45 RYAN
RYAN
This isn’t the kind of pain you fix with ice or painkillers
The drive home is a blur. One of my hands is on the wheel, the other is pressed against my ribs. I try to convince myself the pain is just from Jacob’s punch. That cheap, pointless hit before everything went to hell.
But that’s not it. This isn’t the kind of pain you fix with ice or painkillers. And no matter how many times I breathe in, it doesn’t loosen.
I just keep replaying what she said and it makes me grip the steering wheel harder.
I don’t feel anything.
Streetlights drag across the windshield as I turn onto my street. I pull into the driveway and force myself out of the car to walk to the front door. As I step inside I notice the house is mostly dark. Thank God. Everyone’s already asleep. Exactly what I need.
I take a couple steps towards the stairs, careful not to make noise, planning to go straight upstairs and pretend today never happened.
“Ryan?”
Mom’s voice drifts from the couch. I stop dead, then slowly turn towards her. She’s leaning forward, a book still open in her hands, glasses sliding slightly down her nose.
I straighten a little. “Hey, Mom.”
She gives me a small smile. “Did you have fun at the bonfire?”
“Uh… yeah. It was fine.”
“Good.”
A quiet beat passes.
“Why are you still up?” I ask, rubbing a hand over the back of my neck. “Thought you’d be asleep.”
She shrugs lightly. “Couldn’t sleep. Figured I’d read until I got tired.”
I nod. And she narrows her eyes, moving over my face. Her expression changes instantly. “Ryan… what happened to your face?”
Shit.
My hand lifts automatically, like it’s just a tiny scratch on my cheek. “It’s nothing.”
“Nothing?” She sets the book down and stands, concern tightening her voice. “Ryan—”
“Mom.” I close my eyes for a second, my voice coming out soft. “Can you drop it, please? I just… want to go to bed.”
She watches me quietly, but after a moment, she nods.
“Okay,” she says softly. “Just come to me when you need anything okay?”
I give her a tight nod and turn toward the stairs. Every breath pulls against the bruises Jacob left behind, sharp and hot under my ribs. Fucking asshole. He has some balls trying to touch her again.
My jaw tightens as I reach the top of the stairs and a door creaks open. Bailey steps into the hallway, hair a mess, phone glowing in her hand. “Oh my God, Ry, I just saw a video that you hit Jac—”
I clap a hand over her mouth instantly. “Shh—shh. Mom can’t know.”
Her eyes go wide and she yanks my hand away.
“What the hell happened? Isn’t that Maddy’s ex?” She whisper-yells.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I mutter.
Her face softens immediately, like she realizes this isn’t normal sibling drama. So she squeezes my arm gently. “Okay. Just come to me if you need to, alright?”
I smile a little despite myself, because that’s exactly what Mom said. “Yeah. Thanks.”
She lifts her phone. “I’ll try to stop that stupid video from spreading all over town… if I’m not already too late.”
Another weak smile pulls at my mouth. “Yeah. Probably too late.”
She shrugs. “Well, they don’t know they’re dealing with the Bailey Drayton.”
That actually gets a small laugh out of me.
She smiles back, then leans closer, whispering, “I’ll leave you alone tonight… but tomorrow? I expect every single piece of gossip.”
I huff out another quiet laugh. “Night, Bailey.”
“Night, Officer Disaster,” she murmurs, tiptoeing back into her room. I slip into mine and close the door softly behind me. I sit on the edge of my bed and pull out my phone when I feel it buzz in my pocket.
Ten missed calls and a flood of messages.
KIARA: DUDE!!! What the hell happened?!
MEL: Ry, are you okay? Are you hurt?
LIAM: man r u good? where are you
A few unknown numbers with videos attached, but I don’t open them. I already know what they show.
The last message is from Noah.
NOAH: you okay?
NOAH: is Mads okay?
NOAH: do I need to come over?
My chest tightens at that.
ME: I’m okay. At home. I’ll explain tomorrow.
Send. Not even a minute later, the screen lights up again.
MEL: okay, just take care of yourself
LIAM: put some ice on your ribs if it hurts okay?
NOAH: alright
KIARA: YOU BETTER because Jacob looked like a neglected houseplant
A quiet breath leaves me and I fall back onto the bed. I stare at the ceiling.
This is going to be a sleepless night. And it has nothing to do with my ribs.