AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So then don’t try to find Morris and risk your life to kill him—something he’ll be expecting. Just walk away from this, Huff. Live. Be with me.”
I see her point. She doesn’t want me dying on a hill I can’t conquer. But the other part of me can’t just sit back and do nothing.
“I know that look on your face, Huff.”
“I’m not going to fart.”
“What? No. I meant that you’re not convinced, and if you’re not convinced, then it’s because you’re not hearing me.” She squeezes my hand. “This is what I need from you, Huff. I need you to let all that go. I need you to stay. And if you love me, you will.”
Part of me gets what she’s saying: She can’t have peace of mind if I put myself in danger. On the other hand, she’s never been this selfish before. It’s not a bad thing, because being selfish every once in a while is necessary. We have to take our own needs into account. But this is out of character for River. She’s always been a give-until-it-hurts kind of person. It’s why she wanted to study psychology. Nonetheless, I have no choice but to take her words seriously. People change. People grow. I know I have.
“I do love you. I really do, River, but—”
“Then show me.” She bats her eyelashes and rubs my leg. “Show me you can really put me first the way I need you to. Don’t go after Morris. No more trying to be my hero and risking your life. Just…be with me. Have a life with me.”
River has always been there for me. Always. And she’s never asked for anything. At least, not like this. I can’t help wanting to give it to her. I love her with everything in me. “Okay. I’ll stay. I won’t go after Morris.”
She leans in and throws her arms around my neck. I feel the tension melt from her body. She turns her head and pushes her lips to my mouth.
River
I know I laid it on thick, but like Sam told me, I have to start asserting myself—tell Huff exactly where I stand. Because after everything I’ve been through, I don’t have it in me to keep doing this. So if Huff wants to be with me, then he can’t run around martyring himself for lost causes.
Morris is a lost cause. Huff can’t stop him. Use my love to make him see the truth.
Yes, I’m horrified by what Morris has done, but neither Huff nor I can change it. And, if Huff tries to kill Morris, Morris’ll be expecting it. He won’t go down without a fight, and guess who sucks at fighting?
Huff.
He might be strong and fast, but so is Morris if he’s been taking this new formula. And Huff has never really learned to fight.
Now imagine him trying to kill another living person?
Huff won’t likely survive, and I’m not going through this mourning crap all over again. I’m done. Done. Done. Done!
So if he wants to show me love and really protect me, then he needs to stay alive. Yes, I understand there are no guarantees and no one lives forever, but Huff can’t run into burning buildings anymore.
And he agreed. Just like Sam said he would.I really don’t know what I’d do if I hadn’t met him. Sam’s opened up my mind in so many ways.
Relief washes through me, like a warm elixir. I finally feel like I can let go and open my heart to Huff the way I’ve wanted to for years.
Our mouths mingle as we sit on his bed. He pulls me closer by my waist. The heat of his body is intense, like he’s radiating sunshine.
Woo. Talk about hot!I pull away. “Huff, I want you. I want us to finally be together… But promise you’re done with being a hero. Swear you won’t run off on me again.”
“You want to have sex?” His blue eyes are lit with greedy excitement.
I nod.
“I promise I’ll always be by your side, River.”
“Good.” I kiss him. “Because that’s all that matters: you and me together, Huff.”
He kisses me hard and then reaches into his drawer in the nightstand. “And I have these.” He produces a gold packet that says XXXL on it. “They hold up. I tested them. A few hundred times.”
Oh boy. That’s a lot of hand action. “Have you…with anyone before?”
“Can we not talk about that right now?”
