He seemed more content this afternoon, thankfully. I had never seen him justbe.
My expression softened, just watching him relax. He had no cares in the world.
I wanted to feel that, but I couldn’t. Not with that note from Scarlett. It had settled over me like an omen.
I guess today couldn’t exactly go any worse.
“You okay?” Ryker asked, taking a seat on the third step beside me.
I nodded but then shook my head. “What if they hate me?”
“Your parents?” I nodded. “That’s on them. It’s not up to you to please anyone but yourself right now.”
“What if they don’t care I’m back? What if they want to take me away from you and Enzo? What if—”
“You have complete say over where you go and with whom.” Ryker quickly said, shutting me up. “If you don’t want to go, then say so. If I had a kid who’d been taken and showed up years later, I’d want to see that kid. I’d be banging down every police station to find them if I knew they were alive. I’d at least want closure.”
“My parents never cared about me.” I sighed. I did want to see them one last time, just to see if they were still the same. Yet, so many fears of what would happen if they thought I could become their rich son at the snap of their fingers lingered in the back of my mind.
“You’re an adult, Emery. If you say no, then they need to respect that.”
“Say the safe word, and we’ll be there,” Enzo said as he stood in front of me. He then crouched to eye level “Pickles. Say it and we’ll make sure you’re heard. You’ll never have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
I knew if I flat-out saidno,no one would ever make me face them again.
Being held against my will for so long, I sometimes had wondered if my parents may have changed. I knew this was my chance to see. I had nothing to lose.
“I bet Scarlett will be happy to sit with you.”
“And if I want you both?”
“Then we’ll be there, too. Whatever you want, Emery. I promise. You won’t have to be alone with them if you don’t want to be.” Ryker’s arm wrapped behind me, pulling me against his side. Enzo’s hand landed on my knee, grounding me even more.
“We’re in this together,” Enzo promised. “If I knew my parents, I’d like to see them at least one more time.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” I sighed. “They were druggies.”
“But I'd like to show them that I can walk through fire.” Enzo smiled, meaning the words.
I wasn’t that strong. I never had been and never would be.
“Do you want me to set up the meet for you?” Ryker asked, looking at me like...well...like I mattered.
“Please?” I didn’t even have to think about it. If this man wanted to take care of things I’d rather forget about, then I'd let him.
“I do agree that having Scarlett sit with you is a great idea. Of course, Enzo and myself will be there, or as close as possible. We wouldn’t want to seem overbearing, because your parents may see that as a threat.”
“But you two aren't threats!”
“Your parents won’t know that,” Enzo soothed before Ryker could. His eyes bounced to the man beside me, seeming to look for permission—or maybe it was acceptance. It was hard to tell.
“You’ll be in earshot?” I had to know for sure. I probably wouldn’t be asking only once.
“Promise, baby.”
Swallowing, I leaned my head against Ryker’s shoulder. Enzo sat in front of me, placing his head against my thigh. Running my fingers through the strands, I forced my worries out of my mind.
As long as I had these two, the monsters had to take a backseat. I wouldn’t be able to walk through fire, but I could at the very least swim to the other side of the river.
