by Susan Stoker
“You’ve been here a week, and you figured it out,” Blake said. “We’ve known her for over a year and never put two and two together.”
“People who are trying not to be found get really good at being invisible,” Ryder said easily. “Their lives depend on it.”
“So . . . what do you need from us?” Nathan asked.
“As I said, something has spooked her. I have a feeling whoever she’s been running from has found her. I don’t know if he’s here in Castle Rock yet or not, but we can’t take that chance. All it’ll take is one minute of inattention, and he could get to her.”
“Do you think he wants to kill her?” Blake asked, sounding much more invested in the conversation now.
“I honestly have no idea,” Ryder said. “I mean, if that’s all he wanted, I have a feeling she’d already be dead.”
“Then what does he want?” Logan asked.
“What do all bullies want?” Ryder asked rhetorically. “They want to see their victims suffer. It feeds their ego. They need to feel superior. They feed off the fear of the people they’re picking on. It doesn’t matter if the bully is eight, or seventy-eight.”
“We sure have experience with that,” Blake muttered. “That describes Mom to a T.”
“So he’s gonna fuck with her before he moves in for the kill,” Logan stated.
Ryder’s lips pressed together in annoyance, and he nodded. “That’s what I think.”
“The more he fucks with her, the better our chance to catch him,” Nathan stated.
Ryder wanted to yell at the other man, but unfortunately, knew he was correct. “Right. As much as I hate it, there’s not too much we can do to keep him from playing his games, but we can make sure Felicity knows we’ve got her back.”
“Twenty-four-hour surveillance is going to take a lot of time,” Logan noted.
“I’ll pay whatever it costs for Ace Security to take this one,” Ryder said immediately.
Logan’s face turned red, and he glared at his brother. “Fuck you. That’s not what I meant. Shit, Felicity is like our sister. We would never try to profit off her situation. All I meant was that we’ll need to rearrange some of our cases. Take less on until this asshole is caught.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to piss you off,” Ryder said sincerely. “But I think it’ll take less time than you think. I’ll be with her at night, so no one has to worry about that. During the day, when she’s working at the gym, Cole can keep his eye on her, and if she needs to run errands or hang out with any of your wives, one of us can be nearby.”
“What about video surveillance? I know there’s a few exterior cameras at the gym, but I don’t know about interior ones,” Blake asked.
“Cole has said more than once that he absolutely isn’t down with having cameras inside. He doesn’t want the members to feel as if they’re being spied on,” Logan said.
“I’ll talk to him,” Ryder said. “Maybe just a few aimed at the entrance. We don’t want to invite this asshole to have free rein.”
“Will Felicity know about all this surveillance? I can’t imagine she’ll be okay with it,” Nathan said. “If she’s anything like my Bailey, which I think she is, she’s gonna balk at the restrictions.”
Ryder was shaking his head before Nathan had finished speaking. “No, she won’t say anything about it, because deep down she’s scared to death of whoever this is getting to her. And yes, I’m not going to hide anything from her. It’s her life, she deserves to know.”
“You’ll be with her at night?” Logan asked, his eyes narrowed.
Ryder could tell he wanted to say more, to ask about his intentions, but he didn’t give his brother the chance. “Yeah. I’m not going to let her out of my sight. I’ve given her a week to get used to me, but I’m done with that.”
“And if she’s not okay with it?” Logan pressed. “Look, she’s Grace’s best friend. You’re my brother, but I won’t let you, or anyone else, fuck her over, especially if you’re just looking to scratch an itch.”
Ryder wanted to be upset, but he couldn’t be. Logan was just looking out for Felicity. It was actually a relief that she had such a staunch support system. He looked his brother in the eye as he said, “The first time I laid my eyes on her, I was fascinated. Yeah, I’m attracted to her, but it was more than that. I’ve never felt like this about a woman before in my life. Do I want her in my bed? I won’t lie. Yes. But when we get together, it’ll be her choice. And I’m going to do whatever I can to make her want me in her life as much as I want her in mine.”
“And if, when all this is over, she realizes it’s just been gratitude she feels toward you? That you were nice to have around to make her safe, but she doesn’t want anything to do with you once whoever this is after her is taken care of?” Nathan asked in a calm and even tone.
The question had seemed to come out of left field from the quieter brother, but Ryder saw a kinship and understanding in the other man’s eyes that he hadn’t seen from Blake or Logan. “Bailey didn’t feel that way after Donovan was taken care of . . . did she?”
Nathan shook his head. “No.”
“Right. To answer your question, if Felicity doesn’t want anything to do with me after I take care of whoever is after her, it’ll suck, but I won’t pressure her.”
Nathan nodded.
“How can we help besides helping keep an eye on Felicity?” Blake asked.
Ryder met his eyes in relief. The relationship between them wasn’t exactly buddy-buddy, but the man had bent enough to work with Ryder to keep Felicity safe. It was enough.
“For now, that’s what I need help with. I’ve got my team working to find the man who is after her.”
“You know who it is?” Logan asked.
“No, but I have a name. Joseph Waters.” Ryder waited and could tell that it didn’t ring any bells with the men around him. “And after talking to you guys today, I know more than I did yesterday. Namely, Chicago. If you think of anything else that might be useful, I need to know. It might be something she’s said in passing, but every little thing can help.”
“Why can’t you just ask her to tell you everything? It would be faster.”
Nathan was shaking his head before Logan finished speaking. “That’s not how it works. If Felicity is anything like Bailey, she’s kept her secrets for so long, it’s almost impossible to talk about them openly. Ryder needs to earn her trust. Make her feel safe.”
“She might not have that kind of time,” Logan insisted. “We need intel.”
“I told you, I’ve got my team working on it,” Ryder said.
“Your team. Who is this mysterious team of yours?” Logan asked, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair.
Ryder debated telling his brothers who he really worked for. There was a chance they hadn’t heard of them, but there was also the chance they had. He’d already told them about some of the missions he’d been on, so they’d figure it out sooner or later anyway. Deciding being up front was the way to go, he said, “Mountain Mercenaries.”
Blake whistled long and low.
Logan simply nodded his head.
Nathan stared at him with wide eyes.
“I think it goes without saying that I’d appreciate it if you kept that to yourselves.”
“Of course,” Logan said immediately. “We’ve heard nothing but good things about the work you and your team have done. Should’ve guessed who you were after hearing your little speech earlier.”
Ryder shrugged. “I’m proud of what I’ve done, of the bad guys I’ve taken care of, but it’s not exactly something I go around talking about. My cover for anyone who looks or asks is that I work as a private investigator, which isn’t exactly a lie.”
All three men nodded.
“We’re small potatoes compared, but if you need any help trying to find information, we’re happy to help,” Logan said.
“Taking down the Inca Boyz isn’t small potatoes,” Ryder countered.
“I’ll keep you guys informed of anything I find out and will let you know if we need assistance.” He stood. “I need to get back over to the gym. Make some phone calls, pass along the Chicago thing.”
The others all stood as well. Everyone shook hands.
Blake held Ryder’s hand for longer than usual. “I’m trying not to let my hard feelings about our dad’s actions affect my feelings about you. I’m struggling, but I’m trying.”
His words made Ryder like him all the more. “I understand. If it makes you feel any better, my mom said Ace struggled with the affair. I truly believed he loved my mom, but ultimately he decided that he needed to honor his vows.”
Blake nodded, and the two men dropped their hands.
Ryder left Ace Security feeling better than when he’d arrived, especially now that he had more eyes on Felicity. He strode to his car to grab his duffel. Felicity needed to know he wasn’t going to back out on her now. That he’d be sticking by her side until whoever was after her was no longer a threat.
He stopped and stared at his Nissan 370Z. It was a slick sports car, one that could easily catch up to, or outrun, bad guys, but not too flashy to stand out in a crowd. At the moment, however, it wasn’t in any condition to catch up to anyone.
All four tires were flat.
Ryder’s teeth clenched in fury. He didn’t care about the tires; replacing them was merely a nuisance. It was the words etched into the side panel of the car that infuriated him.
“Not a chance in hell, motherfucker,” Ryder murmured as he stared at the words.
Mind your own business
Chapter Seven
In her apartment, Ryder sat across from Felicity and watched her eat out of the corner of his eye. It had been a week since the incident with his car. She’d been horrified and had apologized a hundred times, and he’d finally had to tell her that if she said she was sorry one more time, he’d have no choice but to turn her over his knee and paddle her ass as she wasn’t the one who vandalized his car.
He wouldn’t have, there was no way he would ever strike her, but she didn’t know that. She turned red, bit her lip, and nodded. Score one for him.
He did have to admit, however reluctantly, that the mysterious stalker had done him a favor, as Felicity hadn’t even blinked when he’d told her he’d be staying in her apartment with her from then on out. The relief in her eyes spoke volumes.
But she wasn’t doing well. She wasn’t eating much—currently she was moving the food around her plate more than she was consuming it. And while he was staying in her small apartment with her, she was still as closed off as ever.
She wouldn’t let him into her bedroom, not even to check the lock on the window or to clear the room whenever they returned after being out. The more she refused to let him see what was behind her bedroom door, the more he wanted to know. He had a feeling he’d learn more about who Felicity was simply by getting a peek at her private space.
But it was more than obvious she needed a break.
“Blake invited me over to his house today to look through our dad’s papers. I thought you might come with me.”
Felicity’s eyes swung to his. She cocked her head. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why would Blake do that? He doesn’t exactly like you. And why would you think I’d want to come too?”
Ryder held her gaze. “It’s not that he doesn’t like me; he’s not happy with the choices our dad made. The fact that our dad broke his vows, even though he didn’t have a good marriage, crushed him. At least that’s what Logan told me.”
“So why invite you over to look through Ace’s stuff?”
“I’m not exactly sure. But to answer your second question . . . Grace dropped off the babies for Alexis to look after for a couple of hours. I thought you might like to spend some time with them.”
Her eyes dropped to the food she was pushing around her plate. “I should stay here. Cole’s been working like a dog, and I feel like a slacker.”
“He doesn’t mind, you know that. Besides, if you left town, he’d have to work a lot more than he is now. What does it matter?”
That got to her. She smacked her hand down on the table next to her plate. “Would you stop throwing that in my face every other second?”
Ryder leaned forward, glad to see the spark of anger in her eyes. It was much better than the fear and defeat that had been there for the last week. “No. I won’t. Not if it makes you think about what you’d be giving up if you left. How much you’d be missed. You aren’t some random stranger here, Felicity. You’re needed and loved. You leaving would devastate everyone.”
Ryder watched as her fist clenched around the fork she was holding. For a moment he thought she might throw it at him. But after a couple of seconds, she relaxed her grip and looked up at him. The devastation in her eyes was easy to see. “I can’t go, and I can’t stay. I’m stuck.”
Ryder immediately moved to her side. He squatted down next to her chair and put one hand on her thigh and the other on her cheek. “You aren’t stuck, love. You’re right where you belong. He’s the one who doesn’t belong here.”
She closed her eyes and breathed hard through her nose, pressing her lips tightly together. Ryder got up on his knees and leaned into her. He ran his nose along her jawline. He heard her gasp in surprise, but she didn’t pull away from him.
He made his way up her jaw to her ear. He nuzzled it, then brought his lips up to the lobe. His tongue came out and lightly licked. When she jerked in surprise, but still didn’t pull away, and instead dropped her shoulder, giving him more room, Ryder grinned. He took the lobe between his lips and sucked.
She moaned, and one of her hands grabbed his forearm.
Wanting more, so much more, Ryder forced himself to loosen his lips. He brought them up to her ear and whispered, “I haven’t pushed. Haven’t told you how beautiful you are in your flannel pajamas and how much I love the smell of lilacs you dab onto your skin every morning. Haven’t broken into your bedroom to get to you when you have those nightmares every night. But I want to. I want that right.”
“Ryder,” she said softly, the yearning easy to hear in her voice.
He pulled back and looked into her ice-blue eyes. “I see you, love. You don’t have to be anyone but who you are with me. You don’t have to hide. You’ve hidden yourself from that asshole for so long, you’ve forgotten that you don’t have to keep the real you from your friends. From me. From the people who love you.”
He hadn’t come right out and said that he loved her, but the sentiment was there.
“I’m scared.”
He knew she didn’t mean scared of whoever was after her.
“You have nothing to be worried about.”
“I’m not like the woman you see.”
Ryder laughed. He couldn’t help it. When her brows drew down in irritation, he reined himself in. “Felicity, I know who you are.”
“You don’t,” she insisted.
“I know you hate green beans, but love peas. You hate working out, but you do it every morning because it’s what you think people expect from you. You can’t cook worth a darn, but it doesn’t stop you from trying. You love flowers, birds, and pastel colors, but you pretend you’re too tough for that shit. You have these tattoos on your arms to try to make yourself seem impenetrable, but then you cover them up with long-sleeve shirts when you go somewhere that you’ll be around people other than your friends. You love babies and want your own someday. I know you do your best to pretend like you like living like this, in a sterile and blank canvas without any pictures or decorations, but I have a feeling behind that bedroom door is the real Felicity Jones.”
She stared at him and swallowed hard before saying, “Felicity Jones doesn’t exist.”
“She does,” Ryder said softly. “She’s sitting right in front of me.”
Felicity shook her head. “No, she’s a figment of my imagination.”
“Listen to me,” Ryder or
dered. “I don’t know what name you were given at birth, but the person sitting here in front of me, the person who I want more than anything I’ve ever wanted before in my life, is you. Felicity Jones might not be who you used to be, but she’s who you’ve become. Good or bad, our pasts are what they are. They shape and mold us. Can I be honest with you?”
A small smile appeared on her face. “Like you haven’t already been?”
He grinned back, then got serious. “I probably wouldn’t even have looked twice at the woman you used to be. She wouldn’t have interested me in the slightest. But Felicity Jones does. She has me wrapped around her little finger so tightly I’ll never be the same.”
He held her eyes, willing her to understand. To believe.
“Megan Parkins,” she whispered. “That’s who I used to be. Young and ready to take on the world. Then I butted into someone’s life. Tried to help her when she didn’t want my assistance. And it was the worst decision I’ve ever made. It ruined my life.”
Memorizing the name to give to his team, Ryder placed his hands on either side of Felicity’s head and speared his fingers into her short hair. “You could no more let someone get hurt on your watch than you could let one of Grace’s babies cry and not pick him up. And that decision you made ultimately led you to me. While I hate that you’ve been on your own for as long as you have, and that you don’t feel safe, I am infatuated with the person you are today. Felicity, Megan, Henrietta, or Michelle freaking Obama. I don’t care what you call yourself, the woman sitting here in front of me is who I want.”
He gave her a chance to protest. To push him away. But she did neither. Instead, her hands came up and clutched his T-shirt. Ryder leaned in, slowly, still giving her time to reject him. Reject his touch. But she licked her lips and leaned into him.
It had been a week since he’d last kissed her, but he remembered every second of that first kiss as if it had just happened. He hadn’t thought anything could top it, but he was wrong. This kiss was the best he’d ever experienced. Ryder had a feeling that every touch of his lips to hers would top the one before it. He wanted a lifetime of her taste on his lips.