His expression goes hard and fierce. “Doesn’t matter even if he does. If he comes near you or Chloe…I’ll kill him.”
I should be shocked, even scared at his words but instead they fill me with warmth. I think of the expensive kitchen knives I’ve been using since we moved in here and how sharp they are. Not once did I ever fight back when he came at me before but that changes now. If he does come for us, if he threatens us again, Ryker won’t have to kill him because now that I can see the amazing future ahead of me and Chloe, now I’m ready to do it myself.
Zack
Ipace back and forth in front of the kitchen island causing my stump to ache. I really do need to get that adjustment done but all I can think about right now is the wild panic on Avery’s face. The whine of terror that came from her mouth was almost harder to hear than the screams of wounded soldiers that fell beside me. My stomach is in knots with anxiety and all I want to do is go wherever Ryker took her and pull her into my arms. I want to promise her that she and Chloe will always be safe, always be protected and fuck…always loved. I can’t lie to myself. I’ve fallen so damn hard for those girls and I know it’s going to fuck me up more than I already am when she doesn’t choose me.
I swipe through my hair that’s already standing on end from pulling on it so much and dart another glance at the hallway Ry took her down. My nerves break and I turn that way to just go, go and find them but East stops me.
“No, leave them!”
Fuck…fuck! I hit him with a glare. “What the fuck happened to Bishop’s team? They were supposed to move on him as soon as you guys were clear. How did they fuck this up?”
East drops his phone onto the counter and throws his hands up with a pissed-off look.
“That was the plan but another high profile case had a development that pulled them all away. Trust me, I’m just as pissed off as you are about this but a serial killer takes precedence over an embezzler. You’ve seen the news about that guy they are calling the Scalpel? Apparently, the Scalpel picked another victim but this time, she fought back and managed to escape. It’s a huge break in the case.” He rubs between his eyes like a headache is brewing and shakes his head. “Listen, I’m just as upset as you are and I hate seeing Avery this way but this guy, he’s not a threat. I was face to face with him. The loser’s a bully and a coward and we put the fear of God into him. My bet is that he’s already out of the country. From the things he said, he doesn’t give a shit about his wife and daughter. They were just convenient punching bags to him and part of an image he cultivated. Go check the money trail and I bet you’ll see he's on the move.”
I look away, back to the hallway and shake my head. “I’m not going anywhere until I see that she’s okay.” I cross my arms over my chest and blast out a hard breath of frustration. “Even if he’s not a threat, she doesn’t fucking deserve to have to go through this. Damn it, East! She was just starting to find her feet. She was relaxing, laughing. I hate that this might set her back again.” I scrub at my face. “I just want her happy. She deserves to be fucking happy!”
His expression softens. “She does, they both do and we are going to give them that, I promise. You need to calm down, Zack. I don’t want her coming back in here and seeing you all worked up and worried like this. It will only stress her out even more. We need to present a strong, united front for her. Let her know she has nothing to worry about, that we’ll take care of them.”
I shove my hands through my hair again and blow out a long breath. He’s right. We just need to make her feel secure and safe. Keep supporting her and encouraging her to help build her confidence. I just hate seeing her scared like that, ready to run at the drop of a hat. I’ve fallen so hard for these girls in such a short amount of time that it feels unreal some days.
But it isn’t. Everything I feel for Avery and Chloe is one hundred percent real. When I think of her leaving or running away it makes a cold sweat break out down my back and leaves a sick feeling in my stomach. It doesn’t even matter if she doesn’t feel the same way back. If the only thing she ever wants from me is friendship, it would be enough. I want so much more than that but I know I’m not the man I once was. I’m no prize for a woman with the damage my body has sustained so I’ll take what I can get from her and just be happy that they’re in my life.
I catch Easton straightening up from the corner of my eye so I look to the hallway and see Ry leading Avery back into the kitchen by her hand. Kanga goes straight to her and leans against her legs to offer support. As she reaches down to scratch between his ears, her eyes dart between East and me and her cheeks flush with a pretty pink blush before she looks away. I know right then that something has changed. Either something has happened between Ryker and her or he told her that we all want to be with her. She chews on her lip and twists her fingers and then takes a deep breath and lifts her eyes to us again.
“I’m…I’m sorry I freaked out. I…we aren’t going anywhere. I, I trust you…all of you to protect us…and…I want to be here with you. All of you.”
She blushes again dropping her gaze so I pin Ry with a sharp questioning look and get a slow nod in reply. Easton moves over to her and pulls her against him in a hug, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. When I see her arms creep up slowly to settle around his waist, my heart squeezes painfully. She’s going to stay and that fills me with relief but I know it’s not me she wants to be with in that way so I nod and turn away. I head to my office to dig into that fucker’s money trail. If he’s on the move, I want to know where. I need to make sure it’s far, far from her.
Ryker
Isit at the counter and work from my phone as Avery flutters around the kitchen, preparing food for tonight’s dinner. Every time I glance up and catch her eye, she blushes and looks away as if she’s remembering what happened between us in the gym. I keep my expression blank and let her do her thing so she can settle and work through everything.
It’s a real fucking challenge because all I want to do is drag her out of here to my room and ravish her body again and again. I can still taste her sweetness on my tongue and hear her little whimpers and gasps from when I had my head buried between her legs. I swear I almost came in my pants when she cried out my name as she clamped down on my finger when she orgasmed. It was the hottest thing I’ve ever experienced, giving her that first taste of pleasure and I can’t wait to fucking do it again and again.
My cock is still aching with the need I feel for her but I need to go slow here. I need to let her instigate the next step, let her set the terms going forward. Avery needs to have a taste of being in control, something she’s never really had in her life. She needs the self-esteem boost that will come from having that control. I can’t wait to see the woman she will become as she comes into her own and I plan on being with her every step of the way. Avery and Chloe are endgame for me.
I steal another look across at her and see that she’s making some thick chocolate dessert. As she pours the batter out into a pan I notice a smear of chocolate near her mouth. Her little pink tongue sweeps out to swipe it away and a low grunt escapes me when my cock goes rigid imagining that tongue sweeping over me. Her head jerks up and she must see the heat on my face because she fumbles with the bowl and it clatters to the counter. I shove off of the stool and circle around to her. I can’t fucking wait one more second to have my mouth on her again.
I lift her into my arms causing her to grab tightly to my shoulders and kiss her with all the heat inside of me. A growl of approval rumbles out when her lips open for me and she kisses me back just as desperately. When I finally pull back, breaking the kiss, she’s panting and her eyes are hazy with desire.
“Need to go get Chloe from school. Be back soon.” I tell her and she blinks a few times before nodding. I set her back on her feet, kiss her forehead and tuck a strand of her silky black hair behind one ear. I need to go but I can’t seem to take my hands off of her so I brush her bottom lip with my thumb. “So damn sweet.” And then I force myself to move back and leave to go get Chloe from school.
Chloe chatters all through supper telling us about the upcoming Christmas pageant and how her class gets to sing two different Christmas carols for it. Her happiness and enthusiasm help to fill the awkward silence coming from both Zack and Avery. It makes me want to slap him on the back of the head to knock him out of his denial. Instead, I ask Chloe what she wants for Christmas. The little girl freezes in place with big eyes and then shoots a look at her mom.
Avery’s first real smile since we sat down blooms on her face as she nods encouragingly at Chloe.
“It’s okay, bug. This year is different. You can make a list of what you want most.”
Chloe’s big violet eyes turn my way. They’re wide with excitement.
“Really? For reals? I can pick more than one thing? But, but, Daddy said only one is allowed or I get spoiled-ed.”
“You’re too cute to be spoiled,” I tell her with a wink. “Not only will Santa bring you a present but all of us will as well,” I smirk over at the others. “Lots of work to be done if we’re having a proper Christmas this year.”
Zack’s expression finally cracks into his normal grin as he starts nodding.
