Page 56 of Something Reckless
ALBA
E aston is devastated.
His eyes are blurry with tears that refuse to fall as we continue the drive back to Fairy Bush. His massive hands grip the steering wheel so tight, I’m almost afraid he’ll snap the thing in two.
“You sure you don’t want me to drive?” I ask quietly from the passenger seat.
Blinking hard against his tears, he shakes his head. “I don’t…I just…I don’t understand. How could this be? I…I…”
“Pull over, Easton,” I command softly.
He gives his head another shake. “I’m okay.” The first tear streaks down his face. And then another.
“You’re clearly not okay. Pull over,” I insist.
He stares at me for a long moment. Then, on a ragged exhale, he finally does as I requested.
Right there, on the side of the highway, I jump out of the car.
“Alba!” Easton shouts my name, looking alarmed as he does the same. “Alba, what are you—?”
We move toward each other. My body crashes into his in a hug that we both need so desperately. I begin sobbing. I can’t control myself, and Easton’s body shakes with sobs, too.
Raya. Fucking Raya.
This girl’s ability to spread chaos and havoc needs to be studied. How is it possible for a person to be so, so terrible? To wreck so many lives?
“I don’t…We can’t…What are we going to do…?” I hiccup into Easton’s shirt.
“I don’t know, Alba.” He tenderly strokes my hair. Then he gently eases me back so that we can look into each other’s tear-filled eyes. “But this doesn’t change the way I feel about Jagger, or about you. For what it’s fucking worth, the way I feel hasn’t changed.”
I nod slowly, not sure how much weight his declaration holds. All I know is, the happy ending we were dreaming about just moments ago seems all but impossible now.
Easton holds me in his arms, collapsing against the side of the car. His heart beats ferociously and I drown in his familiar scent, taking all the comfort I can get.
We stay like that way too long. I think I may want to stay like this forever. I want to bury my face in his T-shirt forever so I don’t have to face the cruel world that’s closing in on us.
So I just hold him, and I don’t pull away until I feel the first droplets of rain hitting my bare arms.
Easton tenderly cups my cheeks in his hands and whispers one more ‘I love you’. I force myself to smile when I say it back.
By the time we get back to my house, it’s dark and it’s pouring rain. Easton cuts the engine and climbs out, grabbing my suitcase. My heart gives a hopeful thump when I see him sling his own duffel bag up his shoulder.
He’s staying the night .
He’s not leaving me.
At least for now.
I head up the three short steps to my mother’s front porch. Pushing open the door, I almost trip on the red-bottomed stilettos that are kicked off on the front mat.
“Hello…” I call out loudly, frowning down at the unfamiliar shoes.
I glance toward the living room, confused to see a bag of chips, some red licorice and a can of soda strewn across the coffee table. There’s a chunky pink sweater slung haphazardly across the arm of the couch.
“Mimi? Is that you?” Jagger’s voice rings through the house and I notice a little tremor to it.
“Hey Buddy,” I reply and I try to mask the crack in my own voice as his hurried footsteps thunder through the house.
“Dad?” My favorite little boy bursts around the corner, shaggy brown curls bouncing around his dimpled smile.
Dropping the bags and stepping forward, Easton crouches down and Jagger crashes into his arms like a freight train.
“Dad, I’m so glad you’re back.” Easton wraps the little boy in a tight hug and I can see that he’s struggling to hold back a fresh round of tears.
Mom appears in the hallway, flashing me a cautious look as she wipes her hands on a dish towel.
My gaze darts back to the mysterious shoes, and suddenly the pieces are starting to fall into place. Yet still, I’m hoping I’m wrong.
The bathroom door slowly swings open and Raya steps out. Pink tank top, pink leggings and the aura of a movie supervillain .
She eyeballs me from top to bottom. There’s a look of disgust on her face as she folds her arms over her chest and juts out her hip. “Hey there, twin sister. Welcome back. Can’t wait to hear all about your trip!”