Page 23 of Riding Danger

I raised a brow as my eyes darted between the two of them. Ethan nodded.

“But we cannot tell anyone. Dad said that if he doesn’t knock like that, I shouldn’t open for him.”

Okay, it wasn’t how I would keep him safe, but it would have to do. It was clever, I had to admit that. I couldn’t see when Ryder would need a false knock, but at least they seemed to think the system was necessary.

“So, what are you two up to for the day?” I knew they were going to the studio at some point. But surely that was not the sum total of their plans.

Ryder’s face fell and he turned to Ethan. “You want to get your stuff, I need to talk to your mom about something real quick.”

Ethan looked between the two of us before he nodded and ran down the hall to his bedroom.

“What’s up?”

“I want to get a DNA test.”

“What?” His words took the wind right out of me. “Do you not believe that he’s yours? Because?—”

“Of course I believe he’s mine.” The outrage on his face told me he was telling the truth. “Besides the fact that he’s an exact carbon copy of me at his age, I have no reason to doubt you. It's not something you would lie about.”

“Then what is this about?” Even though he assured me, I still couldn’t stop rage racing through my blood. “This makes no sense.”

He frowned and shook his head. “It makes perfect sense. And if you stop thinking the worst of me and hear me out, you might understand. I never said it was rational. But I do need it.”

Worry etched into his features and my anger morphed into concern. This was something he needed. But I needed to understand why. “Talk to me, Ry.”

His head tilted and that gorgeous face softened. It was the first time I’d used that nickname since he had been back.

“I don’t want anyone to take him from me.” He rested his ass on the back of the couch and folded his arms. “I cannot lose him, Shi. I can’t explain it. My name is not on his birth certificate. And I know we can change that, and I will. But…I just can’t lose him.”

There was something he wasn’t saying, but we would deal with one problem at a time.

“You think I would do that to you?”

He shook his head and looked down as if the carpet below his sneakers was the most fascinating thing.

“No. I don’t think that.” He swallowed hard as he continued. “But you have a dangerous job and if anything happens to you…I just cannot lose him.”

“No one’s going to take him from you.”

“We say that now, then grief hits. And people are hurt. I mean you struggled to hand him over to me for one day without supervision. And…I just need this.”

It was my turn to swallow. There it was. He was right. I knew the reality of my job. All it took was one idiot criminal and one lucky shot. He was right to put a plan in place. If I couldn’t trust him, my parents may try to honor my wishes with the only information they had. My behavior.

Though, I wasn’t so sure, after the argument I’d had with Tess.

I relaxed my shoulders and let out a long sigh “I get it. Have you made an appointment?”

He nodded. “I figured I could always cancel if you disagree.” Ryder blinked hard. “The paper won’t change how I feel about him. I loved him the moment he walked into the studio holding your hand. Spending time with him is the thing I look forward to at the end of the day.”

I knew that. He’d shown up for dinner every single night. If he was going to be late, he called me and then spoke to Ethan himself to explain. I had no doubt the man was all in and Ethan was a priority in his life.

He took a deep breath as he slowly blinked. His shoulders relaxed and he tilted his head as if seeing me for the first time.

That dangerous smirk aimed in my direction could melt my thong. “Is it inappropriate for me to tell you how hot you look right now?”

“Totally inappropriate.” I tightened the Velcro at my waist. “Think about why I need to wear a bulletproof vest instead.”

“No.” He frowned at me as if I had gone insane. “After the conversation we just had, I am trying really hard not to think about that. You have cuffs, right.”

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