Chapter 7

Riley

As I stared at the news all I felt was pure horror. The anchor was continuously saying Riley Miller killed her classmate. My father, David Miller appeared on the screen. He looked sad and broken, as he admitted in front of the camera how he saw a bloodied dagger in my bag. He was ready to hand me over to the police but I escaped. 

He was acting like a good man.

The fork fell from my hand on the plate as it made a clattering sound.

Damon's head snapped in my direction and my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. His face was emotionless and his eyes appeared darker. He knows that Riley was me, it was written all over his face.

My chin wobbled as I stood up from the stool on my shaky legs. My foot hurts as soon as I put pressure on it. My throat was all clogged up as I slowly shook my head in a negative manner.

He walked towards me. With each of his steps towards me, I limped back. 

Was he going to hand me to the police? Would he do the same thing my dad tried to do?

As soon as my back hit the kitchen island on the other side my heartbeat accelerated in dread.

"I...I..." I was stuttering as I forgot the basic words.

He was still approaching me. My lips started to tremble as he got closer and stopped just an inch away from me. His musky earthy scent enveloped me as I craned my neck up to look him in the eyes.

"I d...didn't..." I was shaking by now. My head was continuously moving negatively. My hair becomes a curtain around my face.

"I...it's a lie. T..they are framing me." I croaked out. 

My eyes were trailed on his big scary-looking hands and when he moved his hand, I immediately flinched back, my arms coming up in reflex to protect myself from his upcoming strike but it never came.

My eyes were tightly closed and when I didn't feel the hit, I opened my eyes slowly and blinked at him through the space between my raised arms. He was frozen on his spot.

"You thought I'd hit you?" He more likely stated in disbelief and I gulped moving my arms down. He was too close, I can't think properly.

I shook my head in negative again as my eyes became misty. "I...I... swear. I... I... didn't kill anyone. S...someone tried to frame me." My voice was so scared and shaky.

I was feeling lightheaded. My mind was screaming at me that he would hand me over to the cops. Everyone was mean and selfish in this world and he would be the same.

"I would never hit you." He said as if in pain and hurt.

"P...please move away... too... close..." I stuttered and he inhaled sharply before taking a forced step back. I didn't know I was holding my breath so when he stepped back it was as if I could breathe again. “I won’t hurt you, Angel. Deep breaths. Calm down.” His voice was gentle and smooth as he pulled a chair and motioned at me to sit but I was too baffled. It must be my dream, he can’t be this kind.

I felt like explaining to him. I didn't want him to give me back to my dad. They all were monsters out there.

"I....I... someone put that dagger in my bag. I swear I'm innocent..." my voice cracked as a tear fell on my cheek. His eyes followed my tear and he inhaled sharply. His thumb wiped my tears away.

"I know." He said in that deep voice, making me pause.

"W...what?" I stammered and blinked at him.

"I trust you. Calm down. I know you didn’t kill anyone." He rasped and I couldn't help but be stunned. Why was he behaving so differently from normal people? He was supposed to hurt me like everyone else.

He made me sit on the chair as he too pulled a chair and sat on it. I swayed and he immediately grabbed my hand in his large one, his hand was so warm and his eyes were so beautiful. “I trust you okay. I believe you, Angel. Take deep breaths. I will kill those bastards who are framing you. Keep your eyes open.”

I blinked twice as my eyes slowly fluttered close and my body was falling when I felt his strong arms around me and then everything went black.

Next time I woke up I was in the same room as before. I remembered losing my consciousness in the kitchen. He must've brought me up here. I recalled his words.

How could he trust me so blindly?

I couldn't help but let my thoughts wander. Was he calling the cops? Would he hand me over?

He didn’t seem that sort of a man.

I sat on the bed quietly. I was continuously thinking that at any moment the door would open and my father along with cops would be standing at the door smirking evilly.

That didn't happen. Instead, the door opened making me startled but it was none other than Damon with a tray of food in his hand.

“You scared me, Angel. Don’t ever do that again.” He complained in his gruff voice which did hold concern… for me.

I looked down at the floor. Well, that wasn’t in my hand.

“How are you feeling?” He asked. “Better.” That was all I could say.

He placed the tray of food in front of me on the bed and I stared at it. 

"Eat something, you are so weak." He said.

“When would you hand me over to the cops?” I asked softly while looking at my hands on my lap.

“I will never do that, Riley.” He said sincerely causing my heart to jump, I looked up into his eyes which held a soft emotion for me. Why?

“Why?” I couldn’t help but ask. “There’s a bounty on my h..head,” I muttered.

A low chuckle left his lips as he shook his head. “I don’t need money, but I could assure you that I would get your name cleared from all these accusations.” He said seriously with determination on his face.

My heart stuttered with giddiness. But… Why would such a man want to help me?

“P..promise?” I asked him softly with hope swirling in my eyes.

He grinned at me, which made him look so handsome yet the dominating aura that oozed out of him was potent.

“I promise.” He promised and a smile appeared on my lips as I gave him a thankful look.

I ate a small portion of food as he scrolled through his phone while sitting on the couch.

Once I was done, he spoke up. “Riley I want you to tell me everything about all this, only that way I could help you.” He said softly and I sighed looking down.

“A day before the all that dagger scene, I saw Levi; my campus’s bad boy was beating my classmate on the backside. I asked him to stop but instead, he hit me and warned me not to say a word as he dragged that boy away from there. Next d...day I didn’t see both of them and on the third-day w..when I came back home, I found a bloodied dagger in my bag. I grabbed it to check what it is and that is how my fingerprints came on it…” I said in a low voice.

“Your father saw you with the dagger?” He inquired calmly and my throat clogged up.

“N...no. I told him myself that there was a dagger in my bag and I didn’t know where it came from. He already about the murder as it was all over the news, h...he also knows about the b..bounty…” My voice stammered as I saw his jaw clenched in anger.

“He was ready to sacrifice you for money?” Damon growled, making me cower back in shock and fear. He saw me and his face immediately softened.

I nodded my head.

“Did your father beat you?” He asked while gritting his jaw. Why was he so angry at my father?

I nodded my head. “H...he beat me unconscious and when I got my senses back he was clutching that dagger in my hand to get my fingerprints. Then he left to call the cops. I sliced the rope with that same dagger and ran away from the back door and that’s how y..you find me in the forest.” I whispered.

“I will kill your father. Bloody bastard. How dare he hurt you?” Damon growled standing up and I just stared at him stunned. He has that powerful aura around him that scares me sometimes and often excites me at the same time as well.

“Did he hurt you for the first time?” He asked and a sad smile formed on my lips.

“He beat me all the time.” I breathed sadly and stared at my hands as my vision blurred.

“Angel..” My breath hitched when I found him hovering over me. He moved his hand towards me and I didn’t flinch or move this time. The rough pad of his thumb wiped my tears away.

“Don’t cry.” He rasped as his fingers caressed my jaw in a feathery touch making my toes curl in a weird sensation.

***

The next four days passed slowly. I didn’t leave the room. I was getting a lot better, most of my bruises have healed and I started walking properly too.

Damon was so kind and nice. By now I was sure he wasn't going to hand me over to cops but then why was he letting me stay here at his home, why was he taking care of me?

I've seen his clothes in that giant walk-in closet in the room. I know there were more rooms in this place then why was he letting me stay in his room.

He terrifies me with his kind behavior.

My parents and many others have taught me a great lesson to not trust anyone because they all were monsters.

No one was ever kind to me, then why was he kind?