Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Better question may be why it pissed him off with irrational jealousy to think of her with his brother. Even though she was with him now, had been with him, the simple idea his brother had touched, kissed, enjoyed any of her put a red haze around him he couldn’t get rid of.
After a quick glance over his shoulder, he pulled up the text Preston sent him of the number his brother had been in contact with, praying that his friend had made a mistake. Highly unlikely, but he held onto hope.
Pressing call on that number, his heart sank when the room filled with a distinct ring tone of a phone that wasn’t his. Ending the call, he walked through the cabin to the doorway of the bedroom. Rayla wasn’t on the floor where he left and he skated his gaze down the hall where the bathroom was to find the door closed.
Shit. Had he heard him.
“Yes, I heard you.”
She walked from the bathroom, leaving the door ajar behind her and his heart tripled in speed. Her thick curls had been gathered in a haphazard bun on the top of her head held there by a green and blue wrap. Unfortunately, she no longer remained naked but had hidden her curves by a black pair of yoga pants and paired it with an oversized gray and blue sweatshirt that read Howard University.
“Let me explain, baby.”
Her gaze swept over him. Ryker wasn’t sure what to make of it as it didn’t burn into him with anger. There wasn’t disappointment or hurt at his action. Looking at her eyes, which to his great disappointment, were the same color instead of the unique duality of hues, he swore he was staring at a cutout. Nothing was there.
“Nothing to explain, Mr. Owens. You lowered yourself to sleep with me in hopes to get something.” A deep breath as resignation flitted over her full features before vanishing once more leaving him with a shell of the woman he knew she was.
“No, baby. That’s not true.” He moved toward her only to freeze when she held up her hand and shook her head. “Rayla.”
“What is it you think I can do for you? Do I know your brother? Does he want an in into the political scene in DC? A meeting with the Senator?”
Shoving down the unease bubbling over in his gut, he moved two more steps toward her. Rayla lifted her chin not dropping his gaze but he could feel her pain and that stopped him. She wouldn’t back down, he knew that, but he wasn’t an idiot, she wasn’t wanting him near.
I want to be near her. I want to pull her close and kiss her. Tell her this was nothing more than a goddamn misunderstanding.
“Tyler is my brother and he and you shared some calls recently. I need to find him.” She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. “You spoke with him yesterday.”
One eyebrow rose. “Grant? Grant is your brother?”
He nodded. “Yes. Tyler Grant Owens is my younger brother. He’s in danger. I need to get to him before whoever is after him does.”
“Grant was supposed to meet me here. I had a short call with him, and he didn’t sound good but I don’t know where he is. He’s not here, or so he said. He said he was late, and going to be later than he had been going to be.” She paced back and forth the short width of the hallway.
Ryker didn’t move, he wasn’t about to let her skate by him and get into the living room. He needed her closer and this hallway seemed to be the place to do that.
“How do you know him?”
She froze again and this time, her eyes hardened like there weren’t contacts hiding her true color. “Wow, your brother was right.” A self-deprecating laugh. “He said people wouldn’t understand why we were friends. How does he get involved with a senator’s fat daughter? Their shame? We went to the same dive bar and struck up a friendship because we’re both outcasts and didn’t want anything from the other besides a safe space. Why did you lower yourself to sleep with me if you feel such a way?”
His mind rolled with all this information. What the fuck? How the hell did she think he wasn’t attracted to her?
“Must have been horrible for you to lower yourself to fuck me in hopes I would tell you about your brother.”
Large pounding on the door kicked his worry to the back as protectiveness rushed forward, overtaking everything else. Turning so he was between her and the door, he held a hand behind him, keeping her back.
“I didn’t lower myself to do a fucking thing, baby. I wanted you then and still do. Stay back here until I make sure it’s safe. Whoever is after my brother has no problem putting you in harm’s way to get to him.”