Page 14 of Let Me
She shoves me, surprisingly sending me stumbling back a few steps. “I’ve taken care of myself and found my own way more often than you ever have, Caden Virani.” She walks past me, but I reach out and grab her arm, jerking her back.
“Why?” My voice is hoarse, and I hate that. I swallow, stare at her, unblinking, waiting for something. Waiting for her to say something that’ll make this all better. That’ll take this all away. That’ll give her back to me. Make her my angel again. I knew she was never agood girl, but I never wanted a good girl. I also didn’t want one who would stab me and my brother in the back and fuck my dad while she was it. He doesn’t give his money to women for nothing.
She shakes her head. “Get off me. I don’t owe you anything.” And then she pulls away and I let her go, let her walk into that building and disappear into my dad’s condo. I want to follow her, and it’s that one thing that makes me hate myself.
This is her fault.
My brother is dead because of her.
But it’s my fault, too. Because I couldn’t resist her. I can’t now, and I couldn’t then, either.
EIGHT
May, 3 Years Ago
I HEAR them yelling as soon as I walk into the house. Mom and Dad are out, as they usually are. Separately, of course, because even though they might stay married, it’s only because it’s more expensive for them to get a divorce.
Matthew greets me in the hallway as I close the door softly behind me. I hear Jack shouting about her talking to some dude after class. I can’t hear her defense, because her voice is softer, but I hope to God she’s putting him in his place.
He’s become unbearable. He was always the jealous type, but as they’ve gone out longer, it’s gotten worse. Riley is beautiful, but she’s also wrapped up in him. I don’t know how he can’t see that. I sure fucking can.
“How long have they been at it?” I ask Matthew, trying to keep my tone casual. I’ve been coming here every weekend this month, and I don’t even know why. I like to see my mom, but I knew she would be out this weekend. She told me she was going on a girl’s trip out of the city.
Matthew clears his throat, his posture ramrod straight, white hair slicked back, white gloved hands clasped in front of him. “A while,” he finally says.
I clench my jaw so hard my teeth grind together. And then I hear something shatter.
Without thinking, without waiting, I run up the stairs, using my hands to pull me up faster, legs pumping until I pivot down the hall, headed for Jack’s room. I hear Riley screaming, and I feel myself relax a little because that means she’s okay, but she’s not okay. Not really.
I twist the knob on Jack’s door and find it’s locked.
“Open the fucking door!” I call out, and Riley goes quiet.
“Fuck off,” Jack says. The little shit.
“I will break this fucking door down if you don’t open it right goddamn now.”
Silence for a minute and I prepare to ram my shoulder into the wooden door, but then I hear footsteps and the click of the lock. The little prick doesn’t bother to open it for me.
I see glass shattered on the marble floors of his bedroom, see a photo of Riley and Jack sitting in my parents’ backyard, taken last summer when they first started dating. When Jack must have seen a poor, neglected girl that he could easily manipulate. The picture frame is shattered, and Riley is standing against the far wall, past the king-sized bed and mounted TV and game console. She’s got her arms crossed and her eyes are red.
“What the fuck is going on here?” I ask, looking at Jack, who is pacing before the glass on the floor. This shouldn’t be my problem. Riley Larson should not be my problem. But she’s here all the time. I’m here all the time. I can’t help but feel something for her, can’t help but see my brother is a complete dick.
“Fuck off,” Jack says again. He’s so angry that the words come out through clenched teeth and the veins on his forearms are nearly popping out of his skin.
“Who did this?” I gesture to the shattered frame on the floor, but I look to Riley for an answer.
She doesn’t look scared. She just looks pissed off. But she refuses to answer me. She looks down at the floor. I know she’s stronger than this. She’s got to be stronger than this.
Say something,I think.Fucking say something.
She doesn’t speak.
Jack stops his pacing. “Do you want to fuck her, too?” he goads me, getting in my face. But he’s a few inches shorter than me, and I shove him off, calmly, which pisses him off all the more. He shoves me, but I plant my feet, bend my knees, and I don’t move against his push.
“You’ll have to try harder than that,little brother.” I look to Riley again, who is still looking down. Abruptly, she sinks to the floor, tucking her legs underneath her. “What happened?” I ask her again.
“Get the fuck out of here!” Jack screams at me. “You’re always acting like you’re her savior. I know you want to fuck her, bro, but you’re never going to. No one is. No one but me, you got that? And do you really want my sloppy seconds?”
