The Ritual
He smiles. “Oh, we’ll get to that. But first, eat.”
“No!” I tell him. Ryat is dead. My mother is helping Matt kill him and kidnap me. Why would I do a damn thing he tells me?
He lets out a huff.
My mother sighs. “You need to eat—”
“Fuck you!” I scream, interrupting her. My throat burns, and my ears ring.
“That’s it.” Matt charges toward me and picks up the toast off the floor. Gripping my hair with one hand, he yanks my head back and shoves the toast into my mouth, down my throat.
I choke on it, pieces flying from my lips.
“Don’t do that,” my mother hisses, pulling him away from me.
I scramble back to the toilet just in time to puke again.
“She needs a doctor.” I hear Matt growl.
“I know what’s wrong with her,” my mother states.
“Yeah, she’s been knocked out for two days. She needs to eat.”
“No,” my mother disagrees.
I sit back on my ass and wipe the spit from my chin.
“She’s pregnant.”
I haven’t officially confirmed it. I wanted to wait a few more days before I took a test because I’ve been late before. Even when I was on birth control, and I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I drop my eyes to the floor.
“Son of a bitch!” Matt hisses. “You let him knock you up, you stupid bitch!” he yells at me. “Goddammit, that fucking bastard!” He kicks the cabinets.
I look up at him through watery lashes, vomiting so hard, it’s made me cry. “He’s my husband!” I shout back at him. Then a smile pulls at my lips, adding, “He can do whatever he wants with me.”
His face goes red with rage. “He’s fucking dead, Blakely. Just like that baby is about to be.” He begins to roll up his sleeves. Then he fists his hands, walking over to me.
My mother places her hand on his chest, stopping him. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Getting rid of it,” he answers with a huff.
I shove away from the toilet, pressing my back into the side of the tub once again, bringing my knees to my chest. I watch them wide-eyed face one another. Ryat may be dead, but I won’t let them touch our baby. I’ll find a way out of here. I’ll buy myself some time.
“You’re not touching her.” She lifts her chin.
“You can’t be serious.” He points at me. “She’s fucking pregnant. I don’t want his kid! Don’t tell me you fucking want an Archer baby?”
“Of course, I do.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “It’ll give me a second chance. To do things right this time.” She looks over at me and pulls her lips back with disgust.
“No.” He shakes his head.
“Yes,” she hisses. “She’s not showing yet, so she can’t be that far along. You went twenty-one years without her. You can go seven more months.”
He huffs. “This brings on more complications.”
“I’ll handle it. I’ll bring in a chef for a special diet. A doctor, she needs prenatal vitamins, an ultrasound. It’ll be fine …”
“You’ve lost your fucking mind if you think I’ll hand my baby over to you,” I say through gritted teeth. Is that why Ryat stepped in front of me? Because he knew we were expecting? Maybe I gave off signs that I didn’t see, but he did. “Especially since you’re not even my biological mother.”
I expected that to piss her off, but she just smiles down at me while Matt snorts. “Bless your heart, honey,” she says condescendingly. “I will cut that baby out of you myself and then leave what’s left of you for Matt.”
My stomach drops at her words. My watery eyes dart around the bathroom to see if there’s anything for me to use against them. I’ll have to check the bedroom. They’ve had to miss something that I can use to escape.
“Fine.” Matt rolls his eyes. “She can keep it, but after it’s born, Blakely and I are gone.”
She nods. “Deal.”
They both turn and exit the bathroom. I hear the bedroom door shut followed by the sound of several locks, letting me know that wherever we are, I’m locked inside these two rooms.
I begin to cry, thinking about Ryat. How could he do this to me? Willingly die to leave me behind. Is that why he did it? Because he knew I was pregnant? How does he expect me to live without him? The bile begins to rise again, and I find myself scrambling back to the toilet.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
RYAT
BEEP … BEEP … BEEP …
I groan, my hands coming up to my head and pressing on it, trying to stop the headache that pounds behind my eyes.
Beep … beep …. beep …
“Will someone turn that fucking sound off?” I ask, my voice scratchy, and my throat feels like I’ve swallowed sandpaper.
“Ryat?” A voice gasps.