Broken Trust: A Dark High School Romance(18)

“Hello,” I said when I answered.

“Miss Riley, your apartment is all ready to go. I’ve had your clothes and personal belongings transferred, and your keys are waiting at the front desk. Along with a credit card from Mr. Deboise. He advised me that Catherine can still see everything you purchase, but that you are free to use it for food and any other extras you need to make your apartment a home.”

I smiled. “That was nice of him. Could you please thank him?”

“Of course,” Stewart said. “I’ll text you his number as well, just in case of emergencies.”

The thought of old Stew texting was a humorous one, but I was so glad I’d befriended him.

Eddy and Jasper stared as I got off the phone, and I smiled. “My apartment’s ready!”

“I’ll drop you off and check it out,” Jasper said, keys in his hand. “Make sure everything is safe before I leave you for the night.”

Not one to turn down a free ride, I didn’t argue. After we arrived, Eddy raved about my apartment before she wistfully stared out the window. “Do you think Dad would let me move out?” she asked. “I’d like some space from Delta too, if I’m being perfectly honest.”

Jasper snorted derisively, having just done a walk through, checking out the bedroom, bathroom, and living area thoroughly. It was not a huge apartment, but I didn’t need anything bigger. “You’d have a better chance of winning the lotto that you never buy tickets in,” Jasper told her.

Eddy pouted, but she got to her feet and followed her brother to the front door.

“Call us if anything happens,” Jasper warned me. “Remember, you’re out of the compound, and you’ll be vulnerable here.”

“Are you going to tell Beck?” I asked, remembering Eddy’s warning about Beck losing his shit.

Jasper shook his head. “No, I’m staying out of this as much as I can, but he’s no doubt already heard. He’s the oldest heir, and you already know that gives him more power than the rest of us.”

That would explain the dozens of text messages I’d been silencing from him all night.

Eddy and Jasper left me with a hug, and I made sure to lock and bolt my door before sliding a chair over to prop under the handle. It wouldn’t stop someone that really wanted to get in, but I’d have a little more notice.

Standing in the middle of my new apartment, in a living area with couches I didn’t choose, in clothes that were only half mine, I wondered how the fuck my life could just keep getting weirder.





9





Stewart hadn’t lied about my clothing being unpacked, but since this place had a much smaller closet, a lot of it was still in boxes. But they’d gotten out all of my uniforms, my underwear and pajamas, and basic jeans and shirts, so I had everything I needed for now. After a shower, I crawled into bed before plugging my phone into the charger next to me.

It flashed its stupid light over and over, and I reached out before dropping it again. No. Fuck. I could not let him draw me in like that. I should have just deleted all of his messages, but I apparently loved to torture myself, and instead just silenced Beck.

If only I could silence him from my brain just as easily. Closing my eyes, I tried to force myself to sleep, but all I got was flashing images in my head. Blood spatter. Death. This was the first night I’d slept alone since it happened. Fuck, it was one of the few nights I’d slept alone in weeks.

Before the betrayal, I’d had Beck keeping my nightmares at bay. I had new nightmares now, and Dante had done an okay job of holding me together, but now I had no choice but to face them.

So much darkness, it felt like it had seeped into my blood and was tainting it. Turning me slowly from someone I used to know into a Riley that I barely recognized.

“Argh!” I screamed, bashing my hands on either side of me into the soft bed. Over and over I slammed my hands down, my throat aching as I tried not to scream again. Last thing I needed was the police being called my first night in my new place.

But fuck. How was any of this fair?

Pulling myself up to sit, I tried to take deeper breaths, counting as I inhaled and then exhaled, attempting to calm my brain and pulse.

The light blinked at me again, and I was too weak to resist him any longer. Settling back against my pillows, my hands trembled as I slid my thumb across my phone.

Beck: Riles, baby, are you okay? Where the fuck did you go?

My heart started to pitter patter in a frantic beat inside my chest. He hadn’t called me baby much, and every time it got me. Even when I was so angry at him.

Message two had a little more attitude about it.

Beck: Stop fighting me…

Then the third.

Beck: Betrayal is part of our life. You have to learn to live with the hits, and get back up. We’re on the same side, Riley. You and I are on the same fucking side. Always.

Anger cut through my heartache, and I wanted to smash my phone into the wall. It wasn’t its fault Beck was an arrogant asshole though. Betrayal is part of life. Not my fucking life, dude.

Beck: I won’t give up, Riley Jameson. I will fucking find you, and when I do, I’m going to smack that perfect ass of yours until you scream my name.

Jesus. My body was apparently not as angry at Beck as the rest of me, because it was turned on and ready to run right into Beck’s arms.