Page 51 of Shattered Souls
“Son,” Bertram says in the most condescending tone I’ve ever heard. “With all due respect, you have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself involved in. You seem like a nice guy, but Riley is unstable.” I swear steam blows from my nostrils. “She has self-harmed in the past and even tried to commit suicide.”
“I’m fully aware of the trials Riley has overcome in her past,” I snap before I’ve thought through what I’m saying.Fuck.
“Then you’ll understand our concerns,” Bertram presses. However, his lips are pursed, and his tone is less sympathetic and more wary now.
“I understand that you’ve been in prison the last four years, and she has no relationship with her mother, so as far as I can see,neitherof you are in a position to speak to Riley’s best interests.” I pin both fucking parasites with my furious gaze. “Rileyis the only one who gets to determine what she does with her life.”
At some point, Riley’s hand finds mine under the table, and I squeeze her fingers. She returns the gesture before her soft voice joins the conversation. “He’s right.” I can hear the nerves in her voice, but I’m pretty sure I’m the only one. The rest of her oozes pure strength as she lifts her head to face her mom and stepdad. “I’m done with the pretenses. I want no part in this game, and I’d sooner die than live under the same roof as either of you.” Pushing back her chair, she gets to her feet, and I join her. “Ibelieve that’s the end of dinner. We won’t be doing this again—ever.”
With that, she strides away, and with a smirk on my face, I wiggle my fingers in farewell before striding after her.
The second we’re out of view, I pull her in against me and push her against the wall. “That was so fucking hot,” I murmur against her lips. Her eyes are wide, and there’s a slight tremble to her limbs, even as she gives a nervous laugh. “Are you okay?”
Sagging against me, she nods. “It felt good to stand up to him. If it hadn’t been for Aurora, I wouldn’t have played along at all.”
I brush hair out of her face. “I know, Shortcake.”
The sound of arguing reaches our ears, and we fall silent as we both strain to listen.
“You wanted her tolivehere?!” Lydia screeches.
Bertram’s retort is too low to hear, but the vitriol behind the words is impossible to miss before we hear the clip of his shoes as he walks away.
“Trouble in paradise already,” I whisper.
“We knew they only got back together because they were using each other,” Riley says, her voice just as quiet.
I nod, searching her eyes. “What do you want to do now?”
Sighing as though she’s carrying the weight of the world, Riley rests her forehead against my chest. “We can’t leave until I speak to my mother,” she murmurs after a moment. “That was the whole point of enduring this disaster.”
I rub soothing circles up and down her spine. “Alright. Do you want me to come with you?”
With another exhausted sigh, she straightens, debating my question before shaking her head. “I’m more likely to get something useful from her if it’s just us.”
Grayson’s rule to not leave her alone filters through my head, and I give it—and him—a mental middle finger. This is Riley’scall, and if this is how she wants to play it, then that’s what we’ll do. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to walk outside and leave her alone in here.
“I’ll be right here,” I promise her.
“Thank you,” she murmurs gratefully, pressing up on her toes to bring her lips to mine in a too-quick kiss before she strides back into the dining room for the night’s second battle.
While I wait, I get comfortable leaning against the wall at the entrance to the dining room, just out of Lydia’s sight, and pull my phone from my pocket. I’ve got a plethora of messages from the guys on the team.
Gavin
Tonight’s win wasn’t the same without you.
Rickman
Win, baby!
Barnes
You coming to the after party?
There are even more in the group chat with the team, with everyone congratulating themselves and going back and forth as they argue over where to go. Coach was so furious after last week’s game that he didn’t even want me sitting on the bench tonight. I already knew I wouldn’t be playing before he called me into his office to ream me out. I was already on a warning after missing a game, so I completely understood Coach’s decision to bench me after my antics last week.
Hell, I don’t even care. My head’s not in the game, just like Riley’s focus isn’t on studying. None of us can steer our attention to anything besides getting Aurora back.
