Page 60 of Rivals

“You are so hard-headed. I’m not sure you will hear me when I say I will not leave you high and dry. I know that’s what you’re scared of, and I get it. But, Revna, we are in this. We can figure out the rest later, ok?”

My throat is so tight I swear I can’t get words through. I swallow thickly. “Do you mean that?” I ask him as he holds himself directly above me.

“Yes, now will you just stay here and sublet your place so we can save the cash? I’m going to book more tattoos, and maybe you can work more shifts at the diner,” he says.

It could work. I could always dip into the money I made from the painting I sold. It would get us a little closer to having what we need. “I don’t want to sublet right away. I will if I have to, but I think I can put in more. I made some money from a painting. It’s not much, but it would help.”

“You shouldn’t have to do that, Revna. I’m sure you were saving that for something else.” I awkwardly shrug my shoulders despite Lachlan’s firm hold on me.

“Ok, well, let’s see how close we can get without touching that. I don’t want you to spend that money on me. I uh—I saw the painting.” He releases me and my chest burns; he saw the pain. I’m sure of it solely based on the look in his eyes.

I’m trying not to be mad. It was posted online, and the sale was announced because it went through my onetime agent. Part of me is afraid of the judgment that he will inevitably pass on me and the blood on that canvas.

“What you were paid for that was not easily earned, Revna. I don’t want you to use that for me. We will make this work. Keep it.” I swallow again and nod. I’ll use it if I have to. I’d rather use it than sublet my place and be stuck for however long this agreement would be. He overwhelms me, and it makes me want to take off in the other direction. But I find myself dropping back onto the bed, and he relaxes.

“What are we doing, Lachlan?” I ask him, hoping he doesn’t make me spell it out for him.

He sits back on his heels, and I sit up on my elbows while he stays straddling my thighs. “We are making a plan to go to Italy,” he says as if that’s the only question I’m asking.

I run my tongue over my top teeth and nod, accepting his answer. “Ok, well, I’m still going back to my place. I’ll go to Italy. Happy?” He nods and gets off of me.

I grab my bag and the shirt I find hanging over the couch and zip it up. “I’ll walk you,” he says. I look out the window. There’s still plenty of sun. I take a deep breath and look at Lachlan.

“That’s ok, I’ll be fine. It’s still light out.”

He chews on his lip and looks out the window like he’s calculating the time until sundown. “Ok, well, could you please let me know when you get home?” I nod and go to the door. “Oh, and I put my number in your phone.” I frown, wondering how he got in it. “I saw you type in the passcode. It’s uh, it’s under ‘asshole’.” I smile to myself.

“Yeah, I can do that.”

“Alright, be careful. Talk soon?”

“Yeah,” I rasp. And as the door closed behind me, I could feel his eyes looking through me the whole time.

Chapter 38

Revna

Joshuaisnowheretobe found when I get home. I drop my stuff and lie down in my bed, which suddenly feels entirely too small. Lachlan’s queen is massive compared to my twin bed. I hold my thumb over Lachlan’s contact to text him and hesitate. But something tells me if I don’t text him, he will be here within the hour, banging on my door. So, I force myself to type something out.

Revna: home.

Lachlan: good, I’ll see you tomorrow?

Revna: yeah

The bubbles pop up like he’s texting, then they stop, and then they go again. I wait, holding my breath, thinking maybe he will ask me to come back. Maybe he will say something else. Then the bubbles stop, and no text comes.

I lay my phone back on my chest and stare at the ceiling. I have to work tomorrow before class. I’ll talk to Betty about getting more shifts since I’ll be done with school for good in a few weeks. I wonder if Lachlan and I should start brainstorming and workshopping ideas for the next piece. I don’t know if there are any other guidelines other than what we can’t bring. I didn’t want to stay to hear them.

It feels like the closer we get to the end of this, the more things will never go back to how they were. Every step we take is in a new direction, and moving forward is the only choice. I can never go back. I get that feeling again, the itch to take something that will make it all go away, but the thought is interrupted by my buzzing phone. I lift it, expecting Lachlan, but the caller ID says it’s a law firm.Weird.It’s probably a scam, but I answer anyway. “Hello?”

“Is this Revna Burke?”

“Uh, yeah,” I say, unsure. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.

“Great, my name is Cindy Lawrence, and I’m with the law firm Thornton and Morgan. We regret to inform you your mother has passed. It is our understanding that you had no contact with her, but in her will, it is stated that…” The words she says blur out as if I’m in a tunnel and moving further away from her.

I run to the bathroom and flip the seat before I lose all the contents of my stomach. My head pounds, and my stomach twists and flips. I think my heart is about to go next. “Hello?” Cindy says.