“I’m not upset with you, love, but I am going to need you to tell me what he did to you.”
I shake my head. “The list is too long and too painful.”
“Give me the worst thing he ever did?”
My mouth twists into a frown. “Compound fracture to my right arm.”
Ryker’s eyes bug out. “You can’t be fucking serious.”
“Katarina had it way worse. She’s mouthier than me.” I look away then. Because while I can talk about my father without hurting, Katarina is a different story. “Do you think she’s all right?”
“Sasha?”
Maybe it’s the loss of my virginity. Or the fact that I actually feel safe for the first time in years. But worries about my sister rise up in my throat. “What if he found her?”
“Who?”
Shit. I’m probably not making sense. “My father. What if he found Katarina? What if…” I bite my lip. “I should have helped her.”
“She left you and you’re worried about her?” he bends down and starts scrubbing my body again.
The rhythm of his hands helps me talk. “She didn’t know you’d marry me. And besides, I would have left her. I tried. Remember? But I wish I hadn’t. I wish we’d been able to be a team. We tried when we were little, but he’d punish us and somehow, we just stopped trying, you know?”
Ryker doesn’t answer. Instead, his hands slow and he leans forward, his forehead coming to my belly.
I wonder if water is getting in his eyes, I slide my hands through his hair, my eyes going wide as I note all the scratches all over his back. Shit. Did I do that?
“You wish that you’d done more for Katarina?”
“She’s my sister,” I smooth my hands over the scratches. “We should have helped each other. I wish I could help her now.”
“It’s like you said, Katarina is tough. I’m sure she’s fine.”
“I haven’t even asked. Is anyone looking for her?” My throat closes. I’m going to be a better sister. Now that I know I’m safe here with Ryker, I’m going to turn my attention to Katarina.
Maybe Ryker can help me find her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Sasha
I wakein the morning to the smell of fresh espresso.
I sit up, realizing that Ryker’s side of the bed is empty. I nip at my lip, hiding a smile, thinking of last night.
Not only was sex unbelievable, but after the shower, Ryker curled me into the hollow of his body where I stayed all night.
Despite buying clothes, I ended up sleeping in his T-shirt, the one he’d worn the day before. I bring it to my nose, drawing in his spicy scent before I push out of the bed and head for the bathroom.
Ten minutes later, I step into the kitchen, still in his T-shirt to find him at the espresso maker, shirtless. Of course.
I stare at the dancing tattoos on his broad back as he pours the espresso through the foamed milk. He turns around with two mugs in hand.
“Good morning, baby,” he gives me an easy smile, his face relaxed and my breath catches.
He looks so… He didn’t like it when I used the word beautiful to describe him, but that’s what he is.
I don’t know how I ever thought his features were rough. They’re not.
