Chapter 13: Chapter 13

I tangle in the sheets and blankets, laying on my stomach with a pillow covering my head. I lift my elbow slightly, the pillow tumbles over. My eyes were squinting as the sun shone through the curtains making me groan and lay my head back on the bed. I slowly turn over to my back, my arm reaching to rest over my eyes.

My alarm starts going on and off making me basically wanna die. It was blaring a random song I had in my music library and it just seemed to be getting louder and louder. Without opening my eyes I reached for my phone which is kept on the bedside table, I pressed a button and it went off. I turn around groaning, I didn’t get enough sleep last night. I turn around and begin to slowly open my eyes, before sitting upright. I stretch my arm and I turn around and notice that Richie wasn’t in bed.

I wonder where he is. I take the covers off and head into the bathroom to freshen up. I don’t have any new clothes so I just wash my face and as I open the door and I see Richie standing in front of the door.

"Good morning," I say walking past him. I take my phone only to see five missed calls and four messages from Rebecca. I forgot to tell her that I slept over that Richie’s house.

This is great. Rebecca will kill me for those missed calls. I open the mini cupboard and I take Richie’s medicine. I put it on the table and I take my bag.

"I kept your medicine here, please take them after breakfast." I say.

"You’re not gonna stay for breakfast?" Richie says

"No, I have lots of things to do,"

"Anything you gotta do will wait, I’m not letting you leave without eating breakfast?" He says

"I didn’t ask for permission and I’m leaving, Rebecca will kill me if I don’t."

"If Rebecca is gonna kill you, she’ll have to go through me first." He says

"You’re not serious."

"Oh yes, I am. I will order breakfast and you’ll eat before you leave."

I can’t start arguing with him right now. I sigh and keep my handbag on the table.

"You don’t have to order anything, I will make breakfast," I say.

I turn around to leave but before I could, Richie calls my name making me turn to look at him.

"Even if you were going to leave, I can’t let you go with those on." He points at the shorts I am wearing.

"I forgot that I was wearing them." I say before heading out of the room.

I take my phone to message Rebecca, I told her everything, and I told her that I won’t be back till later in the day. I apologized five times for missing her calls because I know if I apologize once or twice Rebecca will make me apologize again till it reaches five times. I would have called Rebecca but I know it’s too early, she might be sleeping by this time.

I head downstairs to make breakfast. My hips move to the music playing in my head while I flip the eggs. I feel someone's eyes on me. Turning around, I'm not surprised Richie is staring at my ass. Since I'm still wearing his boxers, most of my legs are exposed.

His eyes are glued to my thighs as I plate his food. "You can stop staring at my butt," I say

"Can I?" He rests his hand on the counter and palms his face with his hands.

I roll my eyes and turn to the fridge to get some juice. "You want orange or apple juice," I ask

"Orange." I hear Richie say slowly and seductively from behind me. I could feel his eyes on me and that sent thrills down my spine. He walks even closer to me, his cologne wrapped around me and his breath fanning the side of my face. He begins to kiss my neck and suck my skin.

"I don’t think I can keep my eyes off you when you are wearing that." He says into my ear then takes my ear lobe between his teeth.

I didn’t give in to his early morning romance so I lightly hit him with my elbow and step away from him "You better take your eyes off or I will poke them out."

"Ouch. Do you know how much that hurts?" He whines

I roll my eye and pour a certain amount of juice into his glass "Quite whining and come finish your breakfast."

"Okay, mum." He takes his seat

"Mom?" That is the highest level of insult "Don’t call mom."

"Sorry baby." He winks at me

"Okay now, do not wink at me." I put a hand on my hip. I hate when guys wink at a girl, I mean is that suppose to be flirty?

Richie puts his hands above his mouth as he muffles his laughter while chewing the egg "You become interesting day by day."

"Interesting, huh? How am I-" I stop mid-sentence when someone walks into the room. It is a woman, I take a close look at her. She looked like she is in her late thirties. She is very beautiful and those blue ocean eyes of hers make her look even more attractive.

"Richie." She sighs walking toward him. Richie stands up from the chair and wraps his arms around her.

"I heard what happened, are you okay?" She asks immediately as she pulls out of the hug. She palmed her hand on his face

"It’s nothing, it’s just a minor accident," Richie responds

"A minor accident that someone caused." A voice chipped into the room. I turn to look at the person that talked. It is a young lady that appears to be in her mid-twenties. She is blond and has a black spot right beneath her nose; even with that, she looks no less than beautiful. She walks majestically toward Richie and she glances at me before moving her gaze to Richie.

"Am I right, Richard." She says

"Emily, I didn’t know that you were coming," Richie says to her

"How wouldn’t I? My brother is hurt, I had to come to see you."

"I’m fine now. All thanks to Rachel." Richie turns to look at me and smiles. I didn’t miss the sight of the eye roll Emily did when Richie says that.

Richie’s mother walks to me and wraps her arm around me. "It’s so nice to meet you, Rachel. Thank you for taking care of Richie."

I smile at her pulling out of the hug. Emily keeps her bag on the counter as she approaches me. "So this is she, the Rachel girl everyone has been blabbering about."

"Hi, it’s nice to meet you." I lift my hand for a handshake. I would have hugged her but I don’t think she’s the hugging kind of person.

She looks at my hand and then turns her gaze to Richie. "Richard, I heard that your fiancé is the cause of your accident."

No, she didn’t! This girl got some balls. I can’t believe she left my hand hanging in the air.

"She’s what?" His mom says looking between me and Richie.

"Richard was trying to save his little princess." She eyes me because continuing "While doing that, a plank fell on him and it made him end up in the hospital."

"Emily," Richie calls giving her a look to shut up

"Don’t look at me like that bro, I am just saying what the internet is saying."

"Richie, tell me what happened," His mom says sounding profound

"Actually, it’s not Richie’s fault, it’s my fault I wasn’t lo-" I try to explain but because I could finish the sentence, I was cut off by Emily.

"No one said it was Richie’s fault, we all know whose fault it is."

"Enough Emily. It’s no one’s fault neither mine nor Rachel’s and it doesn’t even matter because Rachel is fine and I am fine too." Richie says

"Mom, you don’t need to worry about anything. I am fine and if you want to thank anyone then it’s Rachel. She took good care of me."

"I can see that. I was so worried about you but now I’m glad you are fine." She says to him. She turns around to look at me

"Rachel, I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you here. I have been waiting for you to move in with us, so I can finally get to know you." Richie’s mom says

"Huh!"

Did she just say move in?

"I don’t think she’s here to stay Amelia." Emily opens a bottle of wine and pours it into a glass. "She’s wearing his shorts, I am pretty sure she’s just here because they hooked up last night." She takes a sip and looks at me "Isn’t that right Rachel." She throws me a small fake smile

God! I hate this lady already

"Actually it’s not. I’m not here because I hooked up with Richie." I air quote the ‘hook up’ part "I am here because Richie is injured and I can’t leave him alone. That’s what good people do and as his fiancé, I can do whatever I want with him. He is my man and hooking up with him, ain’t a bad idea."

I curse myself for saying that.

I give her a fake smile and snatch the wine glass from her hand "It’s too early for wine, Emily." I pour the wine into the sink and keep the glass aside.

"It was nice meeting you." I walk out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. I began pacing around wondering why Emily is so rude to me, she doesn’t even know me. I end up with the conclusion that she’s a bitch. Because that’s how bitches act.

"What was that?" I ask Richie who just walked into the room.

"What was what?"

"She’s wearing his shorts I’m sure they hooked up last night." I mimic Emily

"Oh that. Don’t worry about Emily, she’s always like that."

"Bitch." I cross my hand above the other.

"Rach, you don’t have to worry about, Emily. That’s just her way of talking."

"I can see that." I roll my eyes "Doesn’t she have a husband to bug or something?"

He laughs at my behavior. "Emily is divorced." He says

"I am not surprised," I say.

Her husband must have gotten tired of her.

"Uhm- Rach, my mom kinda thinks that you’ve moved in with us."

"What! Why would she think that?"

"I don’t know" He shrugged "And I can’t even tell her that she’s wrong, she seems so happy and I don’t want to hurt her."

"Telling her that I didn’t move here will hurt her?" I questioned

"Oh yes, it will. You have no idea, what kind of person she is. She’s very sensitive."

"She looks young though, is she your biological mother?" I ask. I don’t think that’s an appropriate question but I’m curious. I have seen her photo on social media once and I kept wondering if she was Richie’s aunt or mom.

"She’s my stepmom and Emily is my step-cousin." He responds

"Ohh." I want to ask him about his biological mother but I don’t want to make it awkward for him.

"Can you please stay even if it’s for two weeks?" Richie ask

"A two week Richie." I rasp

"Please just until my stepbrother gets married. He’s getting married a week from now and it will be lovely if everyone is together."

I groan

"Come on Rach. You are my fiancé, you have to stay with me." He says

"Fine. I think I can handle staying with you for two weeks even if it means enduring all Emily’s behavior." I say

"You won’t be staying for two weeks, you’ll stay forever."

I look at him and he smiles "We will be married in six months so yes, you will forever be with me." He says smiling at me.

That just creeped me out. There is no way I’m letting this wedding happen. I will make sure I ruin him before the wedding approaches.

"And as for Emily, she’s not that bad, I’m sure you’ll like her when you get to know her." Riche says pulling me out of my thoughts.

I hummed my response.

I guess this is it. I will be staying with the Moranzino family. Maybe moving in with Richie won’t be that bad for me but I know it will be bad for them, they will regret ever letting me stay here. It’s time I get my plans started. I have been waiting for an opportunity to ruin the Moranzino family and I think this is the perfect time.

You better start counting your good days Richie Moranzino.