Page 114

“Later,” she promised, kissing me before giving me a small smirk. “Do you want to stay in the car when I race?”

“I thought you didn’t want me in the car because it’s not safe?” I asked with surprise, but she shrugged.

“I don’t mind if we’re on the track, but not on the streets. I like you beside me here.”

I climbed back into my seat, fixing my dress, and reaching for the cigarettes. I was getting a terrible habit of having one after Riley had blown my mind. “Who are you racing?”

“Some preppy Crestford dude. He has no respect for his car,” she grunted, shaking her head slightly. “Him and his buddies regularly lose, so I don’t know why they keep coming back.”

I lit a cigarette and handed it to her while looking out the window as I watched a group of girls crowding Ryder, his usual cocky grin on his face as he ate up the attention. I hoped he’d find someone who would see his worth because, underneath that playboy mask, he was sad and lonely.

“Do you think he’s high again?” I murmured, not meaning to say it out loud, but it was too late to take it back. Riley was staring at me, her eyes burning into the side of my head, but I kept watching Ryder as he stumbled around.

“Probably,” she finally said slowly. “Why?”

“I’m worried about him.”

“He’s fine, Lou,” she muttered, but my eyes widened when he stumbled again, this time landing on his ass. Riley groaned as I opened the door, speaking over my shoulder quickly.

“Race without me this time. I’ll get Ry some water and make him sit down so he doesn’t hurt himself.” I ran over to him despite Riley shouting back that I was wasting my time, the girls around him not pleased with me joining them.

They all cooed over him, acting like they gave a shit, but they didn’t. They only cared about guys like him because of their money or social status. Some of the girls had Crestford Academy uniforms on, while some I recognized from the Heights. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes as they all pawed at him.

“Luney!” Ryder laughed when he spotted me standing off to the side, reaching his hands up and opening and closing them like a child wanting to be picked up. “You came to help me!”

I stepped closer, noticing how blown his pupils were. He was definitely high. I offered him my hands, bracing my feet in the dirt to help pull him to his feet, and he stumbled into me with a hoot. “How about you come home with me? Riley doesn’t have to know.”

“Don’t be an asshole,” I warned tightly, hating it when he got like this. He was such a show pony.

He slid an arm around my waist, holding himself up, and I tensed as his hand dropped to my ass. “You know I’d look after you,” he said quietly in my ear, kissing my cheek. I went to pull back, but he just leaned into me more. “You might have to drive us to mine though. I don’t think I should be in control of a vehicle right now.”

I smacked his chest hard, seeming to snap him out of it a little. “You’re being a dick, Ry. Stop it.”

“You care about me,” he huffed as I started dragging him away from the hoard of girls and towards the bathroom to put cold water on his face. “You wouldn’t use me like everyone else.”

“I’m like your little sister, remember?” I grumbled, a bark of laughter leaving him as he wrapped his arms around me firmly, giving my ass a squeeze.

“You sure don’t feel like a sister.”

“Don’t touch me like that,” I scolded, panic starting to climb inside of me as he did it again, burying his face in my neck to bite my skin gently.

“C’mon. I bet there’s a bad girl hiding under all that cute shit you do. Relax and…”

I’d never been afraid of Ryder. He’d always been the one to keep girls safe from assholes, and I never thought he’d be the person I’d be trying to get away from.

He kept holding onto me to stop me escaping, and I let out a sob as I drew my hand back and slapped him. He stumbled, letting me go to catch himself. He looked confused by my violence, but his voice held so much worry that it was hard to believe he was the same person from a few moments ago.

“Fuck. Luna, I…” He reached for me, and I stepped back with a shake of my head, tears streaming down my cheeks.

“Don’t fucking touch me. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Shame filled his eyes, his voice breaking. “I’m sorry.”

Sobs wracked my body as I became overwhelmed with emotion, and I let out a squeal as someone grabbed my wrist. I found Beckett beside me, her jaw tight as she took in the state I was in.

Jett and Cruz were with her, but I didn’t see Maddox.

“What happened?” Beckett asked firmly, glaring at Ryder when I just kept crying. “Ry? What the fuck did you do to her?”