Save Riley

by Yolanda Olson

  I stopped pacing and looked at her as the feeling of my blood pressure rising hit me. How was it possible to go from the girl who couldn’t remember, to the girl that fought me, to the girl that tried to kill me, to my tester? How?

  “Fine,” I seethed. I went over to the balcony and snatched her up from the floor. I slung her over my shoulder while she kicked violently as she tried to get out of my grip.

  I had visions of throwing her on the pit and lighting her on fire alive dancing in my head. It would be amazing to watch her burn in front of me for her defiance. I wouldn’t let her die of course, but it would serve its purpose and no other man in the world would want her.

  No other man but me. I’ll always want Riley and if this is how I have to keep her then so be it.

  I was trying to punch the code into the front door but my thoughts were distracting me. Why would I always want Riley? Once I finally got the door open it suddenly hit me; because of the way she looked at me in the bookstore. How timid she was and how embarrassed that she ran into me. How desperately she wanted to get away from me, made her innocence seem so much more attractive. It was because she called me when her grandmother died. She called me for comfort and I took her to destroy her and then dispose of her. Like the others, except I think that she had fallen in love with me sometime through all of this and that’s what haunted my dreams, what kept me from killing her. That she loves me.

  With a shaky hand I opened the door and drop her on the front step. She looks up at me with hurt eyes, not physically hurt mind you, emotionally and I know now that I can’t keep her. I can’t let her stay here with me ... I can’t.

  “Goodbye Riley.”

  I shut the door in her face and slump to the floor as I hear the sound of her bare feet slapping the pavement becoming ever so faint as she runs away screaming for help.

  Twenty One

  Three months later

  I was sitting in the car near King Edward Park, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel. I had been in a rut the past few months not having taken a new captive and I wanted one desperately. The problem was that I was no longer doing this alone.

  “That one?”

  I glanced over and followed Riley’s gaze. (In case you’re wondering what happened. When she ran away screaming for help it was because she was worried that I was going to kill myself. A neighbor from the next block came over, checked on me, and returned Riley into my home. It was the damndest, weirdest thing that had ever happened to me.)

  “Not a virgin. I can tell by the way she walks,” I said dismissively. Riley sighed and leaned back in her seat.

  I smiled at her. She had changed a lot in the year that I had her. Specifically more in the last three months. They were the craziest, wildest, most amazing three months of my life. Riley, by fighting to get back into the house, had broken me as much as I had broken her and now I could honestly say that we were equals. I couldn’t say that I loved her, but I knew that we would never leave each other because our bond was strong now.

  But I had yet still to ask her to draw a blade across me.

  “You’re wrong,” she said breaking into my thoughts. “Look at her again. Her hair color, the piercings, it’s all a façade. Look at the way she handles herself. It reminds me of me a few years ago.”

  “If you want her then go get her,” I replied nodding toward the girl with wild purple hair.

  “What?” she asked with wide eyes. “I thought that’s why you were here.”

  I shook my head and grinned, “No, I’m here to make sure that I know who the captive is. That way I know who to approach tonight at The Brewery. The baiting is your job. Now go get her attention,” I said leaning past her and pushing her door open.

  Riley got nervously out of the car and pushed her hair behind her ears. I had come to learn that was something she did when she was thinking something through. I reached over and playfully slapped her ass. When she squealed and turned to look at me, I nodded at the girl again and she sighed. With a nod, she straightened her shoulders and went over to sit on the bench where the girl was now at.

  I leaned back in the seat and put an arm around the back of her seat, watching them carefully. I hadn’t told Riley what to say or how to engage the girl because I wanted to be sure that she could do this knowing full well what the outcome would be. It was our first “hunt” together and I wanted her to convince me that this still wasn’t a ruse somehow.

  After what seemed like years Riley, finally engaged Purple in conversation. They were talking about her hair which was made obvious by the fact that Riley leaned over to touch it and the girl was smiling widely and nodding. A half an hour passed while they sat there chatting on the bench and I was suddenly reminded why I preferred captives to companions; women were so damn chatty when they were put together.

  Fifteen minutes after that, I was irritably running my hands through my hair, when Riley and Purple finally stood up. Purple nodded enthusiastically to what was being said, and Riley walked away with a wave. She came back to the car excitedly and jumped in with a red flush on her face.

  “Done!” she said cheerfully.

  “What in the bloody hell took so long?” I asked in disbelief.

  She laughed as she pulled her seat belt across herself and secured it into place. “I don’t have a dick, Jax. I can’t just go slinging it around and having girls fall in love with me. Girls have to bond and we can do it quickly with the right kind of conversation.”

  I stared at her. With as beautiful and bubbly as she was how did it take a conversation to convince Purple to meet her at the damn pub?

  “And?” I asked pulling my seat belt on and turning on the car.

  “She’ll be there,” Riley replied with a sly smile.

  I shook my head and checked the mirror before I pulled away from the curb. “We’re going to have to do something about how long it takes you to engage a captive. You can’t stay out too long because when they go ‘missing’, people will start to remember the last person they saw them with. In this case, it will be you and I can’t have that. So tonight you stay home Riley. I’ll go to the pub and I’ll get the whore and bring her back. I won’t touch her in any way other than to bring her back to you.”

  She sighed heavily and her shoulders slumped. It was obvious that she wasn’t pleased with what I proposed, but there was no other way now. I didn’t care if any of these whores were traced back to me; it would never stick. Riley was too new to this and if she were questioned she would crack under pressure.

  And we can’t have the girl that loves us in jeopardy, can we?

  “No we can’t,” I whispered to myself.

  I drove home and punched open the codes to let us in. I had three hours to get ready and to convince Riley that nothing would happen without her. Something told me that part of her disappointment was jealousy.

  Twenty Two

  “I’ll be back in no less than two hours,” I called out as I walked toward the door. I sighed when Riley didn’t respond. She had spent the rest of the day moping on the living room couch and refused to come out.

  I walked into the living room and she turned slightly so she could look up at me. “You look nice.”

  “Only for you,” I replied with a smile. Where the fuck did that come from? “Ahem, like I said I’ll be back in no less than two hours, not that it’s ever taken me that long before.”

  She nodded and turned herself so that she would be flat on the couch again. I stood there for a moment and jingled my car keys in my hand, but she refused to look at me again. I went over to the couch and leaned over it just enough to obstruct her view of the telly. When Riley looked up at me questioningly I made a face and she gave me a small smile. She reached up and pushed my hair out of my face before she crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out.

  I laughed and straightened myself up. I knew that I would never be able to get Purple back here thinking that Riley was upset with me. I needed a clear mind and I would do what I could to leave
with one.

  She turned over onto her stomach and pushed herself up onto her knees. She placed her hands on her thighs and stared at me curiously, “Do you think she’s prettier than me?”

  “No.”

  Riley smiled and nodded as she climbed off of the couch and came over to me. I backed up a little unaware of what she wanted when she sat on the arm of the couch where I normally sat.

  “Good. Okay, well. See you later,” she said awkwardly.

  I nodded but didn’t move. I wanted to take Riley into my arms and tell her that she would never have to worry about anyone else replacing her. I wanted to tell her that she was my favorite of all and that I – It doesn’t matter. She’ll eventually try to leave like all the others, I thought miserably.

  I sighed and looked away for a moment. I had been honestly wondering all day if she and Purple had been setting a trap for me and if that was the case, I couldn’t leave without saying something.

  “You know if this was another time or place, I think that this could work,” I said softly.

  “What could work?” she asked in confusion.

  “Us.”

  “I thought we were working and that Purple is my test,” she said curiously.

  I smiled. She didn’t understand what I was saying and I wasn’t going to let her. I had to get back to being myself or I would fuck up this entire thing.

  “We are and this is. Forgive me, I have no idea what shit I was trying to spew just now,” I replied with a chuckle.

  She smiled and gave me a quick hug, “I’ll be waiting and I’ll do my best not to let you down, Jax.”

  I inhaled the scent of her hair deeply; juniper breeze has always been my favorite. I gently pulled away from her and nodded as I walked out of the house.

  I went to my car and got in. I took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel tightly. I had Riley and she was on my side as far as I knew, but now knowing that I had her was changing me and I couldn’t let that happen. I had to stay in control because this was my house and my rules. I was the mentor now and I had to be sure that insipid things like love were not spoken about or felt. No matter how badly I want it.

  I laughed to myself as I secured my seat belt and turned on the car. I wasn’t much of a mentor but I never thought the day would come when I would find someone like Riley who I wanted to share this world with. To show them what it was like to be like me and now I was off to get her captive and watch her start to grow into her inner deviant.

  Forty five minutes later, I was sitting in my car outside of The Brewery. I had a ritual I would follow when I was going to abduct a captive. I would wait in my car for at least thirty minutes and watch everyone that walked in and out to see if there could be a problem or if anyone would notice the person missing. Of course, I took a huge chance with Riley knowing that I could potentially have been the last person she was seen with, but I also brushed it off as it was also common knowledge that she was going to her grandmother’s funeral. Still, I knew that bringing her home would be much better for both of us than to stay in Wyoming or Louisiana where the chances were too great that I would be caught.

  I leaned back in my seat and watched the crowd of people walking in and out. “What the fuck?” I muttered to myself. I leaned over the steering wheel and shook my head. I saw Purple walking into The Brewery and she looked absolutely anxious as she checked the rather expensive watch on her arm. It was apparent by her disposition that she was late. I rolled my eyes and looked at the time on the console to make sure I would be on time to start my routine. I opened the car door and stepped out. I pulled on the bottom of my white button down shirt to straighten it out and rolled up the sleeves to sit above my elbow. This should be an easy snatch as long as I could engage Purple into conversation and keep her attention, which of course had never been an issue for me before but every mark was different.

  I stepped into the dimly lit bar and walked around the already drunk patrons and looked around for Purple. I grinned when I saw her sitting at the bar alone checking her phone and looking around. Apparently she was looking for Riley but little did she know she was going to get me instead. I pushed my way past a few more people before I finally got to her.

  “Hello,” I said sitting in the empty stool next to her.

  She looked at me through narrowed, suspicious eyes before nodding and turning her attention back to her watch. She sighed impatiently and looked around causing me to chuckle. I couldn’t help it; I knew that she was waiting for someone that wasn’t going to show up and it made me feel a bit more powerful.

  “What are you drinking?” I asked nodding at her glass.

  “Queensland Iced Tea,” she replied with a tight smile. She made it a point of looking at her watch again and I had to turn my face to hide my smile.

  I waved the bartender over and ordered a Rusty Nail. I could never afford to get intoxicated so this was my drink of choice on the nights I chose my captives from bars.

  “Waiting for someone?” I asked her, after I paid for my drink and took a sip.

  “Yes, actually I am. So if you wouldn’t mind ...”

  I laughed and looked at her, “That was a bit harsh, don’t you think? I’m just trying to make polite conversation. I’ll leave once they get here, promise.”

  “Fine but conversation only. I’m not exactly interested in men,” she replied curtly.

  Oh. Fuck. This isn’t going to be as easy as I thought. Okay think Jaxton.

  “So you’re waiting for Riley, yeah?” I asked taking another sip of my drink. I wanted to smash the glass into her face, render her unconscious, and drag her out to the car. It was a sudden moment of anger that if I knew I didn’t control, I would end up doing just that. Deep breaths. You can do this even if she is an insufferable, pompous bitch.

  “You know her?” she asked curiously.

  I nodded and drank down the rest of my drink. I had to get the glass out of my trembling hand. I had to get it far away so that I wouldn’t break it on her face. I needed to go outside. I needed fresh air and I needed it now.

  “I’m gonna go outside for a bit, care to join me?” I asked through clenched teeth.

  This always happened to me. The closer I knew I was getting to securing my new victim, the more violent I wanted to be, the angrier I got. It was something that my mentors had given up trying to get me to control so I had to learn to control it on my own. Purple quickly finished what was left of her drink and I threw money on the bar. I took her hand to lead her through the throngs of people and released it immediately once we reached the door.

  I took a deep breath of fresh air and almost choked on the amount of cigarette smoke I wound up inhaling. It was almost enough to make me start seeing red again, but instead I leaned against the wall, while Purple opened her small satchel and pulled out a cigarette of her own.

  Purple’s phone buzzed quietly in her hand and I watched her bring her screen to life. I watched her grin widely and I stood by as she angled the camera on the phone toward herself and take a picture.

  “How well do you know, Riley?” she asked as she sent her photo. I waited until she put her phone away and gave me her attention gain.

  “Well enough. She’s a good girl, uh, woman. Very kind and sweet, loves to please others,” I replied awkwardly.

  “But I mean what kind of girl does she like?” she asked, as her phone buzzed again.

  “I never asked to be honest.”

  She nodded as she looked at her phone again and laughed. Her fingers moved quickly over the screen before she turned her attention back to me with a big smile.

  “Riley said to tell you hello.”

  What? Is this one just as crazy as the other?

  “How’s that?” I asked.

  “Riley said to tell you hello,” she repeated. “Look.” I peered over her shoulder as she pulled up her messages. Between her and Riley. Text messages and picture messages.

  My heart started to beat erratically. Riley had a phone and I never
knew it. She probably had it this whole time. I had to get home and I had to get there now.

  Twenty Three

  “Do you have to drive so fast?” Purple asked in a panic as I swerved around a car.

  “You’re eager to get home to Riley, yeah?” I snapped at her as I went past another car. She nodded, I saw out of the corner of my eye. “So am I.”

  I was driving rather erratically but I needed to get my hands on that damn phone and see what she had been doing with it. Even if she erased everything, I had a program I could use to bring it all back.

  This is why you never develop feelings for them you fucking idiot. Because then stupid shit like this happens and you never know it until it’s too late.

  I pulled into the driveway five minutes later and jumped out of the car. I didn’t bother dragging Purple with me because I knew she was already wanting to see Riley so she would follow me. I reached the door first and punched the codes in quickly. I went straight into the living room where I had left her and sure enough she was still lying on the couch with the telly on and the phone in her hand.

  I snatched it from her seconds before Purple entered the room. Riley sat up and looked at me with a satisfied smirk on her face then got up to greet her. The rage that smile sent through me was so overwhelming that I left the room without a word and went straight to my den. I slammed the door behind me and went straight to the computer, which I fired on immediately and turned on the cameras so I could watch them as I went through the phone.

  It seemed that today was the first time she had used it. And it also appeared that she only used it with Purple, whose real name was apparently Tempest. I rolled my eyes at the messages they had sent to each other throughout the day; all of it was messages of how they couldn’t wait to see each other tonight. Shaking my head, I reached into the top drawer and pulled out the USB chord. I glanced at the screen as I started to fit it to the bottom of the phone and damn near dropped it.