Page 9 of Wicked Minds
The dickhead doesn’t respond, tossing it back to me a moment later. “Are you fucking serious?” I snarl as I scroll through my contacts. “You deleted her number? How fucking old are you?”
Turning on my heel, I march toward the front door where I left my car keys, but before I can grab them, a shove from behind has me propelling into the wood with anoomph.
“You’re starting to piss me off!” I bellow as Royce shoves past me, snatching my keys from the hall table and flipping the lock on the front door before facing me with a triumphant grin.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I stare him down. “What’s your plan now, huh? Gonna lock me in here for the rest of winter break? And what about when school starts up again? Gonna buy a collar and leash to make sure I never leave your side?”
He rolls his eyes at my dramatics. “I’m hoping the fact that Rileyaskedfor space—fromall of us, will be enough to keep you from storming over there and inserting yourself in her life.”
My muscles go stiff. “She said that?”
He nods, his eyes softening with sympathy and perhaps a touch of his own pain. “She did. It’s the least she deserves, don’t you think?”
I swallow roughly, guilt swarming me at everything we’ve put her through recently, and while she may have been starting to feel at ease here, with Grayson always looming nearby, she could never fully relax. Not the same way she’ll be able to in her own space.
“She really said she didn’t want to see me?” I can’t help the whine that enters my voice. It’s just… she was in my bed last night and now she doesn’t want to see me.
Royce sighs, his expression a mixture of pity and basicallygrow a pair.
“Well, you did kidnap her.”
I grimace.I did do that, didn’t I?
“For how long?”
He shakes his head. “I dunno. I promised her two weeks.”
“Two weeks?!” I screech in horror. “That’s… fuck.” I wipe my hand down my face. “Two weeks. Okay, I can totally deal with that. That’s fine. No time, really. Will fly in.” Lifting my head to stare at Royce, my eyes go wide. “What if she wants nothing to do with us after the two weeks?”
He’s silent, not that he could say anything to make me feel better.
Fucking hell. Worst. Christmas. Ever.
And the plans I had for the rest of the break… Everything was supposed to be different after the conversation we would all have tonight. Grayson was finally going to open his eyes, and we’d all be on the same page, and then I could take her ice skating and to my favorite waffle place, and everything was supposed to be great.
Closing my eyes, I breathe deeply. “You promise she’s safe? That she wasn’t upset or angry or…”
“She’s safe,” he assures. “She was tired and needed time alone, but otherwise, she was fine.”
I nod, my throat too tight to speak as I turn away. I get it. Truly, I do. I just… fucking hate it.
I trudge up the stairs to my room so I can wallow alone. Collapsing onto my bed, the tightness in my chest grows taut as I’m swamped in the scent of my Shortcake. Like the genuinely pathetic being that I am, I roll onto my stomach and bury my face in her pillow, inhaling deeply until all of my senses are flooded with strawberries.
Only when I’m bathed in all things Riley, do I roll over and dig my phone out of my pocket. Going to my messages, I curse out a breath when I realize Royce also deleted my chat with Riley.So much for that idea.Giving myself no more than a moment to wallow, I then search for the local grocery store and schedule a delivery for the first available slot.
Just because I can’t see her, doesn’t mean I can’t take care of her.
4
ROYCE
“Grayson’s dad lied.”
Those words have haunted my every waking moment, filling the silence that has become unbearably loud inside my head. They flood my thoughts as I try to go to sleep at night and blare like an alarm the instant I wake each morning.
Even now, as I stare across the street at the door to her building with my shoulder propped against the wall, legs crossed at the ankle, and arms folded over my chest, I’m consumed with thoughts of her. Of that day.
I’m in turmoil. Guilt swallowing me alive at the acknowledgement that we’ve been tormenting an innocent woman.Oh, the irony.It makes me physically ill to realize what I did to her and what was done to me. Too blinded by my past, my distrust, I cast the same stone that was thrown so ruthlessly at me.
