Page 36 of The Heir

“I’ve talked to some friends. Even if it wasn’t this man, maybe he saw someone. He is the best lead, and he was there first.”

“Friends?”

“Private investigators—and stuff—don't worry about it. The point is that I will figure out who he is, and I will give your parents justice.”

I nodded, because I was still too shocked by all of it to really think about saying anything.

He motioned for me to sit on the bed, and I followed him because I was so shaky from the memory of that face, and my father’s face, that I could barely breathe, let alone stand for much longer.

“Ry,” I said, falling back against the bed. I felt a shift in the mattress as Ryker lay down beside me. I turned to him, and he tucked me to his side, stroking my back, and the warmth that his touch sent through me at that moment seemed right and wonderful. I buried my head into his chest, trying to stop myself from crying. He kissed the top of my head and lifted my face up to look at him.

“You sure you're okay? I feel like a horrible person for just springing that on you. I didn’t mean to,” he whispered, his voice low and deep. I could feel the reverberation coming from his chest.

“I don't know if I will ever beokay,” I answered truthfully.

He nodded—because what else was there to say?

Instead of going downstairs, Ryker turned a movie on in his room. It was a musical about princesses and princes and happily-ever-afters, and he only watched it because he said there was a knight in it, too. I threw a pillow at his face.

“What I am telling you is that knights are clearly the best,” he smiled his boyish smile, and I laughed. It felt so good, although it was forced.

“Ryker, I read one of my parent’s old letters from before I was born. My dad knew someone named Ryker. How is that possible?”

Ryker shifted a little. “My dad’s name is also Ryker.”

“I thought his name was John.”

“Well, that is his real first name, but his middle name is Ryker, and he used to go by it until I was born. You knew our parents were friends, right?” Ryker asked, as if I was crazy for not knowing.

But I hadn’t known—I had never known that.

“I mean, come on, Emma. It’s not just because of our friendship that our families were friends. We always went on vacations together, after all. I’m also your next door neighbor. Maybe that’s something you forgot because of the crash.”

That was true; our families had often gone on the same vacations, but I couldn’t remember much, even when I tried to think about it. I remembered the pictures in my room, talking about the fun we had, but memories? I didn’t have them.How long will my memories be repressed? Will the pain from my tragedy keep blocking them?

I nodded. “Yeah, makes sense; I just didn’t realize your dad went by Ryker.”

“Yep, now let’s see this knight in action. I am sure once you get into the movie, you will discover knights are by far more preferable to princes,” he said, moving to press play, his messy blond curls falling to the side of his face. During those two weeksbefore school started when we had watched too many movies, we had a constant, playful argument over whether knights were superior or if princes were. I guess, reminding him when I was younger that I would rather marry a prince than a knight always irritated him. But I was drawn to the prince in most of the movies we watched that had a fantasy element.

I rolled my eyes and threw another pillow at his face. I wasn't sure how long we lay there, but I must have fallen asleep, because when I woke up to darkness and a snoring Ryker beside me, I sat up.

“Emma?” I looked to the door where Ryker’s dad stood, confusion in his gaze. Ryker groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes.

“Hey, dad, what's up?” he asked, pulling me down back to the bed and wrapping his arms around me, his face in my hair.

“Why is Emma Warren in yourbed, son?” His voice was firm, and I wanted to be invisible.

“We fell asleep.”

“Obviously, son, but—”

“Dad, seriously?”

“Just take her home, and do not do this again. You are both way too young to be having—” I pulled myself from Ryker’s arms and jumped to the side of the bed.

“No, sir, fully dressed. It was completely innocent,” I said. My face had to have been red.

“Ryker?”

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