Page 39 of Savage Truth

“Nick’s out, Riley.”

“I know.” Her response was too calm, and I spared her a glance before refocusing on the road. “He called me.”

“Oh, God.” Raelyn wailed.

“I hung up immediately. Cole is in my car, and we’re on our way.”

“Good. Good.” I could picture her pacing. Dad murmured something unintelligible in the background. “Lucas called in more security, and Ronan is on his way with backup. I don’t think he’ll get here in time. I told him we’d already be gone. How far are you?”

“We’ll be there soon. Try not to worry too much.”

A sob sounded at the other end. “I love you, Riles. Please hurry.”

“I love you too, Mom.” Riley disconnected but kept her phone in a death grip in her lap. “I should have killed him last night.”

I agreed.If the cops hadn’t been there…But they had been, and I couldn’t let her go to jail. The statement hung heavily between us, and I didn’t say anything because every person in the city seemed to be on the road. Traffic was crazy on a Friday morning.Shouldn’t everyone be at work or school?I wove in and out of cars when I could, but it was slow going.

The streets were chaos, but inside, the car was eerily silent. Riley was too calm, too quiet. I wanted to fix everything for her because somehow my feelings for her had gone from hate to want to need. I needed her in my life. That was unsettling.

There wasn’t time to analyze any of that as I pulled into the driveway. Men were standing guard by the gate and at the door, and I even saw some patrolling the grounds. Good. I was glad Dad had called in reinforcements. We rushed out of the car and toward the house.

The front door jerked open, and Raelyn ran out, gripped Riley, and hauled her inside. I followed close behind, and Raelyn released Riley long enough to slam the door and lock it. Dad was on the phone a few feet away, barking orders at someone.

“This was a mistake.” Raelyn choked back a sob. “I’m sorry. You told me it wouldn’t work, and I was selfish. You were right.” She tugged Riley farther through the foyer and to the bottom of the stairs. “Go pack. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”

“Raelyn, no.” Dad disconnected, intercepting her as Riley started up the stairs. “This is the safest place for you both. I have enough armed guards here to start a war.”

She shook her head, and fresh tears trailed over prior streaks. “It was a mistake to involve you and your family. He’ll kill you all. I could never live with myself if that happened. I love you, Lucas, but never at the cost of your life or your sons’. This is for the best.”

“The hell it is,” Dad growled. “I can’t lose you again, Raelyn. I’ll protect you.”

Riley paused on the stairs, and our eyes caught and held.

“You should stay. We’ll keep you safe.” Dad’s head whipped around, and when our gazes collided, it was the first time I’d felt aligned with him, like we were on the same team.

“Where’s Damon?” It wasn’t his fight, and I didn’t want him involved.

“I made him go to school, and then there’s the game tonight. There are guards there too.”

I nodded, remembering it was Friday. Good. Damon would be safe and ultimately in the dark until it was over. For once, Dad and I were on the same page.

“No.” Strength rippled through Raelyn’s denial. “He won’t come right away because he knows we’ll expect that. But we can’t stay in the house and wait for him because he will come for us, and you both will be collateral damage. I can’t let that happen.” She turned to Riley. “Go pack. We’re leaving.”

Riley nodded then raced up the stairs. Dad tried to reason with Raelyn as I followed Riley. I stood in her doorway, watching her throw everything she owned into a suitcase and a large box. Her sense of urgency clawed at me, as did my rising panic. “Aren’t you tired of running?”

She paused for a second then continued tossing things in. “Mom needs me, and even if I was tired of it, it doesn’t matter. We’ll never be safe here. And if we’re here, neither will all of you.”

“My dad can use the law to protect you both.”

She snorted, slamming the top of her suitcase down then zipping it. “Yeah, legal papers make great shields from knives and bullets.”

I didn’t move from the doorway, wanting to block her exit. “You know I can fight. Your dad won’t get lucky twice.”

Riley dropped an armful of clothes from the closet into the box and came to stand before me. For a moment, the panic melted away, and she rested her hand on my chest. “It isn’t about Mom and me. It’s about you and Damon and your dad, all the people Mom and I care about. I’ve been doing this my whole life.” A sad, accepting smile curved her lips. “It has to be this way.”

“I’ll come with you.” I couldn’t let her go, not when I’d come to terms with my feelings. Because I suddenly understood what my dad had been through with Raelyn, at least some of it—his fear of never finding her again if she left. And I couldn’t have that happen with Riley. She was the one for me.

Her head jerked back, and her eyes widened. “You can’t, and we both know it. You have school and your whole life here.”

---