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“I’m proud of you, Riv.” Reaching across the table, I wrap her fingers in mine. “I always knew you were meant to change the world, and here you are, showing everyone that kindness leads to great things.”
Pink colors her cheeks, and she struggles to keep eye contact. She shakes her head as if to argue, but no words come out. I’m about to tell her it’s okay to accept a compliment when a hand clamps down on my shoulder. “You always were chasing after my sloppy seconds, little cousin.”
River’s hand trembles beneath mine. Fear darkens her eyes. Fury flames through me. I rip Craig’s hand off my shoulder, knocking him off balance as I stand to face him. Not willing to allow him to feel like he towers over me.
People stare at us, but all I care about is keeping him away from River.
“A little birdy told me my wife was on a date with another man.”
“Ex-wife,” River and I say in unison as I scan the area around us, my eyes landing on Craig’s best friend Roger watching in amusement. Fucking piece of shit. Always lurking in the shadows, starting trouble.
“Slumming with the delivery boy, River? It’s so beneath you. You’re the mayor’s wife. A business owner. Why would you be seen with someone who cares so little about their future?”
Incoherent words flow from River’s lips in mutters behind me. I’m not sure if it’s fear or embarrassment holding her hostage, but she isn’t functioning. Someone has to stand up to this prick.
“You will walk away from this table right now, Craig.”
My voice is calm, but there’s a tone that says I’m not fucking around.
“Oh, yeah? What are you going to do if I don’t, little cousin?”
I hate when he calls me that. I’m four days younger than him. He’s always felt four days makes him superior. That and his family being wealthy.
“Remember senior year?” I say quieter. Calmer. With more threat. “I will not let you hurt her again.”
He laughs and spins around with his arms in the air, making even more of a spectacle of himself. He wants everyone watching.
“And I won’t let you have her.” He stops to face me. “She will always belong to me.”
“She never belonged to you. She’s not property. She’s a fucking human being. What the hell is wrong with you?”
He laughs again, like we’re having a fun-loving conversation. Then he leans in close. “She’s belonged to me since the moment she said she’d be mine. She sealed it when she rode my cock, and oh how beautifully she did. I’m her stallion.”
“Stop!” I warn, the rage becoming too much to handle.
Imagining the two of them together is overwhelming. Not that I didn’t know they were. They were married, but it was unhappy. Fractured. He was cheating all the time. Abusive to her. It was easy to believe they weren’t intimate.
“She’s mine, little cousin. No matter how much you wish it wasn’t true. She’s always going to come back to me. Begging me. I’ve ruined her for you. I’ve ruined her for all men.”
“No.” I shake my head, refusing to buy into his bullshit.
“She can never love you. I taught her what having the best means. She’ll never settle for a lowly delivery driver.” He sneers as the words fall from his twisted lips. “River knows she deserves better than a family of nobodies.”
My blood boils at the attack he’s made since we were kids. My mom being a teacher and my dad a postal worker, he and his family look down on us for doing honest work while they lie and cheat and think they’re better than everyone.
“You will never be good enough for her.”
“You never were,” I seethe through gritted teeth as my fists clench at my sides. I step closer to him. “You think you’re better than me because you’re the mayor of this town. How do you think the people of this town would feel if they knew about your affairs? If they knew how you really treated your wife. If they knew—"
“That’s enough!”
River’s chair screeches against the floor as she jumps up, her chest heaving with anger.
“You’re all the same, trying to pretend you care when all you want is control of me. You two are exactly alike.”
Pain explodes through my chest as my heart shatters. Nothing could hurt worse than her words. Not even if she struck me.
All I wanted was to protect her. To love her. Keep her safe. How could she not see that? How could she compare me to him?
