Page 64 of The Scars of Us

Mike looked at me. “Is he always this persistent?”

“You mean stubborn?” I replied, laughing.

Ryker glared at me as Mike insisted, “Seriously, man, it’s on me.”

“Thank you,” Ryker conceded, shaking Mike’s hand. “I’ll give you some free training sessions for all this.”

“I can’t say no to that. I’ll text you to set them up, okay? I have to get back to work.”

We said our goodbyes and thanked Mike again, then went back into the main aquarium. We toured the rest of the floors before heading back to Ryker’s truck.

When we got in, my phone started ringing. The screen showed that Bryce was calling me again. I declined it and stuffed the phone back in my purse.

“Who was that?” Ryker asked as he started the truck.

“Bryce.”

“Bryce? You still talk to him?” Ryker questioned defensively, his tone becoming harsh as his face hardened slightly.

“I’ve been ignoring him, but I finally told him that I couldn’t see him anymore, but that I still wanted to be friends. He’s called me a few times after I sent the message, but I haven’t answered.”

His features relaxed some, but I could tell he was still pissed off. “Maybe he needs to be talked to personally.”

I shook my head. “I don’t think seeing him will help—he’ll probably try to convince me to change my mind.”

“I meant me,” he replied gruffly.

That wouldn’t end well.“You don’t have to do that—I’m sure he’ll get the picture.”

“He better,” he grumbled.

His irrational jealousy caused a smile to take over my lips. I tried to hide it, but it was almost impossible when he looked so adorable scowling over the whole thing when he had nothing to be worried about. “There’s no reason for you to be mad, baby.”

“I’m not mad at you. I’m just pissed that he wants what’s mine, and doesn’t seem to be taking the hint.”

“I didn’t know I had become property all of a sudden,” I replied, slightly offended, even though Ryker referring to me as his caused a little spark of pride within me. Not to mention lust.

“You know what I mean, Ky.”

“No, I don’t. I don’t even know what to call this,” I gestured back and forth between us.

“It doesn’t matter what this,” he mimicked my movement, “is called—together, dating, whatever. All that matters is that you’re mine, and I’m yours.”

We had locked eyes during the exchange, and his softened once he finished speaking. “I just don’t want him to think he has any chance with you when he doesn’t. He doesn’t, right?”

In that moment, Ryker looked… vulnerable. I’d never seen him look that way—he was always so confident and cocky. “No, he doesn’t,” I smiled reassuringly.

The left corner of Ryker’s lip curved into his trademark grin that I loved so much. “Ready to go home?”

“Yours or mine?”

His smile morphed to a devious, lustful smirk. “Mine.”

Everything had been going so well with Kaiya over the past few weeks that I was afraid something bad was going to happen to balance it all out. Things just couldn’t possibly stay this good; they never did.

We had been spending every other Saturday working on self-defense routines one-on-one. Kaiya had been wanting more practice ever since she started coming back to class after her hiatus. The meeting she had about her abuser had really shaken her up, but at the same time, it had made her more determined. She had begun to ask more questions and wanted to try new techniques to improve her form and skills, in addition to wanting the extra classes.

One Saturday morning, Kaiya and I were working on rear hold escape techniques whenhewalked in. At first, I thought I was dreaming, possibly hallucinating, because there was no fucking way that he would really be there. The last time we spoke, I threatened to bash his face in if I ever saw him again.

---