Chapter 24
MADDISON
The first thing I notice when I return to consciousness is the warmth of sunlight casting across my face. The next is that my head is pounding, and my mouth tastes like ass.
I roll my eyes open and flip over from my side and onto my back. It takes a second to process where I am—in River’s room, surrounded by blue walls, lying in his comfortable bed.
I’m here because I was jumped yesterday by the society. Jumped and drugged, then dragged into the woods, where I woke up confused. I thought I was going to rot out there, but River found me because of the GPS on the watch he gave me.
Wait … River …
Noah …
“Shit.” It all comes rushing back to me.
Did River save Noah?
Did River make it back safely?
Panicking, I sit up, but I move too quickly and the room spins.
“Ugh.” I press my hand to my forehead as the pulsating magnifies. Summoning a few breaths, I scoot to the edge of the bed, stand up, and make my way to the door. My legs wobble like noodles, and every muscle in my body gripes in protest.
I don’t care if they’re rich. I’m going to make the society pay for what they did to me.
Although I have a ton of other problems to worry about, I will get my revenge. Somehow.
But after I get better because, right now, I’m a mess.
When I reach the door, I brace my hand against the wall as I twist the door knob. Then I step out of the room. The dorm is hauntingly quiet, an indicator that no one is here. Worry stirs in me as I pad toward the living room, the floor cold against my bare feet.
I’m wearing a T-shirt and a pair of boxers that belong to River. I feel weird about the idea of anyone seeing me in this, but when I spot River in the kitchen in a pair of sweats and a shirt, drinking a cup of coffee, all worries about attire float away.
“Did everything go okay?” I ask, my voice hoarse.
River startles, his gaze snapping to me. He stares at me for a slamming heartbeat. Then, with a blink, he walks toward me. He’s moving slow, as if he’s exhausted. And his shoulders are slouched inward, and his legs seem stiff.
“You should stay in bed, at least for today.” He stops in front of me, his gaze roaming all over me. “You’ve been through a lot.”
I ignore him. “Is Noah okay?”
He nods, strands of his dark hair falling into his eyes. “He’s at his dorm. Finn’s okay, too—everyone is.”
I smash my lips together as a wave of relief washes over me. Tears start to burn in my eyes. I’m not even positive why, other than my mind and body have been through a lot.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay.” He cups my face between his hands. “Everyone’s safe. The debts are paid. You’re free from Drew, and no one will come after you anymore.”
I think about the society and if they’re included in that. But I don’t want to gripe to him. He’s already done enough for me.
I hurriedly wipe the tears from my eyes, loathing how weak I feel. “I’m not even sure why I’m crying. I think I’m just exhausted.”
“That’s why you should rest.” He slides his palms down my arms, and his hands settle on my waist. “I want to call a doctor to come check on you. With what happened yesterday, I think it’s a good idea.”
I waver at the idea of him paying for a doctor. “How much did you have to pay Drew to get my freedom?”
He hesitates. “What does that have to do with a doctor checking on you?”
I narrow my eyes at him—he’s acting so suspicious. “I don’t want you to do another favor for me.”
“It’s not a favor,” he stresses. “It’s a necessity, Maddy. We need to make sure you’re okay.”
I arch a brow. “Do you have to pay this doctor?”
He drags out a pause while raking his teeth along his bottom lip. “Yeah, but it’s not a big deal.”
“It is to me.” I blow out a breath. “Look, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but I need to pay you back, or I won’t like myself very much. And I want to like myself. I’m pretty cool,” I joke, forcing a smile onto my lips.
He doesn’t return it. “I get what you’re saying, but—”
“No, you don’t,” I cut him off in a soft but firm tone. “And I don’t mean that in a mean way. It’s just facts. You don’t know what it’s like to be poor and have people do things like buy off your father’s debt.”
His lips tug downward. “I know I don’t completely understand it, but … I know this is going to sound kind of fucked up, but money doesn’t matter to me. So doing it didn’t affect me at all.”
“Look,” I start to say while placing a hand on his side. He winces from my touch, and I frown, my gaze lowering. “Are you hurt?” Horror lashes through me. “Did Drew hit you?” I lift up the hem of his shirt, but he promptly steps away before I can get a good look.
“I’m just a little sore from my run yesterday.” He’s lying—it’s written all over his face.
“It’s your side, not your legs,” I point out. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” he insists, but he’s shifty.
“If you want me to hear you out with the money thing, then be honest with me,” I stress, crossing my arms.
He remains silent for a moment before releasing a quiet sigh. “Drew shot me.” As my eyes widen, he quickly adds, “It was a very tiny graze. It barely left a mark. It just made my muscles sore.”
God, I am the worst person ever. I sent him into that mess without thinking about this possibility. But I should have.
“Let me see.” It’s not a question. I step toward him and lift up his shirt without asking. A piece of gauze covers his side. “Can I look under it?”
“If it’ll make you feel better,” he mumbles, his muscles tense. “But I’m being serious; it isn’t that bad.”
Carefully, I peel the tape back and peer under the gauze. The wound itself is small and barely a scratch, but the splatter of bruises around it has me concerned.
“Why is there so much bruising?” I ask, peering up at him.
He’s staring down at me. “He punched me, too. But like I said, it’s not a big—”
“Stop saying it’s not a big deal.” I step back and rake my fingers through my hair. “You were shot because of me.”
“Maddy,” he starts to protest again.
“I have to go,” I talk over him as I start for the door, totally disregarding that I’m still wearing his clothes. “I need to clear my head.”
“Wait.” He rushes after me, but I hurry out of his room.
The instant I do, the people roaming around the hallway glance in my direction. The whispering starts next.
“Can you just wait a second?” River follows me out and places a hand on my arm.
I slip my arm out of his grasp and turn to face him. “Please just give me some space. I need to think.” I lower my voice. “And you being here is making this situation worse.” I give a pressing glance at the people gawking at us.
He suddenly notices this and stiffens. “I …” When his gaze lands on me, he must see something in my expression that causes him to realize I’m a few seconds away from freaking out. “Promise me you’ll talk to me later.”
I nod, spin around, and hightail it out of there. I don’t slow down until I make it to my dorm room. Only then do I become aware that I don’t have my phone—the society took it—which means I can’t go inside my room.
Crossing my fingers that Lily is inside, I knock on the door.
“Freak,” someone whispers from behind me.
Normally, I throw them a challenging look, but right now, I’m feeling way too vulnerable. So, when Lily opens the door, I breathe in relief as I squeeze past her and rush inside, stumbling a little due to my dizziness.
She closes the door and hurries after me as I walk into the living room area. “Oh my God, are you okay? I’ve been so worried about you.”
I sink down into a chair and yank my hand through my hair. “I honestly don’t know. I feel a little sick and guilty that River has to clean up my mess. Plus, I lost my phone.” I’m babbling. Thank God, I managed to keep quiet to River about my aunt.
I lower my head into my hands. I have a headache, and I’m so exhausted I can feel it in my soul.
She takes a seat beside me and places a hand on my back. “Hey, everything will be okay. River doesn’t look at it as if he’s cleaning up your mess. If anything, it’s Noah’s fault for getting into the mess.”
“Did he tell you why he was in this mess?” I ask since I told River to hear the truth first before he judged.
“No one tells me anything. River and Finn especially keep a ton of stuff from me.” Bitterness edges into her tone. “I’m surprised they even told me what happened to you. And they didn’t tell me much.”
I lift my head and find her staring at me with hope in her eyes that maybe I’ll offer that up.
“I got jumped,” I offer her part of the truth, but I question if I should tell her the entire story. It might be dangerous for her to know. “By someone at the school, I think,” I add when confusion crosses her features.
“Someone jumped you?” She shakes her head in astonishment. “What did they do?”
“Knocked me out and dragged me into the woods. River found me because of this.” I tap the watch on my wrist. “He gave it to me the other day and apparently has a GPS in it.”
“That’s good. I mean, not that you were jumped, but that he gave that to you. But …” Her lips are parted in shock. “Why would anyone jump you?”
Again, I could tell her about the society, but Finn has stressed to be careful talking about it. Plus, I saw society members running around on the football field in cloaks and with knives. Add what they did to me, and I think Finn was right.
“Because I’m a northsider?” I shrug. “I don’t know.” It’s the truth, too.
Normally, when stuff like this happens, it’s due to my mother or father screwing me over. But this is a different world where my parents couldn’t be involved. River said it may have had to do with his initiation, but the society was already after me before that.
Her blonde hair is smoothed back in a ponytail, her makeup is done, and she has on white pants and a lavender top. It’s obvious she was heading somewhere before I showed up.
Needing a break from talking about this, I ask, “Are you heading out?”
“To class, but I can skip if you need me to,” she offers as she reaches for her bag. “Wren can take notes for me.”