Page 61 of When You Stayed
“Noted. Now, can you please come out here and get on the back of my bike? I promise to give you what’s yours and then get the fuck out of your life.”
She blinked too fast for me to catch the welling of tears I’d hoped would coat those thick lashes.
“Go, Royce. It’ll help you get the closure you need and talk about the letters you found at the cottage.”
“What letters?”
Taryn’s brows raised as if she were surprised I didn’t know what she was talking about. Then, with an imperceptible nod, I realized she was throwing me a bone and trying to help me with her sister. Royce likely wouldn’t tell me about them, and now she’d have no choice but to.
“I can’t believe you talked me into going home first to drop my bike, Taryn. Let’s get this over with.” Royce finally stormed past Connor and down the hall that I had just walked out of. She threw the door open and briskly jogged down the steps. I gave a small nod to Taryn and then to Connor before following her.
She sat atop my bike with her arms crossed, and I hated that even wearing a tattered sweater and jeans, she was still the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen. Even knowing she hated me, I still swung my leg over and then waited for her legs to cradle my hips. She was resistant, but the second I started the bike and slipped my helmet on, she moved closer until her hands hung loosely at my sides.
Once I began moving, she was pressed against me, with her arms wrapped tight around me. I decided I’d take the long way back to my house, because having her this close to me was the best feeling I’d ever fucking had in my whole life.
“We’re here. Where’s my stuff?”
I set my keys down on the small side table and locked the door. Royce flicked a brow up, and I laughed.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t grow up in a house where everything remained locked, and your dad was always on high alert.”
Royce released her arms from being fastened over her chest andmoved toward the living room, staring at the framed photos on the wall.
“Your house is ugly.”
I slipped out of my boots and withheld the urge to remind her that at least I had my own place.
“Noted.”
“Stop saying that. It drives me crazy,” Royce snapped. Her head shook as she moved into the dining room and removed the baton I had in the center of the table. After jutting her hand down, the weapon slid to its full length.
“You have a lot of weapons hidden around here.”
I didn’t say anything.
“Like more than my dad has hidden around our house,” she continued.
Heading toward my bedroom, I called over my shoulder,“I don’t have to worry about kids running around, so might seem that way.”
She scoffed. “Yet. Just call Jasmine back up, I’m sure she’ll spread her legs and let you fuck her bareback. Probably beg you to finish inside.”
Dammit. My anger stirred, and all the shit I had built to withstand her and all this fucking toxic shit that always brewed between us seemed to dissipate, and there was no protection from how raw I felt. Reaching for the shoebox I had tucked away in the top part of my closet, I pulled it down and turned toward where she leaned in the doorframe of my room.
“I didn’t call her, Royce. She was at the club when I got there.”
“Because you went on a date with her. I can’t believe you flirted with me after taking her out.”
I slammed the small shoebox down on my dresser, which made her eyes snap to it and her nose flare.
“What is that?”
Seething, I said, “Hopefully the fucking end to all of this.”
I wanted her to open it in front of me, but I also didn’t. This felt like handing her a blade to slice through our past, and an opportunity to create new wounds.
She stepped forward and tentatively wrapped her hands aroundthe box. She didn’t open it. I watched as she hugged it to her chest as if it were precious.
“Is this it?”
