Page 53 of Make Me Feel Again

Rylee

Hisvoicebringsthetaste of bile to my mouth.

“Oh, Cash it’s nice to see you again,” James says from behind me, I turn and glance and see the gun in his hand. I close my eyes slowly. A tear escapes. I can’t look at Cash. James walks up to stand beside me, bringing his hand up to my face, and I flinch.

“Don’t cry, princess.” My eyes flutter open, and Cash stands, jaw clenched. His fists opening and closing beside him.

“So what was it, Cash.” James’s venomous voice breaks through. “What was it like fucking your son’s girlfriend.” He snarls. “Oh, wait. Your dead son I should say.” A sob escapes me as Cash lunges for him.

“You piece of shit,” he shouts. James holds the gun up, pointing it at Cash.

“I would stay where the fuck you are if I was you,” he spits. “Rylee. Did you always fuck Jace and picture his daddy?” I look past Cash at the wall behind him. My heart beats out of my chest, as the gun swings around every time he talks. How are we going to get out of here without him using it?

“Answer me, Rylee,” James singsongs, the gun swinging my way. Cash flinches, which has my gaze colliding with his. I shake my head to not move.

“No.” I grit through my teeth.

He tilts his head to the side. “Oh.”

“So you’re still in love with Jace, but his daddy is just the next best thing?” He looks up to the ceiling as if he is in deep thought while all I can do is helplessly stand here and not be able to do anything.

“No.”

“Mmm. I think you are telling lies, Rylee. But we will park that for now.”

“What the fuck do you want from her. She doesn’t want you, so why go to all of this,” Cash says. I try and get his attention, praying he will look at me. I don’t want him to make James angry. We all know what he is capable of, and speaking to him like this will not help. But Cash doesn’t look at me. He keeps his eyes on James and the gun.

“Because she was mine first.” James’s scream makes my body freeze. Tears stream down my face while I wish Cash would look at me, but he doesn’t.

James points the gun at me, and Cash’s hands go up.

“Bring it back to me, James. Point it at me. Not her,” Cash says.

“No. No.” I cry.

“She”—he thrusts the gun in my direction again, his eyes wide and frantic—“was mine first,” he grits out.

“Jace always got it good. Always got the nicer girls. The better life. Everyone loved Jace.” James laughs out. “I finally found someone I wanted, and who gets her? Saint fucking Jace.” He rolls his eyes.

“Rylee,” he shouts, causing me to jump. “Can you believe I even drugged your drink thinking I may be able to drag you away that night, but you still went home with Jace and woke up to him when you should have been waking up to me.” He bangs his chest with the gun.

“You drugged me?” I now know why I was in such a state compared to the other girls. I had drunk the exact same as them, but everyone put it down to me being a lightweight. James fucking drugged me. Him being in the taxi. It all makes sense now.

“That’s why you were in the taxi.” He smiles, pushing his hands out to the side.

“I thought Jace might leave me to take you ‘home.’ But no. Of course Jace took you back to his place to make sure you were safe. I even offered to make sure you got home before we got in the taxi, but he was having none of it.” The thought of that night, of meeting Jace and how my life changed for the better, but I basically signed Jace’s death warrant.

“You see, I have grown up my whole life hearing how amazing Jace was, how I’ll never be Jace.” He bangs the gun against his head. “It’s been ingrained in my fucking head and marked on my skin how amazing he was.” I don’t understand what he is saying. He’s making no sense. My face must say it all because he laughs, but before he can speak, Cash interrupts.

“What do you mean all your life, you met Jace when he was in college.”

“This is where it gets interesting.” He winks at me, making me sick.

“Do you remember Roxanne, Cash?” James says.

By the look on Cash’s face, he knows who she is. Who the hell is she? Cash’s eyes bulge and shoot to James, and he doesn’t answer right away. His mouth opens and shuts a few times before a frown mars his face.

“Yes,” he states, his eyes narrowed.

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