Discovering Riley

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Adam's POV

"Where are you going?" Casey asked me.

I paused with my hand on the doorknob. "Going out for air."

I heard her shuffle. "Are you going after her?"

I turned around then to look at her. She was in sweats and a tee, her arms crossed over her chest. Derek and Josh's sister was beautiful to say the least and I always knew she had a crush on me. I've never showed her that I was interested so I hoped she got over it.

"I can't sleep knowing she's in my house with that scumbag." I almost snarled.

She didn't flinch. "I don't think you should go alone."

"What? Do you think you could do anything to help me?"

She frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. "I'm sorry, Case. It doesn't mean anything. I'm just worried about her. I'm going to check on her."

"But--"

I smiled at her before opening the door. "Don't wait up."

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It didn't take long to drive to my family home. When I got there, I was relieved to see that the ward had come down. But the lights were off also. Did they leave?

Getting out of the car, I stepped towards my house cautiously as if this was all a trap Mason set up. As I got closer, I noticed a figure in front of what was left of Riley's home.

The figure turned as if they heard me and revealed her face. Riley.

She froze when she saw me, her eyes widening. She was crying. I could tell.

I took a couple of steps towards her, wanting to touch her, to hold her. Once I got in touching range, a ward came up quick around her.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded. "What else can you possibly take away from me?"

"Riley..." I stepped towards her slowly.

"Don't come any closer." She warned me. "You kidnapped me and kept me locked in some basement for days! And if Mason hadn't come to save me...You're a monster!"

I flinched at her tone of voice, but at the same time confused at what she was saying. "That doesn't make sense. That wasn't me. That was all Mason. He did something to you, some spell that's making you think he's me."

"You're a liar. And a murderer. You killed my family! You killed Walter!" She shouted, tears coming down her face.

I took another step closer, but she mirrored it back. "Riley---"

"Mason may not be able to kill you, but I can. I hate you."

I searched her eyes in the dark, seeing that she was dead serious. "Look at me, Riley. It's me. Can't you see?"

"Yeah. I see the brother who absolutely hated Mason when he killed your father. I see the brother who wasn't there at your mother's funeral."

My eyes widened. How did she know that? Unless... "Ri...Riley? Do you have your memories back?"

She glared at me. "I do. I remember everything, Adam."

I nearly cried in relief. She remembers me. She remembers us. Whatever memory spell Mason did, he managed to break Walter's memory spell on Riley from two years ago.