Chapter Nine
RILEY
Kieran Sullivan’skitchen island has officially become my new study space, which is not something I ever thought would happen.
It’s pretty perfect considering its proximity to both the fridge and the coffee pot. His collection of snacks is significantly underwhelming and something I will have to rectify if I’m still here by the time I start my senior year, but for now, it works.
By the time I come up for air, the sun has shifted across the hardwood floor, and my coffee’s gone cold. I’m surrounded by textbooks, highlighters, and sticky tabs, but my notes are no longer making sense, and I’ve read the same paragraph four times without taking in a word.
I flick through to another chapter, hoping that switching topics might help, but my phone starts vibrating on the counter beside me.
I eagerly jump at the chance for a break. Though that eagerness instantly fades when Oscar’s number flashes on the screen.
I let out a groan.
I ignored three calls from him last night and another two this morning, but my brother is not getting the message that I’m not interested in talking to him.
“Why the hell didn’t I block him already or withhold my number?”
I wait for the screen to go black, but just as soon as it does, it lights up again with another incoming call.
In my anger, I stupidly decide to answer. “What part of ‘I need space’ do you not understand?”
Oscar is silent for a beat before he answers. “Riley, don’t be a brat.”
I hold the phone away from my ear and let out a silent scream.
If Kieran is watching on the security cameras right now, he’ll likely think I’m having a nervous breakdown, but I just can’t cope with the sheer audacity of my brother. I can’t understand how he’s not even being the slightest bit sympathetic toward my situation, the very one that he has forced me into.
Maybe my brother is more like my father than I thought, and the Walsh bloodline is made up of nothing but male sociopaths.
“Leave me the hell alone, Oscar.”
“Do you think this is a game? Do you think pulling this little stunt is going to make things easier?”
“I didn’t pull a stunt, I made achoice. One you clearly weren’t going to let me make on my own.”
“You think I wanted this? Sean is dangerous?—”
“Exactly! Which is why you should have never even considered handing me over to him like some kind of prized cow!”
“You have no idea what you’ve done. Rion is furious. You’ve embarrassed him, and you’ve embarrassedme.”
“I really couldn’t give a shit. I’m not coming back.”
“You will if you know what’s good for you.”
My stomach flips at that tone. It’s identical to the one my father used every time he tried to get me to fall in line.
But I’m older now, and I’m not so easily intimidated.
“Lose this number, Oscar.”
“You’ll regret this.”
I hang up the call and let out a noise somewhere between a groan and a scream.
“What the hell is that sound?”
