Orphaned

Chapter 6

Nick

Riley has changed a lot since the last time I saw her five years ago, her once choppy brunette hair is now silky, long, blonde and her body most defiantly wasn't as filled out as it is now.

I watch Riley as she says something to her friends before breaking away and walking in my direction, her innocent honey eyes now staring me down with a sultry glare. Her baby pink sundress licks at her ankles as she crosses the living room towards me, her hips swaying back and forth as she puts one foot Infront of the other. My eyes refusing to break away from her as they continue to devour her body, the low scoop neckline of her dress accentuating her chest, revealing just the tops of her round breast as just a small part of her blonde hair gently pools over them, her breast gently bouncing with every step she takes towards me. She stops right in front of me, looking up at me with her siren eyes, before I realize it I am loosing myself in the beautiful pools of nectar thick honey.

"Hello Nick." I watch as her plump pink lips say the words, her lips forming a perfect O.

"Riley," I say breathlessly practically chocking on her name. I pull my eyes off Riley’s and begin scanning the room looking for James, I need to get out of here now. I am too f****d up to be dealing with this level of seduction from the girl that broke my heart.

"Nick?" I hear Riley’s sweet voice say my name. My eyes continue to sweep the room looking for James as I see the girl he had left with sitting on the couch laughing showing her friends something on her phone.

Something isn’t right.

"I need to find James." I say, the words coming out calmer then I am feeling " Something is wrong." The thought of something happening to James sobers me up in the matter of second as I head down the hall opening bedroom doors to find many of the rooms occupied with people from the party hooking up, I turn the doorknob to the last room on my right the door refusing to open. I brace my body against the door before forcing my body weight into the door the sound of the wood splintering as it gives out under my weight. Being six foot and two hundred and thirty pounds came with many benefits, the room is dark as I fumble around looking for light switch, Riley gasps from behind me tears beginning to pool in her eyes.

James is face down on the bed completely n***d blood pouring from the large gashes on his back. I turn around grabbing Riley by the shoulders, her shoulders tremble as she stares at James, the tears in her eyes unshed.

"Riley, I need you to look at me, not at James, the red headed girl that was on the couch. She had something to do with this she was the one in here with James - " before I finish my sentence Riley bolts out of the bedroom doorway and all I can hear is the sound of screaming coming from the living room a smile forms on my face.

Damn.

I turn around kneeling next to James, his chest barely rising, but still moving none the less. I have been in life and death situations more times than I can count so I know what I need to do. I untie the ropes that were wrapped around his wrist and remove the gag from his mouth, I place my fingers to his carotid artery to check his pulse. Riley walks back into the room, her face now displaying no emotion as she hands me a washcloth, climbing onto the bed to help me clean up the blood on James back and assess his injuries.

James was Riley's best friend when we used to date so in many ways Riley didn't only loose me she lost James too when she chose to disappear, seeing him like this must have been hard for her.

"I can do this Riley," I tell her looking at her now blood-stained dress. "You don't need to see James like this."

"He never left me when I needed him. I am not leaving him, at least not now." She says the words coming out in a whisper.

"Go get the car. it's the blue hell cat under the car port." I pull the keys out James’s jeans that are laying on the floor beside the bed. I drop the keys in to Riley’s hand, "Send one of my guys in here." Riley’s eyes slightly widen at my words before she walks through the broken doorway.

Riley sends one of the new guys in to help me load James into the car, getting his large frame into the back of his little a*s car was harder than I had imagined it to be.

"Do you feel comfortable driving us to my place?" I ask Riley, she nods her head before climbing into the driver’s seat. I turn and look at the kid that just helped me load James into the car, poor kid looks terrified.

"I need you to go in and get any information you can on the red head and her friends. Once you get everything have Rowdy drop it off over at my place." He nods his head confirming he understood what I have just told him before heading back into the house. I climb into the passenger seat dreading the feeling that will hit once the adrenaline rush wears off, and the concoction of substances I have consumed comes crashing to the surface distorting my senses.

"Hey Nick, can you tell me how to get your house or give me the address?" Riley asks as she pulls away from the curb shifting the car.

"1168 West Lemont Dr." My words slurring as I give her my address. Riley giggles at my attempt as she tells Siri my address, I turn my head to the left to look at Riley the moonlight illuminating her beautiful complexion. I watch as she drives the car shifting it effortlessly, singing along to Katy Perrys Firework as it plays on the radio, the words escape, my lips before I have a chance to stop them from escaping. "You are so f*****g beautiful Ri." She smiles, not saying anything just continuing to sing along to the music playing over the radio as I admire her from the passenger seat.

Riley takes a right onto my street, our two-story house coming into view. Riley pulls into the driveway parking James's car in front of the garage, "Wait here, I will be right back." I tell Riley before heading inside to grab Lizzy and Johnathon.

Getting James out of the car proved to be a harder task then getting him into the car, neither Lizzy or Johnathon have said anything to me about Riley but the looks I have seen them share between one another tells me I will be under serious investigation come tomorrow morning. Lizzy and Johnathon walk out of the guest bedroom after a few minutes Lizzy returns holding a change of clothes laying them in the chair for Riley before leaving the room again.

"Why didn't you have me take him to the Hospital? He looks like s**t Nick. He is barely breathing." Riley asks me.

She doesn't know about Miles.

"You remember Miles?" I ask, Riley's eyes shoot up locking with mine. " He died two years ago." Riley covers her mouth suppressing a sob, tears immediately streaming down her face. "He can't stand to be in hospitals anymore. However, I do have a friend who is in med school, I will pick her up in the morning and have her look at him. If she thinks it is serious enough for him to go to the hospital I will take him to the emergency room myself."I tell her taking a seat next to her. "I can explain what happened to Miles later but for now, you need a shower and get some rest. He will be okay." I stand up offering Riley my hand, she takes my hand pulling herself up, grabs her clothes off the chair, and walks out of the room. I lean against the white wall waiting for Riley to turn around, knowing she has no idea where she is going.

"Where is the bathroom?" Riley asks me from the hallway her back still to me.

"Follow me." I tell Riley as I lead her up the stairs and to my room. I open the door and Riley walks into my room, looking around.

"I am pretty sure I asked for a bathroom, not your bedroom." Riley says, rolling her eyes at me. I walk to the left side of the room, opening a large wooden door revealing the master bathroom. Straight ahead is a his and hers vanity with a large light up mirror, and on the other side of the bathroom is a walk-in shower with two waterfall shower heads. I step back, letting go of the doorhandle as I motion for Riley to go through the doorway, she smiles at me, closing the door behind her. I wait outside the bathroom for a few minutes until the sound of water splashing against the bathroom tile fills the air. I can feel the concoction of substances I have ingested coaxing through my veins as I stumble to my bed before allowing my knees to buckle under my weight sending my body crashing into the mattress, a yawn escapes my lips, and tears of exhaustion build in the corners of my eyes. I close my eyes listening to the sound of the water splash against the tiles, moments pass by before the calming sound of water is interrupted by the sound of the faucets squeaking and the water stops splashing against the tiles.

I sit up too quickly, causing the room to spin I grasp the edge of the bed, and clench the brown duvet in my fist as Riley walks out of the bathroom. Riley looks at me with a confused expression on her face, before realization settles in and her eyes light up and a small smile pulls at her lips.

"What?" The word comes out a slur and the smile on Riley's smile doubles in size as I feel embarrassment creeping up my face.

"How drunk are you?" Riley asks, closing the distance and sitting down beside me.

"Drunk enough to ask why you left me even after I chose to take you back." I look at Riley, her head now hanging down as she looks at her hands sitting in her lap, the smile that was on her face now replaced by a pained expression.

“I’m sorry - “ Riley begin to apologize but I interrupt her before she has an opportunity to finish what she is about to say.

"You are sorry? That is all you have to say? You f--- my best friend and then dumped me, and you are sorry?" Riley flinches at my words, causing regret to mix in with the anger boiling within me, but I keep getting years of suppressed feelings suddenly coming to the surface as blind rage continues to barrel me forward.

"I loved you Riley, I was there through everything, and you just upped and walked out on us." Riley snaps her head up, staring directly into my eyes as anger burns behind her eyes.

"Loved me?" Riley spits the words at me. "You thought you could fix me; you saw me lying on that floor and saw some broken little girl who needed Nick to come in and save her. I f****d Josh as payback for that little bet y'all made. If you thought you were going to make me look like a fool for being with you, then two of us could play that game." A sinical smile plays on her lips as she stares at me as if she is challenging me to say something else.

You saw me lying on that floor.

The words repeat in my head as I stare at Riley, the smile fading from her face and her eyes go emotionless. I watch as she begins to shut down the way she would do anytime someone had mentioned her father, no signs of emotion behind her eyes, her shoulders slouch, as her body gives out under the stress of what she is holding onto.

"I know what my father did Nick, he did it for four years before you came around. The day you found me wasn't the first time. “Riley says looking back up at me the emotion swirling in her eyes causes me to shift uncomfortably.

Riley and I had never talked about what had happened so all this information was new to me, I had thought that by some miracle she had forgotten the whole thing.

"You should have let him kill me. You should have left me to die." Riley says the words with so much confidence and practice that I am certain she has wished for it hundreds of times. Riley leans forward, resting her hands on the palms of her hands, a gesture I have watched her do dozens of times during our relationship, just before she would storm out of our room and disappear, refusing to communicate with me any longer. I sit and watch her, waiting for her to do just that. But she doesn't storm off or slam any doors. Instead, I watch as Riley takes deep breaths, her shoulders rising and falling with each breath she takes. As I sit watching Riley regulate her emotions, I come to the realization that the girl I had once known in my adolescent years, was not the girl currently in front of me.

The Riley I knew would have allowed her emotions to take control of her, stormed out of our bedroom, and slammed the door behind her, cutting off all contact. However, this Riley seems more at peace with herself and open to communication. My mind travels back to the day I found Riley lying on the floor unconscious blood pooling around her head, soaking her hair.

I scoot closer to Riley before wrapping my arms around her body and pulling her into my lap. Her body tensing up when she feels my arms wrap around her waist, I rest my chin on her shoulder, before burying my face into her hair and inhaling her scent. My nostrils are flooded by the smell of lavender, I muzzle my face deeper into her hair, closing my eyes as I allow myself to fall victim to her sweet scent. I pull back, keeping my eyes closed as I press my lips to the back of her head.

My heart kicking into hyper driver as it begins to pound in my chest, images of Kayla flashing behind my eyelids, as I lean over my center console pressing my lips to hers. A feeling of hunger and warmth spreading across my body as I press my lips to hers.

My eyes pop open the memory of Kayla and I catching me off guard, my body tenses up as the feeling of warmth I had just felt is now replaced with terror as realization sets in and I realize what has just happened as I look down at Riley sitting in my lap.

"I am sorry Riley." I whisper the apology into her hair. Riley turns her body towards me wrapping her arms around my waist as she nuzzles her face into my side. A few minutes pass by before the sound of soft snoring fills the air, I push myself up off the bed, cradling Riley against my body before laying her down on top of the tan satin sheets. I pull the brown duvet up, covering Riley's body before slipping into the bathroom. The motion sensor light clicks on acknowledging my presents as I step into the bathroom. I make sure to leave the bathroom door open just enough for the bathroom light to pour out into the bedroom just in case Riley happens to wake up looking for me. The facet lets out a sharp squeak as I turn the hot water knobs, water floods out of the shower heads, splashing against the tile. I turn around catching a glimpse of my reflection in the vanity, the clothes I had spent the afternoon picking out are now stained with James's blood, and small parts of my blonde hair are smeared with blood from where I have run my fingers through my hair in exhaustion.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror until the steam from the shower causes my reflection to turn into nothing more then a blurry figure, turning back towards the shower I strip off my shirt throwing it to the floor before working on my shoes and pants bracing myself against the cold tile wall.

The hot water is welcoming as I step under the shower head.

The hot water is welcoming as I step under the shower head. I look down at my feet watching as the clear water begins to turn pink, muscle memory guides me as I pump shampoo into my hand and begin lathering my hair. I close my eyes allowing the soft circulation of my fingertips against my scalp to wash away the stress that had taken over my body. I open my eyes still looking down at my feet the light pink water now turning a bright red my eyes widen as I stare at the water circling down the drain, the blood is coming from me. I place my hand against the rock wall the cold surface sending goosebumps up my arms, I close my eyes running my hands over my body before skimming over my scar where I was shot, the flesh now open. I open my eyes looking down at the area only to find the blood gone and the wound unopened.

I sat on the shower floor for a few minutes confused at what had just happened before writing it off on the alcohol, after getting dressed I check on Riley to find her snuggled up still sound asleep. I make a mental check list of the things I need to complete before I can go to sleep myself, check on James, see if the information I requested a has been dropped off, schedule a car detailing for James’s car, send a text to mine and James’s mother, and the thing I was dreading the most asking around for Kayla’s number. I walk downstairs sending a text to the group chat, “James is sleeping in the guest bedroom, Catalina please call me in the morning.” Enough information for her to know where her son is and that there was an emergency of some sort. I walk down the hallway stopping outside the guest bedroom I take a deep breath before I push open the bedroom door. James is laying propped up on his right side I take a seat in the chair next to the bed watching as his breathing causes the sheets to rise and fall with each beath.

I don’t realize I have fall asleep until the sound of my phone ringing wakes me up, I grab the phone from my back pocket, I check the caller ID and clear my throat before answering,

“You Here?” I ask peeking outside the guest window.

“I am pulling onto your street. Do you want me to leave the information in the mailbox or hand it to you?” Rowdy says, headlights flooding the street as I see his car turn onto the street.

“I will meet you outside.” I say before disconnecting the line. I stand up checking on James as I walk over grabbing his keys off the bedside before heading out to meet Rowdy. Rowdy hands me an envelope full of what I assume to be all the girls information.

"We took the girls to one of our empty houses," Rowdy states.

"We didn't discuss that." I say raising an eyebrow at Rowdy. "I am going to let this one go only because it's James and it's already been done." I dig into my pocket, pulling out James' keys, "Here take James's car have it detailed as soon as the shop opens, and park yours in the garage." I say pointing to the garage door. I stand up and walk towards the front door, pausing before I walk inside. "Hey Rowdy, do you have Kaylas' number?"

"No, but remember in sixth grade how you had me dig through Dylan's school file?" I nod, recalling the incident. "I saw Kaylas file while I was digging around in the cabinet and looked through her file. She lives a block or so from here at the Transition house."

"What the f**k do you mean she lives in the Transition house? Isn't that like an orphanage?"

"I didn't have a chance to look all that deep into her file but I do know she tries to keep that part of her life a secret."

That makes sense. "Okay, thank you Rowdy." I head inside, making my way back into the guest bedroom. I pull the chair up to the edge of the bed and look up The Transiton House.