“Are you in the mafia?” The question spills past my lips before I can stop it. It wouldn’t be a surprise at this point. I’ve always suspected that’s who comes to Pointebreak. I mean, look at the men here for fuck’s sake. They are built like soldiers. Darkand brutal. But why would anyone allow this many criminals into their small town? My fingers itch to get to my laptop and write anything and everything she says. I haven’t been great at taking notes so far, but I’m afraid of getting caught. I jotted a few things down this morning when Ava was still sleeping and I still owe Leah that email.
She smirks and shakes her head. “Mafia’s Italian.” I visibly relax. Then tense with her next words.
“Bratva is the Russian term, but they’re basically the same.”
“Funny, Ava,” I force a smile to my face, waiting for her to yell out “gotcha” or something similar, but I know. Deep down I’ve always known. Which means there is so much more shit my dad is in than I thought possible. Everyone here is connected to crime in one fashion or another.
She shakes her head. “I’m not laughing, Riley.”
No.
No, no, no!
I scramble for the back of my bed, putting distance between us. I’m in the room with a criminal. Or a criminal’s daughter…or maybe just a girl who knows way too much about organized crime?The walls are closing in around me as my breathing hitches and my palms sweat. My vision frays at the edges—a soft warning of my impending attack. The rumors are true. I’m going to school with killers–mobsters! I’ve never hung out with anyone who would so much as shine a negative light on our family. That’s why I don’t have a lot of friends to begin with. Too many students at my old school had parents with questionable motives. All well known to the media.
But that also means dad knew about this and he sent me here, regardless. Why? What’s the motive behind it? I close my eyes and focus on what he told me before I left, frantically searching for any clues, but everything is hazy. I was in such shock at the time it’s hard to remember anything.
I need to get out of here before this attack pulls me under. I dart my eyes around the room, looking everywhere but at her. My lungs burn with each inhale as I force them to expand, Ava’s omission weighing heavy on my chest like stones. She approaches, her eyes soft, her steps quiet, careful not to startle me like I am a frightened animal. I put my hands up, stopping her in her tracks. I know I look like a crazy person, but I can’t help it. Ava puts her hands in front of herself and motions for me to stay calm. Then she takes another small step forward, almost touching my bed.
I shake my head and scramble for the edge. “Don’t come closer to me, Ava.”
My words are just a gut punch as her face falls. “Riley, listen to me.” I close my eyes, focusing on her words and not the rushing of blood through my ears.She can’t see me freak out. I need to get away from her, from here; just until I get myself under control.My heart is still beating frantically, but as I take a few breaths, it slows. “We aren’t as bad as you think. I’ve known my whole life my family wasn’t like everyone else, but we aren’t bad people.I’mnot a bad person.”
I know that. I’ve known that since the moment I met her, she’s good.We can’t help who our parents are or the situation we’re born into. I should know. I’ve always tried to be the perfect daughter and look where that landed me—here, at Pointebreak. With the fucking mafia!I open my eyes and look at her, really look at her. She has a kind face, is friendly and clearly cares deeply for people. She’s not the type of person who would go around torturing someone for information, or for fun.
“My family’s involved with the Russian Bratva, but my dad will tell you he's a low man on the totem pole. I’m not stupid enough to believe it, but he’s not in charge either. That’s it.” She reaches her hand out to me and when I don’t flinch, she rests it on my knee. “Talk to me.”
“So Julien, and Wesley? Also Mafia, or um, Bratva or whatever?”
“Our dads are all involved, yes. They all know one another from when they went to school here. They were more like,” she pauses, purses her lips, and looks around the room before landing on me again, “enemies with benefits. My dad wasn’t happy when he found out Zander fell in with Julien and Wesley.” She takes a deep breath. “You asked me why I chose to come here?” I nod. “Because this way I know how to protect myself. I’m not stupid enough to think I’m free to marry who I want, or do what I want. I’m a bargaining chip. And coming to Pointebreak is the best chance I have at coming close to making my own decisions.”
Listening to her reason for coming here breaks my heart. I know after I leave here I can do whatever I want. No one will pawn me off like a business deal. I can choose who I date, or who I marry. I can even choose to go to college after this if I want. Or I think so anyway. Ava, though, I can see the sadness cloud her features and I know she’s not being afforded the same luxury. It doesn’t change the fact that this is all a lot to take in.
“I-I think I need to go for a walk.” I can’t wrap my head around this with her breathing down my throat. I need a few minutes to myself to have the mental breakdown I need.
Her face falls, but she takes a step away and clasps her hands in front of her, looking to the ground. “Let me come with you.”
I shake my head and all but run for the door. “No. No. I’m okay.”
“You shouldn’t be alone, Riley.”
“I’m fine,” I insist.
She sighs and nods, not believing a damn word I say. “Okay. I understand.”
I practically run out of the room, down the steps and into the quad, needing a few moments to myself. There are otherstudents milling around in the warm weather. I look closely at faces and wonder who their parents are.Not that I’d have a clue who they were, anyway.Mafia activity has never been my go to for some easy late night reading. I'm questioning everything I think I know. I never believed the rumors. It was always something silly Leah and I would say; but to know it’s real? This is a game changer.
I have no idea where I'm going; I just keep moving. I need space. Quiet. Somewhere no one can see me fall apart. I’m surprised I’ve fended this attack off as long as I have. My entire body trembles as I find a shady, grassy spot behind a building and slide down the wall, tucking my head between my knees and focusing on my breathing. It’s like I can feel the slow rotation of the Earth beneath me. Even sitting still, everything spins around, vertigo settling in deep. I hate this. I hate having these attacks. Why can’t I control them better? It had been almost a year since my last one. I’m going to have to learn to get this in check because I can’t be in the middle of class, breaking down. My vision slowly returns to normal as I focus on my breathing. When I feel the remnants of it fade, I get up and start walking, with no intended direction.
Dad had to have known. There’s no way he didn’t. And James. He knew. His warning to me, not to trust too easily? Yeah, that one went right over my head. I feel like a fucking idiot! The first thing I did was try to make friends and open myself up as an invitation to mess with me. And Ava? I never in my life suspected. That’s because she’s good, my mind reminds me. But deep down, I know she wasn’t trying to fool me. She’s genuine and wants to be friends. Maybe she needs a friend as much as I do?
I’m walking aimlessly, seeing everything and nothing all at once; my mind feels like it’s in a blender. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle and I rub them, shaking the fog I’m caught in.Shit.Where am I? I don’t think we came to this part of campus on either of our walks. I spin around, looking for anything that seems familiar, but nothing stands out. The building in front of me looks abandoned. Possibly a fire at some point? Black soot covers the outer stone walls. I take a step closer and reach out to touch it when a hand clamps down on my shoulder. I jump and attempt to spin around to hit my assailant, but he’s faster and holds my arms down by my side.
“Riley, calm down.”
I twist and turn, struggling to free myself from his grip, but it just makes him squeeze me tight against his body like a boa constrictor.
“Riley. Stop!” His booming voice leaves no room for discussion and I stop momentarily scared of the wrath that might be on the other side of the familiar voice. I twist my head to see Wesley is holding me tight.
