Her Lost Soul 2

Chapter 27

It's Wednesday morning and Tyler and I are on our way to Uni. He's still not heard from Ruby. I wonder what Riley said to her. She won't tell me much but I'd have thought she'd have sorted it by now.
Tyler's phone pings and he grabs it from his pocket and hands it to me. "See what it says will you?" He should have just let me drive.
RUBY- Thought I'd let you know that Riley is in the cafe again.
No kiss on the end, that's brutal. No, we need to talk. She obviously still cares about Tyler as she's keeping him updated on his sister. What is her obsession about the cafe?
"It's Ruby." His eyes flash to me but soon focuses back on the road. "Just saying that Riley is in the cafe again."
"We have enough time to make a detour, right?" I check the time, I guess so. Not that he's waiting for an answer. He just wants to see Ruby.
When we arrive I spot Riley through the window. We head inside and I slide into the booth with her, across the table. Tyler sits next to me and she almost seems annoyed with our presence. "Here again sis? You're here every morning."
     "How do you know?" She picks up a phone but it's not her phone. Why has she got a new phone?
     "Ruby mentioned you kept coming in." She's fixated on the screen for a while. She smiles as she does so, what the actual fuck. Is she talking to another guy?
She finally puts the phone down and glares at us. "What?"
    "What are you up to?" Tyler asks. I'd like to know that too. She taps her nose as she stands.
     "Nunyabusiness. Now on to my next problem." She blows us both kisses and then she's on the move again. Next problem? How many problems does she have?
"She's something else," I mutter. Ruby comes over even though it looks like she's rather be anywhere else.
"What can I get you?" She's looking at me not at Tyler. Tyler grabs her hand and she instantly withdraws. "Don't, unless you want to order, I can't help you."
"Okay, I'll have Americano and English breakfast. Just please, remember I love you." The pair of them look devastated. There's like this void between them that neither can shift.
"Same please, Ruby." She nods and walks away. "Well, that wasn't awkward." His eyes follow her around the room. That will be me, just hoping for a slight visual of my girl.
He shoves me with his body but keeps watching her. "Fuck off. She's so beautiful, I can't take my eyes off her."
"Bro, you forget that I'm the same with your sister. I know exactly how you feel."
We eat breakfast and head to our classes. I meet Tyler at the pub. Tyler orders his food and his phone pings. He frowns at the text. "My sister is asking where I am."
I get my phone out but I've got nothing. "Why is she messaging you and not me?"
"Maybe she loves me more," he shrugs. Arsehole. The door opens and Ruby walks in. She scans the room but doesn't seem to find what she's looking for. "Ruby?"
Ruby looks at our table and walks over. "Riley asked me to meet her here." What the hell is my girl up to? "I only have five minutes."
She sits down but far enough away so that Tyler can't touch her. The doors slam open and Riley is dragging Regan in by her hair. What the fuck? "Lee!" Tyler stresses as he stands up.
      "Ariel has something to say. Don't you?" What games has Regan been playing now?
      "Fuck you!" she mumbles. My girl has her jaw in a firm grip.
       "Oh. That the way you're going to play it?" She gets her phone out of her pocket. A recording starts to play and we all focus on the phone.
    "What do you see, Reg? Flynn was the bad boy you thought you could tame. What about Tyler?" Tame me? Please. Sounds like her Regan's room mate.
"He's sweet and caring and he's hot. I really like him Mel. We may not have slept together but I can wait until we do. He's the one." She's seriously fucked up in the head to think Tyler is the one.
"If he finds out that you lied it's not going to end well, sweets."
"He's not going to. He doesn't remember. It's his bitch of a sister I have to watch. Good job she thought we did sleep together. She has no clue." I growl, she's not a bitch, clearly you underestimated my girl.
"I don't think you should underestimate her. Anyway, you going to be alright? I'm meeting Matty."
     The recording stops, so Tyler didn't sleep with her? Oh thank fuck for that. "Anything to say?"
      Tears fall down her face and Riley pushes her to the floor. "Tyler we did make love. We did!" Christ, she needs to be sectioned.
     "I can't believe you would make that up!" Ruby cries. Ruby grabs Tyler's face and kisses him. Good on her is all I can say. Tyler slides his hand across her face and cherishes her.
      My girl has that look on her face as she makes her way to me. Once she's close I pull her onto my lap and she crushes her lips to mine. Damn, I love it when she claims me.
     She pulls away and gives me that drop dead smile. She's amazing, "I love you."
     A phone rings and Ruby grabs her phone. "Dad?" tears continue to flow but seems for different reasons. "What? How could you do that? What am I supposed to do?" Riley seems to tense on my lap. "Okay, I'm coming."
     She hangs up and starts crying some more. "What's wrong babe?" Tyler asks.
      "Dad said that my apartment was sold. Said the lease is automatically broken. There's nothing he can do."
   "Why are you so happy, Lee?" He's actually furious. I look down at her as she's grinning from ear to ear. What the hell is she planning.
     "I just think Ruby should check who bought the apartment."
      "Who owns it?" she questions.
       My girl tries to act coy but she's not succeeding. "Umm, somebody called Ruby Piper. Do you know them?" Her mouth drops open and so does Tyler's.
      "How?" she gasps. "I don't have that sort of money."
      "Not what the name on the deeds say. I think you should start thinking about your dreams now baby girl." She closes her mouth and then drops open again.
     Riley reaches over and shuts her mouth for her. "You're never getting passed my dad," she whispers. She seems to withdraw into herself.
    "You let me worry about that. It's in the process." What's in the process? She better not put herself in danger. She squeals and launches at Riley. I have to shove my hand out so they don't fall.
      Ruby kisses her cheek, "I had better get back. Thank you." Riley nods and Ruby hurries out the pub.
     "The hell are you planning sis?" Tyler asks. He grabs her hand. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you. For helping me get her back and for whatever you're doing."
     "One, that bitch doesn't mess with my brother. I had a inkling that she was lying. Two, I knew she'd never accept help so I got Dad to buy it with my money that I won't use and put her name on it. And lastly, I'm gunning for that bastard."
     "What are you going to do?" he thins his eyes. She's something else, she really is.
     "Apart from wishing he was never born, running him far out of town." Does she like Ruby that much that she will try and send her verbally abusive Dad out of town? Why is she so riled up about this?
     She kisses our cheeks and she's on the move again. "Do you think she will do something stupid?"
     I hope not. "Who knows, this is your sister we're talking about. She can't get into too much trouble."
     There's no point in me warning her because she will do it anyway. We eat our lunch and finish our classes. I don't see Riley until after work.
     Miley is already asleep. Riley left me food in the microwave. I eat and take her to bed. I need her right now. She doesn't protest as I start getting her naked.
     She looks at me as if I'm her whole world and it does things to me. Good things. I look at her naked body, her bruises are nearly gone. Just yellow and brown bruising. "Strip," she demands.
    I raise my eyebrow at her. I do as she says as I stand at the end of the bed. "What next, baby?"
    She grins, "Touch yourself." I growl as I take my cock into my hand. I start with soft strokes. She groans and spreads her legs. She's already dripping.
    She's a piece of art, people would pay good money for this view on their wall. She slips her fingers inside of her. "Faster," she orders.
     My hand works my cock in a faster tempo. I watch as she eases her fingers in and out of her pussy. She licks her lips, "Now make love to me."
    I don't need to be told twice. I crawl on the bed and keep going until I'm between her legs. I take her wrist and remove her fingers from her pussy and bring her lips to my mouth.
    She gasps as I suck her unique scent off her fingers. I hold my cock and line myself up. I thrust hard into her and let her fingers slide out of my mouth.
    I lock eyes with her and start thrusting my hips. She moans and I gather her hands in mine and pin them either side of her head.
     I use my eyes to project how much I love her. I hope she remembers how much I love her. She's my light in this dark life. Hopefully, one day we can be together again.
     I wake in the middle of the night. Something feels off. I pat the bed and Riley's not here. I sit up in bed and scan the dark room.
      I climb out of bed and pull on some boxers. I walk into Miley's room and she's asleep. I walk into the living room and Riley isn't here.
     Where the hell would she go in the middle of the night? I head back to the bedroom and find my phone in my jeans. Three am and no messages from her.
     The dog whines on the bed. I hear the door open but if I wasn't listening out for it, I wouldn't have heard. She's sneaking around and I don't like it.
     I place the phone on the bedside table and walk to the bedroom door. She's in a hoodie and she's washing something at the sink. She turns and freezes when she sees me. "Where the fuck you been?"
     "Completing phase three." She's not worried at all. She's been god knows where in the middle of the night and she's not phased.
     She pulls off her hoodie and I raise my eyebrow. She prowls towards me and I swallow hard. She strips as she walks, it's sexy as hell.
     She climbs on the bed once she's naked and just lays there as if expecting me to fuck her. She'd be right but I'd still like to know where she's been.
     I growl and kick off my boxers and crawl on the bed. I grab the back of her knees and rest them on my shoulders. I stay kneeling as she's completely at my mercy.
     He shoulders and head are still on the bed as her hands grip the sheets. I take my cock and ease into her. It's like coming home. "Am I going to have to cuff you to bed at night, Ri?"
      I need her safe, especially when I'm not here. God knows what trouble she will get into without me.
      She mumbles something incoherent as I ease in and out. "Where were you?"
      "I had a date with a fat man." Her head rolls as if I've found her G spot.
      I growl as I fuck her hard as fast. "What fat man? You're mine."
     "A fat man that's going to run away screaming like the pig he is." Ruby's Dad? She fucking went out in the middle of the night to see her Dad? I circle her clit with my thumb and she groans.
      I growl as she cups her tit and squeezes. Fuck, she knows how to distract me. I don't know where to look. Her face as she sucks on her bottom lip or her hands on her tits.
     Or where my cock slides in and out of her. As much as I like this position I need to remind her again how much I love her. I growl and move her knees off my shoulder and tower over her.
     I join our hands again but slow the rhythm of the thrusts. Slow, circular movements. I claim her lips and she purrs into my mouth. My tongue piercing toys with her tongue.
     Her mouth gapes open as her orgasm rips through her. She's sexy as hell and I'm going to miss seeing her high off me. Me sending her to her safe haven.
     Her pussy grip my cock as it pulses. I groan into her mouth as I let go. I keep my lips on her slackened ones. It's almost like we're giving and receiving each breath to survive.
      I pull out of her when I'm spent and curl up to her. I rest my face in her neck and I can't help think about the loss already. Instead of treasuring this moment I'm filled with regret and heartbreak.
      This is going to kill us both but what's that saying? What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. We will survive this. We have to.
      I wake to soft lips on mine. They withdraw as quick as they came. I groan at the loss. "Don't tease, Ri." I wrap an arm around her and pin her closer. I blink my tired eyes open and she's stunning, even as she's just woken up.
      "I need to feed Miley." She peppers kisses on my face and I quickly grab her face and tease her lips with mine. I seek entrance to her mouth and she opens instantly.
     I pull away and slap her backside. "I'll make pancakes." She yelps as she sits up.
      "Try not to make too much of a mess." She's a clean freak but it's not a bad thing. I dress quickly and feel her eyes on me. I wonder what she's thinking about in that pretty little head of hers.
      I leave the bedroom and head to the kettle to make a coffee. I hear the shower running and I grumble. She's showering without me.
    Miley's watching something on TV. I pull out the ingredients I need for the pancakes. I prepare the mixture by whisking. "Mommy is going to moan about the mess."
     I jump and look down. She appears from no where. I look at the mess I've made, oops. "You gonna blackmail me like you do with Uncle Tyler?"
    "No. Uncle Tyler says bad words and he's scared of Mommy." She smiles as if she knows she has Tyler right where she wants him.
     "I think everyone is scared of, Mommy."
      "Na uh, I'm not. Mommy is nice to me." She frowns, "My real Mommy was mean to me. She'd lock me in my room for hours."
      I thought she didn't remember that. "Yeah, because you were a brat."
      "Na uh! She wouldn't listen to me!" Jesus Christ, I hoped she wouldn't remember.
       I hear the shower cut off. "Listen about what?"
     "I don't remember now. Duh, it was a long time ago. Good luck." I raise my eyebrow at her. She runs back to the TV. Is she wishing me luck with Riley? She's a real brat.
      The bedroom door opens a few minutes later and Riley clicks the kettle back on. She sighs as she grabs a cloth and wipes the flour off the sides.
       I start frying the mixture and then grab her pills. I push her dosage into her mouth and she swallows. Once she's cleaned up my mess she makes us a coffee.
     I'm glad to see her making herself a decaf. She pours Miley some milk and she takes them to the couch.
    When I've made enough pancakes I take the plates and hand them out. We watch Miley's TV show as we eat.
     I set my plate on the coffee table just as the doorbell rings. Are we expecting company? Riley sets her empty plate on top of mine and hurries to open the door.
      Silence greets the doorway so I turn and look at the door. Ruby stands speechless in the doorway as Riley hands her some papers. "I've printed off some uni forms and a few places looking for part time trainees at nurseries."
      "How did you do it? He's gone. The cafe is all locked up. He's not even contacted me." Holy fuck, what did she do last night?
     "The less you know the better. Enjoy your life baby girl, you deserve it. You have your apartment, a promising career. You're free."
     Free? That sounds like something Riley would say. Did he do more than verbally abuse her? Ruby embraces Riley and she hugs her back. "Will you help me tell Tyler. I'm ready."
    "Of course, when?" Tell him what?
    "Now? So I don't back out." Riley withdraws and turns to face me.
      "Can you watch Miley for a little while?" I nod, I'd still like to know what's going on though. "I'm going to see uncle Tyler, Moo. I'll be back in a bit."
     "Okay Mommy." She blows us both a kiss, she's cute when she does that. I watch as they leave the apartment.
     "Will you have a meltdown if I asked you to get dressed?"
       She looks at me and glares at me. Jesus, has learned that from Riley? "Yes, I'm watching Doc McStuffins."
      Doc mc what? "What if I brought the clothes out here and you could change whilst watching it?"
      Fuck, am I reasoning with a kid? I'm more like Tyler than I thought. "Okay." Good. I get up and find some clothes in her bedroom.
      I bring them out and place them next to her. I sit down and sip my coffee.
      It's around twenty minutes when Riley returns. She's all smiles as she plonks down next to me. "What has my badass done now?"
    "Sorted a problem." She keeps being vague and it's annoying as fuck.
    "Tell me."
   "Ruby's dad was physically violent." My eyes widen. I had a feeling it was more than what she said. "I scared the pig. Random notes, text messages. It was actually fun watching the blood drain from his face in freight.
    "Last night I went to his place. Put a knife to his throat whilst he was sleeping. Told him to leave town and never come back. I let him leave with his assets. He's luckily I allowed that. If he didn't I'd go to the police with his illegal proceedings.
     "Even DV on his daughter. He ran like a coward this morning. Ruby's just told Tyler what he's been doing." Remind me never to get on her bad side. She's a little master mind.
    I crush her to my chest. "Omph." I think she'd help anyone in need. She's been planning a lot without me knowing.
     "I love you so much but don't do something so risky again." She nods into my neck but somehow, I don't believe her. "Did Tyler go on a rampage?" I couldn't blame him. I'd want to beat the fucker to death if he hurt my girl.
    "Nearly. I talked him down. Told him Ruby needs him. I left them to it after that." I shake my head in disbelief. I'm surprised he didn't.
     We took Miley to school and went to Uni. Riley cooked dinner for us, including Tyler. He wanted to go to the pub. He needed to let off steam after Ruby's confessions.
     "How you doing, Bud?" My head was fucked when I found out about Riley.
      "Okay, I guess. I'm just fucking thankful that Riley sent him packing. I hate that I didn't do more, you know?" I nod as I sip my beer.
     "Yeah, I felt the same when I didn't listen to Riley when she said she saw James. I should have known."
      "Women are so stubborn, huh? If they opened up more then we could help or at least understand."
      "It explains the no sex." He grins as he looks at me.
      "You got laid?"
      "Fuck yeah, I've never felt sex like it. I did have to be careful not to come too soon." I laugh and shove him with my shoulder.
      "I know that feeling. Riley for some reason orgasms so easily now. I have to either pull out or grit my teeth to stop myself."
     He groans, "Too much information, Bro. That's my sister." Yeah, I know but I like that we can talk about this stuff.
     "I'm going to do it tonight, Bro. I don't want to but I think it's for the best." He nods as he sighs.
      "It is but I hope she doesn't turn dark again. She didn't last time, so that's hope right?" She just withdrew last time. Stared at walls for hours, cried constantly.
     "She has Miley now. I don't think she will but you're sister can surprise the fuck out of me sometimes."
     When we finish the beer we head home. I really don't want to do this and dread is suffocating me. I don't know what Riley to expect.
     I sit down on the couch and she joins me after changing into her PJ's. She grabs my hand trying to comfort me and it only makes me feel worse.
    "What's wrong?" She knows something is wrong, I can see it on her face.
    "You know I love you right?" I need her to know that. After this all goes pear shaped, she needs to know that most important fact.
Something flashes in her eyes. "Don't." She withdraws her hand from mine. How does she always know? "You promised you wouldn't leave me again." Tears fall from her sad eyes. She tries to wipe them away but they just keep coming.
"We just aren't right for each other. I need something less intense. I kissed Scarlett." She covers her mouth. "I'm sorry, Ri, I don't want to hurt you."
"You want to be with her?" She seems surprised by that fact. I mean, I tried my best to reassure her that I wouldn't want anyone else.
"I guess I want to explore what I'm feeling towards her." She nods and runs into the bathroom. Fuck, why is life so complicated? I hear her being sick and I'm on my feet and making my way towards her.
     She's on her knees, puking into the toilet. Me being with someone else makes her physically sick? I don't want that! I hold her hair out of her face. She sobs loudly between puking. "Ri." I don't know what to do.
     I knew this would be hard but I didn't expect this. "I want you to leave."
"Don't do this." Don't push me out, we can still be friends.
"Do what? You're leaving me, you kissed someone else. You want to explore other options because you don't love me enough anymore. I was too much to handle."
     She's not even close. I loved fixing her. Was I really fixing her? My therapist said I was just a clutch and she wasn't truly healing. "That's not it, I promise."
"You just said it was. I'm fed up of this back and forth, Flynn. Once you leave there is no coming back. I love you so much that I want you to be happy. You know you are making the right choice here. Don't back down now."
     Fuck, does she really mean that? If I leave now, she will never let me return? And what if I stay, she'd forgive me for cheating? Not that I did. She pukes again and I wonder why she's being so calm and understanding.
"Why are you being so cool about this?" It doesn't make any sense.
"Because I fucking love you. It never made sense to me that you loved me. To want only me, I'm letting you go if that's what you want. I don't think it's a good sign for us if you kissed someone else."
She loves me that much that she'd let me go if that's what I want? She's fucking amazing and I don't deserve her when I'm not whole. "It wasn't really like that."
"Promise me this is real, your feelings for her are real and I'll let you go. Promise me she's not a cover like Ariel." She holds my eyes.
Lie good Flynn, you only have one shot at this. "I promise what I feel is real."
Any hope she had has fizzled until the light in her eyes fade. I've lost her. "Then I hope you're happy and she's one lucky girl." She gives me a genuine smile and it hurts. "Now go knock her dead with that Flynn charm."
"I don't want to leave you like this." I'm making her physical sick.
"I won't be anyone's safe option. Go be happy Flynn, I obviously don't make you happy." I've just destroyed everything I've worked so hard to build. Faith, trust, self confidence. I shattered it with just a few words.
"You do make me happy, don't say that to me."
"Flynn, it's okay. I understand, I do." I don't think she does but what can I do? I kiss her forehead and stand. I don't look back as I walk out the bathroom.
     I hear her agonising sobs and I feel like I've completely destroyed her. The one person I didn't want to hurt so badly. Maybe I should have told her the truth.
     No, once's she cried it out. She will hate me, she has to for this to work. I can't be drawn back whilst I'm still fragments.