Chapter 36 36
Chapter 36 36
~RYDER~
I was so glad I had been able to put Raven in her place. I mean, how dare she ever show her face again?
I wanted her to rot behind those bars, but I guess she was granted a bail after all. Their family... they were quite rich.
But I thought her dad had disowned her after she used a huge sum for gambling...
She even ended up losing...
And now she was back to assault my woman again?
No way!
I felt this was all my fault. She the guts to do whatever she was doing now because of what happened between us in the past.
How could I be so blind? To fall for someone like her?
As a child, she was one of the very few female friends I had. I guess that stupid friendship turned into what I thought was love.
~
Tessa squeezed my hand and whispered something about needing the restroom. I kissed the back of her hand and nodded. “I’ll be right here.”
She smiled.
And then she was gone.
That was the last good thing about this party.
Because the second she disappeared behind the hedge path....
“Ryder.”
Her voice always came poison.
I turned.
Raven was back.
Closer now.
Red lips, dress clinging like it had something to prove.
"What the heck do you want again?" I yelled at her.
“Heyy... Calm down, honey... You know,” she said, walking a slow circle around me, “we could start over. Just wipe the slate clean.”
I didn’t answer.
She kept circling.
“I mean, you and me… come on, Ryder. You know I’m a better fit than that cheap little—”
“Don’t,” I snapped.
Her eyes lit up like I’d fed her.
“Touchy,” she said. “Is it because you know I’m right?”
“You’re the furthest thing from right.”
She laughed once—short, fake.
“You used to be fun,” she said, pouting. “Remember when we were kids? You promised to marry me.”
I stared at her coldly. “And that was the biggest mistake of my life.”
Her smile dropped.
Finally.
She stepped in close... too close. Her perfume hit me like smoke in the face.
“You really think she’s gonna make it through this?” Raven hissed. “You think she’s built for your world?”
“She’s stronger than you’ll ever be.”
Her eyes flared.
“I want you back, Ryder,” she said, voice sharp. “And I’m not going to let that diner rat stand in our way.”
I didn’t blink. “She already did. And she won.”
That got her.
But she wasn’t done.
“I have my family’s property now. I’m rich, Ryder. You think some sob story can compete with that? You and I... we could run this town. We're the perfect match... Ryder. Just come back to your senses... that girl, is just a gold digger."
“You’re out of your mind,” I growled.
“I’m right,” she said. “And you know it. You’ll get tired of playing the hero eventually. You’ll miss the fire... your lovely Raven."
“I’ll never miss you.”
Before she could answer, another voice cut in.
“Raven?”
We both turned.
My mother.
She walked up with a curious smile.
Raven spun around and instantly transformed. The poison vanished. Her voice pitched up like a schoolgirl.
“Mrs. Bishop! Oh my god, it’s been forever!”
She threw her arms around her.
My mother stiffened slightly, but kept smiling.
“Look who showed up,” she said. “My son’s childhood friend.”
“Yes, isn’t that sweet?” Raven cooed, pulling back with perfect teeth. “Just catching up. You two talk—I’ll let you enjoy the evening.”
And with a final fake smile, she vanished back into the crowd.
I couldn’t breathe.
“Ryder,” my mom said, frowning. “What was...”
“I need a minute.”
I turned and walked away.
Fast.
I didn’t look back.
~
I barely had time to cool off when I heard the voice.
It was Raven. Again! What the fuck was she up to this time?
“She pushed me!”
My stomach dropped.
I turned back just in time to see Raven stagger dramatically backward near the center of the patio.
A small circle of guests had formed around her.
She was crying.
Or pretending to.
Crocodile tears... obviously. That was her specialty.
“Your so-called future Mrs. Bishop... She just shoved me. For no reason! I wasn’t even speaking to her—”
Tessa stood a few feet away, lips parted, hands clenched at her sides.
She wasn’t saying anything.
Not yet.
Raven kept going. “I... I nearly twisted my ankle!"
Some woman gasped. A man stepped forward like he was trying to help.
I was already walking.
“Raven,” I growled.
She looked at me, eyes wild.
“You saw what she did,” she said. “I... I was just trying to talk to you earlier, and now she’s... she’s violent!”
She stepped toward Tessa, holding her glass like she forgot it was full.
A little stumble.
Too perfect.
Too fake.
The champagne spilled out and splashed across Tessa’s black satin dress, soaking the bodice and streaking down the side like a slow insult.
“Oh... oh my God!” Raven cried, hands to her mouth. “I didn’t mean to..."
Tessa snapped. "I'm fucking sick and tired of you Raven!"
Slap!
The sharp, echoing crack of her hand across Raven’s face made several people gasp.
Including me.
The red mark was instant.
Raven froze.
Her lip curled like an animal.
“You... you slap me?” she hissed, eyes wide with humiliation and fury. “Bitch! You’ll hear from my lawyers, you psycho!”
Tessa stepped forward, unflinching. “Get. Out.”
Raven’s mouth opened again...
But security was already on her.
Two clean-cut men in black jackets approached.
“Ma’am,” one said, “you’ve been asked to leave.”
“I’m a guest!”
“You were not on the list.”
Raven turned back to me like I’d somehow reverse it.
I didn’t.
She looked at Mrs. Bishop next.
Nothing.
She tried Debbie.
Debbie just raised her wine glass and smiled.
“Bye now.”
Raven’s expression cracked completely.
Security escorted her through the crowd.
She didn’t go quietly... she muttered something under her breath, clutching her heels in one hand.
But she went.
And when the gate shut behind her...
The party started breathing again.
I walked over to Tessa.
Her dress was wet. Her hands were still shaking. But her eyes?
Steady.
“Damn,” I whispered, sliding an arm around her waist. “Didn’t know you could slap like that.”
She leaned against me.
“She had it coming.”
“Hell yeah, she did.”