Free Web NovelChapter 39: Chapter 39 An Armour
Ryder’s POV
Linda cried like she was afraid that if she stopped, we would let her go and leave her.
She clung to us, first Ronan, then me, then Renzo, arms wrapped tight, fingers digging into our fabric like they were anchors. Her shoulders shook violently, her sobs wet and broken, the kind that came from somewhere deep and desperate. And in that moment she looked small. Fragile. Terrified of being left behind.
Ronan held her first. His arms were strong around her, protective in the way they always had been. He murmured soft words into her hair, promises and reassurance just to keep her calm. I joined them, hesitating only a second before wrapping my arms around her too. Renzo stood stiff at first, like he didn’t know where to put his hands, but eventually even he leaned in, his palm resting on her back.
For a long time, we stayed like that.
None of us spoke.
Linda’s crying slowly softened, violent sobs giving way to quiet sniffles, then shallow, exhausted breaths. Her weight sagged against us, eyelids fluttering as the adrenaline drained from her body. When her grip finally loosened, Ronan caught her before she could slump to the floor.
“She’s asleep,” Ronan whispered.
Carefully, he lifted her into his arms. She didn’t stir, just sighed softly and buried her face into his chest. Watching him carry her toward the hallway felt surreal, like we were returning something fragile to a place where it could break again at any moment.
Ronan laid her gently on her bed, pulling the covers over her, brushing hair from her face with a tenderness that made my chest ache for her.
Then he straightened.
“We should talk to Jade,” he said quietly as he walked back into the living room.
Renzo turned immediately. “No.”
I looked at him, startled. “What do you mean, no?”
“I mean exactly what I said, Ryder.” His voice was calm, too calm. “We are not doing that.”
Ronan frowned. “Renzo....”
“Think about it,” Renzo cut in, his jaw tightening. “If you were Jade, would you want to see us?”
Ronan and I were silent.
He paced once, slow and controlled, hands clenched at his sides.
“Her father was executed. We were her closest friends. We claimed to love her.” His voice lowered, edged with something raw. “And when she needed us most, we abandoned her.”
I swallowed. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
“And not only that,” he continued. “We joined in. We humiliated her. We let the school tear her apart. We called her names. We abused her. We watched her bleed and told ourselves she deserved it.”
Ronan’s shoulders slumped.
“We don’t deserve her,” Renzo finished.
The words settled heavy in my chest.
He was right.
I nodded slowly. “We didn’t even hesitate,” I said. “Linda showed us a moment out of context, and we destroyed Jade’s entire life over it. We didn’t trust her. We didn’t defend her dignity. We buried it.”
I looked away, the shame crawling under my skin.
“So we’re really not going to talk to her?” I asked quietly.
Renzo’s gaze was distant. “No.”
“Then what are we going to do?”
His voice was steady when he answered.
“We’re going to reject her.”
Ronan snapped his head up. “What?”
“She deserves to be free,” Renzo said. “Free from us. Free from this bond. She deserves a life where she’s not tied to the people who broke her.”
The room went quiet.
And for the first time, none of us argued.
Because even if we hated it. we both knew, Renzo was right.
Jade’s POV
I woke up with my heart already tired.
The sun filtered through the thin curtains of our room the servant quarters, pale and unforgiving. My body felt heavy, like I’d run for miles in my sleep. I lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, memories from last night flickering through my mind in broken flashes, music, heat, hands, eyes on me, then cold air, silence, confusion. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
They left.
They didn’t say anything. They didn’t explain.
I dragged myself out of bed and took a shower, scrubbing my skin harder than necessary, like I could wash away the shame clinging to me. The water stung a little on my chest. The slash Linda gace me in attempt to take my life.
Whatever happened between me and the boys yesterday, it really healed it cause the slash was nothing but a faint pink line across my hest now.
When I stepped out, my mother was already gone, gone for her early shift. Of course.
I dressed quickly, pulling on my usual clothes, my hoodie last. The that fabric felt like armor.
As I tied my shoes, my thoughts spiraled.
Why did they stop? Why did they look at me like that? Why did they drop me off and leave me like I meant nothing?
By the time I stepped outside, the weight of reality settled fully on my shoulders.
Everyone knew.
Everyone who had been at Linda’s party last night had seen me almost naked. Had laughed. Had whispered. Had judged. The thought of walking into school made my stomach twist painfully.
How was I supposed to exist today?
I kept my head down as I walked, counting steps, focusing on my breathing.
Then a car pulled up sharply in front of me.
Sleek. Black. Expensive.
My heart jumped.
The window rolled down.
Ronan was driving. Ryder sat in the front seat. And in the back....
Renzo.
His gaze locked onto mine instantly, cold and unreadable. It should have scared me. It should have sent me running.
Instead, my pulse spiked traitorously, and my body reacted with a kind of embarrassing heat that sent my cheeks flushing
The back door clicked open.
“Get in,” Renzo commanded
