AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Red?” His voice low and deep sends butterflies skittering through my belly.
“Riven.” The relief that he answered is undeniable. I wasn’t sure that he would even take my call if I were honest with myself.
“I’m glad you called.” He is silent for a moment and I’m gripping the phone so tightly that my knuckles are white. It’s a gut punch to hear his voice again. “I’m so sorry about Lillian. I heard just a few minutes ago,” he says. So, he already knows about it. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that news has traveled so fast. “I’ll be on my way there in the next half an hour.”
“You’re coming?” I ask, sounding like an idiot. He just said that he was, but I can’t seem to make my mouth behave. The idea of seeing Riven again is making me nervous. I need his help and I’d love to see him too, but the idea of him in my space again is something I’m not sure what to do with. When I finally moved to Cloverdale, I knew he was there, but to see him face to face — well, I couldn’t bear that. “I was going to ask if you could look into it. Find out who did it.” I stumble over the words.
“Yes. I’m on my way. I’ll find them. Whoever killed Lillian should be afraid.” I wonder if this makesme a monster. I have summoned a monster of my own, but I find I am not sorry.
“Thank you for coming Riven. See you soon,” I say and disconnect before I can say anything else regrettable.
From the very first time that I saw Riven he captivated me with his sheerotherness. He was untouchable, older than I was, one of Lillian’s guards. He avoided me for so long, especially after the incident with Marco. Lillian tried to warn me against all the men that she surrounded herself with in the business. She didn’t like the idea of me dating any of them. She said that they were too rough, too dangerous, tooeverything. She especially didn’t like that Riven was a shifter. Those things alone wouldn’t have made me want him, but it was Riven himself that drew me to him. I was helpless against him. When he left me, he crushed me. I would have followed him anywhere. I doubt he even knew how much I had loved him.
Setting aside the phone and taking a deep breath, I set to work. I have to keep myself busy, to occupy my mind, so that I don’t think too much. My brain has always been like that. Even falling asleep for me has always been such a chore because I can’t ever let things go.
Sighing, I tie my red hair up into a ponytail, wiping away a random tear. Damnit. I feel like I am wrung dry of tears, but apparently there are still some in there. Surveying the interior of the living room dully I take a deep breath and go to fill the bucket and get the mop. The blood pooling makes me want to vomit, but nobody else is here. So here we are.
Instead, as I scrub the floors, the sound of the mop swishing across the tiles I focus on looking for evidence that might have been missed and consider suspects. Maybe there is a connection between Lillian's murder and the rogue from last night. The most likely scenario though is that this was about Syndicate business before she retired. When I moved in with her, she explained little to me, but that didn’t mean that I wasn’t curious. It took me a while to figure out what kind of business she actually did. Lillian had a lot of meetings, sometimes with people I couldn’t imagine that she’d even talk to. People that seemed like they might be dangerous, serious people. Then I figured out that it was probably Lillian who was the dangerous one. The one who did the dangerous things.
Everywhere I look is a reminder of her - flowers in a little vase, a book left open on the nightstand, and her eyeglasses that she had recently started using. She was mad about needing those. It is hard not to break down into tears at the sight ofthese familiar objects so tangled up with memories.
After the authorities had removed her body, I had tried to sit still for a moment, trying to make sense of things. But I couldn't make my brain work properly. The forest has always been a safe place for me. It is probably because Lillian made it that way. I was a little spoiled by the safety that came with the Gallegos name and the Syndicate. Apparently, I’m not that safe anymore. It does make me wonder if Lillian is dead if I’m next on the list. That will have to be a worry for another time.
Spending the rest of the day cleaning and setting the cottage to rights makes me feel a little better about things. Knowing that Riven is on his way, that makes me feel like I at least am not so alone in getting some kind of justice for Lillian. I tell myself that I am not fixing myself up, but I end up washing my face and brushing my hair out, so at least I don’t look like a hobo.
I am just finishing an apple when there is a knock at the door. I hesitate, I’m pretty sure it’s Riven — but then at the same time I haven’t seen him in years. Suddenly I feel nervous. I’ve grown up a lot since then. I was naïve then if I am being honest with myself. It could also be the authorities coming to tell me they've caught the perpetrator I suppose. That’s pretty doubtful though.I’m guessing the person who killed Lillian is connected and has no intention of being brought in by local authorities. Either way, I’m not opening the door unarmed.
I take a breath, swing the door open with a foot and bring up my gun as I do so. My lungs struggle to take in air as I take in the sight, but my hand holds steady. Riven is even more handsome than he was six years ago if that is possible. Striking and impeccably dressed, as if he just came from the Cloverdale Fortuna District in an expensive dark suit that hugs his muscular build, accentuating his broad shoulders and chiseled frame. He is really the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome with that touch of danger that has you swooning where you stand. My heart clenches just looking at him.
James looks like he always does - like he is one step away from getting in a fight in a shifter bar, or any bar, his hair loose around his shoulders. But he has a new vicious slash across one cheekbone. Eyeing the scar, I wonder how that happened — he hadn’t had that before, either. It doesn’t change his good looks, but it looks like it was pretty deep. He has not updated his wardrobe, I see. He seems to still be wearing the same clothes as the last time I saw him.
“You came.” The words come out cautiously, not welcoming at all, but I lower the gun andengage the safety. “How have you been?” It comes out a little snottier than I intend, but I tip my chin up. I’m sure I look like shit after crying all night and cleaning, and this just makes me crankier.
Riven puts one foot up on the first step, resting a hand on his thigh. “Hello Red.” His voice is smooth and deep. "I'm sorry about your grandmother," he says sincerely. "May we come in?"
I hesitate for a moment. Riven is one of the few in the world that knows that I did really consider Lillian to be my grandmother. She was legally my guardian, but she did ask me to call her Gran. It does hurt that I won’t be able to have that anymore.
My eyes bounce to James who is standing at attention, his hands clasped behind his back, his face stony, oddly silent. We once had a friendly relationship. While Lillian had never employed James, he had always been hanging around somehow on the edges of everything that was Riven. James had once liked me just fine, now apparently not so much.
I want Riven’s promise before he comes in.
“What's it going to be Red? Can we come in? I will find the person who did this.” There is a dangerous and heavy promise to his words.
My heart skips a beat as my lungs struggle to take in a full breath. "What will you do?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Exactly what I said, Rowan. I will exact vengeance.Retribution.” He steps forward up onto the porch, James following him like the dedicated soldier he is. Their steps sure as they move towards the door.
Retribution. The word rings true in my head.
“Do you promise Riven?” I ask.
His eyes are solemn. “I promise.” I step back to let them in.
Chapter Eight
RIVEN
“Riven,” James’ voice is full of exasperation. “Why are we stopping here first? Is this honestly the priority?” He asks just before I turn into the drive for the cottage. “We could just go straight to the location we were given for Marcos. We might be able to end this whole thing.”
