Page 22 of Call Sign: King
He’d already talked to Jaxson and knew Axel was right.
When Ryder didn’t answer, Axel added, “He may not be able to sue the Runway witnesses, but he can sure as hell ban them for life. And that Black Light member signed an NDA. He’s going to track them down and make them wish they’d kept their mouth closed, because he’s going to rip their life apart.”
“That’s all great, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t solve my problem. All I care about is keeping Khloe safe,” Ryder asserted. “And right now, being seen with her is the worst thing that could happen.”
“Which is why you had her move hotels. The Regency was too hard to lock down.”
“True,” he said, shuddering remembering how busy the previous hotel has been thanks to a technology convention in town.
“And why you’ve got Reaper and his team there, assisting Trevor.”
“Yeah, but…” Ryder cut his objection off when he heard the outer door to the suite opening. He stepped deeper into the kitchenette where he could observe the room while whispering. “Someone’s coming in.”
“It’s gotta be them returning,” Axel reasoned.
“I told Trevor to text me when he was in the car on the way back.”
The words had just left his mouth when he heard Tank bellowing from the main room of the suite.
“It’s them,” Ryder said, relaxing slightly.
“Of course it is. Now, get out there and hold that girl of yours. Don’t let her go until you get your balls back,” Axel said with a chuckle.
Ryder pressed end on the call, not bothering to come up with a witty retort like normal, mainly because he couldn’t possibly feel normal until Khloe was in his arms.
As he stepped out from his hidden location, he was relieved when he found three pistols immediately drawn and pointed in his direction.
“Glad to see you’re all on alert,” he said.
Khloe and Ricky had been walking toward the dining room table, oblivious to Ryder’s presence until he spoke. She dropped her bag to the floor with a thud and spun around, her eyes wide with hope. Watching her emotions go from surprise, to relief, to love in that first split second made him glad he’d come.
“Hi Princess,” he said, forcing a lightness into the moment he didn’t necessarily feel.
Khloe ran to close the gap between them, jumping into his arms with a velocity that almost tipped them both over. Wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, she hugged Ryder tight as she burst into tears.
“Shhh, baby. It’s gonna be okay,” he soothed, stroking her long blonde hair as he closed his eyes, inhaling her unique scent. He felt some of the tension seeping out of him as he allowed himself to enjoy the relief of her safety.
Ryder held his wife tight as her protection team put their weapons away and spread out to do a security sweep of the suite. While he was glad to see them taking great care to ensure the new location’s safety, he suspected they were more interested in giving their boss and his wife a moment of privacy.
As tempting as it was to whisk Khloe into the bedroom, Ryder instead walked them to the living room of the two-story grand suite. Taking a seat in a comfortable lounge chair, he loosened her hold just enough to arrange her in his lap. He felt her tears on his shoulder as they clung to each other silently.
Only when her tears slowed did Ryder jostle her enough to pull out the handkerchief he always carried.
Peeling her away from him, his heart swelled with adoration for the gorgeous woman staring back at him. The world only saw the glamorous, always put together public facing side of the beauty but this version of her — eyes red from crying, make-up smeared, expression of innocent vulnerability and trust — it was his kryptonite. This was the real Khloe, not the polished movie star the rest of the world got to see.
Holding the cloth to her nose, Ryder ordered, “Blow.”
Khloe’s unladylike honk brought chuckles from the group busily getting organized around them.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” Khloe complained after Ryder had her tears dried.
“Because I didn’t want to get your hopes up if I changed my mind at the last minute.”
“I’ve missed you so much,” she said, tears threatening again.
“Not as much as I’ve missed you, Princess.” Finally addressing his crew, Ryder asked. “Where the hell is Trevor? I told him to text me when you guys were on your way.”
Reaper turned from unpacking some of the team’s gear onto the kitchen counter to answer.
