Page 9 of Rhys: and the girl who was always his

Perhaps it’s merely the beginning of something undefined yet full of promise.

Moments later, another knock sounds at the door—softer, more hesitant this time. “Ally? It’s me and Ella,” comes Yasmin’s gentle voice through the wood.

I sigh, knowing that once they come in, I won’t be left alone with my tangled thoughts.

Opening the door, I watch as they step inside my room without hesitation. Yasmin sits quietly at the edge of my unmade bed, while Ella stands, arms folded, glaring.

“We heard you guys in the kitchen and hallway,” Ella states bluntly, “That was intense.”

“No kidding,” I murmur with a rueful smile, running a tired hand over my face as I sink down beside Yasmin.

She offers a gentle nudge with her shoulder and softly asks, “Are you okay?”

I shrug, my voice low and uncertain. “I have no idea. He claims he wants me, but everything is a mess. It’s always complicated.”

Ella tilts her head, her expression earnest as she asks, “And do you believe him?”

I pause, the silence heavy before I admit, “I want to.”

Yasmin reaches over, her hand warm as it squeezes mine reassuringly. “Then maybe that’s enough for now. You don’t have to have all the answers right now.”

Ella lets out a long, weary sigh. “But you do need to figure out what you want, Ally. Because if you run every time he gets close, you’re going to lose him.”

I swallow hard as her words settle within me, a heavy truth I can’t easily deny. And the scariest part? I’m not sure I’m ready to stop running.

CHAPTERFOUR

RHYS

I step into Grumpy’s, and the noise of the crowd rushes over me, but it barely registers because all I see is her. I came to Grumpy’s to escape the house. Arden is coping better than we expected with being questioned. We all know he didn’t do it, but he really needs to stop joking about it. Until he is cleared, there is still a chance they could call him in again. Ella is playing the supportive wife. However, we can all see she is worried that this will get worse before it gets better.

Ashley is still processing the death of her father. She barely comes out of her room but when she does, you can tell she’s still trying to figure out her next move.

Chase and Yasmin are the constants in the house, there for anyone who needs it.

I watch Ally. She’s leaning against the bar, her head thrown back, laughing at something Justin says, her fiery red hair cascading down her back. His hand is resting on her hip, his fingers dipping just a little too far beneath her top like he’s done this a hundred times before.

A quick, hot anger flares inside of me, fast and primal, before I can tell myself to calm the hell down.

I shouldn’t care.

I shouldn’t feel this overwhelming need to march over there and put my fist through his goddamn face.

But I do.

Because that should be me.

I thought she quit sleeping with him when we moved to New Hope last year. I guess I was wrong.

It was only two days ago I held her close, whispered things I’ve never told anyone, watched her breath hitch when I told her she was it for me.

And now she’s here, falling into old habits, into the arms of a guy who’s looking for nothing more than a good time and a warm body to fill his bed.

That’s all he wants.

And she knows it.

She tilts her head back, laughing at something else Justin says, and the sound pierces through me like a knife.

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