Among the Echoes (Wrecked and Ruined #2.5)(11)

"Really. I can get the eggs and glass. Thank you for everything. You know, letting me freak out on you. I get a little worked up about stuff sometimes. It won’t happen again."

His eyes immediately lift back to mine. "If you need anything, Riley. You just let me know. Okay? Anything at all."

"That’s really sweet of you, but I’ll be okay. I just have a tendency to overreact. That’s all." I brush off my behavior as no big deal, but it’s clear that he isn’t buying it.

He turns his head and gives me a knowing look that is just patronizing enough to be annoying but sexy enough for me to let it go. I don’t say another word as he heads to the door.

Just before he walks out, he turns back to face me. "Anything you need, Riley. Even if you think it’s silly. You know where I’m at. Don’t be afraid to come to me," he says, and the honesty in his voice forces me back a step. There is a glimmer of something in his golden eyes, but before I can really figure out what it is, he steps over the mess of eggs in the entryway and closes the door behind himself. And just like that, I'm completely alone once again.

I shake off whatever weird exchange Adam and I just had and grab my phone to call Dave again. He has to pick up. He just has to. I mentally run over all the plans we have made in the past, trying to remember how long I’m supposed to wait before calling it in that he’s disappeared. Twelve hours. Twelve long hours. I scroll through my call log to find the time of our last conversation. Four hours ago he was safe, alive, and laughing at me.

Eight more hours. I roll over to the clock on my nightstand. Seven hours, fifty-nine minutes. Please, God, let him be okay.





The sound of feet stomping down the hall rouses me from sleep. I fly out the door with nothing but terrified blue eyes dancing through my thoughts. Two darkly dressed teenagers jump when they see me.

"What the f*ck are you doing?" I growl as they hurriedly race away laughing.

The fresh-paint smell makes it obvious that they came back to finish their underwhelming attempt at a tag on the building. Fucking kids. I’m less worried about the new mural than I am the woman who will be terrified by the commotion. I knock on her door, but if earlier today was any indication, she won’t answer. I’m betting she is probably sitting on the other side, listening to me, maybe even peeking out the window next to her door.

"Riley. It’s me. Are you okay?"

"Um. Yeah. I’m fine," she says quietly, but her voice shakes, giving her away.

"You sure. It was just a bunch of kids again. I’m going to call the police—" I’m interrupted by the click of her deadbolt. Suddenly, her door swings open, and those eyes—Jesus, those eyes— appear.

"No. Don’t do that." Her voice quivers. Her shoulders are square and her body language is calm and collected, but I’m absolutely not convinced. It’s the exact opposite of what her eyes are screaming.

"Why not? I bet they’ll be back. I ran them off just now, but it looks like they are pretty damn adamant about finishing this one."

"Did you see them this time? Are you sure it’s really just kids?" she asks, and no matter how hard she is trying to fake it, the way she is nervously chewing on her bottom lip gives her away once again.

"I didn’t get a good look, but yeah, they were young. Ran like hell as soon as they saw me."

Her shoulders instantly fall as she releases a silent sigh.

I smile, trying to ease her. "So, I see you cleaned up the eggs."

"It was really gross," she responds humorously, but the lack of actual humor in her voice is what really gets me.

"Hey, any chance you want to watch a movie?" I ask out of the blue and against my better judgment. I’m just not okay with the idea of leaving her alone right now. She’s distraught even if she’s desperately trying to conceal it.

"It’s late. I’m sure you would rather be sleeping than watching crappy movies with me."

"I can’t sleep. And never underestimate the power of the crappy movie as a sleep aid. What do you have in mind?"

"Vision Quest," she answers shortly, immediately looking down at the phone in her hand.

"Who am I to say no to Louden Swain?"

A small smile lifts her perfect pink lips. "You’ve seen it?"

"Oh, I’ve lived it. I wrestled in high school. Although I never had a hot older woman fall in love with me."

She lets a quiet laugh slip, and just the sound hits me hard.

"You sure?" she asks. Her eyes lift to mine, and if I weren’t already sold, her sparkling, blue gaze convinces me.

"Positive."

She nods and opens the door wide enough for me to enter. I step past her, and just before she closes the door, I notice that she takes a quick glance down the hallway.

"I promise they’re gone. We really should call the cops though. I could probably get them to do a drive-by through the complex. Maybe scare the little shits into giving up for the night. I’ll install a motion sensor light tomorrow," I throw in just to reassure her, but she only nods and heads to the DVD player in the corner of the room. Her small hands shake as she flips through the pages loaded with DVDs.

"You can have a seat," she says, motioning to the couch.

Only then do I realize that I have been staring at her. "Oh, right. Yeah."