Riptide | Rhea Ripley | Enemies to Lovers | Possessive and Spicy

60 - Breathe

I didn't expect my day to be like this.

Watching a broken Rhea. Crying and shaking beneath the shower water like she is. Still in drenched clothes and black and red stained eyes.

I never imagined I'd ever see Rhea like this.

And it broke my fucking heart.

"Rhea, talk to me..." I whispered, wiping away a smudge of black on her cheek. I was gripping her face tight, not letting her go for anything.

Rhea took a deep and wobbly breath. Then another real manual and laboured breath. "I have to go to Australia..." she got out, quiet and a whimper. I could tell she wanted to say more but she was struggling.

"Why?" I asked her, quietly.

"My-my." Rhea couldn't speak through the tears and the choking. "My grandpa died..."

I think my heart broke more.

I didn't even know what to say. What to do. So I just let her face go and she buried it again in her hands, sputtering as she cried. Completely broke down in front of me.

I knew she loved her family. Loved all of them and told me about them all the time. She wanted me to meet them all. Her grandpa... everyone.

Just letting her cry for minutes without anything to say to cheer her up was heartbreaking... there isn't much you can do in this situation than just let them get it out...

Let them break until they can breathe again.

I put a gentle hand on her knee, the other on her hand and holding it tight. She held it back even tighter, like she was using it to get her pain out.

Rhea let out a gut wrenching noise. She couldn't hold it back, she fully let herself break down.

I rubbed a hand over her hair, pulling it out of her face for her. Then Rhea broke from the wall and collapses into my lap. She buried her head in my chest, holding around my middle tighter than she ever has.

Holding her back, I caressed her skin as she struggled to breathe. I rubbed her back. When she couldn't get a breathe out, I whispered and told her to breathe. She tried to follow but really had trouble.

I don't know how long we stayed there for, under the water, and completely soaked with water and tears. But Rhea grew silent, I thought she was asleep until she slowly pulled herself out of my body and showed me her face.

It was a complete mess. Red, wet, stained and so upsetting I nearly cried. Her eyes were in pain. She was in pain. "You're beautiful." I told her.

But she didn't smile, she just sat in a state of dissociation. Staring at nothing in particular. She was stuck in her head. Probably imagining all the times she should have been in Australia. How much time she missed with him.

I'd never been in a situation like this before.

"Let's get out and I'll drive you home." I said. "Rhea?" I asked her, hoping she would agree.

She snapped her weak eyes to mine. She nodded lightly and I helped pull her up.

"Let me clean your face and skin." I stopped her quickly, and rubbed at her skin. Cleaning off the smudges and drops of makeup.

Eventually we got out and I helped her change into comfier clothes. I tried to carry her bag but she said it'll be alright and did it herself.

As we were leaving, I texted Dom to let D and Finn know Rhea and I were leaving. That Rhea was unwell.

We walked past Triple H's office, and I peered in to see him sitting at his desk, reading through some papers. Rhea was ahead of me, walking slowly towards the exit.

I quickly popped my head in, before I could speak, he nodded like he already understood. "I know, it's alright."

I smiled at him. That's what Rhea was talking to him about earlier then, he already knew.

Helping Rhea in my car, I turned the heat on during the drive because Rhea was shivering.

Once we got to her house, she unlocked the door and then put her bags down at the entrance.

I watched as she slowly walked to the couch, sunk on it and then started to cry again.