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When they reached Mykie's car, Ryker reached into the exact pocket where she usually kept her keys and pulled them out, so he could unlock her doors. Once he did, he opened the door behind the driver's seat and set her bag down inside.
"You said I'd see you again, right?" Mykie questioned. She stood next to the driver side mirror and crossed her arms subconsciously. Ryker closed the door blocking them from each other.
"Are you already missing me, Princess?" he asked, lifting his eyebrow.
"No," she said quickly. "I mean... Shouldn't every princess have her Prince Charming by her side?"
He looked like he wanted to belly-laugh right then and there. "You think I'm your Prince Charming? No," he stepped closer until they were only a breath apart. His hands snaked around her sides, pulling her closer. "I'm more like the villain. One that steals the innocent princess from her shining princes and corrupts her."
"I'm not innocent," she pointed out.
"Then maybe you're the one that's corrupting me."
"We've never spoken before now. How could I have done that?"
His mouth lifted into a smirk, but his crystal eyes were nothing but serious. "Just because you've never talked to me, doesn't mean you haven't heavily influenced me."
"Hey, Mykie!" Renly yelled behind her. Ryker and she drew away from each other as soon as they heard him.
"I'll see you around," Ryker said under his breath as he stalked in the opposite direction of his brother.
"What was that about?" Renly asked when he reached Mykie.
"I'm not sure," she lied. She turned around to face the blonde. "Was there something you needed before I left, though?"
“I wanted to ask how you got wrapped up so close with Chance Lauder. He’s a high-ranking member of the Cantil, or so I’ve heard. That’s why the Cantil are at Pearl’s Pub, a lot. Aren’t you a dancer and bartender? I didn’t know Cantil Girls were that close to… you know, the Cantil,” he said awkwardly.
She shrugged, but she couldn’t meet his eyes. She didn’t know how she could possibly tell him the truth of who she was now. She didn’t know how much she knew about his father and what happened to his hand. What if he knew who stabbed his father? Someone, Ryker said, Renly was close to?
“I guess I’m a jack of all trades? I also went to school for accounting and Mr. Lauder trusts me with the accounts he’s in charge of when he’s away or can’t make a meeting,” she explained.
His eyes were still focused on his retreating brother. "You should stay away from him. He's dangerous."
"What?" She drew back. What did he think he knew about him? "He's your brother."
"He's not right in the head," he muttered as he finally looked at Mykie. His eyes were cold and harsh like Mykie had never seen before from him. What did Ryker do that set Renly off so bad?
"He hides it from Mom and Dad, but I see it. He's always sneaking off and no one knows where he goes," he grumbled.
"Maybe he's not so bad. Have you ever asked him where he goes?" Mykie asked, opening her car door.
"Well, no, but I know he's up to no good. He's always been a troublemaker, even when we were younger," he said with conviction.
"Was there anything else, Renly?" Mykie asked, feeling testy suddenly. It felt like he was sayingshewas nothing but a troublemaker and up to no good when he talked about his brother. If he knew about her deeper involvement with the Cantil, would he say that to her? Would he look at her with that angry and judgmental look on his face?
"N-No." He blinked, visibly surprised. "I just wanted to catch you before you left. It seemed like you left on a bad note on Wednesday, and it felt like today didn't end any better. I wanted to apologize about the meeting. If I knew you'd be there, I might have been able to prepare them, and it might have gone smoother."
"It's not your fault. I should have known that your parents would be hard to convince. Believe me, the next time I have a meeting with your father, I'll make sure he understands Lauder and I a little better," she said, grinding her teeth. She hated to fail, and she hated it even more that she was running away. If they weren't Renly's parents and if there were less people in the room, the meeting would have ended much better and she wouldn't have to come home with a failed mission.
She would have been even more angry if this mission really was the deciding factor for Caspar's involvement as a Hatchling. As it was, she was resisting her urge to march back into the building and chase Earl down without his wife. She didn't miss the way his wife would tug on his arm whenever he was about to make a decision without her. It seemed that when they were together, she was the one in control. It irritated her, but it also allowed Mykie to form a plan for the future.
She was curious now that she met Ryker, though. Did Chance know that these were his parents? That he would be here today? Did he send him after her for protection or support? She would be surprised if he didn't know about his personal life, but she knew that Ghost never shared anything unless it was necessary. He was also notoriously known to be fickle and never follow the rules unless it benefitted him. Maybe it was simply a coincidence that they met up this way, or maybe Ghost introduced the idea to Harper and Co. to Chance. She would have to ask Ryker the next time she saw him.
"Well, while I’m glad that we've seen each other again, I need to go," Mykie said, climbing in her car.
"Wait," he said, catching her door before she could shut it, "I want to take you out to lunch, if I can. I want to talk. I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said the last time we talked."
She wasn’t sure if she could handle a conversation with him right in that moment about romance, but another part of her told her that she shouldn’t throw this shot away. The old Mykie would focus on the job, but the one that was trying to listen to what she wanted for a little while told her that the job could still get done with fun with Renly also happening. Things were already messy and tangled with Caspar being friends with Renly and knowing her true involvement. Keeping Renly close as she continued to finish the deal would only help in the end. At least, she hoped since he already knew her intentions going forward.
