a partly sunny morning that has the potential to get all stormy.”
“Don’t tell me the girl who handed Finn his ass while we were all in jail is afraid of running in a little bit of rain,” River teases me with a grin.
Holy hell, this is the first time I’ve seen his teasing grin, and it is absolutely gorgeous. I manage to keep a level head, though.
“I did hand him his ass, didn’t I?”
Laughter slips from his lips. “You really did.” He walks over to the green bag and opens it up. “I’m pretty sure no girl has ever smarted off to him like you did.” He takes out a bottle of water. “You should have heard him on the way home. He was rambling about it the entire way.” He tips his head back and takes a long swig before dropping the bottle back into the bag.
“Well, then I guess that night wasn’t an entire loss because that makes me kind of happy inside.” I waver. “Although, weirdly, even though my mother blew off bailing me out, someone else did. So, I guess that’s a positive, too. Being in jail definitely wasn’t.” An idea occurs to me, one that’s a long shot, but it’s worth trying. “When you guys got bailed out, you didn’t by chance see or hear some rando there mentioning my name and giving the cashier lady some money for my bail, did you?”
He shakes his head. “Why?”
“Because the person who bailed me out wanted to remain anonymous, which is not only driving me crazy, but it’s so weird. Nothing good like that ever happens to me.” I hold up a finger. “Again, I’m not referring to being in jail as a good thing, but someone bailing me out with no strings attached is definitely not something that ever happens to me. And I’ve been in jail a couple of times.”
“Really? For what?” he asks curiously as he grabs the neck of his tank top and pulls it off.
I try not to stare at the lean muscles carving his arms, but wow … just wow.
I tear my gaze off of him. “Fights, mostly. They weren’t started by me.” I slip my fingers into the hem of my sweatpants and pull them down. Then I shuck off my hoodie
This is the first time I’ve worn clothes that put my tattoos on display, and his eyes rove all over me as he takes in the ink curling up my upper thigh, a series of intricate lines and shadings that form a wolf with a moon and tear drop. I also have another one on my shoulder of a raven with purple-tinted feathers and flowers trimming it.
“So, are we going to work out, or are you just going to stand there and gawk at me?” I tease.
He blinks at me, his cheeks flushing. And holy hell, I never thought a blushing guy could be hot, but on River, the look is.
“Sorry.” He gives a slight shake of his head, as if attempting to shake whatever thoughts he was having out of his mind. “I’m just not used to seeing tattoos on … well, anyone really.”
“Rich people don’t get tats?” I question with a cock of my head.
“Not really,” he replies. When I continue to stare at him, confuddled, he tacks on, “Many of our parents view tattoos as like a gateway drug to becoming troublemakers that will tarnish their family’s name.”
I snort a laugh. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Agreed.” He leans over to stretch, and while he’s not paying attention, I check out the lean muscles that line his back. The moment he straightens, I divert my gaze to the ground and hurry and go into a stretching pose.
Seriously, can I be any more obvious?
Facepalm.
River doesn’t remark on what happened, so perhaps he didn’t see me.
We spend the next ten minutes stretching and lightly chatting. Once we’re good and stretched, River takes another sip of his water then asks, “You ready to do this?” He’s on the brink of actually appearing happy.
“Yep.” I adjust my hair into a ponytail. “What should we do with our stuff?”
“Just leave it here.”
“Won’t it get stolen?”
He shakes his head. “Even if someone wanted to steal something here, there are cameras all over the place.”
“Right.” And why would anyone steal anything when everyone who attends here has everything they could need?
He nods his head as he exits through the gated area. “Come on. I promise your stuff will be safe.”
“Yeah, I get that now.” I follow him. “On northside, our stuff would be gone the moment we walked out of here. And even if there was a camera nearby, it would more than likely be busted.”
We start to jog down a path that stretches across the campus yard.
“I’ve only been in that area a few times, but I kind of got that vibe from it,” he explains. “Someone once stole the tires off of Finn’s car while it was parked in this parking garage down on the farthest side of that area.”
“He’s lucky they didn’t steal the car.”
“It has an excellent alarm system.”
“A lot of people know how to disable those. The thief must have been an amateur.” We reach the end of the sidewalk and head toward the path that leads off campus. “What was he doing down there?”
He presses his lips together and stares out at the parking lot area. “I can’t tell you.”
“Dude, you’re so sketchy,” I say, mostly joking. “You keep mentioning you’ve been in northside—and I know you’ve been arrested there—and yet you won’t tell me why.”
He tosses me a look. “You won’t tell me why you were in jail.”
“Hmm …” I debate whether or not to tell him. I could, then perhaps he’ll tell me. “If I tell you, will you tell me why you were?”
He considers what I said, his interest piqued. “Only if you promise not to ask questions.”
I deliberate. “The same has to go for you, too.”
He sticks out his hand. “Deal.”
We shake on it, and I fight back a laugh. But I’m sure we look funny, running down the road, shaking hands.
“I got jumped by this group of people and was fighting back,” I tell him, swatting a bug away from my face.
“You got arrested for that?”
“Yep. It’s pretty ridiculous and isn’t the first time something like that has happened.”
He appears taken aback, his face creased. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“But it’s not the stupidest thing that’s happened there. Trust me.”
His eyes are wide as he absorbs this in.
“Now you go,” I say as we round the corner and head downhill.
He hesitates. “We were down there for a car race.”
My brows rise. “What? Like an illegal one.”
He bobs his head up and down. “Yeah, and it got busted.”
I want to ask so many more questions, but I promised I wouldn’t.
“This no-questions thing might have been a dumb idea,” I state with a smile.
He smiles back. “A deal’s a deal.”
“Oh, fine.” I resist a sigh. “Where are we even running to? And what’s the plan? Or are we just jogging for today?”
“I want to go far today and run a bit slower,” he tells me as the clouds grow thicker. “Just to see where your endurance is. Then, when we get back to the track, we’ll do some strides.”
“My endurance is fabulous, so be prepared to be impressed.” I dazzle him with a cheeky grin.
He sinks his teeth into his bottom lip. “All right, Maddison, impress me.”
He quickens his pace, and I accelerate with him, both of us taking off down the hill. We continue to run for miles, all the way to where the road meets the city’s border.
Traffic starts to thicken, and lavish houses and towering, sparkling buildings line the street. Each step makes more adrenaline rush through my body, and I hit this zone where my mind is in tune with nothing else but pushing forward—harder. I feel great. Better than I have in a long time.
Eventually, River slows to a stop near a café located on the corner street of a series of old but nicely remodeled buildings. People are roaming around on the sidewalks, shopping or heading to work—it’s hard to tell.
He places his hands on his hips as he works to calm down his breathing. “How are you feeling?”
I put my hands on the back of my head to avoid hunching over. “Fantastic.” I’m a bit breathless, and my legs have a dull ache in them, but I still feel like I could run for miles.
“Good.” He glances at his watch. “That was about three point five miles. Do you think you can make it back? Your records online showed you can handle long distances, but I’m not sure where you’re at right now. I know with me, my endurance varies depending on where I’m at with my training.”
“I can make it back. Honestly, it’ll be good for me, because I’m going to have to run to that bus stop at the end of Royal Road every weekend.”
Thunder booms in the distance, causing my gaze to lift to the sky.
“Wait—what?” he asks, drawing my attention to him.
“I have to go to work. I work at this café located on the farthest edge of northside. Although, I’ve been looking for a new job, one that’s closer to the academy, but I haven’t had any luck.”
“What job do you do there?” he asks as he reclines against the side of the café.
It starts to rain then, but just a light drizzle.
“I’m a waitress.” I wipe a raindrop off my head. “It’s not really a bad job, but like I said, it’s far. Plus, there’s some other complications that have come up that makes it kind of necessary for me to look for other employment.”
His brows knit. “Like what?”
I shake my head as I press my hands against the side of the building and stretch one of my legs back. “That is a question related to why I was in jail, and we promised not to ask questions about that.” I can feel his eyes on me, but I don’t look at him.
Yeah, River is nice and everything, but I’m not about to give him all the shitty details about my life in northside.
“I think I can help you get a job close to the academy,” he tells me. “It might take a few days, but let me look into a few things.”
I laugh, thinking he’s joking. When I glance at him, though, I realize he’s absolutely serious.
My laughter fades into perplexity. “How would you do that? My resume literally consists of employment as a waitress on northside, so—and please don’t take this the wrong way—but I feel like any connections you have are to companies and people who wouldn’t want to hire someone like me.”
“What do you mean, someone like you?” He rotates so he’s facing me with his shoulder propped against the side of the building. “You’re attending the academy on a scholarship, you graduated with a four-point-oh, and you broke a ton of track and cross country records at your school. That’s pretty impressive.”
His words make me feel uncomfortable, like my stomach is trying to fly away to the drizzling sky. I don’t like it because it could lead to other dangerous feelings, like liking him. And I can’t go there, no matter how pretty his eyes are or how he’s looking at me like he one hundred percent genuinely means his words.
Honestly, this is the first nice thing anyone has ever said to me without strings attached.
“I’ve also been arrested,” I remind him as I switch legs.
“Yeah, but nothing’s on your record, right?”
“Not yet. But depending on how things go with the charges filed against me from last week, that could change.”
“Maybe they’ll be dropped.”
“Maybe.” It’s hard to say for sure.
“Regardless, let me look into a few things, okay?” He wipes rain from his face, chest, and arms with his hand, and it takes all of my energy not to gawk as his fingers trail across his body.
“If you want to, I won’t stop you. But it’s probably a waste of time.” I push away from the wall and bend over to stretch when the drizzle morphs into a full-blown storm.
“Shit,” River curses as the downpour cascades over us and starts flooding the ground.
The thunder and lightning picks up, the sky lighting up with streaks of electric blue and silver.
“Holy crap, that got bad quickly!” I shout over the rain and wind.
River snatches a hold of my hand and yanks me around the building. The feel of his hand in mine causes my heart to match the beat of the thunder as it slams against my ribcage with so much force I become more breathless than when we were running.
I should pull away, but instead, I latch on and run with him as he steers us out of the rain and into the entrance of the café. Our wet sneakers squeak against the polished floor, and patrons sitting at tables glance up as we barrel in, dripping wet and still holding hands.
The place has an old-school vibe with a checkerboard floor, pink walls, and a chalkboard menu, but I can tell everything is high-end quality.
“Come on; let’s go see if they’ll let us use their phone,” River says as he tows me with him around the tables and toward the counter.
Still holding my hand.
“Um … you have to have a shirt on to be in here,” the cashier tells River as he approaches the ordering section of the café. She’s in her mid-twenties, with dark hair, and her eyes are roving all over River’s body, despite her words.
“Yeah, I’m so sorry about that,” River replies in a charming tone I haven’t heard him use before. “But my friend and I were out running when the storm came in, and we’re kind of stuck here unless I can use your phone to call someone to come pick us up. Would that be okay? I promise I’ll make it quick, and then we’ll go stand outside and wait under the canopy.” He dazzles her with a smile, and I’m surprised she doesn’t melt into a puddle on the floor.
Because it’s so pretty it’s alarming.
He’s still holding my hand as he flirts with her, so I discreetly wiggle it from his grip.
Reluctance masks the cashier’s expression. “I don’t know …”
“Please.” River rests both arms on the counter and actually bats his eyelashes at her. “I would really appreciate it.”
Her cheeks flush as she grows flustered. “Okay, yeah, just make it quick, okay?” She backs toward the back area and picks up a cordless phone. “My name’s Eve, by the way.” She hands River the phone while flitting a glance in my direction and subtly measuring me up. She’s trying to figure out what River and I are.
Not wanting her to think we’re dating, especially since he’s flirting with her so he can use the phone, I ask her, “Is it okay if I use your restroom?”
She nods, her eyes traveling over me. A pucker forms at her brows. “Sure. It’s right over there.” She points at a hallway to my right.
“Thanks.” I start to walk away.
“Wait—do I know you?” she asks after I’ve taken a couple of steps.
I twist back around. “No. I’m not even from around here.”
She continues to stare at me but doesn’t say a word, so I walk away and go into the bathroom. I don’t have to go, but I need a breather from the fancy café, the staring, and the lingering thoughts of how much I liked River holding my hand.
What the heck is wrong with me? I’ve never gotten so flustered over a guy holding my hand before.
Once inside the single bathroom, I lock the door and stand in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. My dark hair is dripping wet, my cheeks are flushed, and my top is clinging to my skin. No wonder everyone was staring at us as we ran in. Add my disheveled appearance with River’s shirtlessness, and we probably look like north-siders. So, I look like myself.
I remain in front of the mirror for a few minutes before leaving the restroom. I’ve warmed up a bit by then, but when I return to the counter where River is waiting for me, he tells me, “Finn’s coming to get us. He’ll be here in about fifteen minutes, but we have to wait outside.” He nods subtly at Eve, the cashier, who’s now glaring at River with her arms crossed.
“Um, okay.” I trail after River as he winds around the tables and exits the café.
Once outside, the cold, wet air almost instantaneously chills my bones.
“What was that about?” I ask, nodding back at the inside of the café. “She seemed fine when I left for the bathroom but looked like she wanted to murder you by the time I returned.”
“I pissed her off,” River confesses as we stand under the canopy doming above the entrance doors.
“I got that, but how? Because you were charming the hell out of her when I walked away.”
He faces me. “She asked if she could have my number, and I said no because you were my girlfriend.”
“What? Why did you do that?” I playfully shove him. “That’s so not cool.”
“Sorry.” He barely stumbles. “I panicked.”
“You could’ve just given her a fake number.”
“I guess.” He wrinkled his nose as if that just occurred to him.
“You’re not used to getting hit on?” I question. “Because it seems like you’re not.”
He shrugs. “Almost everyone I know knows I’m betrothed.”
“Oh.” I lean back against the wall beside the door. “I’m sorry.”
Confusion swirls in his pupils as potently as the rain rivering down the sidewalk behind him. “For what?”
I shrug while rubbing my hands up and down my arms as a shiver rolls through my body. “I don’t know. For not being able to make your own choices, I guess.”
His eyes search mine. “I think you might be the first person who’s ever said that to me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I’m sorry for that, too.”
We grow silent then with rain, thunder, and cars splashing through puddles echoing in the distance. Hardly anyone is walking around now, the sidewalks basically empty. The longer we stand there, the colder the temperature drops, and no matter how tightly I wrap my arm around myself, I can’t warm up.
“You’re freezing,” River notes as he eyes how badly I’m shivering. “You should go inside. You’re wearing enough clothes that she can’t kick you out.”
I shake my head. “I’d rather not go back in there.”
“Maddy,” he starts to say.
“I’m fine,” I assure him. “I’d rather stand out here and freeze for a few more minutes than get gawked at.”
He rakes his teeth along his bottom lip. “I have an idea. Don’t freak out.” He steps toward me.
I stiffen. “What are you doing?”
“I’m just getting closer to you to block some of the cold air,” he informs me as he reduces the space between us.
My breath gets lodged in my throat as he stands so close to me that I can feel the heat coming off his body. How the hell he’s still mildly warm is beyond me.
Slowly, as if approaching a skittish cat, he places a hand against the wall so I’m trapped between his arms. Then he looks down at me. “Is this okay?”
I nod, working to keep my breathing even.
Usually, I’m a badass in these types of situations. But I’m also usually annoyed when a guy is crowding my personal space. I’ve only kissed a few guys, and those were lame as hell, mainly because every time it happened, both me and the guy were drunk, and the kisses were sloppy at best.
He sucks in a gradual inhale through his nose, as if he’s struggling to breathe evenly, too.
We remain that way for a few minutes, and slowly, the coldness creeps away from my body.
“Feeling any better?” River asks softly.
I nod again while biting my bottom lip.
His gaze drops to my mouth.
My heart leaps in my chest.
Shut the hell up, heart.
River starts to lean in, and then our lips touch.
He groans, his hand cuping my cheek as his tongue parts my mouth?—
Honk. Honk. Honk.
We both startle. River pushes away from the wall and spins around toward the curb where a sleek red sports car with custom tires and a spoiler is parked. The passenger window rolls down, and sitting in the driver’s seat is a grinning Finn.
“Did I just ruin a moment between the gothic princess and prince?” he teases with his arm resting on the steering wheel.
My heart is beating frantically in my chest. I just kissed River. Oh my god.
“Shut up,” River hisses as he marches over to the car, his sneakers splashing in the puddles.
I inhale and exhale to steady my heart before pushing away from the wall and approaching the car.
Stay cool, Maddy. No need to flip out over a brief kiss with a guy. You’ve kissed guys before. This is no big deal.
Except River is a Royal and he’s betrothed.
Ugh, I’m so dumb.
“Okay, brother,” Finn replies with amusement ringing in his tone.
River is rippling with irritation as he yanks the passenger door open, flips the seat forward, and climbs into the back.
“I’m okay with sitting in the back,” I tell him as rain drips over me.
Shaking his head, he readjusts the passenger seat for me. “Sit in the front. It’s more comfortable.”
I want to argue that he’s bigger and the front has more room, but my clothes are already getting soaked from the rain again, so I dive in and hurriedly close the door.
Finn cranks up the heat then turns the wheel and steers onto the road. He’s wearing the same T-shirt and shorts I saw him in earlier, and the cab sort of smells like sweat, an indicator he came here straight from football practice.
I cringe as water drips off my hair and onto his nice leather seats. “I’m sorry I’m getting your seat all wet.”
“It’s fine,” Finn tells me like it’s no big deal that the water might ruin the leather. It could very well not be a big deal to him either. I still feel bad.
“I’ll wipe it up when we get back to the school.” I extend my hand for my seat belt as he speeds toward the hills where the Royal Academy is located.
Finn lets out a laugh as he turns on some music. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not going to have you clean out my car. That’s what detail service is for.”
Right. Why would he want me to clean out his car when he can pay someone to polish it up all nice for him?
Once again, the reality of this world smacks me across the face.
I turn my head and stare out the window, watching the rain pour down against the streets and splatter against the pavement.
“I like your ink,” Finn comments after a few streams of lyrics play.
I lift a brow at him. “Do you like it because you hardly ever see ink or because you actually like it?”
“So damn feisty,” he murmurs with a ghost of a smile. He thrums his fingers to the song’s rhythm as his gaze skims along the lines inking my thigh. “I like it because it’s nice work.”
“Finn’s a closet artist,” River explains from the back seat. He’s leaning back with his arms tucked underneath his head.
I wonder if he’s thinking about how we just kissed? Or has he kissed so much that kissing is an afterthought? I don’t know… Lily made it sound like he didn’t kiss a lot.
“I think, in another life, he’d try to make it as a tattoo artist,” River adds.
“What the hell, bro?” Finn blasts River with a half-joking glare. “Since when do you spill my secrets? That’s more of my thing.”
River blinks his gaze from the window. “Sorry, I zoned out and went on auto-pilot.”
“I won’t tell anyone.” Although, it doesn’t make much sense to me why this is a huge secret. “Why does it even matter, anyway? And if you want to be one, why not just be one?”
“Because of responsibilities.” He pulls a face as he returns his focus to the road. “Being a tattoo artist isn’t an acceptable career.”
“Why? There’s some out there who are super talented and make bank.” From the corner of my eye, I note an older car that’s been modified but still looks oddly out of place for the glitzy streets of Royal City.
“It doesn’t matter if I make bank or not.” Finn shifts gears as he slows to a stop for a red light, and the older car comes to a stop, too. “What matters is that society sees me as something important, like a lawyer or CEO.” He sounds miserable as he speaks.
And I think I’m getting the gist. Apparently, on top of the Averson family forcing their oldest to marry the person of their choosing, they also force them into a certain career.
“Do you draw?” I wonder, rotating in the seat to face him.
The corners of his lips quirk as he slides me a glance. “If I answered yes, then I couldn’t remain a closet artist, could I?”
“Well, that’s no fun at all.” I rest my arms on the console and look back at River. “What about you?”
“What about me?” he replies questioningly with his gaze trained on the window.
“Are you a closet anything?” I ask, causing him to give me a what-the-hell look. I open my mouth to elaborate, but River abruptly goes rigid as he straightens in the seat.
“What the hell?” he mutters under his breath.
When I peer over my shoulder, a chill glazes through my veins.
Because Drew is climbing out of the older car parked beside us. He has on a black hoodie, holey jeans, and the hood is pulled over his head. I recognize his face, though, very clearly.
He also has a knife in his hand as he strides toward Finn’s car, puddles splashing under his worn boots.
“What the hell is this dumbass doing?” Finn asks as he cranks down the music.
“He’s here for me.” My stomach clenches as I utter the words.
Drew raps on the window. “Maddy, get out of the car. Now.”
Two more guys climb out of the car, both with their hoodies drawn over their heads. I can’t distinguish their faces, but they’re both tall and bulky. They don’t appear to be carrying a weapon, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have any with them.
“Shit.” I loathe how my fingers tremble as I reach for the door handle to get out of the car.
“What the hell are you doing?” River reaches between the seat and the door and grabs my hand right before I pull on the door handle.
“I’m getting out.” I glance at Finn, who’s gaping at me. “Don’t worry. They won’t bother you if I get out. I promise.” I rotate toward the door and slip my hand out from River’s.
“Maddy, stop.” Finn quickly leans over me and captures my hand before I can pull the handle again. “I’m not about to let you get out and go with a group of guys carrying a weapon.”
My attention snaps to him. “If I don’t get out, this will become your problem—they’ll make sure of that. And trust me; you don’t want that.”
“Let us decide that, okay?” Finn laces our fingers together as he sits back in the seat.
“They’ll follow us if you try to drive away,” I stress, my stomach spinning with nausea.
Still holding my hand, Finn casts a glance at River. “You up for navigating?”
“Sure, but I’ll need your phone,” River replies, scooting forward in the seat.
Finn picks up his phone from a tray under the stereo and tosses it to River.
River catches it then reclines in the seat again.
“Guys,” I say, moving to unfasten my seat belt. “It’s better if I get out. That car looks old and everything, but it’s a modified Subaru WRX, so it’s a lot faster than it looks.”
“I know what kind of car it is.” Finn wraps his fingers around the shifter as Drew slams his palm against the window again. “But it’s not faster than mine. And besides, I’m a way better driver than that dumbass.” Then, smirking at Drew through the window, Finn waggles his fingers at him while revving the engine.
I recall how River told me that him and Finn were arrested for illegal car racing, so he can obviously drive. That doesn’t make me any less nervous, though. I’m bursting with nerves to the point that I feel as though I’ve had like three cups of coffee.
“If you go back to the academy, they’ll just follow and grab me, anyway,” I explain. “It’s better if I just get out.”
“We’re not going straight back to the academy.” Finn continues to smirk at Drew.
In response, Drew begins banging on the window hard enough to make the glass rattle.
“You rich piece of shit,” he yells, his face bright red. “Get out of the car and smirk at me like that. I dare you.”
Finn rolls the passenger side window an inch. “I’ll tell you what, loser. If you catch me, I’ll get out and we can hash this out any way you want.”
The light turns green then and Finn flips Drew the middle finger before peeling out, the tires squealing and spinning against the wet pavement.
“Careful with your acceleration,” River warns, “or you’ll hydroplane.”
“I know what I’m doing,” Finn replies without taking his eyes off the road.
He has one hand on the shifter and the other gripping the steering wheel as he zooms down the street, weaving through cars.
In the side mirror, I can see Drew’s car chasing after us in the distance.
“Take a left up on the next road,” River instructs. “It’ll take us away from the traffic, and then we start heading back to the parking garage.”
Finn nods, his concentration locked on driving as he steers to the right to get into the farthest lane.
My heart is pounding in my chest, and my stomach is raveling with guilt. “Guys, you don’t need to do this. Just drop me off on the corner, and I’ll run or something.” I grip the side of the seat as Finn brakes to make a sharp turn.
“Shh …” is all Finn says, and I get an inkling that he might be enjoying this—the race part, anyway. “Which road has less traffic?” He shifts gears, and the engine growls. “Second or third?”
“Actually, go up to fourth.” River’s eyes are glued to phone. “Second has heavy traffic and third is under construction.”
Nodding, Finn stomps down on the gas more. We pass by cars in a blur as we zoom down the road with Drew and his lackeys hot on our tails. I have no idea where we’re heading or why they think they can arrive at a safe destination, but I prepare myself for the worst because that is how this will turn out. Ultimately, the car has to stop, and I’ll have to face the music—that a whisper has been put out on me. So, if Drew catches us, he’ll own my ass. It’s bye-bye academy, bye-bye future. What I don’t understand is how in the hell he discovered where I was. His crew doesn’t run southside Royal City, at least from what I’m aware of. Just like hardly anyone on northside does. So, how did I get spotted?
As Finn makes another jarring turn onto another road, my thoughts drift back to the cashier working at the café. She asked if she knew me. She didn’t look familiar, and even now, I’m positive I don’t know her. But if she has connections to northside, she could’ve heard about the whisper, connected the dots, and called up Drew.
“We’re almost there,” River says to no one in particular. “Hopefully, the scanner works quickly.”
“It should. I just cleaned off my window.” Finn downshifts as a towering building comes into view just ahead.
The exterior is reflective glass that blacks out what’s on the inside. Three massive metal doors line the front section, and Finn drives straight toward the middle one that has an automatic barricade in front of it.
Traffic is thinner on the road here, so Finn can drive faster without switching lanes.
His windshield wipers are on full speed. Even then, the rain is coming down so hard it’s concealing the view out the window. But occasionally, I get a good glimpse of how we’re racing toward the building. Fast. Too fast.
I squeeze my eyes shut, preparing for the worst. But suddenly, the car comes to a skidding halt. When I open my eyes, we’re stopped in front of the barricade, and Finn has turned off the wiper blades.
A light flickers from off one of the barricades, and then the bar begins to lift up. So does the middle door of the building.
When I look through the back window, I see Drew’s car approaching us at an alarming speed.
Finn drives through the open barricade but has to stop and wait for the door to open all the way. The barricade lowers, however, leaving it impossible for Drew to get his car into this section.
Drew’s car skids to a stop just outside of it, and he jumps out. But the door is open now, and Finn slams on the gas and peels forward as Drew barrels at us. I watch with my breath trapped in my chest as Drew attempts to run inside, but the door closes before he can.
Releasing a shaky exhale, I take in the surroundings. We’re in a parking garage, only a much nicer one than what I’m used to seeing on northside. This one is completely closed in, the ceilings are higher, and the area is enormous and has the occasional window that reveals the view of the buildings outside.
“Are you okay?” River asks me as he scoots forward in the seat and rests his arms on the middle console. His damp, dark hair is hanging in his eyes, and he smells like rain mixed with a trace of sweat.
I nod, even though I’m unsure if I am. “I’m fine. And, while I appreciate what you guys did, it won’t stop them. They’ll just sit out there and wait for me to come out.”
“There are other exits out of here.” Finn removes his hand from the shifter for the first time since he took off at that stoplight. “And we can access the security cameras to make sure they’re not lurking outside somewhere.”
“Oh.” I’m still attempting to process what happened, because they just helped me for no reason, with no strings attached. It makes no sense. At least to me. “Where are we exactly?”
“The Royal City Penthouse Complex,” River sets Finn’s phone in the tray below the stereo. “Our family has a place here, so we can hang out until …” His head cocks to the side as he looks at me. “Who are those guys, anyway?”
I owe them an explanation, but I wish I didn’t. “It’s a long story, but it has to do with the night you guys saw me in jail. Or, well, I guess that’s not even when this started.” No, this started with the curse of being born into my family.
River’s gaze dissects me. “Those were the guys that jumped you?”
I nod. “There were other people there, too, but Drew—the guy banging on the window—is like their ring leader. We used to kind of be friends when we were kids.”
“That guy used to be your friend?” Finn questions skeptically as he parks the car in an open space near the far back. Even the parking spaces here are bigger and are filled with luxury cars.
“He was until a few years ago. Then he started running with this group of people who deal drugs, and he turned into an asshole. Plus, I didn’t want to be associated with that kind of shit—I already have too much of that in my life.” Realizing I’m rambling, I bite down on my tongue. “But yeah, anyway.”
Finn studies me for a slamming heartbeat before pushing his door open. He climbs out, stretching out his long legs, and I follow suit, leaving the door open so River can hop out. He does so with a stretch, putting his arms above his head. Then he pops his neck and shoves the door shut. Finn pushes the key fob, and the car locks with a beep and a flash of the headlights. Then we start toward an elevator in the far-left corner.
“So, if that guy used to be your friend,” Finn asks as he pockets his key fob and phone, “then how in the hell did he end up so pissed off at you that he’d try to chase you down in the middle of the city?”
We arrive at the elevator, and beside the doors is a small screen, to which Finn swipes his thumb across. The screen illuminates, revealing a code box, and Finn punches in a few numbers. The elevator doors glide open with a ding . And I’m left standing there with my jaw hanging to my knees.
Finn strolls into the elevator, and River takes a step forward, but when he notes my expression, he pauses.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
“It’s nothing.” I feel so alarmingly out of place as I step onto the elevator that has marble floor and windowed walls.
“Clearly, it’s not nothing.” River gets onto the elevator, too, then slants against the back window that shows a view of a pool located in the center of a landscaped park trimmed with flourishing trees, the leaves crisp with autumn.
I stand away from the windows, not wanting to touch any of the polished surfaces and leaving smudges. “I’m just not used to all this.” I gesture at the windows as the elevator doors slide shut. “Everything’s just so … nice.”
Finn and River trade a look, and then Finn grins at me. “Relax.” He drapes his arm around me and pulls me against him. “It’s not a big deal, I promise.”
“It is, too, a big deal,” I insist. “Everything is just so nice and clean, and I feel like if I touch anything, I’m going to ruin it.”
Finn rubs his free hand across his mouth to conceal a smile.
I narrow my eyes at him. “It’s not funny, so stop smiling.”
“I’m sorry,” Finn apologizes, but his smile breaks through. “It’s just that you’re so damn adorable.”
“I told you to stop calling me that,” I warn. “And FYI, you smell really bad.”
His lips part. “I do not.”
“You do, too.” I smile sweetly at him. “And that’s payback for calling me adorable.”
“So, let me get this straight,” Finn says amusedly. “I call you adorable, and you return the favor by telling me I stink?”
I shrug. “I’m not adorable.”
“So, I don’t stink then,” Finn states.
“No, you definitely stink.” I exaggeratedly fan my hand in front of my nose.
River snickers from behind us.
Finn shoots him a dirty look, to which River responds with another laugh.
“Sorry, but this is hilarious,” River tells him apologetically then looks at me. “He’s not used to hearing the truth. Usually, everyone kisses his ass.”
“Like you’re one to talk,” Finn quips. “Everyone kisses your ass, too.”
“No, they’re afraid of my ass.” River crosses his arms and stares out the window as the elevator goes so high that the pool looks like a tiny puddle.
“Are they?” Finn challenges. “Or do they think you’re just anti-social?”
They continue to argue, but I barely hear them as my legs wobble. This is so high—too high. And yes, I suffer from acrophobia. For a good reason, too. When I was younger, my father and his brother—my uncle—thought it would be hilarious to dangle me over the edge of a tower they used to go to near the canal to deal drugs. It was stories high, and I don’t know what the purpose of it was. All I know is that one day, when I was about six, I wanted to see where they went when they took off, so I snuck after them. When they caught me, they forced me to climb up the rusty ladder that stretches to the top of the tower. Then they dangled me over the edge, upside down, to teach me a lesson about sneaking around.
I’m honestly not even sure why I followed them. I hate my uncle, and although I wasn’t aware that I did back then, I despise my father.
“Maddy?” River’s worried voice slices through my memories.
When I blink back to reality, Finn and River are staring at me with concern.
“Huh?” I have no idea what’s going on.
“You’re shaking,” Finn states, and I become painfully aware that his arm is still draped around my shoulders.
I instinctively duck out from underneath it, but the move puts me closer to a window. I freeze and let out a groan as vertigo slams through me.
“Hey.” River steps forward and captures my hand. “Tell us what’s wrong so we can try to help?”
“I’m afraid of heights,” I moan as the elevator slows to a stop. “I just need to get off this thing.”
Like the gates of heaven have opened up, the elevator doors glide open at that moment.
River walks forward, pulling me with him as he exits the elevator. Finn trails after us with his hands stuffed into his pockets and his gaze straying to mine and River’s interlocked fingers.
“You okay?” he asks, meeting my gaze.
“Yeah, sorry about that.” I catch my breath then stand up straight. “I just didn’t realize we would go up that high.”
River squeezes my hand. “You don’t need to be sorry for anything.” He lets go of my hand then and starts forward.
Finn steps up beside me. “You, Maddison Averly, are becoming a real mystery to me.”
My head tilts to the side. “Why’s that?”
He lifts a shoulder. “You just are.” With that, he whisks by me.
I turn to follow him when I finally acknowledge my surroundings.
“Holy effing hell,” I whisper under my breath as I take in the spacious room I’m standing in. Thick gray columns line the dark walls, and the beamed ceiling is trimmed with coiled metal lights. Filling up the room is a series of leather sofas, a few tables, along with sculptures, paintings, and a fountain. The floor is as shiny as the elevators but much darker with splashes of silver.
“This is where you guys live?” I gape at everything in awe as I follow Finn and River through the door and down a wide hallway lined with shelves of books.
“Sometimes,” Finn replies as he carelessly tosses his keys onto a table that’s at the end of the hallway.
“ Sometimes ,” I mouth. I mean, I knew they were wealthy, but this is a whole level of rich that I can’t even comprehend.
I do not belong here. I should turn back, but I’m too curious now to see the rest of the place. Plus, turning back means going into the elevator.
Once we reach the end of the hallway, we make a turn and the space opens up into a living area with one wall entirely made of windows—yeah, I’m totally going to avoid going over there.
“I need to take a shower,” River announces as he starts toward another hallway.
“So do I,” Finn states but doesn’t head in the direction of where River is wandering. Instead, he comes to a stop and faces me, his eyes roving over me.
“What?” I ask almost defensively.
“I was just wondering if you wanted to take a shower, too. You can use the one in Lily’s room.” The corners of his lips curl upward. “Although, if you want to take one with me, I’d be perfectly okay with that.”
“Finn, Jesus Christ,” River calls out disapprovingly as he stops in the middle of the hallway. “Stop hitting on her.”
Finn breezes at me. “He’s just jealous because he wishes he could.”
I can’t help thinking about how River kissed me. Finn must’ve not seen the entire thing or else I feel like he’d be mocking the hell out of us. Part of me wants to glance at River to see his expression, see if he’s thinking the same thoughts I am.
But I keep my gaze on Finn and make a big show of rolling my eyes. “Yeah, right. I get the feeling he has to say that to you all the time.”
His grin widens. “Okay, maybe. But it usually doesn’t bother him as much.”
“Finn, seriously, shut the hell up,” River interrupts in a sharp tone.
When I glance at him, his eyes are firing daggers at Finn.
Finn holds his hands up and steps back. “Sorry, brother.” He sounds anything but sorry.
Shaking his head, he fixes his attention on me, his eyes softening a drop. “Maddy, if you’d like to take a shower, you’re more than welcome to use Lily’s, and I’m sure she wouldn’t mind you borrowing some of her clothes.”
I have no desire to use or borrow anything here, but I’m also covered in old sweat and rain, and I feel disgusting.
“Yeah, okay, that’d actually be nice.” I smile at River. “Thanks.”
River motions for me to follow him. “Come on; I’ll show you where her room is.”
I walk over to him, throwing a wave at Finn from over my shoulder.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he calls out after us with a wicked laugh.
River heaves an exhausted sigh. “Just ignore him. He’s in a mood.”
“Weird, because I feel like he’s been in that mood since I met him,” I remark, causing River to chuckle under his breath.
“Yeah, he’s generally like that.” He yanks both his hands through his hair, leaving strands sticking up wildly in all sorts of directions. “I’d like to say you get used to it, but I still haven’t, and I’ve known him all of my life. It’s not all bad. Sometimes, when I’m in a bad mood, it comes in handy.”
“I can see that,” I reply as my gaze roves over the photos hanging on the wall of landscapes and portraits of places I could only dream of seeing. “You two seem so different. It’s crazy you’re twins.”
“We used to be similar, but then … things changed.” As if matching his words, River’s mood changes, tension flowing from his now calculated steps. “But, anyway.” He clears his throat as he slows to a stop in front of a shut door. “This is Lily’s room. She probably hasn’t been in it for over a year, but a maid comes here once a week to clean the place, so everything should be good to go.” He pushes open the door. “There’s probably no soap in the shower, so let me go grab a bottle of mine for you.” He hurries off down the hallway. And I try not to stare at his ass or the lean muscles of his back. I fail.
Why the heck did I have to let him kiss me? This guy is so off-limites.
“Get it together, Maddy,” I mumble to myself as I tear my eyes off River.
Carefully, as if entering a museum, I step into Lily’s bedroom. The theme of silver and blue is splashed all over the place from the walls, to the comforter that covers the massive king bed, to the curtains and the chandelier. Even the dressers and nightstands are silver, and the knobs are baby blue. I couldn’t imagine having a room like this, but it would be nice. Hell, I’d settle for the closet, which is an open area in the corner with benches and mirrors lining the wall.
“Here you go,” River says as he returns with two bottles. He hands them to me, and when he notices my expression, his forehead creases. “You have a weird look on your face. Are you sure you’re okay? Or is it the height thing? You can keep the windows closed, and there are none in the bathroom.”
“No, it’s not that.” I hug the bottles of soap and shampoo against my chest. “I’m just not used to being in places like this. I mean, this room is like really, really nice—this whole place is—and it feels wrong that I’m in here, if that makes sense.”
He promptly shakes his head. “Don’t think like that. You belong here just as much as anyone else. Trust me.” Smiling, he reaches out and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear.
The move stuns both of us, and when my eyes go huge, he jerks back, clearing his throat for the second time in five minutes.
“Um … yeah.” His cheeks tint pink, and it takes all of my strength not to smile. “So, I texted Lily, and she said you can borrow anything. Her closet is over there.” He points to it then to another doorway to our left. “The bathroom is over there. There should be towels in there already. And then, when you’re done, just come back out into the room at the end of the hallway. Either Finn or I will be in there.”
“Thanks.” I smile, and he returns it before starting to leave. But then an overwhelming sense of gratitude falls over me. “I mean that, River. Thanks for all of this. For running with me. For helping Finn in that high-speed chase so we could escape Drew.”
He nods with his hand on the doorknob. “Of course.” He starts to shut the door but pauses. “I don’t want to pressure you into telling me what’s going on with this Drew guy, but if you feel like talking, I’m good at listening and solving problems.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I force a smile, and he shuts the door. Then I exhale all the tension I’ve been holding since Drew showed up.
A part of me wishes it could be that easy, that I could tell River everything, and he could conjure up a solution. But while he may be a great problem solver in Royal City life, northside problems are a different ballgame.