Chapter 3 The Night Lingers

The guards at Riders house were used to me by now. I'd come here a million times. They knew my car well. They let me in, and I parked my car behind Rider’s white Range Rover.

Rider lived alone. His parents lived in Europe and sent him money to sustain himself. I’d only met his mother who came around once in a while. She was a sweet woman who adored her son. I rang the doorbell twice because I was impatient.

He opened the door wearing his boxers and a plain vest. He looked sexy and sleepy. I dived into his arms and squeezed him tight. His enormous arms circled my waist and pulled me closer to him.

I sniffled, but at the same time I was taking in his masculine scent. His hair was all ruffled and I felt bad for waking him. I'd done it before never really felt bad about it. I was just so happy to see him. I felt safe to fall apart and I did.

I lost control and tears slowly fell down my face, then sobs escaped my mouth. I even shook from crying so hard, he just held me and ran his fingers down my hair.

Eventually he lifted me off the ground and into his arms and carried me into his bedroom where he laid me on his bed. He didn't say anything for a while. He waited for me to calm down before saying anything.

He turned on his bedside lamp and shifted to face me. Rider laid beside me staring into my eyes or at my bullied face.

‘What the fuck happened?’ He said in a gentle whisper.

I sighed, avoiding his gaze I relayed the events of the night except the part where a bright light came out of nowhere and zapped a man to death. I made up a small tale about narrowly getting away.

Someone will find him eventually and they'll find out you killed him Avalon…

‘Son of a gun. Why the hell were you at the Pentagon anyway?’ He sat up in the bed. I stayed down looking straight up at him.

‘I didn't know it was a bad place Rider! Cassidy—'

‘Cassidy, Cassidy, Cassidy! She's an irresponsible brat.’ He spat.

I sat up surprised at his sudden rage and it was at the wrong person. If anyone was to blame for this it was me.

‘That's not true. She couldn't have done anything to help me he was so massive—’

‘You can say that but she should have at least had your back—’

I cut him off, ‘not you too Rider please. You don't know what the girls mean to me.’

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. ‘Ava, okay I get it Cassidy’s amazing. You got hurt babe and she was getting wasted and high with some old bag.’

‘You just have a problem with Cass,’ I said.

‘Maybe I do, but it was your first time there she should have at least—’

‘I've heard enough Rider. I didn't come to fight with you. I really really need you right now and you trying to place blame on my best friend isn't helping.’

He sighed and kissed my forehead gently. He laid back down next to me, wrapping his arm around me as well.

‘Don't go back there, okay?’ He whispered into my hair. I nodded.

He didn’t have to tell me twice.

***

Rider found all my bruises and cuts and cleaned them, he cursed while he was at it. He was so concerned and it warmed my heart. He wasn't mad at Cassidy anymore his anger then turned to the man that did this.

After I was cleaned Rider turned on me and instantly made my body surrender to his. We made love until the sun shone through the curtains. Our bodies tangled in his bed sheets that would surely need changing. He was the first guy I'd ever been with, and he made me feel really special.

I guess that's how it is with your first love. As I watched his chest rise and fall over the sunrise my heart settled and I fell asleep. I woke up with his hands playing with my curly black hair.

‘Morning,’ I murmured.

‘Afternoon to you too.’ He chuckled.

I stared up at him wide eyed.

‘I'm only joking. You feeling any better?’ He asked. I put my hand behind his neck and pulled him in for a good morning kiss.

‘Much better.’ I smiled.

Rider’s room was large. It was painted a light shade of brown. He kept several ancient looking paintings in his room that were associated with the darkness of ancient Greece.

There were actually a few paintings like that around the house, particularly an Angels vs Demons landscape in the hallway. It always freaked me out. I've been here so many times I've just never gotten used to it

He had a massive king size bed that centred the room and a cute orange rug I handpicked to brighten up the place. Rider kept a picture of us on our anniversary by his bedside table next to a grey lava lamp.

Yeah, Rider wasn't one for bright colours. He looked great in white and grey which is what he wore most of the time.

Rider offered to make us breakfast and I blushed… how lucky could I get? Just a few months ago I was stuck with my mother in our two-bedroom apartment with my insane grandmother visiting once in a while. Mom and Grandma were great but most of the time they didn’t agree sometimes on things I didn’t understand.

I sighed, not wanting to think about unnecessary family drama. I slipped into one of Rider’s shirts, one of his college t-shirts.

I found him in the kitchen trying to make eggs for me, I smiled at his cute attempts at cooking. I wrapped my arms around his waist and caught a glimpse the small flat screen tv above the counter.

‘Are you watching the news?’ I giggled.

‘What?’ He grinned.

‘Since when do you watch the news babe?’ I laughed a little.

‘Well, you got to know what's going on in the world. Turn the volume up, will you?’

I found the remote on the kitchen isle and turned it up, nothing but politics, nothing that would spark my interest until news about the Pentagon came on. Then they had my full attention, Rider glanced at the tv for a second before going back to his eggs.

Must be some gossip, I thought.

‘Last night at Silverlake’s illustrious nightclub the Pentagon turned into a sense of pandemonium after reports of several minor bombs going off in the night club…’

‘You didn't mention anything about any bombs Avalon.’ His voice turned serious. I knew it was serious when he called me by my full name.

‘I didn't know about any bombs,’ I whispered.

‘... there have been reports of injuries and one death. 19-year-old Skylar Dean was found dead in one of the bathrooms, her cause of death remains unclear. Yolanda Dale for Silverlake News.’

I gasped as a high school picture popped up on the small kitchen screen. A young girl with a beautiful smile and bright brown eyes and short black hair. That could have been me.

My mouth fell open, not because that could have been me, but because I knew that girl. The smell of burning eggs filled the kitchen. Moments later Riders arms wrapped around me from the behind.

I was in a state of shook, Skylar and I didn't just go to high school together, but she was Frankie’s first cousin.

Oh my gosh, this is horrible.

That would have been me.