Page 17 of The Rich One

It’s ironic that we would have this conversation here because, looking back, this is the first place I put on my Rose mask. The first time I walled up to avoid collapsing on myself.

“Funny story.” These are the first two words he says to me since asking if I wanted to go for a drive. I highly doubt anything about his conversation is going to be funny. I don’t say that though. The stage is all his.

“I have a buddy at the site, nice guy but a bit of an asshole with women. And he says to me, ‘Hey, Kai, is your girl a redhead now?’” My brain is scrambling, taking inventory of all the places I could have possibly run into a construction worker from Staten Island. The only time I ever wear that wig is with Tyler, and there’s no way a blue-collar worker could pay for even an appetizer in the places we’ve been.

“I laugh out loud and tell him I’ve never seen you as a redhead.”

My brain does an immediate freeze and then goes into reverse.

“Yourgirl?” I emphasize the word “your” and those are my first words to him. “You’ve probably fucked half of Staten Island and maybe a good ten percent of Manhattan, and when he says “your” girl you think of…?” I let my phrase die out because how is that even logical?

“Don’t be ridiculous, River. I don’t sleep around and you know it. Hell, the last time I fucked it was you.” He’s right, he doesn’t sleep around but I tend to get bitchy when I feel cornered. I wish he did though just so I could hate him and be done with him.

I’m such a fucking hypocrite.

“You, on the other hand…” Fuck. Here we go.

I turn to face the fountain, my arms crossed and leaning on the steel banister.

“Just get to the point, Kai. I’m tired and want to go home.” I’m ready for this to be over. Fuck, I don’t think I’m ready at all but, come on, surely the anticipation and the waiting game is more painful than the actual ripping of the Band-Aid.

God, I hope this doesn’t spell out the end of us. I’m definitely not ready for that.

“He showed me the picture on Page Six. Your face was clear as day, but your hair… It was all wrong. I thought, no, it can’t be her. But then I looked at the rest of the picture and, River? I can recognize the slope of your neck anywhere. The way it dips at the foot of your throat.” He places a finger on my neck and a thousand goosebumps erupt, my skin on fire. Then he retraces his path and before he says a word, I just know what he’s going to tell me.

He stops at the side of my neck and circles the heart shaped beauty mark that lies there, innocently.

“I sawthisand I knew.” Kai sighs, letting his hand drop then turning to mirror my position. “When were you going to tell me you’re seriously dating some rich asshole?” The hurt in his voice is like a cold shower to my heart. Closing my eyes, I send a thousand prayers of thanks to the sky and slip on my mask. I can handle this a lot better than him knowing I fuck for a price. It’s not an easy feat, making peace with a job like mine, but I’ve managed. The guilt is just a long-ago memory at this point. What I cannot—willnot—accept are looks of disappointment and disgust on the faces of those I love the most. The only people in my life that mean a damn to me.

“I didn’t want to hurt you.” My voice is thick, my heartbeat like a subway speeding through an empty station. “I was going to tell you all but I knew you’d disapprove.” How easily the lies flow.

“It's not my place to disapprove, Riv. I'm not your keeper but yeah, I can't say it didn't hurt. I wish you'd told me, you know?” He clears his throat and turns, leaning on the banister, his thick arms crossed over his chest. A family walks by, three kids running ahead of the parents while the father pushes an empty stroller. We let them pass before continuing our conversation.

“I thought we could start something serious. You know, now that we’re settled.” I almost laugh at his boyish voice edged with a hint of hardness.

Shaking my head in disbelief, I turn to the side so I can look at the beauty that is his profile. Strong, straight nose, hard jaw with enough stubble to leave a mark on my thighs when he eats my pussy like a savage.

The thought makes me wet and like a hound, he snaps his head my way, his eyes squinting like he can smell my arousal. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out? That you could change your name and have your high rolling fun with New York’shottestbachelor, then come home and slum it with me?” So, not a pussy hound, then.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I throw his words back at him. “He asked me out, I said yes. End of.” Technically, it’s the truth. “And Rose goes well with the red hair.”

He snorts his distaste. “Why the wig?” He can’t even look at me right now.

“You know what they say, redheads have more fun.” I try to lighten the situation but all I do is piss him off.

“No, they don’t say that. Stop fucking around, River, and tell me what the fuck is going on!” He’s practically yelling, the family vibe dying with every “fuck” he throws into the air.

“Shh, there are kids out here,” I whisper-yell at him, mortified that two of the three kids are looking at us with gaping mouths. Great, we’ll forever be the couple who cussed at the park, in their story.

“Dammit.” This time his curse is barely audible. Kai is a family man at heart. Right now, he’s kicking himself for being a bad example to those kids. I wish I were the family type but alas, I’m just the side piece.

“So, that’s it? You’re dating Tyler Walker, the soulless mogul?” His words are practically sneered and the insult gnaws at my conscience. “Does he even know your real name?”

“He’s not soulless, Kai. Don’t be a judgmental asshole. And what does it matter? Roseismy real name. Albeit my middle one.” Avoiding eye contact, I center my gaze on his neck. Bad idea, because as I watch his Adam’s apple slowly bob up and down, I want to wash my lying mouth out with soap then lick him all over.

“So is he the reason you just shut down my texts when I’m trying to look out for you?”

“That’s insulting, Kai. I have my own mind. You know me well enough to know I handle my own shit.”

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