every emotion, and then I let it swirl down the drain. They say water has a calming effect, and in some countries, it’s even used to cleanse your soul.
Shaking out of my stupor, I shut off the faucet and step out.
Rhianna is still there waiting, but she’s holding out a towel for me.
“Do you want coffee?” I shake my head as she stands. “Anything?” Again, I shake my head. My words seem to be lost right now. “Okay, get dressed. They won’t be long.” She spins around and strolls out, and I head to my room, shutting the door behind me. I lie on the bed, face-first, still wrapped in my towel.
What just happened?
What just happened?
I’ve never even seen a gun before. Yet, I just saw someone get shot.
I’ve never even been in a fight. Yet, I just saw someone beat someone else until they lost consciousness.
It should make me afraid of August.
I should be scared.
But I know what the devil really looks like, and usually, he’s dressed to impress and ready to kill. It’s those types of men who hurt women.
Not him.
Not August.
Not once have I felt unsafe around him or that he could cause me harm in any way. Not even when he was dealing with the intruders.
I felt safe.
I feel safe.
He protects me, and I know no one would be able to harm me if he was there.
Closing my eyes, I squeeze them tight, hoping to rid myself of the images of August’s actions.
There’s hurt.
Pain.
I’m immobile.
And soon, I just pass out.
Chapter 20
August
“Hey, August,” Rhianna says, opening the door.
Noah nods for me to head inside first, and I pass Rhianna as I step in. My eyes scan the apartment and don’t see Rylee.
“She’s in her room if you want to go in.”
I know which room is hers, so I head there, tapping on the door. When she doesn’t answer, I open it a fraction and see her wrapped in nothing but a towel, asleep on the bed, curled in a ball.
I hear Noah talking to Rhianna, explaining that I have to go back tomorrow with Rylee for another round of questioning.
All I can do is stand there and watch Rylee sleeping. I don’t dare enter the room, unwilling to wake her.
“You can go in,” Rhianna says softly to me.
I move to step back and close the door when Rylee’s eyes open. Those eyes trap me, snare me with their intensity, and without even thinking, I step into the room and shut the door behind me.
“Are you sore?” she asks, sitting up on the bed, the towel almost falling off. She taps the empty spot on the bed next to her. “I’m really tired, August. Really tired,” she says, and I can hear the pain in her voice.
Did I cause that pain?
I glance at the clock. It’s almost three in the morning. The adrenaline that would’ve been running through her system must be gone by now. I kick my shoes off and climb into bed, so my injured side is to the edge, then I pull her up so her head lies on my shoulder.
“Go to sleep.”
She curls herself around me, and within seconds she’s fast asleep, smelling like strawberries and all things Rylee.
I lie there listening to her soft snores, wondering what the fuck I’m going to do about this situation.
Josh won’t stop.
I know he won’t.
He was the one who sent those thugs. I recognized them as his men as soon as they entered the house.
I attempt to pull my arm out from under her, but she pushes herself closer into my side. So, I stay that way, falling in and out of asleep until I finally close my eyes and pass out listening to her breathing.
She’s awake before me. When I finally open my eyes, I find her sitting on the end of the bed. The towel she had on still covers her body as she sits there quietly with her head down.
“Rich girl.” She spins around to face me, her eyes red and her face bare of any makeup.
She’s simply beautiful.
“Are you in pain?” she asks, her eyes going straight to my shoulder.
“No,” I answer, sitting up.
She stands, heads to her closet, and reaches for a dress, dropping the towel and changing in front of me. “We have to go to the police station.”
“You don’t have to.”
She turns, now dressed, and shakes her head. “I do. Now come… Noah’s waiting for us.”
I catch her wrist as she walks past me on her way to the door,