Page 57 of Wicked Minds
Like, she’s the Vince Lombardi Trophy, and he’s just won the goddamn Super Bowl.
I knew he believed her. Knew he kissed her, but this… I wasn’t expecting Royce to fall in fucking love with her.
The moment is broken when the waitress returns with our food and drinks, and Riley fills me in on her run-in with Royce that night at The Depot while Royce and I eat our burgers and she dunks her fries in her milkshake.
If I didn’t already know this girl was fucking perfect for me, that one act alone would cement it. Any girl who knows the only way to eat diner fries is by smothering them in milkshake is a keeper.
I wait until our plates are empty and Riley is curled up beside me, clutching the remainder of her milkshake and finally looking relaxed before I broach the topic.
“So… Christmas Day.” I glance between the auburn-haired beauty beside me and one of my best friends. It’s a topic we’ve put off for too long. Royce refused to discuss what occurred, and I sure as fuck wasn’t going to broach the subject with Riley at school.
Now that the three of us are here, now that I’ve gotten Riley to agree not to shut me out, it’s time to really talk. “You obviously know Riley’s telling the truth,” I say to Royce, deciding that putting the focus on him might make this easier on Riley.
Royce’s focus doesn’t waver from the hazel-eyed beauty, the two of them seeming to share a silent conversation. Since when did they start communicating with just their eyes?!
“I do,” he eventually states, still staring at her.
“Okayyy… as much as I wanna believe you took her at her word, I know you better than that, man. You’d have needed…” I stall mid-sentence as the penny drops, and my head whips toward Riley, eyes narrowing in scrutiny. “Proof.” Her eyes lift to mine, wide and anxious. “You said you had proof,” I mutter, my brain going into overdrive.
Her hazel eyes dart to and fro between mine, beseeching, before she drops them to the table, her shoulders shaking with each exhale as she wrings her hands.
Hating seeing her so anxious, I wrap my hands around her fumbling ones and wait until she musters the strength to lift her eyes to mine. I catch a glimpse of the vulnerability there—a fear of what, I don’t know. Doesn’t she understand that I’m all in when it comes to her? I already believe her; what could she possibly have to say that has her this worried?
“Hey,” I try to soothe. “It’s okay. Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.” I mean, if it was enough to sway Royce, then it’s gotta be enough to convince Grayson, right? Maybe a video or an audio recording? Is that why she’s so panicked looking? Does she think I’ll wanna see or hear it? Fuck no! I dunno if Royce has listened to it, but I sure as hell won’t. Her word is enough for me. I’m liable to kill Grayson’s dad with my bare fucking hands if I hear a single goddamn thing on that tape.
She wets her lips, focus intent on my chest as she finally begins to speak, her voice trembling as the words tumble out in a rush. “Do you remember the photo you saw on my phone? Of the baby?”
Okay… not where I thought she was going to go with this.
She’s shaking like a leaf now, and I flash Royce a concerned glance before answering, “Your niece?”
She nods, then just as quickly starts shaking her head. “N-not my niece.” Her hands hold mine in a death grip, as though terrified what she has to say next will send me slipping through her fingers. Eyes brimming with tears, she takes a steadying breath, steeling herself as she meets my gaze before landing the punch to my gut I never saw coming. “My daughter.”
The tortured look in her eyes kills me, and I’m so caught up in them that I almost miss what she said. It takes me a moment to react, the words running through my mind several times before I finally process them.
“The picture was of my daughter,” she gushes, the words falling like a waterfall from her lips. “It was an old one, like I said. She’s older now. But I lied to you. I-I couldn’t tell you…”
She continues, seemingly unable to stop talking now that she’s started, but my focus is stuck on that one word.
Daughter.
She has a daughter. A kid.
I’m so shocked by that admission that I don’t immediately understand the significance.
Until I do.
No…
That can’t be.
That would mean…
My head snaps up and I stare slack-jawed at Royce as the dots slowly connect, the jumbled pieces slotting into place and painting a sickening picture.
Expression grim, he nods, acknowledging that I’m not losing my ever-loving mind. If only I was, because the reality is so much worse.
“She’s—” I rasp, throat closing over. Coughing, I lick my dry lips and try again. “She’s?—”
