Let them go

Chapter 40

Aiden POV

My heart was racing like crazy.

I got my Riley back, but was she okay? Was she hurt? What happened to her? Why wasn’t she conscious when they found her?

I would kill that fucker who took her. I would fucking kill him.

Not right now, though. Now, I needed to go to my sister. I needed to take her into my arms and promise her that no one would ever hurt her again.

I rushed inside the hospital, pulling Ethan behind me.

I looked around, trying to find someone who would tell me where my Riley was.

I almost sobbed when my eyes found Nate.

“Nate!” I shouted, rushing toward him. “Where is she?!”

I almost ran into him, but Ethan stopped me in time.

“She is upstairs on the private floor.” Nate said as he started walking toward the elevators. “She is still unconscious.”

“Why?” Ethan asked before I could.

The panic gripped my insides and my vision blackened.

What did he do to her?!

“She has a concussion.” Nate said, making my heart stop. “He drugged her as well. She will be out for a while.”

We entered the elevator, and I leaned on Ethan. I needed his support or I would collapse to the floor.

“You guys can’t go in Riley’s room right now.” I heard Nate’s voice, and I looked up.

My friends were in the elevator with us. I didn’t even notice them come inside.

“We know, Nate.” Noah said. “We will be in the waiting room.”

I looked at Ethan. His jaw was clenched tight. His eyes were filled with tears.

He noticed me looking at him.

“She will be okay.” he mumbled as he pulled me to him. “She is strong.”

She was. She was the strongest person I knew.

The elevator stopped, and I almost knocked over everyone to get out.

“Easy, Aiden.” Nate mumbled. “You don’t even know where her room is.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and waited for Nate to lead me to my sister.

“There are a lot of cuts and bruises on her.” Nate said as we walked. “I wanted to warn you in advance.”

I heard curses all around me, but I couldn’t focus on anything other than my rage. I would fucking kill him.

We stopped in front of the door, and I almost shoved Nate to the side.

Didn’t he see how badly I needed to go in there?!

“I will update you guys on everything.” he told my friends. “Liam, call me when her parents call you back.”

“Of course.” Liam said.

I wanted to scream at Nate.

Would he just open the door?!

“Okay, guys.” he said, looking at us. “I will let you in, but you need to be careful.”

“Of course.” Ethan said impatiently.

Nate opened the door, and I took a deep breath.

“Oh, God.” Ethan sobbed.

My Riley was lying in bed, hooked up to some fucking machines. She was covered in cuts. The bruises were just starting to form, but I could tell that there were a lot of them.

What did he do to her?!

She was gone for only a few hours, but that was obviously enough for him to hurt her so badly.

I forced my frozen body to move. I rushed toward her, just wanting to touch her to make sure that she was really here.

“Riley.” I sobbed as soon as my hands touched her cold skin.

“Oh, my God, Riles.” Ethan sobbed.

He was on the other side of her bed, and he was bending down to kiss her forehead.

“You are safe now, cutie.” Ethan mumbled. “You are safe now. I will never let anyone hurt you again. I promise.”

I couldn’t move my eyes from her face. There was a large bruise on the side of her head. There was a cut on her lip. My eyes moved to her neck, and I almost passed out.

Was that a…?

“Ethan.” I called my brother, not even recognizing my own voice.

“Yes?” Ethan mumbled, wiping the tears from his cheek.

“Look at her neck.” I said, trying to stop myself from destroying the fucking room.

Ethan placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head gently.

“Is that a…” Ethan mumbled, the anger in his voice increasing by the second.

“A handprint, yes.” I heard Nate’s voice behind me.

My vision blackened. I couldn’t see anything around me. I could feel my heartbeat in my eyes.

“There is one more test that we need to do.” Nate said softly. “We can’t do it until she wakes up or until your parents give their consent.”

“What test?” Ethan asked, but I knew. “I will sign whatever I need to.”

“You are not her legal guardian, Ethan.” Nate said. “I need your parents’ signature.”

If he raped her…

I broke. I couldn’t handle that.

No. Fuck no.

I buried my head in her neck and sobbed.

“What fucking test?” Ethan asked, but I could tell that he knew just by the way his voice shook while he spoke.

“A rape kit.” Nate said, making my heart break even more. “There was blood on her thighs when they brought her in. She has a lot of cuts on her body, so the blood could be from that, but we need to be sure so we could give her medication she needs.”

I didn’t even have to look up at Ethan to know how fucking pissed off he was.

I didn’t even have to look up to know that he was going to break something.

A second later, I heard something crash against the wall.

“Ethan!” Nate shouted, running toward my brother. “Stop!”

The door opened, and someone ran inside.

“I am going to fucking kill him!” Ethan screamed. “I am going to kill him!”

I held Riley tighter. I buried my head into her neck even more. I couldn’t look up. I didn’t want to look up. I didn’t want to let her go.

“Breathe, Ethan, come on.” I heard Liam’s voice. “Riley needs you, bud.”

I heard Ethan’s broken sob.

“He will pay.” Liam said. “I promise, Ethan. He will pay.”

I heard footsteps approaching us, and I felt a hand on my back. I didn’t need to look up to know it was my brother.

“I’m so sorry, Riles.” Ethan mumbled, sobbing quietly. “I am so sorry, cutie.”

I lifted my head and kissed her cheek.

“Call me if you need anything, okay?” I heard Nate’s soft voice. “I will give you guys some privacy.”

I heard footsteps walking away. I heard the door close.

“Did he hurt you like that, Riley?” Ethan sobbed. “Please, cutie, wake up. We need to know what he did.”

I looked up at my brother and pulled him closer to me.

“He will pay.” I said, my voice raspy and laced with anger. “We will make him pay.”

Ethan leaned his forehead on mine and took a deep breath.

I ran my fingers through Riley’s hair and gulped down the lump in my throat. I couldn’t even think about that. I couldn’t even think about him touching her. I wanted to scream. I wanted to burn the fucking world to the ground.

I moved away from Ethan and leaned my head on hers.

“Nothing and no one will ever hurt you again.” I told her. “I promise, Riley. I will kill them all.”

I meant what I said.

No one would even get to touch her again. No one would get to come close to her ever again.

I would never leave her side again.

I would never even give them a chance to hurt her.

She was my twin, and they would have to go through me to get to her.

And I wasn’t going to let them. I wasn’t going to let anyone hurt her ever again.