by S. Massery
Eli and I drive together. The facility, Meadowview Wellness and Rehabilitation Center, is just down the street from Beacon Hill hospital. It feels like a quick trip, even though I know it’s at least fifteen minutes from our house.
There’s a ball of nerves in my stomach that won’t relax.
We can say our goodbyes in the lobby, and after that…
I exhale.
Noah’s wounds are healing fine, which meant he was discharged under strict orders to stay home. Preferably in bed.
He told me about the facility last night, sharing details he hadn’t before. I curled up beside him on his bed, and it felt more like he was telling a story than anything else. It was surreal.
“It helped a lot,” he said. “If she trusts the process, she’ll be okay. There’s a part where they can apologize and shit, but before then… no family members.”
It brought to mind the phone call I got two months into his stay. He was sober. He’d earned phone privileges, and he called my parents and I individually. Our conversation was pretty healing for both of us. I had tears running down my face by the end of it.
Maybe I’ll get that chance with Mom, because right now...
“You okay?” Eli asks.
I sigh. “I’m just conflicted.”
“About your mom.” It isn’t a question. He reaches over and squeezes my thigh, then leaves his hand there.
I unbuckle my seat belt and scoot into the center seat, re-buckling and leaning into his arm. “I’m glad you’re here,” I whisper.
He takes his eyes off the road for a moment and kisses the top of my head.
“I’m going to apply to the police academy,” he says suddenly. “Masters said something about being on the other side of the courtroom. But I think it could go even further than that.”
My eyes widen. “Really?”
On one hand, the relief that he’s found something that he wants to do loosens a few knots in my chest. But worry over the danger is ice down my spine.
He can do it, a voice in the back of my head whispers.
If anyone can, it’s Eli.
We arrive at Meadowview and head inside. The place is open and bright, pretty much unchanged from the last time we were there. They have a lot of cushioned chairs scattered around, and everything is covered in floral print.
The receptionist stands and greets us. She offers a seat, but Eli and I shake our heads. I’m too nervous to see her, I couldn’t bear to sit still. We’re only there a few minutes when an ambulance pulls up front.
The EMTs hop out and open the back door, helping Mom step down onto the pavement. Dad climbs down right after her.
Dad wraps his arm around Mom’s shoulders, guiding her inside. “Here’s Riley,” he says. His voice is forcefully cheery.
I try not to grimace.
Mom turns toward me and frowns. “Riley.”
“Hi, Mom.”
Tears fill her eyes. “You shouldn’t be here.” She twists around and stares at Dad. “Why did you let her come, Charles?”
“She wanted to see you off,” he says gently. “You’re not going to see us for a while.”
She’s openly crying now.
“Mom.” I reach out.
Fuck my anger. It takes a backseat to this wild, desperate feeling that careens through me. It’s like my life is slipping away, and I can’t hold on.
She takes my hand. “Be brave, honey.”
And then she drops it. She steps away from Dad and drifts toward the nurse waiting for her by a set of double doors.
They close behind her.
Gone.
I frantically wipe my tears away.
“You’ll see her soon,” Dad says. “Please don’t cry.”
He pulls me into a hug, and I sag on his chest.
After a moment, I straighten and point at Eli. “You can’t hit him. I’m still pissed you lost control like that, because I love him. Got it?”
Dad blinks, then laughs. He releases me and extends his hand to Eli. “I’m sorry. I let my emotions get the best of me.”
Eli shakes his hand. There’s still a bruise on his face, but guys tend to move past that stuff quicker. If it was me, I’d still be holding a grudge.
Part of me still is.
But now, as Eli tucks me under his arm, I wonder if all of this was necessary.
A series of moments to lead us to something better.
34
Riley
Two Weeks Later
“You sure you’re feeling up to this?” Eli asks.
I grin and take his outstretched hand. “Absolutely.”
He helps me out of the truck—a very gentlemanly move, if I do say so myself—and curls my hand around his biceps. There’s a trickle of students heading into the hotel, and we join the parade.
Beside the brilliant gold-and-orange butterfly mask Margo gifted me, and the black, slinky dress from Eli, Dad surprised me with gold heels.
“You’re stunning,” Eli whispers in my ear.
My blush is probably visible even with my mask on.
This year’s masquerade ball is Phantom of the Opera themed. The ballroom has been decorated much like the opera house, with loud colored drapes and a stage where a band is already playing.
There’s a good number of Emery-Rose students here already, decked out in their finest formal-wear and masks. The lights are low, and the mood of the room is filled with palpable eagerness.
Or maybe that’s just me.
Eli and I did it.
It’s been two weeks of trial and error, where we both made a massive effort to forgive each other. We both had to relearn how to trust, even if Eli didn’t do anything wrong. He didn’t cheat on me like Jackie said. The only thing I need to overcome is that he made an introduction between a drug dealer and my brother.
But how was he to know?
Those questions went around and around in my mind until I finally accepted it.
None of it was Eli’s fault.
And to his credit, he forgave me a lot easier than I did.
He pulls me onto the dance floor before we can even get settled, guiding me in a spin that flares my dress out around my thighs.
I grin at him. For the first time in a while, I feel lighter than a bird.
Skylar and her date join us. I don’t recognize him, but he gives us a lopsided grin before whisking Skylar off.
“Don’t look over there,” Eli says in my ear.
I crane around, and he laughs.
Jackie is easy to spot. She’s circling the dance floor with a masked boy in tow. She sunk her claws into the captain of the football team earlier this summer, so it’s no surprise he’s following her now.
“It’s probably the blow jobs,” Skylar says breathlessly.
I raise my eyebrow.
“You’re looking at Hale like he’s an alien. I’m just saying, I’m pretty sure he only sticks around because the oral is good.” She shrugs and flips her hair over her shoulder. “I could do better.”
Eli coughs. “Well.”
“Shush,” Skylar and I say at the same time.
I lean into him. His tie matches my mask, and his own mask is black wings. They’re sharper than mine, and infinitely more sinister, but no doubt we’re together. A pair.
I still don’t have a clue where he found something similar to mine.
Unless…
I punch his arm.
“What was that for?” He grins.
“You conspired with Margo, didn’t you?” I ask. “You knew before I did—”
“I certainly hoped,” he counters. “Optimism isn’t a bad thing, Appleton.”
Butterflies flutter in my stomach. “That’s true.”
He ducks down and kisses my cheek. His lips move to my ear. “I’m optimistic we’re going to have a fantastic night. Then I’m going to strip this dress off you and kiss every inch of your—"
My fingers dig into his shoulders.
“You’ll be screaming my na
me before the night is over.”
Every word is going straight to my core.
I’m ready to go upstairs now.
But he steps back and offers his hand, guiding me deeper onto the dance floor.
What must be four or five songs later, Eli disappears to fetch us punch while Skylar and I dance our way to an empty table. I’m breathless and grinning by the time Eli finds us.
“Morrison,” Eli greets Skylar’s date.
Ah, that explains it.
Except narrowing it down from there will be the trick—Liam or Jake? They’re similarly built, the same hair color and eyes.
And the mask hides the rest.
And I can’t ask—how rude would that be? Preposterous. I suppose I’ll interrogate Eli about it later, but until then…
That mystery will dig at me a little longer.
“There’s Parker,” Skylar says suddenly.
Our other friend has arrived.
She’s dropped the gothic attire in exchange for startlingly feminine. A bold royal-blue dress hugs her slender body. It’s backless with a sweetheart neckline, and she’s paired it with a pearl necklace and white satin gloves that go up over her elbows. Her makeup is more delicate than I’ve ever seen it. The white mask only covers half her face, similar to the Phantom’s.
And the best part is that she walks in with more confidence than I’ve never seen from her. She doesn’t have a date, but more than a few heads turn in her direction. I don’t think she’ll have any trouble finding a dance partner.
“Do you want a pearl necklace?” Eli whispers in my ear.
It takes me a second, but I don’t think he’s talking about jewelry.
My mouth drops open, and I elbow him in the stomach.
“Is that a no?”
“It’s, ‘If you’re good,’” I answer.
He grins.
Parker comes over and falls into the chair beside me. “High heels are awful.”
I giggle. “You look like a different person.”
She rolls her eyes. “Isn’t that the point? To become someone else?” She reaches over and lifts my cup, sniffing the contents. “Anything exciting happen so far?”
“Nope,” Skylar says. “We avoided Jackie. I think she’s trying to get people to vote for her.”
Parker grimaces. “Vote for what?”
“Masquerade Princess,” Eli says. “Isn’t it fun? I voted for Riley.”
My mouth drops open. “Stop.”
“That’s a good idea.” Parker stands suddenly, the chair screeching. “I’ll be right back.”
I groan. “Please tell me you didn’t.”
It isn’t anything big—there’s a silly tradition of crowning a prince and princess at the formal dances leading up to prom. But as long as I’m nowhere near the ballot for Prom Queen, I’ll be okay.
A scream from across the room catches our attention.
Eli and I both stand abruptly.
Jackie is faced off against a boy with a blood-red mask. Her seafoam-green one is skewed, and her date stands a few feet away.
What in the world?
Skylar scoffs. “I don’t know why she thought she wouldn’t get caught.”
I glance at her. “What?”
“Jackie’s been pulling the wool over Hale’s eyes for months. She’s been hooking up with the Stone Ridge guy in the red mask since February.”
Hale Deveraux—the captain of the football team—has taken his mask off. He could be a model, especially with his moody scowl…
But under it, I think he might be hurt.
Or annoyed.
Jackie waves her hands at the red-masked boy, I think in an effort to get him to leave her alone.
And he just won’t.
Eli exhales. “Wow.”
“Do you think she’ll start screaming?” Skylar asks.
The music blocks out their conversation from this far away, but I can only imagine the sort of insults they’re trading.
Jackie abruptly turns to Hale, reaching for his hand.
I hate the sudden satisfaction that slithers under my skin.
Like I want to cause her pain.
“It’s karma,” Eli says in my ear. “Plain and simple. She’s the cheater.”
I nod once.
Hale storms away, and Jackie yanks her mask off. She quickly swipes below her eyes, then rushes after him. The third boy is left standing in place.
He seems to register that everyone is staring at him, and he lifts his chin.
His expression says, Fuck off.
I shiver. The rest of the crowd breaks out in murmurs that rise above the music. And then he, too, leaves.
The tension in the room dissipates.
Eli takes my hand. “Let’s dance.”
“I think it’s time to leave.” Someone must’ve spiked the punch, because my vision is glitching. It can’t quite keep up to the movement of my eyes.
Eli hasn’t let go of my hips. After the showdown with Jackie ended, I don’t think we’ve left the dance floor except to refill our cups. We’ve started dancing close enough to warrant stares, and any second now we’re going to be approached by a chaperone.
We’re pressed together from our thighs to our shoulders.
I tip my head back, letting him hold me steady, and giggle.
Yep, there goes the room.
All at once, he bends down and swoops me into his arms. I latch on to his neck, squealing.
He steals a kiss from my lips. I press in closer, deepening it. Our mouths part, and I lose myself in the moment.
“Get a room,” someone calls.
Eli pulls away and glares.
“We should,” I murmur. I trail my finger down his chest. “Right now.”
His eyes heat up. “Yes, ma’am.”
He carries me into the elevator, up to the floor our room is on, and down the hall.
“Inside pocket,” he tells me.
I stick my hand in his suit jacket, finding the card easily. He bends down so I can reach the doorknob, and I shove it open.
He takes two steps into the room, pausing while the door swings shut behind us, then kisses me fiercely.
I tear my mouth away and stare up at him. We both still wear our masks. Now that we’re alone, I hate the barrier between us. I slowly lift his off his face, tossing it over my shoulder. I repeat with mine, and the smirk he gives me goes straight to my core.
I practically crawl up his body in an attempt to get closer to him.
We’ve had sex before. A lot of sex last year.
But this feels different.
Like we’re both one hundred percent in it, more than either of us realized was possible a year ago.
He sets me on the edge of the bed, and his lips find mine again. His tongue strokes inside my mouth. He moves to my throat, peppering my skin with sweet, hot kisses and nips.
I slide his jacket off, tossing it to the floor. His shoes and socks follow. I work the buttons of his shirt and yank those, too, while he slowly drags the zipper of my dress past my hips.
He groans, briefly kissing my collarbone before following the fabric down my body. It slides off me easily, pooling around my heels.
He sinks to his knees.
“Will you let me worship you tonight?” he asks.
Who are you?
I almost say it, but I don’t want to ruin the moment. Mutely, I nod.
In one movement, he grips my knees and pulls them apart. He places a kiss on the inner corner of my knee. His hands slide under my thighs, grabbing my ass and hauling me closer to the edge.
I fist the comforter, staring down at him.
He works his way toward the apex of my thighs. His erection strains through his dress pants, but he ignores it. And when his hot breath hits my core, I whimper.
“When’s the last time someone looked at you like this?” he asks.
He runs one finger over my slit.
“Hmm?”
He pushes inside me, and my a
rms almost stop supporting me. But I can’t look away from his face. His dark eyes clashing with mine, almost daring me to say anyone else’s name except his.
His pace is lazy, but every muscle in me is tense. His mouth is so damn close to my clit, I’m practically shivering with anticipation.
“Riley?”
“You,” I breathe.
“That’s right.”
His mouth descends on me, and I can’t take it anymore. My thighs quiver, only my toes pressed into the carpet. I squirm against him.
He loops his arms around my legs, hooking the backs of my knees, and pushes me farther back onto the bed. He follows, and it’s like he flipped a switch in my body.
I’m hypersensitive.
I wind my fingers through his hair, holding him to me. He growls when I swivel my hips, hoping for more—just, more.
His teeth graze my clit at the same time he thrusts three fingers into me.
I scream. The orgasm builds and shatters me in a matter of seconds.
I fall back flat on the bed. My chest rises and falls quickly, and my body tingles.
Eli climbs up, hovering over me.
I grab his face and kiss him, ignoring the taste on his lips.
“A whole year, gone,” I murmur once we’ve separated. I run my fingers over his lips, exploring his face by touch. “I hate it.”
He cups my cheek. “We have the rest of our lives to make up for it.”
This time?
I definitely believe him.
Epilogue
Riley
Two Months Later
Eli and I are wandering Times Square when my phone rings.
My heart nearly stops.
I stumble, barely keeping my feet, then hurry to answer it. I’ve been waiting months for this phone call.
“Mom?”
The line chirps, and then my mother’s voice comes through crystal clear. “Hi, Riley.”
Eli guides me away from a crowd of people, into a near-silent store. I shoot him a grateful smile, then focus back on Mom.
“How are you?” I ask.
She sighs. “I should be the one asking you that.”