Facing Reality

Chapter 6

    Luke blinked, and I knew that, out of all the things he had expected for me to say, he had not been expecting witness protection. "I have so many questions," he murmured, still trying to process my words.

    I smiled softly. "I know you do, so how about I tell you the story, and you ask your questions after?"

    He nodded and leaned back to listen.

    "I told you about my family, how I was on my own at the age of sixteen." Luke nodded again, and I continued. "Well, when I turned seventeen, the local police chief took me in. He was good to me. He trained me from the start. I wasn't sure if it started out as intentional or not, but I ended up on the force by the time I was nineteen. I worked my way up the ranks until I was granted investigator. I spent a year in that department before I requested a transfer to the CIA to work as an agent. I was accepted and stationed in the vicinity of where the police chief took me in..."

    I took a deep breath, trying to prepare myself for what I was going to tell him next. He reached over and gently squeezed my hand.

    "My first assignment went smoothly. I pretended to be a client to a major drug dealer, gathering information that I then sent back to my field operator. They took down the drug dealer within a week of me being assigned."

    Luke whistled lowly. "That must have made you popular with you coworkers."

    I bit my lip. "Surprisingly, they hated me. Well, most of them anyway. Rookies didn't usually work that fast, but I was committed.

    "The next assignment I was given was a case with a serial killer. He had eluded the PD and the previous agent who had the assignment before he was murdered by the serial killer himself. I worked weeks, barely eating or sleeping. I remember that was the hardest two months of my life..." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He kidn*pped me."

    I heard Luke inhale sharply. "Riley..." he whispered, pain in his voice, but I put up a hand to stop him.

    "He kept me in an old barn. He kept me for two whole weeks, starving me even though I was already in terrible shape already from pushing myself too hard. He kept me in a dark room with no light." My hands had begun to shake, and I clasped them tightly together in front of me. "When the third week came, I found a old rusty pipe hanging out of the wall. I spent three days working on bending it back and forth till it broke loose... then," I pursed my lips. "I killed him. It was the only way I knew I was going to be able to escape.

    "Once I had given my statement, I spend a month in the hospital, recovering. They wouldn't let me back onto the field for another year after that, keeping me at headquarters to do paperwork no one else wanted to do...

    "That is until Pietro." I bit my lip and shook my head. "You know what Luke, how about we pick this up tomorrow?" My voice was shaky and quiet.

    "Of course," he replied.

    We both got up and made our way back to the kitchen. Hoping to take my mind off of what I had just shared, Luke challenged me to a baking contest.

    By the time we had finished, we were both laughing and covered in flour, melted chocolate, and icing.

    Finally, I leaned back on the counter, using my elbows to support me, and smiled at Luke. “Thank you.”

    He dipped his head in a nod. “Anytime,” he promised.