SINFULLY YOURS

(9). Game on

I stay quiet. I don't want to move and I definitely don't want to talk to anyone; especially not Reid.

I still can't believe that I opened up to him last night. I wonder what he thinks of me now.

And more importantly, I wonder why I care what the guy thinks of me.

"Riya?" He calls yet again. "If you don't open this f*****g door, I'll kick it in."

I shrug. It's his door; his loss.

Can't he just leave?

"Just open the damn door already." He yells I sniffle.

"I'm a mess." I finally talk.

I'm realizing very quickly that he has no plans of leaving me alone.

"That's okay. Open up."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

"Leave me alone, Reid. I don't want you here."

"I wouldn't be here if I thought you did. I'm not exactly a Knight in shining armour."

"Yet you were playing one last night."

"That's because you were playing damsel in distress."

"Really? You're the one who literally begged me to have a drink then you went all shrink-y on me to dig for information!"

"Open the door, Riya."

Sighing, I stand up and I pull the door open. I want to keep my face downcast and slither away from the room but he has other plans. He is standing right in the door way, his hands holding the door frames such that he's literally blocking my way out.

He is staring at me and I'm not sure what to do with myself.

"You do realize that you're blocking my way out, right?" I ask him when he doesn't budge.

"What happened?" His voiced is low and concerned, and it makes me raise my eyes to him.

His eyes are darker than I remember, if that is even possible.

"Nothing."

"What the hell happened, Riya?"

"I need to wash my face."

"You're in the bathroom. Go right ahead."

"Reid, I know what you're thinking right now but I really don't care. I don't care if you think that I'm a drama queen who tells strangers her deepest secrets as soon as she takes a sip of liquor, or a girl who runs out of parties to cry in the bathroom. You..."

He shakes his head.

"So you're blaming the Scotch you took last night?"

"Yes. If I were myself, I wouldn't have told you anything. I don't go around burdening strangers with the skeletons in my closet."

"I see." He eyes me speculatively. "Did you make up the story just to get my attention."

I almost reel backwards.

"Excuse me?"

"You're a good actress. I almost believed you for a second there."

I don't even think twice. I slap him across the face with all my might. My hand stings and I curse under my breath.

Slapping absolutely sucks.

"I'm impressed, but you have to hit harder than that if your intention is to hurt me." Reid shrugs. "We should get a drink sometime. This is the first time a girl ever hit me. That's a big deal, no?"

"Next time I won't just hit you. I'll kick you right where the sun don't shine. Now f**k off."

"How about that drink?"

The audacity!

"I'm good."

"No, you're not. When someone is 'good' they don't just break down. Wait, were you just trying to catch my attention again by running up here and locking yourself in the bathroom?"

I shake my head in disbelief.

"Why are you even here?"

"You were crying."

"So you showed up to taunt me?"

"I had to be here."

"Because of what I told you last night?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry if this hurts your feelings, but I don't need you to feel obligated to do anything. I can take care of myself."

"Somehow, I doubt that."

"You're saying that like I'm supposed to care. I want you to move from that door and stay the hell away from me."

"Why are you being like this?"

"Because you're here. Because you exist. Because I can't even have a moment without you barging in here, acting like we owe each other s**t. I'm disliking you more and more every second you stand there."

He blows out his breath, sticking his hands into his pockets.

"You really want to play the hate game with me?"

"You think it's a game? I'm not playing. I hate a lot of people, and you're definitely in the vast majority right now."

"And yet your sleeping with my brother."

"I don't understand what sleeping with Asher has to do with anything."

"If you want me to act like you don't exist, then stop hanging out with my brother and my friends."

"And who exactly are you to tell me who to spend time with?"

He leans in and stares at me.

"Stay away from my brother, Riya."

I stare right back.

"No. I won't. I mean, I was planning on it, but anymore. Now watch me do my worst with him."

"What's the worst you can do?"

"There's endless possibilities. I guess we'll find out."

"I'm impressed already."

"Good job with the sarcasm."

"I try."

"Can you do me and everyone in the world a favour?"

"No, but go on."

"Can you get contacts lenses or something? You're eyes are the ultimate turnoff."

He laughs.

"Very convincing."

"Reid?" Asher's voice comes from the doorway.

Reid smirks at me before he turns to look at him.

"Hey, Ash?"

"Get out."

"Fine. You're in charge."

He turns to walk away but Asher doesn't step from the door. He glares at Reid for a moment, his arms crossed over his chest.

"What now?" Reid asks calmly as he hooks his hands in his pockets.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was checking on your most recent plaything. She was crying and all. You can take over now."

Asher steps closer until they are chest to chest. I appreciate the fact that he's trying to intimidate Reid. What sucks is that he's like an inch shorter, so there's not much intimidation going on.

"Reid, listen. You're gonna stay away from Riya."

Reid shrugs.

"Like I said, you're in charge."

Reid turns to glance at me, then he deliberately brushes shoulders with Asher as he walks out of the room.

*

"What the hell was that?" Asher demands the moment he gets to me. "What does he want?"

"He was just making sure that I was fine."

"Riya, I know that I'm not supposed to tell you what to do but you should probably avoid Reid. He usually has a lot of s**t up his sleeve."

"I think I can handle him."

"I don't doubt you but we can avoid all this drama if you just avoid him."

"We?"

"Yes, we."

"There's no 'we', Asher. There's you, then there is me."

"About that...."

I eye him, suspicious.

"What."

"Can we go on a date sometime?"

"I told you. I don't date."

"I just want to take you out and have fun. It doesn't hurt to try new things, Riya. You are so private and locked up. You're like a puzzle and I want to solve you."

I almost laugh at that. No one can solve me. I can't even solve my damn self.

He steps closer, his features softening as he gazes at me.

"Give me a chance, Riya. If we go on that date and you don't like it, I'll leave you alone."

That's my cue to run out of here but I don't. Instead, I force a bright smile.

"Fine. I'll go on a date with you."

His eyes light up.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

He smiles into my eyes.

I step back when he makes to hug me.

"Don't."

"Sorry. I keep forgetting you don't like to be touched."

"I'll work on it." I swallow hard. "Actually, come here."

"Riya-"

"Please. Before I change my mind."

He hesitantly wraps his arms around my waist and I rest my head on his shoulder. My eyes are wide open and I'm staring at nothing in particular as Asher tightens his arms around me.

My heart is pulsating with the dislike that I've always harboured, only this time, it's directed at someone in particular.

Reid.

He thinks that I made up the rape story to get his attention. He really believes he's all that.

Now that he doesn't want me hanging out with his brother, I'm going to do just that and see what the privileged little s**t will do about it.

Game on, Reid.

Game on.