Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36482 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36482 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
She swipes at a tear and sniffles. “Boyfriend. I’m just…wow. This is a shock.”
“For the record, it’s a shock to me, too.” I cast a look toward the townhouse, regret filling my soul. “He didn’t deserve what just happened. I have to fix this. Maybe you can one day forgive me for how I dragged out a loveless relationship so long and I’d like that for us. But right now, my priority is him and his emotional state. Excuse me. I need to check on my boyfriend.”
I stalk away from her, hating that I’ve been doing everything wrong.
That ends now. No more hiding. I’ll have a fucking parade where I eat Riko’s ass for all to see if that makes him happy. I just want him to understand how much I care about him, even when I fuck up.
The urge to go to him is overwhelming and I break into a run. I slip inside, then head up the stairs.
“Riko!” I call out. “Where are you, baby? Can we talk?”
He gives me the silent treatment. I storm past his room and the bathroom, expecting to see him lying in my bed. Nothing. Confused, I backtrack to his room. All his dresser drawers have been left ajar. I walk over to them and when I notice they’re empty, my stomach bottoms out.
This isn’t right.
Where are his clothes? Where’s his backpack?
I race out of his room and bound down the stairs. When I reach the living room, I rush over to the door and fling it open. His Audi that’s usually parked beside my truck is gone.
No.
He wouldn’t leave.
He can’t leave.
“Riko!” I cry out, pain cracking my chest wide open. “Riko!”
I stride back into the house to snatch my phone up off the table. His phone sends me straight to voicemail when I attempt to call. This frustrates me, so I call back over and over and over again. He never answers.
Fuck.
I shoot him text after text, but he doesn’t respond.
Did my boyfriend just move out?
This can’t be happening.
Riko
Why does this hurt so bad?
Because I thought he was different. I thought we were more than a dirty little secret. And the look on Casey’s face was the icing on the cake. I’ll never be able to go back to physical therapy again. The whole time I was gushing about my man and she was bitter about her ex, it was one and the same.
I’ve been at Rhett’s house for hours, lying in his bed and staring at his ceiling. Since Derek was blasting my phone, I left my phone charging by my backpack on the floor. Eventually I’ll need to check to see what he has to say.
Will I forgive him?
Right now, my heart aches too fucking badly to think about making him feel better. He wasn’t making me feel any better when I talked with him and Casey. In that moment, he chose her feelings over mine and it sucked.
“Your dad texted me,” Rhett says as he saunters into the room. He tosses his phone at me. “He’s worried.”
Frowning, I take the phone and shoot Rhett a confused look. “Why?”
“Read for yourself.”
Riko’s Dad: Is Riko with you?
Riko’s Dad: Please let me know. This is important.
Riko’s Dad: His mother and I are worried. I know he talks to you. Is he with you?
Rhett: He’s at my house. Why?
Riko’s Dad: Thank God. We just met his boyfriend. The man was panicking and begged us to find him.
I jerk upright and shake my head. “Wait. Derek went to my parents’ house? What the fuck?”
“Your boyfriend’s a stalker.” Rhett shrugs his shoulders.
With my stomach twisting in knots, I read the rest of their text exchange.
Rhett: They broke up.
Riko’s Dad: Wonderful. I wish I would have known that.
Rhett: Sorry, man. He’s going to be okay. I’ve got his back.
Riko’s Dad: Thank you. Tell him we miss him.
I gape as I try to scroll to see more, but there’s nothing. There’s too much to comprehend with their conversation. Derek somehow found my parents’ house and demanded they find me? I’m stunned that he was able to pull this off.
With a groan, I slide out of the bed and then kneel beside my bag to check my phone. There are a million missed calls and texts from Derek. I ache to read them all, but I go for the ones Dad sent first.
Dad: Where are you?
Dad: Derek is here. He’s distraught. Sounds like you two had an epic fight.
No fight. I just left him. It was impulsive and probably childish to do so, but I never claimed to be anything but.
Dad: This man thinks highly of you. Why didn’t you tell me you were working on a business? I could have helped.
“I did not expect him to go over there,” I grumble, anxiety clawing at me.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Rhett says. “I’m Team Riko, but I do think you should talk to him. If I recently learned I liked men and then discovered the man I’m in love with is friends with my ex, I’d probably freeze up too. Maybe hear him out.”