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I look around. His room isn’t bad for a converted classroom. The ceiling is high, and there are windows all down the side opposite the door. In one corner, they’ve built out a small box room that could be a large closet, but is probably a small bathroom. Along that same wall is some basic kitchen stuff. A counter with a sink, a microwave and a small fridge.
There’s a shabby, round table with a couple of chairs, but most of the room is the bed.
Riot opens the door into the little room, confirming that it’s a bathroom. He returns with some first aid supplies and a wet cloth. He kneels in front of me while I fix my eyes on the ceiling so he can examine my neck.
I draw a sharp breath when he starts cleaning the blood. "It stings."
"Could be a lot fucking worse. You’re still breathing. He didn’t get you too bad." Riot pulls out a large, rectangular bandage that he applies like a patch. I’d be surprised, but I guess with the life they live they’re prepared for anything.
“He wasn’t supposed to kill me.” And that's when the enormity of it all hits. I almost just died. Victor would have been mad, butTroy seemed willing to take that chance. A sob wells up inside me, and I can't hold it back. And then I’m ugly crying, all the tension draining as I fully realize exactly how badly that could've gone.
Riot pulls me close so I can bury my face into his neck. “Hey… You’re gonna be okay. I promise. Things are gonna work out.”
I look up, my lips quivering as I try to stop my tears. "Are they? God, you guys broke me! I never used to cry. Crying just gets you in more trouble.”
He laughs and hooks a finger under my chin, careful with my bandage. “Honey, even I know that’s fucked up. You aren’t alone anymore. Let it out once in a while. It’s okay. You’re not broken, you’re healing.”
Riot leans in, and then his soft lips are against me, his thick, soft beard brushing my face. Stunned at his words as much as the kiss, it takes me a second before I kiss him back, but it doesn’t take long before he teases my mouth open and our tongues are dueling. Kissing and crying, all at once. God, I’m such a mess.
When he pulls back gently, a horrible realization comes to me. "Oh God, I must taste like puke! I'm so sorry!"
He laughs. "Relax, Maria. I knew what I was getting into. I think I got a spare toothbrush, if you give me a sec. Or do you want a shower? Your shirt is…"
I look down, where blood has dripped all over my clothes. "Yeah, that sounds good. Who’s Maria?"
"Sound of Music?"
I blink in confusion.
“Add it to the viewing list, nanny.” Riot pulls a shirt out of a dresser next to his bed and throws it my way. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."
I follow him into the small bathroom.
He grabs a towel off a hook and gives it a sniff. "It's clean, I swear. I just wasn't expecting company. Are you good? Do you need anything?"
"No, but…"
"What?"
"It's embarrassing. Could you leave the door open? I know I'm safe in your room, but I thought I was safe out there, too."
Riot's expression shifts, his eyes darkening and a playful smile tugging his lips. "You want me to keep you company, baby girl?"
He stalks forward, forcing me backwards until I bump against his bathroom wall. He cages me there, hands on either side of my shoulders. He's so close that I can feel the heat of him, but we aren't touching anywhere else.
Not yet.
My breaths come fast as he lowers his lips, stopping just short of kissing me. "Can you? I don't know if I want to do… anything, but…"
"Not gonna do anything you don't want." He undoes the button on his pants, pushing them down and revealing his boxers.
“Wait!”
“What’s wrong?”
I have to tell him what happened with Ghost, right? What if it means something? I don’t know what I’m doing and they’re obviously friends. I don’t want to cause trouble. “The other morning, when I woke up with Ghost, we… fooled around.”
Riot smirks. “That old dog. Tell me more.”
