Scandalous Love

31. | Riley

"I want to be with him," I say to Dad in the most convincing voice I could while I held Axel's hand as he and I stood in front of my father.

I knew this was all fake. I knew I didn't want to be with him at all and the only reason we were doing this was to eventually save James and stop him from getting even more hurt. But tell me why it feels like I'm betraying him right now by saying this.

"You want to be with Axel?" Dad asks for clarification.

I take one look up at the boy who stood directly by my side and I nod my head.

Ava sat beside Dad with her arms crossed while she also listened to what Axel and I had to say but I had no idea where Emily was.

"I do," I mumble, looking my father in the eye. It was a lie. I just had to keep reminding myself that.

He hums and stands up onto his feet and I let go of Axel's hand when Dad moves to hover around in front of me. "Where did this sudden change of heart come from?" he inquires, making me swallow, glancing back down towards the floor.

"I'm glad you've come to your senses, princess," he tells me when I don't say anything but all that nickname does is make me jitter.

Mum wouldn't be proud of me for doing this. She would want what James wants. She would want me to voice my opinions and stick up for South Side, not hide and cower away from it all.

I don't even understand why Axel is helping me right now. I never would have pegged him as the type to resemble empathy in any sort of way.

Dad kisses my forehead and turns to face Axel before nodding his head. "After Cotillion, there will be a party to celebrate the two of you getting together. It will be Riley's confirmation gathering in support of her turning eighteen and settling down. I'll let Nancy organise dates for you to attend the dress fitters to find the perfect outfits for the evening," he informs us both.

My breath becomes slightly staggered when I exhale because that wasn't something I had wanted. I didn't need a ceremony, nor did I want one.

This was something that would only overwhelm me in the process which is why Axel and I need to act fast. Otherwise I don't know how long I'll be able to keep this lie going on for.

"Axel, you're dismissed. Thank you," he tells him.

I watch out of the corner of my eye as Axel walks away but he doesn't disappear fully. Instead, he hovers by the wall and waits around for me, just in my eye-line but out of shot from Dad.

"Now, Riley. I need to talk to you."

His eyes seem to darken a little when he looks at me and I could tell I was in trouble. I knew it was coming, hence the reason I got arrested too and it wasn't just James who was thrown into the cell.

I bite my lip, knowing not to say anything but as I do, my thumbs coil up inside my palms while I twiddle my fingers around. I knew I should have stopped but I couldn't help it. The look on Dad's face right now wasn't the most appealing.

"I want you to tell me what happened the night you disappeared."

His tone was lowered to the point where his voice was deep enough to not be heard. It was a whisper. I was pretty sure even Ava couldn't hear him right now.

My teeth grit together and I couldn't form any words because I was at a loss of what to say.

I couldn't say I'd ran away otherwise he would start asking all sorts of questions and I would only get into more trouble. But I couldn't lie either by saying James had kidnapped me because that's not the sort of person I am and I'm not about to risk it. I can't lose him. Not to anyone or for anyone.

"I..." I drift off and pause and stutter, unsure of what else to say. I had never been a good liar and I certainly couldn't whip up a good lie now even if I had to.

"Hm? I'm waiting, young lady."

I swallow and break eye-contact, looking around everywhere but into his eyes. Dad hated when I did that but I needed to think. I couldn't think when he was staring at me like he wanted to kill me.

"You have to let him out, Dad," I mumble, mentioning something completely different. "Please, okay."

A smirk falls upon his lips and he crosses his arms over his chest, leaning back slightly as he stands tall with his back straight. "And why would I want to do that?"

"Because he's not who you think he is. He did nothing wrong, it was all me. Please just let him out."

"What do you mean it was all you? Are you admitting that you ran away?" he asks, cocking an eyebrow upwards.

I bite my lip but violently shake my head, my twiddling thumbs coming to a halt as my palms form tightly clenched fists.

"Remember what happened last time, Dad?" I ask him, not answering his question so that I didn't lie but I didn't exactly tell the truth about me running away either.

"It started just like this. With you locking that guy away. Then came the feud. And in that feud was Mum and she ended up dying. You lost the love of your life because of that fight. I know you loved Mum, Dad. I know you did deep down but you lost her love because of your actions."

"You have no right to speak about me and your mother that way. You have no idea what happened for me to have locked that guy away."

"I do," I whisper. I may not have been the most vocal in the family but that was because I was the observant one. And after my talk with Hunter, it's clear what happened.

"Mum cheated," I mutter. "She had an affair with that guy and you found out so you punished him and both of them ended up dying."

Mum had an affair with Hunter's dad. He and I are basically step siblings but I could never tell Hunter that because I had no idea how he would have taken it.

"You might think you love Ava but you don't. You're just using her to mend the hearts you broke but when it's as damaged as yours is, it can't be put together again," I tell him, not even daring to look at Ava as she stood behind my father.

"You can't put everyone through pain and agony just because Mum made one mistake in the midst of all your countless errors in life. She loved you but you broke her heart so she broke yours."

He goes silent after that, not that I had expected him to say anything else in response.

With the mere nod of my head and the appearance of a scowl, I shake my head and make my way out of the hall, only for Axel to tug my hand and bring me to a halt as tears welled up in my eyes.

"Hey, hey. Riley, look at me," he whispers.

He lifts one hand up and moves it to tuck my hair behind my ear before holding me by the arms lightly. "Go to him, okay? I texted Daniel and he got him out of there. He's in your room waiting," he tells me, making me nod my head.

I couldn't even smile just yet. All I needed was the comfort of James. The comfort of Nana. The comfort of Mum.

I just needed to be shown some sort of love...