Ryder shrugs, and a flicker of pain moves across his face. “Hell if I know. They separated us a week ago, or was it more? I have no idea. Time moves differently down here.”
I swing my gaze back to look at Katia. “What is he talking about?”
“You’ll have to ask Mason.”
“I’m asking you.”
I look back at Ryder. “What did you do?”
“What makes you think it wasn’t Noah?”
“Because you’re the one who decided to write a story despite the danger you knew it would put you both in,” I reply. “You can’t honestly think you’re blameless in all of this.”
Ryder studies me intently. “The longer you spend with him, the more you’re going to sound like him.”
“Fuck you.”
Ryder chuckles. “Hit a nerve, did I?”
I cross over to him before Katia can stop me. “You don’t know the first thing about me or Mason. You don’t even know a damn thing about your brother, so keep your observations to yourself.”
“You’re the one who came down here to talk to me, London.”
I reel back. “I was looking for Noah. I wanted to…”
Ryder licks his dry, chapped lips. “You wanted to what? I doubt you wanted to apologize because my brother is fucked up enough to have already forgiven you. So, I’m guessing you wanted something from him. Advice, maybe?”
“What do you care?”
“I don’t.” Ryder shrugs. “But I’m bored, so I might as well pass the time.”
“I’m not here for your amusement.”
“But you’re here all the same.”
I wander back to the stairs and sit down. I’m not even sure why I’m there.
I’ve only come down here twice since Noah was brought in, and both times, I could barely look him in the eye.
Noah doesn’t owe me anything, least of all his time and sympathy.
Still, after years of running to him for advice and compassion, it’s become almost second nature to me.
I hadn’t thought this through, and I hate Ryder for making me realize it.
You’re just frustrated because you can’t talk to anyone about this.
“You and I aren’t that different, you know.”
I blink, and Ryder’s face swims into focus. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Ryder clears his throat. “We both got dragged into this by other people. Noah told me that you were doing this because of your dad. Something about a debt needing to be paid.”
Damn it, Noah. Why couldn’t you keep that to yourself? Did you have to confide in your blabbermouth brother?
“I fail to see how that makes us alike.”
“I got screwed over,” Ryder says. “They’ve been taking turns trying to break me. I don’t know how much longer I can hold out.”
