Among the Echoes(58)

My guys have never found this ex of hers, and by all accounts, Jessica was a hermit, never leaving the house. If she did, she was always accompanied by her cousin. The good news is neither she nor Dave seems to have a criminal history. My agent, Mitch, spent hours trying to convince me she was some sort of con-woman. Obviously, they have never met Riley. She is a terrible liar.

"Riley, it’s me!" I shout when I get to her door. I don’t bother knocking. It will only scare her.

But as I swing open her door, it appears I’m too late for that. She’s standing with her hands knotted in front of her and her eyes are red and puffy as if she has been crying all day.

"Jesus, are you okay?" I quickly glance around the room, but nothing seems out of place.

"We can be together but only if you stop asking questions."

"What the hell are you talking about? What’s going on, Riley?" I drop my bags and slowly walk towards her, but for the first time in months, she backs away.

"I know you hired investigators to look into my past. You swore you wouldn’t ask, Slate. You promised me." Her face crumbles.

"I wasn’t trying to find out what happened to you. I was only searching for that * ex of yours who made you this way. But yeah, I found out a lot more than I bargained for, Jessica," I say, lifting my brows knowingly. I’m not trying to be a dick, but I want her to know that she can stop hiding.

"Beautiful," she corrects on a heartfelt cry. "Slate, please. You can’t look into me anymore. I’ll have to leave if you do. Please don’t make me disappear again." She pauses and her lips begin to quiver. I try to take another step forward, but once again, she retreats. "You’re the only one who truly sees me," she whispers.

"What's going on? You have to give me something here, beautiful. Tell me something true!"

"You. Can’t. Ask. Questions," she repeats very slowly, but it's not out of anger. She's desperate.

"Damn it, Riley! You have to trust me. What are you hiding?" I’m barely holding it together. I’m frustrated and angry and on the cusp of losing it all.

Her eyes are frantic and her entire body shakes as she pleads, "Stop. This is the whole problem. You’re asking questions. They will take you away from me."

A cold chill of rage slides through my body at the very idea. "I won’t let anyone take you away from me. Ever."

Her brown eyes light just before she drops her chin to her chest. "You won’t even know it’s happening until I'm gone," she whispers, and her shoulders shake with sobs.

I crack my neck, desperately trying to distract myself. She won’t let me touch her as she breaks down in front of me. Screaming at her is only going to make her shut down, but I need some God damn answers before I lose my mind. I take a breath, praying for a magical calm to wash over me.

"Riley, you’re mine. We’ve established that. No one, and I mean no one, will ever hurt you again. But you have to let me in on a little of the backstory here. I will fight the entire world for you, but I need you in my corner. I can’t do this blind."

"It’s the only way."

My frustration gets the best of me and I let out a long string of expletives. "You’re right, beautiful. I can see you, but I can’t hear you. There are too many lies and secrets echoing around us, distorting the real woman. I don’t know who you truly are, Riley, but tiny flashes of that woman whisper around the room between us. I will find the real you among the echoes—and I will make her mine."

Her eyes fly to mine, and in a sad voice, she breaks me. "Oh, Slate. That woman doesn’t exist. All I am are the bits and pieces of static."

"Not to me, you’re not," I say forcefully. "I’ll stop with the questions, but make no mistake. I will find you. I need that woman. Not this façade you put on or the fears that overwhelm you. I’m talking about the woman you only show for the briefest of seconds when we are alone. I will search to the ends of the earth to find that woman—because I love her. I don’t even know her real name, but I love her—fiercely."

"Slate," she breathes, shaking her head.

"Riley," I respond, taking another step toward her.

"Erica," I hear Dave interrupt from the doorway.

I turn around to find him standing behind me with defeat and grief painted all over his face.

"No!" she screams, rushing toward him.