Page 18 of Played

River laid her arm across her eyes to block out some of the light and her view of Riot. She did not want to look at him. Because if she did, she would fall into his little web and then she would be ruined. She listened as he ordered her favorites—filet medium well, baked potato just butter, heavy on the butter, bacon-wrapped asparagus and a cucumber salad. Her stomach growled as he continued ordering. Great, after seven years not speaking and she was buying him fucking dinner. “You better have cash for the tip, asshole.”

“Roll over so I can rub you down.”

“Why the fuck not.” Her life was in the shitter, so what difference did it make? What was in it for him to be here?

“Stop thinking so loudly, sweetheart. It’s just me. You can trust me to take care of you.”

“Never.” At the first touch, she stiffened from both having his hands on her and the muscles fighting back against the movement. When she finally relaxed her body, the feeling of his hands kneading the cream into her sore muscles felt like heaven. At some point, whether it was the massage or sheer exhaustion, she let go of everything and closed her eyes, listening to the rhythm of Riot’s breathing as he continued to take care of her.

When she woke late in the night, Riot was gone. He left a note telling her to eat her food. Rubbing a hand down her face, River tried to feel thankful he had left. The truth was she would have welcomed him staying with her tonight.Foolish girl

Everything ached. Scooting from the bed, she found her food in the microwave. She hit the reheat button and opened a bottle of water. Looking out the window over the dark sky, she wondered if Riot told Laurel he had visited her. She would know soon enough if he had. That bitch would just fuck with her over it.

How pathetic was she? While everyone else partied in Austin on the streets below, she was holed up in her room nursing a bruised body along with a hurt ego. Even her heart had been wounded.

***

Morning came earlier than she had hoped for. Her head was pounding—or was that the door? Moving was slow going as she got up. Damn, everything hurt. When she moved her arm, the pain made her feel like she might pass out. If she weren’t in pain, she would snatch the damn door open, halting the beating the poor thing was getting.

“WHAT!”

“Good morning to you too, sunshine.”

“Fuck off Mal.” River let go of the door and turned to go to the bathroom. If it hit Mal in the face, it would serve her right.

“Why—”

River cut her off with one word. “Riot.” That’s what she thought… silence.

“We have a meeting in ten minutes.”

“With who?”

“D and T Racing.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want to see those guys. In case you don’t know, they’re friends with Riot and Laurel.”

“They’re, not her, get dressed and let’s go.”

“Not happening.”

“I will feed you afterward.”

Food sounded good. River closed the bathroom door. She needed a shower before facing a room full of men she didn’t trusted. Leaning against the shower wall, she thought about Riot and his hands. Damn it, she needed to not let him in her head. There were enough people taking up space in her head these days.

River could list them if anyone asked her. Even her brother took up space—all because of that bitch Laurel. She slammed her hand against the wall. She hated the way her life had turned out some days. Why did she let so much bother her?

“River?”

With nothing left to do, she turned the water off and opened the door, staring at Mal and waiting for the bitch fest to start.

“The meeting’s been canceled. Rescheduled until we are back home.”

“You still owe me food.”

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