by Krista Wolf
“You guys go nuts,” I said. “For now I’ve got some work to do, so maybe I’ll join you later.”
Dakota looked disappointed, but Kyle nodded appreciatively, like he knew. Ryan’s look remained unchanged, although there was something in his expression I couldn’t quite figure out.
I thought about all this as I crept back upstairs, leaving the guys to their camaraderie. They needed to talk, and obviously about something I couldn’t be around for. Curious as I was, I had to respect that.
But what was that they were saying about Briggs?
It bothered me that I didn’t know. Bothered me that I knew even less about Briggs now than when the whole thing had started. At the same time though, I knew Kyle and Dakota much more intimately. And in ways I was especially looking forward to knowing Ryan, too.
Slow down Sammara. This isn’t a race.
It was one of my flaws, moving way too quickly on things. My curiosity was another.
I was still in my bedroom a few hours later when I looked up… and nearly leapt out of my bed! Ryan was standing silently in the open doorway, staring down at me with those piercing brown eyes.
“HOLY SHIT!” I cried, clutching my chest. I could feel my heart pounding already. “You just scared the hell out of me!”
He chuckled, but only briefly. “Sorry,” he said. “I guess I’m just used to moving quietly.”
“Ranger stuff?” I smirked.
“Ranger stuff.”
I patted the bed, inviting him in. But he only shook his head.
“I’m going to bed,” he told me. “Sorry, but I’m totally exhausted.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Just wanted to stop by before I turned in.” He paused, then cleared his throat. “Seems we’ve got some catching up to do.”
I looked down at the floor and nodded, trying not to blush.
“Yes. We do.”
“Sorry I haven’t been around,” he said. “It wasn’t because—”
“Oh stop it,” I interjected. “Please, you have no reason to apologize.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
“This was part of the deal — you guys being called away. Not always knowing where you are, or when you’ll come back.” I shrugged noncommittally. “I had to understand this going in. I still understand it now.”
“That’s good.”
“Damn right it’s good,” I smiled. “You guys got lucky as all hell.”
Still stoic, Ryan’s mouth cracked into a half smile. “Tomorrow. Me and you. Again.”
“Take two?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a date.”
“Damn right it’s a date,” Ryan said, closing the door.
He left me sitting in silence, wondering how it would all fit together. Everything sure seemed to be going smoothly. But when it came to sharing, Kyle and Dakota were already experienced. I had no idea how Ryan’s conception of our relationship fit into the grand scheme of things… or how it related to the other two.
Hell, he hadn’t even kissed me yet.
Twenty-Six
SAMMARA
“No way I can save it,” the man said. “It’s gotta all come down.”
The sub-contractor was pointing to the exterior trim work, both on the first and second floors. The big mansion sported scrolling Saratoga gables. Charleston brackets and Corinthian pilasters, more beautiful than any I’d ever see in a dozen lifetimes.
All of it was as detailed as it was irreplaceable. All of it needed restoration and repair.
But this guy was telling me different.
“It’s just too far gone,” the man said. “It’s rotting from the inside out.”
“Trevor, right?”
He nodded, not taking his eye from the eves of the house. He knew his shit, I’d give him that. But he didn’t have the interest that I needed to see from him.
“Listen Trevor, this is hand-carved workmanship over two centuries old. There’s no way we’re tearing these out.”
“There’s no way you’re repairing them either,” he shrugged.
“Oh no?” I challenged. “I have two quotes from other subs that say differently.”
“Bah!” he snorted. “They’re just going to paint over it, not restore it. It’ll look better for a little while, but it’ll never last.”
I paused considering what he saying. I wasn’t ready to give up on them yet, but the other quotes were a little too good to be true.
“I mean maybe I could save the rosettes,” he allowed. “But that’s about all I could—”
“And what if I had you remove everything,” I countered, “and I did the restoration myself?”
At this he outright laughed. It wasn’t a good laugh at all.
“Look, honey this isn’t the type of thing you can just—”
“Madsen,” I interrupted harshly. “Ms. Madsen. Definitely not ‘honey’.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine. Continue.”
“Well I was saying, restoration work on these types of finishes? Might as well forget it. You’d spend so much money on it you could probably buy a whole new house!”
I sighed, thinking about how much work it would actually be. Who, outside of myself, I could get to do it. How long it would take…
At least I didn’t have to worry about cost. The jet black credit card I’d been given to pay for everything had no limitations. And Kyle had made it crystal clear I wasn’t to worry about the cost of anything, no matter what.
“See that spandrel?” I pointed. “It’s not even close to—”
“Here,” the man said. “Come over here and see what I’m saying.”
He reached for me, and I instinctively shied away. I followed him around to the back of the house anyway.
“See those?” he said, putting a hand on my shoulder and pointing. “Those aren’t even original. Someone added them. So if you’re looking to just re-create the look of the original fixtures, I know this great fabricator who could help out.”
He smiled. It wasn’t a good smile.
“I— I don’t know,” I said. “I was kind of hoping—”
“We all hope for things,” he smirked, his eyes dropping downward. “But unfortunately, not everything always pans out in the end.”
His arm dropped… and his hand slid straight onto my ass. He squeezed.
“Know what I mean?” he grinned.
Asshole!
Pulling quickly away I went to slap him. I even reared my arm back..
“No,” the man said abruptly. His eyes went dramatically wide. “Wait I—”
All at once there was a blur of motion, and I heard the man cry out. Someone zipped between us. Someone who grabbed the man’s arm, whipped it behind his back, and pulled on it so hard that he yelled out.
“ARGHHHH!”
My mouth dropped open. It was Ryan.
CRACK!
The sub-contractor screamed in pain as Ryan yanked his arm up and backward. There was the dull snap of bones breaking, and then Ryan was shoving the man downward and into the grass.
“Ummmmph!”
He rolled sideways before finally coming to a stop. The man looked up miserably from his knees, clutching his arm in pain. “You ASSHOLE!” he yelled. “I—I think you broke my—”
“SHUT UP!”
The words were loud and commanding, and they left no room for further argument. So loud in fact, that the head contractor Edward started over in our direction.
Ryan stared at the man a moment longer, almost as if daring him to get up. When he didn’t, he turned toward me. “Sammara, get back in the house.”
I hesitated. Part of me wanted to obey immediately. But the other part…
“Wait…” I was at a complete loss. Truthfully I had no clue what to say. “I was… I mean he was just…”
“I said get back in the house,” Ryan reiterated, this time through clenched teeth. Then he added: “Please.”
His eyes were hard. His gaze, almos
t withering. Edward was nearly upon us now, and I was feeling inexplicably humiliated.
Moving mechanically, I turned and left.
Once inside the house I realized I was actually shaking. After regaining my breath, I ran to the kitchen and turned on the sink. I splashed cold water all over my face and neck. Then I took a long moment to calm myself down.
Did that really just happen?
It scrubbed at my hands nervously. Washed my face for a second time.
“You alright?”
I whirled and there was Ryan, standing in the kitchen doorway. He looked completely calm, totally at ease.
“You broke his wrist!” I cried. “I heard it snap!”
“So?’
“So you can’t just do that! It’s… it’s not right!”
Ryan remained impassive. Totally expressionless. “That man touched you.”
“So what?”
“So?” he repeated. “SO? NO man should touch you, Sammara. Not ever. Not unless you allow it.” He looked down at me sternly. “At what point in your life did you think that could possibly be okay?”
He had a point, but not a good point. Not a valid one anyway.
“Yeah, alright,” I breathed. “But still… you didn’t have to break his—”
“No?” Ryan jumped in harshly. “And what should I have done? Given him a stern warning?” He shook his head and pointed. “No, now he’s learned something. Next time he’ll think twice before groping someone. That man’s wrist will heal. But in doing this, I saved some other poor girl from getting grabbed.”
I heard the sound of voices. Of tools being hastily loaded. Somewhere beyond that, I could hear trucks being started up.
“I saw Edward running over,” I said, “to see what happened. What did you say to him?”
“I fired him.”
My eyes went as wide as the moon. “You did WHAT?”
“Chain of command,” Ryan said simply. “You’re always responsible for those beneath you. This guy hired someone who touches women. Therefore, his judgment can’t be trusted.”
I was in an absolute panic. “But… but he’s the best contractor around!”
“You’ll find another.”
The panic left me all at once. Anger flooded in to take its place.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” I demanded. “This is my project. That was my call!”
Ryan stared back at me as if I’d sprouted three additional heads. He obviously didn’t get it.
“That guy was doing good work,” I said, “and now he’s gone. He’s already got most of our deposit, and—”
“Oh he’ll be returning any unused monies.”
I stopped talking, then laughed involuntarily. “You haven’t experienced many contractors. That’s not usually how they work.”
“That’s how this one works,” said Ryan, glancing menacingly out through the window. A plume of dust kicked up as the last truck left our driveway. “Trust me.”
I was absolutely seething. I’d watched him commit violence, and then order me back in the house like some little girl while he fired the best contractor we could’ve possibly had. And all because some guy grabbed my ass.
He was only protecting you.
“Bullshit.”
I was speaking more to the voice in my head than to Ryan. But that’s not how he saw it.
“Look,” he said, “I know this isn’t what you wanted. It’s what had to happen.” He paused awkwardly. “And I’m sorry if this ruins our date later on, but—”
“Date?” I sneered. “I’m not going anywhere with you!”
I pushed past him quickly and kept going, mostly because I was going to cry. I didn’t even know why, all I knew was that the tears would be coming soon and nothing I could do would stop them.
Twenty-Seven
SAMMARA
I was driving faster than I should, probably because I was going somewhere I didn’t want to go. And yet, I had to go to work. Had to make sure everything at the office was squared away, especially since I was coming back on Monday.
I sighed as I gripped the steering wheel even tighter. What the hell had happened to my life? A week ago I was contentedly single, and just yesterday I was happily being shared by two beautiful men.
And now? Now I felt like a total piece of crap. Like I’d screwed everything up with everyone, all because of a snap judgment.
Maybe.
On one hand Ryan’s actions had been extremely rash. He’d acted on a situation that was mine to deal with, without really thinking about my own feelings. I was angry he’d made decisions that weren’t his to make. That he’d moved with callousness and a complete disregard for what I was trying to accomplish, even when I had his own best interests as heart.
But on the flip side of the coin? I also realized he was only looking out for me. Ryan was protecting me. Standing up for me against some creepy, handsy guy…
Just as any normal boyfriend would.
See? You’re an asshole Sammara.
The internal judgment was harsh, but I had to admit it could definitely apply. I’d gone back at him just as hard — maybe even harder — at a time when we were potentially growing close.
He was only trying to take care of you.
Still, Ryan Dunham was an Army Ranger. He’d been trained to fight, to harm, to kill. And all he’d done is break this guy’s wrist. This pervert’s wrist… who’d tried to touch me.
He didn’t just try. He did touch you.
In the end I supposed the sub-contractor deserved it, especially considering I’d already evaded his grasp. I definitely wasn’t the first female he groped. But hopefully, thanks to Ryan, I’d be the last.
And that was his point, wasn’t it?
The further I drove away from the house, the more I realized he’d been right. Maybe violence isn’t always the answer, but I could probably get behind a little hard justice now and then as a preventative measure.
It was dark by the time I opened the office. As I flipped on the lights, I realized it was even messier than the last time. The folders on Dawn’s desk were either gone, or they were buried beneath all new paperwork. The garbage was full again, and I could smell stale food in the air too.
This time I didn’t care. I made a few calls, did whatever I had to do, and moved three more layouts from my CAD folder onto my thumb-drive keychain.
THUMP!
I practically screamed as I leapt back from my keyboard in shock and surprise. An icy chill shot through me.
The sound had come from the direction of the warehouse door.
It was late. Dark. The weekend, even. There would be no one back there. No one could possibly be—
THUMP! THUMP THUMP!
My heart was pounding. Someone was back there. Only the lights in the warehouse were off. I could see nothing but darkness through the slit beneath the door.
Leave!
Every instinct told me to go. To slip out the front without even engaging the alarm, so it didn’t make a beep on the back panel. Then again, our stuff was back there! All the pieces Dawn and I had put together over the years. Even the hope chest my father had bought me — the only piece that had somehow come with me after the accident happened and the house was sold and—
THUMP!
Anger came knocking again, and this time I let it in. I got up, threw open the warehouse door, and screamed — all at the same time. Reaching out blindly I flicked on the lights, and there it was! Right in the middle of the warehouse floor…
A baby squirrel was staring back at me.
“Oh fuck me.”
The words came out in a long, relieved sigh. My shoulders slumped. My face broke into a crooked grin.
Dawn had left the bottom of roll-up door slightly open again. It was only about six inches, but if you didn’t step on it after you locked it, it tended to stay up like that.
“C’mon little guy.”
The squirrel bolted past me the moment I rolled the door open, exposi
ng the warehouse to the thick night air. I closed it again, locked it securely, and this time, sealed the bottom with my foot.
That’s when I noticed a bunch of the furniture was missing.
The Santiago pieces were still gone, I could see that, but a whole bunch of other stuff had been taken too. I thought about the folders on Dawn’s desk. Tried remembering if she had any pieces slated to be lent out for either one of those projects.
But I was just too tired to think.
It had been a long, weird day. A day filled with squirrels and guilt and avoiding Ryan after the events of yesterday.
I locked up quickly, like there actually was somebody in the warehouse. I was just too spooked to shake the feeling. As I got into my jeep I could see storm clouds had gathered while I was inside. Criss-crossing the night sky, they mirrored my already-somber mood.
Pulling away from the office made me feel only slightly better. With my home life in disarray, I really couldn’t function. I had to fix things. Or at the very least, face things. It’s what I always did, and I wasn’t going to stop now.
Driving along, I started wondering what would happen if Ryan and I just couldn’t get along. Were the other relationships off the table? I was pretty sure they were. The guys came together — a package deal — all or nothing. Or at least, that’s how I perceived it.
If Ryan and I never ‘clicked’, there was a definite possibility I could lose them all.
My stomach turned. All at once I felt sick. I wanted to be held tightly by Kyle, or curl up on the couch in Dakota’s big lap. I needed the comfort of their arms around me.
I needed them to tell me everything was going to be alright.
Twenty-Eight
RYAN
“Golden Star?”
The words left my lips in confusion. I wasn’t sure I’d heard them right.
“Damn right, Golden Star,” said Kyle. “They’re the best Chinese food out there. Better than King Wok. Better than Best Number One Kitchen!”