Chapter 38

A fond smile sweeps across Riley's lips, he rubs her knuckles with his thumb, her hand in his. His fixed on her sleeping face, he smiles wide when some strands of hair falls over her face kissing her cheek. He moves his bent legs closer to the sofa where Aiden is laid, his fingers brush her, hair away from her face and tucks behind her ear. 'Your dad was right," he says, his voice low and gentle 'You are ironically weak inside," he moves his head closer, his lips softly lands on her forehead. A kiss on the forehead has many reasons and the most affectionate kiss than a kiss on the cheek and lip. It means I will protect you, I'll be by your side and I will care for you. His phone rings, immediately he grabs it from the short table and mites it, taking another last glance at her, he stands and walks out. 'The person who killed Johnson is released," Eric reports as soon as the call in answered. 'Are you following him?," Riley asks, his thumb cracking the other four fingers. 'Yes, he is by the harbor. I think he is trying to leave the city," 'Don't let him go! I'll be there!," he hangs up and closes the main door without a single noise. He rushes down. The car comes to a halt by the sea, Riley unbuckles his seatbelt and scurries out pushing the door shut, not giving a second to turn around and check whether the door is closed. His fast wide footsteps slows down when he reaches to the destination, the location which Eric sent him. The lonely top of a large rock, the surrounding of the specific area dark even at the day time as the large trees of the forest shades the top. The strong smell of salt and the sound of flowing water hitting the rock fills in the air. He walks through the slanted rocky road, the creepy view send chill down his spine when he steps to the edge and takes a peep at the sea, the height and the depth of water makes his stomach churn. He keeps continuous steps backward, his heart beat rises in fear of height. He gulps down the saliva and clears his throat. With three deep breaths he continues to walk ahead. He rubs the back of his neck, a satisfied smirk forms on his face, the fear of height which was rising in him disappears. Eric captures a man in his grip, his right hand twisting the man's arm behind his back and his left hand at the back of the man's neck. The man struggles in his grip and tries to keep him but fails as his head is being pressed against a hard rock, like a tall wall below the forest. Riley walks to him, he doesn't even know his name yet his blood boils in anger at the sight of him, his heart anxious to get that person's blood in his palms. The words of Johnson and Aiden's loud cry plays at the back of his head, the incident replays in his mind. 'How did he get out?" Riley asks, his eyes never leaves the man who stares at him in curiosity…. He doesn't know what's going on. 'I don't know. The only thing which I know is," his grip on the man loosens 'Tira signed the statement papers," he informs and pushes the man to Riley. The man jumps forward and tries to run, his eyes enlighten at the chance to escape but before he can keep another step, Riley pulls him by his collar and slams his back on the large rock wall. The knock hard enough to crack his spine. Eric arches a brow, the corner of his lip twitches 'I never had a clue that you're fierce," he pops out his gun. 'It's better to be fierce," he replies, his grip on the man's collar tightens as he moves his head closer, his burning eyes looking into the pair of curious and fearful eyes 'Because the world is full of evil," he spits. Eric nods 'You are right, after all you are Aiden's boyfriend," he chuckles and steps forward 'Here," he tosses the gun to Riley and he catches it with one hand. Eric leaves. 'You…..," Shot! The sound of gunshot echoes in the air, the man dropped to the ground before he could continue to speak. His bloodied hands on his leg, pressing onto the shot wound like the pressure reduces the pain. He screams as he pulls his leg to his chest, his shoulders rested on the rock wall. Riley steps back and takes a look at him, blood flowing down the rocky land between few grasses. 'Who are you?," he grinds his teeth glaring up at Riley confused to identify the grudge between them. Riley squats beside 'Who are you?" he sneers 'Should I answer you?," he raises a brow amusingly when the man smirks. He curls his lip to a flat line and looks down 'Johnson," he says 'You killed him?," he asks. 'Johnson," the man laughs, his dry laughter ends up in cough 'People should know their place before they fight against someone," he retorts, his voice steady 'He deserved to die," he chuckles 'Deserved?" Riley repeats staring at an empty space… He had a carefree and entertainment life unknown there are people who are really cruel beyond his expectation, he never believed that there is money for one's life in reality until his father died 'Who are you to tell that?," he asks, his blood boils in anger his grip onto the pistol tightens. The man stares at Riley, he examines Riley waiting for his chance to escape… This is the time… He notices Riley's absence of mind , he moves his shoulders forward away from the rock wall, his hand lifts in slow motion. In a blink of an eye, his hand moves up to Riley's shoulder while the other hand moves up to the gun in his grip. He makes a swift movement his hand nearly stopped by his shoulder. Riley looks at him, he holds his one hand and twists his arm, a loud dry scream leaves the man's lips when his bone breaks, the sound of crack literally to be heard by him. The man grips his collar, the blood stains his shirt. 'You know," Riley moves his gaze down at the shot leg 'You are the one," he utters 'Who deserves to die," he moves the pistol to the wound, the gun point on the already holed muscle, he squinted his eyes ignores the push of the man as his strength is already drained. Shot! The blaring cry of the man fills in the salty air, the only noise in the surrounding. He lays on the ground and hugs his leg, the excruciating pain rises in him. Riley stands and pulls the man by his uninjured arm, he drags the man with him as he strides to the edge of the land. The man tries to speak but his words only comes out as hisses and gasps. His twice shot leg makes him stumble but Riley doesn't care, he just drags the man to the peek, his stomach doesn't churn nor does his heart fear the height. 'Do you know how depth is the sea this side?," he leers 'No one will be able to find your body," he states, like giving him a casual piece of information. 'Wait! Wait!" the man requests, his begging doesn't get through the deaf ears. Without wasting a second Riley pushes him, the noise of water splash occurs after a while. He keeps a step forward and peeps down, the dark sea makes adrenaline rush through him. He steps back immediately and walks back to his car. One part of him satisfied at his actions while the other part shivers at his own actions. He stops by the car and looks down at the gun in his red hands. He draws a deep breath in and tosses the gun through the open window of the car, he picks a bottle of water from the dashboard and washes his hands, for the first time he'd got blood on his hands, the blood of the person whom he killed. The disturbing feeling in him finally disappears, the thought that he punished a scumbag makes him feel powerful. His mind recalls Aiden's words ‘Only evil can destroy evil'. He unbuttons his top shirt and wipes his hands, and throws the stained cloth to the car boot. The chilly wind makes his body shudder as for the thin material of short sleeve t-shirt he is wearing, Buzz! His eyebrows meet as he looks at the phone screen, the unknown number. He answers the call and moves the phone to his ear. His eyes widen in horror, panic blooms in his chest, his muscles stiffen, his nerves in fire. ,