Unforgotten

Chapter 6

I wake up in the tent and assumed that after the talk with my mom I had fallen asleep.

I hated my life. This dumb amnesia mess is getting ridiculous. It has been almost a week and nothings changed. I'm not any closer to figuring out who the assholes were that did this to me were and why the decided to take the memory of an innocent teenage girl anyways. My life is a solar system of problems and pain revolving around my stupid birthday. Not to mention, my shrink always bringing up my dad like that had any relevance. My train of thought was interrupted by Riley gently caressing my check. He was murmuring something.

"Avery, wake up beautiful. We have to go4 now."

I didn't realize how sluggish I was until I tried to respond.

"Oh-okay, why.. wait, what is happening?"

"I'll explain in the car. Baby, I need you to help me pack up quickly."

I come to enough to hear the urgency in his voice. I swiftly sat up and starting shoving whatever I could into our bags and throwing them into the car.

Less than five minutes to get all packed up and in the car, and I wasted no time asking what was going on as we pulled off.

"What is happening?"

"We can't discuss details right now, they are watching. In short, those guys have found us and we have to go into hiding again. I promise that everything will be okay. No one is taking you from me. Not this time, not ever again."

"They who? The people who stabbed you-"

"Shh, we seriously cannot talk about this right now. They can hear us"

Stunned, I begin to look out through the windows. Searching for these people who have put this much fear and anger into someone who has done nothing but protect me since we've met.. or re-connected. I trusted him with my life and so I after a few disappointing glances I sat back and watched the road ahead.

He glances over me and whispers, "I love you"

I smiled. "I love you, too."

"Yeah?" he smirked.

"Crazy enough, more than anything."

It was at this moment we came to a stop and what was in front of me was the most beautiful castle I have ever seen, the only castle I've seen.

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As I step out of the car, I am engulfed in this fifty-foot tall mansion, equipped with a mini draw bridge and a pond. I pondered if we were even still in Colorado because this was something I have only experienced in movies. I turn back towards the car to notice Riley getting our bags out of the truck and go offer some help.

"Let me just grab the door key and we can start heading inside."

I look at him, still agape from the monstrosity of a house in front of me.

"Oh.. um great-great-great uncle's Castle. It's been passed down through the men in my family - I made a copy of my dads key. Its off-grid so they can't trace us back here."

"Fun. Okay, let's get inside." I grabbed a few bags while Riley fumbled with the door. He seemed on edge.

I was astonished by how gorgeously designed the interior was. There was a spiral staircase to my right, a huge family area with a fireplace that lead to a huge welcoming kitchen on the left. The main bedroom sat behind the staircase towards the back of the castle with four more bedrooms upstairs - one being in each of the two towers. The entire place was stunning, was just listening in awe as Riley gave me the tour.

"... And this is where we will be sleeping. In a bed finally." He laughed.

"This place is amazing, I can't imagine living here."

"Well, try to because this is where we will be for the foreseeable future. I didn't mention earlier, but because this Castle is off-grid we have no cell reception."

"Woah, what about my mom? She is already probably freaking out and if I don't call her soon who knows what she'll do." I was starting to get anxious.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, but this is the only way I can keep you safe right now on this venture. I promise we will get through this together, your mom will be okay. I swear on my life I will do whatever it takes to get you safe."

Damn, he's good.

"Okay."

We dropped our bags in the master closet - which was massive - and laid in the bed in silence.

"So, I'm gonna ask - what the f*ck is going on?" I look up at Riley with pleading eyes hoping he'll give me the full and entire story.

His face dropped as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He looked at me with these apologetic eyes that pierced through to my soul.

"I'm not entirely sure how this came to be, but somehow a while back your dad reached out to me. He told me he got his shit together and that he was ready to see you. He told me he couldn't contact your mom because he was worried she wouldn't agree to let him see you so he begged me to bring you to him.

For months I denied him, then your birthday was coming up and he told me he had something he wanted to give you. I knew you wanted to see him even if it was just for closure." He choked up. "Babygirl, I am so so sorry I cannot express how terrible I feel that the reason all this even happened is because of me. Its my fault, this never would've happened if I didn't feel I knew better for you. I am so sorry."

I had to stop him,

"Riley, this isn't your fault. You couldn't have known what was going to happen. You do not need to blame yourself, that's the last thing I want you to do. You tried to do something you knew I needed deep down - it just didn't work out the way we hoped.. you took a leap of faith for me and I can't thank you enough for that."

"Thank me? For literally ruining your life and the lives of those around you?"

"No. I wanna thank you for trying to make my life better."

"This is better?" he gestured around him, "Your life is on index cards, your dad and you aren't on good terms and now your mom wants to disown you! There is one person to blame and its not you. I could've kept saying no to your dad or told your mom. So many outcomes and we are stuck with this one because of me. You are my entire world and I hurt you in the worst way possible and can't do anything to fix it. I'll literally spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

For the second time today, I was left agape trying to comprehend what was really happening to me. This man has sacrificed himself on several occasions just to try and make me happy and yet wants to try and hold onto this guilt that doesn't belong to him.

I take his hands in mine and look him in those big, blue eyes.

"You mean so much to me, I can't have you blaming yourself for something that was out of your control. You didn't ruin my life, that I promise you. I now get to fall in love with you all over again and there is nothing in the world better than this."

He smiled through the silent tears rolling down his checks, leaned in and whispered,

"I love you so much."

"And I can't help but love you just as much." I smiled, laid my head on his shoulder and dozed off.