Thank you. I have my doctor on standby.
Obsessed?Yes, I think that’s been established.
I slipped my phone back into my pocket and looked at Ryder. He hadn’t moved from the position, and his eyes were still closed. I let him sit quietly for another fifteen minutes before I spoke again.
“Is your headache any better?”
“No.”
For the remainder of our drive back to the hotel, I kept my eyes on him while I thought about various things. I was concerned about him and what happened this evening. I thought about what Will might do when he discovered Ryder’s past. Will was the most powerful man in the world, who could do anything, and I really had no way to foresee what he’d do. All I was certain about was how much I wanted to get back at the Craigs.
The gentle stop and go of the car in the New York City traffic caused Ryder to open his eyes. He didn’t look at me but instead kept looking out the window. Rain fell lightly, splattering the car with a soft pitter patter.
“Weather here sucks,” he commented.
“That it does,” I said, agreeing with him. Ryder was used to the temperate weather of Southern California. “How is your head?”
“It hurts. I feel terrible.”
“I want to have a doctor check you over.”
“Save his time for someone who really needs medical care.”
“I think you might.”
“I don’t.” He sat up in his seat as Oscar pulled up under the canopy of the hotel’s valet. “I just need my memory erased,” he mumbled.
His memory erased?
“Ryder—”
“Thank you for taking me to the party and introducing me to lots of people. Goodnight.”
Ryder opened the door without waiting for the valet, and hurried toward the hotel entrance.What the hell?I opened my door and weaved between a few parked cars to hurry after him. With his head bent, Ryder briskly walked toward the elevators. I caught up to him as he pressed the button to call the elevator.
“Don’t ever pull that again,” I said to him.
“Opening the door for myself?” Sarcasm was heavy in his tone.
The elevator door opened, and after a couple exited, Ryder stepped inside with me right behind him. He smacked the button for his floor with his knuckle and then leaned against the wall. The doors closed, and he looked at me.
“No. Don’t ever dismiss me. Ever.”
It could have been the lighting in the elevator, but I thought his eyes looked glassy. The stress line on his forehead was still there, but this time sadness showed in his eyes as well.
“I’m sorry, Atlas. I apologize for being rude.”
“Why would you jump out of the car like that and race across a busy valet to get inside?” He shrugged. “Ryder, shrugging gets you nowhere.”
As the elevator slowed and came to a stop, Ryder rubbed his hand on the back of his head. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. Suddenly, the furrow in his forehead seemed more prominent again. When the elevator door opened, we stepped out andwalked toward his room. “I apologize for disappointing you,” he said calmly.
“You haven’t disappointed me. I make these comments so you’re aware of your behavior and body language. I’m not reprimanding you for it.” I pulled out the key card from the inside pocket of my coat and held it over the card reader beside his door. I turned the handle when the green light glowed and then gestured for him to go inside. “Have I done something to make you want to evade me?” I asked as he stepped inside ahead of me.
“No!”
“Then why run away?”
“I don’t know,” he said wearily as he leaned on the back of the chair. His hands massaged the back of his neck.
