I pulled my suitcase through the snow and up the stairs, opening the front door. It was silent in the cabin, which was unlike Ryker. Normally, he had a sports channel on. Hell, there wasn’t even coffee brewing, and the man couldn’t live without coffee. Most people drank water when they were thirsty or dehydrated. Ryker drank coffee.
I left my suitcase by the door and went in search of him to let him know I’d made it, considering he hadn’t even come out to greet me. I frowned when I couldn’t find him, but then, I noticed the basement door open. Shrugging, I walked down, noticing the light at the bottom and the sound of a grunt.
“Ryker?” I called when I rounded the corner.
A shriek left my lips. My eyes widened in horror at the scene in front of me. Ryker had blood splatters on his shirt. A dead body lay in the corner, wrapped in a clear, plastic wrap. Ryker was cleaning blood from the floor.
Vomit rose in my throat. I stared at my best friend, my heart rate kicking into overdrive. My vision tunneled. I couldn’t get air into my lungs.
He slowly stood up from the floor, his eyes on me. “You shouldn’t have come down here, little star.”
I whimpered, my hands clawing at my chest as I stumbled back from him. He lunged forward and grabbed me. “Ryker . . .” I whimpered, not wanting to believe my eyes.
My vision went dark. My ears were ringing. I was blacking out
The last thing I heard him say was, “I’m sorry you had to find out this way, baby girl.”