Page 96 of Let Me
The woman lets me go, turns around, and pokes her finger to Caden’s chest.
“Watch your fucking language,” she mutters, and then she pushes past him, disappearing into the house, shaking her pink hair.
Caden’s ice-blue eyes haven’t left mine.
“Lay off her, man,” Benji says at my back.
This, apparently, is the wrong thing to say. Caden’s gaze locks on Benji, and a malicious smile forms on his lips. “Or what?” he asks quietly.
I take in Caden’s white t-shirt, his dark jeans, veins bulging in his arms, chest rising up and down rapidly. He’s been punching something or lifting something, worrying about me.
Benji laughs darkly behind me. “Or I’ll have to take her away from you until you can calm the fuck down.”
Anger sparks in Caden’s eyes, and he takes a step toward me, to get to Benji.
I step in between them, one hand on each of their chests.
“Caden,” I say softly. Caden’s eyes find mine again. “I’m here now, okay? I’m sorry I didn’t have my ringer on, but I was with Tyler. I was with Tyler, and we were safe.” I put my hands down, turn to face Caden fully. I take his face in my hands, and he stills under my touch. “You can’t have Benji drag me away from dinner because I don’t answer your calls—”
“Actually, he can.”
It’s Benji who speaks.
I turn to face him, brow furrowed. “Excuse me?”
Benji blows out a breath and slides his hands into his pockets. “I made Caden stay here, in case you came back. But Rolland held a gun to your head, Riley,” he says quietly, looking down at his leather shoes. “He murdered his own son. And we don’t know where he is. Until we do…we have to make sure you’re safe.”
My throat feels dry at his words. At the gravity of the situation. I wish Rolland was dead, and I feel conflicted about that wish, because no matter what he’s done, he’s still Caden’s father.
Caden puts a hand on my shoulder. “I was waiting for you here, and I didn’t think you’d be out so long—”
“I was barely out an hour—”
Caden’s hand on my shoulder tenses. “That was before I knew my father wasn’t home.”
I spin around. “Did you talk to your mom?”
Caden’s hand falls to his side. “Yes.”
“And?” I prod.
He shakes his head, and his face darkens. “And she won’t leave him. I didn’t tell her all of it. About Jack.” He swallows. “But I told her about you. That it was Dad in the video.” He pauses. “She didn’t seem surprised.”
A beat of silence between us.
“They’ve been married for a long—”
“I don’t give a damn,” Caden snarls, interrupting me. “I won’t have anything to do with her while she takes his side. Not after what he did to you. To Jack. To me.”
I nod. I can understand that, although I hate it. I know how close he is to his mother. Or…how close hewas.
“I thought she was stronger than that. But she doesn’t want to believe it.”
“Maybe she will. Eventually. Maybe you should tell her, about Jack,” I say.
It’s Benji who speaks next. “They aren’t filing charges against Rolland. It’s our word against his, and they aren’t filing any against Caden either, so…he’s free to go.”
I still at his words.
