Riley?!

CHAPTER FIVE  

RILEY’S POV

“Coming!” I called out, my voice sounded shaky even to my own ears.

I quickly dropped the pregnancy test on the bathroom sink like it had burned me. The two pink lines stared back at me accusingly. 

My heart was hammering so hard I felt like I might throw up again. I couldn’t deal with this right now. Not with Logan waiting downstairs.

I splashed cold water on my face, took a deep breath, and forced myself to look normal in the mirror. My cheeks were pale and my eyes looked scared, but there was nothing I could do about it. I locked the bathroom door behind me and headed downstairs.

Logan was already sitting at the kitchen island when I walked in. He had made my favorite meal—grilled chicken Alfredo with garlic bread. The smell that usually made my mouth water but now, it turned my stomach violently.

He looked up at me with that familiar smile, but his eyes were intense. Again.

“There you are,” he said, pushing a plate toward me. “Sit down. I made extra just for you.”

I forced a smile and slid onto the high chair across from him. “Thanks, Lo. This looks really good.”

For the first few minutes, things felt almost normal. We talked about his practice, how the team was preparing for the next game, and how Coach was riding everyone hard. 

I pushed the pasta around my plate, trying to take small bites even though the creamy smell was making me dizzy.

Then the questions started. “So…” Logan said casually, twirling pasta around his fork. “You’ve been spending a lot of time around the rink lately. Even after practice.”

I shrugged, keeping my eyes on my plate. “I like watching you guys play. You know that. Besides you also know I learn better balance from watching your stance on the ice.”

“Mhm.” He took a slow sip of his water, never taking his eyes off me. “And it has nothing to do with Jax?”

My fork froze halfway to my mouth. The nausea was already creeping up my throat, but I fought it down.

“Jax?” I laughed, but it sounded weak. “Why would you think that?”

Logan leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice. His tone sounded darker, almost deadly. 

“Because I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Riley. And I’ve seen the way you look at him.” His eyes narrowed. “Don’t lie to me, little sister. Has something been going on between you two?”

My stomach twisted painfully. But I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady.

“No, Logan. Nothing’s going on. He’s your best friend. He wouldn’t…I wouldn’t.”

He stared at me for a long moment, like he was trying to see straight through my lies. The air in the kitchen suddenly felt suffocating.

“I hope not,” he said quietly, his voice now carried a deadly edge. “Because if I find out that motherfucker touched you… I’ll kill him. And it’ll be a slow and painful death.”

He stood up and turned his back to me, walking over to the counter to fix his own plate. “You know I only want what’s best for you, right, Ri? I’ve always protected you. Always.”

I tried to respond, but another wave of nausea hit me hard. The room started to blur around the corner of my eyes. My fork slipped from my fingers, clattering against the plate. The smell of the Alfredo was suddenly unbearable.

“Logan…” I whispered weakly.

He kept talking, his back was still turned. “I mean it, Riley. Stay away from Jax. He’s not good for you. He’s got too much darkness in him. You deserve better than—”

“Logan…” I tried again, louder this time, but my voice came out slurred.

The kitchen lights were spinning. My body felt heavy, like I was sinking underwater. I gripped the edge of the island, trying to stay upright, but the world tilted violently.

“Logan…” I called out one last time.

I heard the sound of his plate dropping, then his footsteps rushing toward me.

“Riley? Riley!”

My vision went black as I felt myself falling from the high chair. Strong arms caught me right before I hit the floor, but it was too late. Everything faded away as Logan’s panicked voice shouted my name.

“Riley! Fuck— Riley, wake up!”

Then there was nothing.