Page 51 of Played

***

Riot took a week to figure his shit out. The nightmares were eating him alive. How do you tell someone the real reason you disappear is that her damn brother was haunting your dreams? Every time he spent a night in her arms, he had nightmares. He needed to come clean. They all did. That and only that reason had them all willing to drive out there. River had asked for this. They all had deserted her, and it was time to come clean so they could move on.

He made sure to call her every couple days so she knew where they stood with sponsors and any other information he could find that she would be interested in. ‘Desperate’ had become his middle name. Turning up the long driveway to the ranch house, his palms started to sweat. His stomach pitched forward, forcing him to stop the car to catch his breath.

River asked for them to come out and talk about things. This was him giving her what she wanted, even if he would lose her by the end of the day. “I can do this.” Putting the car in gear, he drove the rest of the way to the house quickly so not to change his mind about the whole thing.

***

River’s foot connected with the strike pad Mal held up. Mal stumbled back, growling at River, who bounced on her feet waiting for Mal to hold the pad up again. Instead Mal held up both hands and waited for River to hit her with a one-two punch. Mal got what she wanted when River hit her with a jab followed by a right hook. Spinning around, she knocked her off balance with a side kick.

River wiped at her hair as she waited for Mal to get set. Mal pointed the pad toward the house while she sucked air in and out of her nose. “What are you wheezing about, bitch? I’m the one doing all the work.” Mal signaled behind River again.

Riot found her working out with Mal in her home gym. She turned towards him. “Riot.”

“I’m glad I’m back to being ‘Riot.’”

“You just don’t look like a Johnny to me.”

“Glad to hear it. Listen, can we talk? Privately.”

Mal held up her hands in surrender. River was kicking the shit out of her anyway. “You don’t have to ask me twice. Play nice, children.”

“Thanks, Mom!” River yelled after her.

Riot needed her to know that once everyone was there and she started asking questions, there would be no going back. The cards would be on the table with no way to shove them back in the deck. Once he explained everything, there would be a lot of things—and he meanta lotof things—said she agreed she would hear them all before going off the deep end.

But could she? “I wanted to check with you one more time, sweetheart, before I call the guys.”

“Make the call.”

“You’re sure?”

No, she wasn’t sure, but if they were really going to make this work, they all had to be on the same page. Everything had to be on the table. She knew what worried Riot… her leaving him. But they both had gotten off the ride. She promised herself she wouldn’t, swore to herself she would make it work out racing for him and D&T. She unstrapped her gloves and tossed them aside. Forcing Riot to stand his ground, she pursed her lips and smacked a kiss on his lips. “Yes.” She wanted to apologize for forcing his hand but left him standing there so she could go grab a shower. River wouldn’t mind if he followed her. Glancing back over her shoulder, she smiled when he turned to watch her walk away.

Chapter Nineteen

River walked around the pool. Riot had come to recognize it as the way River navigated her thoughts and feelings. He had told her everything about how he treated Laurel and she hadn’t judged him. Now, with Jason and Michael coming to the ranch, she would have to face things—like how wrong she had been about so many people. That in her hurt and pain, she had judged friends unfairly.

He took up his usual perch while waiting and watching her. He leaned against the doorjamb, his heart in his throat as he worried it would all be too much, throwing everyone at her at once. Riot reminded himself all day this is what she wanted.

“If I’m going to keep racing, I do need you, Riot. Not only on the track but in all parts of my life. I’m tired of doing it on my own. Tired of living a half-life, you… you make my life whole.”

“Everything will come out, River. It’s not us anymore. Laurel is after you. She will try to fuck with your head more than she ever has.”

He had made the call, and now they were waiting. He pushed off from the doorway and stalked towards her. When he stood directly behind her, she turned. Her grey eyes seemed so sad. Tunneling his hands into her wild blonde hair that he loved so much, he tugged her to him so his lips could taste hers. Together they could handle anything. She just needed to be reminded of that one simple fact. Well that and that he loved her no matter how stubborn she was.

He poured himself into the kiss, speaking words that he kept hidden deep within his heart. When she relaxed into him, he knew she understood every meaning behind the emotions he was giving her in that simple gesture, and he felt her loving him back.Finally.

Their perfect moment was interrupted by voices walking into the house. Ben walked in with Jason and Michael. Riot looked at the trio as they stepped out onto the patio. “Don’t you know how to knock?”

“What’s the fun in that? I was hoping to find the two of you in a compromising position.” Ben laughed as he walked up and hugged River. He elbowed Riot, telling him silently to relax.

“Jason, Michael, thanks for coming out.”

“No problem. But this is our last time. It’s today or never. Understand me, River? We don’t have time for bullshit, and personally I’m damn tired of you looking down your nose at me.”

That was not how Riot thought this conversation would start. He thought a glass of wine and a little dinner, then they could ease into the whole River-stop-being-a-bitch convo. But here they were. “Can we downshift for a minute, Jason?”

---