DRAMA NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 32
I slip my arm around Willow as we exit the stage.
Without a doubt, this girl has become my sunshine. The more time we spend together, the more she eclipses everything else in my life.
It’s why the song fit so perfectly.
I want her to understand that I’m serious about this relationship.
I’m serious about her.
And I hope like hell that she feels the same, because I’m all in.
As we’re heading out the back door, the last person I expect to see tonight bursts through it.
River fucking Thompson.
Fury vibrates off him in heavy, suffocating waves as his narrowed gaze combs over the crowd before settling on Willow.
His eyes widen before slicing to me. “You motherfucker!”
A growl escapes from him right before he launches himself in my direction. Willow gasps as I shove her from the fray. If he touches one damn hair on her head, I’ll bury the guy alive.
Before I can get into position, he lands a punch to my cheek with enough force to snap my head to the side. Stars burst behind my eyes.
Chaos breaks out as people yell, clearing the area and forming a semi-circle around the two of us. From my periphery, I catch sight of Ryder, Hayes, Bridger, and Madden. Ryder steps forward, attempting to break up the fight as I land a quick jab to River’s nose. He swears a blue streak under his breath as blood seeps from one nostril.
“River, stop!” Willow yells.
The sound of her voice is just enough to distract me, and the asshole lands a solid hit to the side of my head.
Fuck!
Muted sound rings in my ears as my vision goes blurry. I give my head a little shake to help clear it. I’ve been in plenty of fights on the ice. Once Ryder and I were in high school, my father signed us up for boxing lessons so we’d know how to take a hit and return them. The training has been invaluable.
It doesn’t take long for me to regroup and land a couple more punches before Gerry, one of the bouncers, steps in to break up the brawl. Ryder and Hayes drag me away as Gerry does the same with River.
We’re both breathing hard.
It’s only now that we’ve been torn apart and adrenaline isn’t pumping through my bloodstream that I realize how much my face hurts.
The asshole landed a few good hits.
Not that I’ll be enlightening him to that fact.
My guess is that someone else learned how to box as well.
“Settle the fuck down!” Gerry bites out as River continues to struggle against his ironclad hold.
I take a good look at him.
All the times we’ve gotten into it on the ice, I’ve never seen such rage filling his blue eyes. If he could murder me with his bare hands, I think he’d do it.
He turns to glare at Willow. “What the hell are you doing with that guy?”
Fear flashes across her features as she falls back a step. “I’m sorry. I should have—”
“Should have what?” he bites out, voice rising above the din. “Told me that you were sneaking around behind my back?”
My heart pounds a painful staccato in my chest as I still, watching their interaction, waiting for her to tell him that whatever they had is over.
That it has been for a while.
She’s with me now.
“It’s not like that,” she whispers before wincing. “All right, so maybe it is.” There’s a pause. “I wanted to tell you, but I knew this was exactly how you’d react.”
Hurt flickers across his face, and that’s all it takes for the fight to drain out of him. “You know I hate it when you keep shit from me.”
My brows snap together when she takes a tentative step in his direction.
What the fuck is going on here?
“It’s cool now,” River grumbles to the bouncer. “You can let me go.”
Gerry keeps him locked up tight.
And for good reason.
The guy came in swinging first and asking questions second.
“You cause any more problems and you’ll get a nice pair of silver bracelets to wear for your complimentary ride to the station. Got it?”
River’s gaze stays pinned to Willow as his lips flatten into a thin line. After a second or two, he jerks his head in a tight nod. Only then does the muscular bouncer release his grip and take a step in retreat, staying close enough to jump in if necessary.
It only takes three long-legged strides for River to eat up the distance between him and Willow.
Just as he reaches out to grab hold of her, I bark, “Don’t you dare lay one fucking finger on her!”
He swings around and bares his teeth like a rabid dog before hauling her into his arms. “Or what? What the fuck are you going to do?”
Hayes and Ryder tighten their grip on me, as if they understand my intent before I do.
A potent concoction of fury and jealousy crashes over me as I struggle against my teammates. “You had your chance. Now she belongs to me.”
His face scrunches. “What the hell are you talking about, McKinnon? She’s my fucking sister!”
The world around me goes eerily silent as my gaze bounces between the pair. Willow’s blue eyes flare as her features turn ashen.
Sister?
Willow is River’s…sister?
It’s only now that I see them standing side by side that I realize how much they resemble one another. Both have the same cornflower blue eyes, golden blond hair, and facial features. Although, where River is tall and muscular, Willow is finer boned and more fragile looking.
River’s expression turns possessive as his arm locks around her. “Yeah, dumbass. She’s my sister. My fucking twin.”
Twin?
Holy shit.
It feels like I’ve entered a parallel dimension. One I never knew existed. My brain continues to somersault.
“I had no idea,” I mumble, feeling like the dumbass he just called me.
How didn’t I know this?
Better question is, why didn’t Willow share this information with me herself?
My gaze slices back to her as the question circles around in my brain.
“Don’t you see? He was using you to get back at me! That’s all this was! Fucking revenge!”
Even in the dim lighting of the bar, her cheeks drain of all color as uncertainty flickers in her eyes.
Shock spirals through me.
After everything we’ve shared these past few weeks, it hurts that she would believe the worst in me.
“All he’ll do is throw you away like a used-up tissue.”
I shake my head when her attention resettles on mine. The questions and doubts that have mushroomed up within her eyes are nearly enough to kill me.
“You know that isn’t true, sunshine. I didn’t know you were related to that assho…” My voice trails off before I correct myself. “River. I didn’t know he was your brother.”
“No, it’s worse than that,” River interrupts. “You thought she was my girlfriend. Someone I cared about.”
It takes a moment to realize how silent the bar has grown. A pin drop could be heard as the crowd that rings us swells in size.
I hate that everyone is standing around listening to our personal business being hashed out.
She straightens to her full height as emotion floods her eyes. “Is that what this is? Were you only trying to settle an old score with River?” Her gaze studies mine, attempting to pick through my private thoughts. “Just be honest.” She gulps. “Please.”
Even though she lied to me, I find that I’m unable to be anything less than truthful with her.
“Maybe in the beginning—”
“See!” River pounces on the admittance. “It was all a fucking game!” he snarls before stabbing a finger in my direction. “Stay the fuck away from Willow. She’s not like other girls. She’s…” He pauses, almost as if searching for the right word to use. “Vulnerable and doesn’t need you playing head games with her.”
My brows jerk together. “Vulnerable?”
What the hell does that mean?
River opens his mouth only to snap it shut a second later. The ruddy color filling his face drains as he shoots an uncertain look at Willow.
Just when I think he’ll refuse to answer, his voice dips, turning husky. “She had cancer.”
Air gets knocked from my lungs, making it impossible to breathe.
My attention shifts to Willow as the bomb River just dropped reverberates throughout my entire being.
Cancer?
My brain cartwheels, making it difficult to hold on to a single thought.
Before I can come up with a response, River beats me to the punch. “You come near her again and I’ll finish what I started tonight, understand?”
Then he’s gone, disappearing with his sister through the exit and into the night.
And still…
The only thing I can do is stare at the last place I saw her standing.
Willow had cancer?