Ryder - Caveman Insticts Book Three(53)

The department also liked that I knew how to deal and work with the media, thanks to my upbringing. I was grateful I wasn’t my American or English cousins as they dealt with a lot more media than we did here.

The news I’d just learned scared me. Divinity’s father Eric, had been hounding the detectives working the case while I’d been on suspension for weeks about getting X, but for the last two days they’d heard zilch from him. I’d seen firsthand what Eric could do, and on the one hand I was glad he was involved, because I knew now that X would be found. On the other hand, I was petrified of what shape I would find X when, or if, he was given over to me.

I’d tried calling Eric and he wasn’t answering. This worried me more. I had a feeling this was either going to blow up in my face, or I was going to have everything sorted out in a week or so. I was praying for the latter.





I’D BEEN HOME FOR OVER a week and a half and Ryder decided we should have a picnic. I was set up out in the beautiful backyard, lying on stuffed beanbags and pillows. The lagoon-like swimming pool had the sun shining off it and I wished I could swim, but not all my casts were waterproof.

Ryder had set me up and went back inside the house to get a picnic basket full of food, but he’d been gone for a while now. He had suggested we go out for our picnic, but it was a lot of work with me still in casts and healing, and I was happy staying at home. I loved the house and the surrounding ground, sure from the outside as you pull up in a car it looks like a fortress, but once you’re in it a haven of palm trees, lush green grass, hibiscus flowers and many others. The pool was one of my favorite places to relax on a sunny day with its palm trees, green shrubbery, large rocks and makeshift waterfall.

“Sorry. I forgot the wine.” I turned to see Ryder coming towards me with an old fashion picnic basket, an open bottle of wine and two wine glasses in his hand. He gently placed the basket down right next to me and then sat and poured wine into the glasses. “I know you haven’t taken any pain meds today so you could go on the picnic and if you like, you don’t have to drink much.”

Narrowing my gaze, I raised my brow. “Why on earth would I do that? The whole reason I didn’t take any pain meds was so I could get plastered on wine.”

He chuckled then held out his glass. “Cheers then.”

We tapped our glasses, but I knew I really couldn’t drink much wine and get plastered like I wanted to, because I was pregnant. “I can’t drink. I’m pregnant. I read that I can have a sip or two, but it’s advised no alcohol.”

“Oh, okay. When did you find that out? And it’s good then it’s just sparkling apple cider. I wasn’t sure about alcohol with your meds. Ryder sounded off, like his mind was elsewhere, but he was looking at me waiting for my answer.

Being unable to move around because I was disabled, had made me bored out of my mind. I’d been on the internet looking up everything. The things I now knew about pregnancy and giving birth scared the crap out of me. “Let’s just say the internet is a scary place when you’re pregnant and bored.”

Ryder cleared his throat. “You can eat grapes, oranges, strawberries and apples though?”

I nodded. “Yep, no sushi though, deli meat, or soft cheeses.” I pouted, because that had been a blow, I loved a good creamy cheese with a cracker. The sushi wasn’t anything for me to care about as I wasn’t a fan and I wasn’t a huge fish eater anyway.

He smirked, his lips quivering as he looked like he was trying not laugh. “Would you mind getting out some fruit?”

Staring at him for a moment, I wondered why he was letting me do something. Since, having arrived home from the hospital I’d barely lifted a finger. The most strenuous thing I did was wipe my frigging arse. He leaned back against a cushion and smiled, shrugging. I unhooked the clips on the basket and opened one side. I gasped at the little fluffy caramel fur back and tail. I rushed to undo the other side of the basket and my heart almost exploded from the cuteness I saw. Asleep, curled up is a caramel Labradoodle.

“OhmyGod!” I blurted without taking a breath. “Oh. My. God. You didn’t…” I darted my gaze up to see Ryder leaning forward with a heart stopping smile on face.

“Are you going to pick him up?”

I nodded, resisting the urge to squeal and wake up the little angel. I carefully picked him up the best I could with my cast hand as I have finger movement from that hand, and hugged him to my chest. He woke up and his head popped up and I fell in love instantly. I took him all in, from his adorable floppy soft ears to his cute little button nose. I paused at his neck as I spotted his collar and couldn’t miss the ring hanging from it. I looked closer, laughing when the puppy licked my cheek. The name tag said, “Marry us”.