The Past Between Us

~33~

Dedicated to @ZainabAnsari6 for supporting me since the start. Thank you for all your kind comments. xx

|Edited|

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WARNING: This chapter might be triggering for some.

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My screams were muffled by the hand pressed over my mouth. Tristan dragged me into the house behind Ryder. Panic surged through me. The door slammed shut behind us, I heard the lock click into place.

"Look man. This is the last time I'm doing this for you. After this, I'm out for good." Tristan's panicked voice mumbled. He finally let me go. The first thing I noticed was all the armed men crowding the place. I recognized two of them, they were the ones who'd attacked me that night in the street, that time Hunter had been there to save me. My hands balled into fists as I prepared to fight.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I demanded harshly, my anger directed at Tristan.

He swallowed. "I'm sorry. I had no other choice. It was either you or me."

"What do you mean?" I snapped.

"Allow me to explain." Ryder's cold voice suddenly cut in, a shudder racked my body. I slowly turned around to face him. His eyes glinted coldly in the dim light. I tried to hide the fear I was feeling. "You see Scarlett we run a business here. We supply narcotics and Tristan here is one of our oldest clients. The thing is, since the past year he stopped paying us for our supplies. So owes us money, a lot of money. The kind he can't repay. And when my clients can't pay me back . . . they somehow end up dying." He chuckled. ''Nothing anyone can prove of course."

"Y-you're trafficking drugs?" I asked in horror.

Ryder's lips twisted into a sardonic smile. "Smart girl, you get an A plus for guessing correctly."

"What does any of this have to do with me?" I tried to keep my voice steady.

Ryder shook his head. "Patience Doll-face. I was getting there." He took a step towards me and my whole body tensed. "You see, I'm a reasonable man. When Tristan told me that he didn't have the cash I gave him an alternative." His cold eyes flashed "You."

I could feel the bile rising up in my throat but I pushed it down. "What do you want from me?"

Ryder's eyes raked over my body and I almost gagged. "There are quite a few things I want from you." He chuckled coldly. "But for the time being I'll only take one." His fingers grasped my chin roughly as he forced my head up to meet his gaze. "Hunter."

I could feel my heart plunge.

"Leave Hunter alone. He has nothing to do with this." I hissed, I was surprised by the intensity behind my words.

Ryder looked amused. He finally let go of me.

"So clueless." He mocked. "You still don't understand. Hunter has everything to do with this.
He was the one who bought this upon himself. He should never have messed with me. He needs to learn that I run this town. He needs to know that I own him."

My whole body was trembling now.

I have to protect Hunter.

"Look, you don't need to involve him. He's leaving town anyway. He won't be in your way anymore." I tried.

Ryder's eyes flashed.

"Leaving Town!?" He demanded. "He thinks he can leave town after taking my money?"