The Pain Of The Pleasure

EIGHTEEN - RYTH

"YOU READY, PRINCESS?"I lifted my gaze from the keyboard, the scowl still trapped on my face. "Yeah." "Something bothering you?" He stepped closer, peering at the mess of information scribbled across a hundred different colored sticky notes attached to the wall behind my desk. "Looks complicated." "It is." 

I shoved upwards, stepped around him, and grabbed my bag. "I think I'm going to die of old age before I get it finished." "At least you have some extra time," he said carefully. "Seeing as how you're staying home the next couple of days." My cheeks burned with the memory. Last night Creed had told mom that I'd had some trouble at school and that it seemed to be taking a toll on me. I hadn't meant to break down and cry in front of him. I hadn't meant to cry in front of anyone. It had just happened. But mom just nodded and brushed her fingers along my cheek and over my mark before pulling me close. 

I think it was the alcohol more than anything that made her hug me. But still, I took it. This was the mom I remembered, the one grounded in reality and not distant and cold. She didn't have a problem with me staying home, didn't even cause a fuss when I said I wanted to visit dad, just nodded carefully. But she couldn't hide her relief when I told her Nick was taking me. Instead, she seemed overjoyed, gushing about how the boys were taking care of me. If only she knew. I suppressed a shudder" I'll just grab my bag and some snacks." I stepped around him, reaching for my shoulder bag and jacket. "Snacks," Nick muttered, and shook his head. "What do you think this is, Ryth, a damn school trip?" I shot him a glare. 

"I can't have you spending all your money on food aswell as fuel."He looked at me with a deadpan expression, then let out a bark oflaughter. "All my money, huh?" He stepped close, capturing my gaze. All Isaw was gold in his eyes. "You'd have to eat your bodyweight in food forthe next hundred years to come close to tapping me dry, little sister. So,thanks for the concern, but I think I can manage."A hundred years? I looked at him, bewildered."You think I sit in there playing games all damn day?" He lifted hishand to brush the hair from the side of my face, his gaze boring into mine."Little sister, I have enough money in Bitcoin to make sure I never have tolift a finger again...and my wife, or my damn kids, for that matter."My breath stilled. 

Wife...Kids...My heart clenched tight with the words as the room around me swayed.I felt myself falling. Falling onto him, and for him...for this sick, hungryneed that seemed to control me when I was around them, a need I knewwasn't right, but that didn't change what it was."You okay, princess? Kinda looking at me strange now." Nick let hisfingers trail down my neck, knowing exactly what kind of force he wasexerting on me."Fine," I mumbled, and swallowed.He smiled, that cockiness rising before he dropped his hand and steppedaway. "So that settled it, yeah?" he threw over his shoulder as he strodefrom my bedroom. "No goddamn snacks in the car."I gave a huff. That's all he cared about, wasn't it? His precious damnMustang.I followed, grumbling the entire away as we walked outside andclimbed into the midnight beast. We backed out and were on the road beforeI knew it, passing the green view of the surrounding forest this side of thecity and heading for the highway. 

The last time I'd taken this drive, I was with Creed and mom, the daybefore they...Before they...Got together.I winced and stared out the window. "How long do you think it wasgoing on?"Nick glanced my way and shifted gears, overtaking other cars at asteady pace. They whipped past us in a blur, or maybe it was the other wayaround. I was too scared to look."Your mom and my dad, you mean?"I nodded and turned his way.He clenched his jaw. Maybe he'd never thought about it, or maybe hehad and he didn't like the answer. Either way, it didn't really matter."Long enough, how's that?" he said finally, shutting the conversationdown.