The Night We Met

Chapter 54

Riley's POV:

For the first time ever, I was the one dragging Aiden by the hand as we paced the halls of the hotel in search of Madelyn. I needed to find her. Not because I want Aiden to hurt her but because I have a plan. I hate the girl but I'd never want her to go through what I've gone through. 

We reach her hotel room and I knock on the door but get no response. Yelling her name through the door, there was still no response so I roll my eyes and then walk further down the hallway before getting to the band's room. They weren't in there either. I check James's hotel room which was next door to theirs but again, there was no response. I turn to face Aiden and bite my lip. His face had contorted with frustration, probably since he didn't believe me but I had to prove to him that Madelyn was real.

"Come with me," I tell him. He rolls his eyes but follows me down the corridor nonetheless. We rush down the stairs and head next door into the auditorium. There, we find everyone the band on the stage, midway through rehearsing a song for the second show tonight. Madelyn was sat in the front row beside Mr. T as per usual and I bite my lip, gesturing towards her. Before I have the chance to say anything, all eyes land on both Aiden and I and before I know it James's eyes are on me too.

"Riley!" he exclaims. He instantly puts his drumsticks down, dropping them on the stage before jumping off of it, not bothering to use the side staircase. He makes his way over to me and wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me in close. I thought things between him and I would have been awkward. I thought he would have hated me but instead he kisses my temple and forehead continuously. "Ri, baby, are you okay?" he asks. He places his other hand on my hip, the left one remaining around my waist while I instinctively rest my head against his chest. I couldn't help it. 

He lifts his gaze from me and turns to face Aiden and immediately, he unravels his arms from around me and steps towards my ex with a ferocious look on his face, one so violent it scared me slightly. "What the fuck did you do to her?!" he exclaims, approaching Aiden and slowly backing him up. When Aiden doesn't respond, he slaps him across the face while I stand there, almost immobilised. "Answer my fucking question!" he yells but Aiden's face changes again. He looks towards me and instantly I bite my lip.

"What the hell, Riley! Was this some sort of set up or something!" he shouts at me, only making James punch him in the chest, causing Aiden to stagger to his feet. I shake my head and rush over as James begins to lower himself down, punching Aiden's stomach and kicking his legs and thighs. I couldn't watch it. So as I make my way over midway through their fight, I place my hand on James's arm and stroke it lightly.

"James, stop," I say but he was so focused on what he was doing that he barely heard. Sighing, I lower my hand to link it with his palm and then I bring it up to my lips for me to kiss his knuckles. "Please. Leave him alone, okay," I state. Slowly, he begins to stop punching Aiden as he lay flat out on the floor, staring at James, petrified. No one had ever beaten Aiden up the way James had just done and I'm not going to lie . . . I was slightly frightened myself.

Everyone was watching right now. Mr. T had approached us in the attempts of stopping the guys' antics but he stopped himself once I took charge. I place my hand on James's shoulder and nudge him lightly, trying to get him to look at me. Reaching up, I bury my head into the crook of his neck until he looks at me and notices how I was shaking then he sighs and pulls me into him so that my head rested in his chest.

"You . . . You thought I was going to hurt you," he whispers, mumbling over the top of my hair and making my breathing hitch.

"No, James, I just . . ."

"You got scared . . . because of me," he whispers, almost like he was talking to himself. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Riley," he says, cuddling me tighter but I shake my head, lifting it up to look at him. I cup his cheeks as I look at him and rest my forehead against his.

"No," I tell him, trying to calm him down for once. "It's not your fault. You'd never hurt me, James. I trust you, okay," I say but he shakes his head, closing his eyes as I stroke my thumb over his cheek. 

"Those things you texted me, Ri," he whispers, making me shake my head. "Were they . . . were they true?"

"No, never. I love you, okay. I love your music. I love your family. I'd never say any of those things. It wasn't me who sent those messages," I tell him, making him sigh again as he moves his hands down to my waist, pulling me closer to his body. "I never wanted to break up with you, James. It's only been a day, but God, it's felt like months," I say, chuckling, making him smile softly. "I want you, James. I've always wanted you. I'll never want anyone else, only you," I whisper. He reopens his eyes and looks down at me before pressing his lips to my forehead as I close my eyes this time. "I have a plan," I whisper to him, my lips brushing his as he leant his head down to look directly into my eyes. "Just trust me on this, okay."

He nods his head in response and I smile, turning around to face Madelyn whilst James kept his arm around my waist.

"Why are you all looking at me?" she asks with a tint of sass in her tone, making me roll my eyes. But honestly? I've never been so happy to hear her voice.

"I know someone you can go on a date with," I tell her. She raises an eyebrow before getting the hint then she looks down at Aiden and her frown shortly turns into a scowl.

"That!" she spits. "You want me to go on a date . . . with that?"

"We'll make it a double date," James says, squeezing my hip lightly as I lean into his body. "We'll go with you guys."

"What's in it for me?" Madelyn asks as Aiden continued to lie down flat on the floor, semi-conscious. James and I look at each other before smirking as he leans his head on top of mine.

"Love," we both say at the same time, cuddling into each other. Madelyn sticks her tongue out before shaking her head, shrugging.

"I have no idea what you two are on about but whatever. Now can we please finish rehearsing?" she asks, but is cut off by my squeal as James suddenly gives my hip a squeeze. Once I turn my head around to face him, we both smile at each other before he presses his lips against mine and I tug the collar of his top, pulling him down to my height as he begins to back me up until we were by the doors of the room. We break apart for a moment when he moves his hands to my thighs to pick me up so I was straddling him and as he does, I move my hands to the back of his head, pushing his lips against mine again as he guides us out.

The difference between making out with James compared to Aiden is that Aiden's forceful, violent and he hurts me. James, on the other hand, is soft, gentle, sweet and makes sure I'm okay with what we're doing. And that's just one of the things I love about him.

He pins himself to a wall in the corridor linking the auditorium to the hotel and I smile at him as he pulls away from my lips to brush his nose against mine.
"Just double checking . . . we're not broken up, right?" he inquires, making me laugh as I wrap my arms around his neck while he adjusts my position around his torso.
"We never broke up, James," I tell him, giggling softly. "I just had to do something and that meant having to avoid you. I needed to get away from here but the plan sort of failed midway . . . but it doesn't really matter anymore. I've got you. That's all I care about," I say and he smiles, pressing a kiss to my lips again.

"And that's all I care about too," he says, before turning us around in a quick movement so that I was against the wall now and he moves his lips to my neck, tickling me in the process and making me laugh more. "So you're coming to the show tonight?" he mumbles against my lips. I smile, pecking his cheek while he continues his work on the skin of my neck.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, babe."