Rubble (Riders of Apollo #7)

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Juniper Channing

We're all startled awake when Matias's convoy returns, their heavy boots banging on the floor and Matias calling out for Lucia, who sprints from the movie room to pounce on him. My eyes are sore and likely red from last night and the girls bring me into another hug as I fight another crying fit.

Lucia comes back in with a well-dressed Eva right behind her, she probably asked Matias to leave us to it because I don't think I could handle seeing a happy couple right now without thinking of Asa.

I look up at Eva and she smiles sweetly at me. She's wearing a mint green pantsuit with a white bralette as a top while I'm sat here in sweatpants looking half dead. God, just kill me now. "Budge up, you lot." Eva sits across from me as I move to kneel so I can look her in the eyes better, she copies my position and sighs softly. The other girls crowd around me so I can feel all of them and I clear my throat, happy I have someone to help me that isn't in a perfect relationship. "Are you alright to explain what happened?"

"Umm, we went to the club and everything was going really well. And then - and then we sat down in one of the booths at the back and she was behind us with her friends. She was so pretty, Eva, I-I."

"Okay, deep breath for me, sweetie." I mimic her movements and heave in a breath deep enough to hurt my ribs.

"She said that he saved her from some guys and he walked her home and then one thing led to another... I mean she described him in detail and everything. I thought I was going to die in the middle of the club."

"I think the first thing you should do is talk to him." Riley looks scandalised at the suggestion which isn't surprising. She was ready to hammer down on the girl just for mentioning Rubble's name near me. "Riley, don't look so angry at me. Look, in this town sleeping with a Rider is a badge of honour, okay? Which means it is highly likely that she is lying to gain more attention from her friends. That man has killed for you, he wouldn't have done it in vain. So, talk to him and ask him about it, don't accuse him, just explain the situation."

"But what if it is true? If he cheated on me?" I feel a little relieved by Eva's suggestion, at least she's able to think more clearly than I am.

"Then we will do whatever you want. We can get rid of him or I can take you somewhere and get you set up with whatever you need. But we shouldn't think about this until you've spoken to him and I mean really speak to him. Then we can figure out the next steps. Give him the benefit of the doubt, my darling and you'll be all the better for it."

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I'm panicking.

I'm currently posted up in my bedroom, staring down at the bed that is still mussed from our goodbye the other day and now it feels completely different. I'm so desperate for a good outcome that the idea of a bad outcome has made me throw up twice. Though that could've been the champagne and the whiskey ice cream.

I look like death if I'm honest. My skin is pale, my eyes are bright red and my hair has been pulled back into a messy bun as I wait for my Rider to get here. He texted me to tell him he's on his way and I couldn't find it in me to reply. My chest hurts, physically hurts and I'm keeping tears away as I repeat Eva's advice in my head.

Listen to him, I have to. I can't just jump to conclusions and accuse him of something, not when he's proved his love to me over and over again. I know he was a playboy before, I do, but I've never had a reason not to trust him so I shouldn't start now. "June! Where are you?" I sit down on the trunk at the end of the bed with my jacket over my knees, sliding my fingers over the embroidery that signifies my position. "There you are. Thank God you're back. I thought I was gonna lose my mind."

I look up at him and he halts in his tracks. Noticing my sallow complexion and teary eyes. "June, what happened?" He moves closer to me, almost falling over himself as he drops onto his knees in front of me. I let him take my hands as I swallow down another round of tears. "Hey, you can talk to me." His voice is so soft and loving that I can't help but bury my face in his neck, comforted by his scent.

His hand strokes the back of my head and I can feel his heart speed up against my cheek. "I need to talk to you." I croak out, pulling away from him so that I can look him in the eye. At my suggestion, he starts to worry even more. "We were at the club last night and-and." I take a deep breath, looking away from him to calm myself down. "There was a girl, she was talking about how you saved her from an attack and walked her home before following her into the apartment and sleeping with her. She said this happened last week."

I find the courage to look back at him and he looks so sad that I almost believe my words for a second before he opens his mouth to explain. "Baby, I would never cheat on you. I haven't even looked at another woman from the day you turned up at the club, drenched to the bone and sad."

"She explained it so well, I-I didn't know what to think." He pulls his phone from his pocket and I almost smack him for doing it until he shows me a picture of the woman I saw last night. "Why-why do you have a picture of her on your phone?" He looks relieved at the fact I recognise her which freaks me out a little.

"She works for the club, this is her employee picture. You remember when you brought me that bear claw months ago?"

"Yeah, you were in the kitchen and you kept me company for a long time."

"And you remember the cuts and the black eye?" I look up at him in understanding. "I did save her from an alleyway and I did walk her home but I never slept with her. It was months ago, baby, I would-could never cheat on you." I hug him close then, sliding off the trunk and into his lap as his arms bind around my waist.

"I love you, Asa, and I'm sorry for believing her." He kisses my head a few times and I curl into his warmth, flooded with relief.

"Why don't you get freshened up, baby? We have someone to visit."