I nod and run up after her.
Praying like hell we aren’t about to say goodbye right after we just exchanged ‘I love yous’.
At the driveway of the mansion, her parents wait with outstretched arms. The police cars are gone and no one is in sight. I’m praying Luther has been taken into custody.
Her parents pull her into their arms, kissing her cheeks, clearly relieved that their only child is okay. I stand back watching this happy reunion.
“Did they take Luther away?” I ask.
Justine’s father nods. “They were leaving when we got here. The grounds are empty except for the two of you, but the police didn’t know where you’d gone.”
“We were on a walk. I needed to calm down,” Justine tells them.
Her mom looks my way. “And who is this?”
Justine blushes, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “This is Ryder. My, uh, friend.”
I cock a brow, wondering how we went from lovers to friends so damn fast.
Then again, everything between Justine and I has happened fast. Hyper-speed. Maybe she has flip-flopped just as fast. Maybe the words we shared in the tree house are meant to stay put.
“Friends?” her father says. “Well, pleased to meet you, Ryder. I’m Jim and this is my wife, Vicky.”
I nod, thinking that maybe there isn’t anything more to Justine and me than an accumulation of stolen moments. I look at her, trying to figure out what she wants.
Friends? Really?
When I look at her though, I realize Justine is just protecting herself. There is fear in her eyes.
I see a woman who seems unsure of me, of what I want. Of my intentions.
Fuck, I can’t let that be true. I need Justine to know exactly where I stand.
“Your daughter and I are not friends, Jim,” I say evenly.
“No?” He looks at his wife and they both frown.
“No. I love your daughter, plain and simple.”Chapter 23RyderJustine looks at me with wide eyes as if she’s surprised I’m telling her parents how I feel. But I have nothing to hide and no one to protect but the woman standing before me.
But Jim doesn’t respond to my statement, and Vicky protectively puts an arm around Justine’s shoulders. “Aren’t you the man who kidnapped our daughter?”
“How do you know that?” Justine asks.
“EXPOSÉ,” Vicky answers. “They’ve been giving up-to-the-minute coverage on you. You went missing, Justine. Everyone has been worried sick.” She begins to sob and Jim pulls his wife into a hug.
“There, there, Vicky. Everyone is in one piece, everything is going to be okay.”
Justine shakes her head. “Not everyone is one piece. Luther has a bloody face and should be put in prison. And I can’t believe you’d believe anything that gossip column wrote. They don’t know anything about this. They weren’t with me the last twenty-four hours.”
“Then tell us what happened,” Vicky says.
“If you weren’t kidnapped by this man,” Jim says, pointing to me. “Why didn’t you call us? Do you know how terrified we’ve been? Poor Eileen has been a complete wreck. She felt responsible for you.”
Justine shakes her head. “No one is responsible for me. I am responsible for myself.”
Vicky shakes her head. “Justine, do you hear yourself? We thought you had...” She starts crying again, and Justine’s shoulders fall, realizing the pain she is causing her family.
But the truth is, this isn’t Justine’s fault at all.
“It’s my fault she didn’t call. We got caught up in the moment and didn’t think about anyone.”
“I don’t want to hear it,” her mom says. “Justine, did you plan to ruin the auction? Do you know how many people are covering this story right now? Every news source in the country is talking about the kidnapped virgin.”
Justine crosses her arms. “Well, I’m neither of those things, so they can stop talking about me.”
My eyes just about pop out of my eye sockets. Is she really talking about her virginity like this with her parents?
Her dad doesn’t seem to follow though. “Are you saying that man Luther took you against your will?” Jim is all choked up, his fists are clenched. He’s on fucking fire. “We were sent here by the police, and they filled us in briefly, but if he hurt you, Justine, you should have an examination by a doctor. This evidence can be used in court when we sue his sorry ass.”
I can respect this man. His focus is on his daughter’s well-being, and it’s clear he’ll do what is necessary to get vengeance.
“It wasn’t Luther,” Justine says. “I mean, if Ryder had taken longer to find me, it might have been, but Luther didn’t touch me like that even though he wanted to.” Justine wipes a tear. “I know you respected my choice to do this auction, Mom, and Dad, but you were right to be worried, to doubt my plan.”
“Once you set your mind to something, Justine,” Jim says. “we know it’s useless to try and talk you out of it.”