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“Then move,asshole!”
“Make me, Trouble.”
“Ugh!” I grumble, grabbing his hand and trying to pry it off the door. “You’re so infuriating.” In an instant, he grabs my hand, pinching my fingers together so tightly, I fear one will break. “Quit it. You’re hurting me.” I try to pull away to no avail because he only strengthens his hold.
"I’ll let you go…for now. But when you come back, I’ll have you begging on your knees for mercy.”
I pull my hand again and tear open the door as fast as I can, not even bothering to close it behind me. My feet don’t stop moving—down the hall, down the stairs, and out the main doors.
Once the cool, night air hits my face, I curl over and put my hands on my knees. A hand on my back has my soul jumping out of my skin.
When I stand up, I see Ridge. Breathing out a heavy sigh of relief, I grasp my chest. “Jesus, Ridge. You scared me.”
“You never need to be afraid, Angel. I’m always keeping you safe.”
I start walking down the sidewalk, knowing he’ll follow. “You say that, and sometimes I think it’s true, but do you realize how much bad shit has happened to me when you’renotwatching?”
“No. Tell me.”
“How about the fact that you’re emotionally fucked-up roommate just tried to keep me prisoner in your room. Or what about—”
“Lev did that?”
I nod, feet still moving. “Sure did.”
Ridge puts a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. “Stay right here.” Then he walks steadfastly back toward the hall.
“Ridge, no.” I jog after him. When I catch up, I grab the back of his shirt. “Please, just let it go.”
He spins around and I lose my hold on his shirt. “No one is allowed to hurt you, Angel. Not physically, and not emotionally. I don’t care who it is.”
Why is he so good to me, yet so unruly at the same time?
Rain begins sprinkle down from the sky and I look up, noticing the dark clouds hovering. “I’m okay. I promise.” I lick my lips, pausing for a beat before saying, “Can we go somewhere out of the rain and talk?”
“For once, I can say yes. Ya know, since I can talk now.” His eyebrows rise and he cracks a smile. It’s cute, especially the pronounced dimples on each cheek. I like when Ridge smiles. It’s a reminder that he’s human and not some robot. “I know just the spot.” He takes my hand and walks with me in tow. His feet move so fast, I can barely keep up. “Hurry up,” he says, urging me along like he’s a child on his way to a toy store.
I try to keep up and I’m not sure when it happened, but suddenly, it’s pouring out and then we’re running through the rain, laughing our asses off.
We take a turn to the left, past the main campus, then a right. “Where are we going?” I roar over the downpour.
“Almost there.”
It’s really coming down hard and I’ve got no idea where Ridge is taking me, but we keep on running, entering a path in the woods. Before long, I spot the river. The rain pelts into the water, creating a mist of condensation overtop.
We’re going too fast for me to even think that maybe this is a bad idea, and just when I decide to speak up, we stop. Right in front of us is a small shack—like a hunting shack of sorts. Ridge rips open the door and steps inside, waiting for me to follow.
When I enter, water dripping down my body, I see kayaks and paddles, life jackets, fishing rods, and hooks holding towels. “What is this place?”
“An old storage shed for river gear.”
Bunching my hair to one side, I wring it out. “I’m soaked.”
“You’re beautiful. I think I love you even more in the rain.”
I laugh, finding it odd. “Why’s that?”
“Because I get to see the real you. No makeup. No hair spray. Just you. You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on, Angel.”
