Ariel hardly spoke as she gobbled up the ice cream. And I had to admit, I couldn't blame her. The damn thing was delicious. I took heaping bites of it myself. She wiggled around in her chair as the sugar seeped into her veins, causing her to practically vibrate with energy.
And with that energy came a loosening of her lips.
“I think you’d like my Daddy,” Ariel said.
I nodded, trying to keep my composure. “Oh, yeah? And why’s that?”
“I don’t know. I just think you would.”
“Well, maybe someday I’ll meet him.”
“That’d be cool. Daddy doesn’t have a lot of friends.”
“Why’s that?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, he has Uncle Lyle. But that’s not really a friend.”
I furrowed my brow. “Not really a friend?”
“Yeah. I mean, he’s Uncle Lyle. He can’t be ‘uncle’ and ‘friend.’”
“Oh, he can’t?”
“Nope. He can only be one thing because he’s one person.”
“Well, I think someone can be as many things as they want.”
“Really?” she asked.
“Mhm. For instance, my best friend in high school? She was a ballerina and a swimmer. She was good at both. Competed in competitions with both,” I said.
She paused. “Daddy tells me someone can be really good at one thing, or kind of good at a lot of things.”
“I think what he means is that if you’re serious about something, you have to give it your all and not focus on much else.”
“Huh?”
“Like, if you want to go to school to be a teacher. You have to focus on your classes and your grades and pass your tests. Which means you have to study. If you use the time you need to study to do other things, like play with friends and sleep all the time, you won’t be able to study to pass your classes.”
“Oh! Well, that’s different than what I thought he meant.”
“Sometimes Daddies don’t talk well.”
She nodded. “Yeah. Mine doesn't talk well. He gets upset a lot.”
I paused. “I’m sorry to hear that. My daddy got upset a lot, too, when I was growing up.”
“I mean, he’s not mean. He doesn’t hit me or anything. He’s just… lonely. Or maybe lost. I see him staring off sometimes, and I don’t think he likes it when I see that.”
Thank fuck, she doesn’t come from an abusive family.
“Have you ever asked him what’s wrong?” I asked.
“Sometimes. But he gets upset. Says it’s ‘adult stuff’ and that ‘I need to be a kid for a while.’”
“Maybe he just wants you to enjoy things while you can,” I said.
“I’d like to enjoy it with him. But he’s always working.”
“Hence why you’re with Uncle Lyle.”
“Yeah. Uncle Lyle’s more like Daddy, I guess. And Daddy’s just…”
My heart ached for her. “A friend?”
“Yeah. I guess. But not like Carlie. More like, my teacher’s a friend. But not a friend that’s around a lot. And not a friend that talks a lot.”
The more she opened up to me, the more I found she came from a misguided family. Not a bad one. Simply misguided. However, the way she talked about her father sometimes warmed my heart. She had a great deal of love for him. She wanted him around more often. He just wasn’t. More than ever, as we talked over ice cream, I was set in my plan. Rejuvenated, and had a fire lit underneath my ass. I had to figure out who this man was so I could get her back to him. No matter what.
Even though it might get me killed, this girl didn’t deserve what was coming her way. None of these children did.
And for once, I’d make the right decision instead of the easy one.
7
Ryker
I studied the woman who held my daughter’s hand. After multiple horns honked at me, I turned right at the stoplight. I pulled into an alleyway. Part of me wanted to pull my gun, rush over there, and point the damn thing at her forehead. Part of me wanted to rip my daughter from her grasp and take off with her while putting bullets in her fucking chest. But something stopped me.
Something in my gut I couldn't ignore.
They looked so happy together. So peaceful. Ariel was laughing. Clutching that woman’s hand. Who the hell was she, with that auburn hair and those striking green eyes? Was she a wife of one of the mafia members? Possibly a girlfriend? I parked my bike in the alleyway as their laughter echoed around the corner. The instinct to go wrench my daughter away from her was strong. But this was my chance to find another “in” with this mafia organization. With Lars and his fucking men that wouldn't leave us alone.
So, I slipped off my bike and worked my jacket off my shoulders.
They hadn’t seen me, and there was a very good chance she wouldn't know who I was. Mostly, because women who were part of organizations like this were never filled in more than they had to be. For all this woman knew, Ariel was simply a girl she had to watch until further notice. Had she been with this woman the entire time? Judging by how hard they laughed as they walked by, I figured as much. Ariel wasn’t one to open up. She kept herself locked down, like me. She kept herself closed off from other people. A trait she’d learned from interacting with her “wonderful” father.
I watched them walk by without a care in the world and froze in my spot.
The woman was gorgeous. Her auburn hair framed her face, flipping out and creating a playful frame around her jawline. Her milky skin boasted of a few deep brown freckles. Beauty marks that dotted her skin. Her laughter was soft. Effortless. Flawless. And at the end of it, the softest of snorts. A beautiful sound punctuated with an adorable little bow that made my lips curl up into the softest of grins.
I had to focus, though. For all I knew, the rest of the mafia was lurking in the shadows. Watching them while they were out and about.
Which meant the second I revealed myself to them, they’d reveal themselves to me.
I tossed my jacket over my bike, deciding to walk up to them without it on. I kept my eyes peeled as I removed my gun, tucking it away in the small trunk I had on the back of my bike. I kept my knives in my pockets, though. No reason to go in there completely unarmed. If this woman was some sort of secret fighting machine, I’d have the upper hand with being so close to her.
Keep your cool in front of Ariel, asshole. You’re still a father. You’re not just a savage.
As I made my way out of the alley, I kept my eyes peeled for anything. Any movement or any person that looked suspicious. Because the second the mafia revealed themselves, I’d have to get out of there. For the sake of my daughter’s safety. I had to do this as swiftly as possible. As quietly as possible. But I wasn’t sure how I’d do that. I followed behind them silently for four blocks, listening as they laughed and talked. I kept my distance, looking around at the buildings and dipping into stores whenever they stopped. However, once they dipped into a soup shop, I saw my chance.
I gave them a few seconds before walking in, and Ariel spotted me immediately.
Her eyes widened and her jaw fell open. But I put my finger to my mouth as quickly as I could. I silently shushed her, hoping she wouldn't make a scene. And as the woman ordered them some soup, completely distracted from the situation, I walked up and stood behind them. I kept silently shushing my daughter as her jaw dropped open. I prayed and hoped with all my might she wouldn't say anything. And as I stood there in line, I listened as this woman struggled with her order.
“I don’t know, is your tomato bisque made in-house? Because putting all those preservatives in it gives it this weird taste,” she said.
“We make all of our breads and soups in-house,” the girl behind the register said.
“Perfect. Okay. Um, them a small tomato bisque and a small broccoli cheddar. Why choose today, huh? Especially since we just had ice cream. Might as well turn the entire day on its head.”
“I don’t mean to interrupt, b
ut it sounds like you guys have had a fun day,” I said.
The woman jumped and whipped around at the sound of my voice. Our eyes connected, and we stood so close to one another that the brown flakes of her eyes caught my attention. Her bright green eyes swirled with brown. They reminded me of a forest. Of the thick brush at the base of mountains that housed life. A great metaphor for her body, which was fraught with curves. Thick with rotund beauty.
At any other point in time, she would’ve been my kind of gal. A woman I’d take straight to bed and coat myself in all damn night. I couldn't trust her though.
Because she had my daughter.
Just grab her and run.
“Yes, we’ve had a very fun day. Haven’t we, Ariel?” she asked.
I looked down at my daughter and watched her nod. I was so proud of her, too. The shock had fallen away from her face. Her jaw closed. Nothing on her face gave away who I was or the fact that she knew me. But that fact also broke my heart.
A nine-year-old shouldn't be so good at putting on a face.
“I have to admit, I’m jealous. I’ve had a pretty rough day myself. That’s why I came here. To get a bit of comfort food,” I said.
“I’m sorry to hear that. What happened?” she asked.
“You want to know what happened on some stranger’s bad day?”
She shrugged. “Sounds like you might need to talk.”
“So, you are just as kind as you look. And here I simply thought it was your looks that made you beautiful.”
She blushed. “Well, that’s quite a line you’ve got there.”
“And judging by the flush of your cheeks, I see it worked.”
“Are you going to order?”
The girl behind the cash register caught my attention. I quickly placed an order for their butternut squash soup and half a loaf of asiago cheese bread. Cut into slices and toasted, of course.
“Hey, Ariel. Look. Someone else likes that bread you got,” the woman said.
Shit.
“It’s the best bread ever,” my daughter said.
I smiled down at her. “Maybe one day I’ll make you my own version of the bread. I think it’s better than this place’s bread.”
And when I winked at her, she giggled.
“Would you like to eat with us?” Ariel asked.
“Pretty girl, this man’s a stranger. Plus, I don’t think he wants to—.”
“I’m Ryker,” I said.
The woman whipped her eyes up to mine. “Uh, Kaylynn.”
“A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. I should have expected nothing less. But now, we aren’t strangers. And I’d love to eat with the two of you. Of course, if you’d like me to,” I said.
She smiled softly. “Um, sure. That couldn't hurt anything.”
“Sounds wonderful,” I said.
“Yay!” Ariel exclaimed.
As I sat down with them, we began talking. Ariel was a little chatterbox, and the woman seemed as unassuming as they came. She had an easy laugh. A loose tongue for stories and laughter. For someone who was involved with the kidnapping of my damn daughter, she didn’t come off as tough. She didn’t come off as someone who could kill. Or rip a child from their home. Or torture anyone. Hell, she wasn’t even armed!
Who in the world was this Kaylynn woman?
As I dipped my bread into my soup, I kept gazing past Kaylynn’s shoulder. Ariel sat right next to me, and she had her leg wrapped around behind mine underneath the table. I felt her trembling. I saw the anxiety in her face. My heart ached for her, and it made me want to wring this woman’s neck even further. We all talked like it was nothing. Kaylynn laughed like nothing was wrong. But as I gazed beyond her shoulder, I saw a black SUV park in front of the soup shop.
Mafia. You need a distraction.
I stumbled with my soup-soaked bread, making the slice dump itself into Kaylynn’s lap. She gasped as she caught it in her hands, but not before making an absolute mess of things. The soup splattered all over her clothes. My jaw fell open in mock shock as she tossed the bread onto the table.
“I’m so sorry, Kaylynn.”
She shook her head, smiling. “It’s okay. I promise. Let me go get some napkins since our dispenser is out. I’ll be right back.”
She got up from the table and turned around, and it took all the energy I had not to stare at her. I peeked down at Ariel as she walked across the shop, making her way for the girl behind the cash register. And as her back kept itself turned to us, I quickly leaned over to my daughter.
“Daddy. Oh my gosh. You found me. Can we go home now? Please?”
I kissed her cheek softly. “Ariel, I need you to answer this question for me, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Is Kaylynn treating you all right?”
She nodded. “Yeah. She’s nice. We just bought a TV and Netflix today.”
“She’s not hurting you?”
“No.”
“And it’s just the two of you?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, I need you to listen to me. If I take you now, a lot of bad people are going to try and hurt us. I need you to be strong for me, princess. Can you do that?”
She sighed. “I always have to be strong.”
I cupped her cheek. “I’m sorry. I know you have to be. But I promise you, I’m going to get you out of this mess. But if Kaylynn’s treating you well and not hurting you in any way, we need to do this right. If I take you now, I risk you getting hurt.”
“But I want to go with you, Daddy.”
I peeked up, making sure Kaylynn was still entertained. Then, I kissed the top of my daughter’s head.
“I know, princess. I know. And I promise you, as soon as I can safely get you, I’m getting you out of here. I promise”
Watching the pain in her eyes broke my soul. Whatever part of me might have remained intact from my childhood shattered. After all this, I was about to leave her with these fucking people. But I didn’t have a choice. I didn't have my gun. And that black SUV was simply sitting in the damn parking lot. We’d be killed. Hands down. And a lot of innocent people in this soup shop would suffer the same fate.
“I love you, princess,” I whispered.
“Yeah, yeah,” she murmured.
I jerked away from her just as Kaylynn came walking back toward us. She smiled at me as she sat back down, then scooted her chair back underneath the table. She really was a breathtaking woman. Too bad she was part of the enemy.
“See? Just a small splash of soup. Nothing major,” Kaylynn said.
“Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I have to make my leave,” I said.
“Aww, so soon? And here I thought we were just getting the conversation ramped up.”
I grinned. “Well, if you ever want to keep the conversation going, you could hand me your number.”
She smiled brightly. “I guess I could do that.”
I slipped my cell phone out of my pocket and unlocked it for her. I pulled up the form for a new contact, then handed it over to her. She entered in her information, saving it to my phone. And after she handed it back to me, I opened up my camera.
“Do you mind if a take a picture for your contact information?” I asked.
She fluffed out her hair. “I don’t mind at all.”
Then, without her ever knowing a damn thing, I snapped a full-on picture of her face.
It killed me to leave. It killed me to leave Ariel there and not have her at my side. But that damn SUV was simply sitting there. Waiting for a war to break out. I dismissed myself and got my food to-go. I made my way to the front door of the shop as I peered over my shoulder. I saw Ariel staring at me, and the expression on her face was one of almost-anger.
And as I watched Kaylynn trying to soothe my daughter, I left the shop. Leaving her behind.
Like she probably thought I did all the damn time.
8
Kaylynn
“You excited about hooking up the television?
” I asked.
“No.”
“What about the Roku?”
“No.”
“Not even Netflix?”
“I said, no.”
Ariel had been angry ever since our lunch. Ever since that man came around, sat down with us, then left. Every time I asked her what happened, she ignored me. Her face grew redder and redder with every question. So, as we pulled into the driveway of my home, I let bygones be bygones. If she wanted to talk with me about it, she’d come to me. Hopefully, at least. It wasn’t as if I was the person she wanted to be with. But the least she could do was make this easier on both of us, right?
She’s just a kid, Kaylynn. Cut her some slack.
As I scurried us out of the car, I ran down the encounter with Ryker in my mind. I looked at it from every situation, trying to figure out what the hell could have possibly triggered her anger like this. But the more I thought about him, the more my thoughts drifted. I thought about him introducing himself. I thought about how he interacted with Ariel. I thought about how he spoke to us. What he said. What he did.
Then, I thought about his lips.
The things they’d do to me if they were against my body. His arms, the way they rippled and slid into massive hands. Wow, those hands. They’d dwarf mine any day of the week. And something about that thought made me shiver.
Get your head in the game.
I unlocked the front door. “Why don’t we take a rest for a little bit, yeah? Then, we can—”
“I was wondering when you two would get back.”
I jumped at the sound of my brother’s voice while Ariel yelped and clung to my side. My eyes widened as I whipped them into my living room, watching my brother as he stood from the recliner. He eased himself upright, a dastardly look on his face. He flipped a coin between his fingers, up and down his row of scarred knuckles, as he stared me down.
And the closer he got; the harder Ariel hugged me.
“It’s okay, pretty girl. I gotcha,” I said softly.
“Not for long, though. Boss wants her put in the foster system. Which means you get to be—”
Ryker: Dead Souls MC: Prospects #4 Page 5