As I hang up, the ambulance arrives, and an officer puts cuffs on August, making him groan as they jostle around his wounded shoulder. He doesn’t say a word, just goes with it as they carry him off to the ambulance.
“I want to go with him,” I say to a different officer, who adamantly shakes his head.
“No can do, miss.” He blocks my path as the ambulance drives away. I watch as the ambulance turns the corner then Noah’s car pulls up. My sister rushes through the house to get to me. Her way is clear now that the other two men have been moved, cuffed, and taken away in another ambulance.
“Ry… oh my God, what’s happening?” She checks the blood on the floor then wraps her arms around me.
“Got your things?” Noah asks while scanning the house.
I nod, and Rhianna pulls me out and to the car.
Noah gets in and drives while I tell them everything that happened. Noah nods but doesn’t say a single word as he comes to a stop out the front of our apartment.
“I want to go with you.”
“No. I’ll bring him back here, though. You need to go inside and wash up.” I glance down at myself and see my white blouse has blood splatters all over it.
“I can change real quick.”
“It will be easier if you aren’t there. Let me handle it.”
Rhianna gets out of the car, then comes around and opens my door. “Come on, Noah will handle it.”
I nod even though I don’t want to and get out, looking back down at Noah. “Make sure he’s okay.”
Noah nods as I shut the car door, then he drives away.
“Ry, are you okay?” Concern laces her voice, and a shiver racks my body.
“I think so. Holy shit, Rhi. Holy shit,” I say while shaking my head.
She pulls me to her for a hug, not caring at all that I have blood all over me while I cry on her shoulder.
“It’ll be okay. You’re okay.”
I nod on her shoulder, then pull back. “I need to shower. Then we need to call Noah to see what’s happening.”
She doesn’t argue with me.
She knows me.
Better than anyone on his planet.
When I get to the shower and strip the clothes from my body, Rhianna picks up the shirt and carries it out before she comes back in and sits on the toilet while I shower.
“Ry, do you like him?”
I pause while washing my face, not even caring that some of the wetness now on my face is my own tears.
“Yes,” I answer quite simply because I know what she’s asking. Not if I like him as a friend, but do I want more.
“Does he like you?”
“I’m not sure how to answer that.”
She pulls back the shower door. “It’s a yes or no. Does he like you?”
“I think so.” I shrug. “I mean… as far as I am aware, apart from Paige, I’m his only friend.”
“But it’s not friends you want to be, right? You want more?”
“Yes, I want more.” I don’t bother lying because she’ll know I am. Rhianna nods and sits again, leaving the shower door open. It doesn’t bother me. Our bodies are exactly the same, there isn’t much difference between us apart from our personalities.
Her phone starts ringing, and I hold my breath as she answers and puts it on speaker.
“Hey.”
“They fixed him up, but he’s refusing to stay the night, and the officers said he can’t go back to his place.”
“Bring him here.” I hear myself saying before I even have time to think.
“Rhianna?” Noah asks her.
I look at her.
“Yes, bring him back here,” she confirms.
“Okay, we’ll be there soon.” He hangs up, and Rhianna focuses back on me.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
“No, but he has nowhere else to go,” I say, closing the door and stepping back under the shower spray. I let the warm water wash away every emotion, and then I let it swirl down the drain. They say water has a calming effect, and in some countries, it’s even used to cleanse your soul.
Shaking out of my stupor, I shut off the faucet and step out.
Rhianna is still there waiting, but she’s holding out a towel for me.
“Do you want coffee?” I shake my head as she stands. “Anything?” Again, I shake my head. My words seem to be lost right now. “Okay, get dressed. They won’t be long.” She spins around and strolls out, and I head to my room, shutting the door behind me. I lie on the bed, face-first, still wrapped in my towel.
What just happened?
What just happened?
I’ve never even seen a gun before. Yet, I just saw someone get shot.
I’ve never even been in a fight. Yet, I just saw someone beat someone else until they lost consciousness.
It should make me afraid of August.
I should be scared.
But I know what the devil really looks like, and usually, he’s dressed to impress and ready to kill. It’s those types of men who hurt women.
Not him.
Not August.
Not once have I felt unsafe around him or that he could cause me harm in any way. Not even when he was dealing with the intruders.
I felt safe.
I feel safe.
He protects me, and I know no one would be able to harm me if he was there.
Closing my eyes, I squeeze them tight, hoping to rid myself of the images of August’s actions.
There’s hurt.
Pain.
I’m immobile.
And soon, I just pass out.
Chapter 20
August
“Hey, August,” Rhianna says, opening the door.
Noah nods for me to head inside first, and I pass Rhianna as I step in. My eyes scan the apartment and don’t see Rylee.
“She’s in her room if you want to go in.”
I know which room is hers, so I head there, tapping on the door. When she doesn’t answer, I open it a fraction and see her wrapped in nothing but a towel, asleep on the bed, curled in a ball.
I hear Noah talking to Rhianna, explaining that I have to go back tomorrow with Rylee for another round of questioning.
All I can do is stand there and watch Rylee sleeping. I don’t dare enter the room, unwilling to wake her.
“You can go in,” Rhianna says softly to me.
I move to step back and close the door when Rylee’s eyes open. Those eyes trap me, snare me with their intensity, and without even thinking, I step into the room and shut the door behind me.
“Are you sore?” she asks, sitting up on the bed, the towel almost falling off. She taps the empty spot on the bed next to her. “I’m really tired, August. Really tired,” she says, and I can hear the pain in her voice.
Did I cause that pain?
I glance at the clock. It’s almost three in the morning. The adrenaline that would’ve been running through her system must be gone by now. I kick my shoes off and climb into bed, so my injured side is to the edge, then I pull her up so her head lies on my shoulder.
“Go to sleep.”
She curls herself around me, and within seconds she’s fast asleep, smelling like strawberries and all things Rylee.
I lie there listening to her soft snores, wondering what the fuck I’m going to do about this situation.