Page 142 of Ride or Die

Gio had died.

For me.

“This isn’t on you. I did what I needed to do, and you are not responsible.”

“I feel pretty fucking responsible, Saint.” Her eyes stung, and his face blurred. “You didn’t give me a choice.”

He jerked back in his chair.

She sat before her knees gave out. The highway sounds were a soft brush across the loft, let in by the open window over the sink.

She hadn’t noticed it before. Just how quiet they could be. Dante watched her, head canted to the side. Saint’s gaze was heavy and dark, and she breathed through her nose.

It didn’t help.

Some feelings couldn’t be breathed through.

“I’m not going to say thank you for killing someone.”

“Well, that’s not very polite,” Dante drawled, then folded his arms when Saint and Aaron turned to stare at him. “What?”

“Keep talking, see what happens.” Aaron’s voice made her shiver, and she pressed back into the wooden slats of the chair.

Dante closed his mouth and left it that way.

“You don’t have to say thank you.” Saint leaned forward and then back, his voice barely audible. “No one is asking for that. This wasn’t you.”

Sharp points of pain lit up along her inner wrist, and she glanced down at the nail marks she’d left there.

Saint’s gaze dropped to her wrist, and his hand tightened into a fist at his side before he released it.

She kept waiting for him to apologize—to say that it was a mistake and that they’d all been joking.

But the curtain wasn’t falling on this act. This was her life. Who she’d chosen.

He’d do it again, and he wasn’t going to apologize for it.

The tension in his jaw told her as much.

She clamped her teeth shut on the laugh that churned in her chest.

Saint leaned forward and dropped his elbows onto his knees, not looking away, but not coming any closer either.

Always her choice.

Except for when it wasn’t.

“Riley?” The drawl was soft.

Wheeler stood at the top of the stairs, hand on the back of his neck. “I know it’s shit timing, but there’s someone asking for you. A cop. Said it wasn’t official, just needed to talk. I can tell him to go. Badge said Achison.”

Everything went numb.

She’d known he’d be pissed about all of this. She should have done something sooner.

Riley grabbed everything that had spooled out between her and Saint and pulled it inside, hid it away.

“Okay. Thanks Wheeler.” Her voice didn’t sound like her. She didn’t make eye contact with anyone as she squeezed past Saint. Wheeler’s hand brushed her shoulder, and she didn’t stop until Cookie snarled from the living room.