Riot Hearts: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Saints of Crow Book 1) Read online

  “River,” she mumbled in greeting.

  “Evelyn,” River replied in the same tone, making Evie roll her eyes.

  I pursed my lips and drew in a deep breath. “What are you doing here?”

  He gave me a bored look. “I’m eating my lunch.”

  Frowning, I eyed him skeptically and he stared right back at me. Before I could ask more, River shifted his focus to Isabella Darlington, who was sitting three people down.

  “Isabella, I heard you father is looking to invest,” he said, knowing I could hear.

  Isabella tucked a blonde strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh yeah, you’ve got some ideas?”

  “Maybe I could show you them later.”

  She chuckled and I pretended to stick my finger down my throat to gag at Evie, who grinned at me.

  “Maybe you could show me something else, too,” she cooed.

  River kept a flat face. “Meet me after school, parking lot.”

  I rolled my eyes. Isabella was too immature and daft for River, and he knew it. Why he was playing with her, I didn’t know. “I didn’t think you were into the brainless blonde shit,” I teased River.

  “Careful now, Nightmare. It would be sad if I accidentally thought you cared.”

  Evie hummed under her breath and I sent her a disapproving scowl, which only made her giggle more.

  “I’ve lost my appetite. There’s a piece of shit sitting next to me,” I told Evie matter-of-factly, sitting up in my chair in an offer to leave.

  “Wait, I haven’t eaten my pie yet,” she whined.

  Huffing a growl, I sunk back into my seat and crossed my arms over my chest. River was smiled coyly in the seat next to me, but I chose to ignore him.

  Smug bastard.

  Why couldn’t he go away?

  “Hey, River,” Sean Adley called from the other end of the table. “So, are you and Emory going away to New York this weekend?”

  River cocked an eyebrow and gave him bored stare. “Hey, Sean, do you want the position of being my personal assistant? Since you obviously have no personal life, and you already seem to know my schedule?”

  I wanted to laugh but coughed instead.

  “What crawled up your ass this morning? So, is it true?”

  “You’re an idiot,” was the only answer River gave.

  “That he is,” I muttered before I could stop myself.

  River’s head snapped to me with a slick grin on his lips. “Did you… did you just agree with me?”

  With a groan, I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I did. Surprising, right?”

  “Well, well. Since this is obviously reverse day, do you want to suck my dick while you’re at it?”

  “I respectfully decline. I don’t want chlamydia in my mouth.”

  “Funny you mention that. Weren’t you the one who caught chlamydia after your first time?”

  My mouth fell open.

  “Asshole,” I spat. “I didn’t get chlamydia. It was a rumor.”

  Evie looked at me. “But you got tested, didn’t y—”

  “Evie, shut up!”

  River laughed harder into his clenched fist. My cheeks were burning and my eyes were itchy from not blinking for the last few minutes.

  Rumor or not, I was mortified. I was fifteen and a complete dumbass who lost it to my brother’s friend. I was pathetic at the time. His friend was only interested because Gabriel disapproved, and I was too naïve to see it. So, I lost my virginity to him, and two days later, there was a rumor about him having chlamydia.

  Lunch passed agonizingly slow, but River stopped his torment at some point. Evie and I were walking to class afterward, and the halls had emptied out, giving me the opportunity to shout at her.

  “What the hell happened during lunch today? I hinted to you, saying we should leave, and then you start whining about your fricking pie?” Other people may mistake me for rude, but Evie laughed.

  “I’m sorry! Honestly, though, I couldn’t help myself. River’s comebacks are golden.”

  “What about my comebacks?” I asked, high-pitched.

  “You have good comebacks!” She smiled sheepishly. “But his are better.”

  Huffing, I crossed my arms over my chest. “I thought you hated the guy.”

  “I do,” Evie quipped. “But you two together is like the best kind of drama series.”

  I couldn’t even argue. Whenever River and I were together, there was almost some kind of fuse waiting to be lit and dynamite waiting to explode.

  Isabella was already waiting for me by my car when I walked out of the university after class. She annoyed me even at a ten-foot distance, and I had to force myself not to do a one-eighty.

  “Hi,” she chirped as I approached.

  Her hands reached up to shove a strand of honey-blonde hair behind her ear and she glanced up at me, fluttering her lashes with a sweet smile.

  I regretted baiting her earlier.

  She was annoying—the gossip-head of the town and way too immature for me. She had just turned seventeen and the only reason she attended college was because she happened to be good at bribing teachers so she could pretend she was older than she was. As for street-smart? Not really. Plus, she was too desperate.

  “Hey,” I said dryly.

  “So… What do you want to do?”

  Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I moved past her, unlocked the car, and reached over into the glove compartment, pulling a folder out.

  Isabella’s face scrunched up in confusion when I shoved it into her hands. “Here. Can you give these to your father? It’s the blueprints for the new hotels we’re looking to build.”

  She masked her earlier slip up with a quick nod. “Yes, of course.”

  I grew agitated when she stared at me like she wanted to lick me like a lollipop.

  “Bye now,” I groused, hoping she’d take the hint.

  She didn’t. “Uhm, was there something else you wanted?” Tilting her head at me, she bit her lip in an attempt to seduce me. I looked down at her with boredom.

  This was wrong. I shouldn’t have hit on her, even if I never had any intentions of doing anything with her. I did it because I knew it would piss off Emory.

  “Listen, Isabella.” I rubbed my eyebrows and looked away from her. “I’m not interested in doing anything with you.”

  Her defined brows pulled in. “But I thought—”

  “I don’t care what you thought. I’m telling you right now, I’m not interested.”

  Her lips parted in shock. She was too soft, too fragile. If those words hurt her, she wasn’t cut out to live in this city.

  “Is it because of Emory?”

  My eyes shot back to her. “Emory?”

  “This is because you two have a thing, right?”

  I snorted loudly. Isabella was dumber than I thought.

  “You’re an asshole, River,” she continued when I didn’t say anything. “What does she have that I don’t, huh? Nothing. She’s just a whore who gets around!”

  My eyes narrowed impatiently. “That’s enough. You’re an immature child.”

  “I’m almost eighteen!” Isabella’s eyes glittered with emotion, but she still yelled at me. It was a lie, but that was beside the point.

  “And I still won’t ever be interested in you. Get it through your thick skull.” I sucked in a deep sigh. I had to keep my temperament in check because Isabella wasn’t strong enough to handle it. “Know when you’re not wanted is all I’m saying. Please step away from my car, I’m leaving now. And just to make things crystal-clear: I won’t ever touch you. You hear me?”

  She glared accusingly at my car as I slipped in, fired up the engine, and shot out of the parking lot.

  I cursed under my breath and hit the steering wheel before wrapping my fingers around it.

  I might’ve ruined the investment deal for my father, and he would not be pleased with me. And that was an understatement. He would be absolutely outraged.

  Better drive home and get it over w
ith.

  “River!” my father snarled from inside his study the moment I opened the front door.

  Looking to my left, the door to his study was open. He’d waited for me.

  “Yes,” I ground out as I grudgingly sauntered over to the door where I lingered.

  He waved me over with two fingers, keeping his eyes on his laptop in front of him.

  I slunk over and he closed the laptop.

  Great.

  “Did you intentionally ruin my business deal?”

  Frowning, I slowed in my steps. “Where did you hear that from?”

  His eyes darkened. “Don’t play dumb,” he boomed. “I just got a call from Mr. Darlington saying an investment is out of the question if Sinclair Corp. is running such an uncontrolled business.”

  And there it was, the reason why no one liked Isabella. She was a blabbermouth and as sensitive as a newborn penguin.

  Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I crossed my arms over my chest. “Why do you think I have something to do with it?”

  Father stared at me for a split-second before he leaned back into his chair with a sadistic chuckle. “No, boy. Don’t take that tone with me. He told me what happened between you and his daughter.”

  I scowled at him. “Did he tell you his daughter got mad because I wouldn’t let her blow me in the backseat of my car?”

  “Language.”

  A growl was rising in my throat and so was my body temperature.

  “Her father told me you kept insulting her and calling her awful things. What is wrong with you?”

  My mouth fell open and I wanted to scream at him.

  Whatever I might have called Isabella, I’d bet my ass he called some woman something worse on a daily basis.

  “Did she tell you I did that because she called Emory a whore? And did she tell you I continued to defend Emory because she was acting immature?” I paused to take a break. “You were the one who told us to be nice to Emory—keep her on your good side. Decide what you want. You can’t have it all.”

  Obviously, I didn’t defend Emory because he told me to. I defended her because Isabella was pissing me off more than Emory in that moment. But my father was one of the few people who could get it all, and that was the problem.

  My father pursed his lips, taking a deep breath. “Very well. You can go.”

  I almost snapped and let my feelings run loose.

  “Go?” I blurted in disbelief. “Is that all you have to say to me?”

  “Yes, River, go. Do I need to spell it out for you, too?”

  My teeth clashed together when I snapped my mouth shut. My nostrils flared and my eyes stung. Clenching my fists, I turned and went for the door, but halfway there I was stopped again.

  “And River?” Father called out after me.

  I didn’t bother turning. “Yes?”

  “Effective immediately, and for an indefinite time, your responsibilities at Sinclair Corp. are transferred to Nicolas. It’s just the way it has to be after this lamentable incident with the Darlington daughter.”

  A lump grew painfully in my throat and my eyes stung. What the fuck just happened? That son of a bitch cut me from the family company.

  “Great, then I take it I’m not going to New York next weekend, either,” I squeezed out, using all of my energy to sound unaffected. I didn’t want him to know how much he had ruined my life.

  “Yes, you are. That is not Sinclair Corp. business. You’re going even if I have to tape your ass to the plane seat myself. You’re going.” His tone made it clear this was the last he was going to say about the matter. “And for the love of God, please put your best foot forward. We need Emory on our side.”

  I bit down a growl.

  Damn him to hell.

  I’d been out all day. First classes, then meetings with the current CEO of Lauder Inc. I still had a lot on my mind. Everything after my parents’ death still wasn’t settled, and I had yet to discuss the matter of my will. I had shoved the thought to the back of my head and refused to think about it. It was childish, but shivers ran through me simply from thinking about it.

  It was already pretty dark outside when I arrived home. A shade of dark gold coated my surroundings as a going-away present from the sun.

  I’d parked my car in the garage, from which a stoned staircase swirled up to the house. From here, only the top triangle of the house was visible.

  I remained stoic, but deep down, I dreaded going inside. The house was too big for one person. Damn it. I shouldn’t be emotional about their deaths. Grief was pathetic. What I should have done was sell the house and bought something more practical. That was the logical decision, so why hadn’t I done it yet?

  Hiking my bag over my shoulder, I walked, keeping all thoughts of my family out of my head. But as soon as the porch came into view, I froze. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  River looked lazily up at me from where he sat on top of the stairs, elbows resting on his knees and head hanging between his legs. He sat right in front of the white door, perfectly centered between the two columns holding up the second floor. A bottle sat between his legs.

  “Hey, Nightmare,” he drawled, his British accent evident.

  As I marched over to the dark-haired devil, his scent washed over me. Only, the familiar cologne was coated in a thick layer of tequila and scotch.

  He was drunk.

  “Are you drunk?” Grabbing his arm to drag him off my porch, I glowered at him. I was met with a dead gaze and parted lips. When he stood, he swayed slightly like the trees in the wind, and I was convinced.

  “That’s what I’ve always liked about you, Emmy. You’re smart.”

  The familial nickname sounded odd coming from his lips. River’s skin was flushed and for some reason, my heart picked up an unsteady beat. Why did him being drunk make him more… him? Honest. His skin shone and he looked like something out of a fantasy world.

  I shifted my focus to his blue eyes. “What are you doing here?”

  “Thought I’d sleep out here.” He grinned and took a step forward, causing him to trip and fall into my arms. It was a miracle I managed to hold us both up. Warm shivers rippled through my body as we stood tangled for a second, his hands on my shoulders and my hands around his back. Shoving him away, I gulped.

  “You cannot. You’re drunk. Go home, or I’m calling the cops.”

  If I hadn’t known the guy since I was a baby, I might’ve called the police. But the fact that he was drunk and here of all places did something to me. Calling the police wouldn’t do any good. What would they have done anyway?

  “Ohh, the cops,” River cooed. “Call them so I can bribe them some more. It’ll make me more like my father, right?”

  “What does your father have to do with the fact that you’re drunk and on my porch?”

  River scowled at me but didn’t say anything.

  “River,” I prompted gruffly, “what are you doing here?”

  “I needed to see you.”

  My heart jumped and my eyes widened.

  “I needed to see you to remind myself why I do what I do.”

  That didn’t even make any sense.

  “Do you have any idea how lucky you are?” he asked bitterly. “You’re little miss perfect, who always follows her heart and doesn’t give a damn about other people. You’re the one who ruined my life. You ruined everything!”

  I frowned at him. What had happened to derail him like this? Something had unhinged in him because he would never have showed up like this before the summer. Since then, he seemed to get more and more desperate to prove something.

  A part of me wanted to argue with him, but the other part knew it would bring no good. River and I were gasoline and flames. We exploded together. Tonight wouldn’t end well with me being already tired and him being drunk.

  Biting my lip, I shoved him. “You need to go.” I gave him another push. “And don’t blame whatever your issues are on me. I have never done anything to you.”


  Up until River glanced down to where I still had my palms steadily pressed against his chest, I hadn’t noticed myself. I could feel his chest rise and fall, and his warmth was like electricity against my palms. I withdrew them.

  I didn’t know why, but sending him on his way in the state he was in made my gut ache.

  Why was I worried about him?

  Because I was a decent human being, and I don’t want to see him robbed and beaten.

  “Let’s go,” I sighed, inclining my head at the street.

  River’s eyes flicked to where I’d nodded but then narrowed. “Why?”

  “I’m driving you home.” Sighing out of frustration and pity for him, I leaned forward to grab his hand and dragged him with me, but he winced.

  “No, you can’t take me to the estate.” His eyes were wild and his breathing staggered.

  “Why not?”

  “Because of my father. Don’t take me home.” His next word came out an almost inaudible whisper. “Please.”

  Biting my lip, my stomach clenched. River never said please.

  “Fine, I won’t take you there. But you can’t stay on my porch—you’re only in a shirt and pants. And you can’t wander the streets. You’ll get robbed or kidnapped for ransom. Is there anywhere else I can take you?”

  River cleared his throat. “I have an apartment downtown.”

  “Great, let’s go.” Positioning myself behind him, I shoved his back. When he almost fell face-first, it was clear my tactic wouldn’t work.

  River was trashed—uncharacteristically trashed.

  Repositioning myself at his side, holding his arm, I managed to get him to the garage and into the car. I found a water bottle and made him sip from it. River kept staring at me with a look I couldn’t decipher while I drove. I was grateful I had an excuse to not meet his gaze.

  The city was buzzing with life still—cars honking, lights around us like thousands of colorful fireflies. River directed me to a building right in the center of town and into an underground parking garage.

  “Is this it?”