Chapter 28
KELSEY
Ryder’s been gone for three hours. I roll onto my side and see the early morning sun peaking out of the closed blackout curtains. I stretch and yawn, then slide out of bed. Making my way to the bathroom, I empty my full bladder, then brush my teeth, surprised when I don’t get sick.
A knock comes on the bedroom door and startles me. Ryder never knocks, and Hayden’s in the hospital. I frown at that thought. It’s not right without Hayden, and my heart aches.
“Who is it?” I shout from the bathroom.
“Me, bitch!”
I sling the door open, “Since when do you knock?” Jessie’s hair is in a big messy bun on top of her head, and she’s still dressed in her Victoria’s Secret pajamas.
“It was locked,” She says before shoving her way into the room. I close the door behind us.
“Something wrong?”
“I couldn’t sleep. My mind kept me up all night worrying about Hayden.”
I sigh, sitting down beside her on the bed. “Me either, and Ryder left three hours ago.”
Her brows crease, “What do you mean?”
I shrug, “He didn’t say where he was going, just told me to go back to sleep.”
She licks her lips before biting the bottom one. “Weird. Can I sleep in here…with you?” She raises a perfectly sculpted brow.
“I was getting up—”
“Please?” She pushes out her bottom lip in a pout and gives me big puppy dog eyes.
I sigh, “Alright, but you take that side.”
“Deal!”
It’s not long before Jessie’s asleep, and I sneak out of bed to go downstairs. I’m careful not to wake her up, although I think she’s going to sleep like a rock from pure exhaustion.
The front door eases open just as I reach the last step on the staircase. I freeze, still traumatized from when I was abducted. Ryder slides in and quietly shuts the door, pressing his back to it. His cheeks puff out as he exhales.
“Rough night?”
His bloodshot eyes snap open, darting to mine. “How long have you been standing there?”
“The whole time,” I answer, but it sounds more like a question. He looks exhausted. From the disheveled hair to the bags under his eyes, I can tell he’s due for a shower and rest. Knowing Ryder, though, he won’t rest until his body gives out.
He pushes off the door and steps over to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing me. I part my lips, allowing him access. His tongue brushes mine, and I can taste the residual weed.
I smack his chest playfully, “You smoked? Without me?” He doesn’t smoke often. Hayden is my smoking buddy. Jessie’s choice of poison is liquor.
“I needed it for who I had to deal with.”
My head tilts, and I frown, “Who?”
“Lilith.”
My head jerks back, “What? Tonight? Is she here?”
“Slow down. Yes and no. She’s in the cellar at the bank.” I move past him and head into the kitchen, pulling a water from the fridge. “I’m going to see what information we can torture out of her.”
I gulp down the water, giving myself a brain freeze. My eyes squeeze shut, and I stick my thumb to the roof of my mouth. That trick never fails.
“What information are you looking for exactly?”
He starts stripping off his tactical gear and weapons. He pulls the twin Glocks from the chest holsters and sets them on the counter. “Why she wants you, and who she works for.”
I nod in understanding. I read more letters last night, and I know why Lilith wants me, but I don’t have the heart to tell Ryder…
Yet. With everything going on, I just don’t feel now is the right time to tell him what I’ve learned.
My dad told me everything in the letters, though I feel like pieces are missing. I just can’t figure it out.
I understand why my parents kept everything so hidden from me, but at the same time, I wish I had known sooner, so I could’ve prepared for this life.
“What’s wrong?”
I look up to find Ryder eying me with concern. Apparently, I had drifted off into my thoughts again. “Huh? Nothing,” I run my hands through my hair, pushing it out of my face. “Just tired is all.”
“Did you not sleep?”
“Yes,” No. “Well, a little.”
He kisses my cheek, “Then we’ll go to bed after my shower.”
“Uhh, about that.” I grimace, “Jess couldn’t sleep either, and she’s currently asleep in our bed.”
He nods his head slowly in understanding, “Nap and movie in the theatre room, it is then.”
My phone rings from the white marble coffee table, waking me up. I squint at the blinding light from my screen, trying to read the caller ID. It’s the realtor.
“Hello?” My voice is scratchy from the nap, so I clear it and try again, “Sorry, hello?”
She chuckles through the phone, “Is now a bad time?”
“No, no. I need to be getting up anyway. Something wrong?”
“Quite the opposite. I was calling to inform you that there’s an offer on your parents’ house.”
My eyes widen as she continues to speak. The house has been listed for weeks now, and I haven’t had a single offer. So, when she says they offered two grand over the listing price… “I accept!” I all but squeal.
Ryder yawns beside me and stretches his hand out to rub my back, “Who was that?” He asks sleepily.
I sit on the edge of the couch, staring off in shock, “The house sold.” A heaviness fills my chest. I’m sad about letting go of my childhood home with all the memories, but I need to push forward.
It’s the right thing to do, and it’s what Dad told me to do in the letters.
He knew this day was coming from the start, which is insane.
I wish he had told me before it was too late.
Maybe this all could have been prevented.
Ryder swings his legs over the side of the couch and pushes himself up to sit. “That’s great! Did you get what you asked?”
“More,” Is all I’m capable of saying.
“I-I think I’m going to go check on Jessie and light a celebratory joint. Wanna join?”
“Give me ten minutes, and I’ll be out,” He says, then leans in and presses his juicy lips to mine.
I knock on the bedroom door, not sure why. It’s my room, she doesn’t answer anyway, so I turn the knob, stepping inside quietly. Jessie is wound up tightly in the covers. She’s always slept like a raging alligator, that’s why I could never share the same bed as her.
“Jess,” I say gently, while rocking her by the shoulder.
She grumbles and rolls onto her stomach, turning her head away from me. “Jess, you gotta wake up.”
“I don’t wanna,” She growls.
I sigh, “I rolled a fat one.” Her head pops up, and pieces of her thick black hair cling to her cheek. I giggle, “I knew that would work.”
“How long was I out for?” She asks, closing one eye to look up at me.
I shrug, “Dunno, Ryder and I fell asleep on the couch.”
She pulls at the covers, trying to unwrap herself, and gets aggravated, “Damn it!” She finally finds the end and pulls it loose, then tosses her legs over the side of the bed, sitting up. Her hair is a wild mess, but it fits her sleep habits perfectly. Chaotic.
I grab her hand and pull her to a stand, her feet drag across the tile floor as we make our way downstairs.
I plop down in the porch chair, getting comfy in the plush cushions. Jessie takes the seat next to me. “Want the honors?” I offer, holding out the joint and lighter for her to take.
She raises a perfectly sculpted brow, “What’s the occasion?” I knew she would ask. She’s not a big smoker, but she will join me sometimes. Usually a special occasion.
“I sold the house.” My answer lacks enthusiasm. She notices it too. I want to be excited, but can’t help the sentimental feelings. I’m the type of person that would hold onto a rock if it had some sort of memory attached to it.
“You don’t sound too happy about that.”
I meet her gaze and give a soft, sad smile. “I’ll get over it.” I wave a hand, changing the subject. “Have you checked on Hayden at all?”
She shakes her head slowly, taking a deep breath. “I called twice last night, but no changes to his status. The nurse said the doctor will call after he makes his rounds today.”
“Okay,” I say optimistically. “No news is good news, right?” At least, that’s what they say.
“Yeah. Right,” She swallows hard.
She takes her first hit, hacking up a lung and flailing her hands in front of her face, “Here,” she chokes out.
Laughing, I take it from her and enjoy the buzz. I needed this morning garden session. The front door opens, and the sexiest man with black wavy hair steps out, “Did I miss it?”
“Just in time.” I take a final puff and pass it over to him.
“Feel up for an outing today?” He asks, looking at me, then Jessie.
We share the same arched brow, confused look. “To?” We ask in unison.
“Go get dressed, and I’ll explain in the car.”
Jessie and I hurry upstairs to get ready. Just before I shut the door behind me, Jessie hollers from the hall. “Do you have a tampon?”
“Let me look,” I shout back. I can’t remember the last time I bought any, much less the last time I used… I gasp, and my heart thumps wildly in my chest. I run to my phone that I left sitting on the nightstand when I came to get Jessie and pull up my tracking app.
“No. No. No.” Fuck! I haven’t even taken my pills. Everything spiraled so quickly after I was taken. My pills were in my jeans pocket, and I never got those clothes back. “Holy fucking shit,” I breathe.
“You find any?” She calls from outside the door.
“Uh,” I swallow, clearing my throat. “Sorry, I don’t have any.”
I stare at my app. I’m four weeks late. I think I’m going to be sick.
I definitely haven’t been careful, because, well, I never imagined this would happen.
How could I have been so careless? How the hell do I forget I haven’t taken my pills?
I smack the palm of my hand against my forehead. Damn it, Kelsey. You fucking idiot!
“Everything okay?”
I spin around, “Fuck! You scared the shit out of me! How did you get in?” I peer over her shoulder at the door standing wide open.
“You left it unlocked, and you never answered me.”
“Yes, I did. I said I didn’t have any.” My brows pinch, confused. I swear I said that. Didn’t I?
“I asked if you were ready to head down…” She trails off, looking down at my phone screen. I jerk it up to my chest, silently cursing myself for not exiting out of the app.
“What’s that?” She asks as if she’s caught her child hiding something. I guess I am hiding something.
“Nothing,” I respond in a clipped tone.
She reaches for my phone, and I jerk it behind my back out of her reach. “Kelsey! Why were you staring at your cycle app like that, and why are you hiding it?”
Sweat beads along my forehead, and I lick my lips, “I’m late.” I whisper aggressively. There’s no point in lying to her. She doesn’t fall for that anyway. She would just continue to question and harass until I gave up.
“How late?” Her eyes wide as saucers.
“Umm…” My face pinches, “Four weeks?” I squeak.
She grabs my hand, pulling me out of the bedroom and immediately into her room. “Where are we going?”
“You are taking a test!” she hisses like she’s pissed at me.
“And you just so happen to have one on standby?”
She yanks me into her bathroom, slamming the door shut and clicking the lock. She pulls open the drawer under her sink and retrieves a pink and white box. “Here. Take it.”
“You’re gonna watch?”
“We all have the same shit,” She waves her hand at me. “Pee on it for five seconds and let it set for three minutes.”
When I’m done, I slide the test back inside the white aluminum wrapper and place it on the counter.
This will be the longest three minutes of my life.
I set the timer on my phone and step back to wait.
Jessie sits on the edge of the clawfoot tub, so I join her.
We both stare blankly at the test on the counter.
What if it’s positive? No shit, Kelsey. It’s going to be positive.
What will Jessie say? Scratch that, what will Ryder say?
I can’t blame him if he chooses to leave.
Well, I guess I would have to leave. At least after the house is officially sold and finalized, I’ll have money to find my own place.
Thankfully, I graduate in two short months also.
The timer on my phone beeps, and my heart starts palpitating. Jessie looks at me, and I look at her. Fear written all over my face, “I don’t think I can look.”
She places her hands over mine, “Want me to check first?”
I nod silently, and she stands, walking over to the test and sliding it out of the wrapper. I watch her face as she takes in a deep, steadying breath. Her face flushes, and I see tears well in the corner of her eye. I take a deep breath of my own and ask, “Well?”
She swallows, and her watery gaze meets mine. She doesn’t answer, but she nods twice. Now it’s my eyes that are tearing up. I cup my mouth with my hand, muffling the sob. Jessie drops the test on the counter and comes to wrap her arms around my shoulders. “It’s going to be okay,” She sniffs.