Breaking Ryann

by Alyssa Rae Taylor

  “Wow,” Reese says, taking it all in as we make our way to the reservation desk. “Look at all the crystal chandeliers. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “Aren’t you girls the ones who picked it out?”

  “Yeah, but in person it’s even better than the pictures.”

  I’ll take her anywhere she wants, if it’ll get the same reaction.

  Moments later, we’re all checked in, and Reese turns around to face me. “Are we going to do this in my room? I don’t want to wait any longer.”

  I nod. “Your room is fine.” Shit, I’m nervous, wondering how’s she’ll react once I finally tell her the truth. She’ll probably hate me more than before. I unfold the map the concierge gave me, and we find the closest elevators, moving toward them. Placing my hand on the small of her back, I urge her in front of me, getting a nice view of her ass. When she flicks her gaze over her shoulder, I don’t bother hiding it. Her eyes narrow, and I smirk.

  We reach the elevators, and Reese presses the UP button. Three dudes who look to be in their mid-twenties step in behind us, pressing their floor number. The doors slide closed, and my phone chimes loudly in my pocket.

  “Bet it’s Logan,” Reese murmurs. I pull it out and take a quick glance at the screen.

  Cool. Meet us at the pool once you’re settled.

  Tapping my reply, I lift my head, noticing the tall guy in the corner appreciating Reese’s curves. He meets my eyes, and I stare him down, straightening my shoulders. That’s right, punk. She’s mine. Moving my arm around her, I grip her waist and pull her against me. She squirms out of my reach, like this bothers her, and the three of them snicker with their eyes aimed at the floor.

  “Somethin’ funny?” I ask, not knowing who I’m angrier with—The Three Stooges or Reese.

  “Nah, we’re cool, man,” says the guy in the middle with short, spiky hair. The other two don’t speak, and they’re no longer laughing. We come to a stop, and they all shuffle out when the door opens. Reese prances to the other side of the elevator, and I crack my neck to relieve some tension.

  She turns around to face me. “What makes you think you can touch me like that? I thought we agreed to be friends.”

  Flipping my hat backward, I ask, “Did you want me to set you up with one of them? Is that it?”

  “You know that’s not what it is,” she points. “You were having some sort of pissing contest!”

  “I didn’t like the way that dude was looking at you.”

  “You were looking at my ass two minutes before!” she says, raising her voice, now even more irritated.

  “That’s different!”

  “Oh yeah? How so?”

  “I’m allowed to look at your ass!”

  “Says who?”

  “Says me!” I say, wanting to shake her and bury myself inside her at the same time.

  Her face reddens. “You still have explaining to do. I don’t even know if I believe you. You can’t just kiss me, claim me as yours, and act as if the past never happened!”

  “Judging by your reaction, sweetheart, you enjoyed that kiss as much as I did! You’re not fooling anybody.”

  Her eyes fill with fire. “You are so wrong. I hated it!”

  I stride toward her ‘til I’m inches from her face. She steps back, hitting the wall behind her. She lifts her chin in defiance when I move closer, and I dip my head so we’re nose to nose, inhaling her flowery scent. “Liar,” I whisper. Grabbing her hand, I place it flat over my chest. Her breathing falters, but she keeps it there. Goose bumps trickle along her skin. My eyes journey over her mouth, down the rise and fall of her breasts, to the hardening of her nipples.

  “Do you feel that? That’s my heart beating for you. It knows who I belong to.”

  She releases short breaths, the struggle clear in her eyes.

  “Your lips call for me to taste them. Your nipples ache for my touch.” I tilt my head. “You can deny it all you want, but your body tells me differently. You want to fight it … I’ll respect your wishes. I won’t touch you again until you beg me to. And you will beg me.” The door slides open, and I walk out of the elevator, leaving her panting.

  “You are way too full of yourself, mister,” she yells, marching angrily behind me.

  I may have been bluffing, but she’d gone and pissed me off, lying about hating the kiss, squirming away from me like she did. Knowing that kiss might have been our last feels like a hard blow to the chest. “You bring it out of me,” I tell her, slowing my pace, allowing her to catch up with me.

  We find her room at the end of the hall, and she swipes her key in the door. As soon as it unlatches, she grips the center of my shirt, pulling me in with her.

  “Start talking,” she says, releasing me.

  I get lost in her big green eyes. Moments of our history flash through my mind. “You want to take the couch?” I point her toward the loveseat. We walk over and take a seat, then she waits for me to say something, but suddenly I’m nervous. “I don’t know where to start.”

  “Let’s start with the wife,” her voice is quiet. “Tell me who she is.”

  I blow out a breath, tossing my hat on the table. “She’s a friend … and I swear I never touched her. She sort of had a thing for me. Maybe she said what she did to fuck with me. I don’t know.”

  She raises a questioning brow. “Okay. Is she an old friend or a new friend?”

  “New,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “I met her after I left.”

  “She’s an awfully pretty friend,” she says, suspicious.

  “Doesn’t matter. The only woman I see is you.”

  “That’s smooth.”

  “It’s the truth.” She waits for me to continue, but I don’t.

  “Where’d you meet her?”

  “In the middle of a sting operation involving Glenn Ryann. Rachelle’s an FBI agent. She was working undercover as an escort.”

  Her eyes widen, and she gasps. “Your father? Why would you go anywhere near that man?”

  “I ran out of options. The calls started coming when he got out of prison, then every other week turned into every other day, then twice a day. You get where I’m goin’ with this,” I say, resting my elbows on my knees. “When I ignored him, he’d move on to Lauren. It was an endless cycle.”

  “What did he want?”

  “Wanted me to pay back what I owed him. In his mind, it was my fault he’d been arrested. I’d been the one to turn him in.”

  She looks horrified. “What did he expect you to do? You were a child! And he committed those crimes.”

  “Anything he asked. Money. Time.” I look at her. “Said I’d have a target on my head until I was all paid up.”

  “Couldn’t you go to the cops?”

  I snort. “Money changes people, Reese. I didn’t know who to trust. I told you, my father had people in law enforcement working for him.”

  “How much did he ask you to pay?”

  “It wasn’t just about the money with him. He wanted me to suffer—wanted to watch me go against everything I believe in, do things I’d promised to never be a part of.”

  “He wanted to break you.”

  I nod, and her eyes soften.

  “What did you tell him?”

  “Told him to leave me the fuck alone,” I growl. “Told him to stop harassing Lauren.”

  “But it didn’t work?” she asks, folding her hands in her lap.

  “Nah, he just changed his approach. Started threatening to hurt the people I love. Like I told you, everyone I care about gets hurt. I couldn’t allow that to happen again.” She touches my shoulder, and I gaze deep into her eyes, letting her know the seriousness of it. “He killed my mom in that fire, Reese. He admitted it.”

  She shakes her head, her hair spilling over her shoulders, tears filling her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea what you were going through. No idea.”

  “The hardest part is knowing things would be different, if I’d been there, if I had
n’t gone with him that day.”

  “It isn’t your fault, Luke,” she chokes on her words.

  “Don’t do that.” I use my thumb to wipe the tears rolling down her face. “I don’t like to see you cry.”

  “I’m trying. I still have so many questions.” She inhales, flattening her palms on her knees. “The last night you came to see me. You were hurt. Your eyes looked haunted. What happened to you then?”

  I pause, thinking of how to word it, not wanting to freak her out. “I’d gotten into a fight with one of Glenn’s men. It was messy.” Too messy to get into with her right now. She looks satisfied by my explanation.

  “Why didn’t you tell me the truth from the beginning?”

  “You would’ve tried to stop me. You would’ve gotten involved.”

  She squints, chewing on her lip. “I don’t know. Maybe—”

  Rubbing my hands over my face, I say, “C’mon. No matter what I’d asked, or what you’d promised, you would’ve gotten involved. And I sure as hell wasn’t gonna risk it. You could’ve been hurt or worse.”

  She’s usually not one to give up so easily, but she doesn’t argue. “So where does the FBI come into this? Where’s your father? How’d you get out?”

  I clench my fists. How the hell am I going to do this?

  She senses my hesitation. “What is it?”

  “Give me a minute,” I say, standing, feeling my palms sweat. I start pacing the room. “What I’m about to tell you … you aren’t gonna like. I need you to let me explain though.”

  “Okay,” she says tentatively. When I stop and face her, she’s standing.

  There’s no easy way to say this. I pinch the bridge of my nose. “The Feds were involved from the beginning. So was the DEA.” My eyes flick to hers, and she nods, waiting. “After Glenn made his threats, I didn’t know who to turn to, but then Andrew came to mind. He’d done side jobs with private detectives. He was a former cop. It made sense to go to him.” I look at her again and see the pain in her expression, clasping my hands over my head.

  Her hands shake when she covers her mouth. “My … my father? You got my father involved?”

  “I didn’t know what else to do.”

  “But you knew it was dangerous.” She works it over in her head. “The day he died, you were there in the hospital. I’d learned about your wife. She came in and asked the nurse for your room number.”

  My jaw clenches. “Damn it! She was never my wife,” I growl.

  “No, I know that. I believe you. Wh-why were you at the hospital?” she asks, gripping the back of a chair for balance. “My God, were you shot?” I nod, and she closes her eyes. “My father died in a shootout. They … they said he was working undercover. Were you there? Were you with him?”

  I can’t look at her anymore, and my voice cracks, “Yes.”

  A sob escapes her lips. When she hunches over, I try to hold her. “Don’t!” She holds out her hand to stop me. “You lied to me; both of you did!”

  “Only to protect you.”

  Shaking her head with a look of shock, she says, “He’s dead because you brought him into this.”

  I don’t deny it. “I’m sorry. Every second of every day, I’m sorry. I know it’s not enough.”

  Her eyes are aimed at the floor. “I … I need some time to process this. I don’t even know what to say.” Wiping her tears, she reaches for her purse.

  “Stay. I’ll go.”

  She shakes her head, and there’s a knock at the door. The bellboy walks in with our suitcases, glancing at us uncomfortably. I give him a twenty, and he leaves.

  “I’m going to take a walk, check out the casino,” she says with her back to me. “I need to be alone for awhile.”

  “He wasn’t supposed to be there.” I swallow.

  “I can’t right now, Luke. We’ll finish this later.” She walks out the door, and I stand there with a broken heart, watching her leave.

  I’d left Luke alone in my hotel room, unsure what to even say to him. Did he expect me to forgive him, when he and my father had been lying all that time? Why would he involve him, knowing how risky it’d been? He should have come to me first, out of simple respect. Instead they’d plotted behind my back. And they did it together. I’m furious with both of them. Of course, I can’t blame Luke entirely. My father was a grown man … and he was stubborn; it probably wouldn’t have mattered if I’d demanded him not to get involved. He would’ve done it regardless. Either way, they should’ve told me. I don’t care what their intentions were. I’m without a father because of it.

  “Sorry,” I say, running into a group of women who are dressed to the nines, not really paying attention. They grant me a few dirty looks, then continue on their way, disregarding me. Maybe taking a walk wasn’t the best idea. My eyes narrow on an empty row of slot machines. I’ve never gambled before, but I figure the slots are a good place to start. Picking the one on the end, I take a seat, loading it with some money, hoping it’ll last since I’m only betting quarters. I stay clear of the MAX BET button just to be safe, pressing the BET ONE instead, watching the bars and cherries spin.

  Thoughts continue to play in my head. ‘He wasn’t supposed to be there,’ Luke had said, referring to my father. What had he meant by that? And if that were true, why had he been there? How much time had they spent together? Was it possible they had become friends? What role had my father played in all of it? All of these questions and Luke has all the answers. Suddenly I’m brought back to a conversation I’d had with my dad. It had been right before he’d left. He’d been encouraging my relationship with Luke. “Hold on to him,” he’d said. “Good things come to those who wait.”

  The words had thrown me for a loop. In the past, my father had never liked him—told me to stay far away from him. Of course I’d been a little girl then. When I’d brought it up years later, he’d confessed that he didn’t mean it, saying he was jealous—that Luke had been more of a man than he had been. In the end, he’d been grateful that Luke had protected me—not only from his drunken abuse, but the night I’d nearly been raped. My father had been in prison then, but Luke swooped in like a dark angel, saving me before it could happen. The memory puts a sick feeling low in my gut. That day could’ve turned out so much worse. Shaking the thought from my memory, going back to my father, if I want to get to the bottom of this, there’s only one person who has the answers. I just hope I’m strong enough to deal. It’s a lot to take in, but deep down I know I need the closure.

  After losing forty bucks, I decide to give up rather than gamble away any more money. Draining my wallet within the first couple hours of being in Vegas probably isn’t the best idea. Hopefully later I’ll have better luck. I head to the restroom and splash some water on my face, more thankful than ever for waterproof mascara. Man up, Reese. Get control of your emotions. I inhale, then blow out a breath. Besides the blotchiness, no one would be able to tell I’d been crying.

  My mission is to go down to the pool, find Gia, and rip her a new one. I have a feeling her leaving me in the dark about our extra vacationer wasn’t much of an accident. She was probably worried I wouldn’t have come, although I’d informed her that Luke and I had patched things up a few days ago. Maybe she thought it wasn’t important enough to mention.

  Cocktail waitresses, dressed in denim, scurry their way around the crowds, serving drinks and taking orders. Loud music booms over the speakers. Belligerent, swimsuit-clad men and women, with glazed eyes, grind on each other. I circle the pool, searching for a hot pink bikini, figuring it’ll be easier to single her out that way. My eyes drift to the rows of royal blue lounge chairs lining the water, and then I spot her, lying on a chair, facing the sun with no sign of Logan. Slipping off my sandals, I dip my feet into the cool water, then make my way toward her, taking the empty chair beside her.

  “That was quick.” She stretches out her hand, like she’s waiting for me to give her something. I’m not able to see behind her shades, but I’m guessing her e
yes are closed.

  “I’ve got a question. Why didn’t you tell me Luke was coming?”

  Startled, her head lifts, and a slow smirk crawls onto her face. “Hey you! I totally thought you were Logan.” She looks me over. “What took you so long? And why aren’t you wearing a suit?”

  “I got a little sidetracked. Are you going to answer me, or are you purposely avoiding the question?” I narrow my eyes.

  “About Luke? I just found out yesterday. I’ve been busy. I guess it slipped my mind.”

  I don’t see anything in her expression that would lead me to believe she isn’t telling the truth. I obviously have some trust issues to work through.

  “Are you upset he’s here?”

  “I don’t know what I am honestly.”

  “I thought things were cool between the two of you. Has something changed since then?”

  I’m not about to get into that; not now at least. I don’t want her skewed opinions on the situation affecting my own. I need to have all the facts first. And I certainly don’t want whatever drama ensues between us to ruin their vacation. “Well, I … sort of ran into Sean today, right before I left. Add my lack of sleep to the mix, and the surprise of seeing Luke at the airport, and apparently it’s a recipe for turning me into a bitch.”

  She places her shades on top of her head, scowling. “Why am I not surprised Sean had something to do with it? I knew you wouldn’t be able to escape the cheating bastard! Let me guess. He begged for you to take him back?”

  “Not exactly. He knows I’m done with him.” Though he sent me a couple texts earlier, and I haven’t responded.

  “Then what did he want?”

  “He wanted me to understand why it happened. It was like he was justifying his actions or something.”

  “Please tell me your joking,” she grumbles.

  “No, I’m afraid not.”

  “So what were his reasons? The skank fell from the sky and miraculously landed on his dick?”

  I shake my head, almost laughing. In truth, Gia seems more upset about this than I am. I probably shouldn’t have brought it up. Sean is a tiny dot on the spectrum compared to the other thoughts swirling around in my head.