CHAPTER 17
Riven
Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift
There were no signs of a break-in.
No broken windows, the door never opened from the outside after I got home.
The neighbors arrived too late, he was already gone.
Even my last name didn't make the Enforcers take me seriously.
I kept describing the facts—Evren, what he did, what happened—without going into too much detail, but no one fucking believed me.
My father got wind of the situation and told them that I sometimes have a tendency to be dramatic.
That made me fucking furious.
I smashed a chair against the wall and didn't stop until something broke.
It's been a week now, and I still haven't been able to sleep properly.
He found me the night after the race, and ever since he broke into my apartment, the rage and paranoia have clung to me.
Dark circles sit under my eyes, and every little noise makes me tense.
I tried talking to Liam.
I could see in his eyes that he wanted to believe me, but without any proof, he eventually convinced himself it had all been a nightmare.
He kept telling me everything would be okay and that I needed to stop watching horror movies before bed.
Is he fucking serious?
He was more upset about my lie—thinking I'd slept at Elyas's apartment the other night—than about the fact that an actual monster had broken into my home.
No one actually believes me. Not even Liam.
So why should I bother talking about it?
The only people I talk to about Evren and his failed attempt to kill me are Jules and Charlie.
They were horrified at first. Jules almost broke her wine glass when she heard the story. Charlie had tears in her eyes.
I told them what he looked like, what he said, how he'd wrapped his hand around my throat, how he'd grabbed my thigh before I kneed him, and how he'd caught the frying pan.
Their expressions changed.
Charlie actually looked at me like I was some kind of weirdo before getting completely invested in the story, insisting that he was probably the most psychotic man alive but somehow sounded incredibly sexy.
Jules slapped the back of her head, flicked my forehead, and warned me to stay the hell away from him.
Of course. Like I would ever want to be near him again.
I know I'm being crazy, I need to stop being paranoid.
But he told me he'd come back.
And strangely, I believe him.
I just want Evren to fucking die in a ditch and never come back after what he did.
But at the same time, a dark part of me wants him to come back.
Not because I want to see his face. I'd really like to stab him in the dick.
For real.
I haven't slept properly since.
I want revenge for my stolen nights, and I also want proof.
I want to show everyone that I'm not fucking crazy and that someone from Below—a fucking gang leader, no less—really did break into my apartment.
I spend my days working, exhausted, tattooing clients and taking care of my studio.
Between appointments, I end up sleeping at my station like a goddamn baby, grabbing whatever rest I can before the next customer walks through the door.
How am I supposed to stay close to everyone when the only person I can think about is Evren?
Every conversation drifts back to him.
Every quiet moment turns into another fantasy about all the different ways I could make him pay for what he did.
It's exhausting.
I hate that he got under my skin.
I hate that he took up space in my head and refuses to leave.
But most of all, I hate that no matter how hard I try to focus on my friends, my work, or Liam, my thoughts always circle back to him.
It's my day off.
I'm in my loft, screaming into my couch cushions until I'm breathless.
I roll onto my back and stare at the ceiling. I can't believe that fucker managed to find me that easily.
I sigh in frustration.
How am I supposed to make him fucking pay? I want to hit him where it hurts.
And clearly, even kicking him in the balls doesn't work.
I fidget with my rings, thinking.
I could call Elyas and ask about Evren. He's the one who dragged me into that race in the first place, so he might know something.
I sit up and grab my comm.
I text Elyas, asking if he knows a man named Evren with black and red hair.
I don't have to wait long before he replies.
Damn.
Elyas: “Yeah, I know who you're talking about. He's the one who crashed into us. Riven, don't get involved with him. I'm sorry about the race and the crash, but I won't be able to protect you if he decides you're worth his attention.”
Riven: “What do you mean? Is he really that dangerous? Talk to me.”
Elyas: “Yeah. I heard things while I was down there placing bets.
He's reckless. A completely insane bastard who loves crashing cars and killing people for just talking badly to him.
I'm still in the fucking hospital with a broken leg.
Can't even take a piss by myself. A nurse has to help me.
Not that I'm complaining about her watching me, hahaha.”
I roll my eyes at the last part, but I can feel my stomach sink.
I already knew he was insane.
This only confirms everything I already know. Everything I learned from him.
Elyas: “He's the leader of Crimson Velocity, a gang that's mainly involved in the races. Apparently, I heard by a friend that he's also responsible for the murders that caused the lockdown. Be careful, please.”
My jaw drops.
It was him.
The lockdown.
I want to make him pay even more now, even though I don't stand a chance.
My instincts are shit at the moment, probably because I'm exhausted and boiling over like a pot of water.
But I can't help it.
I grew up in a house where everything was expensive, but nothing was ever truly given to me.
Only Kyle gave me things freely.
When he died, I stopped waiting for miracles, I learned to defend myself.
And that's exactly what I'm going to do now.
I get dressed in oversized sweatpants and an oversized hoodie. I put on my sneakers and leave my loft.
I mute my comm and head for the only place I know that might lead me to what I want.
The Lower Layers.
I'm going to make him pay for breaking into my home and making sure I never sleep peacefully again.
Even if I have no fucking idea where to find him or how I'm supposed to get my revenge.
I'll figure it out. Because one way or another...
I will get what I want.