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“Everything’s fine.” A small, knowing smile crept on my lips before I whispered closely to his ear, “Why do you ask?”
“You’re wearing one of those cute frowns, and you’re pouting,” he pointed out with a glimmer in his eyes, highly amused at the wry expression I threw at him.
“I don’t pout.” I licked my lips and made sure they didn’t pucker like he mentioned.
His gaze intensified, unmistakable concern etched on his face. “You just did. What’s wrong, petal?” River spun me to face him, arms circling around my hips, further studying my face while I carefully trained my body to relax and momentarily forget what happened with the tramp he was previously cavorting in the past.
River’s face contorted with concern and, for a moment, all my worries about the present and the future vanished into thin air. All that mattered was right here, right now, with this man and how he loved me. The rest was a blur, and in his eyes, no woman could match, no one came close to his heart. That, at the end of this hellish nightmare, was all that mattered. Hailey and the rest of the ho gang be gone.
In that mood-altering realization, I was beyond relieved, soothing the chaos in my mind. “Nothing. I’m perfectly fine, babe.”
“Just making sure. I thought for a moment you were upset.”
He was melting my heart.
“I’m fine. Why don’t you go mingle around? I can see a few people wanting to speak to you.” I gave him a good-humored light push before he scurried away. I was surrounded by friends; he had nothing to worry about.
Joining our crazy gang, Phoenix and Kells were dancing right next to the booth. A knowing smile crept on my face, praying to God that she had forgotten about the man from her flight earlier on. Rock and Lauren were on their phones, busily taking selfies, while my Anton discussed the latest script he was working on with Mint, who seemed interested.
Before I managed to slot myself into the booth to join in on their conversations, someone caught my arm, halting my movements altogether.
“Look at you. You’re a sight for sore eyes.” Parker’s scornful eyes slithered on my body.
I found him revolting.
After the harsh encounter with Hailey, my body was already on high alert. Seeing my ex should’ve been something I’d anticipated tonight. However I’d forgotten he existed for quite some time now. Parker Haynes still looked the same, but I could fully see him for what he truly was. Gorgeous from the outside, and rotten to the core. The waxed and rehearsed persona he had fought so hard to portray didn’t work for me any longer.
Matching his disdainful expression, I loathingly sneered at him, “Go away before my boyfriend sees you.” I tried to shoo him away, but the rat wouldn’t leave.
Parker snorted, unfazed by my idle threat. “You think I care about that bitch boyfriend of yours?” he bellowed close to my ear, crushing my arm into his death grip, closely resembling a crazed ex-lover.
I yanked my arm away from his hold, silently thanking my workout sessions that had clearly paid off. “Shut up and just go the fuck away!”
“You’re one persistent climber, aren’t you, Cara? I’m impressed, jumping from my bed to the next big star.” Disgusting eyes judged me as if he was seeing me as nothing but trash. The z-list actress he vehemently swore I was.
Amidst the confrontation, I somehow found myself searching for River across the crowd. Call it a bad habit, but I couldn’t help myself. And in one hasty minute, River caught sight of us.
His face turned to stone. He quickly advanced, marching past the flood of partygoers as he stomped like an enraged manic bull out for blood. And in no time, he was right next to me, menacing, forbidding. I knew without a doubt that Parker was just about to get a whopping wake up call.
“Is he bothering you, Cara?” River inquired with a rough edge in his tone, eyes trained on the obnoxious man.
Shifting my gaze from both men, I saw that Parker clearly showed signs of inebriation and drug intoxication—red-rimmed eyes, unfocused with teetering unchecked rage that was on the verge of consuming him whole.
Parker made a dry, strangled laugh, too cocky and too stubborn to tone down his embarrassing behavior. “You think I’m scared of little pansies like you? Fuck off, Ellis. I’m talking to my ex-girlfriend, not you! She and I have some unfinished business. Stay the fuck out!”
River made a guttural growl, a clear indicator that he was on the brink of going bonkers. As much I despised Parker, if River did anything drastic in a middle of a party, it wouldn’t be good for his image. Somehow, someway, I had to reel them both in. For all our sakes.
“River—” I began, but River wasn’t having it.
The man snapped and, in no time, he throttled Parker’s neck, fingers digging into his skin, as if he was hairsbreadth away from choking the life out of him. “BACK. AWAY!” Insurmountable rage broke out of him.
Parker’s blue eyes darkened in fear, realizing too late that River wasn’t to be fucked with.
River, smoldering with fury, tightened his hold, constricting Parker’s breathing as he snarled into his face. “If I see you anywhere near my woman, I’m going to fucking break this little neck of yours. Don’t fucking contact her.Don’t come near her. And if you find yourself anywhere close to Cara, don’t you dare fucking breathe until you’re fifteen feet away because, if you fucking do,I swear to the fucking gods I will fucking tear you apart, limb from limb, until there’s nothing left of you.” He roughly shoved Parker’s insipid form towards the nearest flat surface, leaving him there, reeling while the rest of the party looked on.
Blatantly embarrassed from being treated with such disrespect, Parker made a vicious growl, spun on his heels with an injured ego, and charged his way into the crowd in search of the exit.
“What the hell was that?” I gasped at the brooding man next to me, shocked beyond comprehension.
