Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
FALLON
T his was not the fight I thought I was going to see. I watch in silence as Rich handles the man I was supposed to marry like he’s nothing more than a rag doll. Each of his blows is smooth but fierce.
“All right, we should stop him. At least I want to talk to Carl,” I hear King say.
“Can’t talk to a dead man,” West mutters. “Hopefully Rich gets some anger out on this schmuck before he returns to you.”
“Returns to you?” Willa asks. “Did you do something?”
“Guys,” I interrupt but never take my attention off Rich. All of the people who had been around the cage have now closed in on this fight. They are chanting Rich’s name over and over. “He’s going to kill him.”
I'm uncertain if I'm merely emphasizing the obvious or requesting their intervention. You can’t just kill someone. Right? I might be sheltered, but I know there are rules and laws. Especially when it’s all being witnessed by such a huge crowd. King might have control over the island, but no one has control over social media. I know that, and I have only known social media for a week!
I find myself trying to walk over to Rich but am stopped by someone. “Let her go,” King tells them, and they quickly back up to let me by. No one else tries to stop me. I cringe when I hear a crunching sound; a spray of blood hits me.
“Rich.” I let out a loud gasp. Rich’s head snaps around, his eyes darker now, a wildness to them as they lock with mine. He releases his hold on Carl, who crumbles to the concrete floor.
“Dollface.” Rich’s face softens, his whole demeanor changing in the flip of a switch. “I got blood on you.”
“Only the shirt.”
"I'm sorry." Rich runs his hands up and down me.
"I'm not." I wrap my hands around his neck and pull him down. He doesn't resist. I press my mouth against his. I can feel the tension in his body, every muscle strained.
When I slide my tongue across his lips, he lets out a groan; his hands cup my face as he deepens the kiss. Rich’s tongue slips into my mouth, stroking against mine, laying claim to me.
The kiss is sweet and slow, so unlike Rich in every other part of his life, it seems, except with me. He takes his time savoring me, and I do the same. This man is always so gentle with me, giving me a part of him reserved only for me.
Heat blooms through my whole body, and I press my chest into him, wanting to be closer. He lets out another groan but lifts his mouth from mine.
"Not here, dollface," he says, pressing a kiss to my forehead. I blink a few times, having forgotten we're in front of a ton of people. I almost want to laugh. I'd been so freaked out being around so many people. Then Rich was there, making me forget them all. I knew once I found him, I'd be okay.
I'm always safe with him. I know it to my core.
"Not done with him." Rich's voice drops, a cold chill to it. He tucks me into his side, and I realize he's talking to King.
"I know you're pissed."
"We're not doing this right now," Rich tells him.
"I know, I'm only letting you know I already have it all handled. Zero has been here too. He made sure no one's phone was working." King smirks, and I notice the corner of his mouth has a bruise forming.
"Who is Zero?" I find myself asking.
"A tech guy," Rich mutters. He's still pissed. The tension has returned to his body.
“How about you all head back to the house?” King suggests.
“How about you shut the fuck up for once in your damn life before I knock another smirk off your face?” Rich takes a step toward King, but I step back, which Rich follows. I place my hand on his chest to make sure he doesn’t go after him.
It makes me feel oddly powerful that Rich adheres to my touch. I bet a concrete wall couldn't hold him back, but my hand easily can.
“Why is he so pissed at you, Vasily?” Willa pokes her husband in the chest. Her bright pink nail polish is such a contrast to him.
“Can we go home? I’ll feel safer there.” I don’t know what it means that Carl was here. Is my father close? Will he tell him he saw me?
“You’re safe,” Rich reassures me. “But we can go. We can leave this island if you want. I'll take you to the other side of the world if you ask." I suppose that could make me safer, but it’s not what I want.
It doesn’t go unnoticed by me that Rich is willing to leave his entire life and family behind for me. It’s not something I would ever ask him to do. Plus, I don’t want to leave this little island where I now have people who care about me. Doing that would give the power back to my father, and he would win.
“I like our room.” Rich has made me feel so safe there. Untouchable, really.
“I’m starting to like our room too.” He smiles down at me. “Let’s go.” Rich leads us back out. I have noticed many people have cleared out. I assume the fights have concluded for the night.
“Hey! Wait up! I’m riding with you!” Willa shouts. We turn back around to see King shaking his head. He catches up to Willa in two seconds, tossing her over his shoulder. “We’re fighting. You can’t manhandle me.” She lets King know her objections.
“I’m husbandhandling you,” King replies with a smile on his face.
“Come on.” Rich shakes his head. “Are you okay with me driving, or we can ride back with Teddy and West.”
“I think I’m good.” What I want more than anything is for the two of us to be alone.
It doesn’t take long for us to get back to the estate. The second the gates close behind us, I relax more.
“I’ve got you.” Rich strokes the inside of my thigh.
“I know. This place makes me feel like I might have a home.”
“There is no might to it, dollface.” He parks the car right out front. “Stay put,” Rich says before hopping out of the car. I watch as he comes around to open the door for me.
“I could have done that.” I take his hand.
“But you don’t have to.” His fingers tangle with mine. “Come on. I need to get you out of that shirt.”
“I really like this shirt.”
“I’ll get you thousands. I don’t like that any of that man is on you.” He leads me upstairs and back into our room. The lock clicking into place is music to my ears. Rich lets go of my hand, leaning up against the door.
“Are you okay?”
“I want to ask you something, and you can say no.” His brows furrow together.
“You can ask.”
“Remember, you can say no.”
“I know that.”
“I want to wash you.”
“Wash me?”
“Get you out of those clothes and any blood off you.”
“You don’t have to wash me.” A bark of a laughter comes from Rich. He doesn’t give out a lot of laughs, but when he does, I love each of them. They always make me smile.
“Babe, I want to wash you.”
“Like together?”
“Any way you’ll let me.”
“Together,” I agree.
“Are you sure?” I notice his hands are fisted at his sides. He’s holding himself back. I am sure of it. The man always wants to touch me unless there is a reason he can't, and there isn't one right now.
“We’ll be naked,” I squeak. Then I want to pinch myself for sounding so na?ve. There were a million girls there tonight. All of them wanted him and would know what to do with him if they did have him. I have absolutely no clue or experience with any of this.
“Typically in a shower you’re naked.” He cocks his head to the side, giving me a playful smile.
I’ve never been curious about seeing a man naked until Rich. Heck, I have avoided any man before him. When Rich comes out of the bathroom in a towel, I always perk up. But seeing him naked will mean me getting naked as well. A sudden wave of shyness and insecurity washes over me.
“I don’t look like her,” I blurt out. I put my hand over my mouth. What is happening to me? I have always been good about keeping my mouth shut. Now things blurt right out of me. I know it’s because I feel safe here.
“What?” Rich is utterly confused. I don’t blame him.
“The blonde.”
“What blonde?” He pushes off the door, coming toward me. “You know what. Whatever blonde you’re talking about doesn’t matter,” Rich says. “You’re the only girl I want to see naked. The only one I want to touch. That I've even thought about touching or being touched by. No one else exists in my eyes but you. Only you.”
“You want me to touch you?” I lick my lips.
“Fucking love your touch, dollface.” I lay my hands on his chest. “You think I’ve ever been naked with another girl before? When I don’t want people touching me.”
“You haven’t?”
“Dollface.” He cups my face, tilting my head back to stare up at him. “You gave me my first kiss tonight.”
“How?” I suppose it’s not so hard to believe with all I’ve heard and seen for myself.
“Pretty sure I've been waiting for you.”
Tears fill my eyes. “Happy tears,” I rush to say before he panics. “I want you to be my first everything too.” I slide my hands up his chest and around his neck. “Now.”
I’m done waiting. Waiting for my father to show up. Waiting to make plans with my life. Waiting to live.
While I still might be scared and worried, I know I have people at my side. Tonight shook something free for me. I’m going to start a new life. One filled with things that I want. Rich is the first thing on that list.