Page 65 of Fatality

They are the only ones I can tell, I will need to lie to Liam, he will worry too much.

It’s normal for him to worry, but I don’t want to be a burden, not like I was for my parents.

Then Charlie bounces on the balls of her feet.

“Riv! That man is dangerous but is he…also fucking yummy?”

Jules and I immediately throw identical death glares at her.

“But!” Charlie raises both hands, she points dramatically. “On the other hand, he sounds very dangerous, completely insane, completely out of line.”

She mutters the last part under her breath.

I blink once, twice before I start laughing.

“What the fuck is funny, Riven?” Jules snaps. “You could've died! And Liam's worried!”

“Yeah!” Charlie points at me. “Exactly!”

“I know!” I wipe a tear from my eye. “But now that I think about it,”

Another laugh escapes me.

“This is some crazy shit.” I shake my head. “I'd never even been to the Lower Layers, and somehow I ended up in an illegal street race, in a speeding car.”

My smile fades slightly.

“I froze like a fucking idiot.” I look away. “I relived the worst memories of my life.”

Jules and Charlie says nothing themselves.

I snort.

“And some psychopath tried to flirt with me and kill me like it was a normal Friday night.”

“I'm only bruised and still a little shaken, but I'm safe. I'm home.” I squeeze their fingers. “And I'll probably never see him again. He doesn't know my name, I don't know his. Plus, he's down there, I'm up here.”

“Yeah, but be careful. He's a psycho.” Jules lets the words sink in. “If he really wants to find you...”

“He'll be able to,” Charlie finishes. “You're not just some random person, Riv.”

A pause.

“You're an heiress.”

“Yeah,” I rub the bridge of my nose and sigh. “But that makes me dangerous too.”

I smile, trying to reassure them—or myself.

I don't really know.

They're right, if he wants to, he could find me easily and finish what he started.

If he wanted me dead, I don't think anyone could stop him.

The only thing I have going for me is that he doesn't know my name. He has no idea whether I'm a Below or an Upper.

That buys me time. Time to... protect myself. But more importantly, them.