Page 75 of Riot

“Let them hate you, Fallon, let them be jealous, but don’t you ever do it again. Look them in the eye so they know you are more than they could ever imagine. Smile and remind yourself of this moment, of me on my knees, looking up at my goddess.”

Reaching down, I slide my hand into his dark hair and watch the way his eyes close in bliss. How could I ever hate myself when he loves me? When my body, heart, and soul make this man weak? I might have days where I still fight the darkness, but I know he’ll be right here with me.

Lowering to my knees, I tug his mouth to mine and kiss him, telling him everything I can’t speak.

He’s my stage, and I sing my song with my lips.

THIRTY-SEVEN

My girl is healing day by day, both inside and out. It’s been quiet after her interview, which is good because she needs rest. She deserves it, and I’m right here at her side. Elijah is stressed since I have canceled so much, but I don’t care. She’s more important, and he’s starting to realize that.

He knows if he pushed me, I would choose her and walk away from everything else.

I’m trying to protect her from as much as I can, but I will never keep her in the dark, so when I get the news, I turn on the TV as we lounge in bed. Her eyes open, and I drop my phone. “You’re going to want to see this.”

Her expression morphs from peaceful to worried. I hate that, but I will never lie to her or keep her from any of this. It’s her life and her battles. I am simply her general.

She sits up at the headline, pain radiating from her body as I turn up the volume, wrapping my arms around her. “Evelyn Mitchel, Renwood model, philanthropist, activist, and nation’s sweetheart, was found dead this morning in her mansion. Police said it was a home invasion, and they are conducting the investigation?—”

She turns to me. “It’s my fault. She’s dead, and it’s my fault.”

“No.” I cup her face. “It’s not.”

“It is!” She tears herself away from me, looking back at the TV. “She stayed quiet all this time and they left her alone. The moment I approached her and she agreed to speak out, I signed her death certificate.” She looks back at me. “They killed her, Kage. They killed her to stop her from speaking, like she was nothing on their road to silence.”

“I know,” I murmur as I turn off the TV. She’s hurting enough as it is. She doesn’t need to see anymore. Evelyn was clearly someone special to Fallon. I saw it the other day when they met up. Fallon cared about the model, and now she’s blaming herself like Fallon always does. “It isn’t your fault. She made her choice, she told you that, and they made theirs. You are not responsible for others’ actions. They are the monsters, Fallon. Don’t let them make you feel like one or, worse, scare you. That’s what they want—to scare you into silence.”

She nods, looking back at the blank TV. “I can’t believe she’s dead. She seemed bigger than life. Untouchable.”

“Nobody is untouchable, Fallon. Don’t forget that. They have only added fuel to the fire. They’ve officially crossed into murder now. This isn’t a game anymore, which makes what you’re doing even more important. They are willing to kill to silence it. You should keep going, Fallon, but only if you want. If not, that’s fine. I’ll run with you. I’ll keep you safe for the rest of your life. Tell me what you want, Fallon, and I’ll make it happen,” I say, reaching for her. She melts into my arms, holding me close as she processes her muddled emotions and thoughts.

“I want . . . I want her death to mean something—all of their deaths. I want to be the person she thought I was and be strong enough to face the truth no matter the cost. I want them to pay for everything. More than anything, I want her to finally be free, even in death,” she admits, her eyes hardening. “I want them to have nowhere to hide. I need to, Kage. This all has to mean something. I can’t let their deaths go like this. The world has to know, and they have to pay.”

“Then let’s do that,” I reply. “Let’s make them pay. I will never ask you to stop, but I will keep you safe. You won’t go anywhere alone, and you’ll sleep with me. I won’t lose you. Do you understand me? I care about your wants, but if it means losing you, then I would steal you away in a moment and hide you from the world.”

“I know.” She smiles, even though I expected her to be angry. “We need another witness. Evelyn . . .” She swallows, pain in her eyes. “She was going to talk. We need someone to replace her.”

“You have someone in mind?” I ask curiously, knowing she probably needs to keep moving forward or she’ll break again.

“I remember her manager. He was a bit of an ass back then, but maybe he knows someone else, someone who was sent with her,” she muses. “It’s as good a shot as any, right?”

“Then that’s where we’ll start. I’ll tell your guards.”

“You mean my army,” she scoffs.

Grinning, I kiss her softly. “I told you, I’m your general, now let’s go to war.”

THIRTY-EIGHT

We manage to get away from my house with only a few paparazzi cars following us, and then we lose them in the city thanks to Kage’s new driver. Elijah sighed when he called and we told him we were going out, but it seems he’s given up on trying to control Kage.

Only I can do that.

I can’t let Evelyn’s death be in vain. I need to keep pushing before it’s too late. We are running out of time. I can feel it. There is only one place I could think to go to get information on anyone who might have been with Evelyn back then—her old management.

She left them when she turned twenty and my father died, but they are still operating. It makes me sick to think of what they are allowing to happen to the young women and men in their care, but I can’t fight the whole world—not yet anyway.

We booked a last-minute appointment, saying we wanted to discuss my modeling options. The fucker was so desperate for money, he didn’t even stop to question why I would go to him. It tells me everything I need to know though.

---