The Revenge Pact (Kings of Football, #1)(82)

“I’ll drive my truck. You come with us,” I say. I whip off my varsity jacket and help her into it, pulling the collar around her neck. My lips graze hers. I don’t give a fuck what happened with her and Donovan in the basement. She’s my rainbow.

She nods, her hold tightening around the shivering mutt. “Oscar’s coming too.”

“Of course.”





23





Worry gnaws at my gut as we get in River’s truck. I take the front and Benji gets in the back. He’s got Oscar in his lap and a lizard on his shoulder. It should be funny, but my head isn’t processing humor.

River has my hand tight in his, his left one on the steering wheel as he drives to Walmart. We circle the parking lot three times, driving to the back where the loading docks and semi-trucks are parked. We get out and peek behind a couple of dumpsters. Nothing.

We get back in the truck and sleet beats against the windshield, harder and faster than it was before, and I shiver. He throws a look at me and cranks up the heat then reaches for my hand again, lacing our fingers together.

“She’s not here,” I say dismally.

Benji leans in between us. “So, this lady? Tell me about her.”

“She’s in her sixties, horndog,” I say.

He grins. “Just trying to lighten the mood. I may have had a few too many.”

I exhale. “I appreciate it. I’m just rattled.” Another long breath comes from me. “She wears an Atlanta Falcons beanie. She’s petite and small…” I stop, dread building in my stomach. What if she’s disoriented? What if she’s in someone’s back yard, slowly freezing to death? What if— River brings our clasped hands to his lips. “We’ll find her.”

He makes one more circle around the parking lot, driving slow past the front of the store. We scan over the people coming and going then I hop out and dash inside to talk to the employee greeter. I ask if she’s seen her and she says yes, she’s seen her before, but not tonight.

“Try Big Star,” I murmur as I get back in the truck.

We leave and drive the two miles to the grocery store, my eyes scouring the sidewalks and businesses along the way, wishing it weren’t so late.

Big Star is closed with no cars in the parking lot. River drives up and down the front of the building, then goes to the back. He stops and parks and I’m out of the car, checking behind a dumpster and under the loading docks. He helps me, running from one place to the other. He slips once on the ice and I wince, but he rights himself and sends me a smile. “Can’t catch a ball this year, but I’ve got great balance.”

We’re on our way back to the truck when he throws an arm around me and pulls me underneath one of the overhangs from the store. “Don’t worry, I know this town inside out.”

“I can’t go on the ski trip until she’s safe.”

He nods. “We’ll look all day tomorrow if we don’t find her. I’ll skip the trip and fly home from here. I won’t rest until she’s safe, Anastasia.”

A wave of emotion slams into me as I look at him.

He doesn’t have to know June; he just cares.

Tears prick at my eyes.

“What?” he asks softly.

I swallow thickly. “Aren’t you going to ask me why I came to the Kappa house?”

A hesitant look crosses his face. “I was waiting until we found June.”

I crane my neck to take him in, the chiseled jawline, those sapphire eyes dipped in smoke. “He called me to apologize. He wanted it public, and those guys are important to me. I wanted them to hear. That house has felt like home to me for a year. It does me no good to dwell on how he broke up with me.” I pause. “He offered to go to Brooklyn Law. He said he’d go against his parents and work on us…”

“How do you feel about that?” He studies me intently.

The answer is automatic. “Bad for him. I never considered it, River, not even a little. He isn’t mine.” I hold his eyes, wanting to be sure he understands where I stand on this. “He and I, we never would have lasted, with or without your interference. You gave him good advice. You feel guilty because you had a motive.”

A few seconds pass.

“Did you touch him?” he growls.

“No. We said goodbye, and I gave him his pin.”

He breathes out slowly. “I see.”

Do you?

I don’t think River really gets how I feel.

Even now, I’m terrified of the strong emotions I’m experiencing.

From the moment I met him, something shifted in my heart—and never left.

“He isn’t the person I’m meant to be with.”

He looks away from me for a moment then comes back to me. “Okay.”

“It’s you, River, it’s you,” I say softly.

“Okay.”

“If you say okay one more time—”

He kisses me, ravaging my mouth, rough and hard. His lips are rough, his tongue stroking, sucking, and taking. His mouth slants over mine, slick and hot, and I groan, my hands snaking around his neck. His go under my skirt and pulls me up as my legs go around his waist. His lips, his scent, his strong arms, his every touch…it’s home, home, home.