Page 20 of If You Fight

For a moment, Ryder looked stunned, like someone had slapped him across the face. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Finally, he said in a quiet voice, “You know what you’re asking me to do, don’t you, Serena?”

I did. I’d wanted my revenge and to keep Ryder from doing anything to Oliver, but he left me with no choice. If he told my father, it wouldn’t be me sent away this time. It would be Ryder who’d pay.

“I’d do it myself, but I can’t. I’m not strong enough. You’re the only person who can do this. It’s for us, for the future we want. For the baby he took from us.”

The surprise faded from his expression, replaced by a look I’d never seen on him. His eyes contained nothing as he looked at me now, like he had gone ice cold inside.

In a voice so calm it sounded like someone else speaking, he said, “You don’t have to convince me. Stay here and go to sleep, and when you wake up all those dreams you have for us will still be there.”

He placed his hands on the sides of my face and kissed me sweetly, and I believed every word he said. He’d saved my life twice before, and now he’d protect me when I needed him most.

“I love you, Ryder,” I said as his hands slid from my face.

“I love you, Serena. Now leave this up to me and know I would never let anyone hurt you.”

He walked out of the room, and I exhaled like I’d been holding my breath from the moment I walked down that staircase to marry Oliver and now could finally breathe again. Ryder would protect me. He’d protect us and our dreams.

And someday, we’d have the chance to escape that place and find that little house with the white picket fence and the back porch where we’d sit together and look up at the stars.

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