Page 75 of Break Me
Riley grabs my hand without a word and leads me down the hallway, past the bedroom she’s shut her mother in, and toward another one that’s empty, only plush white carpet and a bay window. She closes the door, locks it, and then walks to the window, looking down. The view of the pool glitters down below, but we’re too high up. There’s no way in hell we can climb down, and if we jump, we’ll probably die.
Riley looks back at me, arching a brow.
I grip the knife tight in my hand, afraid I’m going to drop it. My palms are sweaty. “No,” I whisper. “We can’t.”
She takes a breath, then nods.
“It’s okay,” she says, trying to reassure me. “Benji will handle him.”
I swallow down the lump in my throat.
“And he’ll make sure Tess doesn’t get hurt.”
I hope Tess is calling 911.
“Who is he?” I ask Riley.
Riley slides down the wall, sitting on the floor, legs stretched out before her, her Vans knocking together. I see a small hole in the side of one and wonder why she hasn’t bought new ones and realize that’s a stupid thing to think about right now, but that’s how the mind works. Tries to distract you from the real trauma, so you can catch your breath.
My eyes keep darting to the door, but I can’t hear anything beyond it, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
“Caden’s father,” Riley finally says.
I freeze, looking at her with wide eyes. My hand is aching from gripping the knife so hard but I can’t seem to loosen my hold on it.
Riley isn’t looking at me. She’s looking out the window, the knife by her side. She bends her knees, pulls them close to her chest.
But before she can say anything else, we both hear a commotion down the hall. She leaps to her feet and pushes me against the wall beside the door, flattening herself beside me, her head twisted as she watches the door. It’s locked, of course, but we both know that’s not going to stop Rolland.
A gun goes off, tearing through the handle of the door, and a second later, my ears ringing, the door flies open and Rolland steps through. His eyes dart around the room until he sees us, and then they narrow. He looks like a fucking mad man.
“Benji…” Riley breathes.
Rolland smiles. “Your fuck toy is—”
We hear footsteps down the hall and I know it isn’t Ms. Larson. Rolland knows it too, because he grabs both of us, pointing the gun at Riley’s temple, his arm around both of our necks as he pulls us all against the wall.
“Drop the knives or I’ll fucking blow your brains out,” he commands.
I do immediately. I don’t know what to do with it and Rolland’s arm around my neck is making all rational thought leave my brain.
Riley, however, doesn’t drop hers.
“Benji!” she screams, and then she angles the knife in her hand, raising it. Rolland shoves me behind him to get a better grip on Riley, his hand on her throat, but before she can sink the knife in behind her, Benji comes tearing into the room, and Rolland moves the gun from her head to aim at Benji, and Riley freezes.
Benji’s eyes narrow on Rolland. He doesn’t even look at me. Or Riley.
His jaw is clenched, and I can see his chest heaving.
“If you try to stab me, darling, I’ll blow his head off.”
Riley doesn’t move for a second, and then, just like that, she drops the knife. So willing to die for those she loves.
What am I willing to do?
Cower in a corner?
Hide like I am now, behind Rolland’s back? He doesn’t even think I’m a threat. He’s not at all nervous that I’m looking at the spotless fabric of his suit, pulled tight around his back. He’s not worried about me in the slightest. He doesn’t think I’m capable of anything. And based on the fact Benji still hasn’t glanced at me, he doesn’t either.
