chapter 38
HUNTER
WITH CLEO TUCKED INTO her childhood bed, I talk with my parents while they make us some coffee.
“I’ll see what her options are,” my mom says, face scrunched in concern. She’s a petite woman, with dark hair and brown eyes. She’s one of those women who will always be beautiful, or at least she is to me. “Don’t worry about anything, Hunter. I will make sure she gets out of this. I just can’t believe it; I’ve never seen her like this before.”
My mother is a strong woman, and to be honest, I’m glad she and my dad have this under control, because I’m at a loss. I don’t think I could see my sister like that again. My baby fucking sister. It hit me so hard, seeing her sitting on the floor, her head in her hands. There was a bag of white powder next to her, and a mirror. She was a fucking mess, and I was both so angry and so sad.
My mom turns to Riley, her expression softening. “Thank you for coming with Hunter all the way here. I wish it was under better circumstances.”
“I’m happy to help any way I can,” she replies, smiling as my mom reaches over and touches her hand. Learning about Riley’s past was surprising for me, and I didn’t really see it coming. I meant what I said though—I only care about who she is now, and knowing the person she is, it gives me hope for Cleo.
“I’ll set up Hunter’s old bed for you both, there’s no way you can drive back home now.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I say, wrapping an arm around Riley. I notice my mom looking between me and Riley. She’s been wanting me to settle down for some time now, always on my case, and she’s probably only masking her glee because she’s upset about the Cleo situation.
“I’ll go check on her,” my dad says, leaving the room. My dad is the strong, silent type; he doesn’t say much, but he sees everything. He’s always been like that. Everyone tells me I look like him, and I like to take that as a compliment, but I think they only say it because I inherited his blue eyes and height.
We drink our coffee and then head to my old bedroom. Riley glances around, taking in my childhood artwork and toys.
“Do you think she’ll be okay?” I ask.
I’m out of my element right now. I knew Cleo had tried different drugs before, and experimented in her partying phase, but this is obviously something else. The money she’s been borrowing from me must’ve been for drugs, or because she can’t keep up with her own bills because she’s spending all of her money on drugs. Either way, she’s lost control of her life and needs some help. I can’t believe I was complicit in this and helped her further her habit.
Riley nods. “Yes, she will. Especially if your parents are going to find a rehabilitation center for her, or some kind of program.”
I nod once, sharply.
Good.
We will all get through this, and my sister will be okay, just like Riley is.
I close the space between us and take her in my arms.
“I’m here with you, and we will get through this. She will be okay because we will make sure she is, okay?” she whispers to me.
I appreciate her words.
“Okay,” I whisper back.
We’ve got this.
Not even as Diana and Tony, just as Riley and Hunter.
“MR. RODGERS HIRED MR. Brayze for the purpose of getting an advantageous divorce settlement. Instead, Mr. Brayze not only slept with Mr. Rodgers’s wife but also disclosed confidential information to Ms. McMahon, which harmed my client.” Jeremy’s smarmy lawyer says to the state bar review board.
“Ladies and gentlemen. My apologies for having to waste your time because we are here for ridiculous reasons. My client didn’t reveal any information, and there is no evidence of this. Mr. Rodgers’s case wasn’t hindered in any way by Mr. Brayze’s actions,” Jaxon says to the board. “If you have a look over Mr. Rodgers’s case file, there was no information that could have led to what Mr. Rodgers considers a loss. In fact, if I’m being honest, I think Mr. Rodgers got off very easily. As we all know, his ex-wife was entitled to half of everything he accumulated in the marriage since they did not have a prenup. What Mr. Rodgers had to actually pay was mere pennies compared to what the law dictated. There was no malpractice here. This would be a different story if we were in a criminal case and Mr. Brayze was having an affair or leading the witness. But that is not the case.”
I watch Jaxon rip apart Jeremy’s lawyer.
Jeremy’s lawyer interjects, “Leading the witness, huh? That’s something I hear you’re good at, Mr. Bentley. Maybe the lawyers at your firm may be used to—”
“Okay, I’ve heard enough,” one of the members of the review board says, looking annoyed. “Mr. Rodgers, I don’t see how Mr. Brayze hindered your divorce settlement in any way. You kept all of your assets, sans one property, and most of your money. There is no proof of your accusations, besides the fact that your ex-wife has a personal relationship with Mr. Brayze, which he admitted only came about after your case was over. Is it frowned upon that Mr. Brayze is in a relationship with your ex-wife? Yes. But it is not a violation of the ethics code. Please stop wasting our time.”
Jaxon and I leave the room and head to his car, waiting until we get inside before we start talking about everything that happened.
“He’s a fuckwit,” Jaxon murmurs, starting the car. “Did you hear what his lawyer said about ‘leading the witness,’ as if we’re some shady firm? Who says shit like that? Fuck that and fuck him.”
After the police questioned Jeremy and got permission to search his house, they didn’t find the shoe that matches the print left at the scene or any other evidence that traces him to the crime. A friend of his came forward, stating Jeremy was with him at the time of the crime, giving him an alibi, so it couldn’t have been him.
“I don’t know what to think. We were so sure it was him, and really it still could be. His friend could have easily lied for him. I still don’t trust him. He’s still a loose cannon. I put cameras in my house, just in case. I’m not playing with Riley’s safety.” I pause. “And my dog’s.”
Although maybe I should get an actual guard dog, because I don’t think the giant fluffy teddy is going to cut it if someone tries to break in. Bear knows Jeremy anyway, so he probably wouldn’t even bark.
“Yeah, I agree. Keep an eye out until we find out more information. Who knows what he’s planning,” Jaxon says, driving us back to the office. “Up your security, and don’t let Riley go anywhere alone.”
“She’s going to love that,” I groan, looking out the window. “But yeah, you’re right.”
We won the battle, but the war won’t be over until Jeremy or whoever did this is locked up, and Riley is safe.
Until then, I’m going to have to be a little overprotective, just like I’m going to be with Cleo when she gets out of rehab.
Riley’s going to hate it, but she’s going to have to deal with it.
“CAMERAS, A NEW ALARM system, and now this?” Riley asks, looking at me like I’m crazy. “Are you sure you’re not being paranoid?”
“He set your business on fire, no, I’m not being paranoid,” I tell her, watching as our new high fences get installed. “I want you safe, and this will give me peace of mind. Otherwise I’m going to start taking you to work with me.”
She shakes her head, laughing. “What? Bring your woman to work day, every day? You’ve lost your mind, Hunter. I’ll be fine, you don’t need to worry so much. Sure, we think he burned down Riley’s, but I don’t think he actually wants me dead.”
“Are you willing to gamble your life on that?” I ask her, curling my lip.
She stays silent.
“Exactly. Look, I’m not saying anything is going to happen; in fact, it probably won’t, but this is just in case,” I tell her, bringing her against my body. “I finally got you, I’m not going to lose you now, Riley, or ever. You’ll get used to me being overbearing, I promise. It might even grow on you.”
She sighs and glances up at me. “It’s cute that you want to keep me safe, Hunter, but I’ll be happy once this is all over.”
“You and me both,” I say, threading her fingers through mine. “Until then, no one is going to get through all our new security.”
Riley moved all her stuff in, breaking the lease on her apartment. We had to pay an amount to do so, but it was well worth it. Having her here is . . . it’s home. It’s like living with your best friend. We’re always laughing, joking, or all over each other. We take care of each other. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life. Riley’s is being rebuilt, and soon Riley will have her baby back to make her happy again. I told her I’m going to install over-the-top security for her there too. Nothing is going to happen to her business ever again. I kiss her soft cheek as we watch the fences being put in, the sun setting above us.
It’s a beautiful view, and reminds me of our first date.
That reminds me.
“There’s a surprise coming for you on Monday, so make sure you’re home at about ten a.m.,” I say, squeezing her hand.
She glances up at me, a curious look in her eyes. “What is it?”
“If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise.” I grin, leading her back inside. “I just need you to be here to sign for it.”
“I’ll be here,” she says, grabbing the book she’s been reading and sitting on the couch. “You know you don’t need to spoil me so much. I stay for the penis, not the other stuff.”
My body shakes as I laugh. “I know, babe. Trust me, I know. But I think you’re going to like this one.”
In fact, I know she will. I wish I could be here to see her face, but I have to work, and this was the only time they could deliver it. I sit next to her, and she leans her head on me, getting comfortable. I play with her hair while she reads her erotic novel, knowing that it’s only going to be a little time before she jumps me, getting turned on from the words she’s reading by a woman named Zada Ryan.
I should thank the woman.
I’m almost asleep when I feel her kissing my neck, and my lips curve with my eyes still shut. “Can I help you, babe?” I whisper.
“I think you can,” she replies, mouth on mine, tongue in my mouth.
The day I won Riley over, a day I can’t even pinpoint, was the luckiest day of my life.
I’M WITH RILEY WHEN she gets the call.
“What?” she says, sitting up straight and clasping her phone in her hand. “Are you sure?”
Her eyes start to get all teary, and I wonder who is on the other line giving her bad news.
“Yes, I will be there soon. Thank you, Officer.”
She hangs up, then brings her eyes to me. “They found who set the fire. Their fingerprints match, and the shoeprint. And it’s not Jeremy, Hunter. We were wrong.”
I bring her body closer to me, needing to touch her. “Who was it?”
The first tear drops, followed by many more now pouring down her soft cheeks. “A man by the name of Patrick Wakes.”
“Why did he do it? Do you know who that is?” I ask her, touching her hair as she buries her face on my chest, wetting my white T-shirt.
“I know who he is,” she says, body shaking with sobs. “He was Devon’s boyfriend.”
I still.
“It’s okay,” I whisper to her. “What happened wasn’t your fault, Riley. No one made him get in that car.”
“Now he’s going to go to prison. I don’t want him to,” she admits to me.
I don’t share her notions, so I stay quiet.
“We have to go to the police station,” she says to me, pulling herself together. She takes a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling. “He knew Devon always wanted his own pub, and he would have had one if he were here.”
“But he’s not,” I tell her gently. “And you are. So you need to live, Riley. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you don’t deserve to be happy. Because you do.”
She stands up and offers me her hand. I stand, cup her cheek and kiss her forehead.
“Are you okay?”
“I will be,” she breathes. “With you by my side.”
“I’ll be your strength when you need it,” I tell her. “Which won’t be a lot, because you’re one of the strongest people I know, Riley.”
She smiles sadly. “I wasn’t born strong. Life made me this way. And I don’t feel like I am right now.”
“You are.”
Hand in hand, we head to the car, finally getting some closure on the fire.
Looks like we were wrong about Jeremy after all.
He’s still scum, just not the arsenic kind.
AS WE SIT OPPOSITE Patrick, I notice he refuses to look Riley in the eye. He’s thin, and tall, with red hair and blue eyes, which are currently red from crying.
“Why did you do this, Patrick?” she asks him, voice trembling. “After all these years, you still hate me so much?”
He buries his face in his hands. “The pub was Devon’s plan. That’s what he always wanted to do, open a few different pubs, make a brand, and eventually open them up all over the world.”
“I know,” Riley whispers.
Patrick breaks down, slamming his hand on the table and making a wailing type of noise. “I didn’t know you opened a pub. I actually managed to forget about you and Devon for a few years. But when I heard about a pub called Riley’s, something told me to go. And when I did, I saw you.”
“Why didn’t you say something?” she says gently.
“When I saw you there . . . so happy. In a pub exactly the way Devon would’ve wanted one. I just . . . I couldn’t . . .” he whispers in between sobs. “I’m the one who told him to come and pick me up that night, it was because of me he’d gotten into that car.”
“It’s no one’s fault what happened that night,” Riley says to him. “No one knew how much he had drunk except for himself. He should have told you no.”
“You don’t understand. I knew he was drunk. But I told him to come get me or else I was breaking up with him. He was supposed to wait for me, but he didn’t. I’m the reason he’s dead.”
Riley starts to cry, and my hand finds her lower back, trying to offer comfort as she comes face-to-face with the man who burned down her business, the same one who also still loves her cousin.
“I’m sorry, Riley,” he says to her. “After seeing you I had a few drinks, which turned into a bottle, and I just . . .” He shakes his head rapidly, blinking. “I went back to the pub. Just to see. And it reminded me of him. I don’t want to think of him anymore. So I had to destroy it. The guilt—it eats me alive.”
“Look at me,” she says with authority. Patrick is finally able to look her in her eyes. “You were not responsible for Devon’s death, just like I wasn’t responsible. Neither one of us could have known what would’ve happened. You need to let go of the guilt. It’s a vicious cycle and look where it’s led you.” She motions to the room we are in. “I do not forgive you for what you did to Riley’s right now, but maybe in time I will. Forgive yourself, Patrick.”
Riley hugs him before we leave, showing her strength.
Only the strong can forgive.