Page 150 of Ride or Die

“Sure. Fine,” Kristi said. “Look, I’ve got to go.”

“Uh, no? This is weird. You’re being weird.”

Kristi’s face lit with a smile, almost real and genuine, and for a second Riley relaxed.

“I’m always weird, and you love me anyway.”

“Of course, but—”

Kristi surged forward, hands going around Riley’s waist and pulling her forward as she dropped her lips onto Riley’s.

She froze for a moment. This is her love language. She should have known. This was how she could get through to her.

Kristi’s cheeks were cold under her fingertips.

I’m here. Stay.

Riley kissed her hard, teeth grazing her lower lip. Kristi made a soft sound of surprise, and then her hands went around Riley’s back, pressing their bodies flush.

Kristi tasted like rain and salt and kissed her like it was going to be the last time.

Riley pulled away, panting slightly, and just stared up at Kristi, searching her eyes.

She felt this too… right?

“See? Everything is going to be fine,” Kristi whispered, touching their lips together a second time.

“Why does this feel like goodbye?” Riley asked, stepping back and dropping her hands.

“It’s not,” Kristi said with a faint smile. “I promise.”

Moisture beaded on her eyelashes, highlighted by the headlights behind them.

“I’ve got to go. I’ll text you later.” Kristi started jogging when she hit the gravel path and disappeared into the fog.

Riley couldn’t decide if she was more scared or angry as she stormed back to the truck.

There’d better be a fucking book of explanations on the USB key. Or she was going to drag Kristi out of her office by her pretty ponytail and do… something.

Saint opened the passenger door for her. “You good?”

“No, I’m pissed.” Riley crawled into the back seat.

“You wanna talk about it—”

“Shut up, Dante,” Riley snapped and pulled out the USB key to stare at it. Dante grinned at her, and it was all teeth. Riley ignored Saint’s gaze in the rearview mirror.

That had not gone how she’d planned.

“Women. Am I right?” Dante drawled, and Riley kicked his chair.

And he laughed. Like an asshole.



“This is pretty impressive.”

Aaron leaned over Riley’s shoulder, staring at her laptop screen as they scrolled through the spreadsheet that she’d originally created. The pretty one. With colour coding and conditional formatting.