When Rivals Fall (Bayshore Rivals 1)

Turning on the balls of my feet I walk out of the room. I need some space, to be somewhere where I’m not surrounded by them and their intoxicating scents. Somewhere I can breathe without having a Bishop stuck up my ass. I don’t know what’s happening anymore, all I know is that we aren’t enemies anymore.

“Hey, wait, where are you going?” Sullivan asks, the sound of his feet pounding against the floor behind me tells me he’s following me. Great.

“Can you give me something to wear? Like some sweatpants or something?” I ask, stopping in the middle of the hallway.

Sullivan reaches out for me, his hand is heavy on my shoulder as he turns me around to face him, and I let him because I’m weak. Weak for him, weak for all three of them.

“Yeah, sure, whatever you need.” He responds. Keeping my eyes firmly on his chest I say, “Thanks,” and go to turn around, but the hand on my shoulder tightens and my stomach starts to flutter for some stupid reason.

He leans in to me, and I lift my head, unable to resist the closeness of his body. My nostrils flare as I breathe him in. All I can smell is rain, the smell of a thunderstorm, “Are you okay?” That voice of his is soft, wrapping around me like a cashmere sweater.

Suddenly my throat, lips, it all feels dry. “Yeah.” I say, the tone of my voice softer than I expected it to be, “It’s just all a little much and everything is happening so fast. I mean, one day you hate me and the next you want me to…”

“Whoa, slow it down. I’ve always wanted you,” he admits, for the second time. Peering up into his eyes I see nothing but honesty reflected back at me.

“Well, I didn’t know that,” I say, chewing on my bottom lip.

“Well, you do now. Come on, let’s get you dressed,” Sullivan says, taking my hand and leading me to his bedroom. I take a seat on the edge of the bed and watch him dig in the drawers of his dresser. He hands me a pair of sweatpants and socks which I put on right away.

Once I’m dressed I feel a little better, less exposed and more put together, but not safe. These men have the power to strip me bare with a single look.

“Tonight you’ll be sleeping with Banks,” he reminds me, and I swear I can sense a change in his demeanor. He runs a hand through his hair as if it’s a nervous tick.

“Okay, if that’s what you want.” I murmur, coming to stand fully. Even though I wouldn’t consider myself short the brothers still tower over me like giants.

“You aren’t ready for what I want yet, but you will be, soon, so very soon.” The seductiveness dripping from his words nearly has me ripping my clothes off again. Stupid hormones, stupid feelings. I have to stop thinking with my vagina.

There’s this low chiming sound that resonates through the house. Sullivan’s eyebrows furrow together in confusion. Did someone just ring the doorbell? At ten o’clock at night?

“Who the…” He grumbles, but doesn’t finish his question, he just turns around and heads for what I assume is the front door.

He makes it about two steps into the hall before all hell breaks loose.

Chapter Ten

They say there is always a calm before the storm, but there was nothing calm about what was about to occur. Three distinct voices pierced the air all at once. All three of which I knew, but one that I haven’t heard in months. Not since the day I left home.

No. It can’t be.

Each of the voices are coated with venom as they carry through the house vibrating the walls angrily. Sullivan gets a running start but I’m not far behind him as we both bound down the hall and then the stairs towards Oliver and Banks. Panic creeps up my throat, and the closer that we get to the foyer the clearer the voices become.

Oliver, Banks, and my dad. They’re arguing, words being thrown like punches through the air. “You have fucking balls coming here, after what you and your daughter did to my brother, my family.” My hearts racing out of my chest, the worst thoughts possible taking place in the forefront of mind.

“Where is she?” His voice is like acid raining down on me.

No. No. No.

What the hell is he doing here?

My feet don’t even touch the bottom step and my mother is on me, wrapping her slender arms around me, hugging me with all her might, and it seems as if she cares, as if she’s worried.

“We’re here now, you’re safe,” she says into my hair with a relieved sigh her arms tightening around me, squeezing the life out of me.