Page 268 of By His Rule

I hesitate, remembering why I didn’t call a car for myself, but the longer he stands there staring at me, waiting for me to do something, the less fight I have to argue.

“Your place?” Ryder asks after sliding in beside me.

“Y-yes, but you don’t have to come with me.”

His eyes bounce between mine, and I cringe.

Can he tell I’ve just been fucked on my boss’s desk?

“Let me just see you get home safely,” he says as if this is a normal thing for us to do.

Sure, we’ve hung out plenty of times over the years, and not just to hook up. But this…this is different.

There is concern in his eyes and he’s knitting his brows. It’s not a look I like being aimed in my direction. Ever.

I nod, unable to speak, before turning to look out of the window as Ryder gives the driver my address.

We take off, and it only takes me a second to realize that we need to drive straight past the Callahan Enterprises building in order to make a U-turn at the next intersection.

My teeth grind as the building appears before me, and I force myself to look down at my lap.

I don’t know how I’ll react if he just so happens to be walking through the doors right now.

I bet he’d look perfect. No one would ever know that he’d just fucked his assistant over his desk.

A heavy sigh spills from my lips, forcing Ryder’s attention to turn my way.

“I’m all ears if you want to talk,” he offers.

I attempt to swallow down the emotion that’s clogging my throat before muttering, “Nothing to talk about.”

“Have you met someone?” he asks.

“No,” I say too quickly, giving away the truth.

Although, is it the truth? Have I met someone, or am I just fucking up my life all over again with my ridiculous choice of men?

“I assumed that maybe you had when you stopped replying to my messages last week,” he says. There’s no accusation in his words, more curiosity.

This is why it’s always been so easy with us and also why our relationship is never going to be anything more than a friends-with-benefits situation.

I remain quiet for a few seconds as guilt bubbles up inside me. I know he doesn’t care, but I’m usually a better friend than to ignore messages.

“Work has been really busy and?—”

“It’s okay, I get it. Are you sure you’re okay, though? You look…stressed.”

A humorless laugh erupts from somewhere inside me.

“Oh yeah, I’m great. Everything is just fucking fantastic.”

“Well, when you say it like that,” he deadpans.

The taxi pulls to a stop outside my building, and I let another heavy sigh spill free.

“Did you want me to come up?” Ryder offers softly.

For the first time since we got into the car, I turn to look at him.

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