Chapter 11 #2
She flinches away and tries to pull her shorts down to cover more of her thigh.
“After Dad passed.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal, even though I can tell it is; by the sadness in her eyes, it means everything.
She might have been a brat searching for her independence when we used to hang out as kids, but she loved her parents.
They were the closest family I ever saw, all picnics and movie nights.
I’m not going to deny I wasn’t jealous as hell.
I would have loved to know what a real family was like to grow up in.
“Needed something to take away the pain.” She sighs heavily, her pain lodges itself in my chest. Poor girl, lost both her parents so young. That shit is sad.
“Looks good on you.” I smirk all flirty, trying to keep things light, not wanting her to be down this morning.
Truth is it all looks sexy as hell on her: the silver hair, the ink, the piercing in her nose, the cutoffs that show off her long legs.
She’s fifteen-year-old River’s fantasy come to life.
And so tempting. “I’m sorry you lost your dad, he was a nice man,” I offer when she doesn’t perk back up.
She glances toward me, her forehead furrowing. “He hated you boys. Never wanted me to hang out with you and gave me all sorts of warnings about how much trouble you all were. He wasn’t wrong either, I should have listened to him,” she snips.
Her words are harsh but true. We all were terrible influences on the sweet princess.
But she needed it. Before us she was sheltered, the dutiful mayor’s daughter, focused on school and her reputation.
We corrupted her, and I’m not even sorry about it, because I know how lonely she was before us.
She never found her people, her tribe, until Jayden decided she was worth his time and let her tag along.
For me it was love at first sight. Or lust, anyway.
I’m not sure a twelve-year-old can really be in love, but from that day on, she was just one of us.
If K and Bodhi didn’t want her around, she wouldn’t have lasted the afternoon, but she got under all of our skin pretty damn fast. That’s why I think keeping her round for good and really making her one of us is the perfect plan. “I reckon he had a soft spot for me.”
She huffs out a laugh. “Everyone has a soft spot for you, River. Guess it’s easy when you hang with dudes like Slater and Throne, anyone would look good in comparison.” Her voice is lighter now, the type of banter I enjoy with her, and I’m glad she came out of the dark place she slipped into.
Her snippy attitude toward me makes me laugh, and I’m pretty sure she just admitted I’m her favorite. But I always knew I was. “Why do you hate them so much? K and Bodhi, what did they do to you?”
“I hate all of you.” She throws me a bitchy glance, her features hardening.
That only makes me laugh more, because I know it’s a lie, she doesn’t hate me.
She wanted me to fill her mouth with my tongue not all that long ago, and even now, she could be hiding in her room, but she dressed up for me in a cute outfit and practically begged me to take her out on a date. “Why?” I push.
She pulls into a sandy car park at a secluded beach not too far from Deadwater Bay.
I know it well. Today there isn’t much of a break, but the water is crystal clear and will be ideal for a swim since that’s all I can do.
Perfect to get her all wet and relaxed as well, back to loving me like she should be.
Her eyes narrow as she stops the engine, staring out the front of the car.
“For… for locking me up with you for a start. And bloody Kasen carrying on about me being his. It’s bullshit, and you two let him get away with it, so that lands you all on my shit list as well.
” She looks at me like there is so much more to it, but she doesn’t keep talking.
I steal her hand and lace our fingers together.
She slowly moves her head to glance back at me, her eyes running over our hands with concern, but she doesn’t pull away either.
I knew it, she wants them on her. “Dove, shit’s not the same as when you lived here last. The boys are trying to protect you.
We all don’t want to see you hurt more than you clearly have been already.
I can see life hasn’t been kind to you. Why not enjoy the time you have here with us, let K pay for some shit for you while you recover, and if you hate this life we have created so much, when you’re better, you can take off into the sunset with Sheila.
But honestly, I don’t think you’re going to want to. ”
“Sheila?” Her lips quirk at the side.
“My van.” I grin back at her.
“Oh, I do love Sheila. The sooner the two of us can get out of here the better.”
“If that’s what you really want, baby. But for now, let’s enjoy the time we have together.
I’ve missed you.” I bring her hand up to my mouth and kiss the back of it.
She watches me, her eyes shimmering with lust. Fuck, I want to kiss her for real, take away her pain and replace it with a good fucking time. She’s too beautiful to be so sad.
Suddenly she pulls back from me. “You know Kasen is a controlling asshole. I don’t want anything from him. Or any of you,” she spits, finding her attitude again.
I’m disappointed but not surprised. She wears the tough act like armor, and maybe it’s protected her in the past, but it won’t work with me.
I’m going to wear her down. One bit at a time, her defenses will fade away, and she will realize what I have always known—we’re meant to be together.
“Why did you come back to Deadwater Bay, Dove?”
She stares out the windscreen for a beat then leans over the back and grabs her towel.
“What you waiting for? The water looks perfect.” She’s out of the van, stripping off her shorts and tank before I have a chance to catch up with her, completely ignoring my question.
She has to know I won’t give up that easily. I’m desperate to understand her.
I grab my towel and follow her down the beach. “Why won’t you answer me?” I call after her, catching her up when she stops.
She glares at me, like proper glares daggers.
Her chest rises and falls as she sucks in angry breaths.
“I want answers, happy?” She tosses her towel on the sand and takes off for the water before I have time to think that nugget through, her silver hair splaying out behind her.
Her perfect ass draws way too much attention from other beachgoers in the cheeky bikini she has on.
I have the sudden urge to cover her up so no one else can check her out.
That or burn out their eyes for having the audacity to look her way.
One particular dude gets under my skin the most; he watches her right the way down to the water. I toss my T-shirt down and move as fast as my damn knee will take me to catch up with her, making sure to scuff up sand in his face as I go by.
“Hey,” he calls to me as I pass.
“Girl’s taken.” I turn back toward him, my eyes narrowing to slits, making sure he knows exactly who I am. His eyes widen in fear, and he scoops up his shit and scurries off the beach in a rush. Yeah, being part of Deadwater Crew and working for Throne has its upsides.
Dove has no idea the trouble she’s caused and dives under the first wave, swimming out to a clearing like a mermaid.
I might not be able to surf anymore, but I still swim every day, and I catch her quickly, almost desperate to get my hands on her, to show every slimy dude back on the beach who she belongs to. I resist the urge, things still tense between us. The two of us bob around in the water instead.
Water beads over her face. It’s washed off some of the make-up she was wearing to cover her bruises.
I can’t help but wince. They are hard to look at.
Knowing some thug marked her beautiful skin makes my blood boil.
K’s right, we need answers. She can’t keep hiding shit from us, not when we know she’s still in some sort of trouble.
“What answers do you want, baby? Maybe I can help,” I offer, trying charm instead of demanding she talks like I know K and Bodhi would.