by G N Wright
“The fuck Marcus!” she yells at me.
“Why do all our interactions involve violence?” I say as I wiggle my jaw from side to side trying to ease the pain.
“When someone is following you, you attack first, ask questions later, it’s basic survival,” her tone is annoyed and exasperated. I push her towards the door, careful not to touch her or crowd her after what happened last time.
“And what are you trying to survive?” I put my arms on either side of her frame.
“This town,” she replies quickly before I see her eyes scrunch slightly like they used to when we were kids when she wished she wouldn’t have said something. She straightens up before continuing, “What do you want Marcus?” her eyes look anywhere but at me.
Hearing my name like that makes me snap. “Would you stop with the fucking Marcus!” I shout and her eyes come back to meet mine. I can feel the connection flow through us when our gaze locks on one another.
“That’s your name,” she deadpans, trying to act unaffected by our closeness but like I said I’m always watching. I hear her breathing picking up and can practically feel her heart beating out of her chest. I lean down until our heads are almost touching and I hear her sharp intake of breath.
“No, to you, I'm River,” I don’t give her a chance to answer before I slam my lips to hers and she yelps in surprise allowing me to slip my tongue into her mouth until it tangles with hers. She tastes sweet and like home and I know instantly that one kiss will never be enough. One kiss is all it takes. From that first peck as two ten-year-old kids to this now. I can feel it from head to toe, the change taking over my body, the claiming of my true love except she isn’t mine. I press our bodies together so she can feel my hardened length against her stomach, and she stills in shock and I pull back to look at her.
The look in her eye is a mixture of shock and if I am not mistaken lust. I lean back in and place one last kiss on her lips and she lets me. We stand in silence just staring at each other until she breaks it.
“You shouldn’t have done that, Riv,” her voice is almost a whisper but hearing her call me Riv just sets it in stone that she is mine.
“No, I should have done that the first time I laid eyes on you again.”
She scoffs, “Yeah? That before or after you had your dick sucked?” She tries and fails to push me back.
Oh, my fiery little King is jealous, and it looks so fucking good on her. I reach both hands out and cup her face on either side.
“Ells, everyone who isn’t us is insignificant. You and I are going to be the final chapter,” I say the words before I can even process them. But even thinking about them I don’t take them back. That kiss changed everything. Yeah, some shit happened, and I don’t even know the half of it. But. I do know that Elle, my Ells, would never do anything to intentionally hurt me. Elliot Donovan is a fucking snake, and I don’t trust anything that comes out of his mouth and I was stupid to ever listen to him. I was too consumed by the grief to think straight, everything was messed up. But now Elle is back, and I am thinking clearly for the first time in three years.
I continue, “I am going to break you apart piece by piece until I have your every truth.”
My voice seems to break her out of herself as she pushes me back with enough force to move me now and her voice is cold and detached when she speaks, “I've been broken since the night I left and only one person helped me heal and it wasn’t you.”
We both know who she is talking about, “Stop throwing Asher in my face little King or I will show you exactly who you truly belong to.” I swear if I have to think about that psychotic little prick being close to her one more time I will fucking rip him apart limb from limb. Then bend her over until her hips are bruised from my touch and the only name leaving her lips is mine.
I see her anger. She balls her hands into fists and tightens her jaw as she starts to pace back and forth in front of the door. “Fuck you River! All you do is flaunt and fuck girl after girl and I just---”
"I haven't touched another girl since the day you came back," I scream at her and she stutters to a halt and I can tell she is going to challenge me.
"You expect me to believe that?" she demands.
I am a lot calmer than her as I lean back on the large oak desk in the center of the small room. "I don't care what you believe, it's the truth."
"I see girls hanging off you all the time," she says flatly.
"Then clearly you're not looking hard enough at the true narrative."
"Neither are you," she screams.
"What does that mean?" I don’t miss the fact that she said she had been broken since the night she left town. What happened to her? Who hurt her?
"Nothing just forget it," her demeanor changes instantly when she realizes she has said too much, and she closes herself off completely and I can see she is ready to dart.
"Don't bullshit me, Elle. Just because we have been apart for three years doesn’t mean I don’t know you better than anyone else."
“See that’s the thing Marcus, you don’t know me anymore. I’m not the little girl who is just going to follow you around because of some stupid childhood crush. I have moved on and it's time you did too.”
It would hurt less to be hit by a train; her words are like a knife to my heart. I stand from the desk like her words haven’t just crushed me.
“Please Marcus, just leave me alone,” she says slowly, giving me a tight-lipped small smile and then she turns and walks out the door, taking my heart with her. I touch my lips where the burn of our kiss still remains and wonder what the fuck do I do now?
Whiskey. Whiskey is what I do now.
Chapter 18
ELLE
We are parked at the docks on the far side of town, Linc insisted that he would drive and I was too pent up to even argue with him. We are waiting to see if the intel about the shipping on Donovan's emails is real and if so to gather evidence of what is going down here.
So far it has been quiet, we arrived early so we could park discreetly and make sure we can’t be seen. Linc chose a spot backed away from the docks down a side alley. There are no lights or cameras and with Lincs blacked out SUV and the help of our binoculars we are in the perfect spot.
This could be the evidence we have been waiting for in regard to the girls he runs. I know that Donovan brings in his guns and drugs from out of state with the help of a few motorcycle clubs and he also owns two of the three private air strips in town, the third belonging to Zack. Which means he can fly in whatever he wants and avoid customs. So, what could he possibly be getting in shipping if not girls?
This is what I should be thinking about the shipment, about what it could be, who it’s from and where it’s going but in reality, all I can think about is Marcus’ lips. About how they were both soft and firm at the same time, how his tongue slipped into my mouth and felt perfect dancing with mine and the feel of his hardness pressed into me causing tingles deep down in my stomach.
“What's the matter?” Lincoln's voice breaks me out of my thoughts.
“Sorry, what?”
“What's the matter with you, you look all red, are you feeling okay?” He is staring at me intently like he can read my mind and I hope he can’t because I think I would die of embarrassment.
“Yeah,” I cough out. “Yeah, totally fine.”
“Spill it,” he demands.
“Excuse me?”
“I said spill it. Elle, I have been watching you for weeks and I can tell you have something on your mind.” I go to speak but he cuts me off with his hand, “No, don’t start, you always have stuff on your mind, the wheels in your head are always turning but something is different today, you seem different.”
Fuck does he have a map that leads to the thoughts in my brain, how the hell does he know something is different about me? I could tell him I suppose but maybe that would be weird considering he is Marcus’ closest friend or maybe he could offer some insight. Not that I want more insight into M
arcus. So, I can’t stop thinking about the kiss, big deal, doesn't mean I can do anything about it. I pushed any feelings I may or may not have aside and told Marcus to leave me alone. That was the right thing to do to keep him safe so why can’t I get him out of my head.
I have obviously been silent for a while lost to my thoughts because Linc thinks the silence is my answer and turns to face back to the place where we are expecting the action.
“Marcus kissed me,” I blurt out quickly and he swings his gaze back to me straight away.
“Okayyyy,” he says slowly, “And?”
“What do you mean fucking and?” I snap. “That’s it.”
“So, what’s the issue? Donovan?” he asks, and I can see he is genuinely curious. I really wish he had more words to offer right now because my nerves are shot to shit and when I get nervous I ramble and he is really the last person I should word vomit in front of but he’s all I’ve got right now.
“What's the issue?” I laugh. “The issue is he kissed me. He kissed me and I liked it, I more than liked it! He just grabbed me. One minute we were arguing and the next I was having my first real kiss and it was like that bullshit you see in movies or read in books. The sparks were fucking flying and the butterflies were fluttering. Eurghhh it’s so fucking stupid but I can’t stop thinking about it. I always thought my first kiss would be him and I guess if you count an awkward peck as a child then it kinda was, but this was different, more. Now I am wondering how I was okay with him touching me that way when normally I have a full-blown attack if someone touches me unexpectedly so yeah there is a fucking issue!”
What the hell is wrong with me, I never talk this much especially about my feelings, I can’t believe I just said all that. I don’t have time to be thinking about this and I certainly don’t have time for fucking butterflies. The words rush out so fast that I barely take a breath and when I look back to Linc he is just staring at me.
“First kiss?” he repeats slowly. FUCK!!! Why did I just tell him that?
“You told me yesterday that you were a virgin and now you are saying that Marcus kissed you and it was your first kiss.” I can see his mind working trying to piece together what he thinks is going on and failing, “So what about Donovan?”
Fuck. I don’t even know what to say to him. We have forged a sort of truce friendship in the last few weeks working together. He has had my back, helped me gather some great intel and even taken to bringing me my favorite chocolate donuts with the sprinkles on our stake outs. He is getting to know me with the little I offer him and most importantly he follows the rules of not telling Marcus and no personal questions. In fact, this is the first time he has asked me any sort of question that isn’t related to our missions and I can’t exactly be pissed when I started it. I trust him, obviously, but if I reveal that Ash and I are just friends he will jump on the Marcus train along with Jace and then I’ll have to deal with both of them on my case.
No, I can’t tell him. So, I decide to be as honest as I can.
“I love him,” I say with conviction because it’s true I do love Ash just not in the way the guys might think. Lincoln is looking at me like he can see every lie I am telling but just as he is about to speak his phone rings through the audio on his truck and he looks away.
The screen above his radio says ‘JC’ which I can only presume is Jace. He looks at me and I nod giving him the okay to answer and he clicks to accept the call. Loud music immediately assaults our ears, and I can hear what sounds like shouting and some screams in the background.
“Hey man, I need you at The Ring. Marcus is drunk off his ass and has already beaten four Hallows Prep guys fucking bloody. It’s a total shit show. If I don’t get him out of here soon, he’s gonna land his ass in jail,” as soon as he says Marcus’ name I tense.
Linc looks to me to try to assess how I take the information. This is my fault, he disappeared after our kiss at school today and now he’s causing havoc with a bunch of preppy assholes which I have no doubt he is just picturing Ash’s face while doing so. I have no idea what The Ring is but if it could lead to him being arrested then clearly it isn’t good. I have to help him. I sit up and pull my feet down from where I had them resting on the dash and put on my seat belt. Lincoln doesn’t move or say anything.
“Let’s go, superman,” I say.
“Princess? Is that you?” Jace questions immediately.
“Yeah, it’s me, pretty boy.”
“Linc man, do you have a fucking death wish?” he continues through the phone and I have to laugh.
“Elle, this isn’t funny Marcus is going to murder him,” he turns his serious tone on me.
“Jace,” I scold him for even thinking what I know he is. “I would never do that to Marcus, Linc and I were just, look we were just busy but it’s not what you think. I would explain if I could, but I can’t.”
“Whatever, just both of you get your asses here now!”
“On my way, brother,” Linc says and then he disconnects the call.
“What about--” he gestures towards the docks as I cut him off.
I huff, “Let’s sort our guy out first and worry about this later.”
He smiles at me and I fume at myself for referring to Marcus as our guy and he sees it and chuckles.
“Yes, let's,” he responds smugly as he floors it away from the docks.
I don’t have time to contemplate not staying to get the intel we need because the only thing I can feel right now is guilt for hurting Marcus and sending him off to whatever The Ring is. I need to get to him and make sure he is okay. I’ve already got the blood of one Riviera on my hands; I don’t need another.
Chapter 19
MARCUS
Nothing makes me feel more alive than the sound of bones cracking beneath my knuckles. The feeling of inflicting pain and suffering on some prick who thinks they can take me just because they have a black card and a fast track ticket into daddy’s company. I have been coming to The Ring since I was fourteen. It’s a fight club on the North Side of town filled with stuck up steroided fuck heads who haven’t got a clue how to fight in a real battle. The kind where you fight for your life instead of a bit of green.
The first few times I came here I was still part of this bullshit crowd. One of them and proud. It makes me sick thinking about it now. I loved being part of their in crowd, now I love fucking destroying it. My undefeated streak makes them loathe me. Everyone wants to take on the fallen prince of the North Side. They think my demise was a fall from grace, but I was actually reborn on the South Side and revived from the ashes of who I once was to who I am meant to be.
Before I had a lot of money and little power. Now I have less money yet more power. More power than I could have ever imagined. I lost a father but gained my brothers, lost my girl but gained my crown, lost my connections but gained my crew. I would take being a South Sider any day of the week. These fuckers pity me, look down on me yet they are still scared of me, it’s fucking pathetic.
Scared but stupid enough to try take me on. I have already pounded four of these little dickheads into the ground leaving them broken and bloody yet a fifth stands before me thinking his fate will somehow be different. Stupid fuck, it’s laughable that they think they can beat me, even funnier that I bought this place a year ago and every bit of money these pricks pour into it lines my pockets.
Usually the rush I feel when somebody's blood coats my skin makes me feel alive but not today. Today I feel empty, desolate, fucking bare of anything that isn’t need. The need for release, the need for satisfaction, the need for Ells, my little King and her perfect fucking lips. The taste of her will be burned into my brain for all eternity. The need to feel our connection burning as our mouths collided, the need to hear her breathy little moans as I molded my body to hers and the need to take her and make her mine.
She hasn’t left my mind since the day she came back but today is different, today I felt her tongue tangled with mine and I will never be the same again.
She awoke a fire in me that I thought had burned out but turns out she was the only accelerant needed to ignite it. Now she is in me, forged into my brain like an illness, I am infected by her and there is no cure except to have more of her.
The whiskey must be catching up on me because now I’m even seeing her. She’s walking towards me like a dark angel ready to take me straight to hell for my sins. Her hair is pulled back and up high and she’s wearing a fitted black hoodie, black leather pants and black boots. Even my fantasy of her is fucking stunning and as black as my soul.
The distraction of my fantasy allows this asshole to land a kick to my ribs, a cheap shot but even distracted I am better than him. I grip his foot as it makes contact with my side and use the momentum to throw us both to the ground and I hear the beautiful tell-tale snap of his ankle as I pull his foot round my back when we slam into the floor. His scream is music to my ears, but I don’t let it stop me. I dive on top of him and as he is pinned to the ground, I rain my fists down upon him, making contact wherever I can. I lean back to appraise my handy work and decide there is not enough blood. As I raise my hand to hit him again, to inflict more pain in hopes I can feel anything other than my need for Ells, I feel a hand wrap round my arm.
I turn and lock eyes with those so pure and blue they stop me in my tracks.
“That’s enough, River,” her voice is barely audible in this rowdy crowd, but I hear those three words like they were spoken into silence. I block out everything else around me and focus on just her and the whiskey pumping through my body. It’s some strong shit to be making me see things that aren’t here, and her touch feels so real. I’m just staring at her when all of a sudden, a loud crack stings my cheek.