More than two hours later, an officer finally appeared outside his cell to escort him out. His uncle had arranged for someone to meet him and make sure that he got home safely, though how safe he could really be inside the Mansion was questionable. He followed the procedure to get his clothes and personal items back and was released to the lobby. The only person in the waiting area was a hockey player from Silvervane Prep that he hardly recognized.
Blake Kavanagh stood near the door, arms folded across his broad chest. He looked extremely uncomfortable and hardly made eye contact with Ryder as he passed through the security checkpoint. “Hey,” the boy said awkwardly. “I’m Blake.”
Ryder nodded. “Nice to meet you,” he replied, a little confused.
“My mom’s Judge Kavanagh,” the boy said, as if that explained everything. “She was assigned to your case and she knows your uncle. She’s the one who got your charges dropped.”
“How does she know my uncle?” Ryder asked.
Blake shrugged. “Beats me. Come on, she’s waiting for us out in the car.”
Ryder followed Blake to the parking lot without question. He was a little disappointed that Aylie wasn’t there to greet him, but even more confused about what was going on. How did his uncle know the judge, and how had he managed to get her to drop all charges so quickly without a trial? It didn’t make sense. He climbed into the back seat of her luxury sedan feeling a little uneasy.
“Good afternoon, Ryder. I’m Judge Kavanagh, it’s nice to officially meet you,” she said, looking over her shoulder to smile at him.
He forced a smile. “Thank you for coming to get me.”
“I talked with your uncle Alexander—we’re old friends.”
Ryder nodded mechanically.
“He has asked that you stay at my house until he arrives, just to keep an eye on you and make sure you’re safe.”
“I appreciate it, Judge Kavanagh,” Ryder replied, trying not to show his chagrin, “but that’s really not necessary. I can take care of myself.”
“I’m sure you can,” the Judge replied, looking at him through the rearview mirror as she pulled out of the parking lot. “But I would like to do my due diligence to keep you from harm until your uncle arrives. He should be here in a few days and he’s bringing your cousins with him for an extended stay.”
Ryder shifted uncomfortably in the back seat of the Lincoln. Something about this arrangement didn’t sit well with him. It felt like he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, even though he was a legal adult. Was he being put on house arrest? He was tempted to demand that she let him go, but since his uncle had gone to such trouble to take care of things, he agreed to stay with her until he could come up with a different plan.
The first thing he had to do was find a way to see Aylie. It would be much harder to sneak out of the Judge’s house in the middle of the night than his own. He would have to invent a reason to visit the Bryant Ranch. It would mean facing the rest of her family, however, and he wasn’t sure how they would feel about him showing up at their house after everything in the news. Perhaps her father would be as empathetic as her mother was…that would make things a little easier.
He brainstormed reasons to visit the Ranch all the way to the Judge’s house. He said very little unless asked a direct question and refused dinner, saying that he was tired and needed to lie down. He was shown to the guest room and given towels for the bathroom he would be sharing with Blake—a scenario he had never encountered before. The house would probably have been considered large to most people, but to Ryder, who was used to living in a castle, this place felt almost as confining as his prison cell. He fell asleep early, hoping to awake from the ever-evolving nightmare that had somehow become his life.
When he opened his eyes, Ryder found himself standing in the middle of the courtyard at his own mansion. He looked around, noticing how dark the sky was. Must be just before dawn, he thought, turning to walk into the house. A black cat darted in front of him with a screech, making him pause. He laughed as he reached for the doorknob. Out of nowhere, something lunged at him from behind. He staggered backwards, blood dripping from the claw marks raked across the back of his right shoulder. He whirled around to see the silhouette of a large black wildcat bearing its sharp fangs. It gave an eerie, high-pitched shriek that made him cringe inwardly. There were two more panthers flanking it, ready to strike when commanded. Ryder winced, as the pain spread through his shoulder and down his arm. He stared at the panthers in alarm and confusion. They were just like him. Why were they attacking him without cause? Their eyes glowed with the same, red-orange light he’d always known. Their presence should’ve been a comfort to him, not a terror. Before he could wrap his brain around what was happening, the panther lunged for his throat....
Ryder jolted awake, sitting upright in a strange bed in an unfamiliar room. He was breathing hard, trying to remember where he was. It took a few minutes before he realized he was at the Judge’s house. It hadn’t been a dream then, after all. For some reason he almost preferred being attacked by ferocious panthers, as opposed to being trapped in this house with strangers who knew nothing about him and cared little for his well-being. Something told him not to trust these people. He considered trying to sneak out, but knew there would be hell to pay if his uncle found out. He forced himself to lie back down and tried futilely to go
back to sleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“D id you hear about Ryder?” Lacey railed through the phone with disgust. “He’s been cleared of ALL charges.”
“Really?” Aylie tried to disguise her excitement. “How did that happen?”
“I don’t know. Something about new evidence or some nonsense like that.” Lacey was unabashedly skeptical.
“Well…that’s good news, don’t you think?”
“He didn’t even have a trial, Aylie. There’s something suspicious about that, if you ask me.”
“How do you know all this? I didn’t hear anything about it,” Aylie said, trying to keep her voice as neutral sounding as possible.
“Blake Kavanagh was the one who had to get him out of jail,” Lacey replied dramatically. “He told Marcus all about it. Apparently Ryder has to stay with them until his uncle gets here.”
“Seriously? Why the Kavanagh’s? I didn’t know Ryder and Blake were friends….”
“Oh, they’re definitely not friends. His uncle knows the Judge somehow and she agreed to keep Ryder as a favor.”
“Poor Ryder,” she murmured.
“You mean poor Blake,” Lacey huffed. “He’s having a Christmas Eve party at his house tonight and now he has to deal with that loser hanging around.”
“Are you going to the party?” Aylie asked, trying not to sound envious.
“Of course, Marcus invited me.” She replied with a laugh. “You should come, too—check out the escaped convict. I’m sure it’ll be loads of entertainment.”
“I don’t know…” Aylie wasn’t sure if her parents would let her go somewhere else on Christmas Eve.
“Come on, Aylie. You only live once.”
“I’d have to convince my parents.”
“Put your mom on the phone,” Lacey replied confidently. “I’ll convince her.”
A few hours later Aylie was standing on the front porch of Judge Kavanagh’s house. She’d caught a ride with Marcus and Lacey and had been forced to watch them make eyes at each other all the way there. She kind of wanted to vomit but kept her feelings to herself. She knew she should be happy for them, but it was hard when she couldn’t be with Ryder that way.
Sophia Kavanagh answered the door, greeting them less than cordially. She was Blake’s older sister and had dated Aylie’s older brother a few months back. She wasn’t sure what had happened between them, but judging from the superficial greeting she’d just received, Aylie guessed the break-up must’ve been Lucas’s idea. She followed Marcus and Lacey inside, determined to find Ryder as quickly as possible.
Th
e Kavanagh house was decorated to the hilt, with artificial Christmas trees in every room. There were long strands of garland with big red bows hanging festively along the tops of the walls and the wooden railings of the bannisters. Every fireplace had stockings dangling from it. White Christmas lights hung from the ceilings, while holiday music played softly in the background. It seemed like every room was filled with pockets of hockey players and their girlfriends or other athletes Aylie didn’t really know. She used to be part of this crowd but now she felt sorely out of place.
She was starting to wish she hadn’t come. She couldn’t seem to find Ryder anywhere and wondered if he’d found another place to crash during the party. She walked down one of the halls, glancing in each room as she passed by. Chance was playing his guitar for a group of girls in a room on the left and he looked up at her and smiled as she passed by. Kyle high-fived her as she squeezed by him and the circle of guys who were chugging Red bulls. She had reached the end of the hall and there was only one room she hadn’t looked in yet. The last door on the right was open just a crack and seemed to indicate that whoever was behind it wanted some privacy.
Aylie deliberated whether or not to peek inside. It could be Ryder’s room, or it could be a couple making out or something more intimate, which would be extremely awkward to walk in on. She stood outside the door for what seemed an eternity trying to decide what to do. Just before she’d made up her mind to knock, the door opened wider.
Ryder stood casually in the doorway, wearing a fitted, dark blue long-sleeved T and a pair of dark wash jeans. His hair was sticking up in all of the usual places and his dark eyes were locked on hers. There were bags beneath his eyes and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days. Aylie’s heart stopped at the sight of him and he pulled her inside, closing the door quickly behind her. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his chest. “I had no idea you’d be here,” he murmured into her hair.
“I had no idea they let you out,” she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “My parents have been careful to keep me away from the news, I think.”
He held her tighter. “Thank you, Aylie. I would still be in that cell if it weren’t for you.
She buried her head in his chest. “I’m so sorry, Ryder.”
“What on earth do you have to be sorry about?” He asked softly.
“I just can’t believe you were stuck in that jail for three whole weeks for a crime you didn’t commit—you almost had to spend Christmas in there.” Her eyes teared up.
“But now I don’t, thanks to you.” He whispered. He lifted her chin and kissed her lips, gently like a soft caress. Then he led her over to his bed and sat down beside her. “Thank you for contacting my uncle. I take it you found his address without any trouble?”
Aylie hesitated. She wasn’t sure how much she should tell him. Did he need to know about the conversation she’d overheard between Bridgett and the housekeeper, or would that only make him angry? And how could she possibly explain the whole lion thing and how she’d been able to transport to his father’s study without a ring? She looked into his eyes and felt the tension of the last three weeks begin to fade. “Bridgett let me in. The housekeeper told her not to, but she helped me anyways. I couldn’t have gotten the address without her.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was enough for now.
Ryder’s jaw clenched visibly, his eyes flashing with an anger Aylie hadn’t seen in a while. She pulled her head back to look at his face more clearly, confused by the sudden change of emotion. “Have I said something wrong?” The last time he’d been this angry he’d transitioned and had nearly taken her head off.
“You haven’t heard the news yet,” he said sadly, looking down at her fingers interlaced with his.
“What news?”
“Bridgett is dead. She was murdered. It happened early yesterday morning before I was released. I think it’s one of the reasons they let me out. I couldn’t have been the one who murdered her because I was locked up at the time of the incident.”
Aylie’s eyes widened in horror. “No. That’s not possible. I just saw her a week ago.” She shook her head in denial.
“It’s true, Aylie. It was all over the news yesterday. I guess your parents kept that from you, too.”
Aylie’s eyes welled up with tears. They started to stream down her cheeks. “She helped me, Ryder. The housekeeper warned her not to but she did it anyways. This is ALL my fault!”
“What do you mean?” Ryder asked, jumping to his feet.
“I…I overheard them arguing when I got to the mansion the day after I visited you. The housekeeper told Bridgett not to let me in. She threatened to fire her if she disobeyed, but I never imagined something like this would happen. I swear!”
Ryder paced back and forth in the tiny bedroom, his hands balled into fists by his side. “The housekeeper threatened her?”
Aylie nodded and the tears kept coming. Ryder stopped pacing and sat down beside her again, pulling her close to his side. “It’s not your fault, Aylie. None of this is your fault.”
“But if Bridgett hadn’t let me in….”
“You don’t know if that’s why she was murdered. We can’t assume anything without proof.” He gently wiped the tears from her eyes with his thumb. “We’re going to find out who did this,” he vowed. “I promise.”
“But how? These murders have been happening for years…you could be next,” she breathed, trying to prevent a fresh batch of tears. And what about the dagger? The police chief still has it and my fingerprints are all over it. Why haven’t they arrested me yet?”
Ryder shook his head with a troubled expression. “I don’t know. My uncle will be here in a few days,” he said, stroking the side of her face. “He’ll know what to do. He’s managed to keep his family in tact all this time and I trust him.”
Aylie took a deep breath, regaining her composure. She wiped away the traces of her tears and sat up straight, pulling away from him to comb through her disheveled blond hair. “There might be someone else who can help,” she said, just as the bedroom door flew wide open.
Lacey’s slim figure loomed in the doorway, staring at them with a look of shock and betrayal. She folded her arms across her chest, waiting for an explanation. Ren, Derek, and Eli stood close behind her, looking extremely uncomfortable.
“Does someone want to tell me what’s going on here, or should I assume it’s what it looks like?” Lacey said.
“What exactly does it look like?” Ryder challenged.
“Like my best friend is hiding behind closed doors making out with a murderer.” She retorted in disgust.
“Well, then it’s not what it looks like.” He replied coolly.
“We were just talking,” Aylie interjected, embarrassed by Lacey’s accusation.
“You really expect me to believe that? You’re sitting on his bed,” she hissed.
“I’ve never lied to you, Lacey. You have no reason to assume that I’m lying to you now.”
“Well you certainly didn’t tell me about your new boyfriend,” she snapped, her anger dissolving into hurt.
“You weren’t exactly open to the idea,” Aylie said defensively. “It’s not like you would’ve been supportive.”
“So you’ve been dating this guy behind everyone’s back?”
“No,” Ryder interjected. “I didn’t ask her to be my girlfriend until tonight. We made it official just a few minutes ago.” Aylie glanced sideways at him, shocked that he had told Lacey they were dating.
“You were gone for three whole weeks,” Lacey accused, “that was plenty of time for her to say something about your relationship.” She turned to Aylie. “Why didn’t you tell me this was going on?” Her eyes were filling with tears.
“You hate him, Lacey. I don’t know why, but you do.”
“Were you ever planning to say something?”
“Of course, but we hadn’t made it official yet.”
“Do your parents know about this?” Lacey questio
ned, biting back her tears.
Aylie nodded. “My mom does—she took me to see him about a week ago.”
“Your mom took you to the jail?”
Aylie nodded.
Lacey pursed her lips. “And here I was, worried about how you were feeling with Marcus and I.” She shook her head. “So much for best friends who tell each other everything.” She stormed off, leaving Ren, Derek, and Eli standing in the hallway alone.
Ren stepped forward awkwardly. “I’m Ren,” she said, introducing herself to Ryder. “I’ve never officially met you.”
He smiled in spite of the tension in the air. “Nice to meet you.”
Eli reached out next, shaking Ryder’s hand firmly. “Any friend of Aylie’s is a friend of mine,” he said warmly.
“And don’t worry about Lacey,” Ren said sweetly. “She’ll come around eventually.”
Aylie smiled at her, mouthing the words, “Thank you.”
“I’m sorry for bringing the mood down,” Ryder said, trying to dissipate the tension. “I didn’t mean to crash the party.”
Derek snorted. “No worries. I think Lacey’s the only one who’ really upset about this.”
“Should I try to go talk to her?” Aylie wondered aloud.
“I think it’s going to take a little time for her to adjust to the idea,” Ren said. “You might want to give her some space.”
“Well…she was sort of my ride,” Aylie said, biting her bottom lip.
“I’ll take you home,” Eli offered. He looked at Ryder as if checking to make sure it was okay.
“I think that’s probably a good idea,” Ryder agreed. He took both of her hands in his, drawing her closer and interlacing their fingers together.
Aylie looked up at him, blushing in surprise. She could feel the heat in her cheeks and the pulsing of her heart in her eardrums. She knew Ren and Eli were watching and it made her feel like a silly schoolgirl.
WAKENED (The Silvervane Chronicles Book 1) Page 17
