Page 16 of His to Break

Ryker parked his unassuming car a discreet distance from the dingy motel, near the highway. The flickering neon sign above the motel's entrance cast eerie shadows on the cracked pavement. The air was heavy with tension, the faint hum of the highway traffic serving as a backdrop to the unfolding situation. His trained eyes surveyed the surroundings, checking for any signs of activity or potential threats.

Nothing. It felt like the whole world was asleep.

Good.

He reached into the glove compartment, his fingers closing around the cold, reassuring grip of his firearm. Taking a deep breath, Ryker prepared himself mentally for what lay ahead. The knowledge that he had tracked down Caleb and Eli for good sent a surge of anticipation through him.

Time was of the essence. With determination etched across his face, he steeled himself and made his way toward the motel's entrance, every step taking him closer to the inevitable confrontation.

The moon cast a silvery glow over the desolate landscape surrounding the motel. The night was heavy with an air of anticipation, like the world itself held its breath in waiting.

There would be no turning back once he reached his target.

This was just another mission. Caleb was just another target.

Ryker had seen Caleb's file. Apart from one brother he was half-estranged from, no-one would miss him.

That information should have made Ryker's job easier. Instead, it just made something dark and angry twist inside him. The world had treated this kid poorly — and he, about to take Eli away from him, was no different.

His heart pounded in his chest, a steady rhythm that matched the beat of his resolve. Then, all too quickly, he had reached the door.

The door to their motel room was locked. Cute. That lock was meaningless to Ryker. Using well-honed skills, he silently jimmied it open. As he slipped inside, the hinges let out only the faintest squeak of protest, lost in the stillness of the night.

Inside, he paused for a moment, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. The room was bathed in shadows.

Even so, Ryker's keen gaze found its marks: Caleb, asleep on one bed, his chest rising and falling gently. On the other bed lay Eli, deep asleep, sprawled out like a puppy.

Easy.

Ryker couldn't help but linger on Caleb's sleeping form, struck by the stark contrast between the man he knew when he was awake and the gentle figure before him in slumber. Caleb's eyes were closed in rest, and his features were softened with an almost ethereal quality. The tension that typically shone on his face — fake happiness, real bitterness — had evaporated, leaving in their wake nothing but peace.

It tugged at Ryker's hidden well of compassion; a well he thought had run dry long ago

Damn, Ryker thought, letting himself indulge in this stolen moment.He really is beautiful like this.

The soft glow of the neon motel sign flickered through the window, casting a surreal pattern of light and shadow across Caleb's sleeping face. With the images of all those happy boardwalk families still on his mind, Ryker couldn't help but let his mind wander, if only for a moment, to a different life – a life where he wasn't here to tear apart this fragile family, but rather, to be a part of it.

Coming home late at night after a tedious day at work, slipping into bed beside Caleb… Caleb would smile sleepily at him, reaching out to pull him close. They would intertwine their bodies together, sinking into everything that Caleb offered, sharing warmth until they fell asleep.

The image was so vivid, Ryker could practically feel Caleb's skin against his own.

God, I'm losing my edge. Enough, he told himself firmly, squashing the dream like a bug under his boot.

He was no Prince Charming, here to wake his beloved with a kiss. He was a hired gun, a killer with bloodstained hands that could never be washed clean.

It was time to stop playing pretend and get down to business.

With swift, practiced movements, Ryker grabbed Caleb's wrist, pinning him in place, and pressed his other hand over Caleb's mouth to muffle any sounds of alarm.

Caleb's eyes flew open in terror, as he tried to struggle against Ryker's iron grip. In the low light, their gazes locked, and Caleb's eyes went wide with recognition.

"Shh," Ryker whispered, nodding toward the other bed where Eli lay sleeping, blissfully unaware of the scene unfolding mere feet away. "Let's not scare the kid."

Caleb's body arched beneath Ryker's larger form, instinctively trying to find a way to wriggle away from Ryker's grasp in panic. But there was no escape. Once he knew it, his eyes held nothing but fear and resignation. He gave a small, defeated nod, acknowledging the reality of their situation.

"Good," Ryker murmured, his voice low and rough. As he spoke, he couldn't help but notice the way Caleb's chest rose and fell with each rapid breath, the soft feel of his skin beneath his hand.

He knew he had no right to want Caleb – not like this, not ever – but some dark part of him couldn't let go of that reckless need.

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