The Problem with Forever

And now he was here with her, asleep together?

I had to get out of there.

Picking up my bag, I wheeled around. I crept down the stairs, wincing each time the floorboards creaked. I had to get out of there before Rider woke up, because I...I couldn’t deal with that right now.

Quietly closing the attic door behind me, all I could focus on was getting out of there and then? I didn’t know. I couldn’t go home. Not yet. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I’d made it halfway down the hall when a door opened.

Hector walked out, scrubbing a hand through his hair. His body jerked when he spotted me. “Hey,” he said, voice thick as he dropped his hand. “I didn’t know you were here.”

I glanced behind me and then refocused on Hector as I shut down the whirlwind of raw emotion swirling inside me. “I...um, I stopped to check on Rider—and on you. I am so sorry about...about Jayden.”

“Me, too.” His bloodshot eyes closed briefly. “The messed-up thing? I’m not—I’m not surprised, you know? Even after what happened with our cousin, I’m not surprised. He was making changes. Getting a job with me, but...but it was too late. He got in deep with people you just don’t screw around with. I just thought... I don’t even know what I thought.”

I didn’t know what to say and I didn’t think there was anything I could say.

“He...” Hector’s shoulders slumped. “He didn’t deserve that. I don’t care how much money he owed.”

“No,” I whispered, and I thought about the day in the garage and what Rider had said to Jayden. You’re going to get yourself killed. Oh, God, Rider had been right. “He didn’t.”

He lifted a hand and scrubbed his fingers through his messy hair. “I don’t...I don’t even believe the police will get them—the ones who got Jayden.”

“They have to.” My chest squeezed. I refused to believe anything else. “They will.”

Hector nodded and the act looked like it took a lot of effort. “My abuelita is asleep. She’s... They’ve got her sedated.”

I still didn’t have the right words, but innately I knew that this was one of the

moments where there were none. Only action mattered in times like these, I realized. It was why I’d come over to comfort Rider. To just be there for him.

Except he’d obviously already had someone comforting him.

Stepping forward, I did the only thing I really could. I wrapped my arms around Hector and squeezed. He stiffened at first and then a sigh shuddered out of him. He folded his arms around me.

“Thank you,” he whispered in a hoarse voice.

I nodded as I drew back.

Hector blinked rapidly several times. “So, um...” He cleared his throat. “You see Rider?”

A twisty motion in my chest threatened to steal my breath. “He’s asleep. I...I didn’t want to wake him.”

“What? We can wake him. You came all the—”

“No. It’s okay.” I started to pass him. “I’ll call him later.”

“But—”

“It’s no problem.” I forced a smile as I stopped, facing him. “I’m...thinking of you.”

A trace of a grin appeared on his lips and then he nodded once more before turning toward the attic door. I left then, hurrying out of the house as fast as I could without running.

Once I was in my car, I pulled out and I...I just started driving. My phone started ringing when I was about three blocks away, but I didn’t look at it. I squeezed the steering wheel tight.

My phone rang again.

When it stopped, it dinged a few moments later, signaling a message was left, but I didn’t look.

I just kept driving.