Chapter 23
“Are you going to tell me, or what?” Emma demands when River g
gets home. She
He looks at her with confusion. “What are you talking about?” he asks
“About Valentine. And his mother.” Emma says firmly. She’s been waiting for him for a while, and she’s not going to let him off without an answer this time.
River’s expression darkens at the mention of Valentine and his mother. He’rubs the back of his neck. “It wasn’t anything crazy,” he mutters.
“Don’t give me that bullshit, River,” Emma growls
River chuckles. “Jeez, wife. Feeling a bit feisty today?” he asks.
Emma’s eyes narrow to slits, her arms crossing tightly across her chest as she fixes a piercing glare on River. “Don’t attempt to dodge the question. River. This is important” She leans in closer, her body tense with frustration and concern
River sighs, his teasing demeanor faltering as he sits down on the edge of the couch. “Look, it’s not what you’re thinking,” he says, his tone softening slightly. “Valentine’s mother met her ages ago, and let’s just say not under the best circumstances.”
What do you mean?” Emma asks.
River takes a deep breath. “It was years ago. Scarlet had just turned six. I had this enemy, he was always trying to encroach on our territory, stirring up trouble. One night, we decided to hit their main hangout, this seedy little club on the outskirts of town”
He pauses, his jaw clenching at the memory. “It was chaos, Emma. We busted in there, all guns blazing, ready to take down anyone who stood in our way. The place was a mess, people screaming, bottles shattering, and in the middle of it all, there she was”
“Who?” E
Emma asks.
“Shelly, Valentine’s mother. She was there, sprawled out on one of the couches in the back room. She was completely out of it, eyes glazed over, needle marks on her arms. It was clear she was in a bad way, strung out on whatever poison they were pushing in that hellhole”
He shakes his head, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. “I remember standing there, just staring at her, wondering how someone could let themselves fall so far. I mean, I was no saint, but this, this was a whole other level of messed up.”
“You kill people for a living, River. Why was that messed up!” Emina asks bermusedly. She’s no stranger to the kind of life River leads since she was born into it herself. It’s weird seeing him look so distressed over a drug–addicted woman,
River sighs, his eyes suddenly turning dark. “He was there. Valentine, I mean. And he couldn’t be more than five or six at the time. Same age Scarlet
Emma’s breath hitches at River’s words, her anger momentarily replaced by shork “Valentine was there? He saw all of that!
River nods, his expression hardening “Yeah. He was standing in front of her, clutching a stuffed bear like it was the only thing keeping him from falling apart. He wasn’t crying, though, Just_watching. I’ll never forget that look.”
Emma blinks, her arms slowly dropping to her sides. “Poor kid. He must’ve been so terrified but had to pretend to be brave.”
“When I tried to get close to her, he looked me straight in the eyes and told me to go away.” River grins at the memory. “Fierce little thing”
Emma’s expression softens as she absorbs River’s words. “He was trying to protect her,” she says.
River nods, his grin fading. “Yeah.”
Emma moves closer to River, sitting beside him. “So, what happened after that?”
River leans back, staring at the ceiling as he continues. “I couldn’t walk away. Not with him standing there like that. I made sure nobody touched him or her that night. We left, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him. So I found out where she lived. I found out she had been in and out of drugs her whole life. Because of that, she neglected her only son and owed a lot of money to some dangerous prople.”
That’s horrible,” Emma says quietly. “What did you do?“
“I paid off her debt,” River says simply. “Cleared it so they’d leave her and the kid alone. I felt bad for him since I had a daughter the same age as him. But it didn’t change anything. Shelly kept using. Eventually, she overdosed, and Valentine ended up in the system, bouncing from one foster home to the next. She somehow managed to take him back each time with the promise of sobering up, but she kept messing up. When he was eight years old, she got herself locked up in prison, and he was sent to yet another foster home.”
1/2
Chapter 23
“Oh, Emma says, not knowing what else to say.
River sighs. “He had a little brother at the time and he he died of some disease at one of the foster homes. I guess I should’ve taken him in myself. but I didn’t want him to grow up in my world at that time. I thought foster homes would be better than being a criminal”
Emma smiles at him. “You wanted to protect him, she says softly.
River nos, las expression tired. “Yeah”
“Maybe you did the right thing by keeping him out of your world. He seems like a decent young man now,” Emma says. “Doesn’t he?”
River looks at her, his expression turning cold. “I am not so sure about that, Emma. The Valentine I saw with Scarlet was not the bright–eyed, innocent boy I remembered from back then. This Valentine just seemed lost. And broken”
“What are you trying to say, River?” Emma asks, not quite understanding
River rubs his temple as if battling a headache. “People that are hurt tend to hurt other people sometimes. Which is why I don’t want him around
Scarlet”
Enuna’s brows furrow at River’s words. “You think Valentine is dangerous?” she asks, her tone laced with concern.
River sighs deeply, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his kores. “I don’t know, Hut I’ve seen too many people spiral because of what they’ve been through. He’s been through hell, and I don’t know what he’s become now!
“You could be overthinking it. Valentine’s feelings for Scarlet are probably gemine. It sure lonks like it. He would never do anything to intentionally hurt her. You just told me how he fiercely protected his another when he was just a little kid, even though she didn’t show him much love. I think it shows that he would do anything to protect the one he loves, Emma declares
River’s lips curl into a fond smile as he thinks back to the little boy with determination riched on his face. His small hand balled up into a fist, ready to take on anyone who dared to harm his mollier.
“I will admit he was quite adorable trying to fight ine and my men.” River chuckles. “I almost wanted to take him under my wings but decided against it. I’d rather have someone who’d choose this file himself.”
L
Emma’s eyes brighten. “Does this mean you will be okay with luan daring Scarlet?”
River’s eyes darken. “It means..I will give Valentine a chance to prove to me how far he is willing to go to protect Scarlet,” he says ominously,
Emma in
frowns at River’s cryptic response. “What does that even mean, River? You’re must planning to test him, are you?”
River leans back, a mysterious glint in his eyes as he contemplates Emma’s question. “Maybe.” he says cryptically, his voice low and measured.
Emma’s frown deepens. She doesn’t like the tone in River’s voice, “River, please tell me you’re not going to do anything drastic. Scarlet really likes this boy. Don’t you dare ruin her first relationship with some kind of messedup loyalty test,”
A smirk tugs at the corner of River’s mouth, his eyes gleaming with a mix of mischief and determination. “Drastic? Me? Come on, wife, you know me better than that,” he teases, his tone light but carrying an undercurrent of seriousness. “I’m just going to find out what he’s made of
Emana sighs, knowing that once River sets his mind to something, there’s no stopping him. She makes a mental note to keep a close eye on her
2/2
Ө
