Page 58 of Breaking the Alpha
There was no other ‘he’ in Angelina’s life.
She didn’t want any other ‘he.’There was only one ‘he’ she wanted, and ‘he’ was no longer hers.
Knowing Zoe wouldn’t let it drop, she fiddled with her earring display.“I finally fessed up to his brother.Without a piercer using up jewelry he’s only been by twice, so it was easy to just let it slide.”Taking a deep breath, she gave Zoe a tight smile.“It was so awkward.The poor guy was giving me a big hug and telling me to stop being a stranger and inviting me to dinner and I had to tell him.”
“Ouch,” Zoe winced.“River didn’t tell his own brother?I thought they were close.”
“They are.Birch looked so crushed, it felt like a shrapnel breakup.”Passing Zoe a pair of earrings to complement the necklace, she shrugged.“I’m focusing on the fact that it was another step toward closure, and closure is good.For both of us.”
Zoe put the earrings in and admired her reflection.“Bullshit.”
Her mind slammed River’s voice into the forefront of her thoughts and she inhaled sharply.“It is not.”
“It is.”Zoe swiped her phone to life and tapped the screen a few times before she turned it to her.“Looks good, doesn’t he?”
She tried to look away from the photo Zoe pulled up.It was a selfie River had posted earlier in the week.He was smiling, tanned and shirtless, with the Los Angeles sunrise behind him bringing out the golds and coppers in his hair.The definition of his muscles was as pure and perfect as always.Most of his injuries had faded into scars so light she couldn’t see them on the small screen.
His bloodstone necklace remained around his neck, but his wrists were empty.
She didn’t want to think about it.
But try as she might, she couldn’t turn away from his eyes, from the emptiness in them.Not until Zoe did it for her and began reading the comments.
“You’re so gorgeous.You’re hot.I love you, River.Oh, there’s quite a few of those in here.Two marriage proposals, too,” Zoe said cheerfully, and Angelina knew she was goading her.“Ooooh, some of his ex-wife’s supporters are still coming on strong, but the dozen comments about his lips help make up for it.And the fifty on his abs.Tons about his biceps and forearms, and I can’t say I disagree with those.Oh, wow, I’m not old enough to read some of these.”
“Your point?”she asked, crossing her arms.“Would you like me to open an account and fawn over him, too?”
Her friend swiped through more and more comments.“What was the first thing you saw in that picture?And don’t say his abs, because I know when you lie.”
“I don’t lie,” she said, as all her practiced zen evaporated.“I noticed his eyes.”
Zoe hummed.“His—what did this woman say—his ‘smoking hot, fuck-me bedroom eyes’?”
“She’s not even close.That’s the look he gets when—” She trailed off with a frown.
“When what?When he’s horny?When he’s hungry?When he comes?You’ve had the same look since he left, so it better not be the last one.”
“When he’s lost,” she sighed, sitting on her stool and looking to the ceiling to rein in the string of tears pricking her eyelids.“You made your point.He’s as miserable as I am.”Blinking until she felt somewhat under control again, she glared at her friend.“Don’t you have a date?”
Zoe smiled and slipped her phone into her purse.“I do.Don’t you have a call to make?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
River’s fingers tappedout a heavy bass beat on his steering wheel as he tore along the highway, the setting sun bringing with it an autumn chill and a sprinkling of cool rain.Turning on the heat, he eased onto the single lane highway toward home and sped up a fraction.
His phone sat in the cup holder, completely silent thanks to the little power button he used to tune out anything or anyone who might distract him because he needed to keep his focus, needed to keep his goals front and center.He would never build the life and career he wanted if he lost sight of the road.
Throwing his SUV into park, he turned it off and got out, cursing his healing knee as he jogged up the steps to the front door.He knocked, keeping one hand on the hideous purple giraffe standing guard.
His heart pounded in his chest when the door opened and he saw Angelina for the first time in sixty-four days.
She was as stunning tonight as she always was.Her wild cinnamon hair was piled high on her head with stray curls falling over her bare shoulders.Her lips were parted, her amber eyes on his as she took a deep breath.The movement drew his attention to the body that had been torturing his dreams every night since he walked out her door.
“River?What are you doing here?”
His gaze snapped back up, her voice calling to something deep inside him.“I came home.”
She didn’t speak, didn’t move, didn’t invite him in.
