Saving Riley

Chapter Twelve

It hit me while I was sitting on the back porch, sipping hot tea, and waiting for August to come pick me up. I knew what Brady would say when he testified and I knew that it would shatter everything everyone around me had been working toward.

****

One Year Ago – Two months before Daniel’s Arrest

My face met the cranberry colored carpet as Daniel’s open palm slammed against my cheekbone. I didn’t cry out, I knew that it was no good. No one would come running and it would only make him angrier.

“Get up,” he ordered, his fingers twitching at his sides.

I climbed to my feet and reached for a blanket to cover my naked body.

Daniel chuckled cruelly and ripped the fabric from my hands. “Did I say we were finished?”

Down casting my eyes I shook my head. “No,” I whispered.

Daniel grabbed my chin and forced me to meet his gaze. Tears pricked in my eyes as I stared at the uncaring cold pools of blue. I wasn’t crying because of what he’d made me do but for how little he seemed to care for me. Once, I had thought that Daniel would be a father to me. I believed that he was a good and honest man who truly loved my mother and I. Now I wondered how I could have been so wrong.

“My sweet little girl,” Daniel cooed softly, his thumb brushing across my lips. “You’re going to finish Daddy off now aren’t you?” He moved his hands to my shoulders and pushed until my knees buckled beneath me.

I tried to pull away, but his fingers scratched into my skin as he held me there. “It’s not worth fighting me, Riley,” he laughed.

I stared up at him, trying hard to keep the tears from sliding down my cheeks. Daniel wove his fingers into my hair, pulling my head roughly towards him.

And the next thing I knew I was running, the night wind bitter cold as it rushed past me and assaulted my lungs with each desperate gasp. My throat was dry and painful as I struggled to sob and breathe at the same time. The only sound I could hear was the blood pounding in my ears. Weakened knees buckled beneath me and I collapsed onto someone’s dew covered yard.

“I’ll kill him,” I swore to myself, “I’ll kill him,” I repeated the sentence over and over until the words stopped making sense and the only thing I could think about was Daniel. His laugh rang through my head as the assault played through my head again and again.

My phone was ringing in my pocket, but I let it go to my voicemail. It began to ring again and this time I pulled it from my pocket. Brady’s number ran across the screen. I considered denying his call, but I felt that familiar pull in my stomach. He could help me forget. Brady was always willing to help me forget.

“Hello,” I answered, interrupting the voice mail.

“Riley,” Brady replied with a sigh of relief, “I thought you weren’t going to answer.”

I pulled a blade of grass from the ground and examined it between my fingers. “I wasn’t going to, but I want to come over.”

I heard Brady shift in his chair. He knew what I meant. “Awesome, when will you be here?”

I looked around, trying to figure out exactly where I was. “I’m on Sycamore Street, how close is that to your house?”

Brady laughed quietly, “What in the hell are you doing over there? I’ll come and get you, wait for me?”

I stood up and brushed off my shorts, the seat of which was soaked through. “Stay on the phone with me? I don’t want to be alone right now.”

“Of course, Babe,” Brady replied, his voice echoing loudly as he entered his garage. I heard his car engine start and the garage door creaking open. “What’s wrong?”

“I just want to be with you,” I whispered, dropping my voice into a seductive tone. But my heart wasn’t in it. My hands were shaking and my teeth were beginning to chatter. I could feel the flood of tears threatening to bust through again.

I heard Brady’s engine roar as he sped up, apparently it was good enough to convince him. “I’m so happy to hear that, Babe, because I wanted to ask you something.”

I laughed a little to hide a choked sob. “You can have anything you want, you don’t have to ask me.” I cooed. In the distance I could hear a car approaching. I prayed that it was Brady.

“I’m almost there, Babe. And don’t worry, I think you’ll like this too.” Brady promised.

A few moments later Brady pulled up to the curb. I was surprised to see his best friend Ryan in the passenger seat. Ryan rolled down his window and I slowly approached the car.

Brady leaned across Ryan to speak to me, “Ryan was over, I was just going to take him home while I was out.”

Climbing into the backseat I finally began to relax. The shaking in my hands was hardly noticeable and the storm of tears had subsided. There was no question that the boys knew I’d been crying, but neither asked. That’s what I liked about Brady, he didn’t ask questions when I promised him sex.

Brady watched me in the rearview mirror as he pulled away from the curb. I could see his desire burning in his eyes. I nervously itched my thigh. Subconsciously I was attempting to scratch all traces of Daniel’s touch from me, but I knew I wouldn’t feel any kind of normal. I could scratch this away, but I could cover it up with someone else.

“Are you going to ask her?” Ryan whispered to Brady, ducking his head into his chest so that I could barely hear him. Brady shot him an angry look and didn’t answer.

I stuck my head between their seats. “Ask me what, Brady?”

Brady’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. He shot another angry look at Ryan before answering me, “Well Ryan and I were just thinking…”

“What?” I interrupted, “Do you want to join us, Ryan?” I laughed, teasingly pushing his shoulder.

Ryan’s cheeks darkened and I sat back in shock. “Brady?”

“Babe, it was just an idea, we weren’t really serious or anything and— just forget it. Why don’t I take you home?” Brady offered.

“No!” I cried, clasping my hand onto his shoulder. Brady and Ryan both looked at me, confused. “I don’t want to go home,” I said, gathering myself. I turned quickly to Ryan and kissed him, long and slow. When I pulled away I couldn’t decide whether Brady or Ryan looked more shocked.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” I whispered, kissing Brady’s cheek. The engine roared as Brady sped up once again.

“Can we tape it?” Ryan asked quickly, his excitement getting the best of him.

I climbed over the console, careful to avoid bumping Brady, and onto Ryan’s lap. I kissed him once again and didn’t stop him as he slipped his hands under my shirt. “Baby, we can do anything you want.” I breathed into his neck.

****

The roar of Arial as August pulled into the driveway brought me back to reality. I shook the memory from my head and brushed the tears from my cheeks. That was it that was how Brady was going to destroy me. This was what Daniel would use to set himself free. The worst part of it all was that I couldn’t even blame him. This was my fault. I had let Brady and Ryan talk me into it without really arguing at all. I had let them tape it, and even though Brady had promised me later that he’d deleted it, I had little faith that was the truth now.

I looked up as August came around the house, a smile on his handsome face. My heart constricted in my chest. How was I supposed to tell him?