Cut Too Deep(45)
“I don’t think it was Mikey,” said Ryker, “but he was acting guilty about something.”
“Maybe. I can’t say I blame him for being pissed.”
“Mikey’s always pissed about something.”
She shook her head. “I hate that I’m coming between you and your brother.”
“No, you’re not. Whoever pulled that stunt with the birds is coming between me and Mikey.”
“What if it’s Garrett?”
“Then we’ll be ready for him.”
“How?”
Ryker pushed up the sleeves of his long sleeved, black t-shirt, exposing the patterns of tattoos scrawled up his arms and the leather cuff around one wrist. “I’ll be ready for him.”
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I can handle myself, Jenna. I thought after the tomato festival you’d realized that.”
She sighed, misery settling deep in her soul. Ryker might be tough, but Garrett was mean and cruel.
He took her hand. “But listen, this was most likely someone with a vendetta against me, not you. Please, try not to worry.”
She allowed him to pull her into an embrace and placed her cheek against his chest, inhaling the scent of him. Her hands clutched the back of his shirt, bunching the material tight in her fists. She wanted to believe Ryker about Garrett, but her gut instinct told her Garrett was responsible.
Chapter Sixteen
The rest of the day went without incident.
Ryker cooked dinner for the three of them—spicy chicken wings with baked potatoes and homemade slaw—though Mikey took his food up into his bedroom without bothering to say much. Jenna tried her best to eat the wings, but she kept bringing to mind the sight of the crushed little bodies on the ground beneath her sheets, and lifting a wing of a different variety to her mouth was more than her stomach could handle.
“No good?” Ryker asked her, as he cleared her plate and noticed the pile of leftover chicken.
She shook her head. “Sorry. It’s not your cooking, I promise. I just can’t get my mind off what happened today.”
Realization dawned in his eyes and his mouth twisted. “Damn. I didn’t make the best choice for dinner, huh?”
“It’s not your fault. I didn’t think of it either until I saw them. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to eat wings again, which is a shame, because I love hot wings.”
“I can make you something different?” he offered.
“Nah, I’m good, thanks. The baked potato and coleslaw was enough.”
To any outsider, their evening appeared to be the epitome of domestic bliss, but for Jenna, the probability of her car being ready the next day hung over her, causing conflicting emotions. Though she wanted to get away from Arlington, and leave the possibility of Garrett having found her far behind, the thought of leaving Ryker broke her heart.
She didn’t want to leave his side for a moment. She found they always had an excuse to touch each other in some way—holding hands, or arms wrapped around each other’s waists, kisses stolen whenever they thought Mikey wouldn’t be looking. With every minute that passed, Jenna felt her attachment to Ryker grow. Just the thought of leaving him the next day made her eyes swim with tears.
Ryker noticed. “Hey,” he said gently, touching her chin with the backs of his fingers, lifting her face to his. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “You know I can’t stay forever, don’t you? What we’re doing here—us—was never meant to be a permanent thing.”
“Why can’t you stay?”
“You know why! Garrett will definitely catch up to me then, if he hasn’t already.”
He pulled her to her feet. “And when he does, we’ll deal with him. We’ll have the police arrest his scrawny ass and he’ll be safely back in jail where he belongs.”
“And if he hurts one of us before the police arrive? Is it really worth it?”
He lowered his forehead to hers, his arms around her waist, and stared into her eyes. “If it means I get to keep you, then yes, taking that risk is worth it.”
“But I can’t stay. I mean, think about the practicalities. Where would I live?”
“Here, with me and Mikey.”
She blinked in surprise. “Oh, wow. That’s a massive step, Ryker. We barely know each other.”
“We know enough.” He reached up to brush her hair from her neck. “I know it’s quick, but I think I’m falling in love with you, Jenna Armstrong. The idea of spending even an hour without you just about kills me. I can’t even start to comprehend how it would be to not even know when I’m going to see you again. I’d feel like I was being tortured every single second that passed. I need you, Jenna. I don’t know why, but I do. You’re as essential to my life as food, or air, or water. Don’t make me try to live without you.”