Chapter 28 Eloise
Eloise
Earlier…
My fingers dance across the keys, and the song I pull from the piano is just as anguished as the song in my heart.
For the past two weeks, my days have consisted of eating, sleeping, practicing, and being berated by Dave.
Since that fateful day he discovered the tabloid, he’s been on high alert—watching me like a hawk.
He’s even threatened to have me committed if he so much as suspects I’m trying to speak to Riot again.
I’ve been biding my time, waiting for the moment he lets his guard down, but as each day passes, it becomes less and less of a possibility. Dave’s paranoia has only grown, and I’m honestly at a loss for what to do.
I miss Riot terribly. I’m lonely and sad, and I just want to be free, but there’s nothing I can do. I can’t run away, and I can’t speak to anyone or ask them for help.
At least that was what I thought before today. Before something miraculous happened.
Around two in the morning, I head downstairs to grab a small snack, needing some sugar to stabilize my shaking hands. The house is eerily silent, with Forest and Dave having gone to bed hours ago—so I’m not expecting to find anything out of place.
But there, lying on the kitchen counter, is Forest’s phone.
I pause at the threshold, listening for suspicious sounds, something that might indicate Forest is near. Nothing.
Frowning, I move closer to the device, pausing when my fingertips are just out of reach. This has to be a trap. Forest is never this careless with his possessions. He wouldn’t just leave it out… would he?
I stand frozen in the darkened kitchen, weighing my options, the repercussions I might face, and whether it would be worth it.
Without another thought, I pick up the cell phone.
I slide my finger over the screen, and to my utter surprise, it unlocks. My pulse races wildly as I type in the number I know by heart, knowing this is a terrible idea but unable to stop. I don’t even know what I’m going to say—only that I need to talk to him. Need to see him.
Hey, rock star. It’s Eloise.
I wait exactly five excruciating seconds before typing out my second message, the one I’ve been dying to send.
I need to see you.
I stare down at the screen, my heart thudding so violently I’m worried the sound will wake Dave or Forest. Please answer, please answer, please—
The phone buzzes.
When and where?
My lips tip into a smile—the first one in two whole weeks—and I quickly type out a response.
Tonight. Now. Unless you’re busy, that is.
I’m never too busy for my muse. Where are we going?
I wait a second, weighing my options. It would only take me twenty minutes to bike to our spot—which isn’t an issue, but I’m not sure it’s the best idea to ride through busy streets in the middle of the night.
Somewhere close by, since I’ll have to bike.
That’s cute. I’m already on my way to pick you up.
I don’t know if that’s the best idea…
Well, I’m sure as shit not letting you take your fucking bicycle when it’s pitch-black outside. I’ll park around the corner so no one will see me or hear the engine.
I’m about to send another text of protest when the phone buzzes.
Be there in ten <3
I quickly delete the text thread and place the phone back onto the counter exactly how I found it.
Then, as quickly and quietly as I can, I make my way upstairs to my bedroom.
I look at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, shocked to find my eyes bright and my cheeks flushed.
It’s so different from the face I’m used to seeing staring back at me, so much more alive.
I smooth my hands over my pajama top, deciding to ditch my current outfit for a pair of cutoffs and my band tee. After running a comb through my hair, I snag a pair of high-tops from my closet, keeping them in my hands as I make my way back downstairs.
I can’t sneak out of my bedroom window like I’ve done before—Dave has bolted it shut—and the front door is locked tight, so my only other option is to sneak out through the window in the kitchen over the sink.
The only problem is they’re the stupid ones that roll open, so there’s no way to close them from the outside.
There’s no way I’m going back now, though. I’ll just have to hope I get back home before someone notices it's open.
I climb through the window and land softly outside, thankful I changed my outfit as the humid night air smacks me in the face.
The autumn months are quickly turning to winter, but you wouldn’t know it unless you looked at a calendar.
The only thing that cuts through the thick air is the occasional coastal breeze, and from this part of the house, no such wind exists.
I crouch low to the ground, listening for any sounds emanating from within the house. When there are none, I shove my shoes onto my feet and take off down the driveway, my steps slapping the pavement like gunshots against the still of the night.
I stop at the end of the driveway, breathing hard, the hair on my arms rising. I have a strong urge to look over my shoulder, to check the house one last time to make sure they’re really, really asleep.
I shake off the paranoia and turn left, taking off in a light jog down the sidewalk. A few moments later, the roar of an engine makes its way to my ears, and I stop where I am, my heart hammering wildly.
He comes to a stop just shy of the sidewalk, keeping the engine on as he leans to the side, stabilizing the bike. Riot lifts his helmet away, and a cascade of long black hair falls over his shoulders, flowing gently in the breeze.
Golden, feline eyes pierce me through the shadows, moving over the curves of my body with a heated, insatiable kind of hunger. His tongue slides over the rings on his bottom lip, the movement so sensual it has heat flaring deep in my core.
“Come here, sweet girl.” His voice flows over my skin, impossibly deep and warm, enticing me closer. “I want to make sure you’re real.”
Pulled by an invisible thread, I walk forward in a daze, neither speaking, not wanting to break the charged energy swirling between us. When I’m close enough to touch, I stop, gazing up at him with wide eyes, my heart thudding loud enough for him to hear.
“Eloise…” Riot reaches out, cupping my cheek gently—so gently it makes my heart hurt. His thumb brushes my skin as he leans in, the scent of tobacco and leather enveloping my senses, wrapping me in safety.
Riot kisses me, and it’s everything I ever wanted and more. Soft, passionate, loving, and eager. It takes my breath away and fills my veins with sunlight, bursting forth from every pore in a stunning display.
He breaks away much too soon, and the only thing that makes it better is the look of intense anguish in his eyes.
“I’m only stopping because if I keep kissing you on the side of the road, I won’t be able to stop.
” He leans in, pressing his forehead to mine in a tender gesture.
“Let’s go somewhere more private, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I whisper, smiling as he presses a kiss to the tip of my nose.
I keep my eyes on Riot as he places his helmet on my body, tingling all over in the aftermath of his kiss. He pats the seat behind him, and without thinking, without worrying, I climb on the back of Riot’s motorcycle, breathing in his smoke and aftershave, completely at ease.
His skin shudders as I wrap my arms tightly around his abdomen, pulling my body as close to his as possible. And as we speed into the night, I’m elated to find it’s not fear that’s making my heart race.