Swallow

Chapter 1.78:

It was time to stand up and get out of the car before I passed out.

I slowly got out of the car and walked across the parking lot towards Aiden's car again. Riley might have left something of hers in there that I could just hold in my hands for a while.  That would be enough and I could walk away without anyone ever knowing I was even here.

I tried all four door handles and none of them budged.

"Fuck." I cursed and hit the car with an open hand repeatedly.

I balled my fist up to break out the driver side window when a car with a little old lady in it stopped next to me. I raised my hand and gave her an embarrassed lopsided smile to make myself look like less of a criminal.

"Do you need help, honey?" She asked in a scratchy, gruff voice.

"Yes." The voice in my brain replied. 

"No, I'm fine." I answered.

"Did you lock yourself out of your car?" 

"No, my girlfriend has the keys and will be out any minute." I slurred slowly, trying to keep my voice level.

"Oh, we'll alright. You have a nice day then." She waved as she rolled up the window. 

Fucking nice day my left testicle. No one was going to tell me what kind of day I should be having.

I spun around to lean against Aiden's car and ran my hands over my face. I tugged at my eyebrow rings and sighed. My head was a mish-mash of exploding colors and sounds.

What was I doing? 

I need to get my ass out of here before anyone saw me. 

I stuck my hands back in my pockets to search for my keys. I was busy rummaging around and looking down at my pants when I heard Brynn's loud voice echoing off the building.

Fuck me.

I froze with my hands in my pockets and looked up just in time to lock eyes with Aiden. He was staring me down like he was trying to make my head explode with just his thoughts.

Aiden's body jerked forward like he was hit from behind and I saw a bunch of small papers scatter behind him on the concrete.  He leaned off to the side and whispered something over his shoulder.

At the exact moment his lips stopped moving, Riley's head poked out from behind his shoulder. 

She was even more beautiful than ever. I bet my life she smelled delicious too. Fuck, I just wanted to bury my nose into her thick, tangled hair.

Time stood still when her eyes connected with mine. Riley's face went pale and she turned to run in the other direction.

"Riley, wait," I yelled and took off across the parking lot behind her. She didn't turn around or stop to give me the opportunity to catch up. Instead, she kept going as fast as her legs could move.  Luckily one of my long strides was about four of hers. 

"Riley, stop," I called out as I gained ground on her quickly.

I went from not wanting her to know I was there to chasing her across the lot without even half a thought about why this was a bad idea.

I was right up on her back and grabbed her shoulder the first chance I had to get her to stop.  She spun around and crashed right into me.  I might have pulled her forward a little bit too, wanting to steal the chance to be as close to her as possible.  I tangled my oversized limbs around her body, pulling her deeper into me.

I took the first real breath that I had taken in days as my body melted around her.

"You shouldn't be here." Aiden hissed at me from behind.

"And you think you should?" I argued back at him.

Riley was trembling in my arms. I wrapped my hand around the back of her head to steady her and held her into my chest.  I closed my stinging eyes and fought to hold back the flood of emotions that shouldn't be there in the first place.

"Someone needs to step up to help her." Aiden's criticism bit at the last nerve in my body. His whole reason to exist was to piss me off.

"You're just loving this. Aren't you?" I started to release Riley's shaking frame to end this once and for all with Aiden. I was so tired of the entitled, self-important bullshit spewing from his mouth. He wasn't here because he was a good guy—he was here to prove to Riley how much better he was than me.

"Stop, please stop." Riley crumbled in my arms. I locked my arm around her waist to keep her on her feet. She was barely even standing on her own.

Brynn might have over-exaggerated about the almost imperceptible difference in Riley's physical appearance, but she hadn't lied about how bad off the girl was. 

I placed my hand under Riley's chin and pulled her head up to look at me.  Her eyes darted back and forth studying mine. Confusion took over her face as she examined every inch of my face.

I knew she had to see how gone I was.  There was no point in turning away from her now to hide it. 

"Riley, can we go somewhere to talk?" I whispered softly.

Her lip quivered as she gave me a silent nod.  I placed my arm over her shoulder and led her right passed an open-mouthed Aiden and frowning Brynn.  

"You don't have to go with him," Aiden whined as we walked away.

"Stay out of this. She is coming with me." I warned him.

Aiden was going to do everything he could to try to change Riley's mind. He wasn't going to give her up that easily.

Riley's steps stuttered and she turned her head back to apologize to him.  I kept walking her to my car even when her feet hesitated to move. She was coming with me no matter what stunt he tried to pull to get her to stay.

"I'm done tiptoeing around this bullshit. I am not going to let him hurt you again. If you won't listen to me, then maybe you'll listen to JD." Aiden threatened the only thing he had left to get her attention.

"Stop Aiden. Riley and Ezra need to talk. This is between them. She will call me as soon as they are finished and let me know she is alright. Don't get JD involved yet. Let her handle this." Brynn argued with him.

"I swear if I hear you put your hands on her again, I will destroy you." Aiden thundered at me.

"How's your face Aiden?" A grin broke out across my face as I chuckled at his empty threat. We both already knew who was going to win.

I maneuvered Riley over to my car and opened the door for her.  Once I got her inside, I turned around and laughed at Aiden, who was still struggling with Brynn to try to get to us.

If he couldn't get away from Brynn, how the hell did he ever think he could take me in a fight?

I walked around my car and motioned for him to come at me, which caused another flurry of violent thrashing as Brynn stood in front of him and pushed him back towards the clinic's window.  She yelled in his face as he sunk back against the window in defeat.

I laughed at the coward as I turned away to join Riley in the car. 

It was time for us to get the fuck out of this parking lot before anything else bad could happen.