Page 76 of Shattered Souls
My voice softens, and I lean in closer, my gaze never leaving hers. “You’re my tempest, Riley, because you’re a force of nature. You’re wild, unpredictable, and incredibly beautiful in your strength and resilience. And I wouldn’t want you any other way.”
As the words leave my lips, I feel a weight lift from my shoulders. It’s terrifying, letting her see this side of me, but it’s also liberating. Riley looks at me like she’s seeing me for the first time. And perhaps she is. It’s the first time I’ve permitted myself to drop my walls, to show her the damaged parts of me that I usually keep buried deep. The damage that has been heavily impacted upon in these last few months as I’ve been forced to face each horrifying truth: The actual reason for my mother’s death. The reality of the man I’ve called father. The existence of a sister I never knew about. The hurt I allowed to happen to this woman who has become my whole world. Who forces me to be better. To see the world through a new lens. To confront every complex emotion that I’m so used to burying.
Her lips part, and I lean forward, desperate to hear what she has to say.
“Shortcake!”
The door bursts open, and Logan rushes in, going straight to Riley’s side and pulling her in for a hug. She returns the embrace while her eyes remain on mine, the softest expression on her face I’ve ever seen when she looks at me.
“How are you?” Logan pulls back, cupping her face and forcing her attention to him.
“I’m okay,” she assures, giving his shoulders a gentle squeeze.
I snort. “She isnotokay. She has a minor concussion. Doctors are waiting on scan results. We should hopefully hear more soon.”
As if nothing had just transpired between us, Riley pins me with that fierce glare of hers. For the first time since I saw her in that parking lot, I feel calm. The tension bleeds out of me, and my muscles relax, making me feel like everything will be okay—thatshewill be okay.
Logan goes to make himself comfortable on the bed beside her, but he’s dragged away by Royce’s tight fist on the back of his hoodie.
Logan lets out a stream of curses that has Riley smiling. The sight is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen before Royce replaces him at her bedside. Leaning down, he cups the side of her neck, his fingers brushing along the underside of her jaw as he presses his forehead to hers. They communicate with nothing but their eyes, the world around them entirely forgotten. I watch unabashedly, irrationally jealous of my best friend and their ease of connection.
It’s ridiculous. I’m happy for Royce, especially given how difficult he finds it to talk to others. Yet, I’m still jealous as fuck that he has what I want.
I catch Logan watching me from the corner of my eye. Giving him my attention, he smirks knowingly. I scowl. “We have a problem.”
“Like that’s anything new,” Logan huffs, collapsing onto the end of the bed so his back is slouched against the footboard.
“My dad is the one who has Aurora.”
That gets the idiot’s attention as he pings upright, mouth dropping open. “How?”
I shake my head. “He was on campus today. Showed up at Riley’s advisor meeting and told her Aurora would pay if she didn’t do what he wanted.”
Royce’s forehead creases. “That doesn’t mean he has her,” he muses aloud. “Just that he knows of her existence.”
“And the fact that she’s missing,” Logan adds.
Riley’s shoulders climb up to her ears, her eyes darting back and forth at the realization Bertram could have been playing her. I wouldn’t put it past him to not have Aurora for the mere fact of using the knowledge thatwedon’t have her to fuck with Riley’s head.
Royce already has his phone in his hand. “I’ll update Dax. If Bertram has her, there has to be something we can find to confirm it—shopping receipts, CCTV.”
“I already asked him to look into my dad and David. Although it was more just to keep an eye on them. I wanted to know what they were up to.”
Royce nods. “Well, they’ve just become Blue’s top job to investigate.”
Rubbing at the back of his neck, Logan confesses, “We’ve got more problems than just your dad.”
I perk up at that, my gaze swiveling to Royce’s. “The car. What did you find out?”
“Got a make and model. There was no license plate, and the driver was wearing a cap, so you can’t see his face. Regardless, I’ve sent the footage to Blue. Hopefully he can work his magic and ID the fucker.”
“The car I ran out in front of?” Riley asks with a frown, looking between us. “Is that what you’re talking about? Why would you be looking into the driver? I’m the one who ran out in front of him. None of this is his fault.”
“Ry, baby,” Royce says softly, lowering so he’s eye level with her. “You might have run out in front of that car, but he had no intention of stopping. Hewantedto hit you.”
“What?” Riley asks, expression incredulous as she sits up straighter. “Why would he want to do that?”
Royce shakes his head while Logan watches on from the bottom of the bed, furious murder blazing from his chestnut eyes.
