Claiming Felicity (Ace Security #4)(21)

All three men nodded.

“We’re small potatoes compared, but if you need any help trying to find information, we’re happy to help,” Logan said.

“Taking down the Inca Boyz isn’t small potatoes,” Ryder countered. “I’ll keep you guys informed of anything I find out and will let you know if we need assistance.” He stood. “I need to get back over to the gym. Make some phone calls, pass along the Chicago thing.”

The others all stood as well. Everyone shook hands.

Blake held Ryder’s hand for longer than usual. “I’m trying not to let my hard feelings about our dad’s actions affect my feelings about you. I’m struggling, but I’m trying.”

His words made Ryder like him all the more. “I understand. If it makes you feel any better, my mom said Ace struggled with the affair. I truly believed he loved my mom, but ultimately he decided that he needed to honor his vows.”

Blake nodded, and the two men dropped their hands.

Ryder left Ace Security feeling better than when he’d arrived, especially now that he had more eyes on Felicity. He strode to his car to grab his duffel. Felicity needed to know he wasn’t going to back out on her now. That he’d be sticking by her side until whoever was after her was no longer a threat.

He stopped and stared at his Nissan 370Z. It was a slick sports car, one that could easily catch up to, or outrun, bad guys, but not too flashy to stand out in a crowd. At the moment, however, it wasn’t in any condition to catch up to anyone.

All four tires were flat.

Ryder’s teeth clenched in fury. He didn’t care about the tires; replacing them was merely a nuisance. It was the words etched into the side panel of the car that infuriated him.

“Not a chance in hell, motherfucker,” Ryder murmured as he stared at the words.

Mind your own business





Chapter Seven

In her apartment, Ryder sat across from Felicity and watched her eat out of the corner of his eye. It had been a week since the incident with his car. She’d been horrified and had apologized a hundred times, and he’d finally had to tell her that if she said she was sorry one more time, he’d have no choice but to turn her over his knee and paddle her ass as she wasn’t the one who vandalized his car.

He wouldn’t have, there was no way he would ever strike her, but she didn’t know that. She turned red, bit her lip, and nodded. Score one for him.

He did have to admit, however reluctantly, that the mysterious stalker had done him a favor, as Felicity hadn’t even blinked when he’d told her he’d be staying in her apartment with her from then on out. The relief in her eyes spoke volumes.

But she wasn’t doing well. She wasn’t eating much—currently she was moving the food around her plate more than she was consuming it. And while he was staying in her small apartment with her, she was still as closed off as ever.

She wouldn’t let him into her bedroom, not even to check the lock on the window or to clear the room whenever they returned after being out. The more she refused to let him see what was behind her bedroom door, the more he wanted to know. He had a feeling he’d learn more about who Felicity was simply by getting a peek at her private space.

But it was more than obvious she needed a break.

“Blake invited me over to his house today to look through our dad’s papers. I thought you might come with me.”

Felicity’s eyes swung to his. She cocked her head. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why would Blake do that? He doesn’t exactly like you. And why would you think I’d want to come too?”

Ryder held her gaze. “It’s not that he doesn’t like me; he’s not happy with the choices our dad made. The fact that our dad broke his vows, even though he didn’t have a good marriage, crushed him. At least that’s what Logan told me.”

“So why invite you over to look through Ace’s stuff?”

“I’m not exactly sure. But to answer your second question . . . Grace dropped off the babies for Alexis to look after for a couple of hours. I thought you might like to spend some time with them.”

Her eyes dropped to the food she was pushing around her plate. “I should stay here. Cole’s been working like a dog, and I feel like a slacker.”

“He doesn’t mind, you know that. Besides, if you left town, he’d have to work a lot more than he is now. What does it matter?”

That got to her. She smacked her hand down on the table next to her plate. “Would you stop throwing that in my face every other second?”

Ryder leaned forward, glad to see the spark of anger in her eyes. It was much better than the fear and defeat that had been there for the last week. “No. I won’t. Not if it makes you think about what you’d be giving up if you left. How much you’d be missed. You aren’t some random stranger here, Felicity. You’re needed and loved. You leaving would devastate everyone.”

Ryder watched as her fist clenched around the fork she was holding. For a moment he thought she might throw it at him. But after a couple of seconds, she relaxed her grip and looked up at him. The devastation in her eyes was easy to see. “I can’t go, and I can’t stay. I’m stuck.”

Ryder immediately moved to her side. He squatted down next to her chair and put one hand on her thigh and the other on her cheek. “You aren’t stuck, love. You’re right where you belong. He’s the one who doesn’t belong here.”