Page 43 of Locked Down

“I don’t need your help to find a date, and I certainly don’t need you to tell a group of men my bona fides like I’m up for auction to the highest bidder.”

Good for you, Vic. Ryker let out the breath he’d been holding. She wasn’t falling for her uncle’s ploy.

“I am sorry if it appeared that way to you, butI assure youthat was not my intention.I had assumedwhen you turned up in that dress that you were looking for a date.Everyone in the room could see the promised land,”Davis said with a sneer. Creative as slurs go, but the man was losing his temper now. Ryker ducked his head to keep his smile to himself. Davis hated to be contradicted and loathed to be questioned by anyone,butespecially by someone who was supposed to be under his thumb.

The SUV rolled through the gates and stopped in front of the steps. Davis opened his door.“I expect to see you bright and early in the office tomorrowwearing something appropriate.”He slid out and slammed his door.

Tony met Ryker around the side of the SUV and raised his eyebrows.He shook his head but neither man commented.Nothingto say.They both understood what kind of man Davis was.

Vic had gotten out of the SUV. She was keying something into her phone.“I’ll take you home,”Ryker said.

Vic glanced up at him.“That’sokay. I’ll take an Uber.”

“I will take you home.”Ryker knew his tone was terse, but he wasn’t letting Vic out of his sight in that dress. Notwith everything that had happened. She wasn’t the target but she’d beentargetadjacent too many times.He didn’t want her traveling on her own.

Her eyes snapped angrily.Hedidn’t blame her for being mad. He was angryforher, but she shouldn’t be annoyed with him. Her ire shouldbe directedtoward her uncle. Helet out a breathas he walked over and opened the driver’s door to his Porsche. He suddenly realized Vic wasn’t behind him. He glanced over to where she’d been standingbutshe wasn’t there anymoreeither.

He spun around and finally located her.She was on her way through the pedestrian entranceof the gate.“Oh no, you don’t,”he snarled. He didn’t have time for her to throw a well-deserved hissy fit. He ground his teeth as he got behind the wheel of his Porsche and took off down the driveway. He made a right and rolled along beside Vicwhopointedly ignored him as she power-walked down the sidewalk.

He dropped the window.“Vic. Get in the car.”

Ignoring him, she continued her march.

“Vic,”he growled again, his voice full of warning.

There wasn’t even a hitch in her step. He must be losing his edge. He raised his voice and said through clenched teeth,“Invicta, get in the car.”

She walked faster.

He threw the car intoparkand got out. He caught her in three strides and spun her around.“Get in the freaking car, Vic.”

“I will not. Stop ordering me around. I’m fine. I will take an Uber home. Your services are not required any further.”She ripped her arm out of his grasp.

He waspretty sureshe was not just referring to his security services.

“Vic, someone tried to kill you. I am responsible for you. You need to get in the car!”Okay, so he knew now that no one wanted Vic dead, nor did they want her uncle dead, but he still wanted her to get in the car. He needed to take herhome,to know she was safe.

She whirled around.“Someone tried to kill my uncle, not me.Iwas just a mistake. I’m fine. You are not responsible for me.”She pointed to her chest.“I am responsible for me. Just me. Not you. Not my uncle. I will make my own decisions. I don’t need you to take care of me, either of you!”She took off down the sidewalk again.

Ryker grabbed her bicep and spun her around again. He dropped his voice.“Don’t you dare lump me in with youruncle.He’s done horrible things. I am not like him. Not by a long shot. He’s a heartless snake of the worst order?—”

“What do you mean? Did you talk to Daisy? What did she say to you?”Vic demanded.

Ryker frowned.“Who’s Daisy, and what would she tell me about your uncle if I asked her?”

“Nothing…I just thought…never mind.”

His heart stuttered. Did Davis sexually assault a woman? Ryker was not going to protect him from that. They weren’t in the realm of the Society here, so Archer didn’t have a say in it.“No, Vic.You’re going totell me what this Daisy person said your uncle did.”

“He…she…Daisy said that Uncle Austin was trying to pimp me out for lack of a better word.”

Raged roared like a lion through his veins.Thisexplained the whole situation on the drive home. He’d never wanted to smash someone into the ground so much as he did at this moment. If Ryker had anything to say about it, Austin Davis’s days on this earthwere numbered.

Vic narrowed her eyes at him.“What do you think he did that makes him so bad?”she countered.“You’re calling him the lowest of the low. Prove it.”

Ryker clamped his jaw together. He did not want to be the one to tell Vic what crimes her uncle had committed. That wasn’t a conversation he wanted to be anywhere near.“It’s not my place to say.”He glared at her.

Her eyes shot daggers at him, and it was straight upthe hottest thing he’d ever seen.Vic was sexy as hell no matter what she was doing, but mad Vic made his cock harden on sight.

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