Group Therapy

51 - The Viceroys.

"Dark as midnight, six-pack Coors Light,
You don't look the same.
Past my bedtime, blue and red lights
Come take you away."

DNA ~ Lia Marie Johnson.

° ° ° °

I'd been patiently waiting all day for midnight to come after I'd called hunter and apologized for the tenth time about not being home for Christmas.

Chase didn't leave for some reason.

Ryder forced him to stay and sleep on the couch, poor guy.

When night finally comes l jump out of bed and run outside the room, seeing that the back door is left ajar l knew ryder is already there.

I take a deep breath and walk into the backyard to find him sitting down on the grass, same spot he was in yesterday.

I take a seat next to him and wait in silence.

"ask away." he leans his head against the hard brick wall

"what?"

"Ask away. That's your present. You wanted answers, now you'll get your answers." he explains

I smile in realization and try to maintain the sudden urge to thank him by giving him a bear hug.

Pull yourself together laynie.

"How many questions do l get?"

"As many as you want."

The urge to get up and jump in excitement kicks in and l try to push it aside.

"okay.." l take a minute to think of a question.

when l do the feeling of excitement is suddenly overshadowed by gloom.

"lf blair and ace are in a gang... Are you in one too?"

He sighs as if knowing this question was coming "yes."

My heart sinks a little as l hear this.

l knew it but a part of me didn't want to believe it, I'm stupid for ever thinking ryder could be a normal human being.

I take a deep breath and ask "what's the name?"

"The Viceroys."

"what do you guys do?"

God seriously laynie?? What do you guys do?? They play monopoly. They're a fucking gang you dumbass.

"we're a gang laynie, do you really want to go into details?"

"you're right, no l don't. But do you like... Like have you ever killed-"

"killed someone? Not personally, no."

I blow out a huge sigh in relief

Thank you god.

I think of the second question and the first thing that comes to mind is the night of the breakdown, what hurt him so much to the point where he was a complete mess like that?

As if reading my thoughts, he says "to put your mind as ease, l don't remember everything of the night, only bits and pieces."

"what do you remember then?"

"alcohol, crying and you."

I mentally roll my eyes at his response. This man would rather die than give me a proper and meaningful response.