“I used to own a horse when I was little.” I spoke quietly and slowly as his eyes bore holes straight through me. I felt crippled under his gaze, but managed to make my way over to one of the horses.
“What kind?”
“An Arabian. My father gave it to me when I was ten. We had to keep him at the stables out in the country, but he made sure to take me to ride at least once a week.” I started getting choked up as I remembered my parents and the life I had lived before I was thrust into this one. I was trying to hold back the onslaught of tears when I felt Ruger’s hand on my arm.
“You okay, darlin’?”
I quickly nodded my head and started making my way back towards the house. “I’m just feeling a little tired. I’ll see ya back at the house in a bit.” I turned back around, trying not to run back to the confines of my room in this new place.
When I opened the screen door I half expected Ky to be waiting impatiently for me, but he was nowhere to be found. I cautiously made my way through the house, keeping a look out for anything suspicious when I felt a hand come down on my shoulder. I instantly jumped out of my skin and turned in the direction of the hand that had just touched me, ready to fight for my life if need be.
“Whoa, killer. Calm down, it’s just me. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I smacked Ky across the chest, hard. “Are you fucking serious right now? I literally just had a heart attack. What the hell is wrong with you?” I shouted before I turned to head upstairs.
Ky’s hand was quick to catch my arm before I could make it too far. “Lyndley, I’m so sorry. I swear I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I turned to look Ky straight in the face. “It doesn’t even matter. Now please let me go.” His hand instantly dropped my arm, and I could see the hurt my words had just caused flash across his face. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, but for some reason the tone of my voice conveyed something completely different. “I’m going to go lay down. Which room is mine?”
“You’re the second room on the left. I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”
Before I could respond, he was down the stairs and headed towards the kitchen. I wanted to run to him and apologize, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. There was still a part of me that was extremely hurt by his actions this morning, and I wasn’t sure how long it was going to take for me to forgive him.
When I got to the room that Ky had said was mine, my jaw dropped open in shock. I hadn’t been aware of it at the time, but Ky had made sure to grab almost all of my things. The closet was full of my clothes that hung in my other room, the blanket that had brought me comfort during my nights of weakness lay across the bottom of the bed, and my running shoes sat against the bathroom door. A wide smile formed across my lips as the sweet gesture slowly settled in.
As much as I wanted to lie down, I decided to do something else entirely. Honestly, I was hoping that he would notice and want to come along with me. I pulled on my workout clothes and quickly slipped my socks on and tied my running shoes. I stood and made my way over to the bathroom that was connected to my room, to look myself over in the mirror. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and swiped some mascara across my lashes before I headed downstairs.
I stopped at the bottom of the stairs staring into the living room where Ky sat watching TV. I didn’t want to interrupt his time to himself, but I guess I needed to let him know where I was going. I walked over to the archway and leaned against it. I stood there waiting for him to notice me out of the corner of his eye, but he sat unmoving, wrapped up in whatever show he was watching.
“Hey.” I muttered.
He quickly turned in my direction. “Oh hey. Where ya headed?”
“I was going to go for a run. I’m assuming that you need to come with me?” At least that’s what I was hoping for.
“No, I think you’ll be okay. We’re far enough out in the country. Just make sure you tell Ruger where you’ll be running, seeing as he’s already outside.” Without another word, he turned his attention back to the television.
Was he serious right now? I would’ve thought that he would jump at the chance to be alone with me, but boy was I wrong. “Fine.” I half shouted as I walked out of the room, and then out of the house, slamming the door in the process. I quickly stretched my legs, and then made my way to where I had left Ruger earlier.
When I approached him, he looked shocked at the fact that I was running. “What are you doin’?” He smiled.
“I’m going to run for a bit. Ky told me to tell you, so you could keep an eye on me.”
“Did he now? Okay, well don’t go too far. Try to stay close to where I can see you, please?”
“You got it. See you in a bit.” We both smiled at one another, and then I took off. I was looking forward to getting lost in my own thoughts. If there was one thing I had learned over the last twenty-four hours, it was to protect my heart more than anything else. At least I learned it now as opposed to later, after Ky had already broken my heart.
Twenty Six
Ky
As much as it hurt to see the look on her face when I told her I wasn’t going running with her, I needed to get back to me. I needed to remember what I was doing here in the first place. My job was to protect her and as long as my heart was wrapped up in her, it was going to cloud my judgment. Unfortunately, this was a decision I had to make and stick with.
I paced back and forth across the living room, practically wearing a line in the carpet. She had been gone for exactly twenty-four minutes and every second that passed, I became more and more worried. I knew she was in good hands with Ruger, but a part of me couldn’t seem to settle down enough to let her be. I was used to being the one that took care of her, not Ruger.
I pulled back the curtains, glancing out across the vast fields when I caught sight of her. My eyes zeroed in on her gorgeous face and roaming eyes, as she ran past. I wasn’t exactly sure what she was looking for, but a large part of me was hoping it was me. I could feel my heart rate pick up as her gaze made its way over to me, and I quickly pulled the curtains back in place. I closed my eyes and let out an exasperated sigh as I leaned my head back against the wall. No matter what I did, this girl invaded my every waking thought and I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to get past this.
A few minutes later, I heard the front screen door open. My heart jumped into my throat and my heart began to race as the thought of seeing Lyndley out of breath and sweaty. She was already hot as hell, but right after she had been running, she looked absolutely stunning. Unfortunately for me, it was Ruger who came walking through the door, not Lyndley.
“Hey man. What’s going on?”
“Nothing much. I thought you were keeping on eye on Lyndley?” I was a little annoyed by the fact that he was so nonchalant about the whole situation.
“She’s waiting for me over by the barn. I just came in to get her a bottle of water. What’s wrong with you?” He took a long pull off his beer bottle and my mouth began salivating. “Sorry, man. You want?”
I didn’t hesitate to answer. “That would be great. Thanks.”
I took one sip and realized just how much I had missed the cool amber liquid coating my insides and making me feel numb to it all. I quickly downed the rest of the bottle in my hand and made my way over to the fridge to grab another. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Not at all. Whatever I have in this house is yours as well. Make yourself at home.”
“Thanks, man.” I headed back over to the couch with a new bottle and sat my exhausted ass down, propping my feet up on the coffee table in the process.
“All right, well I’m headed back outside. If ya need anything, just holler.” He tipped his hat to me, and then walked out of the room.
I flipped through the channels as I stared aimlessly out the opposite living room window from the one I had seen Lyndley through. All the windows were open and I knew her laugh the minute I heard it. It was the sweetest melody I had ever heard
, and I instantly wanted to be the one making her laugh. I downed the rest of my beer and went to grab another, when the front door swung open again.
“I’m just grabbing another one. You want one, Ruger?” When I glanced behind me, it wasn’t Ruger that was standing against the counter staring at me.
“I’m good, but thanks for asking.” Disgust and contempt dripped from every word.
“Sorry, I thought you were-“
“Ruger? Yeah, I got that much. Too bad, you’re stuck with lil ole me.” She smirked.
“I’m okay with that.” I muttered under my breath.
“So…you’re back to drinking again, huh?”
I finished my sip and smiled over the lip of the bottle. “It would appear so.”
“Well good for you.” She grimaced.
“Did you come in here just to harass me, Lyndley?” I took another sip. “Not that I mind, I was just curious how long you were going to berate me for?”
Her hands went straight to her hips and she started tapping her foot. “You know, this persona you’ve created for yourself is far inferior to who you really are. You’re portraying yourself as an even bigger asshole than you really are.”
“Honestly Lyndley, all I heard was…blah, blah, blah. If ya wanna bitch at someone, could you go bitch at Ruger?”
“Is this really how it’s going to be now?”
I grabbed another beer and opened it right in front of Lyndley’s face. “Apparently so. So if you don’t mind, I’m a little busy.”
She let out a loud grunt, and then stormed off outside. I counted down the seconds until the door slammed and just like clockwork, it was five seconds after she had walked away. Whatever her problem was, it had nothing to do with me. At least that’s what I was telling myself.
I was starting to feel a little tipsy and knew if I kept on drinking, that I was going to end up saying or doing something I would most definitely regret the next morning. I stood to grab another beer and almost fell into the side table, but caught myself on the wall. Laughter erupted through the open space, vibrating off of every wall. I laughed the entire way to the fridge, waiting for someone to join in with me, but quickly realized that I was alone.
I shrugged my shoulders, grabbed another beer, and then started making my way upstairs to my room. At least if I was confined to my own space, I was least likely to get myself into trouble. Little did I know that trouble, would come finding me.
Twenty Seven
Lyndley
When I approached Ruger after my little run in with Ky, I was livid. No, I was beyond livid. I had no idea how I could have ever thought that it was love with that arrogant asshole. Every time I tried to make an effort with him, he turned right back into the prick I had met in the first place. Well this time, I was done. I wasn’t going to let him treat me like this one second longer.
“Hey, sweetheart. What’s wrong?”
I pointed back at the house. “That asshole is what is wrong with me.”
“Look, I’m not sure what he said or what has happened between y’all, but maybe you should give him a little break.”
I turned around and looked him right in the face, appalled. “Are you seriously defending him right now?”
Ruger grabbed my hands and held them to my sides. “I’m not defending him by any means. What I am doing, is letting you know that there is more to him than what you see, or know for that matter.”
“Please enlighten me, Ruger.” I sneered.
“Let’s go sit down for a bit. Follow me.”
As much as I didn’t want to do it, I followed him over to a small wooden bench that overlooked his property. I let out a loud huff as I plopped myself down beside him. “Well…”
“Look, Lyndley. I’ve known Wakely for quite some time now. He’s had a lot of bad things happen in his life. I’m not saying that’s an excuse, I’m just sayin’ that he deserves a chance.”
I was suddenly intrigued. “What do you mean, a lot of bad?”
“It’s not really my place to say.”
“Because I haven’t heard that line before. I don’t care anymore what is or isn’t your place to say. Either you tell me, or I will walk. I’ll go back to my scary little life back in Chicago in a second. I mean let’s face it, nobody wants me around anyway.” I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, and I took in a deep breath, willing them to not fall.
I felt Ruger’s arms wrap tenderly around me, pulling my body into his. He smelled of sweat and Old Spice deodorant, and it was surprisingly comforting. As much as I didn’t want to get close to this man, I found myself wrapping my arms securely around his waist as the tears began to steadily fall down my cheeks.
Being in his arms felt entirely different than being in Ky’s. Ky had his moments when he could be a full-fledged asshole, but the chemistry between us was undeniable. As I stood in Ruger’s embrace, I was silently wishing it was Ky who was holding me, and making my tears disappear. I glanced up at Ruger as my tears began to fade, and a small smile fell across his lips.
“Why would you feel as though nobody wants you here, sweetheart?” His voice was sincere, but I couldn’t tell if it was because he felt sorry for me, or because he genuinely cared about my well being.
“Let’s face it, Ruger. I’m just a job. We all know that.”
His finger dipped below my chin, pulling my face up to meet his gaze. “You my dear girl are not just a job.”
My eyes bounced back and forth between his lips and his eyes. His lips were magnetic and I was finding it hard to resist them. All my life I had played things safe, and I was sick of living my life the way people thought I should. Without another thought, I leaned in and pressed my lips softly against his. I half expected him to pull away from me, just as Ky would, but I was pleasantly surprised when he clutched my face in between his hands and deepened our kiss.
My hands slid up underneath his sweat ridden t-shirt, trying to familiarize myself with his body. His muscles were pulled tight in all the right places, and my body was surging with lust with every touch. Just as fast as his hands had gone to my face, they were now reaching down and pulling my legs up around his waist. My insides were filled with butterflies taking flight, and with every kiss my attraction to him grew.
Seconds later, Ruger’s hands fell to the waistband of my running pants trying to find their way to my most needy body part. As much as my body wanted this, my mind was busy thinking of Ky. I pulled back out of his embrace, looking down at the ground. I knew if I made eye contact with him, I would change my mind.
“You okay, darlin’?” His voice was doing things to me that no longer felt right.
I shook my head not wanting to answer. “I think I should head inside and take a shower.” I jumped down from the fence he had set me on, and started to walk away.
“Lyndley?”
I turned as I kept walking towards the house. “Yeah?”
“Try talking to Ky about it. I’m sure he would like to tell you himself.”
I wasn’t sure this was true, but I was willing to say okay just to appease him and be on my way. “Okay. Thanks Ruger.”
“Anytime, sweetheart.” He tipped his hat and headed back into the barn.
I watched as he walked away from me, contemplating whether or not I had just made the right decision. Ruger was a good man. A man who wasn’t afraid to show me how he felt, and a man who was willing to protect me and like me all at the same time. Ky on the other hand, well…he didn’t seem willing to do any of those things. At least not from what I could tell.
When I got back to the house, I searched the entire bottom floor for Ky, but he was nowhere to be found. I had almost given up hope in finding him, when I heard his soft voice echoing off of the walls upstairs. I stopped just outside of his door, listening to Ky singing some random song. I wasn’t sure what state of mind he was in, but I was willing to bet he was somewhat inebriated by now. Oh well, now was not the time to walk away from him. No, now was the time to lay all my c
ards out on the table.
I knocked lightly against the open door, causing him to stop singing immediately. He glanced up at me with what appeared to be tears in his eyes. Was he really crying? I shook my head in disbelief. There was no way in hell this tough ass man was shedding a tear for any reason. I sheepishly walked into the room not wanting to scare him away. As I went to take a seat next to him on the bed, he held up his hand to stop me from doing so.
“Lyndley, please don’t.”
“Ky, are you okay?”
“No, Lyndley. I’m not okay. Now could you please go?”
His hands were over his face as he sat hunched over on the side of the bed, so I couldn’t see his face any longer. I turned to leave his room, but quickly stopped and turned back towards him. “No.”
His face shot up, his eyes immediately landing on mine. “Excuse me?”
“I said, no. I’m not leaving until you talk to me.”
“Lyndley, I am trying to be nice here and not say anything I might regret later. But honestly, if you don’t leave my room right this minute I will have to physically remove you.” His tone was serious, and for a brief second I thought he was joking, but when he stood up and stopped just short of running into me, I knew he was dead serious.
“Ky, I’m not leaving.” I stated with conviction this time.
He pushed his hands back roughly through his hair as he let out a loud groan. “Damn it, Lyndley. Why the hell can’t you just listen to me for once? I just need some time.”
“You’ve had plenty of time to sulk, now it’s time to tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“Tell me about you, Ky.”
Twenty Eight
Ky
And that right there was exactly what I was afraid of. I didn’t want Lyndley to know about my past. Hell, I didn’t even want her to know about my recent past. If she couldn’t love me before, she sure as hell wouldn’t be able to love me after she found out about my past. I could tell by the look on her face, that she wasn’t willing to leave until she got the answers she sought.
Protecting Lyndley Page 12