Hurricane Love

Fourty Three

Ryker and I decided to take a seat on the swing in the corner of the garden where the two of us could be alone while we waited to see if Mason would actually show up. As I sat by him, I admired his stunning eyes, his glowing skin and chiselled jawline, his long, curled up lashes, flawless profile and perfect plump lips.

'You keep staring at me,' he said, as he puffed on a cigarette and surveyed the partygoers on the lawn, before turning to me with a small grin.

'I didn't think I'd see you again,' I said, blushing red. I'd started to sober up so reality was really coming in to play and I was completely giddy that he was here with me.

'You still think there's a chance you're going to lose me again, don't you?' he said.

I pressed my lips together and nodded slowly. 'And I'm really afraid of how that's going to feel next time around.'

'I'm not going to leave,' he said, resting his palm on my thigh. 'I promise you this time and I mean it.'

I nodded again and rested my palm on top of his hand, knowing that that promise was everything I needed to make me feel sane again.

'I believe you,' I told him. 'I just wish things were simple.'

'Come on,' he laughed. 'It's us; was it ever going to be simple?'

'I guess not,' I said, smiling softly.

'Simple is boring,' he said, leaning down to kiss me on the cheek. 'I never took you for a girl who wanted to live life the simple way.'

'I guess I wasn't like this before,' I said, thinking back to how I was before I ever met Ryker or even Mason. 'I've grown up a lot and now...I have something to lose.'

'No, you don't,' he said. 'You can't lose me; I'm not going to go anywhere. You should know by now that there's no getting rid of me. Remember back when I used to just pop up everywhere and all you wanted to do was kill me?'

'Yes,' I said, giggling loudly. 'There really was no getting rid of you.'

'Exactly,' he said, grinning. 'The same goes now, okay? There's no way I'm leaving you again.'

'Okay,' I whispered, nodding at him, before I reached up and rested my palms on his jaw and leaned up to kiss him. He kissed me back and I could taste the fresh tobacco strongly on his mouth; a taste many would find foul and unpleasant but I enjoyed it.

'Guys?' We broke apart as we turned to see Cassie standing in front of us.

'You okay?' I asked her, as she looked at us worriedly.

'Mason is here,' she said. 'Someone must have tipped him off because he knows you're here, Ryker.'

'It was me,' I told her. 'Well, us. We told him on purpose.'

'Why?' she asked.

'Because it's time to settle this once and for all,' Ryker sighed, dropping his cigarette butt into the ash tray on the ground and getting to his feet.

'Guys, I really don't think this is a good idea,' Cassie sighed. 'Mason is on the warpath.'

'I can't hide from him,' Ryker said. 'After finding out he showed everyone a video of Amelia, I'm going to make sure he knows he'll never win against me. I've had more than enough of his shit now.'

'Come and say that to my face, Ryk.' Ryker and I glanced around Cassie as she spun around too and Mason was standing behind her, glaring at Ryker.

'Gladly, mate,' Ryker said, walking slowly towards him.

'So, you're really back,' Mason sniggered. 'I can't believe you couldn't even last a day without her. You'd be the first to call anyone else a pussy for that sort of shit.'