Page 7 of It's Always Been You

Riley doesn’t make a sound. Not even a tiny squeak.

She’s eerily quiet and unfazed. Even Harrison notices that.“You’re fierce,” he praises while leering down at her cleavage. “I always knew that. Been waiting to test out just how sharp those claws of yours are. Do you want to play, pet?”

Riley doesn’t respond to his taunts. He moves the gun away from me, pushing it against Riley’s stomach. She barely even reacts, and that worries me.

I don’t know if she’s playing along and saving her strength to fight, or if she’s lost in her head. God, no. She needs to stay strong until I can fucking do something without getting us both killed.

“Do you want to put on a show for him?” he mocks, his voice dripping with malicious intent.

He releases her hair and shoves his hand under her sweater. I watch in sickening horror as he roughly fondles Riley’s breasts. Fire burns in my veins. Scorching and charring me with its angry flame — my heart is an inferno of hopelessness and bitterness.

I move on my knees, getting ready to lunge at Harrison when Riley’s gaze shifts to me. I almost miss it, if I hadn’t been paying attention. The slight shake of her head and the utter determination in her eyes.

A silent moment of understanding passes between us.

She wants me to wait.

Harrison buries his face in her neck, sniffing like a wild animal, and I hear the wet sound of his lips against her skin. Riley keeps herself completely still, and she steadily holds my gaze.

Her cheeks are pale, and her eyes are glassy.

Then she does something I never expected.

My breath stutters.

She smiles coldly.

Before spitting right in Harrison’s face.

“You’re a despicable man,” she hisses.

It takes him by complete surprise and throws him off, distracting him and giving me just enough time to lunge forward. Adrenaline pumps through my veins and everything happens so fast.

I slam into him, grabbing the gun. A loud, deafening shot rings out and my heart palpitates in utter panic.

Riley screams and leaps out of Harrison’s grasp. My blood runs cold at the sound of her horrifying scream, and fear pumps through my veins. Fear and so much rage.

If she’s hurt…

Harrison growls like a madman as he loses his balance, and I tackle him to the ground. I keep my hold on the gun before my eyes quickly shift over to Riley. She stands a few feet away from us, her eyes wide in horror. Her whole body is shaking. I search for the pain in her expression, but I see none. There’s only unspeakable awful and frantic terror.

She appears uninjured. I don’t see blood anywhere.

She didn’t get shot.

Oh, thank God.

I turn my focus on Harrison again, only I’m too late to react. He slams his forehead into my nose, and a blinding agony shoots through my skull.

I stumble back and the world sways underneath me.

Dizziness makes my stomach swirl with nausea, and I fight back the acidic bile rising in my throat. The copper taste of blood fills my mouth. I feel a sharp twinge in my abdomen, but it’s nothing compared to the excruciating pain in my head.

“Grayson!” Riley shrieks.

My vision blurs.

“Grayson!”

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