Reckless Play | ✓

40. Mending Hearts

I missed him.

I didn't want to but I did.

He had become such an essential part of my life in such a short time it terrified me. But I had time to think, and I knew he couldn't have feigned it. He had feelings for me. At least I hoped he did. The yearning in his gaze this past few days proved it.

Not thinking twice about it my thumb moved over the screen and hovered over the mic button. One breath in, one breath out. Chill.

Once I was sure my voice would not waver or crack I pressed down. "Hey...uhm...Char is here with me, I mean, at my house." I took a breath before continuing, "She wasn't feeling very well. Now she's passed out on the couch. I think...I think it would be best if you came get her? She wouldn't say it but she needs her brother right now." I sighed, stealing a glance at the couch. "Text me when you get here."

There was no need to ask if he would come. I knew he would. There wasn't a thing he wouldn't do for his sister.

My eyes stayed fixed on the chat until his next message popped up.

I'll be there in twenty

My stomach churned with nerves. Now that the first part was done I had to take several deep breaths to cool down.

Everything is fine. You got this.

Finished with my little peep talk I moved to the kitchen to fix me a cup of coffee in order to keep my hands occupied. The only drawback was my mind wasn't, quickly coming up with different scenarios of how this whole night could end.

I walked back to the living room, drinking my coffee slowly until the phone beeped again in my hand.

I'm here

That took fifteen minutes at most. Suddenly I was wondering why there wasn't more traffic on the streets.

My hands felt clammy as I approached the door. I couldn't believe I was so nervous to face him after everything we did. His hands had been in places I had never let anyone touch before and now, somehow, thinking about being in the same room with him brought goose bumps on my arms.

With one last breath of courage I opened the door and there he was, handsome as ever in a navy blue windbreaker. His deep green eyes studied my face intently.

"Hi" I said.

"Hey"

His voice made my heart pump faster. I bit my lip nervously as I looked over my shoulder in the direction of the couch. It never actually occurred to me how I would speak to him once he got here without waking Char.

"Can I come in?" He asked.

"Umh...yes."

He walked past me, his familiar fragrance hitting me on the face. I leaned back against the door, my eyes taking in his movements as he stopped in front of the couch, taking Charlotte in.

"What happened?" The barely controlled tone of his voice gave away how hard he was trying to control himself.

The last thing I wanted was for Char to wake up to a first row show of her brother's temper.

"Let's go upstairs." I said, moving towards the staircase not looking whether he followed or not. It took him a few seconds, but then I heard his footsteps as he climbed up.

I stopped in the middle of my room, watching as he stepped inside. I interrupted the perusal of his surroundings when I told him the reason his sister showed up at my door.

"Dylan broke up with her."

Ryan's eyes flashed, his nostrils flaring before he burst, "That fucking scumbag! I'm gonna kill him!"