Page 36 of Savage Truth

Dad pulled into the driveway behind our cousins’ and Damon’s SUVs. I wasn’t surprised to see them there rather than in school. Dad wasn’t, either, given his unchanged expression. We got out of the car, and Raelyn hung back until Riley moved to her side. She clung to Riley’s arm as they went inside then straight upstairs.

Dad stopped at the entrance, surveying the damage. “Thanks for cleaning everything up. Is Louisa inside?”

“No.” Damon leaned the broom against the wall. “I thought you might want her to have paid time off with everything going on. I called her and said you would follow up when you’re home later.”

I stepped past Dad, remaining quiet to see what he and everyone else would do. He must have called Damon. I hadn’t had a chance, and I knew I would catch hell from my brother later. My gaze strayed to a blank space on the wall just off the foyer, where one of our large family pictures had hung, and remembered the sound of the gun going off when I’d tackled Nick. The family portrait was gone, and there was a bullet hole in the wall where it had hung.

“The water’s still off,” Damon informed us.

At least the power was on.

“I called a plumber. He’ll be here this afternoon,” Phoenix said as Shane took the broom and dustpan from Damon into the kitchen.

“I have some calls to make.” Dad turned to me. “Take it easy. You know the drill: no screens, bright lights, or loud music. I’m going to work from home for the next week. Let me know if you need something or aren’t feeling well.”

Is it the concussion, or are they all strange?Damon wasn’t throwing attitude. My dad was being reasonable. Phoenix and Shane were super quiet, Riley was in shock, and her mom was terrified. I needed a calm, dark place where I could talk to Damon and our cousins.Basement.

I headed there. They followed.

We sat on the couch, then the questions started. I held up a hand, the pain in my head making it tough to listen. I filled them in on what had happened, but they knew most of it.

“Dad called and got us out of school and home,” Damon said. “He hired security for us and Aunt Cece, just in case.”

“He doesn’t think Riley’s dad will stay in prison.” Phoenix confirmed my fear.

I wasn’t surprised that Dad hadn’t told us. He was trying to protect Riley and her mom and keep them from panicking. But something told me they knew.

“I’m glad you stayed at their house last night,” I said to Damon. He’d texted that they were having a video game marathon, and he didn’t feel like driving home from Phoenix and Shane’s. I hadn’t thought anything of it at the time. But if he had been home, I could have lost him. There had been a fucking gun… It bothered me more than I cared to admit. I’d already lost Mom. I couldn’t lose my brother too.And I can’t lose Riley.

We shared a look, and I saw my own thoughts and feelings reflected in Damon’s eyes. That’d been too close for comfort. “Dad called you and fill you in on what happened?”

“Yeah. He wanted the three of us to come straight home from practice, but we left after his call. It wasn’t long after we got here that the cops took off and security arrived.”

I stood. “You guys staying?”

“We are.” Phoenix’s features were granite, a sign that he hated what was happening. We needed to strategize, but not at the moment. “Mom’s working tonight, and your dad has security on her when she leaves the hospital.”

“Okay.” I headed for the stairs. “I’m crashing. Wake me if anything happens"—I paused on the first step—“or for dinner.”

Dad was in his office and on the phone when I got to the first floor. We made brief eye contact, and I read the worry there. Riley’s door was closed on the second floor, and I could make out the faint sound of her Mom’s voice. Exhausted, I made sure my blinds were closed, shut the door, and got into bed. It didn’t take long for my body to shut down. I passed out.

* * *

In the middle of the night, I couldn’t sleep with Riley so close but so far away. I shoved off the covers and slipped from my room and into hers, closing the door behind me. She lay on the bed, unmoving and barely blinking. She didn’t even look at me when I came in.

Her room was dark, except for the light of the moon. Quiet. And she still wasn’t speaking.

I sat on the bed beside her, curling my fingers around hers. “When my mom died, I couldn’t get the image of her lying there out of my head. I know it’s not the same as what happened with Nick”—I wouldn’t call him her father—“but I didn’t want to talk to anybody, either.”

When her hand tightened around mine, I lay beside her, waiting until her eyelids drifted closed. Only then did I relax enough to fall asleep, knowing I wouldn’t let anyone get to her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

RILEY

Icouldn’t sleep, even with Cole beside me. Aside from the time Nick had caught and beaten Mom, I’d never been so scared.

Not of him or what he’d done to Cole. I was afraid of myself and what I wanted to do—would have done if Cole hadn’t stopped me. I would have killed my father, which meant that part of me was like him. I would have shot him without hesitation. A chill raced over my arms.I came so close. I didn’t know how to come to terms with it.

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