Chapter 32 #4
The reminder of his impending arranged marriage rises between us like a thorny weed. But River chooses to diffuse this, slanting forward until his lips are brushing the shell of my ear.
“I turn you on too much, huh?” He sounds equal parts amused and nervous, I think because the subject is a bit new to him.
Me, too.
“Obviously,” I whisper. “You’re like the first guy who’s ever done that.”
He goes still, something I feel underneath the palm of my hand that’s resting on his side. “I’m the first person who’s turned you on?”
I could stop this. It’s spiraling fast. But I can’t bring myself to. The more time I spend with him, the harder it is to set boundaries.
“And push me over the edge,” I whisper into his ear.
I like the breath that fumbles from his lips a little too much.
He turns his head, dips his mouth to mine, and kisses me softly, and then he gently bites my lip.
The whimper that leaves my mouth has his nostrils flaring.
If the bus hadn’t jolted to a stop at that precise moment, I’m unsure how heavy our next kissing session would’ve been.
A drop of relief trickles through me that we were interrupted, but honestly, I feel more annoyed and flustered than anything else.
“This is our stop,” I tell River as I push to my feet, ignoring the wobbliness of my legs.
He stands and steps into the main aisle, offering me his hand.
I lace my fingers through his and trail after him as he guides us to the front of the bus.
He offers the driver a polite smile. I’m noticing he does that a lot, and I wonder if it’s a trait he’s learned—politeness.
It’s a foreign concept to me. I’m not saying that northside is full of a bunch of rude assholes, but living in poverty where the crime rate is high brings out survival instincts that require being not so polite all the time.
Once we step out onto the curb, River scans the dingy buildings that line the trash-littered streets. “Which way is your house?” he asks.
I tug on his arm. “This way.”
He holds onto my hand as I pull him toward the curb where a man is standing with a bag slung over his shoulder. He looks worn down from life, his shoulders curved in, his skin stained with dirt, and his clothes torn. But a lot of people around here mirror him.
“I’ve never been here during the day,” River mutters after we’ve crossed the street. “The darkness masks a lot of the sadness, doesn’t it?”
“You sound like a poet,” I remark as I steer us past a few stores then veer down an alleyway. “But yeah, the darkness does hide a lot. Although, it allows monsters to come out, too.”
We reach the end of the alleyway then and step out onto the parking lot in front of my mother’s apartment complex. I start to step forward, but River clasps onto my hand and draws me back toward him.
I glance at him confusedly. “What’s up?”
He shifts his weight. “I’m a little nervous about what Drew said to me. What if there’s other people after you, and they’re waiting around, looking for you?”
“I already told you there’s always someone looking for me, thanks to my father being a traitor, but it won’t be the same as a bounty being put on me.” I hope, anyway.
Skepticism remains in River’s expression, but he doesn’t protest as I start forward again. He remains close, on high alert, looking at the parking lot, at the vehicles in it, and at the few people loitering around. Then he fixes his attention on the apartment as we near it.
Instead of walking in, I summon a breath and knock. When no one answers, I try again before pushing the door open. I’m aware right away that something isn’t right by the bareness of the room.
“What the heck?” I step over the threshold and flip the light switch, but the light doesn’t come on. That’s nothing new—my mom constantly forgets to pay the power bill. But what is new is nothing is here except for the sofa and coffee table, and they were already here when we moved in.
When it dawns on me what’s happening, reality crashes over me like a goddamn roaring wave.
“What’s wrong?” River asks as I wiggle my hand from his grasp and jog across the living room.
I don’t respond, throwing my bedroom door open. To my relief, most of my stuff is still there. But then, when I push the door to my mother’s bedroom open, the wave nearly knocks me down.
I stare at her empty bedroom with my mouth hanging open.
“She moved out.”
“What?” He moves up behind me, his warmth and intoxicating scent bringing me a little comfort, but not much. “Jesus … Did she never mention this to you?”
I shake my head. “Nope, but I’m not surprised. She probably either couldn’t pay rent or she pissed the wrong person off and had to go into hiding.”
I enter the bedroom and peer around for some sort of clue as to what could’ve possibly happened. A few items are left behind—a couple of boxes, a blanket, and a lamp. I head to the boxes and open one up. Inside are a few photos and papers.
I pluck a photo out and can’t help smiling a bit. It’s of me as a baby, and my aunt is holding me. She looks happy as she smiles down at me, sitting in a chair outside, beneath the sunlight in a nicely landscaped yard I don’t recognize. I wonder who took the photo. Maybe my mother?
I set the photo down and open the other box. So many papers are stuffed into this one. When I rummage around, I realize the papers are actually bank transaction receipts.
“What the hell?” Confusion webs through me in a tangled mess. The sum of money being deposited in these bank accounts is insane. And it doesn’t list a name on the account.
“Did she steal someone else’s bank records?” I mutter as I sit down on the floor.
River comes over and crouches beside me. “What is it?”
“Bank records for an account that has a ton of money in it.” I hand him one of the papers then grab another stack, one of which is a deed to a house with my aunt’s name listed on it.
“What the hell is going on? One of these says my aunt owns some house on the border of northside, which is one of the nicest areas here.”
“Maybe it’s an investment she made?” River offers, taking the paper from me.
I glance at him. “Why does my mother have the deed, then?”
His brows knit as he scans the paper. “I have no idea.”
“Maybe it’s a fake.”
“If it is, it’s flawless.”
“Have you seen a deed before?”
He nods absentmindedly. “I have them for the properties I own.”
I blink. “You own properties?”
He visibly tenses, his gaze landing on mine. “Yeah, my parents gave all of us a few. Some of them are just land, but I do own a condo and also a house that has a bunch of acreage.”
All I can do is gape at him. Sure, I’m aware that River’s family is crazy wealthy, but he can’t even legally buy alcohol, yet he owns condos, houses, and land?
“Please don’t stop kissing me because of this,” he utters softly.
“What?” Shock whisks through me. “Why would you think I’d do that?”
“Because whenever the wealthy part of my life comes up, you pull away. Like when the paparazzi was taking photos of us. Not that I don’t get it—it’s a lot to deal with. So, if you want to stop kissing me, I’ll understand, but I really don’t want you to.” He’s rambling, and it’s so cute.
He’s so cute.
Why does he have to be so cute?
“We can still kiss,” I assure him. “We’re fake dating, anyway, and that requires kissing.”
He massages the back of his neck. “Isn’t it more than that?
I mean …” His hand falls to his side. “I know my future is murky, and I get if you don’t want to deal with that, but I think—I know—that I’d like to date you for real.
” Before I can even try to work up some kind of response, he quickly adds, “Can you think about it for a bit? I don’t want to pressure you, and I know it’s asking a lot, so …
Yeah, take your time. Unless it’s a hard no for you. ”
I should reply that it is. Dating him would be walking straight into a mess. Take, for example, the phone call he received from his father yesterday. River’s family won’t approve of our dating. Well, his parents won’t. Lily and Finn will be okay with it. In fact, Lily wants it to happen.
“Okay, I’ll think about it.” My heart literally skips a beat at the incandescent smile he gives me.
He opens his mouth then snaps it shut at the sound of the front door closing.
“Yeah, I’m here,” a deep voice comes from the living room.
I snag a hold of River’s hand and yank him with me as I scramble into the closet and shut the door as quietly as possible. The space is small, dark, and reeks of cigarettes. I’m standing so close to River that our bodies are pressed together.
“Who do you think it is?” he whispers, slipping an arm around my back.
“I’m not sure,” I whisper back. “But, more than likely, someone who knows my parents. And trust me; we don’t want them to know we’re here.” Especially considering River radiates royalty.
“What exactly am I looking for?” the man asks from somewhere in the house. “A necklace? Why the hell do you want a necklace? Is it worth something?” A pause. “Well, holy shit, who knew Eva was sitting on such a big secret?”
River holds me against him, his breathing increasing. My anxiety matches his.
Are they looking for the necklace I have? That has to be it. But what secret do they know my mother is hiding? The possible truth tauntingly whispers in my ear. I may be an Everford. I’m unsure how, but it’s seeming more plausible with each clue we find.
River and I remain frozen where we are as the guy begins sifting through stuff—the boxes, I’m assuming. Worry begins to stir inside me that he might try to look in the closet since the necklace isn’t out there. My heart is like thunder in my chest, a warning before a lightning strikes.