Page 178 of Second Sets Omnibus

“Yeah-yeah, I am sorry. I’ve regretted a lot of things in my life, Little Star. But there’s one scene that plays in my mind over and over again, riddled with regret. It’s the night I came to your apartment and saw him there with you. I couldn’t hear anything that was said. But I watched him kiss you. And I ran. I ran so far away that I tried to force the memory of you out of my mind.” Callum runs a hand down his face and shakes his head. Grief flashes across his face at the woman that he lost in a moment of fear and misunderstanding. “I’ve never been able to admit to anyone that I regretted running. I didn’t really know what was going on, and it kills me that I never stopped to really think about what was happening right in front of me.” Callum’s breath shutters in his chest. Quickly, he averts his eyes from her as she silently stands on the sidewalk, clenching and unclenching her fists. “But I see the mistake I made now. If I had just stopped and not let my emotions take over and thought logically about what was happening, I wouldn’t have left.”

I can’t tell if the tears falling down River’s face are from anger or sadness. Her body doesn’t move, standing stock still watching as Callum continues to war with himself.

Angrily running her tongue over her top teeth, she shakes her head. “Why? Why the fuck are you guys doing this to me now?” River’s eyes look between the two of us, searching our faces for the truth that she’s heard from us in the past few days. I’m not sure what she sees when she looks at us, but I hope she sees that there’s nothing but honesty behind our eyes.

“Because it’s time that we set everything straight,” I say, stepping forward again and putting my palm on her cheek. Whether she wants to admit it or not, her entire body shudders when our flesh meets. “I think it’s time all of us sat down andtalked. You know we didn’t sign the restraining orders. We had no idea about Lyric. It’s time, River. For our future. Whether we return to what we were before and start fresh. Or whether it’s too late to fix what we broke. We need to have a discussion and figure out what happened and why it happened the way it did.”

Once again, those big green eyes look up at me with continuous amounts of moisture pooling in them and running down her cheeks. I can’t tell what’s going through my Pretty Girl’s head, but I know at some point I’m going to get an ear full. My heart pounds when she gives me a tight smile, stepping back from my embrace.

“Okay,” she says with a resigned sigh. “But not tonight. I know we have a lot to talk about. I’m so fucking angry at you guys. But I deserve an explanation from all four of you. For now, can someone take me home?”

“Yeah, Little Star. I’ll take you home,” Callum says, waving a hand for River to follow him.

“Hey, wait! You’re my ride,” I say, sprinting after them as Callum hands River my helmet.

A smile blossoms across my face when she stares down at the helmet like it’s the bane of her existence. Her nose crinkles, and she shakes her head.

“There’s no way in hell you’re getting me on this deathtrap.” She shakes her head when I advance on her, pulling the helmet from her hands and plopping it over her head, nestling the straps under her chin. Ah, just like old times. “Rad,” she warns with a growl, reaching to take the helmet off again.

My fingers wrap around her wrist, stopping her from removing it. “No, Pretty Girl. Do you remember what I said before?” She shakes her head, frowning at me. “It was when you were about to get on my dirt bike. Do you remember that? You didn’t want to because you thought I was going to drop you. Callum’s got you, babe.”

“I won’t let-let anything happen to you, Little Star.” He eyes her up and down, taking in her trembling fingers and flaring nostrils.

“I swear to God, Callum. If I die on the back of this moving deathtrap, I will come back to haunt you,” River says through clenched teeth, glaring down at his motorcycle.

For the first time in a long time, a genuine smile crosses Callum’s lips. It’s like a breath of fresh air fills his lungs, and he can breathe for the first time in forever.

“Don’t worry, Pretty Girl. He’s got you. You just have to hang on tight,” I say, patting the back seat as Callum climbs on and scoots forward.

River stares down at the empty seat contemplating her options. Moving from foot to foot, she shakes her head and backs away.

I snort at her discomfort. Putting my hands on her hips, I suck in a breath. The feel of her warmth beneath me does funny things to my insides, and butterflies take flight in my stomach. Gently, I help River straddle the bike, biting my lip when her dress rides up her delicious thighs.

“I swear I’m flashing the entire world right now,” she grumbles to herself, pulling her tiny dress down. Gently, she places her hands on Callum’s shoulders with trembling fingers. “I should’ve just called a ride.”

“Now, now, Pretty Girl. You’re going to fall off if you keep your hands on his shoulders. Right here,” I say, pointing to Callum’s waist, noticing his shoulders bunch when I drag her hands around him and secure them at his front, forcing her chest against his back. “There! Now, you won’t fall off. Just stay like that and lean into my boy Callum. And you’ll be as good as new.”

“You-you ready?” Callum asks, peeking behind him as River tightens her hold on him and nervously nods.

“Hold on to your ass, Pretty Girl. He’s about to take off.” And with that, Callum and my Pretty Girl ride off into the moonlight, slowly making their way downtown and out toward the mansions we live in.

Shoving my hands into my pockets, I begin the long trek back to the band house. Sure, I could walk a few blocks and make it to my normal house, grab my keys, and drive my car back there. But I decide a nice, long, relaxing walk could do me some good. Besides, it gives Callum time to get over his fear and talk to River a little bit more. Because I have a feeling that in the next week or so, change is on the horizon.

“Knight!”River’s small voice pulls me out of my reprieve as she runs over to me with her arms spread wide.

A small laugh escapes me when she bounds into me, knocking me over into the grass, flat on my back.

“What’s up, Blue?” I chuckle, righting us, so we’re sitting side-by-side on the hill behind our apartment building.

Something about these stolen moments with my Blue cements my need for her. Nothing on this planet will ever compare to our rendezvous. Not my guitar. Or my favorite chocolate bar. This is it for me; I feel it in my bones.

She giggles, staring at the guitar beside me, and shrugs. “I just missed you today. Where were you?”

Kicked out. My mom didn’t want me anywhere near the apartment today but didn’t have enough sense to get me on the bus for school. Or even dress me properly before she gave me the boot. In only a T-shirt and jeans, the only other things I had time to grab when she yanked me by my shirt collar were my guitar and a pair of socks. My stomach rumbles violently frommissing not only breakfast but lunch. Hours ago, I ventured back to my apartment door and knocked, hoping my mother would at least have enough sense to feed me, but she didn’t. That man answered the door with his shirt off and a scowl, telling me to get lost. I’m sure I’ll hear about my indiscretions later.

“I missed you, too, Blue. Mom has someone important over. She says he might be my new dad soon.” I shrug, hoping it’s not true. He may have gifted me a guitar, but I see how he looks at me with disdain.

“You won’t leave me, will you?” she asks with a quivering lip. Tears pool in her big, green eyes, and I swear my heart breaks from one look.