I felt like my entire world was crumbling away around me. In the week since I returned home, Ryder had come to the decision that there was no hope for us. He'd given up on me.
On us.
Clutching his hand, I begged, "Don't do this. Don't give up so easily. My father just told me yesterday that he thought I was strong. Maybe he won't try to force me to marry another man after Oliver. Please, Ryder! Don't give up on our dream now. It's all I have to hang onto."
"That's all it's ever going to be. A dream. We're trapped in this world of your father's, this nightmare where I do his dirty work and you're traded away to further his business interests. How can we ever be together in that world?"
I pulled him close and began to cry. "It doesn't matter what we are right now. We're going to be together. Please don't give up on us. I can't go on if all I have is a life without you."
A car drove up behind us and Ryder pulled away until it passed us. Shaking his head, he pointed to it. "Do you see what I have to do? I can't even hold you in my arms because I'm afraid that someone will see us."
Laying my head on his shoulder, I tried to find the words that would convince him not to give up. "I know it's hard now. It's always been hard for us. We made it through my father sending me away. We made it through me trying to kill myself. We've made it through him forcing me to marry someone else. We can make it through this too."
Ryder turned his head to look out the window and in a voice full of pain said, "Between your father and Oliver, they've taken everything away from us. What do we have left but stolen moments like this as I drive you places? How can this be enough?"
"Because it has to be. I love you. If this is all I can have of you right now, then I'll take it. It's not perfect, but it's never been for us."
He remained silent for a long time before he turned to look at me. Pressing a soft kiss onto my lips, he whispered against them, "I'm sorry that I couldn't be there this week."
I kissed him as the tears rolled down my cheeks. "I know you needed me too. It won't always be like this. Please, don't give up yet."
Ryder cradled my face in his hands, and as I reveled in the feel of his strength, he pressed his forehead to mine. "What are we going to do?"
I may not have known the answer to many of his questions, but I knew the answer to that one. It was the only answer available to us.
"We're not going to give up. No matter what they do to us, we can't give up. That dream can come true. We just have to fight for it."
As he took me in his arms and held me, he whispered, "God, I hope so. It's all that keeps me going some days."
I knew just how he felt.
Chapter Four
Ryder
The house buzzed with staff hurrying to and from the front door preparing for the party Robert insisted would bring happiness and celebration back to the house. Trays of food, cases of alcohol, and more flowers than a coronation called for came in deliveries all day so the hallway outside his office looked like a busy city street with people marching back and forth with arms full of everything needed to make his plans come to life.
I had little interest in attending his party, but it didn't matter if I wanted to or not. I'd be expected to be there and play my part, just like at all his get-togethers. I'd had to pretend Serena's accident and the miscarriage hadn't torn me up inside from the moment I heard that doctor say she lost our baby, remaining stoic and cold while all the while I wanted to take out my rage on that fuck Oliver for what he'd done to her and our child. The last thing I wanted to do was perform my show horse act at another of Robert's parties and have to watch Oliver mope around like some grieving husband trying his best to get over the loss.
"Ryder, you're practically sullen today. I'm certainly hoping I can expect you to be livelier tonight at the party," Robert said, rousing me from my daydreaming about the night's festivities and how much I wanted to pull Oliver into a side hallway and slit his fucking throat.
I forced a smile and nodded. "I'll be there with bells on. You know me."
He stared at me for a moment like he was studying me. "I do, son. I know you well, so I can say without a doubt that something's wrong lately. What is it?"
The last thing I wanted to do was tell Robert what was bothering me. If I mentioned anything about Serena or her injuries, I ran the risk of him suspecting we were far closer than we pretended to be. And anything else that might have been wrong with me he wouldn't understand or care about anyway, so what was the point of mentioning any of it?
Shaking my head, I answered, "Nothing at all. I'm the same as always."
He studied me again for a few more seconds and frowned. "Well, whatever it is, the answer to whatever problem you're dealing with is tonight's party. Did I tell you Janelle and her husband will be there too, so we'll have the whole family back together, at least for one night?"