“You’ve gotten yourself into something, haven’t you, Ryker?”
“Collin,” I sighed. “He needs someone in his corner.”
“I know the feeling,” he agreed. He certainly did. He had found the loves of his life by strange circumstances. Or maybe it wasn’t strange. Knowing Collin, he had his own purposes to help others in need. “I’ll see what I can dig up and send you what I find. Just… you may not like it.”
“I know. I’m a big boy. I can handle it.”
“And pass it along to the Feds after you’re done.”
Collin had been called a number of times over the years to help find missing information for the police before. Some cases just needed a little extra help, and thankfully, he knew how to keep his name out of it to close these cases.
I’d just had never needed to call in a personal favor.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t let the information affect your choices. Obviously, you feel a certain way about it already.”
Wisely, I didn’t push the issue. The man had changed quite a bit since he’d found Emily and Silas. I wasn’t sure of the whole story, but from what I saw in Collin, I knew he was happy.
Love had changed him, even if he wasn’t going to admit it anytime soon.
I, on the other hand, wouldn’t ever fall in love again.
Emery
Good morning,” Gale greeted after letting herself in. At least she knew it was pointless to knock. This was the third time she had been by, and I wasn’t entirely sure what the point was.
Talking about what I’d been through didn’t change the fact that it had happened. It didn’t help the nightmares. It just… did nothing.
I guess, maybe it was to make sure what I told the police was true. I gave a mental shrug as I shoved another spoonful of yogurt into my mouth.
I was slightly surprised that Ryker wasn’t here first, and for some reason that disappointed me.
He was becoming a known presence. He was always here by nine, but today he seemed to be running late. I didn’t want to say it, but I liked it when he showed up. He was predictable, for the most part.
“I’m glad to see you eating,” she went on when I didn’t say anything.
This time, I gave a shrug she could see.
“You haven’t eaten anything without being told.” It was a prompt to get me to speak.
I kept my words to myself. It felt silly, now that she’d seen me eating. It was someone else I wanted to show that I could take care of myself.
I was trying to prove to myself, more than anything, that I could eat when I wanted.
“Shall we start our session?”
My eyes glanced at the door, hoping Ryker would walk in. It had been maybe two weeks now, if that, since he’d first walked in that door. But he hadn’t yet today.
“Ryker will be by later. He had some stuff to take care of.”
My eyes dropped. He hadn’t said anything about being late.
“He mentioned going out to get you something, and he promised to be here before lunchtime.”
“Okay.” I guess I’d have to take that.
Sitting in my corner on the couch, yogurt now gone, I pulled myself into a tight ball. My body still had aches and pains, but really, it was nothing new.
