RYDER (Slater Brothers 4)(30)

“How do you know Dominic—”

“Because he picked me up from work and saw Ash ticklin’ me and, as usual, he jumped to conclusions!”

Ryder got in my face and pressed his body against mine using his hips to pin me against the kitchen counter. I knew he wouldn’t physically hurt me, even if I ever did cheat on him I knew he would never raise his hand to me, but that knowledge didn’t calm my spiked nerves.

“He had his hands on you?” he asked, his voice dangerously low.

I cleared my throat. “It was playful, Ryder. Harmless. Ash is me friend, and nothin’ more. He flirts with everyone on the ward—”

“Everyone on the ward isn’t my fianceé, are they?” he cut me off, his voice a growl.

My shoulders sagged. “No, they aren’t.”

“They why would you think it’d ever be okay to playfully mess around with some guy?”

I sent my jaw. “I do it with the girls all the time, but just because Ash has a dick you’re gettin’ bent out of shape.”

I gasped when Ryder lowered his face to mine. “The only dick that should ever be near you in any way is mine, do you understand me?”

I turned my head to the side. “You don’t own me, and you certainly don’t tell me who I can and cannot be friends with. Do you understand me?”

Ryder’s entire body tensed. He pushed away from the counter and began to pace back in forth in front of me like a caged lion.

“What do I have to do?” he hissed. “Piss on you to mark my territory?”

I clutched my chest. “How romantic.”

My sarcasm was met with Ryder’s rage.

“Cut the bullshit, Branna.”

“Says the man who constantly spews it.”

We stared at each other for a long moment until his beeping phone broke the silence. He angrily dug the device out of his pocket, pressed on the screen, read whatever message he received and set his jaw.

“Put the f*ckin’ phone down for one second and focus on me!” I snapped.

“I am focused on you, and this isn’t over.” He growled at me whilst shoving his phone back in his pocket. “We’ll continue this later.”

With that said he turned around and stormed out of the kitchen, his heavy footsteps echoing throughout the house.

“Where are you goin’ now?” I bellowed, throwing my hands up in the air.

“You don’t need to f*cking worry about it!” He shouted back.

When the front door slammed shut I screamed with frustration. Without thinking I turned, picked up the plate containing the potatoes I already peeled for dinner and threw it against the cupboards. I watched as it smashed into pieces and flew in all directions.

I stood staring at the mess I just caused and crumbled to my knees. Everything was a mess. My kitchen. My relationship. My f*cking life. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to regulate my breathing, but it was no use, I was close to my breaking point.

“Bran,” I heard a voice murmur.

I looked up, and when I saw the grey eyes of Damien, I burst into tears.

“He’s being a dick, Bran,” Damien said as he bent down and put his arms around me. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but you both weren’t exactly being quiet. I heard what was said, and Dominic clearly fed Ry some bullshit and he just lost it.”

I hugged Damien back and let all my built up sorrow come out.

“Branna,” Damien sighed and swayed me from side to side. “Don’t cry, Mama Bear. It’ll be okay.”

That only caused me to cry harder because I knew how false that statement truly was.

“It won’t, Dame,” I sniffled.

He pulled back from our hug and frowned at me. “What do you mean?”

“I’m breakin’ up with him,” I whispered.

Telling another person, especially Ryder’s brother, about my plan made it feel much more real, and much more harrowing.

Damien swallowed. “You both just had a stupid fight, you don’t need to jump to—”

“I’ve been plannin’ on breakin’ up with him,” I cut Damien off. “I just haven’t found the right moment to do it.”

Damien stared at me with wide eyes.

I nodded. “You look how I feel.”

He blinked his eyes a couple of times, opened his mouth then snapped it shut. I felt like another dam was about to break within me when an expression of pain flashed across Damien’s eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I pleaded.

He cleared his throat. “Like what?”

“Like I’m goin’ to take your entire world away.”

The muscles in Damien’s jaw rolled back and forth.

“You’re my big sister, Branna,” he murmured. “Not having you here, or by Ryder’s side, will change everything… just everything.”

My heart hurt.

“I know, sweetie, and trust me,” I whispered, “I didn’t want it to turn out like this, but I’ve been puttin’ up with Ryder’s shite for a long time. He has pushed me to this, and left me no choice.”

“I’ll help fix whatever he has done. Just tell me what he did and I’ll make it better, I promise.” Damien said in an almost desperate attempt to try and change my mind.