Page 38 of They Will Fall

I bite the corner of my lip, contemplating how to best describe Ridge. “Well,” I begin, a smile tugging at my lips as I stare off. “Ridge is mysterious to outsiders, but an open book when it comes to me. He loves hard and he fights even harder when it comes to the people he loves. He’s dangerous—maybe even deadly. But he’s also gentle and kind.”

Excitement lights up her eyes. “Deadly?”

My eyebrows pinch together at her depravity. “Is that a good thing?”

“Depends. You said yourself, he fights hard for the people he loves. I believe when it comes to matters of the heart, there are no limits.”

“Yeah,” I quip. “Ridge is your brother.”

She laughs. “You don’t agree?”

“Are you really asking me if I think it’s okay to take someone's life if they are a threat to someone you love?”

Now that I’ve said it out loud, I guess I shouldn’t be so quick to judge. That’s exactly what I did.

“I guess I am.” Her shoulders rise.

“Like you said, it depends. We all have our own reasons for doing the things we do. Doesn’t mean they’re always right. But it also doesn’t mean they didn’t feel right at the time.”

“Are you hungry?” she asks out of nowhere. “I’m fucking starving.”

The familiarity between Ridge and Temper is astounding. They are both batshit crazy. But I love Ridge’s crazy, and something tells me Temper is going to grow on me just as fast. If she is Ridge’s sister, we will both have our work cut out when it comes to protecting this girl. She’s a fucking tornado.

“I suppose since we’re done with that conversation, I could eat.” I slap my hands to my legs. “Maybe a shower, too.”

“Perf,” she says as she springs to her feet. “I’ll show you to the showers and give you some fresh clothes, and while you're cleaning up, I’ll go fetch us some food.”

“Just one problem. I can’t be seen, remember?”

“As if anyone will have any clue who you are. You’re fine.”

“Even if there wasn’t any word of the manhunt for me here at The Academy, I was a senior here last year. Someone will recognize me and people will talk.”

Her eyes widen as her face lights up with realization. Slowly, she raises a finger. “I think I’ve got an idea.” She scurries to her dresser and pulls open the top drawer, retrieving a pair of sunglasses and a black baseball cap.

My face contorts in amusement. “You want me to take a shower wearing a hat and sunglasses?”

“Notinthe shower. Just until you have privacy. It’ll be fine. You won’t look weird at all.”

I chuckle. “Sure, I won’t. Everyone wears sunglasses and baseball caps to the bathroom when it’s snowing outside.”

She throws them at me and I catch both against my chest. “Exactly.”

Is she even listening to a word I say?

I’m not even going to argue this because I feel absolutely disgusting, and a disguise is necessary if I’m going out in public. Once I’m done, I’ll eat and make a call to Ridge to see if he’s got any updates. I’m hoping Scar has already untied Maddox and they are all together now. Once I’m sure all my friends are safe, I’ll leave on foot to find Lev.

“Here.” She shoves a black bag to my chest, then some clothes. “Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and a used razor.”

“Wow. Thanks. I’ll hold off on shaving. Really, though. I appreciate this.”

“It’s the least I can do for my potential brother’s girlfriend.”

My lips purse and my eyebrows arch. “Right.”

If Temper does end up being Ridge’s sister,it’s safe to assume they get their weirdness from their father. The thought makes me smile. Ridge is so beautifully weird, and man, do I miss him.

“Out you go,” Temper orders as she shoves me through the open door. “End of the hall on the right.”

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