Love, Riley: Redemption Highway: Briarwood

by Leaona Luxx

  Five after three and still no Dax. Picking up my phone, I lay it back down and opt to check my hair instead of texting him again. Another five minutes, he pulls into the lot. He jumps out and walks toward the door with his phone on his ear. Probably lining up a piece of ass for tonight.

  What the fuck am I doing? He’s never gonna be interested in me for anything more than a fuck. Licking my dry lips, I pull myself together and step out of the car. Immediately drawing the attention of onlookers, I crack a small smile as I stroll toward the door.

  Entering the building, several do double takes as I make my way over to my date. “Hey.”

  Dax’s eyes travel the length of my body, as well as several others who do the same. “Well, hello gorgeous,” he says before he can make eye contact.

  I sit in the seat opposite him, he frowns slightly. “How’s your day been?” I ask, trying to make small talk and quiet my nerves.

  “Busy.” Looking over my shoulder, he motions the waitress. “Drink?”

  “Uh, no. Work and I have to drive.” My gaze shifts from him to people watching.

  “Oh, yeah. I’ll have a Jack and Brown.” Dax nods to the waitress.

  “Are you ready to order?” The blonde smiles at Dax, who’s happy to return it before looking to me. Her red plaid button-up is tied just below her tits and unbuttoned down to there. Her denim bra on full display. So, this is what I look like most of the time, wonderful.

  “Ava?” Dax calls my attention with a sly grin. I fight to roll my eyes but honestly, what was I expecting? He’s a player, and I’m here because he’s hoping to play.

  “Sure. I’ll have the barbeque sandwich with wedges and a sweet tea.” Chancing a glance at her, she hasn’t taken her eyes off Dax; apparently, he’s doing the same.

  “I’ll have the same, sweetheart.” He throws her a panty-melting grin. I throw up a bit. Shaking my head ever so slightly, I fight the urge to roll my eyes.

  “I’ll get that right out to ya,” she says in a country bumpkin sort of way. Her tight Daisy Dukes are the feature as she walks away, and Dax watches the entire show.

  Once his attention is back on me, I smirk. “What?” he asks innocently.

  “Nothing.” I take the napkin from the table, holding it in my lap.

  “You look amazing.” Dax sits back with one arm over the back of his seat, playing with his knife.

  “Thank you. I wasn’t sure what to wear.” I scan the room to keep from looking at him.

  “You should have texted me, I could’ve told you what to wear.” He grins.

  “I bet.” The waitress arrives with his drink, they make no secret of their attraction. I glance away, I’d prefer not to see it.

  “The food’s great here, I think you’ll enjoy it.” Dax tries his hand at small talk.

  I nod. “Yeah, I’ve been here before. It is good food.”

  “Oh, well, good.” He nods. “You date much?”

  I narrow my eyes, I know he ain’t already going there. “Sometimes.”

  “I thought so.” He leans in, reaching for my hand.

  It’s like slow motion. About the time Dax’s hand takes mine, Riley appears in the corner of my eye. His face the color of a branding iron, as I’m sure mine is pale as a ghost. I pull my hand away in a flash, maybe a knee-jerk reaction, but all I can think of is Riley.

  He walks toward our table, his stride wide, his face fierce. Riley’s brows are pulled low over his eyes, and his mouth sits in a flat line. Dax is talking, but I swear all I hear is a muffled sound as my stomach turns over on itself and my heart races.

  He steps away, and I feel as though I’m gonna hurl. I gape as my eyes slide from Riley to Dax and back again. My heart pounds in my ears as Riley stops in front of us. He stares pointedly at me, never moving a muscle except for his ticking jaw.

  “Ava.” Riley waits for me to acknowledge him, but I’m frozen.

  “Pennington, what’s up?” Dax tries to garner Riley’s attention. Riley is still staring at me, and I can’t look away; our eyes are locked. My pulse pounds violently in my ears.

  “Can I have a moment?” Riley reaches for my hand, and I take it without a second thought. Standing, I finally look to Dax.

  “I’m sorry, I’ll be right back.” Riley tugs my hand as he turns to walk away. Dax narrows his eyes and takes a swig from his glass. We round the corner and exit a side door.

  “What the fuck, Ava?” Riley growls at me. I lean away from his ire, not because he scares me, it’s just, no one has ever been this angry with me besides Brannon.

  “Stop.” It’s all I can say as I stare into his eyes. They burn me in return as does his touch when grabs me, pushing me against the wall. We’re out of sight when he leans in, his voice no more than a whisper.

  “Why him?” Riley’s face is so close to mine, our noses could touch.

  His hold on me feels right, not tight or too loose. Pressing me into the wall, I clutch his shirt, praying he’ll push his body into mine. My mouth goes dry when his tongue sweeps over his bottom lip, and I gasp before sinking my teeth into mine.

  Closing my eyes, I do my best to steady my breathing. “Riley.” His name sounds more like a moan as I say it.

  “Why do I try?” he murmurs as he leans his forehead against mine.

  I don’t have a clue what comes over me, but I push his head away with mine, tearing from his grasp. “Why do you fucking try, Riley?”

  His eyes widen as his mouth pops open. “Ava, don’t.” He holds his hands up as if he’s under fire.

  “Fuck you.” Spinning on my heels, I take a step before throwing over my shoulder, “I don’t remember asking you to try, asshole.”

  I rush through the door and around the corner, nearly taking someone out. Walker. “He’s outside,” I snarl.

  “I take it things didn’t go well.” Walker smirks.

  “Listen, fucker, if you think for a minute I’m gonna take your smartass mouth, you’re mistaken.” I push past him. “And if you’re giving him advice, stop.”

  I hit full stride as I near my table. The waitress stands with her hand on the table, leaning over Dax. Great. My impression of dates, they fucking suck. Narrowing my eyes, I step around Daisy Duke, snatching my clutch from the table.

  Dax doesn’t get a chance to say a word as I storm from the building. Fuck this. I open my door, sliding in without missing a beat. I floor it as I leave the parking lot. After three traffic lights, I hit a red and come to a stop.

  Resting my head against the seat, I take a deep cleansing breath. The events play like they’re on fast forward in my mind. What in the hell just happened? Riley’s unbridled reaction. Mine toward him. I’m so damn confused. I jump when a horn blares behind me.

  I hadn’t planned to go back to my apartment, but decide to change there instead of work considering I have the time now. Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, I drink it as I check my phone. Nothing. I’m not surprised.

  Tossing it back inside my purse, I finish my water and slip my work shoes on. Fuck dating, it’s not worth it. If I want to sit at a table while the man I plan on fucking later flirts with other women, I’ll do it on my own terms. I’m not being played the fool.

  If I could run my head through this damn wall, I would. Fucking Ava. I press further in, hoping my head will pop off. She’s driving me insane, and she fucking knows it, too. What in the hell am I going to do? Dax is an asshole. I know better than to show interest in her.

  Why the fuck did she come with him? She told me she was trying to change. What am I saying? It was just last week she ditched a guy at the motel. Did I really think she would change in a week? I know she’s trouble, she always has been.

  But fucking hell if I don’t love her.

  I’ve spent the last five years running from this girl. It never fazed me when she and Brannon had Andi; everyone knows how she feels about him. From the time I met her, I’ve been in love. I can tell you the exact moment when I first laid eyes on her.

&nbs
p; I was six-years-old. Her raven hair twisting and turning in the wind as she pushed her legs to swing higher. I should’ve known then as her hair spun around her like a tornado, that’s exactly what she is. Destructive.

  I can’t remember a time she hasn’t sought and destroyed everything in her path. She’s not a tornado, she’s a hurricane. A storm so fierce, it causes extensive damage to all that’s around. And as much as I want to blame her for all my heartache, I can’t.

  I hear the footsteps before he has a chance to speak. “Dude. You alright?” my older brother, Walker, asks.

  “Yeah, I guess.” I turn to him. “Please, don’t say it.”

  “Not a word.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “Drink?”

  “Love one.” I push from the wall that had become my best friend and follow him inside to the bar.

  There’s no sign of Ava or Dax, they work fast. Again, I get to lick my wounds while she runs around with the next guy on the list. I’ll never understand her. She’s so much more than she even realizes. I sometimes think she enjoys tearing herself down before anyone in this town can get to her.

  Seven hours and too many drinks later, we head to The Club. And Ava. If I had a lick of sense about me, I’d refuse to go. But hell, I’m tanked and pissed. So, I give a ‘hell yeah’ when it’s suggested. Walking through the front door, my gaze goes to the bar first.

  She’s not there, where is she? I scan the room for her, nothing. Did she call off? Is she in trouble? Sick, maybe? What if something happened to Andi? I begin to panic when she passes in front of me with a tray.

  A rowdy table filled with soldiers await her arrival. The hoots and hollers are almost unbearable. I watch as she plasters on her best fake smile and gets to work. She works her way around the table, a couple of them taking turns playing grab ass.

  She smacks their hands away with a playful tap, swaying her finger at them after. Her fake smile still going strong. A lot of people would never know her fake one from her real smile, but there’s not much I don’t know about her. Except, how to get her to notice me.

  “You good, bro?” Walker asks as Ava walks back to the bar.

  “I’m good. Get us a drink.” I manage not to slur my words.

  He pats me on the shoulder as he heads toward the bar. Ava avoids him like the plague as he walks his way through, and she watches him until she finds me. I stare across the room, and she tries to avert her eyes, but we both know we’re watching each other.

  Walker hits the floor dancing with a blonde, making me feel like a third wheel. Until I see a familiar face. “Ford. Damn dude, I’m glad to see you.”

  “You look like you’re lucky to be standing.” He takes my hand to shake it.

  “Ava went out with Dax.” I tip the liquid gold down my throat.

  “Damn. I’m sorry man.” Ford sits beside me.

  “Yeah, tell me about it.” My head spins as I squint to spy on her from here.

  “You do know there’s no one to blame but you.” Ford’s an asshole and a good friend.

  “Why’s that, fucker?” I glare at him.

  “You’ve never told her how you feel.” He gives me a pointed look. “What do you expect from her?”

  “I know.” I empty my glass. “I’m not sure it would ever matter.”

  “Well, there’s the old sure-fire way to see if she cares.” Walker smirks when he sits down on the other side of me.

  “How’s that?” I ask, still not looking at anything but her.

  “Find another girl and kiss the hell outta her. If Ava gets jealous, she cares.” He raises his glass as if he’s the smartest man alive.

  “That’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard!” Ford exclaims with a chuckle. “It’s not only immature, but it’s dangerous.”

  “Huh?” I ask.

  “Let’s just say she does have feelings for you and you hook up with another girl, it may backfire.” Ford shrugs. “It could hurt her, and I think she’s been hurt enough in life.”

  “He’s right.” I turn to my brother.

  “How does he know she didn’t fuck Dax before work?” Walker tilts his glass.

  “Yeah, how do I know?” I turn my head from side to side, eyeing them skeptically.

  “I can see there’s no talking you outta this, but it’s a big mistake.” Ford takes another drink before standing. “I, on the other hand, am single and free to mingle.” He waggles his brows like an idiot.

  “We’re all single, let’s do this.” Walker stands, winking at the first girl who passes by.

  I’m no saint, I’ve been with other women the last few years. Until I came back home and fell into the same cycle I always do—Ava’s Spin Cycle. She’s still playing at the same ole game by not telling me she was going out with him.

  Maybe I should move on? I’ve spent years either trying to get her attention or to get rid of her memory, and neither has worked. Even leaving hasn’t helped. But of all the women that have come and gone, that beauty over there has stayed. Deeply rooted.

  Picking up my glass, I remember it’s empty and decide to hit the bar. I work my way across the room, and Ava spots me and tracks my movements all the way over. She purposely skips me a few times before having to give in and wait for me.

  “Pick your poison.” Ava smirks.

  “Already did, Trouble.” I wink at her as she narrows her eyes. “Give me a beer.”

  Popping the lid on the bottle, Ava hands me the beer about the time a redhead slides on the bar stool next to me. I smile as she wraps her arm around my back. “Hey, handsome.”

  “Hey, girl.” I return her smile as I cut my eyes at Ava. She rolls hers with a shake of her head as she walks away. Fuck it. I’m never gonna get her. “Wanna dance, Red?”

  The redhead takes me by the hand with a smile as the low-cut shirt she’s wearing gives me a sneak peek of things to come. “Come on, babe. I’ll shake my ass for you.”

  Leading me to the dance floor, Ole Red does exactly as she promised—she shakes her ass. In front of me, on me, around me. Every once in a while, I catch Ava watching all the action. And then, she turns the table.

  A tall guy with skin-tight black jeans leans into her ear, and she giggles. My stomach is immediately in knots. I can’t stop; I scrutinize every move, each nuance shared between the two. Bile rises as I witness him coming in for a kiss that she seems to welcome.

  Heat runs up my back, traveling my body as anger grips me. Twisting like a knife in my chest, I release an audible gasp as I watch her. She scans the room, stepping from behind the bar and disappearing into the darkness with him.

  Hanging my head, my efforts to rid my thoughts of her are in vain. Ava’s my everything. I feel her on a level that’s unreal. Always have, always will. Five years wasn’t even enough to burn her from my memory. I’ve always been just this side of her radar. Friend zone? Hell no, I’m no-go zone.

  When my back hits the wall, I don’t even open my eyes. The redhead presses her lips to my neck, working her way to mine. I lay my head back, allowing her to devour me. All the while, thinking of Ava. Her perfect pout caught between her teeth, releasing it as it turns crimson.

  Red’s hand runs down my chest, but all I see is Ava’s polished black nails. She cups my cock in her hand, rubbing her palm to cause a little friction. The problem is I imagine Ava, and I haven’t had sex in a long time.

  Giving her the opening she’s waiting for, her mouth sinks onto mine. Her free hand snakes under the back of my shirt. Her nails drag up and down my back in rhythm with her hand that’s still on my cock. Fuck it, I’m taking her back to my place.

  I grab her by the hand and nod at Walker as I pass by. He follows me with a blonde; she’s down to party, too. I’m the last one out the door, so I look over my shoulder just in time to see Ava wrapped around skinny jeans guy in the hallway. Fuck her.

  Sun streaming through my open window wakes me like an alarm. What in the hell did I do yesterday? My head’s pounding like tiny ninjas are kicking the shit
outta my brain. Rolling over, I grab my pillow to throw over my head. As I arrange it, my hand gets ensnarled in a web of hair.

  Prying open one eye ever so little, I spy the red mop in my hand. Shaking it off, I roll back over, closing my eyes in hopes of more sleep. Son of a bitch! My eyes pop open, and I sit ramrod straight. Motherfucker, what did I do?

  Picking my jeans up, I drag them up my legs before turning around to see what kind of mess I’ve made. Gritting my teeth, I roll my head back, trying to shake the tension. Fuck. I’ve gotta get rid of her. Running my hands through my hair, I walk to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water until I can come up with a plan.

  My phone vibrates, it’s Walker. Fuck him, this is his fault. Not really, but I’m blaming him today. Leaning against the stove, I know I have to wake her up and take her home. Damn it all to hell! My truck is at The Club. I’ll call a cab.

  There’s no way to take a shower; my apartment is small, and she’ll hear me. She may even want to join me, and that ain’t happening. Bad enough, I have to get her outta here before my parents’ see her. My place is a one-bedroom guest house behind my parents’.

  Yes, I’m a grown ass man and live behind my parents’ home. I haven’t had time to find something because I’ve been chasing Ava’s ass. Matter of fact, I haven’t done a damn thing since I’ve been home. Including Ava. She’s never gonna forget this, I’m fucked.

  Walking back in my bedroom, I grab a clean shirt. “Hey, Red. I need to get moving, gotta get my truck.” I nudge her on my way to the bathroom.

  “Hmmm?” She raises with a stretch.

  “I need to get my truck. I also need to get my ass in gear and take care of some business.” I brush my teeth over her mumbling. No way is she staying, she can’t.

  Rinsing my mouth, she tiptoes behind me. She locks her arms around my waist. “I was thinking we could grab breakfast after I get a shower, babe.”

  The fuck? I take her hands in mine, turning as I pull her through to my bedroom. “Red, I fucked up. I was so messed up last night, and the last thing I should’ve done was bring you here.” Her frown deepens. “I’m in love with someone, and I wanted to make her jealous. It’s bad enough I did that to someone I love, but you—in no way deserved this. I’m sorry.”