Ryder dropped his head back and laughed. “This is exactly why he adores you.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Baby, whether you know it or not... and, if I’m being honest, I think a part of you does know it... you’re funny. But you’re that wicked-smart kind of funny that makes people stop and wonder whether or not they were just insulted.”
“I certainly don’t mean to insult anyone.”
“You don’t think? Not even Reese?”
“Okay, well... maybe him a little.”
“Exactly.” Ryder smiled. “But Reese doesn’t limit himself to one person. He wants to insult everyone. He’s had it rough, baby, and that’s all I’m gonna tell you because it’s not my story to tell, but he likes you. Trust me. So if you could just ignore the tough outer shell and try to get—”
“To the ooey gooey center?”
“No, Reese doesn’t have an ooey gooey anything,” Ryder said. “But he does have a moral compass and it’s the same as mine, so if you can get past my shortcomings, I really hope you can get past his. He’s my brother, Sadie, but you come first, so if you want him gone, he’ll be gone.”
“Nuh-uh.”
“Yeah, huh.”
“Honey, I am not going to be the Yoko to your little band of misfits.”
Ryder roared with laughter as he pulled me against his chest. “John broke the Beatles up, Sadie, not Yoko. Poor Yoko just got dragged into shit.”
“Oh. I don’t really know that much about music.” I set my glass on the coffee table and wrapped my arms around his waist. “I will try to like Reese.”
“I’d appreciate that.” He kissed me, then asked, “Scottie wants to watch a movie. You feel up to it?”
“Only if there’s snuggling.”
“Honey, I’m not a monster. Of course there will be snuggling. But if Ollie isn’t feelin’ it tonight, you and I can.”
I couldn’t stop a giggle. “You’re insane.”
“Crazy for you,” he said, and kissed my nose.
Tugging me into the kitchen, we grabbed snacks, soda, and more beer and headed downstairs to watch some shoot ’em up movie. I couldn’t tell you what it was because as soon as I was curled up next to Ryder, I fell asleep. I remember waking up at some point in the middle of the night, finding myself in Ryder’s bed, his body curled around mine. I liked that. A lot, so I fell back asleep, a smile on my face.
* * *
A gentle kiss on my cheek, then my lips, awoke me and I blinked my eyes open to find Ryder standing by the bed grinning. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.”
“Good morning. What time is it?” I asked as I stretched.
“Ten.”
“And you’re waking me before eleven on a non-school day... why?”
He leaned down and kissed me again. “I made breakfast, but if you want to sleep more, feel free.”
I sat up. “Is there bacon?”
“Babe, is that even a question?”
“Hash browns?”
“Yeah, baby, I made all your favorites,” he said.
“I’ll be right out.”
Ryder chuckled. “I’ll pour the coffee.”
I nodded and slid off the bed. My bag was in the guest room, so I grabbed a few things and headed to the guest bathroom. After changing and brushing my teeth and hair, I joined Ryder and Scarlett in the kitchen. “Morning, Scottie.”
“Hey, Sadie,” she said then shoved a bacon strip in her mouth.
I took the mug of coffee (and the kiss) Ryder offered and sat at the island. “How’s your leg?” I asked Scottie.
She wrinkled her nose. “Itchy.”
“Sorry, honey.”
She shrugged. “It is what it is.”
Ryder slid a plate piled high with food in front of me.
“Thanks,” I said, rubbing my hands together.
He chuckled. “If you can’t eat it all, I’ll eat the rest.”
“You don’t think I can eat it all?” I challenged.
He raised his hands and shook his head. “Don’t doubt you in the least.”
“As it should be.”
Ryder leaned against the counter, sipping his coffee, while I dug into the food.
“When do I get to get out of my cell?” Scottie asked.
“When this shit’s dealt with.”
She dropped her fork on her plate. “So never.”
“Baby girl, I thought we talked about this,” Ryder said.
“You talked.”
He took a deep breath. “I want you safe, Scottie. So, I’m sorry you’re stuck for the moment, but it won’t be forever.”
I continued to eat, impressed with Ryder’s self-control. He hadn’t yelled once... so far.
“Um, since Dad’s always going to be a dick, I’m pretty sure it will be forever.”
“Can’t disagree with you there.”
“What kinds of things do you like to do, honey?” I asked, pausing in my pig-like consumption of breakfast goodness (for the moment).
“Shopping,” she said immediately.
“Wow, you needed to think about that, huh?”
She giggled. “You’re funny, Sadie.”
Ryder cocked his head, giving me his ‘I-told-you-so’ look and I smiled at Scottie. “So, besides shopping, what else?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I miss my friends, but...”
“But?”
“Never mind, it’s dumb.”
I stroked her back. “What’s dumb, honey?”
“I guess I just feel like we have nothing in common now.”
“In what way?”
“Well, for one, none of them have been drugged, kidnapped, raped, and beaten to shit,” she snapped.
“Scarlett,” Ryder warned, but I held up a hand.
“No, they haven’t,” I agreed. “This has all been really horrible for you, sweetie.”
She dropped her head in her hands and groaned. “I hate this. I hate that I can’t get it out of my head. I want to go back... to when I didn’t know better. Back to when I knew there were bad people out there, but didn’t know there were, you know?”
I rubbed her back gently and nodded.
Ryder leaned across the island, tugging Scottie’s hands away from her face. “Baby girl,” he whispered.
“I’m sorry, Ride,” she rasped. “You have bigger problems right now.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” He moved to our side of the island and gently pulled his sister off the stool and into his arms. “I love you, sissy. You can talk to us about anything anytime, and you’re gonna see that counselor on Tuesday, okay?”
She nodded into his chest and he held her until she stopped crying. In that moment, I didn’t think I could love him more.
“This isn’t gonna take long, Scottie,” Ryder promised.
“I really hope not.”
“Do you want me to ask Ollie if he can pick Molly up? Maybe Sadie’s aunt will let her stay over.”
Scottie’s face lit up. “Do you think she will?”
“I’ll call her, honey,” I offered.
“Thanks, Sadie,” she said, and pulled away from Ryder. “I’ll go get dressed.”
I took one more bite of my hash browns, then grabbed my phone and called my aunt. Ryder called Ollie and we hung up almost at the same time.
“It’s all set,” I said.
“For me too,” he said.
I grinned. “I’ll text Auntie the details of who’s picking Molly up after I finish breakfast.”
“Sounds good.” He grabbed my empty coffee mug. “Want more?”
“Is the Pope Catholic?”
“Well, you’d know better than me,” he retorted, pouring me another cup.
I giggled. “You’re wrong there, you know, considering you’ve corrupted me and all.”
He set the coffee in front of me and then leaned down and kissed me. “I’m having fun corrupting you, FYI.”
I licked my lips. “I kind of like it too.�
�
He stroked my cheek. “Finish your breakfast.”
I did as he ordered and enjoyed the heck out of it.
Sadie
LATER THAT EVENING, I was curled up on the sofa upstairs attempting to read, but distracted by the view of the city lights. Scottie and Molly were downstairs watching a movie and Ryder was catching up on some work on his laptop. Reese had left an hour ago (I’d come to an internal truce with him, however, I still believed his life’s goal was to push my buttons), and Ollie would be around shortly with frozen yogurt. I had an inkling Scottie might not be the only one with a crush, especially since Ollie had a similar lovesick look on his face around her, but kept my opinion to myself.
“Babe?”
I glanced up from my Kindle. “Hmm?”
“I’ve said your name three times.” He smiled. “Must be a good book.”
“The sentence I’ve reread four times is riveting.”
He chuckled. “You okay?”
“Yep.” I lowered my e-reader. “Sorry. Just distracted by the view. You can see all of Portland from here.”
“Way better than the abbey, huh?”
“Yes, honey, it’s way better.” I shook my head. “How’d I end up in your bed last night, by the way?”
He walked over and leaned down to kiss me. “I didn’t want you to wake up in the middle of the night... you know, if you had a nightmare or something... and be scared.”
I reached up and stroked his cheeks. “So it was in case I woke up?”
He nodded.
“You’re so giving, honey.”
Ryder grinned. “I live to serve you, baby.”
Still stroking his face, I cocked my head. “You know that’s the first thing I noticed about you.”
“Oh, yeah?” He kissed me again. “That I live to serve you?”
“Well, no, because here I sit and I don’t have a Guiness in front of me.”
He frowned. “That’s awful. I should rectify that immediately.”
I giggled. “Yes, you should. Once you do, you may have your “Sadie’s servant” card back.”
He clasped his hands at his chest. “Truly?”
“Yes, but there’s a time limit, honey.”
“Right.” He bowed. “I apologize, Your Majesty.”
I clapped my hands. “Chop chop, jester.”
He laughed as he headed to the kitchen. Boy, he was pretty. I liked to watch him coming and going.
As he pulled open the fridge, his phone rang and he put it to his ear. “Ryder. Hey, man. Yeah.” He stepped to the alarm panel and studied the screen. “I see you. Yep. I’ll buzz you in.” He pressed a button and then headed back to the kitchen. “See you in a sec.” He slid his phone in his pocket. “Ollie’s on his way up.”
“I hope my beer goes with the yogurt.” I waved my hand dismissively. “Aw, who am I kidding? I don’t care.” Ryder laughed and brought me a full glass of deliciousness and the can with the excess. “Thank you.”
The doorbell rang and Ryder slid his gun from his holster, checked the camera feed again, and unbolted the door. Despite the fact his home was a fortress, my heart still raced a little as he opened the door.
I relaxed when Ollie arrived, paper bags filled with goodness in his hands. “I come bearing gifts.”
Ryder locked up behind him and yelled down the basement stairs, “Scottie, Molly, Ollie’s here.”
“Crutches, honey,” I reminded him, and reached for the bags.
“Hold up, Scottie,” Ryder called again.
“I’ll get her,” Ollie offered. He handed me the yogurt and jogged downstairs, returning a few minutes later carrying a besotted (and giggling) Scottie. Molly followed, perfectly oblivious to what was going on.
That small observation gave me hope. As traumatic as being kidnapped and held in a horrible place was, Molly seemed to have been sheltered from the more horrific sides of it. Scottie had protected her from much of it. It proved to me (once again) how strong she was, and I had hope that she’d beat back her demons. If anyone could, Scottie could.
Ryder’s hand slid to my neck and he gave it a gentle squeeze. “You okay?”
I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him quickly. “I’m good, honey.”
“You sure?”
“Yep... and I’ll be better when I get this chocolaty goodness in my belly.”
He chuckled and kissed me again, then we all sat around the island and enjoyed our dessert.
* * *
Ryder
Ryder called Reese to check in and was reassured that everything at the bar was going well. He finally felt as though he could relax just a bit. At least until he heard Sadie scream. He hung up with Reese and made a run for the guest room, pushing the door open. “Sadie?” She screamed again and he stepped to the bed and turned on the lamp. “Sadie? Honey, wake up.”
She gasped and opened her eyes, staring up at him in confusion.
“Hey.”
Sadie shook her head, reaching for him as she burst into tears. Ryder pulled her into his arms and held her as he stood beside the bed. “Bad dream, huh?”
“I’m okay,” she whispered. “What time is it?”
“Just after midnight.” He kissed her temple. “Wanna tell me about it?”
“Not yet.” She was kneeling on the bed, her arms around his shoulders, and she buried her face into his neck.
“I’ve got you, baby.” He slid his hand into her hair and forced himself not to focus on the short-shorts and tank top she wore. Damn, she was sexy.
“Hatch was in my room,” she whispered.
Ryder stiffened.
“Not literally,” she rushed to say, stroking his hair. “In my dream.”
He relaxed and shifted so he was sitting on the bed and she was on his lap.
She gasped. “How did you do that?”
“Mad skills.”
“Oh, right,” she said with a giggle.
“That’s better,” he whispered, and stroked her cheek. “You have the best laugh.”
“I do?”
“Yeah, baby, you do.” He kissed her gently. “Do you want to tell me the rest of the dream?”
“There wasn’t much else to it.” She slid off his lap. “Just a rehashing of what happened on Friday, only it was here.”
“Babe—”
“Nope, I’m over it,” she said. “I don’t want to talk it about it.”
Ryder frowned.
“I’m good, Ryder.”
“You gonna go back to sleep?”
She shook her head.
“Then you’re not good, Sadie,” he said.
With a shrug, she crossed her arms. “I’ll warm up some milk.”
Ryder cocked his head. “Yeah? Does that work for you?”
“I don’t know.” Sadie sighed. “I’ve never tried it.”
“How about you come hang with me while I go through the video footage from the club.”
“Are you sure?” Sadie bit her lip. “I won’t be in the way?”
“Honey, you’re never in the way.” He stood and smiled. “But you need to put more clothes on or I won’t be able to concentrate.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll meet you in the family room.”
Sadie nodded and Ryder kissed her before leaving the room.
After grabbing his laptop from his office, he pulled blankets from the chest in front of the sofa and then retrieved a couple of beers from the kitchen. Sadie walked into the room just as he set the drinks on the coffee table. Her clothing wasn’t much better... yoga pants and fitted T-shirt... although, it covered more, she couldn’t hide the sexy.
“What?” she asked, glancing down. “Do I have something on me?”
He chuckled. “Just sex appeal.”
She snorted. “You’re insane.”
Ryder held his arm out and she slid into his embrace. “You’re beautiful, Sadie.”
“Thanks, honey.” She gave him a squeeze. “You’re pretty hot yourself.”
>
“You okay?”
“Better now.”
“You want a beer?”
“Actually, I kind of want tea,” she said. “Do you have any?”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “I grabbed some of that licorice shit you like.”
“You mean the best tea on earth?”
“The most disgusting tea on earth?” he countered.
She giggled. “You really bought some?”
He nodded.
She grinned up at him. “I love you.”
“Back atya. I’ll make you some tea.”
“I can do it.” She headed toward the kitchen. “Do you want anything?”
“I’m good, baby.” He sat on the sofa and pulled up the first feed from the club video surveillance.
Sadie returned, steaming cup in hand, and sat down beside him. “Anything?”
He shook his head. “It could take a while.”
She pulled the blanket over her. “How do you deal with all those people?”
“I don’t most of the time.”
“You realize you own a meat market right?” she said, then sipped her tea.
“You know what a meat market is?”
“Television junkie, remember?”
Ryder chuckled. “Not by design, but yeah. The club’s certainly turned into one.”
“Who’s that?” she asked, pointing to the screen.
“Bennie.”
“No, behind him.”
Ryder leaned closer to the screen. “I don’t recognize him.”
“Well, Bennie knows him.”
“How do you figure?”
“Rewind a bit,” Sadie said. “They’re having a heated discussion.”
He did as she suggested and he realized he’d missed that tidbit of information. “Yeah, they are having a heated discussion.”
“But you don’t know the other guy?”
Ryder shook his head. At least, he didn’t think he did. He pulled out his phone. “Hey.”
“You got somethin’?” Reese asked.
“Check Friday’s footage.” Ryder checked the time stamp. “Sixteen twelve.”
“What am I looking for?”
“Do you know the guy talkin’ to Bennie?”
Ryder heard Reese click keys on the keyboard in the background. “Give me a few.”
“Call me back,” Ryder said.
“Okay, man.”
Reese hung up and Ryder went back to the footage.
A Nun Walks into a Bar (Nun-Fiction Series Book 1) Page 17