ChapterTwelve
River
It’s dark by the time I get back to my building, and there’s no answer at Mara’s door. I tried to call her, but it kept going to voicemail, so either she has me blocked or her phone is off. I had to blow off some steam, and apparently that included getting into a fight with Andy and Jack. At the same time. Somehow in the tussle I managed to hit my own lip, so it’s busted and bleeding.
Walking into my apartment, I toss the keys on the table and sigh. All I wanted to do was get the fucking groceries and then fall back into bed with Mara until the end of time.
“Was that so much to ask?!” I shout into the void.
“Depends on the question.”
I turn around so fast I almost fall over, and that’s when I see my brother Felipe sitting on the couch in my living room.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
He slowly stands and tucks his hands in his pockets. “Get changed. We’re going out.”
“I don’t feel like it.” That’s when I look down at my shirt and see there’s blood all over it. Deciding I don’t feel like having it on me anymore, I take my shirt off and stomp to my room. “You can go now.”
“You’ll want to come with me when I leave.” He’s right behind me, and when I don’t answer him, he leans against the doorframe of my bedroom and watches me with that all-knowing big brother stare.
“If this is about Dad, you were right, okay?”
“River,” he says as I grab a shirt and still don’t look at him. “I didn’t want to be right, even if you don’t believe that. I didn’t want you to go through the pain to see it for yourself.”
“It’s done.” There’s a finality in my voice, but I felt it in my soul after today.
“This isn’t about Dad, it’s about Mara.”
Hearing her name has my body on alert. “What’s wrong? Is she okay?”
My pain-in-the-ass brother smirks at me. “Get dressed.”
He pushes away from the door, and as much as I want to tackle him to the ground and get in another fight, we’re evenly matched, and I don’t feel like getting my ass kicked. Jerking on a shirt and changing into jeans, I go to the bathroom and try to clean up my face. There’s not much I can do, so I wash off as much of the blood as possible and then grab my boots.
“Where are we going?” I ask him as I pull them on.
“We’re going to meet Beckett at a club.”
I stop what I’m doing and look up at him, ready to roll my eyes. “I’m not going to a fucking club, Felipe. Not even one you used to own.”
“Even if Mara is there?” He gives me a knowing look and just walks out my front door like an asshole, knowing that I’ll follow him.
I need to remember to pee in his pool the next time I’m at his house. “What makes you think I want to see her?” I call out to him as I grab my keys and hurry to catch up.
“I talked to our sister.” He gets into the backseat of the car that’s waiting at the curb, and I make an annoyed sound as I get in with him.
“She won’t answer my calls.” As soon as the door is closed, the car begins to move.
“Probably because she can’t hear you calling.”
“Mara doesn’t go to clubs.” I realize that I’m arguing with him, but I don’t care.
“Look, River, I know this isn’t easy. I know what it’s like to love someone so much that it drives you insane.” He glances out the window, and I have no doubt he’s thinking of his wife, Amelia. “And I know that sometimes you have to be a little sneaky to get what you want.”
“How do you mean, be sneaky? I don’t want to lie to her.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then get to the point.” I’m so close to coming unhinged I can hardly think straight. Why is Mara at a fucking club? Whatever her reason, her ass is coming home with me.
“You know she’s at the club, but she doesn’t know you’re coming.” He knocks his knee against mine. “Use that to your advantage.”
“Why, because all I want to do is barge in there and hulk-smash the place. No offense.” I offer the last part because while I don’t want the family business, that’s how I feel.
“You’ll come to the office with me, and we’ll meet Beckett there. You can watch her on the cameras.”
Although I’m so angry my vision is blurring, I’m trying to listen to what Felipe is saying. I need to calm down and figure out how to fix this. Obviously Mara needed to blow off some steam or whatever, but she’s going to hear me out. And if that doesn’t work, then I’ll hulk-smash.