Love Don't Die: A Ryden Fanfic

Chapter Twenty Three

(Ryan's POV)

*A/N: Very Rare*

I could see Brendon starting to panic. His eyes kept darting from me to the phone. I was getting nervous just watching him do this.

"R-Ryan isn't the killer." His words were barely audible.

"I know you want to believe that Bren, but he is. They have sketches. They have height and weight descriptions. And it's Ryan."

Brendon didn't speak for a while and I wish I could read his mind. I needed to know what he was thinking. Who was his loyalty deeper to? My bets were weighing in on Spencer. He'd known him for years. He used to be his only friend. He'd known me for weeks. I was only his pretend husband. He was definitely more attached to Spencer. But what did that mean for us? Would he crack under pressure and tell his friend everything? Then I'd have to kill them both. Damnit! I didn't want to kill Brendon. I hated the thought of hurting him. But it was about my survival here. And if Brendon turned on me, he would have to go. I wouldn't have a choice.

"I'm sure this is all just a big misunderstanding." Brendon's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Maybe." Spencer didn't sound convinced. "But just in case, you need to get out. Or have Ryan go to the police and explain that it's a misunderstanding. I'm sure they'll let him out."

About as sure as I was that that was complete bullshit. I looked at Brendon again but he was staring down at his phone. I could see him shaking and it worried me. He was cracking. I could tell. I needed to win him over. To be one hundred percent sure he was going to stay on my side.

"O-Okay Spence."

"After he turns himself in, you can go back to your house and I'll come visit to keep you company until he. . . gets out."

"Say okay and hang up." I whispered so low that I might as well have mouthed the words.

"Spencer, I-"

"Say Okay and hang up."

"Okay." He pressed the screen to end the call.

"Good." I gently pried the phone from his hands. It's not like I expected him to call the police. If he wanted to do that, he would have done it by now. I just didn't want to think about it. And if he didn't have his phone, I didn't have to think about it.

"Ryan, this is not good." He began pacing around the living room. I stood back and watched. "He knows. He fucking knows it's you. The whole town knows it's you."

"It's on the other side of the country. And the town had like five people in it. It'll die down without any leads."

"Do not try to down play this!" He ran his hands through his hair frantically. Biting down on his lip. "This is it. Holy shit, they know it's you!"

"If Spencer just shuts the fuck up, it will die down-"

"Its not going to die down because you keep killing people!" He yelled. "You've killed ten girls since we've been here, Ryan. Ten!" He pointed to the television. "I fucking saw it!"

"Keep your voice down."

"Keep your body count down!"

"Brendon, relax."

I needed to take my own advice. Because I was panicking. Brendon was slipping further away from me. Mentally and physically. He was trying to distance himself from the crimes. And he was walking further away from me with each pace.

I had to reel him in. To make him feel so attached to me, he wouldn't even be able to fathom the thought of being without me. I think I knew just how to do that. Sex seemed to make people think they had some sort of special connection. And because Brendon was a virgin, it'd be ten times worse. He'd become irrevocably clingy after sex. It was a dirty thing to do but it was the only hope I had of keeping him.

"I'm not going to relax! This is becoming so fucked-"

I rushed up to him, grabbing his face between my hands. Brendon stared up at me with wide eyes as my lips connected with his. His eyelids fluttered shut as he kissed me back. I pulled away.

"I love you okay?"

"Y-You do?"

"Yes." I kissed him again. "And we're going to be okay."

"How?"

"You have to trust me. Do you trust me?"

"Ryan-"

"Do you trust me?"

He nodded.

I couldn't help the victorious smile that broke out on my face as I kissed him again. This time deeper and harder than before. Brendon's hands dropped to his sides and he pushed himself closer to me. My hands moved from Brendon's face down to his hips so I could lift him up. His arms and legs instinctively wrapped around me.

"Ryan, what are you-"

"Trust me." Was all I said before walking him direct into the bedroom.