Unbidden (Brighton Academy Book 1)

by Cala Riley

  You’re safe.

  I don’t know when I started thinking about Sterling or any of the others as safe, but in that moment, I knew I would survive. He would keep me safe.

  A slap in the face jerks my eyes back open. I don’t even remember closing them.

  “What happened, Sage? I need you to stay with me. What happened?” Sterling is frantically talking to me as I realize we’re moving.

  I can’t focus on the world around me, so I focus internally.

  What did happen?

  I went to work. Tinsley texted she needed me.

  Oh no.

  “Tinsley,” I whisper.

  “What?” Sterling yells.

  “Tinsley,” I try again.

  My eyes become heavier as I fight to stay awake.

  Find Tinsley.

  I keep screaming the words, but no sound will come out.

  Then the darkness overtakes me.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “She would never take drugs. I’m telling you that you’re dead wrong.” Victoria’s voice cuts through the haze surrounding my mind.

  “Calm down, V. We know that. He’ll figure it out too. He has to run all his tests.” The male voice calming her belongs to Sterling.

  Sterling?

  My mind tries to latch on to a memory of him, but it quickly loses it.

  “We’re trying to get a better understanding of her so he can find the best treatment for her,” an older, male voice reassures her. “So, you said she doesn’t do drugs. Does she drink?”

  As the doctor continues to ask questions, my mind zones out, dragging me back into a black abyss.

  ∞∞∞

  “I’m going. You need to keep your ass here. Watch her for me.” A warm male voice washes over me, almost as if I’m in a dream.

  “Why? Why do you need to go? Stay here with her. She needs you. I need you. Stay.” Tinsley’s sweet voice brings my mind into focus.

  “She wouldn’t want me here and you know it. She hates me, Tin Tin. The best thing I can do for her is to leave. Besides, I’m doing this for her. That kid, Asher, won’t know what hit him. I’m going to teach him what it means when you mess with a Yates.” This time, I recognize the warm voice as Reed’s.

  “Oh, so you’ll claim her as a Yates but you won’t stay for her?” Tinsley whispers.

  “It’s complicated. I want nothing more than to be here with her, but she made her choice. She left me. I didn’t leave her. I’ll always care for her, and she’ll always be protected by this family, so yes, she’s a Yates. She’ll receive all of the respect and protection that goes along with our name. She deserves it.”

  Tinsley sighs before a warm hand grabs mine.

  “I love her, Tin. I would do anything for her. Even if it means leaving.” The hand squeezes mine before I feel warmth land on the middle of my forehead. “Take care of her for me.”

  As the warmth leaves both my head and hand, Tinsley calls out after him. “She wouldn’t want this. She would want you to stay. You’re wrong.”

  Another warmth fills my opposite hand.

  “He’s wrong, isn’t he?” Tinsley whispers to me.

  I want to speak, but the same weight as before starts pulling me under until I can no longer hear her voice or feel her hand in mind.

  ∞∞∞

  “Come on, Sage. I need you to wake up.” This time it’s Tinsley’s voice that drags me out of the dark place. “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t asked V to shut off her phone, you would have known Ingram stole my phone, that it was a trap. You would be okay. I need you to be okay. Please. I can’t lose another person I care about. I just can’t. I need you. Please.”

  I need you. I need you. I need you.

  Her words echo in my head. This time, instead of falling back into the darkness, I fight harder, opening my eyes a little bit. I start to blink, but it’s slow going. Tinsley continues to speak to me through tears as I try to open my eyes more.

  “Sage? Are you awake?” Her tearstained face fills my vision.

  I try to speak, but my mouth is dry and my motions are limited. My body feels sluggish.

  “Hold tight. I need to let the doctor know you’re awake.

  She leaves me as I take a look around the room.

  A hospital. I’m in a hospital. It registers then that I have no memory of how I ended up here.

  Before I can dwell on it, Tinsley comes back in with a doctor, Aunt Alice, Elijah, and a police officer.

  “Hello, Sage. I’m Dr. Ramb. Do you mind if I examine you?”

  I go to speak, but nothing comes out. He gives me a gentle smile as a nurse comes from behind him, bringing me a glass of water with a straw.

  “Sip slow, sweetheart.” She gives me an encouraging smile.

  I take a slow sip, allowing the coolness to act as a balm to my sore throat. I take another slow sip before I pull back.

  I clear my throat before trying to talk again. “Go ahead.”

  My voice comes out raspy, but it feels good to be able to talk.

  The doctor does a quick exam of my eyes, breathing, and vitals.

  “You’re doing good. You have a fractured rib and some ligature marks around your throat. Your mind might feel hazy before the drugs wear off, but we’ll continue to give you fluids to help with that. The police officer here has some questions he needs to ask you. Are you up for it?”

  I glance to the officer, then to Alice and Elijah.

  Elijah speaks first, stepping forward to touch my foot. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. If you need more time, take it. No one is pressuring you here. We only want to know what happened.”

  I frown. They don’t know what happened?

  “I don’t mind,” I rasp as I reach out for another sip of water.

  The police officer steps forward along with Alice, who takes her place by my side next to Tinsley.

  “Hello, Ms. Covington. I’m Officer Henderson. I’m going to ask you a couple of questions.”

  “Tinsley, honey. Why don’t you step outside?” Alice whispers to her quietly.

  Tinsley’s sad eyes meet mine. “I don’t want to leave her.”

  Alice looks at me, leaving the decision up to me.

  “Aunt Alice is right.”

  I hear a small gasp and look to Alice. She’s holding back tears as her hand covers her mouth. “Sorry. That’s just the first time you called me Aunt Alice.”

  Was it? Huh. I guess it was.

  I give her a small smile before continuing. “You should probably step outside.”

  “I promised Reed I would stay by your side. That I would take care of you.”

  Tinsley likes to think she’s grown, but she’s still a child inside needing to be comforted when life is scary. I want so badly to hold her but know that I can’t. So I do the next best thing for her.

  “Where is Reed? Why isn’t he here?” I know why he isn’t here. We broke up. He used me. He hates me.

  Her face lights up though. “You want to see him?”

  I look at her with a perfectly constructed confused stare. “Why wouldn’t I? I thought he would be here to make sure I was okay.”

  Her bubbly personality floods back. “He was here. He didn’t want to be in the way, so he ran down the street. I’ll go call him now and tell him you’re asking for him. He’ll be right back.”

  As she rushes from the room, the doctor gives me a concerned look. “Memory loss is common with the drugs found in your system. They may wear off in a couple of days and you could remember more, but it’s unlikely you’ll remember everything. You were given triple the normal amount.”

  “Drugs? What drugs?”

  The police officer steps in. “What do you remember from two nights ago?”

  “Two nights?” I repeat, confused.

  “Honey, two nights ago, you were brought into the hospital by Sterling Brooks. He didn’t know exactly what happened to you, so they arrested him. He’s being held until we get this cleared up.” Ali
ce is the one who drops that bombshell on me.

  “Let’s try this instead.” Elijah sends a pointed look at Officer Henderson. “What’s the last thing you can remember?”

  “I was at work. It was pretty busy. I went on break and planned to grab a pretzel from the food court. Before I went, I checked my messages. Tinsley texted me saying she needed me. I remember going to a house party. I was trying to find Tinsley, but I don’t think I found her. It’s fuzzy after that. “

  “Good. That’s good,” Officer Henderson gently praises me before taking back over. “Did you know anyone at the party?”

  This time, it takes me a moment to think. Then a face flashes in my head. “Ingram was there. She helped me look for Tinsley.”

  Elijah’s face shows his surprise, but he doesn’t speak. My mind starts playing back bits and pieces from that night.

  “She said she saw Tinsley go upstairs. She took me to the room she was in.” I struggle to remember what happened next.

  “Do you remember meeting anyone else?” Office Henderson gives me a small smile, telling me he’s going to continue to question me even if it’s getting harder on me.

  I lay my head back and close my eyes. Images fly through my head like a filing cabinet that I’m flipping through.

  “I think that’s enough for now. She needs rest,” Dr. Ramb says softly.

  “No,” I interrupt them. “I’m just trying to remember. Give me a minute.”

  Everyone is silent while I continue to push through my memories. Then the voice and face hit me along with the fear.

  “Asher.” I gasp. “Asher was there. He hurt me.”

  “Asher. Do you know his last name?” Officer Henderson begins writing down on his pad.

  “No. Reed and Keaton would know. He went on a date with Tinsley a couple of months ago. Creep was trying to pressure her into sex, then suggested a threesome as soon as I entered the room. I had to knee him in the balls to get Tinsley out of there.”

  “So you’ve had a previous interaction with this man before?” Officer Henderson questions.

  I nod. “Yeah, I did. He kept making little comments to me while he held me down. Said how I was going to like it. It reminded me of how he spoke to Tinsley the night of their date.”

  “Can you tell me anything else about what he did to you?”

  Some of the night comes flooding back. “He held me down while Ingram poured something down my throat. I remember it tasting like alcohol. He stayed on top of me while they continued to talk. The last thing I remember is Ingram asking him how much he had given me. He said three. I think he said they were roofies.”

  My head starts to ache as my mind continues to search for the memories of that night.

  “Roofies? Is that what he called them?” Officer Henderson prods.

  “Yes. I think so.” I moan and throw my hands over my head as a sharp pain slices through.

  “That’s enough for now. She needs her rest. Ms. Covington? I’m going to give you something for the pain. Is that okay?” Dr. Ramb asks.

  I look up at him. “My last name is Miller. Why do you keep calling me Covington?”

  He looks to Alice, then back to me. “My apologies, Ms. Miller. Can I?”

  He holds up a small syringe just as a second wave hits me. I moan out a yes before laying my head back, wincing in pain.

  Cold fills my veins before I open my eyes slowly, feeling them become heavy once again.

  “It’s okay, sweetheart. We’ll be right here when you wake up. Get some rest.” Alice pats my hand.

  “Okay,” I mumble before a thought hits me. “Where’s Victoria?”

  “She was here with you, but when Tinsley came, she went to check on Sterling.”

  “Sterling? He saved me. He took me from them. I remember seeing his face and knowing I was safe.”

  My eyes close as I slowly drift off to sleep.

  “I think you can let the Brooks boy go.” Elijah’s voice floats to me before I give in to the darkness once again.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  I slowly open my eyes to a dark room. For a moment, I forget where I am, jumping up to look around.

  “Shh. It’s okay.” Reed leans forward in the chair next to the bed, reaching out to brush my hair back from my face.

  “Reed?” I whisper in a small voice.

  His hand stills as he glances down to my neck. Barely contained rage festers behind his eyes when he meets mine again.

  “I’m here, baby. Get some rest. I won’t leave again. I promise.”

  Adjusting the bed so I can sit up comfortably, I reach out for his hand. He immediately intertwines it in mine.

  “What happened? I remember bits and pieces, but I don’t know everything.”

  He lets out a sigh, dropping his head to his other hand. “I don’t know. Sterling hasn’t gotten released yet. I was hoping he could tell me more.”

  Glancing down at our joined hands, I gasp as I find his red and bleeding. “What happened to your hand, Reed?”

  He goes to pull it back, but I don’t let him go. He stops immediately, settling closer to me. “I lost it. I couldn’t stand the thought of what they did to you. Sterling called me telling me he was bringing you here. He said it had something to do with Tinsley and to find her. I wanted to come straight here, but he promised he would stay with you. He said something about Asher Evans being involved. So, when I found Tinsley at your place, I made sure she was safe and then rushed over here with your family in tow. By then, Sterling had been arrested as a suspect and you were out cold. They said you might not wake for hours, so I stayed. The longer I stayed, the more I remembered that you hated me. I didn’t think you would want me here, so I left Tinsley and Keaton with you. Let’s just say my fists also wanted to have a conversation with Asher. They also won.”

  I smile softly at the memory of me saying similar words to him when he asked me about Asher that night.

  “You didn’t have to do that. What if you get into trouble?”

  He gives me his signature panty-melting smirk. “I’m a Yates. There’s no trouble I can’t get myself out of.”

  I burst out laughing, enjoying the completely normal feeling of this moment. Once the laughter dies down, my mind starts overanalyzing again.

  “Why are you here, Reed?” I whisper softly.

  “Tinsley said you asked for me. You wanted me here, so I’m here.”

  My heart aches to believe the words, but my mind reminds me that he lied once before.

  “No more games, Reed. I can’t take it. I’m going to ask again, and I want you to tell me the truth. Why are you here?”

  He reaches up and brushes a hand down the side of my face. “I’m here because I want to be. I had to see if you were okay with my own two eyes. When Tins called and said you asked for me, I didn’t hesitate. I jumped in the car and came straight here. You’d fallen asleep at that point, so I’ve been sitting here since. Visiting hours ended hours ago, so I sent Tinsley home with Keaton and refused to leave. I’ve been quiet, so the nurses let me stay.”

  Of course it has nothing to do with the charm and all the smiles I’m sure he throws their way.

  I ponder his words before blurting, “I heard you with your dad that morning after we, um… yeah.”

  He looks startled, and my heart drops. He meant it.

  “What do you mean, you heard us?”

  “I heard you in the kitchen. He said a bunch of horrible things about my mother, about me. You didn’t disagree with him. Worse, you agreed with him. Were you just using me?”

  The question that’s been plaguing me for weeks finally leaves my lips.

  “No. You misunderstood. My father is a complete asshole who thinks he can control this family. He lost that right long ago. I would have argued with him, but it’s pointless. I was so busy thinking about rushing back to you that I mumbled a yes to whatever he said just to get him to shut up. Then I got back to my room and you were gone. The next day, you said all of those things,
so I thought you changed your mind. I thought you didn’t want me anymore. I realized after you disappeared that I needed you in my life. When I told my father to kick rocks, he lost it. He told me the whole sordid history with your mother—through biased eyes, of course. I told him I didn’t care what happened with him and her. The past has no bearing on our future together.”

  My heart starts pounding as his words sink in. “What future?”

  “You. It’s you. Somehow you worked your way into my heart. I wanted to beat you down and break you, but you’re resilient. You have strength that no one else at Brighton will ever know. I thought you were here to scam the Davenports, but then you stood up for Tinsley and Poppy. You wouldn’t back down no matter what we threw at you. Each time you fought back, I wanted you even more. It wasn’t until much later that I realized that I didn’t want to break you. I wanted to keep you. I wanted you by my side as my queen. You want to know what my future is? Ruling this world with you by my side. As long as we have that, we can weather any storm.”

  My heart stops at his admission. He didn’t lie. He didn’t use me.

  But how do I know this is the truth?

  My response stumbles out of me. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Don’t say anything unless it’s yes.” His thumb gently strokes my hand.

  “I need time. This is too much right now. I can barely focus on your words, let alone decide how I feel.”

  He stands, leaning over to kiss my forehead. “Take as long as you need. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here waiting.”

  I smile at him, wishing it was true. Would he wait? How long would I even need before I could trust him again?

  My eyes start to droop as fatigue sets in.

  “Sleep, sweetheart. I’ll keep watch and chase your nightmares away.”

  I relish the feeling of Reed gently caressing my hair as I fall asleep.

  ∞∞∞

  “Hey, girl.”

  Three days later, I’m sitting in my room recovering while the world around me goes on.

  “Come in, V. Don’t hover by the door.”