Page 81 of Riot

Gasping for breath, I slump beneath him, my blood burning and skin so hot, I sweat as he wraps me in his arms, keeping me afloat just like the raft he promised he’d be.

I wish I could say one good fuck fixes my mental health, but it doesn’t, and I know it won’t be long before I have another episode. This one leaves me feeling weak, exhausted, and downright embarrassed, but Kage doesn’t care.

He picks me up from the bed and helps me into a bath he must have run before coming to me. He doesn’t speak as he gently picks up every one of my limbs and washes them before sliding me lower and washing my hair. His long fingers unknot it, massaging into the long strands until my eyes close in bliss.

I lie in his arms, just letting him wash it all away and take care of me.

He dries me and helps me into a floor-length sleep gown, and then he sits me down before the mirror. I have the strangest feeling that I could weep. I don’t because I don’t want him to worry, but I watch him through the mirror as he carefully dries and brushes every inch of my long hair. He takes his time, brushing it until it falls in silky waves. He meets my gaze in the mirror and smiles softly before grabbing some hair ties, then he starts to braid it.

“I watched some videos when I realized how long your hair was. I wanted to be able to help you with it,” he explains, his eyes narrowed and focused, as if he’s doing something very important. For him, he is.

There is no one more important to him than me.

How could I ever hate myself or think I don’t belong in this world when someone like him loves me?

As I meet my eyes in the mirror, I mouth an apology to myself for everything I have put this body and soul through, for doubting it and trying to detach from it, and the tears finally fall. He says nothing. Kage lets me cry, and when he finishes my hair, he kisses the top of my head.

“Good as new,” he says, and something about that makes me cry harder.

He holds me through it, and when I’m done, he carries me to the bed and tucks me in, sitting against the headboard. “Wait here.” He hurries away, and I watch him go, wondering how I got so lucky to meet someone like him.

I don’t know how long he’s gone, but he comes back with a tray and places it over my lap. There’s a bowl of broth, some bread, fruit, chocolate, and water, and when I reach for the spoon, he pushes my hand away. Dipping the spoon in the soup, he lifts it to his mouth and blows before cupping his hand under it to catch any drips, then he brings it to my mouth.

Moving my head closer, I open my mouth and eat carefully. He feeds me the entire broth like this before wiping my mouth with his hand and then feeding me the rest. He watches me eat every bite and drink every drop of water. “Good girl,” he praises when I’m done, kissing my head before taking the tray away. When he comes back, he pulls me into his arms and just holds me.

I close my eyes and let him remind me he’s here. I’m not alone, and he will always be here, something I never would have believed before. Nobody stays, but he does.

Kage stays.

There’s a buzz, and we both look over to his phone on the nightstand.

Grabbing it, he reads the text before he looks down at me, his eyes glinting dangerously. “Three days, that’s when it’s happening. Are you ready?”

“More than I’ve ever been,” I admit.

Three days.

I have three days until the entire world knows my secrets and I’m not their perfect idol anymore.

I’ll just be a damaged, angry woman, and I can’t fucking wait.

FORTY-ONE

Three days pass quickly with all the planning we have to do. Elijah handles a lot, but I want to be helpful, and surprisingly, he lets me. We grow close in those three days, and as we go over the plan one last time in the car on the way there, he’s quiet.

“I’m sorry, Fallon.” My eyes widen. I’m unsure what he’s getting at as he closes his iPad and focuses on me. “I’m so sorry for what you went through. For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing the right thing, and I’ll be there for you—for both of you, I’ll be with you the entire time. We’re a team.”

“Thank you, Elijah,” I reply sincerely. He’s smart, and he figured out what we have been up to, plus we needed his help planning, but knowing he will stand with me and not just because of Kage?

I have him on my side, just like I have all of the people we gathered. This knowledge fills me with the strength I need to get through what will happen and the fallout. A little chaos never hurt anyone, though, and I did say I wanted to start a riot.

Hair and makeup take over two hours, but when everything is done, I look like usual perfect Fallon. That’s what they want. I refuse to show them an inch of weakness. My hair is perfectly styled, half of it held back off my face, my eyeliner is sharp, and my lips are ruby red. I look like the villain, and I love it.

Standing, I thank the team and then unzip the bag holding today’s dress.

Kage and Elijah are busy checking everything over, and I know this building is filled with more celebrities than they know what to do with, but right now, I’m alone, and I let myself feel that because after this, it will never be quiet again.

Reaching out, I run my hand over the silken fabric.

---