Page 95 of Rival
“You’re not welcome to go up there. Besides, as I said a moment ago, she’snothere.” Her eyes roam over the other two before she adds, “Not that any of ya’ll have a right to speak to her. I know what’s been going on and all of you should be ashamed of yourselves.”
Her scathing tone freezes all of us, including her husband, who’s staring at her as if she’s grown two heads. Pointing a finger toward a floral patterned sofa with a silent command, we all trudge our way over. An elbow jabs into my side and I side-eye Griffin as he takes the middle and settles in as if he didn’t do anything.
“Now, I don’t have much patience for listening to any of your reasonings over what happened yesterday, but we’re gonna to get a few things clear now, then ya’ll best be on your way. Edith—”
“Is she alright?” Mason blurts out, interrupting her. I catch Josiah shaking his head hard in an attempt to tell him to shut his mouth, but Mason doesn’t pick up the hint. “I appreciate you wantin’ to talk, but if she’s not here, I don’t have the time to sit around for a chat. I need to find her.”
“Don’t interrupt a lady when she’s speaking.” Ruth sniffs in annoyance, then holds a hand out. “There’s the door if you want to go.”
Mason stands as if he’s going to leave, hesitates, then asks, “She at home?”
Blinking up at him, Ruth’s lips stay pressed together in a thin line. With an aggravated sigh, he plops back on the couch and once she’s happy, she nods once. Folding her hands together in front of her, she studies all of us.
“Now, I don’t know what kind of business three grown men have with that girl, and frankly, I don’t want to know.”
Readying herself to lay into us, she takes a deep breath, then hits us with everything she’s got.
“Edithwashere. She left this morning after speaking with the police last night, then again this morning. I assume you all know what happened yesterday between her and that man who… Well, I won’t say what I want to say.” She sniffs again, picking an invisible piece of lint from her shirt.
“Sorry for interruptin’, but seriously, is she alright? When she left yesterday, she was pretty beaten up.” Griffin is rubbing his hands on his pant legs anxiously, and I frown down to watch, then eye him. I have no doubt he’s concerned, but it pisses me off he’s even here.
“You’re asking if she’s alright? Aside from swollen eyes, bruised ribs, a broken nose, and in so much pain she can hardly walk?” That image hits me like a fucking train.
My eyes dart around the room for a trash can because I think I’m going to throw up again. Mason’s breath whooshes from his mouth and Griffin completely deflates into the couch. “I’m gonna kill him,” Mason growls.
“What did the cops say?” I croak out, mentally agreeing with Mason, but I say nothing because I want more information. Her glare shuts me up.
“It’s obvious you allthinkyou care about her, but I’m not so sure it’s born from anything but guilt and a sense of duty. If it is, don’t bother. Edith will be gone until things are settled on the legal side with her fath—with Clayborn Hughes.” Eyeing us all carefully, she asks, “Did any of you know he’s been abusing her? Aside from yesterday, I mean.”
My couch mates and I stay silent, guilt souring the air. Finally, I speak up because Ruth doesn’t seem as if she’s going to continue without an answer.
“I, umm, I knew she was in a bad situation. I didn’t know details, only that she was working on a way out of it. I had no idea who her father was.”
“But you had sex with her.”
The condescension lacing her tone hits hard. My cheeks flush and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so small. Ruth drags her glare from me and focuses on the other two.
“As did the two of you. Not one of you knows a damnthingabout that girl, do you?”
“Ruthie.” Josiah’s voice holds a slight admonition for her language. Blinking away her tears, it’s clear this isn’t just a talk where she’s giving us shit. She’s truly devastated with not only what happened to Edith, but with our disgusting behavior.
“Josiah,” she cries out, then points at us. “These men have been dragging that woman into the haystacks to get their rocks off without havin’ an inkling of who she is!” Whipping her teared filled eyes to us, she shouts, “You all treated her like a whore when all she needed was a bit of love!”
“Ruth!” Josiah snaps out. “Be kind and tenderhearted to people who don’t deserve it and patient with those who fail you.” He locks eyes with me when he adds, “Failures might get knocked down, but they’re not destroyed. Fix yourselves. All of you,” he adds, indicating he’s speaking to all of us.
“Where is she?” Mason grits out while Griffin shifts restlessly in his seat.
“Gone.” Ruth’s answer is just as biting. “They set her up somewhere to recover where that man can’t find her until he’s handled.” With a deep breath, her fury with us melts away, and she smiles widely. It isnota friendly smile. “Since you all have so much time on your hands now, why don’t you stay for lunch to sober up and the two of you”—she points at Griffin and Mason—“can give Jaxon a hand over at the barn build. Now that we’re short a strong pair of hands.”
Opening his mouth to argue, Mason is silenced with a hard look from both me and Griffin. “Fine,” he eventually grumbles out.
A loud single clap causes me to jump and I swear, this woman has a maniacal gleam in her eye. “Wonderful! I’ll accompany you to the site and read from God’s word while you three work.”
Standing, Griffin gives her a forced smile. “If you don’t mind, ma’am. I’m gonna take a raincheck on lunch. There’s someplaceI need to be first, but I’ll head over to the barn in a couple of hours.”
Something in me is screaming to agree and follow him, so I stand and make my apologies for leaving as well. Mason, the rude fucker he is, just leaves with us once Ruth concedes. With her mood, it’s a surprise she gives in so quickly. Maybe she’s feeling the tension the same as us.
As soon as we’re outside, I call out to Griffin. “Where you going?”
