The Immortal Cure

16. Plan

During the night, Parry was assigned to watch over me.
He did what Duke usually did, sitting in the sofa chair and fiddling with his nails as I drifted in and out of sleep.
It was ridiculously hard to sleep when my brain ravaged through the ideas of what could have possibly transpired with Ryde. I wanted to know everything, and now.

-

When I woke. I was alone and quickly dragged myself out of bed.
I raced through a shower and clean clothes consisting of blue faded skinny jeans and a simple black T.
I pulled my damp hair into a low ponytail and began moving downstairs, hopping while I fiddled with my converse shoes.
Paying hardly any attention, my body collided with something, or someone hard as I stumbled down the stairs towards Duke's den.

It was Riley.

"What's the rush?" He steadied me with his arms on my elbows

"No rush. Where's Duke?" I rushed out, giving myself away

"Duke" He rubbed his chin "Speaking of which, what happened last night?" He eyed me up and down

"Nothing" I rolled my eyes and tried to push past him.
Of course it didn't work.
Vampires were hard to push past.

"Come with me, I know you're hungry, let's go eat" He smiled, pulling me by the arm towards the kitchen

"But, I-" I tried to protest

"Oh, shush, later" He quieted me pushing me gently towards a dining room seat

I did what he said when the growling in my stomach became more violent.

"What would you like today?" He opened the fridge, shuffling around

"Surprise me" I replied, looking down at the table where my eyes noticed of the pattern Duke had traced with his fingers.
I ran my fingertips along it as Riley began taking ingredients out of the cupboards and fridge. I had assumed it would bacon and eggs by the simpleness of items.

"So, what happened last night Pretty?" He began raising his eyebrows

"I already told you, nothing" I repeated, not willing to tell him that Duke and I had kissed. If that's what it was with the short extent of it.
The thought replayed in my mind, I shivered but forced myself to act as normal as possible with Riley so near.

"Oh, come on Rosie, don't be like that. If you don't tell me, I'll only think more dirty of it. I couldn't see his hands, nor yours, which leads me to wonder, where were they?" He started, winking at me suggestively as he spoke his question like it were a riddle.

"You're an idiot Riley" I sighed

"That doesn't answer my question Rosalie" He sighed as he cracked an egg into the pan

"It doesn't?" I smiled, playing stupid

"If he was in fact touching you, say, wherever, you've done well, he never touches anyone unless he's throwing punches"

"He punches you?" I asked, changing the subject, yet actually interested

"Yeah, it barely hurts though, and I'm almost always asking for it" He winked, turning back to the pan "But nice try on the subject change, it's not working. So tell me what happened? I bit of kissy kissy, touchy touchy?"

"If I tell you, will you keep it to yourself, keep a secret for once in your life?" I gave in, wanting to get off the subject. I had a feeling he wasn't going to give in until I told him the complete truth.

"Sure will" He nodded, turning to face eager for the information

"We kissed, but barely, it wasn't really a kiss. It was more like a peck, a really really short peck on the lips" I admitted, looking down at the pattern I traced with my fingers