Page 30 of Rejected Plus-Size Mate

I shook my head, stepping back into the hallway. I walked down towards the bathroom, and my heart stopped beating as I pushed the door open. Riley lay on the ground, tied to the cabinet door of the sink. I stared at her with so many emotions mixed together: fear, anger, confusion, rage, and worry.

I leaned down, ripping the cabinet off its hinges, and hoisted her into my arms. I turned, running into Thomas in the hallway.

"We need an ambulance!" I yelled into the mic, carrying her into the hallway and toward the living room. I tightened my hold on her as we hurried out of the living room and through the doorway. As we stepped outside, we heard the sound of a crash, and a blast hit us. Thomas and I nearly stumbled as we heard something large giveaway.

Outside, I ripped my helmet off. "Riley! Talk to me! Riley!" I shook her as I hurried away from the house towards the fire truck.

Owen stood waiting with an air mask. I quickly laid Riley down, pressing the mask onto her mouth. I felt my hands shake as Owen placed his fingers on her neck.

"She's breathing. It's weak, but it's there."

I felt like a wave of relief hit me, and I felt fear bloom. I didn't know what happened, but it wasn't an accident. Someone left her tied up in the bathroom.

I untied her hands from the tie that was holding her to the cabinet door, rubbed at her hands, and saw a bruise forming.

I looked her up and down, and my eyes widened as I noticed red marks around her neck. I reached up, rubbing my finger along them. Pure rage filled me as I stared at them.

"This wasn't an accident," Owen said. "Jesus Christ, what the hell happened in there?"

"I don't know what happened, but I'm going to find out," I said, rubbing a finger over her cheek.

"Ambulance is three minutes out," Ayden said, stopping next to us. "The guys have most of the fire out. You guys are extremely lucky that roof held up for as long as it did."

"I'm going with her to the hospital," I said. "She needs someone, and I need to call my sister about this."

Shit. April. She was going to lose her shit when she heard about this, so much for keeping Riley safe.

Ayden nodded. "Okay. You can go with."

"I wasn't asking," I snapped back, unsure why I was getting short with him.

Ayden stared at me. I could see he wanted to say something back, but he held in whatever he was going to say. He simply nodded before he looked at Owen. "I'm going to check on the guys. Keep us posted on how she is."

Chapter 13 - Riley

I was putting my clothes away when there was a knock at the door. I set my phone aside and hurried to it, guessing it was Cayden. He had a habit of just stopping by, and I didn't mind.

I was still a little embarrassed about what happened during our run, but I wasn't going to ignore him. I headed down the hallway, a little nervous.

As I grabbed the door handle, I froze for a second. Cayden wouldn't have just knocked. He sent a message or called now since he caught me half-naked dancing around. Or he would have rang the doorbell. I swallowed, pulling the door open, and my entire body froze as Brad stood in the doorway. His brown eyes landed on me, and my body felt cold.

His brown hair was perfectly combed back like always, and his clothes were clean and pressed. Even his damn shoes were polished, making him look like the perfect citizen.

My throat bobbed, and I tightened my grip on the door handle. "How did you know I was here?"

He stepped forward, his eyes narrowing slightly, and a smile pulled at his lips. "Because I know everything, Riley. Do you really think you can just leave town? I wouldn't know where you and April ended up. I have connections."

I wanted to slam the door shut, but he was already halfway through the door. I hadn't been quick enough.

"You need to leave," I said, feeling my voice shake. "You're not wanted here."

"That's where you're wrong. You and I have much to discuss. After all, we've lived a life together for several yearsnow. I funded your lifestyle and kept you from living on the streets."

He pushed into the space, and I stumbled backward, losing my hold on the door. He took the door, shut it, and flipped the lock.

I swallowed again, taking a step back towards the kitchen. I felt my hands find the island. I kept my eyes on him, knowing better than to turn and look for my phone.

"I just don't understand what kind of person would leave in the middle of the day with no message about their whereabouts."

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