I quickly startle out of my thoughts at the sound of an approaching car, its motor is familiar and I’d know it anywhere. Summer stands to attention next to me as the vehicle stops. At the sound of the car door opening, I instantly smell my father’s expensive cologne mingle with the woodsy scent in the air.
“Father,” I whisper nervously, wondering what he’s doing here. Please, God, don’t let it be what I’m thinking.
“Emily, get in the car now.”
With my anxiety spiking at his tone, I grab the ledge of the well and stand up shakily. “Why?”
“How long did you really think you were going to fool me for?”
Knowing I’ve been found out, I try reasoning with him. “Father, please listen. Ryder and I love each other, and…”
He laughs bitterly, cutting me off. “Please, Emily, you are smarter than that. I knew letting you go to that school was a mistake. Not even three months in and you had to shame this family’s name by spreading your legs for the first piece of trash that pays you any attention.”
I swallow thickly and ignore the sting of his words. “It isn’t like that. I don’t care what you or mother says, I’m not going to stop seeing him.”
“He’s gone, Emily, and he’s not coming back.”
Pure fear washes over me, and my heart pounds hard and fast. “What do you mean? What have you done to him?”
“I didn’t do anything to him. I was actually very generous; I gave him enough money to help get him get through college. He accepted it graciously.”
I shake my head, denying his words right away. “You’re lying, he wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t leave me, not for money.”
“Of course he did, and can you blame him? Look at where he comes from. What person wouldn’t take the money?”
“YOU’RE LYING!” I scream as tears start rushing down my face.
My father loses his patience. “I am not. Now get in the goddamn car!” He grabs my arm angrily but I pull against his force. Summer starts growling through our struggle.
“No, let go of me. I am not going anywhere. He’s coming; I know he is. RYDER?” I shout, praying he walks out any second.
“Stop it, Emily, you are acting like a fool.”
He pulls me harder but I resist. “No, I’m not leaving! Let go of me!” The blow across my face catches me off guard and knocks me back. Pain radiates behind my eyes and I grab hold of the well to keep myself upright. I lay my hand against my stinging cheek, stunned that my father just hit me. Summer snarls and barks like crazy before my father lets out a yelp.
“Summer, come!” I command quickly, not wanting him to hurt her. I feel her come to stand in front of me, guarding me.
“Fine!” my father seethes. “Fucking stay here and you will see for yourself. If you really thought you were more to him than a piece of ass you are dumber than I thought, Emily.”
I ignore his cruel words and hear him enter the car a moment later, before it takes off. I stand on shaking legs, my heart pounding in my ears and my lungs trying to take in a breath through the severe pain in my chest, as I try to comprehend what just happened.
He’s gone, Emily, and he’s not coming back. I shake my head as my father’s words replay in my mind. “No. No, no, no,” I whisper past my tears. “Ryder!” I start screaming for him, desperately willing him to come. He wouldn’t leave me. He wouldn’t take the money. I scream repeatedly for him, my voice becoming hoarse from it. When he doesn’t come the pain becomes too much to bear. I drop to the ground and feel Summer follow suit next to me, her cries mixing with my own.
“Please come back. Please,” I plead through the gut-wrenching sobs that rip from my chest.
I have no idea how much time passes but I know it’s late because the night air has turned increasingly colder. Summer is curled up against my stomach, her head in my chest, as I lay broken and pleading.
A long while later I hear speedy footsteps. “Emily, there you are.” Rosa’s voice is thick with tears as I hear her rush toward me. Summer moves out of her way as she kneels down beside me and drapes a blanket over my cold body. “Are you hurt?” she asks in concern.
Thinking about her question for a minute, I nod then clutch at my chest, pointing to the excruciating pain in my heart.
“Oh, Emily, I am so sorry, honey,” she says before lifting the top half of my body and cradling me against her. I breathe in her warm, sugar scent but it does nothing to ease my pain. Gut-wrenching sobs start falling past my lips again. Rosa rocks me back and forth. “I know it hurts right now, sweetheart, but this is truly for the best. It would have been worse if you fought your father on this.” I shake my head because I can’t get any words past my pain.
My heart completely shatters and is forever altered, because the one boy, who loved me for my every flaw and made me feel beautiful, has been ripped away from me and he’s never coming back. Even though I knew this, I still waited for him for months. I prayed he would come back, but he never did. Instead I got lost in my lonely world again, one I didn’t want to live in and one I never felt like I truly belonged in.
Chapter 8
Ryder
Six Years Later
“Jameson, the chief wants to see you,” Caffrey yells as he walks out of my boss’ office, looking pissed.
Crowley, Higgins and Ramsey all make over-dramatic sounds, acting like I’m walking the death plank. I roll my eyes and throw my empty coffee cup at Higgins, which he catches with a chuckle.
I head to my boss’ office not the least bit worried. Frank Reynolds is the one guy I look up to the most in this industry, he has been my biggest mentor and I respect the hell out of him, even if he can be a crabby son of a bitch.
As I get to his office I see Nick Stone, another special agent who just transferred to our field office, sitting on the far side of the room.
“Hey, Chief, what’s up?”
“Close the door and have a seat, Jameson.” I do what he says and take the chair across from him. “I have an opportunity for the both of you. One that will make your career, if you pull it off.”
My interest peaks and I look over at Stone, who seems just as interested. “I’m listening.”
“I received a phone call late last night from a friend who needs a favor. He called me in confidence, and the case is to remain quiet because he isn’t sure who we can trust just yet. He’s a Senator, was elected into office two years ago. Some allegations have been made that he just got wind of that involves the opposing Senator.”
“What are the accusations?” Stone cuts in, asking the same question I’m wondering.
“Forced sexual acts with a minor, trafficking, gang rape… You name it, it was pretty much said.”
He slides a brown file across his desk toward us. Grabbing it, I open it to see a picture of a young teenage girl. Her dark hair, pale complexion and thick black make up makes her look on the worn side. But what is most off-putting with the picture is the hollow look in her eyes.
“That is Cassie Flannigan, the fifteen-year-old girl who made the allegations and who is now missing.”
My head snaps up at that information. “Foul play?”
He shrugs. “Depends who you talk to.”
“What does that mean?”
“Apparently she confided to her school counselor that the group home she was staying in is sending the girls to high society parties where they’re being bought for the night. She said they get taken into separate rooms where they’re beaten, raped, forced to perform sexual acts on multiple men, and sometimes even on each other.”
“What the fuck?” Stone mutters my thoughts.
“She named some pretty high-profile people. I’m talking judges, politicians, lawyers – you name it. The group home says she ran away, but if you ask the counselor she thinks something happened to her.”