Chapter 5

five

. . .

River

I pulledup to the hospital and parked my car.

Fuck.

Ruby had gotten under my skin earlier, out on the water. Why was I so drawn to a woman who insulted me every time I saw her?

Yeah, I’d dished it back because you shouldn’t talk shit if you can’t take it in return.

But the way her hazel eyes had shown her hand was something I hadn’t expected.

I’d hurt her feelings.

Hell, I didn’t even know she had feelings.

And her bullshit about me being afraid. Sure, there was some truth there. I didn’t trust many people. I kept my circle small.

But at least I had a fucking circle.

She’d run away from everyone.

At least I dealt with my shit.

I got out of the car and made my way into the hospital to visit Lionel. He’d just started inpatient physical therapy, and he’d been grumpy and annoyed about being there, so I knew the visits helped him.

But damn, did I hate being here.

I took the elevator up to the sixth floor. When I stepped off, I came to a stop at the sound of her voice.

“I want to know why my father is sitting in his own urine. It’s completely unacceptable.” Ruby was on a tirade, which I’d come to learn was the norm for her.

I moved beside her, because for whatever fucking reason, I felt the need to make sure she was okay.

She glanced over at me, but for the first time since we’d met, she didn’t seem annoyed by my presence.

“We didn’t know he needed to use the restroom,” the older woman on the other side of the desk said. She crossed her arms over her chest, but I could tell she was nervous, even if she was trying to act like she hadn’t done anything wrong.

“That’s interesting, Betty.” Ruby said her name with complete disdain. “My father said he rang the bell four times. Four goddamn times. And he isn’t allowed to get up and walk on his own, per your rules. So, you just let him pee himself like he’s a child? Do you know how demeaning that is?”

“I must have missed the bell. We have other patients here. He isn’t the only one who needs us.”

“Got it. So, there’s no apology or attempt to make things better for him?” Ruby’s voice cracked as the words left her mouth, and it startled me. I’d never seen a vulnerable side before this morning, and now it seemed like she was ready to lose it.

But she raised her chin, shoulders squared—almost like she was gathering herself and getting into fight mode.

Damn, did I recognize that move.

I’d always been able to shift quickly when I needed to.

Fight or flight? I’d always fucking fight.

“Betty,” I said, and the woman turned toward me, eyes hard. “Have you ever had a family member have a stroke, leaving them unable to take care of themselves?”

“I don’t know why that’s your business.”

“I’m just making a point. How about a little empathy for Ruby? Seeing her dad in this state is tough. She left her home and her job to come here and support him. I’m sure you can understand why it’s difficult for her to see her father like this, yeah?”

I thought Ruby would yell at me for interfering, but she didn’t. Her shoulders sagged a little, as if she didn’t have the energy to fight me at the moment.

Damn. When was the last time someone had her back?

“I know it’s difficult to see a family member struggle. I’m sorry that we didn’t get there fast enough. How about I go and check on him, and I’ll get him cleaned up. I’ll try to keep a better eye on the monitors moving forward.”

Ruby nodded. “I appreciate it. I’ll just wait out here until you’re through.”

Betty nodded, her gaze more sympathetic now. “It’ll take a bit. I’ll get him showered now, if you want to go grab some food or coffee. Give me about thirty minutes.”

She stepped away, and Ruby turned to look at me. I thought she was going to rip me a new one for getting involved, but she surprised me. “Thank you.”

“That was painful for you to say, wasn’t it?” I smirked.

“You have no idea.” She sank her teeth into her juicy bottom lip.

“You want to go grab a cup of coffee or some food in the cafeteria while we wait to see him?”

She nodded and walked beside me toward the elevators. We stepped on, and when the doors closed, it was quiet. Being in this small space with just her was almost overwhelming.

The smell of jasmine and orange filled the air around me, and I shoved my hands into my pockets to distract myself. But then the most shocking thing of all happened.

A tear ran down her pretty face, and my eyes widened as her shoulders started to shake.

A sob escaped her throat, and she lost it.

Ruby fucking Rose was crying.

Hard.

On instinct, I moved toward the panel of buttons and stopped the elevator.

“Hey. It’s all right.” I stepped closer, not sure if I should touch her for fear she might throat-punch me.

The woman was completely unpredictable.

But I couldn’t stand there, watching her break down and not do something. Normally, I ran away from this type of shit, but for some reason, seeing Ruby Rose like this felt more like I’d won something.

Like I was the only one to see the moon during an eclipse.

I moved closer, wrapping my arms around her slowly.

Cautiously.

Like she was a cat who might whip around and scratch my eyes out.

But she didn’t. She buried her face in my shirt and cried.

It wasn’t loud or hysterical. It was controlled, just as I would expect it to be with her.

Just pure sadness.

Little whimpers she was trying hard to hold in.

My hand moved up and down her back, and my thumb traced the skin along the collar of her tee. It was soft and smooth.

Her scent was invading the air around me, and I warned my dick not to react.

Getting an erection while the strongest woman I’d ever met was having a meltdown seemed like an act of war.

Her little sobs slowed, and her hands, currently fisted in the cotton of my shirt, relaxed. She kept her head down for a minute, wiping her face.

And when she looked up at me, it was like catching a rainbow right after a storm.

Her hazel eyes were a soft blue with sage green rings around them and a bit of gold right in the center.

Soft.

Vulnerable.

Wounded.

“You okay?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

“Yes. Let’s go get something to eat.” She stepped back, face completely void of emotion now, and she stared straight ahead.

I hit the button on the elevator, and we rode down to the ground floor in silence.

I held the door when it opened, and she stepped off, walking slightly ahead of me toward the cafeteria. We each grabbed a cup of coffee, and Ruby reached for a blueberry muffin.

Once we took our seats, she broke off a piece of the muffin and popped it into her mouth before looking up at me. “If you tell anyone what happened in that elevator, I will use all of my evil queen powers to torture you until the end of time.”

“Don’t worry about it. I won’t say anything. You’re dealing with a lot, and it’s normal to cry sometimes.”

“Oh, yeah? When was the last time you cried?” She raised a brow.

“It’s been a while.” I chuckled. “How about you?”

“I haven’t cried since I was six years old, and my puppy ran away.”

I raised a brow. “You haven’t cried in over twenty years?”

“That’s the first thing that came to mind after that statement?” she said, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Yeah. What else would I ask?”

“If we found the puppy.” She reached for her coffee.

“Did you?”

“We did. I made my dad take me out every single day after school, and we finally found him.”

“Where was he?”

“It’s funny you should ask. I found Bullet walking with Midge freaking Longhorn,” she said, as if this were the most scandalous thing she’d ever shared.

Midge Longhorn owned the Golden Goose, the diner in town, which was one of my favorite places to eat. But she was about as grumpy as they came, and I wouldn’t have guessed her to be a puppy snatcher. I figured small children and animals ran for cover in her presence.

“You named your puppy Bullet when you were only six years old?” I barked out a laugh. “That’s so fucking you to do that.”

She rolled her eyes. “Again, I tell you that Midge Longhorn stole my puppy, and you focus on the name of the dog.”

“So, what did she say when you confronted her? Because there’s no fucking doubt in my mind that you confronted her.”

“Of course, I did. It had been the first time in my life I’d ever cried other than when I was a baby. And the last time, up until now. So clearly, I was attached to Bullet. And Midge acted like she’d just found him a few minutes before in the park. He’d been missing for a week. Trust me—she’s shady. And she’s been uncomfortable when I’ve been at the Golden Goose ever since. She won’t even make eye contact with me. She knows that I know she stole that puppy from a child.”

I sipped my coffee and studied her. “You do realize Midge doesn’t look at anyone. She’s in a perpetual bad mood.”

“Trust me. She knows. But she has the best tomato soup and grilled cheese in town, so it doesn’t stop me from eating there when I’m home. Plus, I get a special kind of pleasure staring her down and watching her squirm.”

“Damn. I’ve got to give you credit if you can make Midge Longhorn squirm.”

“I’m a woman of many talents.”

“I don’t doubt that. You might have nailed a few things about me in your assessment this morning. Not the part about being fearful, though. That’s not the reason that I don’t connect with many people.”

She looked surprised that I’d brought it up. But I didn’t mind talking about it. She’d been right about a lot of what she’d said. No doubt, I was damaged. I’d had a tough childhood—a lot of loss at a young age.

“If it’s not fear, what is it?” she asked, leaning forward like she was genuinely interested.

“It’s a choice. I don’t trust easily, and I’m okay with that. I’m not afraid of being let down by people because I don’t give them the option. I take care of myself. I take care of my grandmother. And I can trust my boys without question. It’s enough for me. I’m not longing for some fucked-up fairy tale. Not because I’m afraid of it, but because I don’t want it. I don’t need it.”

She nodded and raised a brow. “That’s very intuitive of you. Maybe you just haven’t met anyone worth taking the risk on. It seems like you’ve all grown close to Demi. She was an outsider, right?”

“Exactly my point. I was willing to let her in because she’s Romeo’s girl, and I respect that. But not everyone wants what they have.” Why was I telling her all of this? “How about you? I don’t see a ring on your finger. I don’t take you as someone who trusts easily, nor would I guess that you’re seeking the white picket fence.”

“Gee. What gave me away? My bubbly demeanor?” She oozed sarcasm.

“Something like that. Answer the question.”

“Why are you so interested in my personal life?” And this time, when the corners of her lips turned up, my fucking chest squeezed like I was a kid watching a goddamn unrealistic, bullshit Disney movie.

I hated Disney movies.

I hated happy endings.

Give me a thriller with a few kidnappings and murders and a healthy dose of torture, and I’ll grab the popcorn.

“I am. You’re Lionel’s daughter. You just had your first breakdown in more than two decades in front of me since dear, sweet Bullet was kidnapped by Midge fucking Longhorn. So that bonds us in a dark, serial killer kind of way, right?”

She chuckled, looking away briefly before her gaze found mine again. “I was dating the professor I worked with for a few months, but I ended it shortly before I came home.”

“The professor. How very rebellious of you. Why’d you end it?”

“You know that saying that your strengths are often your weaknesses?” She broke off another piece of her muffin and popped it into her mouth, red lips taunting me as she did so.

“Yes.”

“Well, it’s similar with relationships. I pick men who I don’t have to worry will catch feelings. The professor was fifteen years older than me. A real intellect. He’d been a bachelor his whole life, so it was a safe bet that he wouldn’t want anything serious. But, just like the last guy I dated, he suddenly dropped the L-word out of nowhere. He started talking about forever. I picked him because I didn’t want forever. Yet he pulled a one-eighty on me.”

“Maybe you’re just that impossible not to fall for.”

“It’s a curse,” she said, as she popped her thumb into her mouth and sucked the blueberry muffin crumb off without any awareness of how fucking sexy the move was.

“So, what happened to the boring professor?” I said, trying to act unfazed.

“Nothing. He understands that we don’t want the same things. I was honest from the beginning. We were friends, and it wasn’t anything serious for me. I’m not some damsel in distress looking to be saved. I’ve been saving myself for as long as I can remember. And the timing helped because I left to come home shortly after our breakup. But if I take the job I’ve been offered at the university, we’d be working together.”

“Do you want to teach?”

“Not really. But I don’t know for certain what I want to do with my degree. I’d like to maybe work with kids. I’d have loved to have someone to talk to when I was young and struggling, you know?”

There was an earnestness in her voice. In her eyes.

It hit me in that moment.

Ruby Rose is not an evil queen at all.

She was guarded and cautious and fierce.

She was the epitome of a queen.

Nothing evil about it.