Page 92 of Wildest Dreams

“I never wanted to be with anyone else because in the deepest crevices of my heart baby, I knew you would come back. There could never be anyone else when I had you, Dixie.”

Her shoulders roll forward as she chokes out a sob, and my heart aches heavily in my chest.

“Please don't cry,” I beg, my own voice cracking.

“I don't deserve you,” she whispers, palming her tears away.

“You deserve everything Dixie, don't ever think you don't baby. Because you do. You deserve it all.” I pause for a beat. “I love you.”

She walks over to me slowly, fingers brushing my hair away from my forehead, her eyes volleying between mine, brows crinkled slightly.

“I will never deserve you Tripp Rivera,” she whispers against my lips and my heart flatlines in my chest as I wait for her to tell me she loves me back, but as the seconds tick by, the more I worry that it's never coming and she is ready to walk away from me again.

Say it Dixie, baby...

Our lips are inches from each other, our heavy breaths mixing, hearts beating as one.

Three words, my little dreamcatcher... say them.

“But I love you,” she breathes out, her voice trembling and I edge forward ever so slightly as I kiss her, heart enveloping together as our souls knot with an invisible string, connecting us forever into the infinite world of love.

She pulls away and I groan at the loss of her lips on mine.

“I love you Dixie Walker.”

“I'll be back soon,” she whispers, lips pulled into a small grin, eyes glistening, cheeks pink.

I give her a nod, fingers laced with hers and I try with all I have to hold onto her as she walks away, but eventually her fingers slip from mine and she is gone.

Sighing, I watch as she walks down the hallway and within seconds, she has disappeared, but I'm not alone for long when I see Riggs walking towards me, a boyish grin on his face.

“Alone now?” Riggs smirks, leaning against the doorframe. His eyes scan the room. “Smells of sex in here,” he grunts, “good on you man,” he chuckles as he sips his whiskey.

“Fuck you,” I laugh, running my hand through my messy brown hair. “How's Pace?” I ask, desperate to move, but kind of stuck in my bed. Naked.

“Back in surgery,” Riggs rolls his lips together and I go to move but he shakes his head from side to side. “Dad and Conrad are there.”

And I close my eyes for just a moment. I am so fucking angry. He’s my baby brother, I should have protected him. And I hear the rattle of Riggs' heavy breathing.

“They will get their karma, don't you worry,” as if he can hear my thoughts.

“I feel useless.” I let my head drop for just a moment, shaking it heavily.

“Well don't. You're not useless. It's just a shit situation. They knew what they were doing, it wasn't a random attack... it was premeditated. Carefully planned out.”

I sigh.

“We need to use Dixie, get her in with Wallen. Use Lainey...”

“No fucking way,” I move forward, shuffling myself to the end of the bed.

“Tripp.”

“Riggs,” I hiss as my leg hits the ground and I cry out.

My brother is there, next to me as his arm wraps around my shoulder, holding me close to him.

“We need to end this war Tripp.”

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