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“Ren!” I yell, running toward where he is sprawled on the floor. Blood drips from his swollen knuckles as I place my hand over his and help him to roll on his back.
His face is swollen too, blood smeared over his forehead, more blood emerging from a cut right below his eye.
“Ren,” I whisper, hoping with everything inside me that he is going to be okay. “Can you hear me?”
His eyes remain closed, but I sigh in relief when his lips start moving. “I hear you, Angel. I’m just resting my eyes for a second.”
“Please tell me you’re okay. You look like everything is hurting.”
“You should see the other guys,” he jokes, but I don’t feel like laughing. “I’m fine, Angel. Just give me a minute, and I’ll be good as new.” His eyes blink open slowly, and his gaze finds mine immediately. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
“Not as bad as you are hurt.”
His face falls, regret and anger filling his steel-blue eyes. Without saying a word, I know what he is thinking. He wants to make them pay for hurting me; he regrets not being here sooner, and he would give anything to take my pain away.
“How did you know I was here?” I ask after the silence becomes too much.
“I didn’t. I came here to kill Rebecca, but then I saw you from outside the fence, and I changed my plan. I figured if they are busy with me, they’ll leave you alone.”
“Oh, Ren… I’m so sorry I left.” At my words, his face scrunches up as if the mere reminder hurts him. “I swear I can explain. It’s not what you think. I love you, but I had to get away to figure things out, to figure out what’s wrong with you.”
“What do you mean, what’s wrong with me? I’m not the one who fucking cheated.”
“Wait what?”
“River told me,” he spits, anger and disgust lacing his voice. “He told me he fucked you in the shower.”
“Oh, Ren, you still don’t understand. I don’t know how to make you.”
“How about the fucking truth?” he spits.
“Ren, River doesn’t exist. He isn’t real.” I don’t know how else to tell him. I must sound crazy to him, but he needs to know.
“What the fuck? Of course he is.”
“He is real to you, Ren, I get that, but he isn’t really alive. River died when you were a boy?—”
“You are crazy. Of course, River is real. He is my brother. I can’t believe you would even say something like this.” With each sentence, the fury behind his words is brewing, and I can tell he is close to losing control. I need to make him understand. He needs to believe me.
“Why have I never met River before? Why has he never been in a room with both of us? Why was the screen black when I caught you talking to him?”
“Stop it!” Ren is full on aggravated now. He stands up suddenly, his injuries completely forgotten and ignored. “You are wrong.”
“Ren, I’m sorry. River is all in your head.” I get to my feet, close the distance between us, and take his hands into mine. “You have to believe me. Please think about it. Really think.”
I stare deep into his eyes. A million emotions reflect back at me. Confusion and denial are at the forefront. Then anger takes hold of him once more. “Shut up! Just shut up with your lies. You all lie!”
In a last-ditch effort, I squeeze his hands, begging with all I have. “Please, Ren. I need you to understand. I need you to realize that you are sick and that you need help. You have to?—”
As I look deeply into his eyes, I can see the exact moment the switch is flipped. Ren’s confused eyes turn dark as a night without stars. His lips turn into a snarl a second before his hand wraps around my throat. My Ren is gone.
“You should have listened to Ren and kept your mouth shut,Angel.”
River.
I know without a doubt it’s him. If it wasn’t for the way his cruel fingers dig into my tender skin, it would be the way he calls me Angel, like he’s patronizing me.
His grip tightens, and I wheeze out a plea, “please stop.” I reach for his arms, wrapping my fingers around his wrist as he squeezes hard enough to cut off my air supply. With the last air in my lungs, I whisper, “I’m pregnant.”
