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“Shit, girl. You are anything but that. Who wouldn’t want the hunk in their life to be by their side when they’re freaked out? It’s all good.”
“We’ll follow you to Jac’s, then take this rig off to the garage to have it swept before I bring it out to you.”
“Sound’s good. Thanks,” said Ryker.
***
“LEVI JUST CALLED. OAKLEY’Srig was clear of tracking devices, but Ryker’s had one.”
“I knew it,” said Linton. “She’s after Ryker.”
“Damn, the man’s right,” said Monroe. “That would be an excellent strategy. If Audra threatens Oakley, you’d be more worried about her, stand closer, protect her harder, and not worry about yourself, thinking the only danger lies with Oakley. When, in fact, they are targeting you.”
“Shit. Now how do I do all that I need to do, take care of Oakley, and watch out for myself?” Ryker’s hand ravaged his longer-than-typical hair, leaving it standing on end.
Monroe nodded. “That’s the point, except she doesn’t know you have us to stand in the gap.”
“Yes, okay, but what does that mean in this case?”
“We protect you both,” said Jac. “Not brain surgery.”
“Fuck,” said Ryker. “I’m glad the girls are here and are keeping her busy. This would kill her right now.”
“Sorry, but it just answers my question of how we deal with the situation. We cover you both. I want you two here, and as much as possible, you work here. If you have to leave, then we will take care of that with a bodyguard and a tail.”
“Great,” said Ryker unenthusiastically.
Monroe jumped into operation mode. “Now, how do we want this game to play out?”
The men put their heads together and devised a plan.
***
THE COLD WIND WHIPPEDOakley’s hair around her face as she stood on the rooftop terrace, clutching the railing with trembling hands. Her heart pounded in her chest, a chaotic rhythm that echoed the confusion and fear swirling through her mind. The medication that had been administered to her during her harrowing ordeal may not still course through her veins, but she was still unsteady and weak at times.
“Oakley?” Ryker’s voice was gentle, filled with concern as he approached her from behind. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head, tears filling her sad eyes. “I don’t know, Ryker. I don’t know if I’ll ever be okay again.”
Ryker stepped closer, his hand hovering just above her shoulder, hesitant to touch her after all she’d been through. “Do you want to talk about it? What happened?”
Oakley swallowed hard, trying to find the words to describe the nightmare she’d endured. The memories were sharp, like shards of glass slicing into her psyche whenever she tried to look back. “I was... they took me,” she whispered, her voice shaking with the effort to speak. “They kept me in this... this filthy room, and they... they drugged me. They kept pumping me full of this horrible stuff that made me feel like I was losing my mind, and I couldn’t escape, no matter how hard I tried.”
Her free hand unconsciously went up to twirl a strand of hair, a nervous habit she’d developed over the years. “They hurt me, Ryker. Physically, emotionally... I’ve never felt so helpless and alone in my entire life.”
Ryker’s face contorted with anguish, struggling to comprehend the depth of her pain. “Oh, Oakley,” he breathed, finally placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry. I wish there was something I could have done to protect you.”
She leaned into his touch, seeking solace in the warmth of his presence. “It’s not your fault,” she murmured. “But I don’t know how I’m supposed to heal from this.”
“Time,” he told her softly, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. “You need time, Oakley. And I’ll be here with you every step of the way, I promise.”
As they stood together on that windswept rooftop, Oakley allowed herself a small measure of hope. With Ryker by her side, perhaps the road to recovery wouldn’t be quite so lonely. And maybe, just maybe, she could find her way back to the strong, confident woman she’d once been–before the darkness had stolen her away.
“Thank you, Ryker,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the howling wind. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Nor I you,” he admitted, his own voice tinged with emotion. “Nor I you.”
The faint, incessant beep of a text message notification rang through the bedroom like an alarm, causing her heart to race. Ryker’s protective gaze scanned the room before he reached for her phone on the coffee table. His jaw clenched as he read the message from an unknown number.
