With that, Noah starts laying into him and Rivers stands there and takes it, knowing Noah needs this release.
Shit. I race forward, hoping there’s something I can do to put this to an end.
It’s not until Tully snaps out of her trance that she takes in what’s actually happening right in front of her and decides to give me a hand, but it’s not as though she’s in any sort of rush. She walks forward and places a hand on Noah’s shoulder. “That’s enough,” she tells him firmly. “Take a walk.”
“Back off Tully,” Noah seethes, not nearly finished with Rivers. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Tully’s hand slaps hard across Noah’s face and it’s as though she just drenched him with icy cold water. She slams her hands into his chest, demanding his complete and undivided attention. “I said take a walk,” she roars in a tone I’ve never heard from her before.
Noah sucks in a deep breath, releasing Rivers in the same instance. His eyes flick between his sister and his best friend and it’s clear he’s lost control. Noah glances at me and there’s a desperation in his eyes that tears me apart.
I squeeze my way between the two boys, facing Noah and looking up into his wild eyes. I take his shoulder and push him back a few steps. “Come on,” I whisper. “That’s enough.”
“I could kill him,” he seethes, breathing hard and looking over my shoulder at Rivers with a deep betrayal in his eyes.
“He’s your best friend,” I remind him, holding on to him as tight as I possibly can, desperate to keep him grounded.
“He’s a stranger,” Noah spits. “After all these years, he’s nothing but a stranger.”
Noah shakes me off and within the blink of an eye he’s dropping down into his Camaro. I race after him. “Where are you goi-”
The sound of his engine cuts me off, but I have a feeling it’s a question I’m never going to find the answer to. Hell, I’m sure he doesn’t even know the answer himself.
A hand falls to my shoulder and I look back at Tully. “Don’t worry. He just needs some space. He’ll be back in a few hours ready to talk it through.”
“I know,” I sigh. “I just don’t like to see him hurting.”
“Me neither,” she tells me. “He’ll come around.”
With that, we get back to the issue at hand and turn to face Rivers to find him spitting out a mouthful of blood and running a hand over his cut up and reddening face. Tully takes a deep breath as her eyes lock onto his, but he beats her to the punch line. “Spencer?” he questions in disgust but a hint of betrayal seeps in there which has me raising a brow at his audacity.
That was probably the worst thing he could have said to her right now, especially in that accusing tone.
“Excuse me?” Tully seethes, stepping in front of him and looking up into his stormy, dark eyes. “You disappear for three fucking months, after telling me you love me and leaving me in the hospital without so much of an explanation, and come back assuming you have the right to know who I’ve been fucking while you’ve been gone?”
Rivers’ jaw clenches and it’s clear he realizes the error of his ways. “Why him?”
“Because he’s not you,” she spits. “We’re through.”
Damn. That would have stung.
Tully turns and walks away but he catches her elbow, forcing her back to him. She spins around, her hand flying around with her before it lands with a sharp slap across his face. “Don’t.”
She tugs her arm free and all I can do is watch. I mean, damn, her palm is certainly getting a lot more action than she bargained for tonight. She strides towards the house, fighting back tears, desperate not to let them fall.
As she disappears inside and slams the door behind her, I’m left staring at the guy who changed it all. His decision to leave affected us all in a way we could have never predicted. Had he been here, I would have had my questions about Gina answered, I would have known the truth about the video blast straight away, Noah wouldn’t have had to work alone for Anton and he would have had his back when Anton came for him, Tully’s heart would have been safe, and I would have had my brother by my side.
Rivers stares at me before giving me a tight smile. “I’m assuming you have the shits with me too?”
I raise a brow. “Well, that depends on how you answer my next question.” His brows furrow and I make my way towards him so I can look up into his eyes and study his reaction. Rivers waits patiently as the nerves instantly take over. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for and I’m terrified that I’m not going to like the answer. “Did you know all this time that Gina Rivers was my mother?”