Chapter 25
Liz is ecstatic when they walk out into the bright morning air.
They usually begin before the sun comes up and she’s stuck in the room for the rest of the day, only leaving to walk to the weight room with Riley.
Seeing the sun shining has been a rarity over the past few months.
She heads to her and Mikey’s usual starting spot and begins stretching.
“Over here, princess,” Riley calls out, walking to his truck.
Liz looks over at him, confused, before she jogs over to where he is waiting for her.
He gives her a look and she groans, opening the door and climbing up.
Riley gets in and starts driving, heading to the large gate once again.
Once they leave the base, Liz excitedly looks around, not having seen much outside of those white walls for months.
“So… you want to work me out?” Liz says, eyeing him playfully. She looks him over, never having seen him with just a neck gaiter on. She is surprised at the effort he puts into his hair, his crew cut spiked up just right.
“I uh… was just fucking with Mikey for eating all the food,” he says, stumbling over his words.
“Oh, too bad. It’s been a while since I’ve been…
worked out,” she says, her tone slightly sensual, setting Riley on edge.
She watches as Riley shifts in his seat, his knuckles turn white as his grip tightens on the steering wheel.
Not ready to tease him too much, she tries to change the subject. “What was your meeting about today?”
“That’s classified.”
“Was it about me?”
“Yeah, part of it.”
Liz doesn’t pry, but as they drive her mind wanders, wondering what they were talking about. Part of her hopes the general finally decided to let her go but another part, a part bigger than she’s willing to admit, is hoping he fights for her to stay.
They pull off onto a dirt road, passing a big sign that reads “Knoll Trail”.
She looks around at the mountain they approach, in awe of how utterly beautiful it is.
She absorbs everything as Riley continues down the road before pulling into a small dirt patch next to what Liz can only assume is the start of the trail.
“Thought you might like a change of scenery today,” he says, watching her practically vibrate with excitement. Liz looks over at him, not sure how to thank him for bringing her here, for getting her out into the open air and sunlight.
“Lead the way.” Her smile spreads across her face as she follows Riley up the start of the trail.
They hike in silence for some time, Liz was just happy to be breathing in the fresh air, enjoying everything the tail has to offer. While she spends her time silently watching the flowers dance in the breeze, Riley watches her prance her way up the trail, keeping quiet.
“I take it you used to hike?” Riley asks, trying to figure out how to bring up what he wants to talk to her about.
“Never, but after being locked away for god knows how long, this is my new favorite thing. What about you? You seem… outdoorsy.”
“I used to hike with Sara when I would visit. I wasn’t crazy about it, but she was, so I went along with her. We would pack up Sammy and her dogs and spend the whole day on a mountain.”
“You’re a good big brother,” Liz says through a sad smile.
Riley doesn’t miss the sadness in her tone. He wonders to himself if she’s also thinking about what could have been if she had been born to a different family, to have a brother who did abuse her in every way.
They stay quiet for a while, both lost in their own thoughts, content just being in each other’s company.
“What will you do when you finally get to leave us?” Riley asks, breaking their silence. The question has been heavy on his heart since he set foot in the general’s office that morning, terrified of her answer.
Liz looks over at him, wondering what brought it on.
She thinks for a minute, not sure how to respond.
“Honestly… I don’t know. I have no family waiting for me, and I don’t even have a home to go ‘home’ to.
I have no job to get back on my feet if I even wanted to, and you can’t even find proof I exist. I have nothing left, Ry.
If you want the truth, I will just pick back up where I left off.
” Liz says, kicking a small rock along the trail.
Riley knows exactly what that means. His heart shatters.
When they finally reach the top, Liz walks to the edge, looking out at the land that stretches for miles. She takes a deep breath, letting the fresh mountain air fill her lungs before finding a flat rock to climb up on.
She looks around, waiting for Riley to join her, when she spots him by the edge of the cliff, stripping off his sweatshirt. Liz has never seen him like this. She doesn’t even realize she’s starting to stare.
He’s dressed in shorts and a loose tank, arm holes stretched to almost reach his waist, the tan skin of his chest peeking through; his blonde hair turns golden in the sun.
Tattoos she can’t quite make out covers his muscular arms. She tries to look away, telling herself she’s being creepy, but she can’t help but focus on the way his defined chest is showing through the sides of his shirt.
She’s always been drawn to him, attracted to him by nothing more than his personality.
At first glance he seems strong, loyal, fiercely protective and maybe a little arrogant, but the more she got to know him the more he became so much more than that.
He is attentive and dedicated, always keeping himself in check when she is scared.
The times where he was flirty or teasing her, letting his playful nature show were some of her favorites.
She is attracted to who he was at his core, she never stopped to think about how hot he is under the mountain of gear.
“Enjoying the view?” Riley asks, walking to where she sits. She was so consumed by him that she didn’t even realize he had turned around to catch her staring.
“I just… didn’t know you had tattoos.”
He flexes his large tattooed arms, making the muscles bulge, sending Liz’s stomach into knots. She quickly looks away, not willing to risk staring at him again. He climbs onto the rock that Liz is sitting on, settling next to her.
“How are you handling everything?” he asks, genuinely concerned for her mental health, knowing how hard last night was for her. He waits for her answer, hoping she will talk to him, let him help her through it.
“Well… I killed someone… so I’m going to go with not good.”
“We killed a someone, not you, us, and he was a fucking monster.”
“He was, but now I’m no better,” Liz tells him, picking up tiny pebbles and throwing them off the rock they are resting on.
“Do you regret it?” Riley asks, building a small pile of pebbles for her. She opens her mouth to answer before snapping it closed again. She picks up another pebble, throwing it off into the distance.
“Not even a little. That’s how I know I’m no better… Shouldn’t I feel bad? Killing him felt good, and I hate myself for feeling like that.”
“Would you have felt bad if you killed Mikey that night?” Riley asks, eyeing her.
“Don’t even joke about that!” she says, voice raising slightly. She picks up one of her small pebbles and throws it at him watching it bounce off one of the grey skulls adorning his arm.
“Exactly. You wouldn’t be able to live with yourself if you hurt someone.
Your brother was a piece of shit who deserved to die.
He abused you, abused other women. He killed your family over a warning, and when that finally caught up to him, he joined a fucking terrorist organization to get back at you…
You don’t feel bad because you know he deserved it. ”
Liz lets every word he says sink in. She lies down, turning her head to face Riley.
Her eyes roam over the expanse of art covering his skin, wondering if they mean anything.
She lingers on the small dove mixed into the smoke and skulls.
When she looks closer she spots a second smaller one and her heart sinks.
Liz doesn't need to ask to know who that one is for.
She turns away, throwing her arms over her eyes and lets the sounds of the wind and wildlife occupy her mind while she basks in the sun like a lizard.
She gets lost in the serenity when something next to her vibrates.
She moves her arm and peeks at Riley to see him texting someone before he gets up and climbs off the rock.
“Mikey sent an S.O.S. You ready to head back?”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’m sure it’s just the general being an asshole again” Riley reaches his hands out to help Liz off the rock. She takes them, and once she is on the ground, she quickly drops his hands and starts down the mountain still embarrassed she got caught staring at his glorious muscles.
She slows, not realizing how much the altitude and sun would affect her. She drags her feet dramatically, kicking up dust as she does. Riley looks back, making sure she is keeping up, only to find her doing the opposite. He stops next to a smaller rock and waits for her to catch up.
“C’mon, princess, climb up,” Riley says to her, backing up to the rock.
“You’re not carrying me,” she says, shooting him a look. As tempting as the offer is, she can’t bring herself to be that close to him, not after how she’s been drooling over him all day.
“I need a workout today. You’re what, 5’2” maybe 110 pounds? I can carry you down and I will still need to hit the gym tonight.”
“5 foot, thank you very much,” she says, still not wanting him to carry her, but she’s so tired she gives in and climbs up on the rock, jumping onto his back.
He wraps his powerful arms under her legs, and she tightens her arms around his neck, careful not to pull his mask down. A mix of cardamom and vanilla flood her senses.