Page 27 of Risk

When we get there, the smell of blood hits me, and as I take in the room, I see all the little markers from the crime scene investigators next to the blood that is splattered all over the floor.

“Breathe through your mouth, it will stop the smell.”

I do as Ryder said and find it actually works. I begin to cautiously step towards where Ryder is waiting for me. When I reach him, I look to the key hooks, noting that where there should be two spare keys— there are now none.

“There were two spare keys here, if you have one, then that means…” Feeling the bile rise up my throat I dash to the sink, leaning over as I spew what little I have in my stomach into the sink. I turn the tap on rinsing the sink first then placing my mouth under the tap and spitting out a couple of times before taking a drink. Standing back up I swipe my mouth down the sleeve of my arm.

“Come on, let’s get the fuck out of here,” Ryder says, guiding me out of the kitchen towards the stairs. Once I have everything I need, we leave and it’s not soon enough.

Twenty-One

Camryn

When we get back to Ryder’s, he tells me to order a takeaway, my choice, from the menus on the fridge, while he goes off to make a call. I pick pizza, not sure my stomach can handle much else right now.

After placing the order, I grab a beer from Ryder’s fridge and walk to the windows to look out over the city. I love the view from here. The city lights look amazing and this far up it feels like all my troubles and worries are left down below. If only that were true. No, my troubles have become everyone else’s, and that makes my blood boil so hot it’s like lava flowing through my veins. A bit how that man in there makes me feel.

When I think back to how it was with Sean, even at the beginning when we first met, I never felt like this. I never felt like I’d stop breathing if he wasn’t near, or the heart pounding desire I feel when I’m with Ryder. Not that I’d ever tell him that, the man has an ego the size of Everest. But I see underneath all that seriousness and bravado, I catch glimpses of the softer side of him when he’s not looking. This is a man who when he loves, he loves hard. His loyalty goes above and beyond, and he’d give his last breath for the ones he loves.

I don’t count myself in that circle yet, but I’m not going to lie and say I wouldn’t like to be one day. I have no idea what we are doing, what this is between us, but Jamie’s words about taking a risk echo in my mind.

I feel him the moment he enters the room, and that just solidifies my current thought process. I told myself earlier that I didn’t want to live my life always looking over my shoulder, but I also don’t want to live with any more regrets and what ifs. I spin around just as he reaches me. He quirks a brow in silent question, but I just laugh. He grabs my hips pushing me back against the glass. The cold even more marked on my heated skin.

“What’s so funny, Bambi?” he asks, humour lacing his tone.

“Nothing, nothing at all,” I reply, just as his fingers slip beneath the hem of my t-shirt, skimming up the sides of my body.

“Now, why is it that I don’t believe you. Maybe I shouldmakeyou tell me the truth,” he says, as he buries his head in the side of my neck. The feeling sends a shiver of pleasure down my spine, and I can’t help but moan at the feel of the rough stubble on his jaw as it grazes my cheek.

“And just how do you plan to do that,” I ask breathlessly, unable to stop myself from showing him just how much his touch affects me. One particular method springs to mind as I remember last night.

“I think you know exactly how I work, and how very effective my methods are,” he whispers, as he kisses along my jaw before taking my mouth. I wind my arms around his neck, the empty beer bottle dangles from my fingers, coming up on my tiptoes as though I want to literally crawl inside him. Before either of us get lost to the lust, the damn lift pings its arrival. Breaking the kiss, both of us panting and desperate for more of each other, he pulls back.

“Fucking lift,” he mutters, as he walks away.

Yeah, I’m really starting to hate that lift. While Ryder grabs the food, I get myself another beer and one for him too and take them into the lounge. As Ryder comes in with the pizza boxes, I shamelessly ogle him, and although my stomach grumbles about the lack of food it’s consumed recently, the rest of my body hungers for something else entirely. As if he can feel me watching him, he looks over to me as he places the boxes on the table, and I see my own desire mirrored in his eyes. Our eyes stay locked on each other as he comes to stand in front of me. I have to crane my neck, and as I do, he reaches out a hand cupping my chin, swiping a thumb across my bottom lip.

“These lips…” his eyes darken at whatever thought is running through his head, “I’d like nothing more than to see them wrapped around my dick right now.” My eyes automatically flick to the bulge in his jeans, reaching out my hands, I run them up the side of his thighs before moving to his belt. Just as I start to undo it, Ryder moves back out of reach, and I frown at him, confused.

With my chin still cupped in his hand, he leans down, and his breath whispers across the shell of my ear as he speaks, “Food first, then I’m taking you to bed.” He kisses me, nipping my bottom lip before standing back up, grabbing the pizza and dropping down in the seat next to me.

How the hell does he expect me to eat now, after that little show. My skins feels flushed, and I’m pretty sure I need some clean underwear. Urgh! Infuriating man.

I manage to eat a few slices of pizza and drink another beer. With a full stomach and a slight buzz from the beer, I lay down on the sofa, while Ryder clears the pizza boxes and beer bottles away. I close my eyes and just allow my mind to wander. The light changes in the room, becoming duller, and when I open my eyes the whole ceiling is lit up like the night sky. It’s stunning!

“Holy shit, Ryder, that’s…wow.” I’m blown away. Every major constellation is there, and even a few smaller ones.

“I had it put in a couple of years ago,” he says coming back into the room. Instead of sitting, he lays down on the floor next to where I lay on the sofa. “When I was younger, my mum and I would go out as the sun set and watch for the first star to appear. My mum even paid to have a star named after me for my 10th birthday, the same year I got my first telescope,” he says wistfully, full of emotion, and it’s one I’ve not heard from him before.

“I used to do the same with—” Shit! What am I doing? “I used to do the same, but I haven’t for a long time,” I say, hoping he doesn’t hear the quiver in my voice. I don’t know if I can handle his questions right now. I will tell him about Faye, but I’m not ready, not yet. Thankfully, he doesn’t call me out on my hesitation. Instead he throws a complete curve ball at me.

“So, I know the timing isn’t great right now, not with what just happened to Jamie, but I have to go back to London in the morning.”

I roll onto my side, leaning on my forearm as I look over the edge of the sofa at him. He has his hands behind his head, and his t-shirt has risen up, giving me a delicious glimpse of his abs and the line of hair running from his belly button down to his mouth-watering— I swallow and lick my lips at the sight. Trying to get my head out of the gutter and aware that he just told me he’s going back to London, I run my eyes up his body. Before I reach his face, I spot another tattoo on the inside of his left bicep. It’s extremely subtle, and probably why I’ve not noticed it before. I look to the ceiling until I find what I’m looking for, the constellation of Scorpio, just like Ryder’s tattoo. My heart skips a beat when I think about the small constellation of Leo I have tattooed on the back of my neck. I don’t know if Ryder has ever noticed it, he’s never mentioned it, so I’m guessing not. Realising that I need to answer Ryder, I look back down at him, only to find his eyes on me.

“Sorry, I got lost in the stars. You’re going back to London tomorrow? For how long?” I ask, trying not to let my disappointment and, let’s be honest, fear at him not being here show too much. I know he told me he might have to go, but he was right, the timing is shit.

“It will just be for a day, two at the most. There’s something I need to do,” he says, being very vague, which instantly has me suspicious.

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