Keeping the Bad Boy

Chapter 16

I was beyond relieved when I got home to see Ryder's hummer parked in the driveway. My face and chest were stinging from the cold, but that just kept my thoughts off Courtney. My bike clattered to the ground and I ran to the door. Once again I'm thankful my parents get home late. I flung the door open and raced inside. I slammed the door shut and sunk to my knees. Ryder came flying down the stairs. He skid to a stop and turned to me. "Oh shit," he said and knelt down in front of me. He grabbed my shoulders and shook my. "Sam!" he shouted. "SAM!" My mind was swirling. My mother. Her necklace. It was still in my coat pocket. "I have to go get it," I said, trying to get to my feet, but Ryder just pulled me back down. I hadn't meant to say it out loud. "Samuel! SAMUEL! You have to calm down man!" My heart started to beat to fast. I was having a panic attack. I thrashed out and caught my brother's arms with my hands and held on for dear life. The world was spinning. He was the only thing that I knew was real. My knuckles were beginning to hurt. Ryder pulled me toward him. He held my shaking body against him. "You're fine. You're fine. It's okay." I began to calm down. I let go of his arms and wrapped my arms around his neck. He took a deep breath, relieved that it was over. "Mom's necklace...my jacket..." I trailed off. Ryder nodded. "Stay here, I'll go get it." He ran outside and moments later he came back in, clutching my backpack. He unzipped it and pulled out my jacket. He searched each pocket until he pulled out the necklace. "It's fine, see?" He tossed it to me and I caught it. He threw me my t-shirt. "Put your clothes back on, man. The ladies are probably scarred by your horribly ugly physique." I laugh a humorless laugh and pull it over my head. "Where's your fucking helmet anyway?" "I kind of...threw it. It broke." "See. I told you not to buy a piece of shit helmet. It shouldn't have broken. If you had crashed with it, you would die," he said helping me to my feet. "Maybe that's my intention," I said putting the necklace back into my jacket pocket. "Dammit, don't talk like that. You sound like Dad when you say shit like that." "You sound like Dad when you cuss all the time too, you know." H shrugs, "Touche, little brother. Have you played any since I left?" I shake my head. He clicks his tongue. "Man, that's why you're freaking out. You know that playing keeps you mellow." I shrug, "Maybe I changed." Ryder laughed at that. A lot harder than I had expected. "Come on. Let's go play."