Page 41 of UnWholly Angels (Crestview Cardinals #1)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Maya

T he butter sizzled in the pan, and the aroma of fresh herbs filled the air each time the spoon moved a fresh batch of mixture onto the steak.

I hadn’t had a chance to make a decent meal since I’d gotten here.

Riley was normally the first and last out of the kitchen, and if anyone was crazy enough to complain about his cooking, he sure kept quiet about his dissatisfaction.

That was where he and I agreed, if I take the time out of my day to cook and you don’t like it, then go home and order takeout instead.

My hips swayed to the music, and the spatula tapped against the stainless steel. With all the distractions, it was impossible to know Riley was home until a pair of arms snaked around my waist. He nuzzled my neck softly before planting a kiss, and I smiled.

“Should I even ask how your day was?” By the way his grip tightened on my waist, I took that as a no and peeled his arms off to finish cooking.

“Well, mine was great. Mari and I really bonded over cheese; we are equal lovers.” Met with silence, I peered over my shoulders to see his eyes raised, confusion etched on his face.

“Who the fuck is Mari?” he asked. The genuine concern in his tone made me belt a laugh. I almost couldn’t breathe, but my smile faded when his lips refused to twitch.

“Your cat, Riley. I refuse to call that poor cat Marinara every time I address her,” I replied softly, placing the piping hot food on the cutting board so it could rest.

“Oh.”

Riley needed a break, and soon. Once he left for Seattle, it was a week of travel and one game after the next.

He would have no room to breathe. If he wouldn’t take a break for the next couple of days and actually enjoy our day tomorrow, I’d make him rest. If we were similar in any way, watching him implode would be something I couldn’t bear.

Wrestling my phone out of the pocket, I turned the music down, and we were now able to hear the soft patter of the rain as it hit the window.

“Riley,” I said, crossing the kitchen to where he sat. Placing my hands over his face, I smiled, running my hands along his cheek. “Talk to me.”

Flinching back, his eye met mine, the troubled orbs showing the worry that seemingly consumed him, and I waited for him to speak, but he only ripped his gaze from mine to eye the storm, then to the marble counter.

The silence wasn’t as comfortable as we normally had, this silence was anxiety inducing.

I couldn’t stop my legs from trembling as I stood, grabbing a knife from the drawer and heading over to the island to slice into the steak with a sigh.

Once the plates were arranged, the only sound that filled the air was the constant clinking of the forks against plates.

“I was a monster today, you know?” he finally said.

Riley set his fork down neatly and wiped at his face with the napkin, and the movement made me chuckle, for what reason I wasn’t sure, but fear—maybe it was out of fear.

With Riley, his train of thought changed so often that it damn near gave me whiplash half of the time.

“I don’t know how to say what I need to say without souring the mood. ”

He wants me to leave.

He doesn’t want me anymore.

Not after the other night.

I could feel the tears from my eyes, threatening to spill over, at the very same time he happened to be mulling over the words he tried to say.

“Why are you crying? I haven’t even said anything yet.”

My lip trembled, and my back met the chair softly.

“I know what you’re going to say,” I said, rising from the chair to place the food on the counter.

My appetite was gone, but there was no way in hell I was wasting this steak.

“You want me gone, it-it was too much. The other night.” My hand flew to my face to help the sob find its way down my throat where it belonged.

When my eye locked on his, they were wide open, his face strewn with concern.

Before I knew it, he was taking long strides toward me, and I grabbed at the steak knife involuntarily.

He stood tall in front of me now, and I tilted my chin to look at him.

“Damn, Freckles, we aren’t even married yet, and you already want to stab me?

” His voice was laced with hurt, and guilt flooded my chest.

Ripping my gaze away, I stared at the knife and closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see the disappointment etched across his face. With a deep breath, I mumbled, “I’m sorry.”

So much for being strong.

I thought I was okay and safe, but I didn’t think safety was something I would ever know.

He embraced me, wrapping his arms around my thighs to hoist me up on the counter.

I found it impossible to let go of the comfort, although I was extremely confused right now.

Riley let me stay there, with my arms wrapped around his neck and pulled his head toward mine.

He gently brushed his lips over mine and whispered.

“Fuck no, Maya. What is it going to take for you to believe me? I just…do you know what I need to become to finish this? To end Rocco for good. Think about that good and hard, because there may be no coming back from it. Not after what I did today.”

At the moment, I had no choice but to trust what he was going to do.

A silent agreement was made between us just then, and I nodded.

From here on out, there had to be a separation.

Not secrecy, but the notion that in order to end this, blood would be spilled, and that some questions were better left unanswered.

Riley and I needed complete trust in each other, and we would both need to accept and love each other despite the blood that would spill onto our hands. But we were royalty, and Rocco would bow before the King and Queen. Willingly or not, that was on him.

A darkened smirk spread across my face, knowing my request would be something he had been waiting years for.

King had come out to play, and now I needed him to show face for me, anytime I want.

“I have to make a phone call, then I am going to finish my puzzle. You, sir, are going to relax tonight. No fighting me on this either,” I demanded.

The song switched over, and a nostalgic tingle formed in my abdomen. Riley’s finger rested on my lower back. The warmth radiated from his hands, and I felt warm, noticing his other hand moved to my phone, turning up the music to a song we used to dance to as kids.

Surprisingly, he stepped back, allowing me to hop from the counter with ease and held his hand out. “You know, I never did get that dance you promised me on prom night?” he said softly.

I swallowed down my nervousness for the man in front of me. That was the beautiful thing about what we had and are trying to build again. He never needed to say he loved me. While it was nice to hear, I just knew it in his everyday routine, acts of service.

Make breakfast.

Give me a kiss.

Throw a few jokes.

Grab an energy drink and leave.

That was the most mundane routine someone could have, and I fucking loved it.

Riley would never admit it worked, but it did.

My eyes moved to his outstretched hand. My eyes became wet, my legs propelling forward to meet him.

He placed a hand at my waist, and the other gripped my hand tightly, lightly swaying us around before ordering the system to ‘dim the lights.’

Love swelled within me as I returned the gesture, settling one hand over his heart and the other around his neck, forcing his head down slightly.

For a moment, we sat there rocking side to side, and I almost regretted giving him the night away.

This was a completely different feeling from a mere half an hour ago.

This was closeness in rare form from Riley, something never taken lightly. So intimate, so rhythmic, so… unraveling. Not many people could deal with what we had to overcome, or complete such a close connection with clothes on.

After a moment, Riley straightened up and snaked his hand into my hair, his thumb rubbing slow, comforting circles into my head. His heart thrummed against his chest with each breath taken. “Are you sure this isn’t too much, Riley? That I am not too much.”

He tightened the already iron grip he had on me, pulling me further into his chest and placed a kiss on the top of my head. “You are all kinds of crazy, Maya, but too much…never.”

A small tear slid from my eye as memories flooded my brain, the song ending way too soon for me; I wanted another and another until our legs hurt and our bodies dizzy from spinning in circles.

Those were for the fairy tales, though. The fight was far from over, and that was why I would hold onto these smaller moments for as long as I could.

“Thank you for showing up for me,” I mumbled.

The song ended, and we stepped away from each other.

Riley had a wide grin plastered across his face, and I returned it with grace.

Right now, we were in our own little bubble; we deserved to be there.

“I really love that these moments are so impossibly perfect, Riley, and these memories, all ours.”

“I'll always choose you, Maya, and that will never change. Now eat, then leave me to play with the guys,” he chuckled.

“Yeah, you have fun, and I’ll be around if you need me.” Riley nodded as he walked the plates to the sink and dropped them in.

I had a favor to ask Chloe tonight. Once answered though, I’d have to decide if the punishment was worth the risk.

Once Riley was a safe distance away, I grabbed my phone, taking the stairs two at a time as the phone continued to ring, dinner long forgotten. Please don’t go to voicemail. I silently begged and rolled my eyes, deciding to text because she never answered the phone.

Maya

Can you meet me at our place in an hour?

Chloe

Of course, I just need to put the kids to bed.

Everything Okay?

Maya

Just meet me in an hour.