Page 8 of Ryder

“Working. What does it look like?”

“It looked like that guy was hitting on you and you were lovin’ it,” he snarled, the veins in his neck protruding with every spoken word.I walked right into that one.“Tell me I’m wrong. I dare you.” His dark eyes turned black in his self-induced delirium.

I couldn’t believe he thought I was interested in George, or any other man for that matter. He had to know that, even though I was upset with him and needed some time, I only had my sights set on him.

“Yes and no,” I answered, huffing out a breath when his nostrils started to flare. “You need to calm down, Ryder. That’s not what I meant.”

“What the fuck did you mean, then?” He took one step closer, the warmth from his body igniting my own. He looked savage, and although I chastised myself for even feeling this way . . . I was undoubtedly turned on.

“George is harmless.”

“Georgeis not harmless. That guys wants to fuck you.”

Our conversation wasn’t going as planned. Not at all.

“Maybe he does.” Ryder flinched, his hands curling into fists at his sides.Wrong thing to say.“But does that mean he gets to? No, of course not. I’m not interested in him. I only engage him because he’s a great tipper.”

Without hesitation, he growled, “Well I got a fuckin’tipfor ya: stop flirtin’ or you’ll never see him again. Got it?” His fists uncurled, and his flattened hands ran the length of his jeans as if he was somehow self-soothing, doing his best to calm down. He took another step toward me like some sort of feral predator. Anger danced behind his eyes, along with jealousy, but I knew he wouldn’t physically hurt me. Not while he was awake, at least.

As I opened my mouth to reply to his outlandishness, Sia approached us, her hands on her hips as she took in the scene. “You okay, Bray?” My friend and employer was all of five feet two with short pink hair. She looked whimsical and fierce all wrapped into one. She could be your best friend, as she was mine, or your worst enemy.

While I loved her concern, she was the last person I wanted to deal with. I had enough on my plate.

“She’s fine,” Ryder answered for me, not once turning to look in her direction.

“Well, I’m not asking you. I’m asking my friend,” she shot back, taking a few steps closer. “Do you want me to call the cops?”

That question had Ryder whipping his head toward Sia, glaring at her as if he wanted her to crumble into pieces in front of him.

“No, of course not. It’s all just a misunderstanding,” I lied. “Ryder was just leaving.” I held eye contact with her, silently pleading with her to return to the salon so I could convince Ryder to leave without further incident.

Tapping her foot, she narrowed her eyes before turning around and walking back toward her livelihood.

As far as I knew, Sia had no issue with Ryder. She’d met him on a few different occasions, and the main thing she’d uttered was that he was hot. But then he went and messed with her business, potentially scaring off one of her clients, which she undoubtedly took personally. And I couldn’t say that I blamed her.

“You have to go.” My back was pressed against the cool wall, my hands coming up in front of me to ward off Ryder’s attempt to pull me close.

He ignored my nonverbal communication and advanced, regardless of the hesitant look he saw on my face. Or at least I hoped that was the look I portrayed. Because there was another one—lust. For as maddening as the man standing before me was, he was everything I’d ever dreamed of in a partner.

Well, mostly. I’d prefer him without the secrets and the potential danger following him everywhere. While he swore his club was no longer involved with anything illegal, that they’d gone legit a while back, it didn’t assuage my feelings that something bad could happen where he and the rest of the Knights Corruption were concerned.

Refusing to give life to all the random thoughts firing around inside my brain, I tried my best to focus on one thing at a time—specifically Ryder and his incessant need to drive me crazy, of both the good and bad persuasion. The silent battle of wills wore on me, to the point that I was the one who caved that time around.

“You need a haircut.” I had no idea why I said what I did, but it seemed to relax him, all while doing the opposite to me. The last thing I wanted was to be in such close proximity, touching him, staring at him to make sure my work was impeccable. Ryder naturally kept his hair short, but as of late the strands were a little longer than normal, hitting his collar. I thought he looked sexy no matter what style he chose, so I suppose my offer was my way of extending an olive branch. Of letting go of the need to keep the distance between us, even though I was uneasy and on guard with the way he continued to exclude me from certain aspects of his life. I understood the need for privacy with his club, but what I couldn’t wrap my head around was why he wouldn’t share anything about his past with me.

He never spoke of his family. I asked him once, and he shut me down right away. I figured I should consider myself lucky he’d told me his real name, Roman, although he asked me not to use it. When I asked him why, he shook his head and never answered. From his demeanor I knew not to pry again, or at least for a very long time. Maybe as the months passed, he would become more comfortable with me and want to open up, but as of yet, the topics were off the table.

“Why don’t you come back to my place and give me one, then?” His fingers danced over my side before pulling me close so our chests were touching. I could feel his muscles, even beneath the thin white fabric, hard and chorded, twitching and warm.

“Why not just come in the salon and we can do it right now?” I countered, focusing on his full lips while waiting for him to answer me.

“Because if I see that guy, I’m gonna put him flat on his back. Besides, I don’t think your friend would appreciate it.”

He was right. Sia would definitely disapprove if Ryder waltzed back into the salon.

“Fine.”

“Fine?”

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