ker's

econd the phone lit up. I

cted her

, Little

end stretched. Like she w

ce came, soft but rough as if she had be

the seat, my other ha

offers I don't

ment. Maybe the drag of a suitcase, I couldn't tell. Either way,

re else to go,"

, those words did

tion," I said. "I'll

~~

anessa

e I wanted to get away from. Now, he was sitting across from

s going to r

where to begin. "What exac

glass, eyes locked on me like h

h and far from the crowd. The silence was so heavy that

ked you out." Ryk

ack at him. "Yeah, pretty obvious, i

he table and leaning in, he placed a hard

ly what I wanted but he

u kn

I do

rather be under a bridge, counting crickets." I sn

night and I couldn't toler

e asked, then grinned when I didn

g my inner cheek. How I

this time, it all boils down to jealousy. Even if he doesn't love you,

he doesn't even-" I searched f

he leaned back on the chair, eyes

about this. I need to kn

at I know how this wo

d." I correc

s ex-wife with another man. He would wonder if you ever loved him, w

u know that's unr

s, we keep going. If not-" his voice dropped low, almost in

, his voice echoing like a promise in my ears, his

to lose if this

oth

in it for yo

some saint doing

A lot. More tha

ady so messy enough and I would love to not

Dea

s. Somewhere, my rational side told me to withdra

d myself nod

t and I sat with him in the front. The city's night beauty blurr

Fake and tempora

arge Villa. I squinted my eyes at t

huh?" I c

led his seatbelt. "Wealth lo

in response and h

mansion. Ryker paused, his hand on the doorknob. "Welcome ho

d my nose a

ed behind me. The house was a stunning display of beauty and luxury. Marble flo

a room filled with his personal constellation and that he'd bought a vacatio

ct? Didn't expect we'd be need

papers so no one forgets what we're playing at. " He s

ks were so impressive, pulling me in. Curiosity pulled me c

on a small photo frame lying flat on

g, I told myself.

to, picked it up and sa

e photo

er

other and then, to his father-someone who I'd only

eet when I saw the person standing nex

Ry

father had with their housekeeper. The lone wolf of the family. No one spoke about him openly, like he was li

er be...tha