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She was panting as she continued. "Promise me... you won't leave without saying goodbye. At least give me thatmuch."
He shouldn't make that promise. Any number of things could happen that would call for his sudden disappearance. He made the only promise he could in thatmoment.
"I promise I won't leave without at least getting a message to you through Davidson. I don't trust many people with your safety, but I do trusthim."
"But..."
"Princess, I'll do my best to not disappear on you, but don't make me make a promise I may not be able to keep." He paused, their bodies still primed and ready toexplode.
Her simple, "Okay," sealed their dealings. They loved each other. He'd promised to do his best not to leave her without saying goodbye. As sad as that was, that was the best they could muster at themoment.
He moved his hips again, slowly pumping into her, building their joint pleasure until they exploded together in one shattering completion. As his spurts of cum emptied into her body, he felt the last shred of control desert him, leaving him completely bare beforeher.
He pulled her to him as he rolled their linked bodies until he had her cradled on top of him again. The room was beginning to lighten with the coming dawn. Too soon it would be daylight and they would have to move forward, no matter how much each of them dreadedit.
They were both exhausted, but he was sure neither would sleep again that night, each refusing to waste one minute of their limited time together. He wasn't sure how much time had passed before he heard her quietly say, "I love you,Ryder."
If only love wasenough.
Chapter 22
"Whoa.What the hell happened to you?" Trevor greeted them at the elevator on the main floor of Runway the nextmorning.
"Shut up," Khloe quipped, unable to handle the pity she saw in her friend's eyes as he looked her up and down. Even though they weren't outside yet, she pulled the large sunglasses out of her purse, anxious to hide her bloodshot eyes. With any luck, Trevor would think they werehungover.
Her security guard turned his attention to Ryder next to her, reaching to pull her suitcase away as he added, "You don't look muchbetter."
Ryder dished it back. "You heard the lady. Shut the fuckup."
Trevor grumbled, "Good morning to you, too," as he turned to lead the way towards the two-story glassentrance.
Khloe leaned heavily on Ryder as he stepped closer, wrapping his arm around her waist as they crossed the expansive dance floor. The only sign of life in the closed club was the distant sound of a vacuum cleaner and the burly security guard standing at the entrance, ready to unlock the door to let the VIP guestsdepart.
She was relieved they wouldn't see their trio of hosts in the light of day. Not only because she was unsure if she could look them in the face after watching them fucking each other like rabbits on the floor of Black Light the night before, but more importantly because she knew they would pick up on her utterdespair.
The night before had been one of the best... and worst... of her life. She tried not to feel bitter that some of the highest highs of her personal life and career were colliding spectacularly with equally low lows, leaving her confused and shell shocked. She was still trying to internalize all that she'd learned from Ryder the night before, unable to accept with the same certainty as him that they had nofuture.
The simple touch of his hand as they dashed from the building into the waiting limo made her heart constrict with a desire so deep she thought she might die if he let go. She'd never felt this way about anything or anyone, and it terrifiedher.
Ryder pulled her into his lap as soon as he was seated in the luxury car. Her panic receded as his arms enveloped her. She snuggled against his shoulder, inhaling his unique scent to help calmher.
She hated how clingy she felt, but it couldn't be helped. She'd begged him to tell her the truth and like it or not, he had. Now she had to deal with the knowledge that he could, and probably would, leave her again as soon as her stalker wascaught.
How ironic that twenty-four hours ago the worst scenario she could have thought of was never finding who had been terrorizing her, leaving her feeling forever insecure. Now, a few hours later, she'd give anything to never get to the bottom of the case if it would mean Ryder would stay withher.
She had tuned out the men, lost in thought. Ryder's words jarred her back to thepresent.
"I'll be in the theater office, watching the security monitors." To his credit, Trevor listened as Ryder took charge, laying out the plan to keep her safe at that day's event. "I emailed my office. They're sending over a package of top-end security equipment by courier. I'll need a few minutes alone with you to go through everything before we leave for thetheater."
"Got it." Trevor hesitated before adding, "The office, eh? Which office would thatbe?"
"The 'none-of-your-damn-business' office," Rydergroused.
"Bullshit. You're nervous, and I get the impression nothing makes you nervous. So understandably, now I'm nervous. All I'm asking is for you to level with me on what has you watching out the back window, afraid we're being tailed by the boogieman. And don't tell me Khloe's stalker has you rattled likethis."
Khloe hugged Ryder closer, understanding for the first time the agony he must have been going through since returning to her life. Wanting desperately to protect her... yet knowing his presence put her in a different kind ofdanger.
"You should tell him," she whispered against his neck where she'd snuggledin.
