Page 85 of You Will Bow

“She’s here!”I holler down the hall to Ridge. “Looks like Lev is coming down the drive behind her.”

Ridge hauls ass down the hall, barreling past me as he pulls open the door. I’m right behind him when I see Riley standing there with snowflakes in her hair, and tears soaking her cheeks.

I step around Ridge, ready to pull her in for a hug, but he beats me to it. “It’s gonna be okay,” I hear him say.

“Is it me?” she asks. “Am I the suspect? Is it Zeke? Those other guys?”

Ridge pulls back, hands on her shoulders. “What other guys?”

Riley’s eyes catch mine. “Does he know?”

I shake my head. “Haven’t told him.”

Ridge pivots around, his brow furrowed as his gaze shifts back and forth between me and Riley. “What the hell are you two talking about?”

“It was nothing,” I say, trying to downplay the situation. “It was Cade. He killed three other guys and framed Riley. My dad took the evidence and it’s sealed. He kept me in the loop throughout the inside investigation, and I assured him Riley was set up.”

“You assured him, or you think you assured him?” Ridge raises his voice. “Because Cade’s fucking father—a Punisher—is on the hunt for Riley right fucking now.”

“He sounded like he bought it, and it was the truth. He dropped the subject and we haven’t discussed it since.”

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?” Ridge shouts. “Don’t you think this is something I should have been made aware of? Anything that entails her is my fucking business!”

“I messed up, man. Should’ve told you, but I thought it was all under control.”

“Well, you obviously thought wrong and now look at this damn mess.”

Ridge is right. I should've told him and we could’ve worked together to prevent all of this. I’ve been so hung up on Riley and my own personal shit that I wasn’t thinking straight.

Guilt begins to eat at me as I look at Riley and realize I wasn’t there for her in all the ways I promised I would be.

I watch as her face transforms and the realization of what's happening sets in. Her eyes go wide in shock. Skin turning pale like a ghost. Her mouth hangs open slightly, stopping only with the occasional tremble. My heart breaks at the sight.

Lev steps up beside us wearing his own look of trepidation. It’s obvious he read our messages about his uncle being here on an assignment, as well as the campus alert, but we still haven’t told him why. He also doesn't know about Cade and the doc. Ridge and I agreed we’d hold off on that a little longer, until everything else settles down. But I’m certain once he knows, he’ll be out for blood.

“So, what’s going on?” Lev asks, breathlessly. “My uncle’s on campus? Who’s the suspect?”

Ridge and I both look at Riley as she gulps, choking down her tears. “Me,” she whispers.

Lev’s eyes shoot wide open. “No. That can’t be right.”

Riley turns around quickly and shoves Lev so hard he stumbles back a few steps. “Of course it’s right. Because you did this!” she cries. “You killed people and framed me and now a fucking Punisher is coming for me!”

“What? No!” I reach out to grab Riley, pulling her sullen body to mine. My arms wrap around her and I hold her tight, stroking her head. “Lev didn’t kill those people. Cade did.”

“But he didn’t.” She cries into my shoulder. “Lev confessed that he killed Zeke.” She takes a step back, but stays in arm’s reach. “He’s the one who came into my room that night. He drugged me. He assaulted me. Then he killed Zeke.”

My eyes shoot over her shoulder, glaring at Lev with rage. “Tell me she’s wrong,” I beg through gritted teeth. He stares back at me, nostrils flared. His shoulders sag in defeat, but he remains silent. “Tell me, dammit!”

“It’s true,” he says. “It was me. But Cade—”

I charge at him before he can say another word. My arms wrap around his core and I take him straight to the ground. “You fucking did it! You killed him!” Words of pure wrath spill from my mouth and I scream in his face.

“I didn’t fucking do it,” Lev shouts, spitting in my face. “Get the fuck off me.” He gives me a forceful shove, rolling me off of him and onto my back. I quickly get up and gun for him again, but he’s faster and manages to stand up in time. “Yes, I went into her room, and yes, I killed Zeke. I was fucked up at the time. I was coming off my meds and my mind was a mess. I didn’t give a damn about her then. But I do now. She changed me. She made me feel again.”

“You should have fucking told us!” I shout at him. “When you started to feel like yourself again, you should have fucking admitted what you did!”

“Look. I’ll handle my uncle and I’ll pay for my sins by someone worthy of punishing me.” He looks at Riley. “And I’ll make this up to you. One day. Somehow. As for the two of you,” he nods between me and Ridge, “you’ll come around eventually. We’re family, and family forgives.”

---