Page 8 of Ryker

“Same difference.Have you met my brother?”

“Torch won’t let Flicker do anything stupid,” Isabella said.

I was glad she had that much faith in her man, but I didn’t think anyone would keep Flicker from murdering me when he found out.And the compound had lots of land where he could hide my body.I suppose it could have been worse.At least we didn’t raise pigs.Maybe he’d at least break a sweat digging a six-foot-deep hole to bury me in.

Isabella stopped at a little café down the street from the pharmacy.We decided to sit on the patio since it was nice outside.The way my stomach was flipping around, I didn’t know how I was going to manage to eat anything.But if I was pregnant, then I needed to make sure the baby got the nourishment it needed.Oh God.I was going to be a mom!I broke out in a sweat, and my hands started shaking again.Could I do this?Raise a kid?Where would we live?I didn’t even have a job, much less a way to afford diapers and shit.

“Take a breath,” Isabella said softly.“Everything will be fine, Laken.”

I nodded and looked over the menu.We ordered our food and drinks, then Isabella did her best to take my mind off things.By the time we’d finished our lunch, Isabella thought my prenatal vitamins might be ready.The pharmacy was close enough that I walked while Isabella waited in the car.

The pharmacist had it ready for me, and agreed to add the fee to my brother’s tab.Flicker was going to love that, I was sure, once he found out what I’d picked up.When I stepped out onto the sidewalk, I walked into a hard body and nearly fell on my ass.Strong hands gripped me and as I looked up, my heart nearly stopped.

Ryker smirked at me.“You seem to like running into me.If you want my attention, there are other ways to do it.”

“Sorry,” I said, my cheeks flushing.

His gaze dropped and he saw the bag with my prescription, and he quickly frowned.Maybe I should have asked for a regular sack to hide the small paper bag.

“Are you sick?”he asked.

“N-no.These are just vitamins.”Not a total lie.

“Vitamins don’t come in a prescription sack,” Ryker said.“What the hell is going on, Laken?Why are you lying to me?”

“It’s nothing, Ryker,” I said, twisting out of his grasp.

“I haven’t seen you lately.I kind of thought maybe we’d spend some more time together before I leave,” he said.“I’d hoped you’d come find me again.”

“Ryker, my life is complicated, and my brother is overprotective.Seeing you isn’t a great idea.”

“I see.”He took a step back.“Guess you got what you wanted then.”

Seriously?He was going to play that card?The guy was a man-whore from what my brother said, and I’d had no doubt I was just easy pussy for him.So what did Ryker care if I wanted to spend more time with him?It wasn’t like he’d fallen in love with me.And now that I was carrying his child… he couldn’t find out.He’d think I was trying to trap him, and that’s the last thing I wanted.

“Ryker, I…”

“Laken, are you coming?”Isabella yelled through the window she’d rolled down.

Ryker glanced at Isabella, then back at Laken, his gaze questioning.“You know Torch’s wife?Are you two friends or something?”

“Something like that,” I said.

“So have you been blowing me off for personal reasons or because of the Dixie Reapers?”

“They asked me to stay away from you,” I said, and then wished I’d kept my mouth shut.Now he would pry and likely find out who I was.Not what I needed!

“They asked you to stay away from me?”he asked, his voice low and far too calm.I had a feeling I’d just made a huge mistake.

“It’s fine, Ryker.I mean, you’re leaving soon anyway, right?We had fun, but it was never going to be more than that.I knew that the first time we were together.I never expected more from you.”

“Laken, I --”

His words were cut off as a motorcycle rumbled down the street.When I saw my brother heading our way, I wished I could hide, but it was too late.I clutched my prescription sack tighter and sent a panicked look toward Isabella, but she lifted her hands, and I knew I was on my own.Flicker came to a stop in a parking spot just a few feet from me, and he slid his sunglasses down his nose.His blue eyes were icy as he glared from me to Ryker, then back to me.

“Laken, get on the bike,” Flicker said.

I took a step in his direction, but Ryker reached out and gripped my arm.

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