Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“Was that prove enough?” I ask, breaking the silence.
“I have to admit, you did pretty good.”
“Now you have no reason left to be angry. I’ve proven that I love you, and Rebecca is finally dead.”
“What?” He asks, like he doesn’t know what I’m talking about. It dawns on me that he doesn’t know about the whole New Haven Operation.
“Rebecca and her son are dead,” I tell him along with the rest of the story. He listens intently, only asking a few questions here and there.
When I’m done filling him in on everything, he sits up in his bed. “It was supposed to be me,” he says angrily. “I was supposed to kill her.”
“What does it matter who did it? She is dead, and that’s all that matters.” I try to reason with him, but he is getting more agitated by the second. I get up from the bed and start getting dressed, feeling vulnerable in my naked form.
“You just don’t understand. It should have been me. It was my revenge!”
“You scare me when you get angry like this,” I admit, hoping that my statement will calm him down. It doesn't.
“Good, you should be scared.”
“Maybe I should tell my dad to put you back in the cell,” I warn, but we both know I’m just bluffing.
“Maybe you should go back to your room and keep your pretty little mouth shut.”
“Maybe I should. It appears you enjoy being alone.”
“Finally, you get it.”
Leaving him like this might be a terrible idea. But what else am I supposed to do? He clearly doesn't want me here anymore. I don’t know what I expected him to do? Cuddle?
“Fine, I’ll leave you alone for now, but don’t try anything stupid. There are guards everywhere, and they know you are not supposed to leave.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. I’m still a prisoner.” River is still sitting on the bed, only a thin sheet covering him up. I walk over to stand next to him. He looks up at me in confusion. “What do you think you’re doing?”
I dip my head down and place a chaste kiss on his cheek. “Kissing you goodnight.”
He looks at me in surprise but doesn't say anything as I straighten back up and make my way across the room. “I love you,” I tell him without turning around, before opening the door and slipping out of the room. He might not care about hearing it, but I’ll say it no matter what.
24
SCARLET
The bright, glaring sunshine streaming through my bedroom window is like a sad joke. Mother Nature is making fun of me. Rubbing it in by reminding me how beautiful the world can be when inside, I feel nothing but darkness as I go through the motions of brushing my teeth and getting dressed.
Always, the same question rolls through my head like a wave. Who will I see today? Ren or River?
It’s almost too much for me to wrap my head around the morning after being with River. Does Ren know? Is it cheating to sleep with somebody when they’re only the other half of the same person you’ve loved for as long as you can remember? Because I hardly remember a time when Ren wasn’t important to me, and River was inside him all along. Even if neither of us knew it. But does that make me innocent, or is it only a convenient loophole? It’s not like I initiated things. I only wish I knew that would calm Ren down if he’s hurt.
He had an appointment scheduled with Dr. Stone today, and by the time I approach Ren’s room, she’s coming out. There’s nothing in her expression to give me a clue how things went — not that she would go into specifics. I wouldn’t ask her to, either, no matter how much I wish she would. I can’t invade the privacy of their sessions.
That leaves me with nothing to do but offer her a tight smile that doesn’t last very long. “Who did you see today?” I ask, glancing toward the closed door. “Is he Ren or River?” And did he tell you what he did to me yesterday?
The doctor’s kind eyes soften before she pats my arm. “Ren. I spoke to Ren. He seems all right today.”
I can practically taste my relief, while my body loosen a little now that some of the tension can drain away. “Okay. That’s good to know.” I can breathe easier as I continue down the hall, then knock gently at the closed door. I still have to be careful. It’s one thing for Ren to behave himself while he’s talking to the doctor, but she’s not the one who betrayed him yesterday – if he sees it as a betrayal.
He only grunts in response to my knock. He has to know it’s me. Once again, a sense of dread washes over me and I open the door with my heart in my throat. How much more of this roller coaster can I take?