Scandalous Love

24. | James

I return to my room where Riley was sat on the air mattress, wearing one of my hoodies over the top of her so it was pretty much like a dress on her. 

I smile softly, sitting myself down by her side and closing the door behind me, even if it wouldn't properly shut. I pass her the mug of hot chocolate I had just made and she takes it before biting her lip. 

"You had enough to make me some?" she asks innocently, making me chuckle, nodding. 

"We're not completely broke, Ri," I tell her, nudging her arm which puts the smallest of smiles on her face before I shake my head. "There were just about enough scoops for two more mugs worth," I say. 

She nods, stroking her thumb over the back of the glass. "Did you steal it?" she mumbles quietly, looking down, clearly not wanting to make eye-contact in case she felt guilty for asking. 

I chew the inside of my lip but move my hand to rest on her knee. 

She didn't understand any of this. She wasn't used to this kind of a lifestyle. And that was okay. I wasn't used to her prissy, posh area either. 

"That's the way things work over here. We're not expected to do much else other than steal," I say to her. 

She nods again, taking in my words to try and find some sort of understanding before she leans over and rests her head on my shoulder, placing her hand above mine. It was silent but something tells me silence was the only thing she needed right now. 

I stay sat by her side, stroking her hair back every time a couple strands fell in front of her face when she sipped her hot chocolate. 

It drifted further and further into the night as we held each other in one another's embrace for a couple of minutes before Riley eventually broke the silence. "It's exactly what I didn't want to happen that's happening," she whispers, earning my attention as I switch my gaze to focus solely on her. 

I might not have known exactly what she was talking about but it was concise enough to give me a rough idea. 

"It's all just an arrangement," she mumbles. "I'm meant to be marrying Axel when I turn twenty-one and in the three years until then, they're expecting me to fall in love with him. It's what happened with my parents, my grandparents, my great grandparents and now apparently what's supposed to be happening with me." 

I could hear the shakiness in her voice as she told me all this which is the exact reason why I don't let go of her. I wasn't going to leave her because of some old-fashioned arrangement her family has going on. That's not who I am. 

"The only problem is that Axel isn't who I want to be with," she whispers, her head resting on me still. "I only want you, James." 

The words leave her lips and I smile to myself briefly. For some reason, those words were enough to make me feel whole. It was all I had been wanting to hear from her. It's all good and well having me know I want to be with her but I needed to know where she stood too. 

Her phone lights up with a text message and the two of us glance down to find it was from Daniel asking where she was. 

I had no idea why he was bothering to check on her after the way he acted earlier this morning but maybe he just has the same impetuous character that Hunter has. I can't blame him for being as protective over Riley as he is. She's precious and I'd never want anything bad to happen to her. I guess he feels the same. 

Ri sighs, turning her phone off and flipping it over after reading the text before drinking more of her hot chocolate then setting it down on the floor beside the mattress. She shuffles further backwards to lay herself down on her side before shooting me a small smile. 

I smile back at her and copy her, grabbing the blanket from off the top of the drawer to pull over the two of our bodies as we lay together, like spoons. 

"Night, prince charming," she yawns lightly, closing her eyes in spite of the small smirk that builds along her lips at the use of the nickname. 

I chuckle, kissing her temple. "Night, Ri." 

"Careful," she whispers playfully, moving her hand to my chest. "You didn't call me princess."

"We all know you're my princess either way. No Axel guy is going to change that," I tell her. 

She bites her lip but this time it wasn't out of nerves or anxiety. It was out of hope and affection and as soon as I see it, I capture her lips in mine, causing her to let go of her lip so she could kiss me back like everything was okay. 

I wish everything was okay.

. . . 

The next morning I woke up at the same time as usual. Except Riley wasn't laying by my side like I had expected her to. 

I checked my phone first thing to find a message from her which I quickly read over before smiling to myself a little.

Riley: Hey, I just went out for a walk for a bit. I'm not sure what time you'll wake up but your sister was already up when I was heading out, she's coming with me. We shouldn't be long x

It was normal for Piper to be the one to wake up early - she was usually the one who went to bed the earliest in the first place. 

James: That's okay. Mind stealing me a loaf of bread while you're at it? ;)

Riley: You're joking right?

James: I dunno, am I? ;)

I leave her in the confused state she was in and I place my phone back down before heading outback to go and check on Mum. She was in the kitchen, cooking some breakfast with a few of the left-over ingredients from the food basket the cook at Riley's had given us. 

Mum still thinks I had just stolen it from somewhere but I wanted it to stay that way. There was no way I was getting her involved in these complications to do with the two towns.

"So who's the girl, James?" she asks, turning around to face me with a small smirk on her face. 

I clear my throat after drinking from the glass of water and her smirk only seems to grow.

"Someone important then, I'll take it?" 

"You saw her?" 

"I spoke to her," she corrects me, making my eyes widen. "As your mother, I have a right to know who you're getting into a bed with, baby," she says, walking over to me and petting my chin as if I was a puppy. 

I roll my eyes, shrugging her off as she chuckles, having way too much fun with this. 

"What's her name?" 

"Riley," I say, causing an inevitable smile to form upon my lips. Mum sees it instantly and grins to which I turn myself around and head back to my room. "Are we done asking questions now?"

"Oh, I'm just getting started but if you're not willing to answer them then I can always bombard 'Riley' later," she says teasingly as I let out an aggravating sigh - one she found somewhat entertaining when she continues laughing at me and my hormones.

I enter my room and look through the window to see if the girls were anywhere near here but I don't see either of them. 

Instead, I see something a lot more shocking when my eyes land on the same two guards who had me locked up in the cell yesterday. They were walking around in a pair and everyone seemed to be avoiding them. 

I had no idea why they were here. Were they looking for me? 

I was almost positive Riley had managed to get Jenson to agree to the forty-eight hour agreement but right now I'm clueless. 

Riley said she would find a way around this and I want to put my trust into her. 

I just hope she knows what it is she's doing...