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I can argue that Riley’s not capable of murder, but I know the truth—Riley killed the governor.
But this? No way.
Fuck. I slam my phone against the concrete wall. A crack spreads on the back of the case, but that’s the least of my concerns right now.
What the hell am I supposed to do with this information? What’s right and what’s wrong?
Do I tell Ridge? We tell each other everything.
He’ll want to help her. I warned him this was a possibility. No matter what I said, he was blinded by his obsession for her. And still, no matter what I do, it’s all he’ll see.
But I see it, too. Riley isn’t the type of storm you run from, she’s the storm you chase. And fuck if we’re not both headed right into the eye.
* * *
“Come with us tonight,” I tell Lev, snatching the bag of potato chips from his lap. I stuff my hand in and get a fistful before tossing it back to him.
There’s a party at the hot springs tonight. No significant planning went into the party, but there’ll be a couple kegs and a bonfire. Boulder Cove is well-known for their hot spring pools. There are about seven of them spread out through the small town. The one here is off-campus, but it’s on private property owned by The Blue Bloods. Technically, the area is off-limits to students, but we’ve been frequenting them for years and have yet to get penalized.
“Not really my thing,” Lev quips, confident in his decision.
Lev doesn’t go out much, or at all for that matter, but the last couple days he’s been a little livelier, so it’s worth a shot.
“Might be a good chance to work toward those new goals you made for yourself.”
Lev snarls, crumpling the chip bag in both his hands. “Fucking knew I shouldn’t have told you about those. Now you’re gonna hang ’em over my head, aren’t you?”
“Not hanging anything over your head. Just trying to help a friend.”
Part of Lev’s therapy involves making a list of goals he wants to accomplish over a course of a couple months. In confidence, he told me his number one goal was to get out more. His second goal: find out if he’s capable of loving another human.
Lev tosses the empty bag on the table in front of the couch, wipes his greasy hands on his sweatpants, and stands.
“Then I guess I better put on my best party clothes.”
“Fuck yeah!” I beam, hands in the air. This is monumental. Lev hasn’t attended a party at all since the start of summer, and even then, he only stayed for no more than twenty minutes. Social anxiety mixed with his temper don’t pair well. He needs this, though. These are days he won’t get back, and as his friend, I don't want him to regret missing out on so much.
Lev grabs some clothes from his drawer in the corner of the room, then heads for the door. “Gotta take a quick shower then I’ll be ready.”
As he goes out, the door flies back open, and Ridge comes in, his frustration apparent when he slams the door so hard, the mini fridge against the wall rattles.
“Your girl making you cry again?” I tease, knowing I’m just fueling the fire.
“Fuck off and tell me what she said?”
I raise an eyebrow, unsure what he’s talking about. “What she said?”
“You’re supposed to talk to her for me. See where her head is at. Last night you said you had nothing, so I assume that’s why you were with her today.”
Shit. I forgot all about that.“Oh, right. Haven’t really had a chance, but I’ll talk to her tonight.”
“Really?” He lifts his chin, fostering a look of indignation. “Because I saw you two leaving the student center earlier and you seemed to be conversing just fine.”
“It was a short-lived walk. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.”
I knew he saw. Heard the chair slam and saw his face. It was no surprise—Ridge always has his eyes on Riley. But she still has a life and she’s allowed to have friends.
“A walk in silence, I presume?”
