Tully – I’m coming over and I’m hungry!!!!!
I press the phone back to my ear with a cringe. “Yeah, I’m going to need to change the order,” I tell the guy.
“What?” he panics. “Are you guys throwing some kind of party or something?”
“Sounds about right,” I grin, realizing that at some point Noah and Rivers will probably show up and raid the fridge. I add a few pizzas to the list and hang up from my fifteen minute phone call which should have been two or three minutes tops.
I guess that’s the price you pay being me.
I drop down on the couch next to Aria and groan, realizing she’s finally figured out how to work my Netflix account. She picks some show I’ve never heard of before and I relax back into the couch.
At least it’s a change from ‘SpongeBob.’ I don’t know how many more episodes I can watch of that show. The theme song has been stuck in my head for weeks. It’s driving not only me, but Noah, Rivers, and Tully insane.
I check over Aria’s homework to make sure she’s on track as we wait for Tully and the pizza guy, and when there’s finally a knock at the door, I sigh in relief. I’m so damn hungry and I’m absolutely positive that it’s the pizza guy waiting on the other side. Tully would have walked straight in; demanding attention be thrust upon her.
I get up off the couch and grab the cash from the entryway table before pulling open the door. I hear familiar laughter coming from somewhere and see Tully’s Jeep behind the pizza delivery guy’s shoulder, but don’t actually see her.
I make an even trade with the pizza guy and tell him to keep the change before placing the pizza down on the coffee table for Aria to dig into. I remind her that it’s hot and let her know that I’ll just be outside, searching for Tully.
Aria couldn’t care less what I’m doing as long as it doesn’t involve blocking her view of the television screen.
I step out front and my eyes follow the sound of Tully’s laughter, only for me to gawk at what I see.
Tully is next door, hanging out with Rocko of all people, sitting on the front of his old piece of shit car with the guy standing between her legs. I mean, this is simply taking the whole ‘I hate Rivers’ thing a little too far.
He murmurs something that I can’t quite make out, only for Tully to throw her head back in laughter and playfully smack at his wide chest.
What the fuck is this? Is she blind or stupid? Maybe she doesn’t realize who the hell she’s talking to. Messing around with Spencer is one thing, but this is just plain stupidity.
Rocko is nothing but bad news, but then, knowing now who Noah and Rivers work for, I guess the same could be said about them. But this is different. Rocko Stevenson isn’t a good guy, not like my boys. He’s reckless, dangerous, and unpredictable. He’s the kind of guy who deserves to be thrown in jail and not just put in a holding cell overnight for trying to jack a car.
Though… that could all just be in my head. I don’t actually have any proof of any wrongdoings, it’s all just rumors spread through school, but there are too many of them to be ignored.
Tully knows better than to get involved with a guy like him. Noah might forgive me for knowing about Tully and Rivers getting together, but he’ll never forgive me if Tully got messed up with the likes of Rocko Stevenson and I didn’t try to do anything about it. That would be a game changer for us and I’m not willing to risk what I have with Noah over this stupidity.
I clear my throat, loud enough for the two of them to hear. Tully’s head whips around and I expect to see shock or embarrassment at being caught out flirting with the guy, but instead, I get nothing, just a welcoming smile letting me know she’s happy to see me. Does she not feel ashamed of herself right now? She should be lunging away from him, not running her fingers over his chest.
“Hey,” she calls out. “I’ll be there in a sec.”
“Actually, could you come now? I kind of need your help with something.”
“Oh,” she says, looking back at Rocko with an apologetic smile. “I’ll see you later,” she tells him before leaning into him and pressing a kiss to his cheek as he scowls back at me like a real asshole.
Rocko takes Tully’s waist and helps her down from the hood of his car as though she is precious before she hurries over to me. “Hey,” she grins, dashing towards my front door as Rocko turns and walks back inside his home. “What’s going on? What do you need help with?”
I lead Tully inside and wait until the door is firmly closed behind me before turning on her. “Are you insane?” I demand. “Rocko Fucking Stevenson? Do you have any idea who the hell he is or do you just like flirting with danger?”
Tully glances around as though I’ve lost my freaking mind. “What are you talking about? There’s nothing wrong with Rocko. He just has a bad reputation, just like the rest of us. He’s really a nice guy.”
“Did you fall and hit your head? Or is this another ploy to get at Rivers because this isn’t going to make him jealous, this is going to infuriate him. Not to mention your brother. Are you trying to cause problems between us?”
Tully rolls her eyes and walks past me to sit beside Aria who’s turning up the volume on the TV, trying to drown out our conversation. “Don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic?” she says as I snatch the television remote from Aria and put the volume back to a normal level which doesn’t threaten to burst my eardrums.
“Dramatic?” I shriek. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I’m not. Serious. Rocky is actually really nice. He’s fun and flirty and despite what you might think of him, I actually kind of like him. He’s the only guy who’s managed to get my mind off Rivers even if it’s only for a second.”
I groan and let my head fall to the back of the couch. “No,” I almost cry. “Don’t tell me that.”
“Sorry,” she grunts, “but it’s true.”
“So, it’s not just a ploy to piss off Rivers?”
“No,” she laughs. “That’s just an added bonus.”
I let out a heavy breath. “You really like him?”
“Well,” she says, deep in thought. “I think so. I mean, if he asks me out, I’m not going to say no.”
“Damn it,” I groan. “Any guy would be stupid not to ask you out.”
“Yeah,” she laughs. “I like to think so too.”
“This isn’t the first time you’ve spent time with him, is it?”
Guilt flashes through her green eyes as she glances up from the pizza selections before her. “No,” she admits. “I came over here on Friday night not realizing you’d gone to Noah’s race and he was out front working on his car and we got talking. He gave me his number and we’ve been texting ever since.”
Hurt flares through me. “That was five days ago,” I tell her. “Why the hell haven’t you said anything?”
Tully scoffs as she takes a huge bite of pizza and then tries to talk around it. “So I could avoid this interrogation,” she tells me. “You’re just like Noah and Rivers. Act first, ask questions later.”
“I did do that, didn’t I?”
She swallows the pizza. “Uh huh.”
“Sorry,” I cringe.
“Don’t be sorry for being who you are. I’ve known that about you since day one and I decided to love you anyway.”
“Yeah, well, that’s your fault then,” I grumble before looking up at her. “You know, no matter who you date or who’s trying to get in your pants, you and Rivers will always belong together. No one else will ever measure up to what you two have.”
Tully sighs deeply as a sadness seeps into her. “Don’t remind me,” she murmurs. “But it’s not like I can magically force him to be with him. He doesn’t want me, no matter what I do. I told him, right to his face that I’m crazy in love with him and it’s still not enough. I’ll never be enough for him, so I have no choice but to try and move on.”
“Don’t put this on you,” I tell her, absolutely furious with her. “You are more than enough. He�
�s just as in love with you as you are with him and you know it. He just has some twisted issues that he needs to sort out, and one day, we’re going to figure out what they are and help him through it, but until then, you need to be patient. He’ll come back to you when he’s ready.”
“But it might be too late by then.”
“That’s just the risk he has to take. I don’t expect you to just forget about him and move on, but just don’t completely close yourself off to him either. He’ll eventually come around and I’d hate to think that when that does happen, that you’re not willing to let yourself find your happiness.”
“Stop,” she says, getting watery eyes. “You’re making me get all emotional.”
“Sorry,” I grumble. “I just want you to be happy like I am and I know that Rivers has been an ass, but I still believe you guys will find a way to make it work.”
“I’m not so sure,” she tells me. “I think it’s run its course.”
I let out a sigh, hating that she’s hurting so much right now. Maybe I should just let her explore her options with Rocko. After all, she knows all the rumors just as I do, yet out of the both of us, she’s the only one who had a proper conversation with the guy. Maybe I do have him wrong. Maybe he is an alright guy.
Either way, I have a feeling we’re about to find out.
I reach for a pizza as the door practically flies off its hinges before two huge guys barge their way through the living room as though they own the place. Noah slams the door shut behind them before inhaling the heavenly aroma of pizza on the coffee table and fist pumping the sky. “Yes,” he cheers, looking right into my soul. “It’s like you read my fucking mind.”
I roll my eyes as Rivers practically barges his way past me and drop downs in front of Tully. “What’s wrong?” he demands, taking in her watery eyes and making Noah more alert than ever.
Tully brings up her foot and places it on Rivers' shoulder before pushing him away from her. “Nothing,” she grumbles, glancing away and refusing to meet his eyes. “Just choked on my food is all.”
Rivers narrows his eyes on her for a moment before glancing to me, hoping he’ll find some answers within my eyes, but not today. I’m a closed book and in this situation, I’m with Tully. I know they’re both hurting over this, but Tully is the one who needs me more.
Noah cuts the tension in the room as he storms in front of me and scoops up a slice of pizza before taking another. He puts one upside down, on top of the other like a pizza sandwich before hoisting me up off the couch. He takes my seat, dropping down beside his sister with me on his lap and takes the biggest bite of pizza I’ve ever seen. I mean, how was that even possible?
I lean into his chest and he curls his arm around me. “How was your night?” I ask with sarcasm. “Did you enjoy being a drug mule or were you kept busy stealing a car?”
“Neither,” he grins. “Collecting a debt.”
Tully scoffs. "Is that why Rivers' knuckles are bloodied?”
Noah shrugs his shoulders. “The guy wouldn’t pay up and I don’t want to be the sorry bastard who has to go back and tell Anton that we didn’t come through.”
“And did you, come through, I mean?”
“Don’t I always come through?” he murmurs before pressing his lips to my neck.
I can’t help but smile as a moan slips from my lips. “Yeah, you do."
“Damn straight, Spitfire.”
Tully leans forward and takes a sip of her soda as her eyes worriedly rake over Rivers’ hand once again, hating seeing him in any sort of pain. She looks to her brother. “So, how come he had to be the one to do the damage? What’s wrong with fucking up your knuckles?”
Rivers scoffs as a smile crosses his lips but it’s Noah who speaks up. “Because I lost the fucking bet.”
“Wait, what? You make that sound like a bad thing,” I say.
“Come on, Spitfire,” Noah grins. “Don’t act like you don’t know how good it feels to nail some dickhead in the jaw.”
Tully nods her head, completely in agreeance with her brother while I let out a sigh. “Yeah, ok. You’ve made your point.”
“Good,” he says, pulling me in a little tighter. “Now, what have you guys been doing all afternoon?”
Tully’s eyes flare open as I quickly cover for the two of us. I mean, they really don’t need to know what we’ve just spent the afternoon discussing. “Nothing,” I tell him. “Just chilling.”
“No,” Aria yells out, flying to her feet and staring angrily at me as she looks away from the TV for the first time in over an hour. “Don’t lie. That was a lie.”
“What?” I demand with wide eyes as Noah’s hand flinches on my waist.
"What’s she talking about?”
“Nothing,” I say.
“No,” Aria demands, stomping her little foot on the ground. “You were fighting with Tully. You yelled at her.”
Noah grumbles beside me, sitting up a little straighter to see Aria better as Rivers just looks on in confusion. “What are you talking about, Ari?”
Aria looks at Noah. “Henley was yelling at Tully and told her she can’t play with the boy next door.”
Shit.
“Rocko?” Rivers grunts.
Aria nods her little head as Tully’s world comes crumbling down. I reach out and squeeze her hand. “Sorry,” I tell her. “I tried.”
“I know,” she sighs. “I know.”
Not a second later, all hell breaks loose.
Chapter 6
The wind whips through my hair as I stand by the side of the track watching Noah speed across the finish line like a damn boss. He slams on the brakes and his white Camaro skids to a stop, spitting up a cloud of dust behind him. I swear, it’s one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen.
I don’t know how he does it but there’s something about Noah Cage behind the wheel of a car that gets me each and every time. I mean, damn. Maybe it’s the cocky, too sure confidence paired with the mischievous green, sparkling eyes that drive me crazy. Add the bad boy vibe and sexy as hell tatts and I’m a freaking goner.
I watch in amusement as he pulls himself up through the open window of his Camaro and perches himself there to show off to his adoring fans as though he’s some kind of A-list celebrity.
He cheers and they cheer right along with him making both me and Tully shake our heads. Tully’s head shake is more from mere embarrassment whereas mine is out of exasperation. The beaming smile on my face though, that’s not going anywhere.
Noah turns to start searching me out and it only takes a second. It’s as though there’s some kind of magnetic force between us that draws us together. He always seems to be able to find me in a crowd and I absolutely love that about him, except for those few times I don’t. Tully and I have a habit of trying to slip away at parties to enjoy ourselves without Noah looming over us, making sure we’re always protected and safe. Rivers can be worse though. Like damn, is it too much to ask for us girls to be able to let loose and have a bit of wild fun?
With my eyes locked firmly on his, Noah raises his chin as if to remind me that he’s the fucking boss around here. Though, maybe I should tell him that I saw Nate Ryder hanging out over by the Broken Hill side not long ago. If Noah is a boss around here, that must make Nate the King, right? He holds all the records and while he’s been away working and going to college, Noah has been quickly taking over. I guess they’re both kings in their own right.
Seeing the next race starting to set up, Noah and his opponent get back into their cars and practically barge the crowd off the track. I watch as he drives his Camaro back up to where the rest of the cars are parked and brings it to a stop. He grabs his hoodie then mine, and finally rushes his ass back over to me.
“Here,” he says, throwing my hoodie at me before I get a chance to tell him how great he was. “It’s getting cold. I don’t want you getting sick and putting your dirty ass germs all over me.”
“You’re so charming,” I grin, pulling the
hoodie over my head before releasing my hair out the back.
“You know it,” he says, putting his arm over my shoulder and pulling me into his side as he looks down at the race that’s about to start. "Where’s Rivers?”
I shrug my shoulders as Tully grunts out, “Over there.”
I look across at her and then follow her heavy scowl to our right where Rivers stands amongst a few of the other seniors from school. That usually wouldn’t pull any sort of reaction out of her, but the way some random chick keeps hanging off him despite the way he keeps pushing her off is enough to drive Tully insane.
“Fucking girls,” Noah scoffs beside me, shaking his head at the pure desperation written all over the skank. He looks around me to Tully. “What are you so pissed about? Aren’t you over your little crush on him yet?”
Tully turns on her brother and the look in her eyes is enough to have even the strongest of men squirming, but not Noah, he just grins back at his twin sister as though he just asked her what color the sky is. He should be worried though. I’m honestly fearing for the safety of his pretty face right now. “You’re a real asshole, you know that,” she seethes before storming away.
“Shit,” Noah laughs. “What’s her fucking problem?”
“You don’t want to know,” I grumble, silently hoping he doesn’t ask me more on the topic.
He watches as she walks away and I cringe as she heads straight for Rocko’s arms. Shit. This isn’t going to be good.
Noah stiffens beside me and I watch from the corner of my eye as Rivers readjusts his position in his group to get a better view of her. The boys seriously don’t like this just the same as me, but there’s not a lot we can do about it. She’s a big girl and we have to let her make her own decisions, as if we don’t, there will be hell to pay.
Noah goes to take a step and I latch onto him a little tighter. “Don’t,” I beg. “Just…give her tonight. You can rant at her when we get home. If you get all pissy on her now, you’re just going to embarrass her and then she’ll get payback by practically throwing herself at him.”
Untameable: Haven Falls (Book 3) Page 5