Page 33 of Volatile King (The Kings of Wayward Academy #6)

R en

Everything was overwhelming right now, and I needed to get out of the house for a little while. The session with the speech therapist had been taxing to the point of complete focus breakdown.

Closing the front door, I locked it and leaned against the wood. Theo sat on the stairs quietly watching me.

I’m not going to break.

“I know,” he said. “But I like following you around.” I smirked as he stood. “Why don’t we talk to my mom and get out of here for the day?”

You mean that?

“I do. But…you have to stop relying on signing and speak to me.”

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

“Ren, no one is going to make fun of you.”

“I…know,” I said, looking down.

Theo walked over and stood right in front of me. “Then tell me what it is that is holding you back?”

“Hate…hear…ing…my…myself.”

Theo cupped my face. I lifted my head, and we locked eyes.

“Esp…” I licked my lips and focused on the word in my mind. “Especially…around…you.”

“Me?”

I nodded and stepped away from his touch so that I could think straight.

“Why me?”

“Because…”

Theo gave me that annoyingly perfect and saucy look that said he wasn’t letting me off with that as an explanation.

“Facts…logic…grades…our thing…us. Now…barely…together…word.” I closed my eyes and cursed. “Sentence together.”

Squaring off over everything and anything was our thing. It wasn’t Theo’s fault, but I felt like I couldn’t keep up. Like he had to hold himself back, and I hated that.

“Ren…you are still the same highly intelligent person who challenges me at every turn. Would you mock me or think less of me if we switched places?”

“No.”

“Okay…so, I don’t understand.”

“Hard to…understand.” I shook my head. “Say…explain.”

“Does that mean you don’t want me to be around when you’re with the speech therapist? Is that why you were so frustrated today?”

Shaking my head, I walked over and wrapped my arms around him. I loved how he immediately hugged me back.

“No…stay.”

Theo kissed the top of my head. “What would you say if I told you that I want to take you out for a ride?”

I pulled back and stared at him, eyes wide, hope filling me.

“Really?”

“Yes. I know it’s dangerous. But we can go slow and take the guards as escorts. Just a quick cruise. The snow will be here soon, and I’ll have to put Polly away. So…what do you say?”

“Yes,” I squealed and wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing his lips.

“Okay, go get ready. Your Kevlar is hanging in your closet,” he said, and I took off jogging up the stairs, as Theo slowly walked up behind me.

I met Ella in the hallway outside her office, and she quickly signed.

What’s going on?

Theo is taking me for a ride on his motorcycle.

Her face paled. I grabbed her hands and smiled. “Please…need this,” I said, and she chewed on her bottom lip.

Let me see if I can get your doctor on the phone to make sure it is okay. I know you don’t want a setback.

My heart sank a little as I nodded. Ella turned and went back into her office. I was thinking positive thoughts and ran into the closet to get my outfit. I’d just finished pulling on the jacket when Ella walked into my bedroom. The expression on her face didn’t give me much hope.

“What…say…doctor?”

He says there is no clear timeline for when it would be safe for you to get on the back of a motorcycle. Your motor skills are better, but you are still struggling with the reflexes and awareness that you need.

I dropped my head as I fought back the tears, but looked up again when Ella cleared her throat.

I made Theo promise to go slow, stay off the freeway, and only for an hour.

A smile spread across my face.

“You…serious?”

Yes.

I practically ran across the room and hugged her. I held her tight as she embraced me.

“Thank you,” I said. “Need…this.”

Pulling back, she wiped away a tear and nodded.

I know, sweetheart. Just please be careful.

“We will, Mom. I promise,” Theo said. “She’s in good hands.”

Theo held out my helmet. I didn’t care if we were only going two miles per hour. Just getting out and feeling normal for a bit was what I needed.

We made our way downstairs and outside to the sleek black motorcycle that made my heart pound. Theo helped me with my helmet before doing his own. We went through the communications check to make sure I could hear him, and he could hear me, before he mounted the bike and I climbed on behind him.

As Polly roared to life, a thrill raced through my body, and you couldn’t keep the smile off my face.

Ella had stepped outside and waved. I hated that she looked so scared. I didn’t mean to frighten her. Much like my inability to explain to Theo how trying to talk around him made me feel, I couldn’t explain to Ella why this was something I needed.

Theo grabbed my arms and wrapped them around him tighter, and then held my hands with one of his as we started to move.

The guards that Nash said he’d hired were parked all over the street. I hadn’t really paid attention to them before, but there had to be at least six SUVs. Four of them pulled out and followed us.

For once, the company of the black vehicles was comforting, instead of unnerving.

Theo kept his word to Ella. We didn’t get above forty miles per hour, stuck to back streets, and took our time driving all over Portland. It was strange being in the city after the isolation and forests of Wayward.

I was worried that the helmet would hurt once the vibration of the motorcycle was added.

Luckily, the constant roar was soothing, and I found myself resting my head on Theo’s back as I took in the sights.

Someone had Christmas decorations up already, while another hadn’t taken down their Halloween display.

“You okay back there?”

“Yes…feel…self. Feel better.”

“Good, I’m glad. We’d better head back, it’s already been forty minutes.”

I really didn’t want to, but nodded, knowing that this was a treat and I shouldn’t push my luck. We turned onto a long stretch of road with farmland and trees on either side.

Had I been here before? I sat a little straighter as I looked around. We passed a section that was barren except for a deep ditch and an open field that stopped at the edge of the woods. Something flashed behind my eyes, and I gasped.

“Stop!”

I gripped Theo tighter, and he immediately swerved over to the side of the road. The procession behind us followed.

“You okay?”

“No.”

Theo killed the engine, and I slowly climbed from behind him. There was something familiar. Tapping the side of my head, Theo took the hint and undid the strap.

Pulling the helmet off, I faced the ditch, but nothing clicked. I turned around and looked both ways before I crossed the road. It was unnecessary since we were the only people out here, not including our entourage. Theo walked beside me, and as I reached the far side?—

Flash.

There was a photo in my hand. It was a picture of me as a baby with Mum. Tears fell on the image.

Flash

Glass shattered behind us, and Nash was on top of me, yelling.

Flash

A car revved its engine.

Flash.

Crash.

Something collided with the limo, jolting it violently. I screamed. It was a truck. It was Owen.

“Ren, it’s okay. I’m right here. Ren, can you hear me?”

Theo sounded so far away, and when I opened my mouth to respond, everything felt heavy. I grabbed my head as more memories emerged from the recesses of my mind. They seemed out of order and fragmented.

“Theo?” I reached for him.

“I’ve got you. You’re okay.”

Theo held me, but I was terrified as I bobbed between what was happening around me and the images racing through my mind.

Flash.

The car sped up. The old truck moved away, and I saw Theo on a motorcycle following close behind. Mr. Genovese was on my right…no…

I locked eyes with Theo as my legs gave out.

“Dad,” I yelled. “No! Dad!”