Page 67 of Rival Desires

Reaching over, I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Right now, you’re the only thing keeping me from losing it.”

The raw honesty of my words hit me like a truck. I’d been dodging this conversation for way too long, scared she’d shove me away or burst into laughter at the thought of being with a socially awkward mess like me. Not because I thought she was heartless but because I saw myself as weak in that department.

But spending last night with her had changed something within me. It showed me I could be the rock she needed, and I didn’t want to let that slip away. I couldn’t lose her, not after those cops showed up and especially not after she stood up for me today.

I’d promised her last night that I’d have her back, and today, she’d proven she’d do the same for me. Now, it was time to find out if her feelings for me were as strong and genuine as mine were for her. If she was ready to put in the work to make this thing between us real.

No more stalling. No more running. Time to face the music.

THIRTY-SIX

Rylee

Cory and I had been through all sorts of encounters, both of the sexy and non-sexy variety. But the moment he wrapped his arms around me in the middle of the police station to hold me, it felt like we’d reached a new level of closeness. It was reminiscent of last night in my office when he’d comforted me before we’d gotten down to business. This time, the roles were reversed, and I was the one offering the support.

I was dying to ask him what it all meant. What had happened last night? Did this change things between us? But I knew better than to bring it up now. He was just released from jail after having been accused of rape. It was not exactly the ideal moment for a deep and meaningful chat.

When we arrived at his place, he gave me a little nudge to come upstairs with him for a chat. My stomach did a happy flip as our fingers intertwined in the elevator. You know how “we need to talk” convos usually spell disaster? But his hand-holding technique made me feel all warm and fuzzy like there was nothing to worry about.

We stayed silent during the ride, but that was cool with me. I’d already decided what I wanted, and his sudden appearance last night, followed by the arrest drama, only cemented it further. I was ready to roll the dice and see if we could make this thing between us real. We had our bumpy moments, but he’d earned my trust more than once.

As we reached his apartment, he gave my hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go to unlock the door. He was about to usher me in when he suddenly froze, his eyes glued to something inside. I followed his gaze and immediately understood his shock on a gut level, even before my brain had time to process the scene.

A petite, curvy redhead, who seemed oddly familiar, stood inside Cory’s apartment... and she was brandishing a gun at us.

“Becky?” Cory blurted out.

Just as the gears in my brain started turning, connecting Becky to that dreadful rape accusation against Cory, she swung the barrel of her gun to the side and let out a shot. The sound pierced my eardrums, leaving a high-pitched ringing in their wake. It was like my fear had a flavor, a metallic tang that coated my tongue. Cory, ever the shield, took a calculated step and positioned himself between me and the wild-eyed Becky.

“You really need to lower that,” Cory’s voice was a picture of calm, though it sounded a bit fuzzy to my still-ringing ears.

Becky re-aimed the gun at us, her grip steady. “Get your butts in here. Both of you. Now!” she commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Cory tried another approach, gesturing with his arms spread wide, making himself a larger target. “Someone heard that shot,you know. The cops will be on their way any minute now,” he reasoned, his voice steady as a rock.

Becky’s response was a bloodcurdling scream. “Get in here, already!” she shrieked, making Cory flinch. I hadn’t known Becky long enough to say whether she was usually the loud, emotional type, but Cory’s reaction to her outburst made me think this was a far cry from the girl he used to know.

“I’ll fucking shoot her,” she snapped. “Shoot that little whore you’ve been screwing around with.”

I could feel Cory’s reluctance, but he begrudgingly stepped inside, and I followed suit. At least in here, we didn’t have to fret about some poor neighbor getting caught in the crossfire.

“Close it,” Becky barked, nodding at the door.

I obliged and then cautiously tailed Cory into his apartment.

“I can’t even believe this,” Becky muttered, her head shaking in disbelief. “If you’d just given me that kiss, none of this would’ve happened. We’d be an item, and you wouldn’t have seen the inside of a jail cell.”

A nagging question popped into my head about how she’d gotten wind of Cory’s release, but the wild look in her eyes told me this wasn’t the time for a Q&A session. Instead, it seemed like smoothing things over and keeping everyone in one piece was the more pressing issue. Because as ticked off as I was about what she did to Cory and her current antics, it was becoming increasingly clear that something was seriously amiss with her.

“When that cop called, asking if I was absolutely positive about what went down since you had an alibi...” She shook her head, her features twisting into something ugly. “I knew there was onlyone way to make you pay. One surefire way to guarantee that we’d be together for all eternity.”

I tiptoed forward, trying to play human shield for Cory, who was doing the same dance with me. It was like a bizarre game of chicken, and in another world, our little awkward shuffle might’ve been hilarious.

“You need to be with me!” Becky spun around, her eyes blazing like green infernos. “He’s mine! You can’t just waltz in here and steal him!”

“Becky.” Cory attempted to step in, saying her name in a slow, careful voice. It was a classic move straight out of the Protective Idiot Handbook.

“No!” Becky shot him a scathing look. “You said you didn’t want me, but if I can’t have you, nobody can! You’re mine! Even if this is the only way I can keep you.” She waved the gun around like a conductor gone rogue.

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