Descending Darkness(65)

“My own Avengers team. I like that. Thank you, Jane.” She turns around and opens the back door, motioning for me to go in first. Entering the house, I turn around and ask her, “When are you planning on leaving?”

“When we get back to the kitchen. Larkin’s going to bring Ross and me to the airport, and we’ll figure everything out from there. I’ll keep in touch, okay?” I nod and blink back more tears. I really do miss, Jane. I didn’t realize how much I did until now. “Your mom would be proud of you,” she whispers to me.

“I don’t think she’d be very happy about what I’m attempting to do.”

“No mother would, Ryanne. No mother wants to watch her daughter run toward danger, but you’re doing what you believe is right. You’re doing what you have faith in. That’s all a mother wants for their child.”

“I miss her,” I tell her honestly. Feeling more tears well up, I bite my lip and look out the window on the back door.

“I do too, honey,” Jane says. She and my mother used to be friends. Despite the almost ten year age difference, the two got along really well. “But she’s still here.” Jane points to my heart. I nod. I know that mom is watching me. During times of danger, I feel her presence near me…encouraging me to keep fighting.

With a simple head nod, Jane motions for us to head back to the others. I quickly wipe the evidence of my tears away and follow her. We enter the kitchen, and I automatically walk over to Colton. He instantly wraps an arm around my shoulders. I watch as Jane walks back over to Ross. Looking at Tom, who must have entered the kitchen while we were outside, she says, “Thank you for letting us stay here last night, and thank you all for coming to save us.” Ross nods, silently agreeing. Jane looks at Larkin and signals that it’s time for them to go.

I run toward Jane again and hug her tightly. “Please be safe,” I whisper to her.

“You too, Ryanne. You too.” I bite my lip and step away. I can’t keep her here if she doesn’t want to be. Ross smiles at me, and I nod back. I never got to know Ross very well, but he makes Jane happy, so I like him. Leaning back against Colton, I watch as Larkin walks over to them and transports them out of the room.





Chapter Nineteen




“You okay?” Colton asks me.

“Yeah, I just didn’t realize how much I missed her until now,” I tell him as we walk toward the couch.

“You’ll see her again. That wasn’t a goodbye.”

“I know.” Colton lets go of my hand to grab Tom’s folded up pillow and blanket. I watch him as he walks up the stairs to puts them back in the closet at the end of the hall. I walk over to the end of the couch and sit down next to Liam. I look toward the kitchen; no one else is coming in here.

“Hey, Liam.” I smile at him.

He narrows his eyes at me. “Hey, Ryanne.” Goodness, he’s already suspicious.

“So…Natalie’s really pretty, isn’t she?” I lean toward him.

“I know what you’re doing. It’s not going to work.”

“I’m not doing anything, Liam. Why would you assume that?”

“Because you have that meddling gleam in your eyes that all girls get when they’re trying to set someone up.” I’ve never seen this meddling gleam before. I’ll have to pay more attention to someone when they meddle from now on.

“I already know you like her,” I tell him.

“Have you been reading my thoughts,” he asks. Does no one trust me? How many times do I have to tell everyone that I don’t read their thoughts before they believe me?

“You all have very little faith in me, and thank you for basically admitting it. No, I have not read your thoughts, but I’m observant...sometimes. I’ve seen the way you look at her when she’s not looking, and you don’t look at someone like that unless you like them. As in like like, not friend like. I’ve seen you try to hide a smile when you’re around her. I’ve even seen you get a little possessive over her, and I know it upset you when she was talking about her ex-boyfriend.”

He is staring at me. I know that Liam isn’t really an emotional guy. Besides Bragden, I’m probably the one person that’s gotten really close to him. I feel a connection with Liam. Like he can with me, sometimes I can tell what he is feeling. Right now, he is fighting with himself. He doesn’t know if he wants to tell me anything. His gaze flickers from me to the kitchen. I turn around and see Colton standing in there, pretending not to be watching us. Natalie is laughing at something Emma said.