Thrive (Addicted #4)

by Krista Ritchie

“Captain America,” I say. “Aren’t you glad you left your four-year-old at home? She’d learn words like fuck off and fucking fuck all within the span of thirty minutes.” “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” Sam says. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I snap back. “He’s your brother, right? Cut from the same cloth.”

“Do you plan on procreating, Ryke?” “Yeah,” Ryke shouts back. “And I hope my kid is a horrible influence on yours.”

“I lost something recently,” he tells me. My heart swells at the familiar voice, and I spin around to drop-dead-gorgeous cheekbones, a ruby-red visor, and lips that pull into a breathtaking smile. “Found her,” he says.

We’re not. We’re just…in love? Horny? Both. Definitely both.

“Is my little sister floating above people?” What the…I tilt my head. Her legs are as high as the heads. Is she standing on a table? Oh. No. She’s on someone’s shoulders.

She’s on Ryke’s shoulders. Standing. Not sitting.

“Have you seen any aliens that I need to kill?” “Yeah,” Lo says, “Connor should be around here somewhere with your sister.” I nudge Lo in the side. “Batman and Catwoman aren’t aliens.” Lo tilts his head at me. “But Connor Cobalt and Rose Calloway might as well be.”

“She’s a girl,” Lo tells Ryke, motioning to Daisy who twirls her gun and searches the area for our older sisters. “I didn’t notice,” Ryke says with thick sarcasm. “Just don’t be rough with her,” Lo tells him, less defensively. He’s trying not to jump down his brother’s throat about Daisy. “If she can’t handle me, then I wouldn’t have let her on my shoulders.”

Batman and Catwoman are flirt-fighting. The fangirl inside of me is singing right now.

“I only stole this because you were minutes from snapping it at that guy, which would have sent you to real jail.” “He smacked that girl’s ass! Just because she was dressed in spandex—it didn’t give him the right to touch her without her permission.”

“Clearly I’m not as moral as you, darling. You know this about me.”

With so much confidence, she grabs the back of his head and licks his face slowly, starting from his chin all the way to his nose—like a cat. Connor stands poised, unmoving and unblinking. But his grin could shatter the world. My smile grows. “Did she just…” “Yeah,” Lo confirms, sounding impressed. She recreated a scene from Batman Returns where Michelle Pfeiffer licks Michael Keaton’s face. I’m not sure if Rose has seen the movie or if it’s just a coincidence.

He whips around to go find her, and as he rotates, a sharper piece of his bow hooks onto the strings of my corset. With Ryke’s haste (and strength), my costume rips right down the middle. I gasp, my hands flying to my chest. Ohmygod. I am naked! Nearly naked. Half-naked. Topless. Shit.

And then a couple Disney Princesses ask, “Hey…are you Lily Calloway?” Noooo. I shake my head at Ariel, envious of her shell-bra that I could definitely use right about now. “You called him Lo,” one girl says with a giddy smile, gesturing to my boyfriend / best friend / fiancé.

“And if you add my brain to yours, we’d have a much higher IQ⁠—” “Our combined IQs wouldn’t even be humanly possible,” she cuts him off. “Exactly. We defy the impossible,” he says with a smartass grin.

“You say there’s no one smart enough to understand me,” Connor breathes. “Maybe you should listen to your own words, Rose. You sound pretty understanding.” He pauses.

Her eyes fall to Lily’s. “We’re switching outfits.”

“Anything else? I’m trying to avoid my heart being ripped out and fed to baby demons.” “I heard that,” Rose retorts. I almost spin around. But she shrieks, “Don’t you dare look, Loren! I’ll literally stab your eyeball with my needle!” “She’s topless,” Lily clarifies with a grunt, like she’s struggling to put on her boots or pants. I glare at the ceiling. “I’m definitely going to die today.” “You won’t,” Connor says. “You’ve lasted this long.”

I laugh. “Damn, Rose.” She sewed the strings back on the corset, but it’s much smaller on her chest, pushing up her breasts, and the silver spandex shorts might as well be underwear, riding up her ass. “You’d make a perfect Cowboy’s cheerleader.”

Connor hasn’t said a word, but I read the expression on his face really well this time. His eyes graze every inch of her, full of lust, like he’s saving the image for later. Might as well. Who knows when Rose will be comfortable enough to have sex? “Do you have something to say?” Rose asks, raising her chin like she’s ready to combat him. “You look beautiful.” The sincerity is clear in his voice. Her shoulders drop, caught off guard.

Lo and Lily love me.” He pauses. “Do you?” “Don’t manipulate me,” she whispers. “I’m not trying to. I just want to be with you more than I am now. I’ll wait a few months if that’s what it takes.”

“She’s sick,” I say sharply, my voice like fucking knives right now. “So you should all back up in case you catch it.” The crowds start rocketing backwards like I said she had the bubonic plague. Jesus Christ. “Does she have herpes?” someone asks. Anger twists my face, my jaw clenching. “No,”

This is the second best day of my life. The director just accidentally touched my pinky finger!!!! – Lily

I text back: What’s the first best day? I press send in an instant. She’s quick to reply. The day I fell in love with you. – Lily

Poppy says, “I thought you were scared of babies, not matrimony.” “First of all”—Rose paces in front of us—“I am not scared of babies. I hate babies. They scream for no reason and can’t walk properly.” I shake my head. Daisy laughs, swinging her legs and tossing a crystal paperweight in her hand. “They’re little—” Poppy tries to justify. “Devils. They’re little devils that only exist to annoy me.”

I hold up my hands. “I know nothing.” I wait for someone to mention Jon Snow and Game of Thrones, but I realize that Lo’s the only one who’d understand the reference. Wrong audience.

And Connor wouldn’t propose just so he can have sex with me.” “How do you know?” Poppy asks. Rose shoots her a scathing glare. She’s as used to them as the rest of us. “I’m just asking.”

WTAF

“I don’t want you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. I’ll understand if you say no.” “Sounds dangerous,” Daisy says with a mischievous smile. “Color me intrigued.” “Sounds like nothing,” I correct her. “She hasn’t said it yet.” “What is ‘it’ exactly?” Poppy asks with air quotes. “A reality show.”

“It seems drastic, and I’m concerned about Lily’s safety.” “I would never intentionally put Lily in harm’s way,” Rose says. “I’ve tried everything, Poppy.” Is Rose about to cry? “This is my only chance.” Poppy’s maternal side has kicked in, and she won’t back down yet. “So you’re going to put the family under more scrutiny, all to save your fashion line?”

girl stfuu

I just wonder how many bullets a reality show will release, and who will be caught in the crossfire this time.

“You shouldn’t answer Lily’s cellphone. She has two hands.” “Yeah? Well one is occupied,” I retort. Lily rests the jar between her knees and lets out an audible moan with her second scoop of peanut butter. Goddamn. My dick screams at me to respond to that noise.

And then I fish my button through my jeans, Lily’s mouth drops like I performed a fuckin’ circus trick. I can’t help but smile. My girlfriend is beyond adorable.

Rose says, “I just want to know⁠—” “Privacy,” I state the one word that no one seems to understand, not even our friends and family.

No. Rose and Ryke—they won’t understand. All they’ll see is a list of rules we’ve been given and tally off how many we’ve broken. Nothing else will matter.

I can solve this problem. I glance at the phone in Lily’s hand. “Just tell Connor that you changed your mind. He won’t care.” “He’ll win,” Rose says like that’s the stupidest idea. “So what?” Rose growls. “You wouldn’t understand.” Lily mouths, I got this. Great. Because I don’t speak Rose’s language. Lily clears her throat. “Put him in a really uncomfortable position and then he’ll freak out and you both will be off the hook.”

“I think he can read my expression.” “Your bitch face?” “No,” Rose drags out the word. “…I’m scared.” I regret my words as soon as I hear her honesty. It doesn’t come often, especially not around me. “Rose,” I say, trying to soften my edged voice. “Sex is a big deal, and you shouldn’t sleep with Connor if you’re afraid.” “Why are you being nice to me?” “I don’t know,” I admit. It feels weird. “Well…I don’t like it.”

“You used to do this with me all the time,” she says. “Pin me in the kitchen, toy with me…” She smiles at the memories. “I liked it, even when we weren’t together. But this is rare now.” Her eyes dance around our bodies. “I just wondered if you’re afraid of teasing me.” I lift her chin so her gaze meets mine. “If I was afraid, I wouldn’t be doing it tonight.” “But we’re going to have sex,” she says. “Yeah?” I frown, not understanding what she’s getting at. “So you won’t flirt with me unless we can have sex. Because you’re afraid of me.” I glare. “Can you stop saying that? I’m not fucking scared of you, Lil.” “Then you’re afraid of enabling me.”

I have the shittiest luck in the whole universe. How many guys wake up one day and are told they’re bastards? How many have their biological mom basically say: hey, I didn’t want you when you were born nor do I care about you now? I’ve been stampeded so many times already; I might as well brace myself before it happens again.

“We can watch Adventures in Babysitting. That’s one of your favorite movies, right?” Lily offers. Daisy smiles. “You remembered?” Lily nods. “Yeah. You told me…” She closes one eye as she recalls the date. I could kiss her again. “…last week, I think.”

“Are you sure Ryke and Rose know that it’s a suggestion and not a rule?” Daisy asks us. “I think they’d be really upset…” She licks her dried lips. “I mean…it’s not considered relapsing, right?” Guilt washes over Lily’s face. I go cold.

Then the door swings open again. And both Lily and I look to Daisy. Her loyalty to us is about to be tested.

The irony: Lo and I were having a pretty good night, all things considered. Usually we’re on the other side of the fence.

“No. I don’t run as fast as you. I’m not as smart as you. And I definitely don’t curse as well as you.” I hear what’s beneath his words: My life is pretty much a losing battle. Cold washes over me. I glance at Ryke—his arms have chill bumps. “I’m just saying,” Lo finishes, “that you’re an asshole.”

“That’s fucking hilarious,” Ryke says to Lo, unamused. “Haven’t you heard? I haven’t had a sip of alcohol since rehab,” Lo says. “I’m cured.” I don’t think he even believes that. “And Connor isn’t a genius. Lily’s not a sex addict. Daisy’s not a supermodel. And I have fucking fantastic college buddies who ask me about anything other than three-ways.” “I don’t know what world you’re living in,” Lo banters, “but that one sounds fucking weird.”

Then he says, “You let everyone see every part of you, and Connor offers a very small portion of himself. I don’t like watching you stand vulnerable in front of someone who wears more armor than you can ever have. It’s not fair, and it’s a fucking shitty thing for Connor to do to you.”

Okaaayy…that sounded more like a proposition for a date, but everything about Ryke is kind of sexual. The way he stands, the way he moves. I bet he thinks about sex just as often as me too.

I don’t want sex. Just a kiss. Like back in Cancun. When I was on the road to truly recovering. I’m going to be there again. I can feel it. Today is a very good day.

She’s ballsy and slightly nuts. Wouldn’t it have been easier to tell him that she didn’t want to have sex? “I broke one bottle of champagne in the lobby,” Rose states. “The punishment was hardly warranted.” “You called the manager an oversized twat,” Connor says with an arched brow. “And what you did was hardly an accident.” “So?” she retorts defensively. “If you wanted to go home, darling, all you had to do was say so.”

Now I’m in Loren Hale’s arms. He’s sober. I’m in recovery. I wasn’t sure if we’d ever be at this place.

“Remember how when we were little?” I whisper. “You’d chase me around before midnight.” “Eight!” the television blares. “Seven!” Lo’s fingers comb into my hair as he holds my face. “You always ran out of breath.” I smile. “I wanted you to catch me.” His amber eyes dance along my features, like he’s engraining every detail. “I thought so.” “Five!” “Catch me,” I whisper. “Four!” “I already have,” he murmurs.