Page 30 of Redemption
“Yeah! So you could kill MY family,” he retorted. “That’s partly why I want….no, I need to be there with you.”
Now, O went quiet then after a minute, she asked, “But why, Rylan? I know how you feel about me.”
“You are still my—” His voice cracked as if he might choke on his words, “…mother. And this is my family. I am more involved than anyone at this ranch.”
“You can’t come,” O repeated. “You need to stay here.”
“I am coming, mother and I just told you why.”
O sat back down in her rocking chair. “No, you have to stay out of this,” she whispered.
“Out?” he retorted. “You are my birth mother and you have been out to hurt and kill my family for years now. I am moreINthis than the rest of the Walkers, wouldn’t you agree?”
“No!” She got upset again. “You are innocent.”
“Is there a specific reason why you don’t want me there?” Rip asked her.
O remained silent.
“So, it is settled then,” Rip spoke again. “I will be at your side.”
“You…” O paused. “…really mean this, don’t you?”
“I do. I’m in the damn middle of all this. You put me there.”
“I-I don’t want you hurt!” she exclaimed.
“Hurt?” he growled the word. “That is all you have ever done is hurt me. I didn’t have a father growing up. You fixed it so I wouldn’t. Do you think when Jacob died that I wasn’t devastated? He raised me just like I was his own, he was the only father I ever had! Then there’s Aunt Bea and what you put her through. I was there, mother. I tried everything to help my family. When all the while, my own mother had done it all. How do you think that makes me feel?”
O was crying now, Cinnamon and I could hear it even from outside the wall.
“So, this is my duty to you and my family, I will be there for this exchange,” Rylan stated in a firm voice.
O just kept crying silently.
“I’ll be back when it is time to make the exchange,” Rip stated as he left the barn.
We both heard O lose it completely as she screamed and tossed things around in her cage like the madwoman she truly was.
Cinnamon yanked her arm from my grasp and tried to get up.
I stood with her and blocked her from running away. “Why does this woman scare you so much?” I asked and then tried to ease her tension, “I mean I know she’s scary just normally. She wins the award for most terrifying monster of the week at the very least. But she can’t get to you, Cinnamon. She’s locked up.”
“But she won’t be soon. S-she will be free.”
I stared at her. “And you are afraid she will come after you,” I stated it not as a question. I realized now she was afraid of O for her own reasons.
Shaking her head as tears rolled down her face, she replied, “I-it’s…” She looked up at me. “Take me to your room, Redemption.”
I stared at her and asked, “Are you sure?”
Nodding, she gazed into my eyes. “I have never been more sure of something in my whole life.”
I paused while wondering why she suddenly wanted this. “You’re really upset right now, so mayb—”
“Are you turning me down?” she asked.
Was I?I shook my head.Fuck no.Taking her hand, I tugged her along the path to the front steps. We went inside and up the stairs. Luckily, most of the family had already gone to their rooms. I sure as hell didn’t want any of my brothers to know. I would never get them to shut up about it. I led her down the hall and into the room I’d been given. I moved her in and shut the door.
