AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"She's mine," Liam claimed angrily, dropping his head as River let go of me.
I could see the embers of fire in River's eyes as his fists curled in and out. My mother reached out to me, but I couldn't hold her. I needed him. River.
"He's not worth it," Mike whispered, trying to diffuse the situation.
"I know," River answered, pressing his lips onto mine, and making the world fall in line again on its axis. With my hand in his, he marched me toward the door but stopped mid-stride, looking back over his shoulder.
"Mike, Katherine? Can you deal with this? We'll meet you back at Tampa Bay." They smiled, my mother seemingly proud of his stance for me, and we left the room.
Away from the increased noises and screams of Liam.
"Come on, sweetheart, we're checking out. Let's grab all our things and I've something to show you," River stated.
With everything packed, I made my way to the reception, waiting near the elevator just in case, as River appeared. "Right to Tampa Bay, and sleep," he commanded, leading me to the cab pulled outside.
CHAPTER8
River
I had been soclose to losing it all with Liam when he tried belittling Savannah and me in front of her family.What was Lindsey playing at not keeping things under control?Or was this all part of his mind games?I hadn't wanted to stand for it. I wanted to put him in his place but how would that have helped the situation letting him see he had gotten a rise out of me.
Mike did the right thing. I know I could trust them to deal with the situation and sort Liam and Lindsey. The next time he tried anything, a restraining order would be slapped on his ass. I wouldn’t risk Savannah at all, anything else could be dealt with. If I made a move against him, I would've been painted just as bad, if not worse than the twat in the room. My temper had escalated a notch, but Savannah needed to know the depth of my sincerity in whatever I had said to her, Mike, and her mother.
Hence the reason I was taking her back. Taking her to where it all started. To the River Matthews that loved a girl from his first kiss.
* * *
The journey had taken longer than expected due to a jam on the interstate, but I didn’t care; she looked so peaceful in my arms. My heart beat faster just having her here. May be this was it. Our time. I prayed what I was about to do was enough as I couldn’t imagine a moment without her any longer. I could freelance for a while, but I refuse to leave her a second time. Wherever she’d go, as long as I was with her, I didn’t mind.
“Wake up, sleepy head.” I kissed her cheek, moving the stuck hair from her face. Savannah roused and stretched her arms before giving me a sweet smile.
“Are we there yet?” she asked.
“Yep, exactly where we need to be,” I said and hopped out of the car. I sorted our luggage and guided Savannah toward the house.
“Mike’s new house?”
“Yep, come on.” I chuckled, grabbed her hand, and led her round the side of the house through the back gate.
“River?”
“I know.” I swallowed the lump in my throat as the emotions took hold of me, looking up at the oak tree in the garden where the treehouse of our childhood stood rebuilt.
“I thought it was gone,” she uttered quietly into the air.
“Mike did it for me.” I turned around and grasped her arms, looking deep into her eyes and hoped she could see every emotion running through my head. “When Mike had to move because of work, I pleaded with him to move the treehouse and rebuild it for me. He never asked questions, but I think he knew deep down there was something. I couldn’t bear to lose that last part of you I had when I left.
"I couldn't cope being here seeing you with other men that weren't me. I never asked about you and always diverted the subject when you were brought up. If I didn't know anything about your life, then I could block everything from my mind. It was torture,” I said, fidgeting with my hands, and staring at her with unshed tears poised in my eyes. I could see her on the verge of breaking down, but I had to finish what I came here to do before letting her breakdown completely.
"That day in the treehouse changed my life. I have loved you since then, but hid it rather than fight for you."
“River, I love you too. I think I always have,” Savannah confessed, tears leaking from her eyes, and grasped my shirt. She pulled me into her, smacking her lips onto mine. Her taste will never get old. We both groaned at the feel of our tongues tangling in a longing dance inside one another’s mouths. Once breathless, we finally pulled back, and the most beautiful smile flashed on her face.
“Treehouse time?” I chuckled.
“Of course,” I pulled her along behind me at a jog to stop at the base of the treehouse. I held her closely and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, allowing it to hang loosely in the valley of her breasts while her head fell back on my chest.
“Savannah…”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“What’s meant to be will always find its way,” I said, spinning her around to face me before tucking her hair behind her ears and planting a short quick kiss on her lips.
“Always, River.”
