The past
Whitney’s phone rang quietly on the table over and over while she was in the shower.
I told myself I wasn’t going to look. It was none of my business who was calling her. I glanced at the bathroom door, and the water continued to run as the phone rang for the fourth time. If it was her parents and something bad had happened, she’d want to know.
“Your phone’s going off,” I told her through the door. When she didn’t answer, I made an executive decision. It could be an emergency.
I walked to the table and grabbed her phone. Her caller ID read Ricky calling.
What the hell? That cheating asshole is still bothering her?
I didn’t care that I had to change the radio every time his song came on. He was still a tool, and I could still buy and sell him.
The phone went quiet and immediately started ringing again.
Anger built up in my chest at the thought of how often he might be harassing her. That shit had to stop. I knew I shouldn’t do it, but I answered it anyway.
“You need to stop calling, asshole.”
“Who the fuck is this?”
His shocked tone didn’t surprise me.
“Whitney’s boyfriend.”
“The fuck you are!”
“What did you think she was going to do when she found out you cheated on her, you piece of shit? Keep letting you treat her like that? No. She moved on and found a real man.”
“Who the fuck is this?” he asked again.
“Lincoln Riscoff.”
The call went silent for a moment. “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me. She wouldn’t touch a Riscoff. Ever. Try again, dick. Better yet, give my girlfriend the phone so I can tell her I got her letter.”
Got her letter?
“What the fuck are you talking about?” This time, I was the one shocked.
Ricky laughed like I was the asshole. “My girl still loves me, Riscoff, and she just sent me the proof. If she’s with you, it’s nothing but a cheap shot at revenge. But don’t worry, I’ll forgive her. Whitney and I were always meant to be together, and the piece of paper I’m holding proves it.”
“Listen to me, you piece of shit—” But Ricky hung up before I could say anything else.
“Who was that?” Whitney came out, towel in one hand, squeezing the water out of her dripping hair.
I didn’t care that she was standing four feet away from me, naked. All I heard was Ricky Rango’s voice in my head. “My girl still loves me, Riscoff, and she just sent me the proof.”
I held out her phone. “You missed a call from your boyfriend.”
Confusion creased her features. “What?”
“Ricky Rango called to tell you he got your letter, and he agrees with what you said—that you two are meant to be together.” My words came out flat and hollow, which was the exact opposite of how they felt tearing out of my throat.
“What?” she asked, now holding the towel in front of herself.
“Your letter, Whitney. He got it. He forgives you for your revenge fuck.”
Her eyebrows climbed toward her hairline as her mouth dropped open. “But—”
“Did you send him a fucking letter?”
“Yes, but—”
She wrote him a letter. She loves him, and I was nothing but revenge. I couldn’t fucking believe it, but she didn’t deny it.
“I was risking everything to be with you. Everything. And you’re already making sure your boyfriend is going to take you back after you fuck someone else?” I shook my head, disgust coating every word. “You have thirty seconds to get your clothes and get the fuck out of my sight.”
“Lincoln!” Her face was stricken. Probably because her game was up.
I wasn’t going to fall for the tears gathering in her blue eyes this time. I hated that I cared that she’d played me. I hated that I gave her the power to rip my heart out like this.
Forcing myself to turn stone cold, I straightened my shoulders and stared at her with dead eyes. I’m a Riscoff. No one has the power to hurt me. Especially not Whitney Gable.
I knew that was a lie as soon as I thought it. But apparently I’d gotten really fucking good at lying to myself lately.
“I don’t want to hear a fucking word you have to say. Get the hell off my property. I should’ve never trusted a Gable. I knew better.”