Page 50 of They Will Fall

Picking up the razor sitting on the ledge, I slide the cap off then reach under the water and grab her leg.

“What are you doing?” She chuckles.

“Taking care of you.” I stretch my arm out and drag the razor from her knee cap, all the way up to the delicate crease just above her thigh. She watches me, smiling, as I repeat the motions until I’ve finished the top of one leg.

Without a word, she lowers her leg and lifts the other, allowing me to continue shaving her.

“You’re not human, Ridge Foster.”

I smirk. “Why’s that?”

“Men like you just don’t exist. Why are you so good to me?”

“Because, Riley Cross,” I raise an eyebrow as I look at her, “I am truly, madly, deeply in love with you.”

Once the top half of her legs are done, I instruct her to turn around until her feet are in my lap, then I shave the lower half with gentle ease, taking care not to nick her skin. Every so often, I swirl the razor in the water, and resume.

When I finish, I gaze deeply into her eyes and take her hand, raising it in the air, and I glide the razor down her armpit.

Her eyes glisten at me as I take her hand in mine and raise it in the air, making sure that no spot is left untouched. I glide the razor down her armpit. Then move to the other, raising her hand and dragging the blade down. After the final stroke, I lower her hand into the water, still holding it in mine.

“I love you, too,” she says. “Truly. Madly. Deeply.” It’s as if she’s been holding on to my last words this entire time.

I grab her waist and hoist her onto my lap until she’s straddling me. “For life?” I whisper in her ear.

Warm lips press to my ear as she whispers back, “And longer.”

CHAPTER17

RILEY

Half the dayis already gone as I stretch my arms and legs in the bed I’m sprawled out in. Ridge and Maddox ended up sleeping with me—one on each side. This morning, I opened my eyes to find Ridge sitting beside me with a tray of food. He claimed he was only there for a few minutes and didn’t want to wake me, but the temperature of the food says it was much longer.

Normally, I’d be a little freaked out about someone staring at me for so long while I sleep, but with Ridge, I kind of like it. Knowing he will always be there makes me feel safe, which is something I haven’t felt since killing the governor.

Maddox has been digging around at his dad’s corporate office today. He seems to think his dad is harboring a secret that involves Governor Saint. Both he and Ridge have been very tight-lipped about everything going on, but then again, so have I. Ridge still doesn’t know I was kidnapped from Temper’s room. Or, that he might possibly have a sister scouring all of Boulder Cove University in search of him.

But today, I plan to tell Ridge everything that happened during my time away with Maddox, and after. I can only hope he does the same in return. I need to know where Lev is and why they’re protecting him.

A subtle knock on the bedroom door has me scooting up on the bed. I smooth out the blanket over my legs and holler, “Come in.”

The door comes open, and Maddox steps inside. “Good morning, beautiful.”

He looks sexy as hell in a sleeveless tee shirt and gym shorts. There’s a bead of sweat around his hairline that glistens in the sunlight.

“Good morning to you. Have you been working out?”

“Not exactly the kind of workout I wish I was doing. I’ve been digging through boxes at my dad’s office.”

“And?”

He shakes his head in disappointment as he sits on the edge of the bed. “Nothing.” He exhales heavily. “I just don’t understand why my dad won’t let this shit with the governor go.”

I take his hand in mine, my thumb grazing his knuckles. “Everything is going to come full circle in time. We just have to be patient, and speaking of patience,” I begin. “Mine is running thin. I need someone to tell me what’s going on with Lev.” His eyes shoot wide open and I see his body tense up. “Why do you get so nervous every time I mention Lev?”

Maddox clicks his tongue on the roof of his mouth before dropping his chin to his chest. “Because I haven’t been honest with you. Any of you.”

“Baby.” I place a comforting hand on his back while still holding his hand. “What’s going on? You can tell me anything.”

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