Unleashed

Chapter Eleven: Just Breathe

Emma Riley

Lakeside Apartments

I couldn't believe it. But there, standing on the other end of the front door, was Ryker Fox. I wasn't entirely sure if he had really good timing..or really bad. For a long moment I couldn't speak, just stood there while he looked me over. If I wasn't still so stunned by the video, the way he was looking at me would have made me blush. Gina was almost as shocked as I was.

"Can I come in? We need to talk." He said, breaking the awkward silence. His eyes were apologetic, and concerned. His usual cocky, laid-back demeanor gone.

"Do we?!" I put my hands to my chin, and squinted my face into a thinking pose. I did very little to hide my sarcasm, and both Ryker and Gina shot me judgmental glances. It's not that I at all thought this situation was funny. But I was afraid if I didn't make light of the situation I would break down completely. I don't think it had even really fully hit me how bad this was yet.

"Just come in." Gina finally gestured him to come inside when I didn't respond further. She was a cross between shocked and upset about the video, and excited that Ryker fucking Fox was actually in our living room. I was quite certain she would be analyzing every stolen glance and every flirty gesture. Storing it away in her "memory bank" for a more appropriate time to tease me about it.

Ryker walked inside and immediately to where I stood, to face me. His approach a bit quiet, and careful. "So..you've seen it? The video?" He asked, studying my face.

I just nodded and gripped the phone in my hand tighter. "Do you..do you have any idea who posted this? And how?" I was surprised to hear my voice cracking, and he took a deep breath before he spoke.

"I think..it might have been Maria." He admitted, biting his lip in frustration. My heart sank, that would definitely make sense. There was a part of me truth be told, that wondered if he had something to do with it. If filming girls without their knowledge was just kind of..his "thing." and he posted it for some kind of publicity or something.

But I really didn't believe that was true. Then again..I didn't know for sure if that was logic talking, or my growing attraction. But Maria, she made more sense to me.

"That fucking bitch!" Gina shouted out behind us. It made both Ryker and I jump and look back at her. I think we had forgotten she was there for a moment. "Maria is that slut you told me about from this morning, right?" Gina shouted.

My face flushed, as Ryker looked back at me. She had just given away I gossiped to Gina about what happened this morning. I tried to send subliminal messages with my eyes to Gina saying "shut the fuck up," but she seemed to be too on a roll to take a hint.

"Where this hoe at? I say we go track her down and take care of this old school. I'll hold her down while Emma kicks her fucking head in. Ryker, you're a guy so you're not allowed to hit her or nothing but you can at least pinch the bitch." Gina hit the palm of her hand with her other fist repeatedly like it was Maria's head.

She was being completely serious, and I can tell you as her best friend she would do it. One-hundred-percent. But even though she wasn't trying to be funny, she was kind of hilarious right now.