The main area is going to be perfect for group classes, with glass walls creating separate zones for more specialized training, and another area that’s been fully enclosed for hot yoga. There’s even a small alcove that will soon house a juice bar.
“This looks amazing, Sash,” Noia exclaims.
I nod, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. This is my dream—my vision—materializing right before my eyes.Despite the ominous threat of a sex-tape hanging over my head, I feel a surge of pride.
“The email the contractor sent said they’re ahead of schedule,” I say, finally finding my voice. “The mirrors will be here in a couple of days, and the equipment should be here by Thursday.”
Setting her coffee down on a windowsill, Noia turns to face me with her hands on her hips. “Okay, enough stalling. What went down with you and Jax over the weekend, and what’s this ‘other thing’ you mentioned?”
I take a deep breath and tell her about the ranch and the blackmail text.
“What the actual fuck?” she explodes when I finish. “Ryan made a sex tape without telling you? That’s all sorts of fucked up!”
“I know,” I sigh, sinking down to sit cross-legged on the new floor.
“Do you think he’s behind it?”
“I don’t know what to think. The text said he owes them money, but...” I trail off, shaking my head. “It just doesn’t make sense. Ryan’s family is loaded. Why would he need to borrow that kind of cash?”
Expression serious, Noia lowers herself to the floor, facing me. “Gambling debts? Drugs? Bad investments? Could be just about anything.”
“Whatever it is, I’m screwed if Jax’s friend can’t help.”
“So Jax has a hacker friend, huh? Doesn’t surprise me.” She nudges my foot with hers. “So... what’s going on with you two? You were supposed to just have a friends weekend, not blackmail drama.”
I bury my face in my hands. “I know, I know. It all just... happened. And he was right there when I got the text, so he immediately offeredto help.”
“And the sex?”
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. “Mind-blowing.”
She waggles her eyebrows and grins. “Nice.”
“You have no idea.” I lean back on my hands and stare up at the ceiling. “But it’s not just about that. He showed me this whole other side of him. Did you know he owns the J & R? And that he designed the Night Hunters video game?”
“Wait, seriously? Jax is secretly loaded?”
“Apparently. But he doesn’t act like it, you know? He genuinely cares about helping those kids and people in recovery.” I pause, realizing how I must sound. “We’re still just FWB. We even made a rule that when we hang out as friends, there’s no sex.”
Noia throws her head back and laughs. “Oh myGod, that is the dumbest rule I’ve ever heard. You realize that’s just going to make you want to jump each other’s bones even more, right?”
“That’s not—” I start to protest, stopping when I see her knowing look. “Okay, fine.Maybe. But I’m trying to be smart about this. I can’t handle a relationship right now, especially with everything else going on.”
“If you say so,” she says, clearly unconvinced. “But from where I’m sitting, this is exactly how I would play it out in one of my books. The more you hang out as friends, the closer you’re going to get. And adding sex into the mix? Sounds like you’re already in deeper than you want to admit.”
thirty-two
I dropmy duffle bag off in my bedroom before heading downstairs to the basement. The setup down here is something I mainly use for coding.
I’ve been working on the sequel to Night Hunters, but with everything going on the past couple of weeks, it’s been pretty slow going.
Right now, though, I want to see if I can do some of my own digging into Ryan and his history with Sasha.
Firing up my computer, multiple monitors flicker to life as I crack my knuckles. Time to see what this Ryan asshole is all about.
Opening a browser, I start with a simple Google search forRyan Collins Summit Studioand immediately, thousands of results pop up.
Wanting to put a face to the name, I click on images first.
