Kings of Chaos (Dirty Broken Savages #1)(96)

She says something I can’t catch from where I’m parked, then jabs her finger toward the alley. I remember the dog coming out of there when I picked her up, and I smirk.

I knew that wasn’t her fucking dog. Just some stray she took in to try to fuck with us. I never cared, but I know he pissed Gage and the others off pretty bad. Point for River, I guess.

The dog just looks at her like she’s crazy, tilting his head in confusion while she keeps pointing. I catch the end of her last word this time, a frustrated “Go!” that the dog ignores.

River rolls her eyes and lets herself into the building.

As soon as the door opens, the dog tries to trot through it, but River pushes him back with one foot. He sits down on the stoop and gives her those pathetic eyes, and even from my car, I can tell they’re working.

She presses her lips together and then slumps in a sigh.

She says something else to him, and he wags his tail even harder. Then she swings the door open wide enough for him to come through, and they disappear for a bit as the door swings shut behind them.

I don’t look away from the building. I wait, watching the windows that face the street. Some of them are already lit up with people home, but I remember which apartment is River’s.

My eyes go to that window, and in a couple of minutes, it lights up, a pale glow spilling out around the edges of the blinds. For a bit, there’s nothing. Every now and then, I catch sight of her shadow moving in front of the window, putting things away, probably. Maybe feeding the dog.

I track each movement like I’m fucking desperate for them, trying to will her to lift the blinds and let me get a look at her. When I thought I was addicted to her before, I was definitely right. I barely blink, just waiting, wanting to see her.

And then I get my wish.

The blinds go up with a snap, and the window gets cracked open. And then there she is, standing in front of the window with a cigarette in hand.

Smoke curls from it and she takes a drag and then leans down, blowing the smoke out the crack in the window. It wisps into the air, floating away, and somehow just watching her do that is getting to me.

I feel that stirring under my skin, and I want to pull her close to me and taste her, taste the ash and the lingering victory from the night before on her lips.

While she’s standing there, she shifts and starts getting undressed. Her shirt comes off, and she tosses it toward what must be the bed, leaving her standing there with her tits out in front of the window like she doesn’t give a shit that someone might be watching.

Like she’s the queen of her fucking castle.

My cock definitely takes notice of that, stirring in my pants and getting hard. I’m too far away to be sure, but I tell myself that the little glimmer I can see against her skin isn’t a trick of the light, but the ring I put through her nipple. Still there, like a reminder that we’re connected. I hope she didn’t take it out.

River pushes her pants down and steps out of them, and then she turns her back to the window, walking away a bit.

I sit up in my seat, idly rubbing my cock through my pants. I press down with the heel of my hand and suck in a breath when my dick throbs in response.

Fuck, I want her.

She crosses back in front of the window, blowing out more smoke before she puts on a bra. I squint, trying to see if I recognize it.

It’s black and lacy, and maybe I’ve seen it before, maybe not. Either way, it looks damn good on her. Like everything does.

She pulls a shirt over her head and then puts on another pair of jeans. She smokes the last of her cigarette and then closes the window with a snap, letting the blinds down right afterward.

My cock is still throbbing, aching to be inside of her again, and I sigh once I can’t see her anymore. I guess I could go up, see if she wants to talk or something.

She left without saying goodbye, which is a pretty good sign she doesn’t want to see any of us anymore, but I’ve always been pretty good at ignoring signs when I want to.

The light goes out in her apartment, and I frown. It’s barely evening, still way too early for her to be going to bed or something. But then, a couple minutes later, she comes walking out the front door again.

River gets back into her car, starting it up and pulling out of the parking lot. I wait a beat, then two, and then I follow her.

I’m not sure where I’m expecting her to go, but it’s not to the nice part of Detroit. Where all the fancy people live. Most of them are just as full of shit as anyone who lives in the slums, but at least the people in the slums are honest about their shit most of the time.

What the fuck is River doing here?

With her silver hair and tattoos, she’ll stand out immediately.

She parks in front of a fancy clothing store. The kind with mannequins in the window that look snooty and judgmental. Intrigued, I watch her park and then do the same, following her inside.

“Welcome to…” The woman who steps up to greet me trails off when she sees me, and I flash her a grin.

“Just browsing.”

She nods and steps back, like she doesn’t know what to say to that, and I wander through the racks for a bit, hunting for a head of silver hair.

I find her trying on shoes, a few boxes pulled down and scattered around where she’s standing. The ones on her feet are strappy, lacing all the way up her legs in a silver color just a little bit darker than her hair.