“No one is going to help you, but me,” Otávio said to him on more than one occasion. “Your band members hate you, puppet. You should hear some of the things they say behind your back. You can’t trust them, the only one you can count on is me. Don’t ever forget who got you to the top.”
Otávio had made it hard for him to trust anyone, thinking everyone wanted to use him to fill their pockets. Yet, the one with the snake tongue used and abused him the most.
Fuck, I wish you were dead.
“Um…what now?”
River snapped his head to the side, hearing Winston’s voice beside him—he’d forgotten that he wasn’t alone. “Shit. I said that out loud, didn’t I?”
“Yeah.” Winston eyed River with suspicion in his eyes.
“I wasn’t referring to you.”
“I gather that, but if you’re in some kind of trouble, and my nephew gets caught up in it…”
“It’s not what you’re thinking,” River said, cutting him off before Zeng’s uncle accused him of bringing trouble to his nephew’s doorstep. “Are you going to keep accusing me of things? If you don’t trust me, why bother taking me to your ranch.”
“Hey, don’t fucking cop an attitude with me, I’m just trying to…”
“Protect Zeng.” River cut him off, not wanting to hear his excuse even though he understood the man’s worry. “I get it but just because I need some time away doesn’t mean that I’m up to something. Do you treat all your guests like fucking criminals?”
River watched Winston close his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. “You’re right and I’m sorry. My only excuse is that I’m feeling a bit out of sorts and I placed it all on you.”
River nodded. “I’m sorry, too. I might be a bit oversensitive right now. I know how much Zeng means to you and I promise you I’m not in any kind of trouble. I don’t know how to convince you that I’m not up to anything and, frankly, I don’t plan on trying to plead my case. I’ll just let my actions be evidence enough.”
I just need to figure out how to get control of my life.
“I can’t tell you that people aren’t looking for me because of who I am and how I left. Thanks to Zeng, I’m able to breathe for a bit before going back to the reality that is my life. He and I are just friends and he’s giving me a hiding place to clear my head for a while. Zeng trusts you with my identity and I’m hoping that you won’t break his trust.”
River didn’t know what else to say to convince Winston he wasn’t going to put his nephew in danger, frankly he was tired of talking about it, nothing he said would ease the man’s suspicion. This is not going to go well. I’ll just find a way to stay out of his way while I’m staying at the ranch.
“Tell you what, let’s start over. Since we’re in town, do you want to pick up a few things before we head to the ranch? I’m sure you’ll want to change out of that T-shirt and get something to eat.” He pointed to the large coffee stain on the front of River’s shirt.
“Can’t we get what I need from the ranch? I honestly don’t mind waiting until we get to the ranch, I’ve performed on stage on an empty stomach.” He knew he looked unrecognizable since his fans had never seen him without his wig and makeup, but he wanted to keep a low profile and not draw too much attention to himself. More than anything, he wanted a shower.
“We sell clothes at the stores, but it’s mostly souvenirs and such,” Winston told him with a nonchalant shoulder shrug that didn’t match with his furrowed brows.
“Okay then, if you’re sure. I don’t want to monopolize your day or anything.” River knew only a few things about the Black Meadow Ranch thanks to Zeng, who never stopped talking about the place. He also knew it stayed busy, with guests visiting and workers taking care of their own tasks. Zeng had told him how active the ranch was and that there was never a dull moment.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I have a few extra minutes to spare, and you are going to need essentials.”
River smiled. “All right, take me to the nearest mall. I have to warn you, though, that I can go a bit overboard when it comes to shopping.”
“How overboard are we talking?” Winston opened the passenger side door of his silver truck.
River bit his lips at the sultriness in the man’s voice. What the fuck is going on? One minute he’s suspicious of me and in the next it seems like he’s flirting with me. River looked in the man’s ink-black eyes to see if he was playing a prank on him, but got lost in the dark jewels. River’s body swayed, and he thought he was being hypnotized while he gazed into the man’s beautiful eyes.
Gods, his lover must drown in that gaze every day. At his thoughts, his eyes widened. Shit, what the hell am I doing mooning over Zeng’s uncle? I came here to get my shit together, not go gaga over a man that is probably taken.
“What did you say?” he asked, pretending he hadn’t heard Winton’s question.
“I said, how overboard are we talking?”
“I’m not sure how to define overboard, I tend to buy every color if it’s something I like.” He smiled, and Winston chuckled.
“Tell you what, if I think you’re going overboard, I’ll stop you,” Winston told him.
“I’m not sure if that’s going to be possible.”
“We’ll see.” He smiled. “Hop in and let’s get going.”
River did as he was told without question. When the door closed and Winston walked around to his side, River took a moment to enjoy the view of the man’s ass.
Fuck, he is sexy all over and off-limits to me.
Two hours later, Winston pulled up to the Black Meadow Ranch.
He shook his head as he looked at the amount of shopping bags in the back seat. The guy wasn’t kidding when he said he could shop. If Winston had let him continue, he had no doubt that River would have brought out the entire mall. Winston turned his head when River chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“You keep looking at the bags in the back and grumbling to yourself,” River answered. He could tell River was trying to hold back his laughter. “I told you I could get a bit crazy when I’m shopping.”
“You’re right, I was warned, but I figured you’d only pick up a few things to hold you off for a couple of days.”
“But anything could happen in a couple of days, plus, I don’t want to keep running back and forth to the mall.”
“All that and you still don’t have any idea when you’re leaving,” Winston said. There was a sudden change in the atmosphere in the truck, as if Winston had asked the wrong question.
“Are you that eager to get rid of me?” River asked, looking out of the window.
No.
“If it was up to me, I’d never go back,” he whispered, but Winston heard him loud and clear. He would have asked more but decided to change the subject, no matter how much his curiosity was killing him. They’d already started off on the wrong foot and he was hoping to keep things pleasant between them.
“Hey, I promised to take someone horseback riding today, do you mind if I stop to pick them up before I take you to Zeng’s cabin?”