Rich Boy Problems

Chapter 16 Understanding

"Well," Ryder pauses, "I was there when she was taken. They wanted me to help take your son, and then she got in the way and was taken as well. I took the chance that day and tried to run, but it didn't work. As I tried leaving the one guy tackled me, and they shot him instead of me."

The other guy looks at Ryder's back, and lifts up his shirt, causing him to flinch and let out a small gasp. "And the state of your back is because of that?" Dad asks again.

Ryder shakes his head. "We tried running last night. It was a stupid idea. I should have known better than that."

"We? You both left?" Jaxson asks. I nod my head along with Ryder.

Dad looks between the two of us. "He's coming with us." Dad says. "What's your name son?"

"Ryder." He says.

"Ryder what?" Dad asks.

"Ryder Albers." He says.

"Well then, we should go." Jaxson says.

"Wait," Ryder says, "can I get a few things. They're all I have left from my family." He says getting quieter towards the end.

"What do you mean?" Dad asks.

"I... I was taken when I was twelve. They did the same to my family as they did to yours. They wanted money. My parents died before they could get the money, and they killed my brother."

I see the look between my dad and Jaxson. "Yes." Dad says. "You can go up."

Ryder heads upstairs and I follow him. In his room, Ryder goes straight to his closet. "Are you okay?" I ask. "Never mind, stupid question."

"It's not." He says looking up at me. "Physically, no I'm not okay. When it comes to mentally, I'm a little better. I'm getting out of here, we're getting out of here."

"Yeah."

"Aren't you happy, because of you aren't, you're crazy."

"I'm happy, I'm ready to go home, to sleep in my own bed, to live my life." I say.

"We both know that, that's not going to happen," he says.

"What?"

"Don't think that I didn't notice, that your dad didn't notice how you weren't talking."

"So I was a little quiet down there." I say.

"A little? Kitten, you didn't say anything, you gave one little nod."

"I-"

"Don't even try to deny it." I step back and sit on the bed. "I'm not saying that it won't ever go back to normal, with time it will. I'm just saying that it's not going to go back to normal right away."

"I guess you have a point." I say.

"Are you ready?" Jaxson asks from the doorway.

"Yes." Ryder says.

Jaxson doesn't say anything, but walks towards me. I look up at him from where I'm sitting on the bed. "Jessica?" he asks.

"Yes?" I ask quietly.

"I just want to talk about this now. When we go back there's going to be people that will want to talk to you. Don't say anything to them. There will be people that will get in your face, just push them out of the way and keep going. And I'm just warning you; life won't go back to normal, especially since what happened here." I see Ryder giving me a look from behind Jaxson.

"Ryder," My dad says from the doorway, causing me to flinch a little. "Come here please."

Ryder leaves, and I get up to follow him. "Relax Jessica, they're just going to help him with his back. It is bad, but I've seen worse."

"Can we just go home?" I ask.

"Yes, but first... let's get some of the blood off of your face." He says hesitating the first part. I follow him into the bathroom and he finds a washcloth. I can see the mirror but I don't dare to look in it. I obviously have blood on my face; I don't want to see it.

Jaxson hands me the washcloth, but I don't take so he starts to wipe my face. I feel like a little kid having my face washed for me, but I don't want to look in that mirror. I want out of here. I want to go someplace where something is familiar. "Let's head out to the truck." He says once he's done. "Ryder is going to ride with your dad and Mr. Noland. You're going to ride with Jake and me. Okay?" He asks. I don't say anything, I just nod my head.

We head out to the main room and Jaxson looks around. He grabs my bag and heads towards the door. "Come on." He says.

We head out to the truck and there I see Jake. He come over and hugs me. I don't move to hug him back. I don't move at all, I freeze.

When I don't react to Jake, he lets go of me and just looks at me. "Jessica?" he asks.

His touch. Him around me. Him being too close to me. He's my brother, his sent. He's too close. He's never hurt me. He'll never hurt me, right? But his touch, I... I just can't.

"Jessica?" He asks again.

"No." I say backing up.

"What's wrong?" Jake asks looking away from me.

"No." I say again as I keep backing up until I run into someone.

I turn around to see Ryder. "Jess?" he asks.

"I- I- no- but- I-"

"Relax Jessica." Jaxson says softly from behind me. "Why don't you go get in the truck?" He suggests as Ryder gently pushes me that way.

I go over and open the back door. I go all the way over to the other side and pull my knees up to my chest.

When I hear the door open again I watch as Ryder gets in the back with me. Then Jaxson and Jake get in the front. Jake turns to look at me for a few seconds before he turns back around.

Ryder puts his hands on mine, and I look up at him. That's the only thing that happens. The ride to wherever we're going, probably to a plane, is silent. I'm perfectly okay with going to this plane.

When we get to the plane, we get on it. I recognize it; it' s one of Dad's jets that he's constantly taking on business trips, and a few family vacations. When I get on I see Ashton coming towards me, but Jake talks to him first. He sits down, and when I head over to talk to him Jaxson stops me.

He guides me to a seat and I sit down between him and Ryder. He also hands a Ryder a blanket for his back. "You'll have to go to a doctor for that." Jaxson tells him.

"But I can't-"

"Mr. Kagan is taking care of everything." Jaxson says. I look over at Ryder, who's nodding.

I watch as Dad walks over here. "Jaxson we need to talk. Something might be wrong when we get back." Jaxson get's up and walks with him. What could possibly be wrong? I don't ever want to know, I just want it gone by the time we get home.