Rivals

CHAPTER 5:

Rebecca

For the next couple of weeks—yes weeks—Reese and I stayed at a condo in Ocean City. Right now it's the middle of September, so it is nice beach weather, getting a little cooler, and the hike getting here was completely worth it.

Most of the time when I wasn't lying on the beach and checking out the lifeguards, I either trained at a local gym with Reese or rented a skateboard to skate down the boardwalk to try and clear my head from reality.

That was a big problem for me though—clearing my head. I felt like everywhere I looked, I saw Killian Black, haunting me like a ghost.

One minute he'd be there, sitting on a bench or standing at a crosswalk, and then he'd be gone.

It's like I couldn't stop thinking about the damn agreement and now my subconscious is reminding me about it.

Shit, the whole point of me leaving was to get off the grid for a bit and see how the marriage plan plays out without me, but as soon as Reese and I left, he has not stopped trying to talk me into going home to face Dad.

That's my entire problem though.

I don't want to go home and face him for what he has done, and for what I have to do. And I clearly can't get married if I'm missing, right?

Can Xander get married instead of me?

Please?

"Morning Bex!" Reese shouted as he jumped on the hotel bed.

"Ugh," I moan and turn over on my stomach.

"I didn't wake you did I? Oh well—time to go somewhere," he jumped up and down on the bed and I grabbed the other pillow on the bed and threw it at him before laying back down.

"Awe, don't be like that sis," he whines as he dodges the pillow. "Today is an important day and you are not going to miss it." His voice was too cheery for the morning.

I sit up slowly and wipe my eyes before looking out the window.

"It's literally the crack of dawn," I yawn. "Where are we going?" I roll back over and return my face to the pillow.

"Out," he said while taking the pillow from me and removing my white sheets.

"Hey!" I yelled.

I shivered while reaching for them, but he kept them just out of my reach.

"Be ready in one hour," he instructs before running out of the room.

"Ugh," I moan once again before plopping down on the bed again and then sitting up a few seconds after.

After getting up and taking a warm shower, I blow dry my brunette hair and then throw on a black shirt and jean shorts. I lace up black combat boots and throw my hair into a ponytail before entering our condo's living room.

As soon as Reese sees me, he grabs his keys, my arm, and runs us both out of the room and to his car.

"Now would be a great time to tell me where we're going right?" I ask before getting into his car.

"Not a chance. Today you are in the dark," he says as he starts the engine and it purrs. "Ah, I always love that sound. So beautiful darling."

He pulls out of the parking lot and starts down the street while I raise an eyebrow and stare at him like he's crazy.

Not taking his eyes off the road he makes a comment from my look.

"Ok, so you can pet your motorcycle and talk to it, but I can't say anything about my Jaguar?"