Thrive (Addicted #4)

by Krista Ritchie

Rose is strong. But so is Lily. She possesses this rare courage. It’s quiet and unassuming, but it still exists. It’s still just as worthy.

Rose has her arms wrapped around Connor’s neck. One of his hands dips to her ass, and she lets it sit there. One minute they’re fighting. The next minute, they’re like this. I can’t keep up. I strain my ears to catch their murmured words. “I want to move in with you,” Connor whispers under his breath. My first thought: If he lives at the Princeton house, he’s going to discover that I’m fucking Lily a lot more. Not: Thank God I won’t be the only guy under that roof. The addicted side of me trumps every moral part. I’m a fucking terrible friend. “You can’t,” Rose replies. “Your commute to Penn is too far…and Lily and Lo…” “The commute is manageable, and 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 nods. “Okay.”

aw, my parents :')

He looks up at me and then completely freezes when he sees Rose. “Stop looking at me like that,” she snaps. “You’re wearing Lily’s costume,” is all he can fucking say. He’s staring at Rose like he wants to bang her. I smack the back of his head.

ryke is insane.

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

There’s something sad about Ryke Meadows that he won’t let us see, but it’s quiet moments like this, where he’s gone, that I feel it anyway.

She continues on, “I’ve been struggling with serious solutions, but recently, someone made an offer that might actually work. The only problem is that it involves the three of you.” Her yellow-green eyes ping from me to Poppy and then to Daisy. “I don’t want you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. I’ll understand if you say no.”

REALITY SHOW!!!! (ft. sc*tt)

0 YEARS : 04 MONTHS

i really like the pacing/way the book is inching towards the two-year mark (hot house flower timeline). it's really interesting !!

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.

“Connor booked the suite tonight,” Rose whispers, as though to keep the people around her from hearing. “I found out when we arrived.”

aw, she's nervous.... dw, girl, you're not losing it today !!

We fucked twice already tonight—but this time is killing me more than the others.

lo. that's WAY too much.. this is the definition of ENABLING. you took away the boundaries.

I mean…you can’t go home with another guy…” Lily lets that terrible option drift in the air. And her sister stays completely silent on the matter. “Rose!” both Lily and I yell.

IMCRYINGG. i would honestly eat that up. leaving with a guy to make connor jealous. count. me. in. (only because i know rose wouldn't actually do anything with the guy)

Lily rests her hand on Daisy’s shoulder. “What happened? I thought you were spending the night at Cleo’s house?”

ohmygod. the elevator scene.

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

dangg, so she knew the whole time omg.

I think, sometimes, we have more faith in each other than we do in ourselves.

Daisy shakes her head. “I’m okay.” “You were crying,” Lo says. “What?” Ryke’s dark frown casts a shadow over the room.

RYKEE. he's always been so protective of daisy omg.

I bet he thinks about sex just as often as me too.

he definitely does.

I smile. “Do you think Rose is swiping her V-card tonight?” “Most definitely.”

nope.

“He was not flirting with me. Your definition is wrong.” That is one-hundred percent Rose’s fierce voice.

HELLOOO. JEALOUS CONNOR??!!

And then he speaks in fluent French, so effortlessly that the words sound like golden honey off his tongue. She replies back in angry French. It sounds violent.

god, i wish we could understand them.

Connor laughs at something she said in French, his million-dollar grin too bright to contain.

I NEED HIM.

“Congratulations, you are officially the cockiest human being on planet Earth.” That’d be Iron Man. But I hold my tongue. “That’s Iron Man,” Lo says. I literally rise like I’m floating. I kiss him on the lips, so suddenly that I think he’s caught off guard too.

AWWW. my marvel geeks.

He’s proud of me.

Connor still grins at her and speaks French. Damn.

my reaction exactly.

“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.”

HE'S SOOO. my man is so smart, gosh.

“Twenty seconds.” 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.

I glance at Daisy who balances her spoon on her nose with a bright smile—the first genuine looking one I’ve seen from her tonight. Ryke stares at her for a long moment before messing her hair with his hand. The spoon falls to her lap.

AW.

Her chest rises and falls faster than his, but his gaze is glued to Rose, entrapped, like she’s beyond gorgeous—like he could take her right there without hesitation.

“Catch me,” I whisper. “Four!” “I already have,” he murmurs.

Connor and Rose are full-on making out. Like passionate, powerful kisses that would occur after pent-up emotions from a fight. He’s in control, one hand on her ass, their lips never disconnecting as he walks her backwards. Her shoulders hit the wall.

DAMNNN.

The only future I want is the one that ends with her.

She still has that delicate round face, the gangly arms and legs. She’s adorable. In every sense of the word. And she’s all mine to take care of.

“Traveling somewhere, Scott?” Rose snaps. “Hopefully to California where you’re actually needed.” Rose sounds more ticked off than usual.

AAA RELIVING KISS THE SKY IS SO FUN.

Ryke glances at his brother, just recognizing that we’re in the room with him. I know what it feels like to be so magnetized by someone that you forget about your surroundings. My lips part at a sudden realization. Ryke may be actually falling for my sister.

He’s like the anti-Connor.

IMDONE.

“I’m thoroughly surprised you two haven’t jumped on each other yet,” he says, his gaze pinned to the painting. “It might be a new record.” “You don’t know us,” Lily combats. “You’re a sex addict,” he says. “You want the short definition?” He licks his lips. “You like to ride dick.”

EW?? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE.

she’s still scared shitless that someone will film us and put it online. She said she has a “bad feeling” about them.

well, her feeling was right! they filmed the showers!

We’re going to have our happy ending. It just may take us awhile to get there.”

“Is Lily having more sex than usual?” I stiffen. Keeping a secret from a guy ten times more intelligent than me is hard. But not impossible. I spent three years pretending to be in a relationship with Lily. I’ve got this. “She’s not having it, but she wants it.” I fist the black trash bag and rise, my legs aching in this position. “This whole fucking reality show puts her on edge.” It’s the truth, but we’re fucking a lot more than people would like.

connor knows.....

I spin to him, my eyes flashing hot. “This conversation is over.” “I’m trying to imagine what Lily will look like pregnant.” His tone is conversational, not spiteful. “Would her entire body swell or just her belly?”

well! we'll find out!

“How long have you been fucking your hand?” “My hand and I go way back,” he says easily, a warm smile attached.

“The repercussions of getting into bed with a she-devil.” “And I fucking like her,” he says,

I breathe heavily and both guys stare at me like I’m the crazy one. Because I’m the addict. Because I think irrationally. But I’m a person. I can feel. And there’s only so much I can put up with before I begin to drown.

He stares at her like she invented the sun, a look I’ve seen a million times when they have their epic nerd battles.

And finally the promo shows Rose, wedged in between Scott and Connor, further exploiting the fake love triangle. Both guys stare down at her with longing and desire. Her caption pops up just as she looks directly at the screen. Virgin.

IMSCREAMINGG.

I sit on the couch, my mind reeling. I know exactly what would calm me down and clear my thoughts. My fingers inch towards my shorts. No. I can’t. I stand up quickly and pace back and forth. When I catch myself biting my nails, I drop my hand. Food. I can distract myself with food. The kitchen has been stocked with necessities and junk food. Perfect. I open a cabinet and find a tub of icing in the top of the shelf. Standing on my tiptoes, I have to reach up to grab it. All the while, my pelvis “accidentally” grinds against the edge of the counter. It was an accident.

stop omg. this is what the stupid reality show put in the show.

People make mistakes every day, some small and some big, but I just wonder when I’ll stop making them. Or is this a lifelong thing? Do we all just wander through life, fucking up and trying to put ourselves back together only to continue on again?

My failures have defined me more than my triumphs.

and then he hands me the meatballs. For me? I smile so much.

awhh, ryke just KNEW. their friendship is so cute.

Lily spins into my chest and clutches my black crew-neck. Before I can grab her, she ducks underneath the shirt, hiding inside. I feel her wet tears on my bare chest, and her arms wrap tightly around my waist.

“Stay strong,” Ryke says, patting my shirt. He looks up at me. “Tell me that was her head.” I let out a weak laugh. God, how the hell am I laughing right now?