Arranged marriage: Skeletons(sequel)

Chapter 17

"We were both into boxing. Not just any boxing, but underworld boxing. Deaths happened on a daily basis but I always tried to not get involved in such fights. Death bets, I mean. I didn't know much about the man but I knew that he was part of those in the lower class.

I was one of the star boxers of the place. "The Ring Lords." That's the name of the place. Not everyone is allowed in it and only a few people even know that it exists. Very much illegal. I haven't been there in over two years now.

His name was Ethan. He was friends with a few of the other boxers but his best friend was Bryan, some guy who's really been tryna mess with me recently. I didn't make friends there because I fought with half the star boxers, but I got along well with most. Trust was hard to come by there.

One day he came up to me and asked to meet up. He told me he had business he needed handled for him and I was eager to help. I had my PI Mathew and his team who always helped me with finding people whenever I needed them dealt with, but I never killed any of them. Just some threats and a good beating, that's all. Kinda like what happens in our illegal business when dealing with bad clients. So I thought he also needed that kind of business, only for him to shock me.

He told me he had money problems and needed a big bet to help pull him back up on his feet. Told me how his girlfriend was messing with other men, including his so-called best friend, just because he could no longer maintain her.

I offered to give him the money, no catch. But he refused. Didn't want to be treated like a "charity case". Atleast those were his words. So I tried again. Offered to give it to him as a loan, but he still declined. Which left me even more confused.

Then he told me what he really wanted and at first I relented because it didn't sound right. He wanted us to fight. Like, fight to the death. I tried to explain to him that not only did I not get myself involved in such fights, but I also would very much kill him. It was quite easy to see that I would win. I was a star boxer while he was with the lower rank, the juniors. He didn't listen to me though. He took my words as an insult and just got mad. He left me at the place we met at. So I thought I had escaped from his offer and relaxed, but I had never been so wrong.

A few days later I got a call. It was him. I didn't even know how or where he got my number from. But he called and asked to meet so, I went. At that time I had no body guards or anything like that since, you know, I refused to keep them with me regardless of the danger of it.

We met. It was at some really hidden place, creepy too. When I realised that he hadn't changed his mind, I started to walk away. That's when he started saying some really bad things about me. I just, I wasn't gonna do it dad, I swear."

The words carry a slight shake in them and Peterson is quick to grab his daughter's hands who turns to face him, her eyes filled with a certain pain and fear he knew too well. And when she continues to speak, his heart breaks.

"I didn't mean to do dad. He just- he got under my skin with the things he said and I just- my anger- it just."

And Peterson doesn't wait for her too continue before he pulls her into his hold. Because he knows how hard it is to admit and come to terms with the fact that a soul left it's body in the hold of your own hands. Riley hugs him back immediately, her hold tight as her body racked with sobs.

He holds her tightly, never wanting to let go. His only wish was to protect her from the world and himself. But he realised that it is not by distancing himself that he saves her, but by keeping her close to him. By taking an active role in her life as her father. Once she calms, he clears his throat and lets out a small breath.

"You didn't kill him," he says quietly, but Riley still hears him. Her body stills in his hold and she slowly moves away, looking at him in confusion.

"What?" She asks, using her hands to wipe away her tears. Peterson lets out a long breath and looks into his daughter's eyes.

"When you were born I promised myself that I would protect you with everything in me. When you started showing your discomfort in moving around with guards and started sneaking off without them, I became fearful. So, I made sure that wherever you went, there were always a few of my guards following you from a distance."

"Wait, what?"

"Just listen," Peterson pleads and not only with his words, but with his eyes as well as he sees his daughter's face flush with anger. But she listens, sitting back down with Peterson settling next to her.

"When one of the guards called and told me how you battered the man near death then fled the scene out of panic, I knew I had to step up for you. I knew you'd want to come back once your mind was settled to check on him. Hence, I made sure to keep you occupied by work that day. They took him and got him to my private doctors but by the time they got there, he was already dead. But, it wasn't because of the beating you gave him."

Riley blinked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she looked down at her feet.

"I still don't understand," she said, but her tone wasn't angry. She sounded genuinely confused.

"The test showed a type of poison that takes time to kill a person. Can be dropped in their drink or meals but it's not easy to notice. It eats you up really really slowly. We managed to do our own investigation and discovered that same friend who accused you of killing him, was the same person who gave him the poison-"

"Wait, you know about Bryan?"

"Yes. His accusation did trend for a few days. But we had hard evidence that connected him to Ethan's death. I kept it because remember, I wasn't supposed to meddle and there wasn't supposed to be any guards tailing you.

But you didn't kill him."

"And Bryan?"

"I had my guys talk to him, as well as Ethan's family. But that was earlier on in the years. They know about everything, except the fact that Bryan is the killer, and none of them blame you. Infact, his parents had wanted to talk to you. To thank you for making his death seem a bit dignified instead of him being known to have died due to suicide."

Riley let out a long breath and blinked, none of her father's words really registering in her head.

"This is uh- this is a lot. I have to, I have to..." She stood up, looking around mindlessly to avoid her father's gaze.

"I need to think. I'll uh- I'll see you another time," she said and Peterson was quick to stand, worry on his face.

"Riley-"

"I'm not angry, I'm not. I just, I need time to take this all in," Riley assured, this time she met her father's gaze and gave him a half-smile. Peterson watched her, unsure of what to do. He understood that his confession was too much for her to absorb all at once. She just needed time. She wasn't angry or avoiding him, so that had to be a good sign because he really wanted them to fix things. But he couldn't just let her leave, could he?

"Riley-"

"Dad," Riley interrupted, her voice with slight annoyance. She took in a breath to calm herself and Peterson stayed silent. She called him "dad" instead of "father" so maybe she really wasn't mad.

"I'll come by tomorrow morning for breakfast. We can talk then, okay?"

"Okay, sure."

With one last look at her father, Riley left the house.