“Ryder?”
“No.” He shakes his head, his eyes a maelstrom of pain and regret. “I won’t let you give up everything for me. I lost my family. You don’t need to lose yours too.”
Tears sting my eyes, blurring my vision. “Don’t shut me out. I love you. I don’t care about the money, I don’t care about the Valeur name. There’s a reason I’m distant from all that. I want you.” The words come out as a broken whisper.
Ryder’s eyes flash with pain, his jaw tight. “I can’t let you give up everything for me,” he says, his voice rough, torn. “I won’t do that to you. Don’t put me in this position.” He runs a hand through his hair, looking lost and defeated. “You’ll hate me for it later. I can’t be the reason you lose everything.”
“Please don’t leave me, Ryder.” I’m begging now, pride forgotten in the face of losing him.
In two quick strides, he closes the distance between us. His hands grip my arms, and he kisses me. It’s hard and desperate, tasting of salt and sorrow. I pour everything I am into the kiss, willing him to understand, to stay.
When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine, his ragged breath striking my skin. “I will never leave you,” he murmurs, voice hoarse with emotion. “You’re everything. My beginning, my end. But I have to go or…” Ryder glances at the window, where my dad stands. “I’ll figure this out, I swear it.”
Thirty
RYDER
Ileave Cora with her father and his security team, the knot in my chest tightening with each step I take away from her. The cool night air brushes against my skin, but it does nothing to ease the turmoil raging inside me.
I slide into the driver’s seat and slam my fist against the steering wheel. The pain barely registers, just a dull throb in the background of the storm brewing in my mind.
I’ve ruined everything, and I knew it would come to this. Still, I couldn’t walk away from her. Wouldn’t.
And I don’t regret a damn thing.
I press the gas pedal, the engine roaring to life with a fierce growl. The tires screech as I peel away from the curb, the Valeur house fading into the distance. Streetlights blur into streaks of yellow, matching the speed of my thoughts as they spiral out of control.
The guilt weighs heavily on my chest. I’m not ready for herto lose her family because of me. She shouldn’t have to make that choice.
I need to make sure Cora has someone watching her while I’m gone. Someone she trusts. I scroll through my contacts, grateful that I had the foresight to save all her brothers’ numbers when I first started working here.
Taking a deep breath, I hit Logan’s number, praying that family bonds run deeper than her father’s disapproval. I keep it brief, asking him and his brothers to keep an eye on Cora, to support her. To my relief, his loyalty overrides any reservations he might have about me.
I disconnect the call and press the gas pedal.
My phone rings again, the sound cutting through the hum of the engine. Zane’s name flashes on the screen, illuminating the dark interior of the car.
I’m not ready for another conversation with him, but there’s no point in delaying the inevitable. I hit the speaker button, the soft beep echoing in the confined space.
“Ryder.” Zane’s voice is low, controlled.
“Yeah.” My voice sounds rough, even to my ears.
“What’s that noise? Where are you?”
I glance at the speedometer, watching the needle climb. “Driving. Needed a moment to think.”
He grunts, the sound distorted by the speaker. “You should’ve thought before you slept with a client.”
“It wasn’t like that,” I argue, my grip tightening on the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white. “This wasn’t some rash decision.”
“You’ve crossed a line. A bodyguard fucking his client? It’s not just you at risk, this could damage the company’s reputation. You should’ve reported this to me the moment it started. Icould have done something.” He falls silent for a long moment. “There’s still an opening in my team if you want it. You can get away from all of this.”
I take a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm, to focus on the road ahead. “I appreciate that, but no. Do what you need to do. I’m not asking you to take the fall for my choices. But I love her, and I’m not walking away. Not because her father demands it. The only person who can make me leave is Cora.”
The words come out strong, unshakable. I knew the consequences from the start. Her father’s disapproval was a storm I saw coming, but it doesn’t change a damn thing. Nothing but Cora will pull me away from her.
She’s mine.
