AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m lowered to the ground as we reach the car, and his hands linger on my hips a little longer than necessary. “Get in,” Ryder demands, opening the car door.
“And if I say no, then what? You gonna spank my arse like a naughty child,” I sass, folding my arms across my chest and jutting out my hip. Ryder steps forward, his nose almost touching mine as his scent surrounds me.
“Get in the damn car, Camryn. I can guarantee you don’t want to see what will happen if you don’t,” he whispers, his jaw clenching.
I lick my lips, watching as his eyes track the movement. I consider doing what he asked, but this will be more fun, so I poke the wolf a little more. Pushing up onto my toes, I graze his cheek then whisper in his ear, “You might make my panties wet, Ryder, but don’t ever mistake my attraction to you as submission or ownership.” As I pull back, I swoop in and nip his bottom lip, drawing blood. He doesn’t even flinch, but I watch completely mesmerised as he swipes a thumb across his lip, catching the drop of blood before cupping my chin and smearing it across my own lips. I gasp before running my tongue over my bottom lip, and as I taste his blood a small whimper leaves me. The grip on my chin tightens just as Ryder’s lips meet mine, and everything around me disappears. And just as I lose myself in the feeling, his lips are gone.
“Get in the car, Camryn,” he demands again, his voice low and dangerous. His eyes are hooded, and I can see the burn of lust and desire coursing through him, just like it is me. A shout of “get a room” comes from behind us. Ryder raises his hand over his shoulder giving Seb the finger, and as his laughter rings out it’s joined by another. Taking a peek over Ryder’s shoulder, I see Scott has joined Seb. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen anything other than a scowl on Scott’s face.
“I had no idea that Tweedledee there, even knew how to laugh,” I mutter, lowering myself into the car. Ryder lets out a snort. “What? Him and Russ are like the giant equivalent of the dwarfs Happy and Grumpy. It’s comical,” I say, clicking my seatbelt in place. A flicker of anxiety creeps in at being in a car again, but I tamp it down. Besides, there’s too much sexual tension rolling around in me for the anxiety to have much of an effect. I’m almost certain that there’s a damp patch the size of Lake Windermere in my underwear, and my vagina is currently screaming about the lack of orgasms. Join the club.
The drive back to the city isn’t long but it felt it. On the way, Ryder called Russ telling him to meet us at the apartment in an hour. That was the only conversation the whole way.
Scott’s scowl had returned before he even got in the car, and Ryder went back to ignoring me, apart from his furtive glances every now and then in the rear-view mirror.
I flicked through my phone, checking the news and messaging Jamie to let her know we were on our way back. When we pull up outside Ryder’s, I damn near leap from the car, well, as best as my leg will allow.
When I enter the lobby, Russ is already there talking to the security guard at his desk. He’s wearing a t-shirt today, with a jacket slung over his arm, and it’s the first time I get a proper look at the tattoo I spied at the edge of his cuff that first day. It’s an unusual piece, tribal but around the edge, which traces the line of his wrist, is a Celtic band. I’m a little surprised to see it there as it is usually a sign of Celtic heritage, but it’s a popular tattoo nowadays. I walk to the lift as Ryder veers off towards Russ with Scott.
By the time the lift arrives, the three men have joined me, and we enter the lift together. As they normally stay downstairs, I assume Ryder wants to chat with them, so when we arrive at the apartment I take off in the direction of the bedroom. But when I near Ryder’s room I hesitate, unsure of where I’m supposed to go.
That decision is quickly made as Ryder comes up behind me, a gentle hand on my back steers me into his room as he closes the door behind him. My protest dies on my tongue when I’m spun around and pinned to the door.
“You sleep in here, with me,” he states, orders, demands, whatever you want to call it, but his tone offers no room for arguing. And it pisses me off.
“Maybe I don’t want to share a room with you,” I sneer, as I shove him back away from me. Of course, he doesn’t move far, and as I try to slip past him my stupid fucked up leg slows me down, allowing him to pen me in.
“Stay,” he whispers. And that one word has me melting like ice on a hot summer’s day. All my indignation at his demands is forgotten as my libido perks her greedy little head up.
“Okay,” falls from my lips unbidden. Ryder kisses me on the head, then leaves adjusting the bulge in his pants as he goes.
Grrrr! I want to scream. I don’t like how easy I give into his demands, but I’m powerless to stop it.
I snatch my bag up from where Ryder dropped it and fire a text to Jamie venting my frustration at the fact my vag has taken control of my senses, and I desperately need an intervention. I should have known Jamie would be no help whatsoever, and I roll my eyes as I look at the picture that Jamie sent back of tumble weed with the headlineYour future. I throw my phone onto the bed, and then myself, face first. My tired body relaxes into the comfy mattress, although Seb’s bed was lovely, this is heaven. I must fall asleep, all the nightmares I’ve been having taking their toll.
I wake sometime later, and the position of the sun tells me it’s late afternoon. I’m still laying on my belly like a starfish, and as I attempt to rise up on my knees my right leg screams in protest. Groaning, I roll to my back and stare at the ceiling while I wait for the discomfort to ease. I slept really well, but I don’t want to think too much about the reason why.
While we were at Seb’s, Ryder slept in another room, but when my nightmares hit, he was always there. I would sleep better once he was there. Again, I don’t want to look too closely as to the reason why.
I’m still wearing borrowed clothes, but the ones I’m currently wearing belong to Ryder. I know because I can smell him, and I heard him moaning about me wearing another man’s clothes. Stupid possessive alphahole. I still have no idea what’s going with us. Demanding I stay in here makes me think there’s more to it than a job or sex, but when he goes cold on me? I’m confused again.
I understand what Rick was saying, but I carry my own demons too. Demons that are becoming a little harder to quiet lately.
My mind has been running wild with thoughts of my mum and Faye recently. I always felt something was off with their death, but I could barely get out of bed let alone think.
Revenge.A little voice whispers.
There has to be more going on than just my safety. How does Tyler play into all of this? What did he want on Sean’s computer? These are questions I should have given more thought to. I thought I had more time to put the pieces together, but now Sean knows where I am, my time is running out. I need answers, and I know exactly where to start.
I have a quick shower then finally dress in my own clothes before going in search of Ryder. I find him on the balcony sitting on the rattan daybed and swirling the amber liquid in the glass that dangles from his hand.
It’s raining and the afternoon sky becomes a slate grey as more clouds roll in. His eyes lift as I close in on him, he’s wearing a small frown, but his eyes are alight with a hunger I haven’t seen in a couple of days. When I finally reach him, he hooks a finger as his eyes pass over the space beside him. I hesitate for a split second knowing what will happen if I do. I have a billion questions I need answers to, but at the moment, I need this more.
Ignoring the pain in my leg, I climb onto the daybed and watch as Ryder’s blue eyes darken with desire. He knocks back the last of his drink, and his legs open as I crawl between them. He’s wearing joggers and nothing else, his sculpted upper body on full display, and I lick my lips at the thought of running my tongue up his body and tasting him.
His scent reaches me on the soft breeze that’s blowing, and my heart beats a little faster as I kneel up and run my hands up his thighs. His muscles tense beneath my fingers, and that dark part of me lights at his reaction to me.
Pulling my hands away, I reach for the hem of my top, peeling it up and off before throwing it and any doubts to the side, baring myself to him.
