Farm Girl Loves Bad Boy (#2)

Chapter Thirteen

Slowly, I tip toe down the stairs. I don’t know how long it’s been, and I can’t take the starvation anymore. The dark living room is perfectly in my view, and neither of the boys stirs. I can’t tell who’s on the couch, or who’s on the floor, but I don’t wait to find out.

In the kitchen, I grab a glass of milk out of the fridge, shielding my eyes from the bright light in the darkness. Afterwards, I reach into the cupboard to find a package of chocolate chip cookies. I’ve just pulled them out when someone taps my shoulder.

I jump back in the dark, dropping the cookies on the floor and covering my mouth before I scream. Moments later, the light is flicked on and Emery stands leaning against the doorframe with raised, amused eyebrows.

I cover my heart and take deep breaths to calm myself down. “You scared me, idiot,” I snap quietly, collecting my package of cookies from the tile. “Since when do you sleep in pants?” I ask, noticing he’s actually fully clothed while sleeping.

“Since I have to sleep in the same room as a fucking creep,” he mutters stepping towards me. I don’t know whether to take Emery not minding sleeping in the same room with me only in his boxers as a compliment or not.

“Can you just drop the whole Vince-is-not-who-you-think-he-is charade?” I whisper yell at Emery, as he reaches for my glass of milk. I snatch it before he can grab it and take a sip, glaring at him.

“I won’t drop it until you believe me,” he says, reaching towards me. “At least let me have a cookie. I ate less than you did.” Rolling my eyes, I hand him the box that he takes happily. He lies it on the counter and sides the plastic out so he can grab a cookie.

“Give me three good reasons I should believe you after all you have done to me,” I whisper, avoiding his eyes while he stuffs his face. I take a cookie from the package and soak it in my glass of milk. Emery watches me curiously, and extends his cookie towards me. “Get your own glass,” I hiss, moving it out of his reach.

He narrows his eyes. “Number one, Vince said…” he trails off, not meeting my eyes as he searches for the right words. “Some things that make me want to strangle him. Number two-“

“What things?” I cut him off, curiosity bubbling. Regardless of if Emery is being truthful of not, I want to know.

“River,” he grunts, clenching his teeth. He doesn’t reach for another cookie and instead turns his hands into fists. “I know this isn’t going to make things better, but I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?” I snap, slamming down my glass of milk.

“The things…I just don’t want you to hear them.” I bite my bottom lip, trying not to snap at him. He wants me to desperately believe him however he can’t tell me what Vince apparently said?

“You still have two more reason,” I mutter, biting into another cookie.

“Number two, Vince is a really bad guy, River. Three, I don’t want you to get hurt.” Instead of calling him out on how his second reason doesn’t make me believe him any more than his first, I roll my eyes.

“Funny that you care about me not getting hurt,” I snap, glaring into his pleading blue eyes. “When you’re the one who hurt me deeply in the first place.”

Emery sighs, running his fingers through his midnight hair. I know he doesn’t know what to say, so I take a sip of my milk so he can try and come up with something.

“River, I left so I could stop hurting you. I left to search for the family I’ve never have, and I need you to understand that it was for the best.”