Page 30 of If You Fight

I took her hand and held it like it was the only thing keeping me tethered to the earth. “I’m so glad you came looking for me. Was that you texting me for the past few hours?”

Gently, Serena touched my face, and I flinched in pain. “Oh, Ryder. What happened to you?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t get to message you. I’ve been busy lying here on the floor for a while.”

Her dark eyes filled with tears. “Don’t joke about this. Who did this to you? Does my father know?”

I didn’t want to burden her with the truth just yet. It meant more to me to have her there by my side. Knowing she was safe at least took the pain of worrying about her away.

“Did anything happen to you today?”

She shook her head. “No. Why? What’s going on, Ryder? Why are you asking me that when you’re lying half-dead on your living room floor? Why won’t you tell me who did this to you?”

I couldn’t keep the truth from her forever. She’d have to find out that her father knew everything. But what would he do now?