Page 1 of Ryder

PART I

THE PAST

PROLOGUE

RYDER

Age 18

I’ve grownup with Crystal Cartwright my entire life. She’s two years younger than me, but she’s always been in the thick of it with us boys. If it wasn’t her attempting to be part of our gang when we played cops and robbers, or trying to keep up on her bicycle when we took to the muddy hills of the mountains just for fun, she was bossing us around like she was in charge. And it used to be annoying — heck, it still is — but then she got cute overnight and the boys in our neighborhood were starting to notice.

I’m best friends with her brother, Luca, and my neighbor, Torin. Luca and Crystal also have a little sister, Casey, who is the exact opposite of her sister and has no interest in hanging out with us. Luca was pretty mean to Crystal growing up, never wanting her around because she whined all the time and got on all of our nerves, but I also felt sorry for her. She’s her parents’ little princess, and they smother her in bubble wrap.

Now she’s calmed down a lot and no longer wants to be part of our secrets, or hang out with us. Crystal is one of the mostpopular girls in school: cheerleader extraordinaire, she’s smart as well as cute and can cut you with words when she really gets mad.

If only our families got along, it would’ve been a match made in heaven since I practically live at Lucas’s place. He moved out into the pool house, so I don’t have to run into his folks.

Oh, both of our parents hate one another. While I’m from the wrong side of the tracks, Luca and his sisters come from a privileged upbringing on the other side of town.

They have a big home. Shiny new cars. Threads that cost a bomb, and all the electronics you can imagine. They holiday every year in Florida, or Mexico, or somewhere far away from here. I’ve always liked Louisiana, but coming from a small town where there are distinct differences between the rich and the poor, makes me want to leave this shithole behind and never come back.

Unlike me, they have loving parents, but they’re also strict. They’ve never really approved of my friendship with Luca, but they tolerate me because I try not to get into trouble. And then there’s Crystal.The princess. She gets everything she wants because she was their miracle baby after they thought they couldn’t have more. Then they had Casey, so I don’t know how that shit works. I’d go as far as to say Crystal’s spoiled, but she’d strongly disagree, which is funny because she wouldn’t know any different. Still, it never stops her hanging out on my side of town. In fact, it’s like her and Luca want to get away from their perfect little life some of the time. Slum it with the poor kids. At least Torin can relate.

My stepdad, Wayne, is a drunk, and I have a mom who would rather stay out late with her buddies than worry about being a parent. Nobody cares where I am or what I’m doing. My dad walked out on us, leaving mom with all the bills. Soon, we were packing up and moving when the bank foreclosed. I never sawmy real dad again. I’ll never forgive him for what he did, or what he put my mom through. Then again, she was never really invested in being a mom. Then there’s my stepbrother, Stu, but he’s not even worth talking about. He hates me, and he blames me for anything and everything, especially his dad’s drinking problems which started long before he met my mom.

It didn’t help that growing up I had a stutter, and every now and again I still lose my words. Of course, Wayne and asshole Stu used to think it was hilarious to mimic me as a child. They don’t do that much anymore, but the sting still hurts when I think about how horrible they were. Worse than any kid in the playground, and always when my mom wasn’t around.

Now I’m eighteen, I’m on my own and I prefer it that way, but I’ve been looking after myself before I was even in double digits. It’s nothing new. I’m moving to New Orleans, and needless to say I won’t be going to college. We don’t have the money, and even if we did, I don’t have what it takes to stick out more years of my life in school. I’ll get an apprenticeship, or a job, or both. Anything to get out of Greenlark.

Neither Luca nor Crystal care that me and Torin are both from the other side of town. They don’t act like little rich kids. Even when Crystal is having one of her tantrums, she’s never unkind for the sake of it, nor looks down on others. Maybe that’s why I’ve always liked her. She’s kind. Thoughtful. Sweet.

I’ve always known Crystal had a schoolgirl crush on me, but I thought she’d grow out of it over time. I’m not gonna make it with my best friend's sister, but in the blink of an eye, something changed.

I sit back on the couch, recalling what happened a few nights ago…

I wake with a start, feeling someone slide under the duvet next to me. A few seconds later, my eyes spring open and I sit up ready to fight. Fighting is something I’m used to when mystepdad likes to throw punches. Hence, Luca let me sleep on the couch since their parents are away for the night. “What the fu?—”

“It’s me, Ryder,” Crystal whispers.

I stare at her, my heart beating wildly when I remember where I am. “What’s going on?”

She’s wearing tiny sleep shorts and a tank that barely contains her rack; something I shouldn't be noticing even in my sleep deprived haze. My eyes snake down her body, and even in this dull light, I can see the rise and fall of her chest as she stares at me.

“I think you know.” She slides her palms up my chest and I recoil back. “We’ve been getting close lately?—”

“Crystal, stop it. What are you doing?”

She doesn’t listen, snuggling her nose along my jaw. “Ryder, I’ve noticed how you’ve been looking at me, and I wanted to give you something before you leave town. I’ve thought about it a lot.”

I don’t want to ask, but the words still leave my mouth; “Give me w-what?” Oh, no. I can’t find my fucking words.

“Me.” She cups my dick and I shoot up off the couch. She rolls back, her eyes wide with confusion. Okay, maybe we flirted a few times, but nothing ever happened and nothing is ever gonna happen with Luca’s little sister.

“You don’t want me?” Her eyes look glassy, even in this light. Such a soft, shade of blue they don’t even look real.

I definitely didn’t say that. Crystal is beautiful, she always has been. A perfect face. Blonde hair that resembles corn silk. Athletic build with long legs. But that’s just the thing; she’s a kid. Even at sixteen, she has no clue what she wants. As appealing as having her for the very first time might be, I have to call her bluff. Her first time can’t be with someone like me. It should be special.

“N-not like this. This is wrong. You’re Luca’s sis-sister.”

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