Ryley's Revenge (Gloves Off #2)(26)

She and Colin both turned their attention to me and I shook my head at her. Then to Colin, I put on a smile and said, “Do you remember the other morning when I told you I wanted to find a job?” He nodded. “Well, I went on an interview on Friday and they called me this morning. I’m going to be a teacher at Stonewall Academy.”

His eyes lit up and he smiled. “Congratulations.”

“And that’s why we’re celebrating,” Gabriella chimed in. “I’m going to get reservations for all of us to go. Are you in?”

“Hell yeah, I wouldn’t miss it. Who’s all going?”

“Well, let’s see,” she started, counting on her fingers, “there’s you, Bradley, me, my brother, Megan . . .”

“And Ryley,” I finished.

Colin stiffened. “Why am I not surprised?” About that time, a knock sounded on the door. “Speak of the devil. Let me guess, that’s him?” He got to his feet and towered over me, glaring at the door.

Sliding off the stool, I looked at the door and then back up to him. “Yes, and the last thing I want is trouble. Please don’t start something, Colin.”

When I answered the door, Ryley stepped in with his bag in hand and his stare immediately caught Colin’s. Gabriella came around the bar and stood to my side, kind of in the middle of them. “He was just leaving,” Gabby blurted, grabbing onto Colin’s arm.

“Are you serious?” Colin growled, glaring at us both. “Is that what you want?”

Hesitantly, I nodded and leaned into Ryley who put his hands on my waist. “I think it’s for the best,” I whispered softly. “I’m sorry.”

He stepped back like I’d slapped him in the face and jerked out of Gabriella’s hold. “Fine, I’ll go, but in the end you’ll see who’s there by your side. And I can assure you it won’t be him,” he said, pinning a lethal glare at Ryley.

Ryley tensed behind me, and I blocked his path before he could follow after Colin. “Let him go,” I warned. I shut the door and leaned against it, releasing a heavy sigh.

“Yep, he’s going to be a problem,” Ryley pointed out.

Gabriella punched him in the arm. “Give the guy a break. He’s upset that the love of his life left him. I’m sure you know what that feels like.” He turned his glare to her and gritted his teeth. She lifted her brows, begging for him to reply . . . which he didn’t. She had a point.

“Okay, I’ll cut the guy some slack. He can’t be any worse than my brother. I just kicked him out of the house.”

“What? Oh my God, what happened?” Gabriella and I both stared wide-eyed at each other and then back to him.

I pulled him over to the couch and sat down, while Gabriella sat across from us. “Well, I go home to grab some clothes and he he’s having a f*cking porno party. There were people everywhere.”

“You mean like having sex?” I gasped. For some reason that didn’t exactly shock me coming from Camden.

He nodded and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yeah, and what’s worse, he’s hanging around with all of Kyle’s friends. So I kicked down his bedroom door and told him to get out. He has until tomorrow, or I’m going to take every single belonging of his and burn them. Hell, after what was going down today, it might be best to get the center for diseases involved, and then burn the whole f*cking place to the ground.”

“Is this the type of stuff you guys did all the time?” I asked.

“Fuck no, not like that. I mean, I might have done some crazy shit before you, but I didn’t do stuff like that while we were broken up.”

Thank God.

“All right, you two, it’s been fun with all the drama,” Gabriella remarked sarcastically, “but I need to head back. I’ll see you both tonight some time.”

“Have fun . . . and thank you.”

She kissed me on the head and ruffled Ryley’s hair. “What are best friends for?”

As soon as she walked out, Ryley put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. “I think we need some time away. Do you want to head to the beach? We can eat at that Italian restaurant you loved so much.”

That night was one of the best dates I’d ever had. I was upset because Colin hadn’t returned my calls, so Gabriella called Ryley to cheer me up. We ended up laying out on the beach and then eating at this amazing restaurant with the best lasagna. I missed it while I was in Aspen.

“Have you been back there since I left?” I asked, laying my head on his shoulder.

“No, but I have to admit, they have the best stuffed shells.”

Even though I was tired and felt like I could sleep all day and night, I didn’t want to miss these special moments with Ryley. Lifting my head, I smiled up at him and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go.”





RYLEY JAMESON. I hated that bastard with every fiber of my being. He could have any woman he wanted and it had to be something of mine. Hell, I could have anyone I wanted, but I chose her. I was a pretty good guy and would do anything for her, yet she wanted a man who would most likely cheat on her the first second he got. And now, to top off this clusterf*ck, she was pregnant. If I could only get her to see that I would give her everything that cocksucker couldn’t.