Mel grabbed her phone, checked it, and her heart did a little jump when she saw the text from Cole. Jaelyn’s losing her shit. Get here now.
“I have to go,” she said to Ryeland as she pushed the blankets off.
“What’s going on?” he asked as he jumped up with her.
“I don’t know. Cole said Jaelyn was losing her shit.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?
“I’m not sure, but I have to go.”
“I’m coming with you.”
She hesitated a moment. The last time he was at the Cave he got into it with Justin, and the time before he fought with Trevor. “It’s okay, I can go.”
He squared his shoulders, going all alpha on her. “If you think I’m letting you go alone, then you don’t know me at all.”
“Okay,” she said. “I just…”
“Just what?”
“Nothing. Let’s just get Jaelyn and get her home.”
They both dressed quickly and hurried to his vehicle. She clutched her hands together, wondering what the hell was going on as Ryeland sped down the mountain. He parked at the Cave and she sent Cole a text before she jumped out.
“They’re down by the water,” she said to Ryeland.
They both ran through the sand and when she reached the surf, she found Jaelyn flat on her back, crying. Mel dropped to her knees when she saw her friend’s ripped clothes. “Oh God, Jaelyn. Are you hurt?” Just then she heard Cole behind her. She twisted to see him. “What happened?”
“Hey, I didn’t do anything.” Cole held his hands up. “She got in a fight with Jessica.”
“Let’s get her up,” Ryeland said.
Mel gathered her friend in to her arms. Jaelyn wiped her eyes. “Mel, what are you doing here?”
“Cole texted. He said you needed me.”
“Don’t you dare believe anything he says,” she spit out. “He’s a fucking liar. He’s still sleeping with Jessica.”
Mel looked at Cole and he shook his head. “Jessica said hi to me and it set Jaelyn off. She went after her and they got in a fight.”
“Come on.” Ryeland helped her hoist her friend up. “I think she’s had too much to drink.”
Jaelyn angled her head and gave Ryeland a wobbly smile. “Cole’s not nice like you.” They began leading her up the beach, Cole keeping a few steps behind them, and Jaelyn added, “But your friends suck.”
“Come on, Jaelyn,” Mel said, not wanting her to bring up his friends. “Let’s just concentrate on walking.”
“Did you tell him what Justin did?” she asked, her hair flying around her face as her head swung toward Mel.
Mel felt her blood drain to her feet when Ryeland turned her way “What did Justin do?” he asked, his voice hard.
“Oops, wasn’t supposed to tell,” Jaelyn said and started giggling.
“Melody?” he asked.
Mel shook her head. “It was nothing.”
“Nothing?” Jaelyn said, then gave a big hiccup. “It wasn’t nothing.” She hiccupped again and covered her mouth.
Ryeland glared at Jaelyn. “Tell me,” he said through clenched teeth.
Jaelyn held a wobbly finger out. “He said he was gonna fuck her and fuck her hard.”
Ryeland went as still as a stealth soldier, and Mel’s heart stopped beating.
“Ryeland…” Mel began, her voice trembling.
He stared at her. “You should have told me.”
“I didn’t want trouble.”
“Too late for that.” He inched back and when Mel noticed a crowd gathering, watching them, she tried to stop him, to quiet him, but he would have no part of that.
“Ryeland, stop. I’m fine. It’s over.”
“It’s not over. I’m going to kill him,” he said and took off, the group watching him turning to go after him to check out the action.
Panic raced through her when he disappeared into the crowd. Jaelyn sank to the ground and Mel was about to go after him when Cameron stepped up to them.
“What’s going on?” he asked, worry on his face.
“What’s going on is your buddy is about to kill Justin,” Cole answered stepping up to them.
“Oh, fuck,” Cameron said. He looked through the crowd, then pointedly at Cole as he gestured toward to Mel. “Keep her out of it, okay?”
Cole shrugged. “Sure.”
Cameron took off after Ryeland and Mel made a move to go but Cole grabbed her. “Oh no you don’t. You’re not getting between them.”
“Cole, please. I need to stop this.”
She struggled against him and when she heard the crowd chanting fight, fight, fight, she punched Cole in the gut. With the hit taking him by surprise, he buckled forward, and she took the opportunity to bolt.
She pushed through the crowd, calling out to Ryeland. When she finally broke through the ring of people circling him, she found him on top of Justin, pummeling his face into the ground.
“Ryeland stop,” she screamed and reached for him.
Just then she felt someone grab her by the waist and carry her off. She fought hard to break free, and when she was finally let go, she turned to find Trevor smirking at her.
She started to twist back around, to stop Ryeland, when Trevor pulled her against him. His foul breath fell over her and she knew he’d been drinking.
“Leave me alone, Trevor,” she said, and just when she was about to throw a punch, Ryeland came out of nowhere and took Trevor to the ground.
“Ryeland, no!” she yelled, ready to grab him, but then what happened next had her screaming at the top of her lungs. A group of townies swarmed Ryeland, dragging him from Trevor, and she listened to his grunts as fists smashed against his body. She caught a glimpse of something shiny, then a moment later they all ran off. Mel crawled across the sand to find Ryeland flat on his back, bleeding from his side.
“He needs an ambulance,” Mel yelled, lifting his shirt and struggling to see the wound through her tears.
“Melody,” Ryeland whispered as he struggled to lift his head. “Are you okay?”
“Ryeland,” she choked out afraid she was going to lose him. “You’re bleeding.”
“Yeah, I know,” he said, his voice dropping to a faint whisper.
Sirens sounded in the distance and the next thing she knew Officer Sattler was standing over them, the crowd spreading like wildfire.
“Jesus.” Sattler reached for his radio. Everything that happened next seemed to go in slow motion. An ambulance showed up and they took Ryeland off. Sattler gathered her up in his patrol car and drove her to the hospital. A few who’d witnessed the fight came in, and as Sattler questioned them, she sat in the waiting room and watched. Soon Ryeland’s parents showed up and were ushered in to see him. Cameron came in and sat across from her. Neither spoke as minutes turned into hours.
Mel had gone to the nurses’ station several times looking for information, but because she wasn’t family, no one would speak to her or give her answers. Soon night bled into day, and Jaelyn eventually showed up, a stricken look on her face.
“Mel,” she said, giving her a big hug. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I was drinking…I didn’t mean.”
“No one will tell me anything,” she said, not wanting to talk about whose fault it was or wasn’t.
Jaelyn nodded. “Okay, I’ll try to find out something. First let me get you a coffee.” Mel sat there clutching her stomach, her eyes heavy, her body exhausted, but there was no way she was leaving. Jaelyn came back with a hot cup of coffee in a paper cup and Mel sipped on it as Jaelyn went in search of answers. Cameron went with her and a short while later they returned.
Cameron came back. “I talked to his mom and she told me that he is out of surgery and is doing okay.”
Mel let loose a cry of relief and clutched Jaelyn when she sat down next to her. “Will they let us see him?”
“Take her out of here,” a hard voice boomed from behind.
Mel turned around and her stomach tightened when she found Ryeland’s father standing there. He glared at her, then looked at Cameron. “She’s caused enough trouble as it is.”
“Come on,” Cameron said, standing up. Mel opened her mouth to protest but Cameron leaned into her and whispered, “Believe me, right now it’s about what’s best for Ryeland.”
Confusion, worry, fear, and every dreadful emotion she’d ever felt rose to the surface. “Okay,” she agreed reluctantly and let him lead her outside. The warm morning sun washed over her but did little to thaw the ice inside her. She shaded her eyes and blinked as Cameron led her and Jaelyn to his car.
Cameron dropped them both off at their lodge, and while Jaelyn wanted to stay with her, Mel needed to be alone. With so much to think about, she slipped between her sheets. Even though she was exhausted, she tossed and turned restlessly, dreaming and worrying about Ryeland.
A knock at her door many, many hours later pulled her awake, and she jumped from her bed, hoping it was news about Ryeland. When she saw his father standing there, holding the pregnancy stick she’d forgotten at his chalet, her fight or flight instinct kicked in hard, because she knew nothing, absolutely nothing good could come from this.