Page 73 of Break Me
There’s a pause, but then Riley does as he asks. Soon, she’s back by my side.
“Let her go,” Riley says coldly, staring down the hall at Rolland.
Rolland cocks his head, but he hasn’t moved the gun away from Ms. Larson’s temple. “Come to me, darling.”
I can feel Riley tremble beside me, her arm brushing against mine. My mouth is dry and I lick my lips. Maybe if I scream really fucking loud, Benji will hear me. But even if he doesn’t…he’ll know something is wrong. Soon, he’ll know something is wrong.
Riley takes one unsteady step forward.
Rolland’s smile widens and he moves the gun from her mom’s head, letting it hang loosely by his side again. He has on a black and white suit and tie, and I wonder how long he’s been here, following us.
Fucking bastard.
This is what Benji was trying to protect me from. I put a hand over my mouth to keep from gasping. This is why he spent the night in my house, why he snuck into a college girl’s parents’ home. Not to sleep with me, but to protect me.
And that man with the feeding tube…his ex…
Benji is a protector.
His entire persona radiates it. And now I might not make it out of here alive. I might not be able to ask him to explain things to me. To talk to me. To let him be there for me. To be there for him.
And if I can’t tell Mom goodbye…
Riley takes another step. She’s moving slowly, and I know she’s thinking what I did, too. That Benji won’t wait long. And Caden is coming, too. They won’t let us get hurt. They’ll fix this. They’ll look out for Tess.
Rolland steps in front of the wheelchair, and holds his arms out for Riley, gun still in his hand.
Riley falters, and puts her hand against the wall, to steady herself.
But she keeps walking.
Because this is her mom. She’s not going to stop until she’s done everything she can to protect her mother.
I’ve spent all these months avoiding my own dying mom, because I’m too much of a fucking wuss to handle it. To imagine life without her. I’ve spent this time chasing distraction after distraction; Dumont, alcohol, parties. Benji.
And Riley is willing to risk her own life for her mother, without thinking twice.
I see what Caden sees in her, as she straightens her spine and closes the distance between her and Rolland. I see what Benji sees, too, as Rolland wraps an arm around her and spins her around, tugging her close.
Now they’re both looking at me.
What would anyone see in me?
I’m a fucking coward.
“What are we going to do with you?” Rolland croons. He eyes me suggestively up and down and then glances at Riley, at his side. Her face is so, so pale. What did he do to her, before?
“Maybe she can join us, darling?” he asks her.
My skin crawls with what he’s implying but Riley betrays nothing. She says nothing.
“What do you want?” I ask, my voice shaking. I stumble backward, sink down into a chair at the dining table. I can’t stand. My legs tremble even as I’m sitting. I grip them with my hands, tightly.
Rolland smiles and looks at Riley. Then he brushes a soft kiss to her hair. I see her visibly stiffen, but she stills says nothing. She’s lost so much color, I’m worried she’s going to faint. If she does…she’s the strong one here. What am I going to do?
“Riley knows what I want,” Rolland purrs, his chin resting on her head, one arm around her chest, the other gripping the gun. “Don’t you, darling?”
My eyes go to Riley’s but she’s not really looking at me. She’s staring in my general direction, but I know she’s not really seeing. Ms. Larson still doesn’t move, her head still flung backward, tongue out. I don’t know what Rolland did to her, or to Riley, but I know he’s not a good man.
