Riley Thorn And The Dead Guy Next Door Novels & Stories

If he thought too hard about his Mastercard bill, that burger he ate would probably come right back up. He turned on the local top forty station and David Lee Roth blasted out of the speakers, singing “Just a Gigolo.” Riley didn’t really care what music was on as long as there was noise. Noise helped him think, which was reason number 108 why he could never live in a quiet little town like Smiths Hollow. Of course, Smiths Hollow wasn’t quite as quiet as advertised. During their conversation the previous night Nowak had casually mentioned that two murdered girls had been found in the yard of some old biddy.

“Don’t even try. Your mom already said yes when I called crying yesterday. Richard told me to pick any guest room. I picked the one right next to yours. You’re welcome.” Great. Just what I needed. My best friend sleeping ten feet from the stepbrother who jerked off to my government name. This was fine. Everything was fine. That night Riley showed up with two duffel bags, a black eye, and a grin that said trouble. Mom hugged her like she was a rescue puppy. Richard carried her bags like a gentleman. Jax came down the stairs shirtless …of course…and stopped dead when he saw Riley. Riley stopped dead too.

Night after night I begged the Moon Goddess to take me instead, but she never answered. “The guard went missing the same day Riley was murdered. He’s the only one who could’ve done it, yet according to his family he was just an ordinary Joe who had plans on retiring next year. Add that to the fact that his body was weeks into decomposition, and it makes no fucking sense!” Jada snarled, throwing her hands in the air. This was only the beginning of her daily tirade. No judgement from my end, though. We were all doing what we could to cope. I flipped my mother’s blade around in my hand, the one she’d given to Lilac when we were kids. “Unless a rotting corpse is capable of murder, it’s not going

The past month had been far too quiet and easy between us, lacking that usual spark. I don’t like fighting with Ryatt. We just do it so well. “You’re an asshole!” I scowl, tightening my robe. “You really think I invited him here? That I somehow called him over, used my powers–” “No, that’s not what I think at all–” “Then tell me what the hell is going on!” “Thorne is dead.” The air is sucked right out of the room. I inhale sharply, my eyes locked on Ryatt’s stone cold expression. A single glimmer of emotion shows behind his eyes before his blinks–pain, undeniable grief, untethered rage. “W-what?”

Just ice. “Emilia,” he said, low and final, “go. Now.” Her lips parted, but no words came. She stood there for a beat longer, watching a man she no longer recognized. Then she turned and walked away, not looking back. Behind her, the air in the house shifted—colder. Emptier. Like something had cracked open, something that wouldn’t easily be closed again. She didn’t know what came next. But she knew one thing for sure: The heart beneath the thorn was bleeding. And this was only the beginning.

Dominic said slowly, “you buying real estate for the girl now?” “Just find it,” Rafael snapped, then ended the call. He leaned his forehead against the wall, breathing hard. He was losing himself. He knew it. And he didn’t even care. A soft noise behind him made him straighten instantly, the cold mask sliding back into place. Mrs. Holloway stood there, holding a laundry basket, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “You’re not as subtle as you think, Mr. Moretti,” she said lightly.

Jubilee sent one last shy smile toward Heath before she left them to eat in silence. Rose wanted to grill Heath about Jubilee, but her brother had a sixth sense when it came to what she was thinking. Before she could say a word, he asked, “How’s work? Your apartment?” She heard the words your new neighbor underneath the question. Tearing apart her muffin, she said, “Good. Fine. Nothing much to tell. Trent threw out a guy last night who got so drunk that he tried to kiss Lizzie, thinking she was his ex-girlfriend.”

"How'd you get in here? When'd you come back? Where's Riley?" She giggles, a throaty little sound that makes me tent the front of the towel I've just used to cover my nakedness. "You didn't lock the door, which is totally not safe at all. I can't believe you don't lock your door. Riley's with my next door neighbor. I decided to come back because I couldn't go to sleep tonight without at least having a taste of you." Hadley's much more forward than I imagined she would be. It's the most arousing thing I think I've seen in my life. "Funny," I grin down at her. "I was thinking the same thing when I watched your car leave."

He shakes his head and takes down the long-handled umbrella from his car. As he steps further inside, he notices movement near the flowerbeds. Two gardeners kneel in the soil, tending to the roses with care. One trims the bushes while the other spreads fresh mulch. Riley approaches with doubt. But he breaths a sigh of relief after realizing what they are doing. “Excuse me,” he says. “How did you get in here? And why are you doing this?” The older of the two men stands, wiping dirt from his hands onto his trousers. He looks at Riley with mild surprise, then recognition. “Ah, you must be Mr. Griffin. This is your family’s place, right?”

Because it felt like all of a sudden, there isn’t any good person willing to help without having any plans for money extortion or taking the kid away when Zelia and her husband are used to him. I took a peek at my watch, seeing the time that I had given Riley had expired and I was serious about it when I had told her that she would find me at her place if she doesn’t come now. I don’t care about the traffic that I will meet while going there, or how I am trying to invade her privacy. Deep in thoughts, I didn’t even hear when the door had opened until I heard her voice. “Do you really have to keep going on to this extend?” Riley asked, her voice showing how irritated she sounded.