Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rowan Vale 34

Eric drove leisurely down the road, in no particular hurry. 

Vivian sat beside him, clearly on edge and fidgeting. 

“Am I that terrifying?” Eric said, reaching over to lightly brush the back of her hand. “Relax. I’m not going to hurt you.” 

Vivian shoved his hand away immediately. “Don’t touch me.” 

“What, I can’t even do that now?” Eric replied, his tone a mix of amusement and irritation. 

“I’m with Shep, Eric. Back off,” Vivian snapped. “If you try anything, I swear I’ll-” 

“You’ll what? Run and tell Shepard?” Eric cut her off. 

Vivian bit her lip, hard. 

“Go ahead, I dare you,” Eric said, completely unfazed. A smirk touched his lips. “And while you’re at it, maybe I’ll share a few old stories with him. Like…” 

He let the word hang in the air before continuing, his voice a slow, deliberate drawl. “Like what really happened with that school fire. Why did the equipment room just go up in flames? Such a mystery.” 

Vivian’s face went pale. She sat frozen, utterly still. 

A few seconds passed before Vivian sank back into the seat, the fight visibly draining from her. “Just tell me what you want, Eric,” she muttered. 

He let out a short, derisive laugh. “So, can I touch you now?” 

Vivian didn’t answer. 

Eric took her hand, his thumb stroking her skin. “So soft. Shep must be treating you pretty well. Makes me wonder what other parts of you feel like.” 

Vivian forced down a wave of revulsion. “Don’t even think about it. If Shep finds out, we’re both finished.” 

“Take it easy,” Eric said, pulling her hand to his lips for a quick kiss before releasing it. “I’ve got this.” ” 

Vivian nearly snatched her hand back. Clenching her jaw, she stared out the window, refusing to look at him. “Do you just go after every girl Shepard has?” she asked flatly. “You were all over Briana earlier, even defended her.” 

“Briana? That was just an act,” Eric said. “But with you? I’m serious.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Vivian asked. 

Eric just laughed, the sound low and mocking. “You’ll understand. No rush. I’ll have plenty of… errands for you.” 

A cold wave of despair washed over Vivian. Eric was a viper, coiled tight around her, and shaking him off seemed impossible. The only way out would be to destroy him, or be destroyed herself. 

“Vivian,” Eric continued, his voice turning sharp. “Next time you see me, don’t even think about running. If you ever really piss me off, everything you have is gone. Poof. Understand?” 

“I understand, she muttered, the words tasting like ash. 

“Good girl. Just stay in line,” he said, his mockery a tangible force in the cramped car. 

Chapter 34 

Vivian drew a shaky breath. “You have to promise you’ll keep my secret.” 

“Of course.” Eric nodded, a cruel smirk twisting his lips. “Why would I ever let Shepard walk away from you? Where’s the fun in that?” 

Vivian’s jaw tightened. The only way to seal her secret forever was to silence Eric for good. But that was a step she wasn’t ready to take. Not yet. 

Charles was heading into the living room at Evergreen Estate when Briana stopped him. “Wait,” she called out. 

He halted, stumbling slightly. “What, I can’t come in now?” 

“Disinfect first, and then you can come in,” Briana said, grabbing a spray bottle and giving him a few generous spritzes. Charles waved a hand in front of his face. “Alright, I’m sterile. I’m starving. Is there any food?” 

“If Mom and Dad were here,” Briana joked, “they’d probably make you go take a shower before you could step foot in the house.” 

“Hey, I didn’t get in the cell,” Charles shot back with a grin, making his way toward the dining room. 

A good meal was set out on the table. Charles sat down, picked up his fork, and dug in. “Damn, Briana, you can really cook. Whoever ends up with you is lucky. Shepard has no idea what he’s lost.” 

Briana sat down beside him. “Charles, I know you were sticking up for me, but you’ve got to be more sensible. Please don’t go picking fights anymore.” 

Charles might be a mess in most ways, but his loyalty to his sister was real. He paused, his throat tight. “Briana, just be straight with me. How did you get me out?” 

She looked away. “Don’t worry about it. You’re safe, and that’s what matters.” 

“What did Shepard do? And Vivian? Did she give you trouble?” Charles pressed, his voice low. 

“No, I just tried to talk things out with them and apologized,” Briana mumbled. 

Before she could answer, Charles sprang to his feet and began inspecting her. He pushed up her sleeves, tugged her collar down to check her back, and finally pulled up her pant leg, revealing the dark bruises on her knees. 

The sight hit him like a physical blow. He sank back into his chair, his voice choked. “Who caused this? Was it Shepard, or Vivian?” A vein pulsed at his temple. “I swear, I’ll make them pay.” 

Briana grabbed his arm. “Charles, it’s over. Just drop it, okay? Please, eat something.” 

“I’d rather have stayed locked up than see you hurt like this,” he burst out, pushing his plate away. “My mistakes should be mine to pay for, not yours.” 

“It’s really okay,” Briana insisted, softening her tone. “I wasn’t down for long. Eric showed up and spoke up for me.” 

“Eric?” Charles echoed, his anger momentarily sidelined by surprise. 

“Yeah,” Briana replied. 

Charles looked confused. “You two are that close? You’ve never even mentioned him before.” 

“We’re not close at all. We hardly ever talk,” Briana said, shaking her head. “Honestly, I have no idea why he stepped in. He even called Vivian out right to her face. He didn’t hold back at all.” 

18:26 Fri, Dec 19 M W 

Chapter 34 

Charles slapped his knee. “He’s got a thing for you.” 

Briana nearly choked. Charles’s imagination was truly something else. 

u 

“What other reason could there be?” Charles threw his hands up. “It’s always the same with guys. Why else would Eric, out of the blue, go out of his way to help you and risk ticking off Shepard?” 

Briana didn’t have an answer either. But in the end, the reason didn’t really matter. Maybe Eric just took pity on her and couldn’t stand to watch, or perhaps he knew Evelyn was fond of her and was simply doing a good deed. 

Briana sighed, propping her chin in her hand. “Honestly, what’s really stressing me out is the promise I made to Shepard.” 

Charles bristled instantly. “What promise? What did he make you agree to?” 

“I have to convince Grandma Evelyn to let Vivian marry into the Carter family. Only then will he drop the charges against you,” she explained. 

“Are you serious?” Charles slammed his hand on the table. “He never misses a chance to call in a favor. So if Vivian doesn’t get her way, I’m supposed to just waltz back into a cell?” 

Briana let out a dry laugh. “Relax, you’re already out. If it really comes down to it, just disappear. Go overseas and lay low for a while. You think Shepard’s going to chase you across the globe?” 

They shared a look and cracked up laughing. 

AD