Page 29 of Healing Souls

Grayson rolls his eyes before turning to face him. “Shall we go through why that isn’t true?” he retorts as Noah follows up with, “You don’t even think your actions through.”

Ryker scoffs and goes to defend himself, but Noah raises a single brow and glances down, which immediately shuts Ryker up. Weird.

I can’t see what he was looking at from where I am, slightly behind Grayson, so I step up next to him and look Ryker over. There is a thick black band with a small green light on it wrapped around his ankle. It’s partially covered by his joggers, but I can assume that is what Noah is referencing.

“What is that?” I ask, peering closer.

Noah laughs like this is the best thing ever, and Ryker scowls at him. “So glad you find this amusing now.”

“Oh, I don’t. But I am going to love you having to explain everything to her.”

“Um, does someone want to, I don’t know, fucking explain? This isn’t the first question I have asked that you guys haven’t answered. Can someone just fucking answer one question?” I groan.

Grayson nods. “Sorry. This is all weird for all of us. Let’s go sit down, and we will answer your questions.”

We all head into the living room that holds a large sectional couch and an entertainment center with a large TV. There aren’t many other things. Just a few pictures on the far wall that I don’t have a chance to look closely at before sitting down on the couch.

No one says anything. Cayden seems bored out of his mind; Noah has an amused smirk on his face as his eyes bounce between everyone. Ryker and Grayson are both tense and look anywhere but at me.

“Well?” I draw out, pointedly looking at Ryker.

He clears his throat as he rubs the back of his neck. “Right. So, we should backtrack and just get this shit out of the way.” He waves his hand around, letting out a nervous chuckle.

He goes on to explain how they watched me when I was in school and noticed the bruises and limps and shit. Then how they tried to find me after I left and everything they have done since.

“You broke into Tammy’s house?” I screech as he tells me about that night. I jump up from the couch and pace in front of it. “That was so fucking stupid! You have no idea what she is capable of. The things that vile woman does. Can do. When you get stuck there, there is no getting out. Fuck, there isn’t even an escape after you get out. The things she does repeat in your head forever like you’re stuck in a goddamn loop.” My mouth keeps running, like I can’t stop the words now that they’re out there.

Everything he has been saying is insane! Why would they care about me at all? Why would he risk breaking into her house? I can’t even begin to comprehend all of this. My brain is fucking scrambled like the eggs we just ate.

Someone steps into my path from where I’ve been pacing, and I almost face-plant right into their chest, but hands on my shoulders stop me. His green eyes,God, how I could get lost in those eyes.Grayson bends lower, so he is at eye level with me.

His gaze catching mine and holding me in place, somehow centering me. “Breathe, beautiful,” he murmurs.

I try to take a deep breath, but it comes out as more of a gasp. “Can’t.” I shake my head.

“You can. With me, okay?” He inhales, I inhale. We both hold, and I exhale with him. His hands knead into my shoulders, loosening the tension in them as I find myself almost melting into him.

I realize then I am crying and quickly wipe my eyes and step back from him. They don’t need to see me like this. “Sorry. I’m good,” I try to say with more strength than I actually feel.

Ryker scoffs. “I’d say you’re anything but good. Whatever that bitch did to you…”

He doesn’t finish his sentence, but he doesn’t need to because a new voice breaks through, sending a shiver down my spine and making my heart rate pick up.

“She deserves to suffer.”

Noah, who is sitting closest to Cayden, slaps him upside the head. “Shut the fuck up before you scare her.”

Cayden doesn’t even flinch or move. His eyes connect with mine. The corner of his lip twitches just the slightest. “She’s not scared.”

I say nothing, letting Cayden glimpse the anger I hold. The fear is still there; I don’t think it’ll ever go away. But anger is more dominant, and I let him see that. Not feeling the need to shy away from what really boils inside of me, the part of me I didn’t want Bri, Atlas, and Linc to see.

To see them suffer.

To have my revenge.

Chapter Eight

Ryker

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