The Heir Page 14

  I tried to swat at him again, but he caught my hand, drew me in closer to him, and I thought the current of electricity flowing between us could light up a skyscraper.

  “Thank you for talking with me,” he said, his voice void of all the playfulness. His thumb caressed the knuckles of my hand, which he held between us. I thought there was nothing better in all the world than being touched by Shad.

  I nodded. He took my hand and led me into the cafeteria where he loaded up my plate with food, that according to him, “a tiger would love.” I smacked him again. He chuckled.

  LIFE FELL INTO A RHYTHM after that day. A rhythm that was made up of school, the Rose Village, home, talking with Shad, eating lunch with Shad, and lunch with Ash and sometimes Sam—who seemed to be crushing hard on Ash. Ryker wasn’t around at lunch anymore, and I wondered if it had to do with Shad, but even if that was the case, I couldn’t bring myself to uninvite Shad to our table, because he held my hand under the table, and he made me feel alive and free and happy, and I couldn’t give that up. I couldn’t be without him. He saved me from the snake—the misery.

  Although things at school fit into a nice rhythm—with my friends, and my work, and my home life—and things seemed fine, I still found myself wanting—no needing—to be around Shad more. I missed his sparkling eyes when he laughed, the smirk he gave me when I started thinking about something. I missed the way he smelled of leather and mint, and I wanted to have him around me always. I tried to hint during our conversations that I was free that day, or that I didn’t have to work. He didn’t ever say anything. He didn’t text me, didn’t call me. He had not invited me to his house, or anywhere else, after school. He often commented that he had to work after school. I was starting to feel a little sad.

  Even my attempts to see Ryker went badly. He always had football games or practices. Ash was also busy. Her home life, she said, was demanding, and although I didn’t exactly know what that meant, she seemed embarrassed about it when she told me, and I didn’t want to pressure her. Maybe she needed to help more around her house. So two weeks passed, and I felt more alone than ever. That is what brought me to the porch of Ryker’s house. I didn’t want to see his dad, since that night he found me and Ryker asleep together, because I felt extremely uncomfortable, but I was tired of being alone.

  “Hello, Mr. Dall. Is Ryker home?” I asked, surprised to see his Dad home so early in the day.

  “Sorry, honey, he isn’t.” He shut the door, and I walked down the porch steps, a little numb and confused. Why does life always have to change?

  Ryker had been completely engrossed in his research: talking to his friends, who I then knew to be Shad’s family’s business. He tried to gather more Intel. I usually could find Ryker before school near his locker, so I hurried to his locker that next morning.

  “Ry, where have you been?” I asked, reaching him, out of breath as I ran all the way from the end of the hall.

  “Hey, Em, sorry. I have been so busy. Dad said you came by last night.”

  “Yeah, it’s so weird how busy you have been. I mean, you have always done football and sports, and we still hung out.”

  “Well, I have other things, you know,” he remarked.

  “Have you found out anything new?”

  “Not yet, but they are working on it.”

  “Your friends?”

  He nodded.

  “Shad told me you are using his family’s company.”

  “Wow, he really doesn’t care about the confidentiality agreement.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t think it really mattered.”

  “Shad said his family’s company is really good at finding people.”

  “Not so far—it’s been two weeks.” He closed his locker and ran his fingers through his hair.

  “Ry, we should do something together. I miss you.” He touched my shoulder, and I was instantly cold. I moved his hand away. He looked at me strangely and then cleared his throat.

  “Maybe next week, Em. I will let you know.” Then without another word, he turned and walked away.

  After our conversation by his locker, I saw Ryker at school more, but only for half of lunch when we were surrounded by our friends and could not talk about private stuff. I texted him plenty of times, asking how he was doing, telling him that I missed him, and he always responded by telling me that he was sorry and that he missed me, too and that things would be less crazy soon, and that I should be patient. I didn’t really know what to think any more about all of that.

  With my attempt to hang out with Ash being a bust, and then Ryker being too busy for anything—I needed to make another attempt at Shad. I assumed it was up to me now to make a gesture. He, after all, had invited me to his house, and I had not once invited him anywhere, well other than that pool party. That realization made me feel like an idiot. Maybe he is pulling away a bit because he thinks, maybe, that I am not interested? But, oh,man, I am completely and utterly interested in him. Didn’t I hold his hand at lunch? Didn’t I hug him and let him hug me? What does he think that was? I thought about the orange rose on my nightstand and smiled. If there was to be any hope, I needed to make a move.

  Watch

  REGARDLESS OF MY LACK of a social life, I had gotten through another one of my parents’ boxes in the attic. I was saving another letter until later. Their letters always seemed to pull too heavy on my emotions. The box that I went through was full of my baby things that they had saved. There were post-it notes attached to different items of clothing indicating when and where I wore the clothing and how old I was when wearing it. It was fun to go through my baby clothes and see what I wore at my first Christmas and other holidays. I sat back against the box and held up a little lavender baby romper with a tag on it, noting: “First birthday.” I smiled and felt the fabric. It reminded me of the lavender rose, the one Shad had given to me. Mary was working late that night at the flower shop, and I had the house to myself.

  As I walked into my room after exploring my baby things, I got ready to take a shower. I pulled off my clothes, turned on the hot water, and got into the shower. Once I was out, I wrapped a towel around me and wiped the fogged up mirror. That’s when I noticed that the rose I had taped to the wall had been removed. The tape was cut into two pieces making an X, and the rose was gone. I looked at the counter, and sitting by the sink was a face watch. I jumped back with a scream, as if it would attack me, and I stared at the minute hand as it ticked, looked at the blood stains on the leather and the face glass. I shuffled out of the bathroom and fell onto my bed. I pulled the covers over my head and breathed. I knew it was all in my head. It had to be all in my head. Memories again came to life. I tried to focus my breathing, tried to stay calm. After what seemed like hours, I climbed down, off the bed. I quickly and carelessly pulled on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt because I realized that I was still naked, with only a towel around me. I looked down at the bathroom counter and screamed, over and over and over again—I screamed, and I felt my body go limp—it was there—it was still there: my father’s bloody watch.

  “Emma!” I felt a hand touch my face as a song floated into my soul. I felt warm breath on my face, a strong body against my own, lifting me up. I opened my eyes. “Emma, are you okay?”

  I shook my head, for a moment because of his dark features I thought it was him, who held me, the man from my nightmares. When I realized it wasn't, I was puzzled to see Shad. How did he know I wasn’t okay? Why is he here? Did I scream so loud that he heard me from across the street? I didn’t care as I climbed into his arms and pulled his shirt into my hands, clutching the fabric as if I let go of it, I would fall—I would die. I was shaking and sobbing—shaking and sobbing, and he held me. He lifted me up so I was cradled in his arms as he stood there. I realized that I was on the bathroom floor when he found me.

  “Take me out of here Please, I cannot be in here,” I begged, pulling his shirt in my hands tighter, pleading with his beautiful gold
en eyes.

  “What happened? What is going on? Did you have a nightmare, Emma?” Shad looked impossibly scared and worried as we left the bathroom. He closed the door behind us and walked into my room with me still in his arms.

  “The watch, his watch—it’s in there, and I didn’t put it in there! At the hospital, they gave me the bag of his things, and I told Mary to throw the watch away, and there it is, and the tape and the rose!” I was nearly screaming in hysterics.

  “Emma, Emma, it’s okay,” he said calmly as he carried me to my bed. He tucked the blankets around me, and I could not help the exhaustion that fell over me, and I fell into black nothingness only moments later, dreaming of golden eyes.

  I woke up sometime later. My room was dark, but there was someone in the room. There was a song floating around me, as if it was keeping me safe, keeping me calm. I sat up.

  “Emma, are you okay?” A light turned on, illuminating Shad sitting beside my bed on the floor. He stood. He looked impossible at that moment—I was looking at something that was made up—because Shad stood there in a t-shirt and basketball shorts. I bit my lip.

  “Shad?” I asked, reaching out for him.

  “Yes, Emma. It’s me. Are you okay?” He grasped my hands in his.

  “You are wearing a t-shirt? I must be dreaming.”

  He chuckled. “I was about to work out. I can’t do that in dress clothes.”

  “Oh,” I said, realizing I had no idea how I looked, and I started touching my hair.

  He pulled my hands away from my head and smiled. “You are so pretty, Emma,” he said with a soft smile, making me feel as if it didn’t matter what my hair looked like.

  “Yes, I am sure I look great right now,” I said rolling my eyes.

  “You look sleepy and adorable.”

  I tried to tame the flutters inside me that wanted to be free with his words. “Is it still in there?”

  “The watch? No, I moved it. I will give it to your aunt when she gets here.”

  “You don’t have to stay. Just let me know where it is, and I will let her know.”

  “I don’t mind staying with you,” he said after telling me where he hid it.

  “What time is it?” I asked.

  “It’s after midnight.”

  “Oh, my gosh,” I said, standing. Shad pushed me back down.

  “Lay down. You passed out. You need rest, Emma.”

  “Thank you for not calling 911.”

  “I almost did, but then I remembered Ryker telling me that you go into shock sometimes and that all you need is sleep.”

  “Ryker told you that?” I was baffled.

  “Yes, he cares a lot about you—” I heard the door unlock, and Mary called down the hall.

  “Maybe you should just go. I don’t know if I have the energy to explain why you are here.”

  “Are you sure? I can tell her—”

  “No, it’s fine, really. Thank you. I will be okay.”

  “Okay,” Shad said with a worried look.

  “She will just ask me a million questions; I am not ashamed of you or anything, but she has been acting less enthusiastic lately about new people, so I don’t think right now would be a good time.”

  He nodded.

  “Emma?” I heard Mary whisper, getting closer to my room.

  “Mary?” I answered back and looked to the door as it opened. I quickly looked back to where Shad was standing a moment before. He was gone. Where did he go? I looked around the room; I noticed that my window was open with the curtain moving in a light breeze. Did he—did he just—jump out of my second floor window? My door opened.

  “Are you okay? Someone named Shad called and told me that you weren’t feeling well. I didn’t get the message until fifteen minutes ago. My phone was on silent.”

  “I am fine, but I found dad’s watch. If you could get rid of it for me; it makes the nightmares worse.” I told her where it was and then found sleep.

  “SOMETHING IS GOING on, Ryker,” I said two days later. Ryker had taken the watch from Mary, and he said he got rid of it, and that I would never see it again. I thanked him endlessly for that, but still, I didn’t feel safe. Ryker assured me that it must have been me misplacing it, but I knew something else was going on. The feelings in my gut told me that something was wrong. I tried to push those feelings away. I asked Mary about it, and she explained that she had asked the hospital to discard it, so she was confused also as to why it was in our house.

  “Emma, this isn’t a murderer’s style,” he said as we walked home from school on the only day he didn’t have to stay after school for practice.

  “Style? Seriously, they are insane. I don’t think they have a style.”

  He pulled me to him. “Emma, you are safe. I promise. Please don’t worry about it so much.”

  “How can I not worry? You are so busy all the time; I barely see you, and you are my best friend.”

  “I feel horrible that I wasn’t the one who helped you that night.”

  I thought back to Shad, falling apart in his arms, him carrying me to the bed, watching over me—and my heart fluttered.

  “Shad was there. I was fine once he got there.”

  He snorted. “Look, the intel I have on this guy is really good. I have to get some more people working on it. I am so close, but if he were near here at all, I would know, the intel would know.” He paused and met my gaze. “Emma, just trust me. I will never let anything happen to you again.”

  I nodded because I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t help but look at Ryker as he walked beside me. He was so different from Shad. His hair was the color of sunshine, his eyes a cold ocean blue-grey. He wore a baseball cap, with jeans and a t-shirt.

  Shad was such a stark contrast to him. Shad had been there for me when I needed him. Ryker was, too, in the beginning, when I first lost my parents, and I would never forget that. But, I still needed someone, and Shad had been with me, saved me from the horror of my memories. He had asked me if I was okay. I told him I would get better with time, and he seemed to understand. He held my hand and touched my shoulder when we were together, as if he knew all I needed was his electric touch, and then I could survive, I would be okay. Which was true. If Shad never left my side, I would always be okay—forever.

  Date

  A WEEK PASSED WITH no incident. I breathed easier, and the nightmares seemed to stop again. Mary was getting home earlier to be with me, and I felt like maybe I was overreacting like Ryker kept telling me. When I told Mary about my theory, of this man trying to kill me, she took me to the therapist. I went a few times, and it made my anxiety lessen so that I could breathe, but I was still worried. Between the therapist and seeing Shad every day at school, I knew I could survive. Shad was a kind of powerful energy to me. Whenever I was around him, I forgot about my cares and worries and was swept up in his golden eyes and in the song that I sang in my head, just for him.

  The entire homecoming buzz around school was driving me a little crazy. Girls in all my classes were gushing about the dresses they picked up at the mall. I wanted to go to the dance, I realized, more than I thought I did. I was pretty sure no boy would ask me. Well, I did have a small hope for a little while that Shad would ask me, but nothing was really progressing between us in that way, other than holding my hand. Ryker was supposed to be going, being a football player and all. He had told me the year before that it was his duty to attend school functions, something about school pride and spirit and all that. We went together as friends the previous year and had a good time, but I wanted something more. I was sixteen, and I was ready to have a real date and a real crush, and I wanted to dance and get excited about a dress. Just thinking about it took my mind away from my fears.

  It was my turn to make a move to show Shad that I was interested. He saved me. He had become such a constant in my life, but I needed more of him. I wanted to be with him outside of school. I wanted to know him, know everything about him. I wanted to be the one he talked to w
hen he was upset like he had done for me. I wanted to know his hopes and dreams and fears. It scared me a bit how much I liked him, but then I would see him smile or see his tie hanging around his neck, or his shirt tucked in perfectly—because he still often wore his dress clothes, of course—and there was no fear.

  I was determined to ask Shad to go to the movies with me that night. I knew it was last minute, and I could text him, but I wanted to talk to him in person, and I felt like making it last minute made it less of a date and more of a no-pressure hang out. Plus, if he said, “no,” maybe it was just because he had other plans. That made it all the less scary for me, because who was I kidding? I wasn't very brave. I didn’t know what movies were playing, but I figured we could figure that out later. I entered our second period math class, and I told myself: you can do this. I had seen his rose book which was very personal. I could certainly ask him to see a movie with me. My fists were shaking near my sides as I slipped into my seat in math class.

  “Hello Emma,” Shad said as he usually did. I smiled and looked at him. He was wearing a grey button-up shirt and black pants. It was getting a little colder out, and he also wore a tan leather jacket. Summer was ending, and Autumn was near. His hair was perfectly in place, and I could smell the scent of him from across the table.

  “Hey, Shad, how’s it going?” I asked, taking out my math notebook. Matt and Karen, the other people we shared our table with, were not there yet, so I figured it was the perfect time to drop the question.

  “It is going well, thank you.”

  He nodded and smiled at me as he reached for my hand. I took it as he slipped beside me from in front of me. He had been getting to class early, and so had I, so we could take the seats side-by-side and hold hands. His fingers grazed mine, and he scooted his chair closer to me, so our legs brushed, he set my hand on his leg. My hand pulsed with his comforting electric flow, and I felt my heart rate rise and tried to steady my breathing. He ran a thumb down my hand, and I thought I might die as he made circular patterns on my palm, making all sorts of small electric currents spark through me.