Page 106 of Ready Or Not

I hold up my hands. “Yes. And?”

Riley’s face draws more into a scowl. “You mean, the Cali with whom she was in love with? That Cali? The one who is actually still living?”

I cock my head. “She was in love with her?”

Riley throws up her hands. “For the love of god. Where is she so I can kill her?”

I grin, darting in to snatch the knife away from Riley. “No sharp objects while we fight. I want to stay alive.” I toss it onto her workbench and wrap my arms around her.

“Let me go!” Riley struggles, but I just hold her tighter. “You mean the Cali who’s on lockdown so much that I now owe Wyatt a huge favor for a simple phone call?”

“Oh?” Riley perks up. She loves any time I talk about The Hunter’s Club, which still pisses me off. I don’t want her to have anything to do with them. It’s not safe.

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. I’ve seen the way Rachel looks at you.” I rest my chin on her head. Riley is stiff for a second, then slowly relaxes. She’s been lighter since everything happened. Less angry. And it feels like the band that was perpetually around my chest has loosened.

Of course, I told her what I was doing with Noel. I expected her to fight me on it, but she just requested to talk to my jail contact to put in a few requests of her own. He will live a very long and very excruciating time in prison. I’ve seen to that.

Rachel returns after a few minutes, face bright.

Riley has been trying to play it cool, but she can’t stop fidgeting. So I’ve kept her in my arms.

“How is she? Still breathing?”

“Yeah, she’s great.” Rachel hands me the phone, then glances at the ground, her voice soft. “Thank you for that.”

Riley growls, “Good. More fun for me then.”

“Riley,” I shake my head. “No more killing.”

She gives me the most annoyed look, and I shrug. “Not this one. Wyatt would actually kill both of us, and that sounds like way too much work.” I don’t mention that she made it into The Hunter’s Club. I figure she’ll find out sooner or later. I’d rather it be later. My gut is already twisting at the thought of protecting her during a brutal group hunt where the hunters are in just as much danger as the hunted.

Riley rolls her eyes. “I’m better than him.”

Rachel snorts.

Riley turns her gaze on Rachel. “Want to repeat that, bambi?”

Rachel continues with her bucket and bones. “That’s naive.”

My eyebrows shoot up, and I let out a loud laugh.

Rachel glances between both of us, confused. “What’s so funny? She’s saying she’s better than the head of an organized crime club, but she only has four bodies under her belt? And one of them was on camera?”

Oh, bless her factual little heart; she’s only digging her hole deeper. My grin just widens.

Riley tries to get out of my arms. “Again, little doe?”

Rachel realizes her mistake and pales. “Uh…I mean…”

“Here’s how this is gonna go.” Riley’s voice lowers. “You’re gonna run. I’m gonna catch you. Then I’m gonna teach that pretty little mouth a lesson, yeah?”

Rachel squeaks and looks at me. As if I’m going to protect her. I laugh again. “Better get going, or she’ll catch you pretty quick.” I know Riley won’t actually hurt her. I see the lack of any real anger in her. It’s just their fun game.

I let go of Riley, and she growls, “Ready or not, here I come.”

Epilogue

Halloween (feat. Nicolle Galyon) - Walker Hayes

---