the most, I reached for my phone to text River. This time of day, she was in class, but she typically kept her ringer off, so I knew texting her wouldn’t get her into trouble.
Me: I think I need a hug.
Rolling my eyes at what a pussy that made me seem like, I got out of bed and walked into my kitchen to start a pot of coffee. I’d moved out of my parents’ house right after my sisters got married. My apartment was a small one-bedroom, but I didn’t need much space.
That would change when River moved in. though, and I knew I needed to find us somewhere bigger to show her dad that I could take care of his baby girl the way she deserved. Scrubbing a hand over the scruff on my face, I pulled up the local real estate sites to see if something bigger was available for rent.
When I didn’t see anything I knew my girl would like, I groaned and texted River again.
Me: Maybe we should just buy a small house for now. Like a starter house or something. Check out the site and let me know if you see anything you like, baby.
I included the real estate site I’d been looking at, but when the message went unread, I figured she was just busy with class.
While I got ready for work, that heavy feeling in the middle of my chest only intensified, making me feel sick to my stomach. The fact that my texts to River were still unread was only making the sensation worse. When I got to work and saw that her car wasn’t where it should be, I nearly puked in the parking lot.
Something was wrong. My girl wouldn’t torture me by not answering my messages and then being late for work without a reason. In my gut, I knew something was wrong.
Fuck, I’d known something was off with her for a few weeks, but every time I’d asked her what was going on, she would just say she was worried about what was going to happen on her birthday. No matter how hard I tried to reassure her I would handle the dads, I hadn’t been able to alleviate her fears.
Seeing my mom’s SUV in the parking lot, I walked into the shop to see if she knew what was wrong with River.
Mom didn’t handle the shop often. Like River, she got jealous as fuck when Dad had to ink some chick, and it was just better for everyone if she wasn’t around. That was why I was all for River opening a store with my sister.
“Hey, honey,” she greeted from behind the counter where she sat, looking bored to tears.
“Hey,” I muttered, bending to kiss her cheek. “River meeting Mila and the real estate agent?”
“No, she called me this morning and said she was sick…” I was already on my way back out of the door. “Mav, you have an appointment in two hours,” she called after me. “If you aren’t here for it, your dad is going to wonder where you are.”
“I have to make sure she’s okay,” I told her from the door.
Her eyes softened. “Just be back before your appointment, or James is going to ask questions. He’s not stupid, Maverick. With River out sick and you not here, he will put two and two together.”
“I’ll try to be back in time, but I can’t make any promises. If she’s not feeling well, I’m not leaving her alone.”
“The girl needs rest,” she tried to argue.
“My girl needs me,” I growled before jogging to my motorcycle.
It was a fifteen-minute drive to River’s house. On the way, I passed her dad’s bar and saw his bike in the parking lot. Glad I wouldn’t have to deal with him, I sped to her place.
Kelli was home, however, but when I knocked on the door, she was all too ready to let me in. Her face was tight as she stepped back, her gaze going to the stairs. “She’s not feeling too great right now, Maverick. I’m not sure what she’s got, but I’ve heard her crying for the past hour or so. When I went in to check on her, she wouldn’t tell me what’s wrong.”
The pressure in my chest only increased, and I practically ran up the stairs to River’s room. I didn’t bother knocking, just pushed her door open. When I heard her sniffling under her covers, I closed the door quietly and then kicked off