Page 11 of You Will Bow

Ridge elbows Lev out of the way, then he grabs the chair and tips it back up. In one fell swoop, he gathers the tape over Cade’s mouth and rips it off.

Cade gasps before spitting out the balled-up handkerchief in his mouth. It lands on his lap, all slobbery and gross. His tongue drags across his cracked, bloody lips. “Please. Please just let me go. You’ve got the wrong guy.”

“What the hell are you doing?” Lev growls. “He doesn’t deserve to fucking talk.” He snatches the roll of duct tape from the metal table that resembles one you’d find alongside a hospital bed.

Ridge grabs the duct tape from Lev through a game of tug-of-war.

“This was my fucking plan,” Ridge seethes. “Don’t come in here and try to fuck it up.”

“Your plan? Thought we were all in on this together. One goal in mind. Make this fucker pay?”

While they’re having their little quarrel, I use this time wisely. “Look at me,” I say to Cade sternly. “Tell me why the fuck you did it.”

Cade shakes his head, tears rolling down his face as his legs bob up and down, as much as they can with his ankles bound to the chair. “I didn’t do it.” His dry lips smack together, a string of thick saliva stretching between them. “Whatever you’re all accusing me of is false. You’ve got the wrong guy.”

Out of nowhere, Lev’s hand comes from behind me, his fist landing on Cade’s face, which causes his head to fly back and a gush of blood to jet from his mouth, landing in a splatter at Ridge’s feet.

“Liar,” Lev roars. “If I had it my way, you’d be dead by now. I’ve got no idea why Ridge is keeping you alive, but you better thank your lucky stars and hope like hell you get to live to see another day.”

I’m taken aback by Lev’s passion for the situation, considering Riley isn’t of importance to him. He said so himself—he’s not looking for a fling or a piece of ass. Unless he really does want some sort of friendship with her. Maybe Lev cares about her, after all.

No. Impossible. Lev doesn’t care about anyone.

My phone pings with a text, so I take a couple of steps back, letting them deal with Cade.

Riley: Change of plans. I’m not going to be able to study tonight after all. I’m not feeling too well. Probably going to eat and go to bed early.

Shit.I forgot all about our plans to meet at the library. I’ve been so caught up in everything else happening that it completely slipped my mind.

Me: No worries. I’m pretty busy, too. Rain check for tomorrow?

Riley: Can’t. We’re decorating the campus square for Halloween.

Me: Ok. Get some rest and I’ll call you later.

After a minute has passed with no more text messages, I stick my phone back in my pocket.

When I turn around to see if things have settled with everyone, I find them all looking at me. Even Cade, who has tape back over his mouth.

“What?” I huff, curious as to why I’m getting the death stare from both Lev and Ridge.

“Where is she?” Ridge quips.

“At her dorm. She’s not feeling well.”

His eyebrows hit his forehead, as if he’s pained just by the thought of her being ill. “She’s sick?”

“Probably not. Just said she wasn’t feeling well. She’ll be fine.”

His head shakes in frustration as he staggers toward the door. “You see. That right there is what I’m talking about. She deserves better.”

Ridge’s fingers wrap around the door handle as he shoots us a look over his shoulder. “Make sure that dickwad eats, then double-check the ropes before you leave. I’ll come back tomorrow.”

As he pulls the door open, I holler, “Where are you going?”

“Where you should be going, but aren’t.”

He steps out and slams the door closed.

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