AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Clam chowder again,” she deadpans as I close the front door and secure the deadbolts and security system for the night, kicking my loafers off as I punch in the code that alerts the police the second someone steps on my property.
Installing it was the only way to get Riley to sleep at night.
“Did you eat?” I ask, hanging my coat on the rack in the foyer, glancing at her as I walk to where the pot sits on the stove, removing the lid.
“Yep,” she calls, but as I stare at the soup, seemingly untouched with no dirty bowls or spoons in sight, I find it hard to believe.
She never eats. And I pretend I don’t notice, because I’m not sure what to do about it. Not sure how you coax someone who went through what she did back to the brink of sanity.
It’s not like it was with Fiona, who could be drawn off the ledge when I made her submit, made her let go of her thoughts. Riley isn’t the submissive type, probably from having grown up needing to intimidate the people LeeAnn hangs around, and so if I push her too far, she might just break.
And I have no clue how I’d even begin to glue those pieces back together.
I eat quickly, downing two bowls at the sink before heading into the living room, lifting her legs so I can flop down on the couch beside her, letting out a groan as my muscles relax for the first time today.
Her blue eyes flicker toward mine, one eyebrow raising. “Rough day?”
“Rough life.”
She smirks. “I don’t think that’s how the saying is supposed to go.”
Sighing, I tip my head back and rest it on the back of the couch, staring up at the chipped paint on the ceiling, my body exhausted. I feel her toe poke my stomach and turn to look at her.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m supposed to ask you that.”
“Well, you already know my answer.” She flexes her feet, pulling them off my lap and curling her knees to her chest. “But you seem off. Since the funeral, actually, you’ve been more surly than usual.”
“Surly? Jesus, how old am I to you?”
“Ancient.” She smirks, the closest I can get to a smile these days. “Does your mood have anything to do with Fiona Ivers?”
Heat creeps up my neck, and I roll my head back, eyes dancing across the ceiling. “No.”
“Oh, okay liar.” Pushing into a sitting position, she pulls up the sleeve of the oversized black sweatshirt she has on with some rock star logo on the front of it, and blinks at me expectantly. “Tell me about her.”
“No.”
“Fine, then I won’t tell you about the black SUV I saw following me and Aunt Dottie home from school today.”
My blood freezes at her words, the pump in my heart stalling out as they register. I sit up, eyes wide, apprehension slithering over my skin in the form of goose bumps. “The what?”
Shrugging like it’s no big deal, she runs her fingers through her hair in an attempt at nonchalance, although I can tell by the way her bottom lip curls inward that she knows she could be in danger. It’s why she fought to stay here with me in the first place over going to her dad’s, and since I’m the one funding her KTP tuition, guardianship was easily granted when it became clear LeeAnn wasn’t coming back for her.
I don’t know who that hurt worse.
“Tell me about Fiona first, and then I’ll tell you.”
“Riley, this isn’t a fucking game—”
“I know, Boyd. I’m freaking terrified, okay? But I didn’t know how else to tell you without you immediately flying off the handle and going out to try and avenge me.” Her voice shakes as she speaks, the only indication that she’s feeling anything right now. “So, just... tell me about Fiona, just for a second, so I can think about something other than the fact that Mom might be coming to find me and finish the job as we speak.”
“She’s not—” Riley swallows, and I cut myself off, inhaling deeply even as violence spreads like ivy through my body, curling around my DNA and embedding itself there. “I’m in love with Fiona Ivers, okay? I have been since May, approximately two and a half months after I started pursuing her. But we aren’t good for each other, so that’s the end of that.”
“What does that even mean?”
“Fuck if I know.” I drag a hand through my hair, trying to control the thoughts running through my mind. “It means we have issues.”
“Hm.” Riley nods, thinking this over. “Well, I like her.”
“You don’t know her.”
“I’m an excellent judge of character. Whatever it is, I’m sure you two will work things out.”
Truth is, I selfishly still want to work things out, even though I shouldn’t. Even though I know I should cut my ties to Fiona and let her live unencumbered by my existence.
Rolling my eyes at the second attempt of the day to get me to forgive Fiona, I sit up and pull my phone from my pocket, sending Finn Hanson and one of the private investigators I keep on retainer a text that says to procure any and all security footage of black SUVs driving near King’s Trace Prep around four-thirty this afternoon. Turning to Riley, I raise an eyebrow.
“Enough about Fiona. Tell me whatever you can about this fucking SUV.”
