by Audrey Dacey
“Bye, Sonja. I’ll see you at the show tomorrow night, right?”
“Absolutely, sweetheart.” With that she walked out the door, closing it behind her with a wave, as if she hadn’t just destroyed Riley’s life.
Riley took in several short breaths to try and keep from crying, but she wasn’t surprised when a tear rolled out of her eye anyway. “I thought you loved me,” she barely choked out.
“This isn’t about me not loving you. It’s the opposite. You’re just such a sweet girl. So, I do some things with other girls so I can treat you right.”
Riley raised a hand to her face and wiped away the cool trail that the tears had left. “There are others?”
“Babe, that’s not the point. The point is I love you.”
Riley couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She could tell that his rhetoric was flawed, and she failed that unit in English. She looked around the shabby apartment and immediately realized that this wasn’t worth it. She considered grabbing her stuff, but there wasn’t much that she wanted that couldn’t be replaced, so she turned and headed to the door.
“Where are you going?” Jimmy demanded.
“You’re a jerk.”
Jimmy grabbed her shoulder hard and pulled her back. “Didn’t you hear me? I love you. I want you to stay.”
“Screw you, Jimmy.” She tried to pull her shoulder out of his grasp, but he tightened his fingers around her. Riley winced. “Let me go!”
“Where are you going to go? You don’t have anyone but me,” his voice was like gravel, and he pushed her.
Her body slammed against the door, and she fell to the floor, catching her weight on her sore arm. Riley let out a whimper. Tears flowed out of her eyes in a steady stream.
“Go then. I’ll see you in an hour.”
Riley scrambled off the floor and swung open the door as quickly as she could. When she got outside, she slammed the door behind her, so hard the locks rattled. She ran as fast as she could in flip flops, for as long as she could. When she stopped, she didn’t recognize anything around her.
He was right; she didn’t have anybody. There was no place for her to go, and even if there had been, she didn’t have a way to get there. She didn’t have any money, so she couldn’t go to a hotel. She was stuck.
Ryan lay on the chaise lounge in Alexis’s room and watched Alexis curled up under the bright white sheets on her bed. Her breathing had slowed, and she had fallen asleep for the first time in over 36 hours. He’d stayed up with her all that time, but he still couldn’t sleep. He felt like he had to watch over and protect her.
He hadn’t left her since the day her sister left. She had done well at staying distracted, but every couple of hours, she would break down crying or go into a frenzy about going to find Riley. She completely blamed herself for what happened and what might have happened, and she was already punishing herself for it.
With the exception of filing a police report, neither of them had left the house. He didn’t mind. The weird thing was, if this missing sister thing wasn’t hanging over their heads, they would probably be enjoying their time together. Stranger still, he would probably be kind of sad when she finally kicked him out. At least he figured that’s what would happen after a few days. He didn’t have great hope that Riley would come home before Alexis got sick of him. He should be back in New York come Monday; though, if she wanted him to stay longer, he would.
Alexis’s phone lit up next to her pillow, and Ryan was quick to jump up from the chaise and answer it. He wanted her to sleep as much as she could while she would let herself. He made the person on the other end wait until he tiptoed out into the hallway and closed the bedroom door before he gave a greeting.
“Who is this?” demanded the voice on the other end of the line. It was female and young.
“Ryan Webb. I’m a friend of Alexis’s. She’s sleeping right now. Can I take a message?”
A sob came through the speaker, “Is there any way you can wake my sister up? I really need her.”
“Riley? Is that you?” Ryan’s pulse quickened.
“Yeah,” she cried. “I need a ride.”
He peeked into the room at the sleeping figure, chestnut hair spread wildly on the pillow. He knew he should wake her, but he didn’t want to. This would just disconcert her. He couldn’t do that to the peaceful figure. “Where are you?”
“The South Station in Boston. I’m really scared. The people here are weird.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can. Find a security guard or something and stick close to him. Don’t leave, Riley. I can get to you faster if you stay in one spot.”
She took a heavy, hesitant breath. “Okay,” she finally agreed. “My phone is almost dead. I don’t have anything to charge it with.”
“Turn it off,” he commanded gently. “Only turn it back on if you really need it. I’ll find you.”
“Okay.”
Ryan hung up the phone and placed it back on Alexis’s pillow. He found a pad of paper and a pen in the small desk near the door.
I’ll be back in a little bit. It was all he wrote; he didn’t want to get her hopes up. Not yet.
The drive to the bus station seemed quick to him. His eyes scanned the Great Room of the terminal, and he eventually caught sight of Riley sitting alone at a table in a corner. Her eyes were darting around the room, and she looked suspicious of everyone. Either she hadn’t spotted Ryan right away or she didn’t recognize him from their brief meeting earlier in the week.
His heart broke for her. She looked a lot like her sister, and he couldn’t help but be filled with compassion for her. He slowly approached her, and it was obvious when she noticed him. Her eyes got wide, staring at him, and she gripped her purse close to her body.
He stopped walking toward her and spoke loudly across the room. “Riley. I’m Ryan.” Her eyes softened, and she stood up from the table, and he met her halfway. “Are you okay?”
She nodded vigorously, but he looked her over to be sure. She looked fine except she was holding her wrist. He gently held her hand and lifted it. The wrist was dark blue and swollen, almost certainly broken.
“Does it hurt?”
Riley nodded, her swollen eyes staring fearfully up at him.
“Let’s go to the hospital.”
“I just want to go home. Please.” She sniffled and pulled her hand away.
He put an arm around her shoulder and led her out of the terminal. She didn’t speak the entire way to the car or for the first ten minutes of the ride.
The silence was beginning to worry Ryan, so he asked if she needed anything.
“I’m really hungry,” she admitted half-heartedly.
He pulled into the closest fast food restaurant and ordered her some food before getting back on the road.
She didn’t thank him, and he didn’t tell her the hell she’d caused. Ryan didn’t have the energy, the right, or even the right words. He didn’t want her thanks, either. He figured it would be more appropriate for him to thank her. Now he could make his exit from Alexis’s life. It was one he didn’t want to make but knew was for the best.
By the time they reached Maple Field they had spoken no more than ten total sentences to one another.
The house was different when they arrived. It looked like every light in the house was on. He guessed Alexis knew he was gone. He wondered why she hadn’t tried to call him.
Ryan walked Riley inside. He didn’t want to stay long but was going to make sure that Alexis saw her right away.
Alexis was in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee at the counter, and Sam was next to her barking incessantly. “Where have you been?” she asked looking straight ahead instead of at him and Riley. She slowly turned her head and spotted her sister who was hesitantly walking down the hallway. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. “Get the hell out right now.”
Riley took a step back and bumped into Ryan. “I’m sorry, Alexis,” she said. “You have every right to be mad at me.
” Riley looked up into Ryan’s eyes, and he could see the sadness and fear in her dark brown eyes.
“Alexis, what’s going on?” he asked.
“Both of you get out of here right now!” she shouted.
Riley broke down into sobs and turned to run, but Ryan grabbed her gently by the shoulders and told her to wait right there. Then he entered the kitchen and saw Richard Dunn pointing a gun at Alexis’s head.
“You heard her,” Richard growled. “This is between us.”
“Riley,” Ryan called out over his shoulder, “get out of the house.”
“Better leave with her, or I’ll take you out myself,” Richard threatened. “You’ve had her for a couple of days now. It’s my turn.”
“Can’t do that.” Ryan shrugged calmly, though his heart was nearly beating out of his chest. “If it involves her, it involves me.”
Richard swung the gun in a quick, smooth motion so that it was now pointing at Ryan’s forehead. Ryan raised his hands up by his shoulders defenselessly.
“Listen, prick. Alexis is in love with me. We’re going away together. Tell him Alexis.” Ryan looked over at her, and she gave him a few quick nods, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Ryan leaned against the counter casually. “That’s going to be a problem because I’m in love with her.” He hated that this was the way she was going to hear it from him; he didn’t want to tell her in the first place.
“Sucks for you.” Richard smiled at him, and his guard was loosening. While the gun was still pointed at Ryan, it wasn’t at his forehead anymore, and there was a little comfort in that.
“Where are you planning on living?” He could see Alexis wiping her cheeks with her hands out of the corner of his eye.
“What?” she said softly.
Ryan knew how to talk about one thing without locking up completely: work. He would talk business as long as it took to get Richard to calm down. “Wherever it is, you should let me design something for you both. You know, as a final gift.”
“I’m not telling you anything,” Richard said, raising the gun a little.
“That’s too bad. If you let Alexis choose, she’ll probably pick the guy she used for this place, and I hate to be cocky, but I’m a lot better. Let me get you my business card in case you change your mind.” Ryan stood up straight and reached for his wallet. “It’s your home, you’ll…”
“Don’t move.” The gun pointed at the center of his chest. “And shut up.”
Ryan’s plan wasn’t working. Richard wasn’t lowering his guard enough.
“Now that I think about it, I don’t think I can let her go off with a psycho like you.”
Richard closed one of his eyes and aimed the gun higher. Alexis, obviously taking advantage of Richard’s limited sight on her side, quickly slid out of the stool and rammed her knee into Richard’s stomach. Ryan would have applauded her move, but a shot echoing through the large, open room served that purpose. Ryan took this as an opportunity and charged low at the short, muscular figure as fast as he could.
Two more bangs echoed through the kitchen, and a tinny ring told them a bullet had hit one of the stainless steel appliances.
Ryan hit Richard in the chest with his forearm and rushed him into the counter across the room. Richard’s back hit the marble with an “ugh,” and Ryan punched him across the face. Ryan grabbed the hand holding the gun and slammed it against the marble and was able to pry the pistol from Richard’s fingers. He held it by the barrel and swung the butt into the side of Richard’s face. His eyes fluttered shut as he fell to the ground. Ryan stepped back and threw the gun into the sink. He ran his hand through his beard, grazing his own bruise.
“Now we’re even,” he said to the unconscious figure.
As he turned he saw Alexis charging at them with a pink object in her hand. She stopped a few feet in front of Richard and pushed a button. Two small probes on wires launched across the space between them and Richard’s body jolted off the floor several times.
She dropped the stun gun to the floor and looked at Ryan, whose eyes were wide. “Just being careful,” she shrugged. He reached over and pulled her against his body. She trembled against him for a few sobs.
“What happened?” He asked quietly against her forehead as he kissed it gently.
“He came into my bedroom while I was sleeping. He must have seen you leave.”
Guilt washed over Ryan. He hadn’t locked the door. He hadn’t taken her along with him to get Riley. He could have prevented this. “I am so sorry,” he whispered into her hair, inhaling her minty scent.
She pushed herself against him tighter. “I’m just glad you came back.”
They stood there for a moment but were interrupted when they heard someone shout “clear!” in the front of the house.
Alexis pushed away from Ryan and wiped her face with the back of her hand. “In here!” she called. “We’re in here!”
Several police officers entered the room with their guns raised until they saw the slumped over figure on the floor. They rushed over to his prone body, turned him on his stomach, and pulled his wrists behind him into cuffs.
Officer Moreno pulled the probes out of Richard’s chest and picked up the stun gun. “I suppose this is yours?” he asked Alexis.
“You bet your ass it is, and I don’t care what the consequence is,” she replied, holding her arms out toward him, ready to be cuffed.
Moreno smiled. “How about I dispose of this for you?”
Alexis’s hands dropped back to her sides and she shrugged her shoulders. “I won’t need it anymore.”
“Alexis!” Riley’s voice called from the doorway.
Ryan stepped back and slid into the corner, away from the commotion. He watched as the crying sisters reunited with a hug.
Soon after, a couple of paramedics took Richard on a stretcher, and Ryan gave his version of the story to a tired, confused detective. When they finally got his story down, he walked in to the great room where Alexis and Riley were sitting.
Riley’s head lay in Alexis’s lap, and Alexis stroked Riley’s hair. They whispered to one another and both were still crying.
Ryan figured this as good a time as any to go. He took a long look at the only woman he had ever loved, then turned and left. For good.
Chapter 17
Alexis was sure that her heart had skipped a beat when her sister walked in. She was relieved to see her but terrified at the same time. When it was all done, she didn’t yell or scold her. She hugged her, told her she loved her, and let her fall asleep on her lap before sending her to her bedroom for a good night’s sleep.
Now that it was morning—late morning—she wanted to know the details and figure out if she had to go Taser another bastard—once her new Taser got there, that is. She put on running shorts, a tank top, and sneakers just in case she had to get physical. Since last night, she was considering buying a wardrobe consisting solely of these items and donating everything else.
She knew that she would have some explaining to do, as well. They didn’t talk about anything important after the cops left, which was okay. Alexis talked about Richard more than she wanted to the night before.
Alexis was losing patience waiting for Riley to wake up, and she feared a couple of times that the girl had snuck out again, but when she checked her bed, she was there, sleeping soundly.
She took a sip of coffee and let the bittersweet flavor swirl around her mouth. There were few things that she appreciated more than coffee over the last few days. The one thing that she did appreciate more had disappeared without a word or even a friendly wave.
Ryan had been with her almost every moment that Riley was gone; he brought her sister home and probably saved both of their lives. After sending Riley to bed she went searching for him, but he was gone. Though she was a little angry with him for not taking her with him to pick up Riley, her anger was overwhelmed by appreciation, and she was ready to show him just how appreciative she was, but he’d left wit
hout even a goodbye kiss. It was strange, especially since they were getting along really well. She’d never felt that comfortable with a man for so long a period of time. The night before only strengthened that, and she felt—for the first time in a long time—that a man could do more for her than satisfy her sexually. He was her friend, and if she had it her way, one with fantastic benefits.
“Alexis?” a voice whispered from the hallway.
Alexis turned to find her sister. She was holding Dudley, the stuffed dog she’d had since she was a toddler, and she looked a lot like the kid she was right after their parents died. She looked sad instead of angry. It wasn’t necessarily better, but Alexis understood sadness. She knew broken hearts, and she knew that she could help with this if Riley wanted her to.
She motioned with her head for Riley to sit in the other chair at the breakfast bar. Riley shuffled over, and Alexis poured her a cup of coffee from the stainless steel carafe on the counter.
“I want you to tell me what happened,” Alexis informed her sister.
Riley’s eyes remained on the steaming liquid in the coffee cup.
“I won’t be mad,” she promised gently.
Riley scoffed. “I called you a bitch—verbally and on paper. You have every right to be mad at me.”
“I’m over it. I’m just glad you’re okay. Just tell me what happened so we can fix it and move on.”
“There’s nothing to fix. I thought Jimmy loved me—just me—but that’s obviously not true.”
Alexis could see tears welling in the corners of her sister’s eyes, but Riley wiped them away before they could roll down her cheeks. Then she moved her attention to her thumbnail and played with it nervously, bending it back and forth and occasionally chipping off the neon blue paint.
“He was sleeping with other girls—pretty girls—in the apartment that I paid for.”
Typical. Men were so predictable. They couldn’t keep their penises in the proper place no matter what a woman did for them.
Alexis was not surprised by any of Riley’s story as she told her about Jimmy telling her to ask for her trust money, leaving her alone in the apartment all day, abandoning her at the grocery store, and Riley walking in on a booty call. Despite not being surprised, Alexis could feel herself becoming angry. As she listened, her teeth were tightly clenched, and she vigorously swirled the remaining half inch of coffee in the bottom of her mug.
