“What?”
“Why did those men come into your house? Were they going to kill you?” she asks, her knuckles now white as she grasps the steering wheel.
“No. They came to hurt me. Scare me into doing what Josh wants me to do.”
Her eyes flick to me. “Josh, the guy from the bar? What’s he got to do with anything?”
“Yes, him. He runs the drugs in this city. No one can sell without going through him for product. There are other things he does, too.”
“Did you deal?”
“Yes, amongst other things.”
She nods at my answer. “Thank you for that. Now… tell me… what does he want you to do?”
“He wants me to work for him…” I pause as we pull up to the police station. “He also wanted to teach me a lesson for the last time I told him no.” She takes a heavy breath. “I ended up in prison,” I say while getting out and shutting the door and rushing off.
Before I reach the steps, she runs up beside me then blocks my way. “He set you up?”
“Of course he did.”
“You never robbed that store? Stole all that money? Hurt that man?”
“No. I was there, but no, I didn’t do any of that shit.”
“I believe you.” She says the words with such conviction and without a shred of evidence. Not once have I had someone believe in me so blindly—simply by my word. I’m not sure what to do with that.
“Thanks,” I manage to say. I push past her then head up the stairs to the police station.
I didn’t find out about the man who was robbed being seriously hurt until it was too late. But the biggest crime was destroying the property of someone wealthy and connected, plus stealing. Even though my fingerprints were on nothing, it didn’t seem to matter.
Josh had set me up.
I had to pay the price.
It was his punishment for me wanting to get out of this town and to stop working for him. The asshole didn’t like that I wanted out. I always managed to get the best outcomes for Josh from all his workers. His dealers never turned me down when it came to paying. And he’s now lost his edge since I’ve been gone. Not many people are scared of him now. He’s getting older, and the police are getting wiser.
“August.” I turn and look down at her. She’s standing at the bottom of the steps, staring up at me. “I like you,” she whispers, but I can hear every word she says. “No more friends.”
Before I can reply, Glenn steps in front of me. “Good to see you’re here.” He nods and holds open the door for me.
And with that, I look away from her, and it pains me to do so.
Noah pulls up to my place and parks the car in the driveway.
“She cares for you, you know.”
“I know,” I say, getting out.
I’m tired.
I’m over today.
Questions, questions, and more fucking questions. I fucking hate it. Last time, before they threw me away, there was no chance of them believing me. So my hope is slim that somehow I won’t become the bad guy in this situation too, even though they broke into my house.
“Get off the floor.”
She spins on her hands and knees then squeals.
Fuck, probably shouldn’t have snuck up on her like that.
“August, you scared me.”
“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t be on the fucking floor.” She gets up and wipes her hands on her skirt.
“I wanted to clean the mess. Noah said you’d be gone all day. I figured you didn’t want to deal with this bullshit as well.”
I’ve never had someone care so much for me, so much so that I take a step back from her. She sees what I do and steps closer. Not caring that I‘m trying to put distance between us at all.
“You’ve never had anyone help you, or even been in a relationship, have you?”
“No, and I don’t want one.”
“They can be good.”
“And you’re speaking from experience?” I bite back at her.
She takes that hit hard and steps back. “I may be the stupid one who stayed in a relationship that was well past its end date, but at least I tried. I tried to give myself to someone, to love them, because as humans we all need love, August.”
“Not everyone.”
Rylee’s eyes are hard as she steps up to me, until her feet are touching my shoes, and reaches for my face, pulling it so we’re at eye level.
I let her.
“Yes, even you. You need it more than anyone I’ve ever met.” She lets go and reaches for her shoes, slips them on, and steps off past me. “Goodnight, August. If you need me, you know where I live.”
I watch her walk out and drive away.
After she’s gone, I check around and note that she has cleaned the house. You can’t even tell that blood coated my entryway any longer.