“Okay, let’s go.” He stands from the couch and strides toward me. “Pack your bags.”
“What?” Now it’s my turn to furrow my brows. “Where are we going?”
“You wanted to get out of here. I’m taking you out of here.” His voice is firm, but there’s a softness in his eyes that makes my heart skip.
“But where?”
“To my house.”
I tilt my head, studying his face. “Your house?”
“Yeah.” He quirks an eyebrow. “Did you think I was homeless? Living in a cardboard box when I’m not guarding you?”
I laugh, the tension in my shoulders easing. “No, but I didn’t expect you to offer to go there. I was assuming you just powered down in a closet between assignments.”
His lips twitch. “I live in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nature. No one will know you’re there. You’ll be free to roam, and do other things.” He wiggles his eyebrows, sending a rush of heat through my body.
I move closer, drawn to him like a magnet. I wrap my arms around his waist, breathing in his scent. He kisses the top of my head.
“I’d love to see your house,” I whisper, my voice muffled against his chest. “Thank you.”
I dash up the stairs, my mind racing with possibilities. As I throw clothes into a suitcase, a thought occurs to me. “Are we driving?” I call down.
His laugh echoes up the stairwell. “From L.A. to Montana? I’m not that desperate to spend time alone with you in a confined space. I’m looking for a flight.”
I poke my head out the door, peering down at him. Ryder stands at the bottom of the stairs, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that makes my breath catch. “You live in Montana?”
“Yeah. Land of big skies and bigger bears.”
I nod, a smile tugging at my lips. “Yes, I can picture that. You, chopping wood shirtless, wrestling grizzlies. Oh my God, you’re like that hot TikTok guy!”
“Who?”
My phone buzzes, interrupting our banter. I glance at it, and the world seems to tilt on its axis.
“Ryder!” I yell, panic clawing at my throat.
He’s up the stairs in seconds, his playful demeanor gone. “What happened?” His eyes scan the room, assessing for threats.
I point at my phone, my hand shaking. He takes it, his jaw clenching as he reads.
“Another threat.”
“He wrote that he’s going to kill me.” The words come out in a whisper, fear threatening to overwhelm me.
Ryder closes the distance between us, wrapping me in his arms. His embrace is solid and grounding. “To hurt you, he’ll have to get through me first. I’ll send this to Zane. If anyone has the resources to find this guy, it’s him.”
“You think so?”
“I’m sure so. He can get blood from a stone if that’s what it takes. We just need some time.”
The doorbell rings, and I scream, jumping out of my skin.
“Cora, it’s just the door.” Ryder grips my arms, his touch firm but gentle. He looks into my eyes, his gaze steady and reassuring. “Calm down. Someone’s ringing the doorbell. Are you expecting anyone?” He pulls out his phone, bringing up the security camera feed from the door and turning the screen toward me.
“Fuck,” I mutter, running a hand over my face. “It’s Jill. I told her to come over before you said we’d fly, when I was bored. Give me a moment, I’ll tell her to leave.”
“It’s okay, the flight’s not for a few hours. No need to rush.” His thumb traces soothing circles on my arm. “Besides, it might be good for you to see a friend before we go.”
