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“I don’t care. There’s enough reason to suspect them both, which means both of them, at a minimum, need punched in the face.”
He smiled. “I absolutely agree, baby.” He stood and held out his hand to her. “Come on, let’s pack up and get out of here.
Chapter 19
Jade
They loaded the truck, left a quick meal on the patio for Chester at Jade’s insistence, and closed up the cabin in record time.
“What’s the plan?” she asked as Ryker pulled the truck onto the highway.
“We’re going to drive until I have to stop, then we’ll get a hotel, get some sleep, and figure out where to go from there,” he said.
“I guess I don’t get to meet your family then.” She was strangely disappointed by that.
“Not right now. Sorry. It would be too easy for someone to find you there especially if they find my cabin. Soon, though, I promise.”
“I know this is Rosé’s meddling, but sometimes the media really sucks.”
“I know, baby. I’m sorry. Loss of privacy is an unfortunate part of the successful musician lifestyle. The price of fame. We have to deal with it the best we can.” He took her hand and twined his fingers through hers.
Jade yawned unexpectedly.
He smiled at her and said, “We’ll stop for gas soon, then we’ll have a long drive and you can get some sleep.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
True to his word, they stopped at an all-night gas station when they reached the interstate. Ryker stocked up on drinks and snacks there.
He chugged coffee and energy drinks while he drove for hours. He refused Jade’s offers to drive, so she dozed on and off in the passenger seat and switched between radio stations when she was awake. She wasn’t sure where they were headed, but she trusted his judgment.
She didn’t sleep well but finally dozed off for a while. She woke when the passenger door on the truck opened. Ryker stood outside the door, looking exhausted.
He said, “Come on, baby. We’re going to stay here for now.”
He leaned in, unbuckled her seatbelt, and kissed her cheek.
Jade blinked and glanced around in the bright sunlight. They were parked outside a hotel.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“Ohio. I got us a room for a couple of days. Used a prepaid Visa card so we can’t be traced. Let’s head in, and get some sleep, then later we’ll figure out a plan.”
“Okay.”
Jade twisted her hair up onto the top of her head and pulled her hat over it, then she climbed out of the truck.
Ryker grabbed their suitcases out of the back. He locked the doors and led her into the hotel.
She could tell he was almost asleep on his feet, although someone who didn’t know him probably wouldn’t notice.
He leaned his head against the wall in the elevator and squinted his eyes, resting without fully closing them. He’d been awake well over 24 hours at this point, and they’d had a lot of strenuous activity during that time — between their usual workout, the nerf wars, and the sex, Ryker had been moving all day. Even though Ryker was in great shape, he had to be exhausted.
He forced his eyes open when the elevator dinged for their floor and trudged up the hall to their room. He took the keycard from his pocket and slid it into the lock to let them inside.
The room was standard and clean with a small bathroom nestled by the door, a king-sized bed in the middle of the room, and a small table and chairs near the window.
Ryker set their luggage on the floor and did his usual security sweep. He checked the bathroom for intruders, put the chain lock across the hallway door, then checked the window locks and closed the curtains.
