Playing Dirty (Risky Business, #2)(48)

“But you don’t work for him,” I protested.

“I used to. And I was good at it.”

“What did you do?”

Ryker hesitated, his hands dropping from me. “I was his enforcer. Kept his people in line. It was an ideal undercover position for gaining his trust and knowing everyone and everything that was going on.”

And it sounded incredibly dangerous.

“How did you get out?”

“We made it look like I was killed,” he said.

“So seeing you the other night must’ve really been a surprise,” I said. “If he thought you were dead.” No doubt an understatement, and helped explain why Leo had looked so pissed.

“You could say that,” Ryker replied.

“So what are you going to do?”

“I’m not sure,” he said. “I don’t have a choice, if he’s threatening you. I’ll have to go see him tomorrow, see what he wants.”

I nodded. I didn’t see another way out either, especially if scary-knife guy knew where I lived and worked.

“Listen,” he said, taking my hand in his and tugging me toward him until our bodies touched. “I’m sorry. About tonight. You … bring out my possessive side.”

“I just can’t keep having this same argument, Ryker,” I said. His dark hair was tousled and I reached to push my fingers through the strands. “I’m with you. Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I trust you,” he said. “I don’t trust him.”

My mind whispered that maybe he had a point, especially considering the things Parker had said and done the past few days, but I pushed the thought aside. “It takes two,” I said. “And while I may not have said it outright, I wouldn’t be with you—not like this—if it wasn’t something more for me, too.”

I still couldn’t say the L-word, but maybe this would be enough. Yes, I needed to work through whatever it was I still felt for Parker, but my feelings for Ryker were real. He was a gorgeous man who oozed danger and Bad Boy from his pores, who had a decent job and was a good guy … and he wanted to be with me. Megan was right. I didn’t want to screw that up.

He smiled, a full wattage complete with dimple, and it made me weak in the knees.

“Does this mean we get to have makeup sex now?” he asked, his eyes twinkling at me.

I raised an eyebrow, hiding my relief. “I’m not sure. Did we really fight? I mean, there wasn’t any yelling or screaming involved.”

Without warning, he swung me up in his arms and I squeaked in surprise.

“Oh, I’ll make you scream,” he said. “I promise.”

Hoo boy.

*

“I don’t want you to go to work today.”

I looked up from where I was pouring coffee into two mugs. Ryker stood in the kitchen, shirtless and wearing just his jeans, which were zipped but not fastened. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching me. I pulled my brain out of the stupor seeing him like that always put me in.

“I have bills to pay, which only get paid if I work,” I replied, determined to not get in another fight with him. I knew where this was coming from. He was worried. I couldn’t blame him. If I was honest, I was worried, too. But I wasn’t about to let that * Leo Shea keep me cowering in my apartment for the foreseeable future.

“Like your dad wouldn’t help make ends meet if you need him to?” Ryker asked.

I shook my head. “That’s not the point and you know it. I know why you want me to stay home, but that’s not going to happen. We should be worrying about you and what your plan is.”

“I’ve already been on the phone with my chief,” Ryker said. “We have a plan.”

When he didn’t elaborate, I said, “Care to enlighten me?” My dry tone made his lips twitch.

“I’ll tell you later,” he said. “For now, let’s get you to work safe.”

“The bus is safe,” I pointed out, but he was already shaking his head.

“No way. I’m taking you.”

The look on his face and tone of his voice said he wasn’t going to take no for an answer, so I didn’t argue, even though I wasn’t dressed for riding on the back of his motorcycle.

A few minutes later, he’d tossed on his shirt and jacket and I was hiking up my skirt to climb on behind him. I had no time to change into jeans or I’d be late. Since it was getting colder, I had on nylons and I prayed I wouldn’t get a run in them. Burying my face against the leather jacket covering Ryker’s back to shield me from the wind, I closed my eyes and hung on.

Ryker had looked carefully around before we’d taken off, wanting to see if anyone was following us, I’d assumed. But we made it to my work without incident, pulling up right outside the door. People turned to look and I felt my face get hot. Being the center of attention wasn’t really my thing.

The motorcycle had barely stopped, engine still running, before I was hurrying to get off so Ryker could be on his way. My skirt was so far up my thighs, I knew I was flashing people as I struggled to climb off the bike, then suddenly a hand was there to help me. Glancing up, I saw it was Parker just as Ryker turned off the engine.

“Classy way to bring a woman to work, Ryker,” he said, his sarcasm thick. “Did you buy her the blue plate special for breakfast, too?”