Claiming Felicity (Ace Security #4)(28)

Ryder kept hold of Felicity’s hand as they walked down the hallway, past the offices, to the stairs that led up to the second floor and her apartment. Felicity was half-asleep on her feet, but even so, as soon as they entered her space, she dropped his hand and headed for the kitchen.

She went to the water cooler, and poured herself a large glass of water. Ryder had seen her do the exact same thing each night before she went to sleep.

“You do that every night,” he observed quietly. “Why?”

She shrugged. “It’s good for me. I didn’t always eat very healthy, and I realized the best thing for me is water. I try to drink at least two liters every day. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t. But I find if I drink a full glass right before I go to sleep, it makes me feel better. Cleaner.” She shrugged. “It’s probably all in my head, but water was always free, and it was the one thing I could do to help keep myself healthy when I couldn’t afford to buy the best food. Drinking water was way cheaper than seeing a doctor if I got sick.”

Ryder walked toward her and took her head in his hands. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly, feeling the coolness of her lips from the water.

“What was that for?” she asked.

“Because you’re amazing.”

Felicity blushed, but for once, didn’t contradict him.

“You’re tired,” he observed unnecessarily.

She nodded.

“Okay, get on to bed. I’ll make sure we’re locked up tight. You gonna let me check your room tonight?”

She shook her head.

“You know that nothing in there would make me leave . . . right?”

Felicity sighed. “I know . . . I’m working up my nerve to let you in my personal space. It’s the one place in the world where I feel like I can truly be myself.”

Ryder kissed her forehead. “I’m in no rush, love. I’m happy enough that you’re not protesting me staying here in the first place.” He inclined his head toward the couch where he’d been sleeping.

“You could sleep in the guest room, you know. I realize there are two cribs in there for Nate and Ace, but there’s also a twin bed.”

Ryder was shaking his head before she’d finished the sentence. “Thank you, but no. If I can’t be right at your side making sure you’re safe, I’ll settle for sleeping out here, where I can be between you and anyone who might break in and try to get to you.”

She stared up at him with wide eyes for a moment before closing them and sighing. When she opened them a second later, they were filled with tears. “No one has made me feel as safe as you do.”

“Go on to sleep, love. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“I want to tell you . . . but . . . I’m not ready. It’s stupid because I was going to talk to you earlier, and I know my time’s running out because he’s here. Watching me. I can feel his eyes on me almost all the time. I should just tell you because I know you’d be able to help me.”

Ryder tightened his hands on her head. “No pressure, Felicity. He won’t get his hands on you while I’m here.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. You don’t ever thank me for being by your side. For wanting to be here.”

Her lips quirked upward.

“What? Are you laughing at me?” Ryder asked, much happier to see her smiling than crying.

“It’s just that . . . you can be so stern at times. But I’ve seen you hold your nephews and talk to them so tenderly, it’s hard to reconcile the two.”

“I told you what I did for a living,” Ryder warned. “Don’t mistake my tenderness for you and my family for weakness.”

She got serious. “I wouldn’t. I think it’s that dangerous side that makes me trust you implacably. The fact that I know you’ve killed before and would probably kill for me makes me feel safe.”

“There’s no probably about it,” Ryder said matter-of-factly.

They stood there for several seconds staring at each other before he sighed and took a step away from her. “Finish your water and go to bed, love. Tomorrow’s a new day. We’ll play it by ear.”

She nodded, finished the rest of the water in her glass, and set it in the sink. She brushed past him and headed for the closed door to her room. She turned at the last minute and looked back at him.

“Good night, Ryder.”

“Good night, love.”



Joseph Waters, disguised as a woman several decades older than he was, slowly ran the mop over the floor in the gym. He kept his eyes on the hallway Ryder Sinclair and Megan had gone down. It had been easy enough to get rid of the weak old woman who had been cleaning the gym. He hadn’t planned on killing her, but the stupid cunt hadn’t stopped screaming even when he’d held a knife to her throat.

She wasn’t even close to being the first bitch he’d killed, and she wouldn’t be the last. Most of the time, women would shut right up when they felt his blade at their throat, but not her. All he’d needed was the set of master keys she had to Rock Hard Gym. Bathrooms, locker rooms, offices and, most important, the apartment on the second floor. Not that he needed them. He’d been taught by one of the best lock pickers his dad had employed. He could pick almost any kind of lock in less than a minute. But the keys certainly made things easier.