Page 14 of Savage Truth

“Once will never be enough,” I growled, leaning closer.

Her pupils dilated. “It was enough for me.”

I laughed. “I call bullshit.” With a wink, I released her then eased back before I gave in, pulled her into my arms, and kissed her.

Jolts of heat raced through me at the first touch of our lips, and I devoured her. Tangling my fingers in her wet hair, I angled her head while her tongue danced with mine. I swallowed her breathy moan. Desire burned between us, and I knew that if I didn’t break the kiss, things would go too far in that locker room.

I tore my mouth from hers and stepped back to put some necessary space between us while we worked to regulate our breathing. She met my gaze, her brown eyes burning. The girl could bring me to my knees with one touch. She made me crazy. I backed away then turned for the door to the hallway, leaving her standing there.

The door clicked shut behind me. The halls were empty, and I ran my hands through my hair, my need for her barely checked.

I knew I didn’t have a right to control her, but because of the bullshit going on with my dad, I would do it in spite of wanting a different outcome. That was what angered me the most. Riley had pulled me in just as Raelyn had with Dad.

I texted my brother to bring my car and have Shane come, too, so they could drive home with Phoenix. I went to find him to relay the same message, and then I would wait.

Riley made me crazy. I shoved away from her.I’m not my father.

I couldn’t put it off any longer. I headed for the exit door at the end of the hall. It was time to talk with the PI and get things moving, ending Riley's hold on me.

CHAPTER SEVEN

RILEY

Cole is insane. Fucking psychotic to think he owns me even a little or that he can tell me who to talk to or who not to.Nothing was satisfying about dealing with that particular brand of jealousy. A spark of warmth followed the thought, but I squashed it, repeating that the alpha possessive side of him was not at all sexy.

I leaned back against the locker room door, not ready to go out and face the others after Cole’s assholery.What possessed me to sleep with him?He was a control freak, and I shuddered to think that I had fallen into bed with him, given that caveman stunt back there.

Goose bumps rose and multiplied, and I crossed my arms over my stomach.Wonder what he would do if I told Mom about last night?If I let her know he was behaving like the complete neanderthal that he was, she would go to Lucas, and Cole would get a taste of his own bullshit for once. Or I hold it over his head, which would give me a strong advantage. Both of those ideas felt wrong in a way.Stupid emotions.

The bite of my nails against my palms startled me. I hadn’t realized I’d made fists. Cole drove me crazy. But the worst part of it all, from the moment he’d kissed me last year to the present, was that I’d felt something real. It wasn’t normal for me. I kept my emotions locked up, never truly getting involved with anyone. With one kiss, he’d broken through the wall I’d erected for as long as I could remember,and look at me now.

The door bumped me forward, and I moved away as Jasmine peeked around the corner. I gave her a half smile and headed for my locker. “Practice over?”

“Yeah.” She went to hers and opened it, pulling out her clothes. “Are you okay? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Cole react like that before. Not to a girl, anyway.”

“I am, thanks. I don’t know what his problem is.” I shrugged and got my clothes out. The rest of the girls filed in. “Guess he doesn’t like Jarrett?”

Megan snorted as she dropped her towel and grabbed her shampoo. “I think the real question is about you and Cole and what’s going on there. Because that looked like jealousy to me.”

I scowled, not wanting to give anything away. It would have been nice to have more friends, but I didn’t know them. I made a mental note to ask Cassie about them to see if they were backstabbing bitches who were friends with Piper and her crew.

I let the subject drop by pulling my toiletries from the locker and heading to the shower. After washing my hair and getting dressed, I hurried from the locker room, but not before Jasmine called out to me to remember we had practice the next day, early in the morning before school.

I waved in acknowledgment. That was going to be an adjustment. I was more of a night owl than a morning person, but the team seemed pretty cool. I didn’t show them what I could do. I’d watched them first and mimicked their dives. Still, the coach had paid extra attention to me, and the others had obviously noted it but didn’t seem put off. I hoped I could get to know them a little before I did my thing for real.

The walk down the hallway to the exit was silent, and I found myself alone with my thoughts.What was Cole thinking?Jarrett was only telling me about the cliffs at the cove and asking if I wanted to go there to dive sometime. I’d said yes because I knew how impressive the cliffs were, and diving there was better than the school’s pool. We could do so much more there. Not only that, but it would be fun to dive with others who knew what they were doing. It had always been a solo thing for me, and I didn’t completely shun the new experience.

It was still hard to open up, but I was trying. Mom had asked me to give it a shot when she’d told me we would be here all year and that it was the last time we would move. I knew better, though. All it would take was for Dad or someone in his employ to learn where we were. It weirded me out that she seemed so sure this place would be different.

I hit the bar on the door to go to the parking lot, and it opened with a squeak. My mind was spinning, and I knew I couldn’t go home like that. I needed to go to the cove and dive some more. It was the only way to escape my thoughts and that intense urge to do something—what, I wasn’t sure. But being unable to talk with Mom, dealing with real emotions about Cole, and the new things at school were a cyclone in my mind.

I lifted my head before stepping off the curb when a black SUV stopped in front of me with the passenger-side window rolling down. Cole was driving. No one else was in the vehicle.

“Get in.”

“Hell no.” I turned to walk around the back to get to my car.

“Riley,” he growled, “we need to talk.” He put the car into park and opened his door.

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