Challenging Ryker (Kringle Security #2)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Amelia’s release from the hospital was supposed to make things better, and hopefully put her in a better mood after the strange greeting he got when she stepped out of the bathroom.

Instead, she had been quiet, completely lost in her thoughts during the entire drive to his house. He waited for the protest about where they were going, but he was starting to think that while her eyes were open, they weren't actually seeing anything yet.

He knew he was right when he uttered his first words. "We're here." Amelia looked around the car in a daze.

Ryker tried to look at his house from her perspective. It likely wasn't what people would've expected from him. It wasn't a bachelor pad in some fancy high-rise. When Luke had mentioned finally settling down somewhere, Ryker knew exactly what he wanted. A beautiful house in a family neighborhood. Someplace that his friends could one day bring their wives and kids because he planned to be the cool uncle with a pool in the backyard.

This had been the second house his realtor had shown him and it only took one look to know it was perfect.

Now he wondered what Amelia thought.

"Where is here exactly?"

He waited until he was out of the vehicle and opening her door before he answered the question.

"My house," he responded simply. With a hand on her lower back, he ushered her up the sidewalk and through the front door. It was then that he allowed himself to look at her fully.

Ryker didn't like the look on Amelia's face, like she couldn't understand why he didn't want her to go back to that hovel she called an apartment.

"I can just stay with Monica," she said quietly.

Like hell, she would. Staying with Monica meant staying in the same place as Luke, and for some reason, that didn't sit well with him.

"You either stay with me, or I pay for you to stay in a hotel." He didn't mention that he would be staying with her there as well. Ryker might not be one of the smartest people in the world, but he knew when to keep his mouth shut.

Amelia gnawed on her lip and the urge to rub his thumb along the abused flesh was strong. He wanted to capture it between his fingers and pinch. To mark her as his.

Then her ankle captured his attention and all thoughts of possession slipped away. Someone had clearly attempted to do that already and he doubted Amelia would appreciate him having similar thoughts. Even if his marks would be from pleasure rather than pain.

"Fine," Amelia snapped. "Your house it is." Steel laced the words, and he was happy to see the moment of trepidation had passed. He never wanted her to feel that way with him.

"Glad you could see it my way."

If looks could kill, the one Amelia was giving him would've incinerated him on the spot. "You don't have to sound so damn cocky about it," she snarled.

Hearing the word “cock” fall from Amelia's mouth did crazy things to him. It made him want to shove his right between her plump, juicy lips.

Ryker moved closer until he was crowding her space.

"You should know by now that cocky is my middle name."

It really wasn't. Not literally or figuratively. But he got damn good at pretending it was over the years. His friends thought he had confidence in spades when in reality, the moment he was left alone in his head, every self-doubt came crashing down.

"I know that's what you want everyone to think,” Amelia challenged, as she followed him through the front door, “but I've seen you when you think no one is looking. The smile you wear like a suit of armor is about as fake as the one I gave Monica right before I left the hospital."

"I knew you had to be lying to her," Ryker responded, throwing his keys on the front table and shutting the door behind her. He had run into Monica in the hallway on her way out. He hadn't believed a word Amelia said to him and honestly he doubted Monica believed it either. But she too knew when it was best not to argue.

Amelia rolled her eyes. "Of course, I was lying. I needed her to get back to work and to stop hovering over me. The only way to accomplish that was for her to think I was fine."

Ryker took his time looking her over. Not in the sexual way he wanted to, but he did a good once-over.

Amelia had showered at the hospital. She wore a pair of loose-fitting cotton shorts and a baggy sweatshirt. It was a contradiction to what he expected Monica to bring when he asked for clothes. Every time he had ever seen the woman, she was dressed to impress.

"Would you tell me the truth if you weren't fine?"

It was a dumb question and the moment it left his mouth he realized as much. Of course, she wasn't fine. Just that morning he found her chained to a bed, naked. And why, of all people, would she tell him if she wasn't okay? The two of them barely knew each other.

"Sorry, that was dumb of me to ask.” He tried again. “Is there someone you would tell or would like to talk to?"

Ryker realized just how much he didn't know about Amelia. Other than that she was Monica's secretary and she was shy most of the time, he didn't know a damn thing.

Well, he was learning one thing quickly. Amelia chewed on her lip when she was either thinking or nervous. It could've been either one at that point.

"I don't have anyone I'm close to like that. Not anymore."

He was pretty sure those last two words weren't meant for him to hear but they screamed like a gunshot in his head. The fucker that chained her like an animal, had cut her off from everyone.

Ryker did his best to take a calming breath. When that didn't work, he counted to ten. Slowly. When that didn't work either, he said fuck it.

"Does the reason you have no one have to do with the same person who left you … the way I found you this morning?"

For some reason, he couldn't force the word “chained” out of his mouth. He could think it, but not say it. Maybe because his subconscious realized he was holding on by a thread.

When Amelia nodded her head ever so slightly, with her arms crossed over her chest tightly, and his gut reaction was to punch the wall, he knew he was right. He was close to losing his shit. Not something he could do in front of her.

"We're going to table that discussion for now." Amelia's relieved sigh had him rushing to add, "Only for now because you better believe I want to know exactly who did that to you."

"Why?" The simple question was so innocent, as if she couldn't understand how his blood could possibly be boiling right now.

"Because I plan to find him and beat the ever-loving shit out of him for what he did to you."

Her surprised gasp only further pissed him off. Amelia had been around Luke before. She knew just how protective he and the rest of his team were when it came to Monica. Why would Amelia not think the same would apply to her?

Unless the person who did this to her had convinced her otherwise. If that was the case, Ryker had his work cut out for him because he planned to show Amelia just how important she was.

Ryker needed to change the subject before he did or said something he couldn't take back. He promised her they wouldn't have the discussion now and he didn't want to go back on his word.

"Come on, let me show you to the guest bedroom."

He swung his arm in the direction of the small room his sister had convinced him would be great for when she came to visit. Granted she had only used it once, but it obviously came in handy today.

"I would prefer to sleep in your bed."

That stopped him dead in his tracks. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

“Yeah, but …” he sputtered.

"I don't want to sleep by myself. I don't want to close my eyes and see him. I don't want my last memories to be the ones he gave me. I want to take my control back."

Damn. He hadn't thought it was possible to hate someone as much as he did in that moment. A name. That was all he needed and he would end the person's life without a second thought.

"Okay. My bed it is, but on one condition." He waited until he had her full attention. "I sleep on top of the covers."

It was going to take every ounce of his control to keep his hands to himself. He was a natural comforter, and touch was his love language. With Amelia that close, it would only be a matter of time before he had her in his arms.

"You're not understanding me. I don't want my last memories to be him. I want new ones. I want to control what they are, and I want you to be the one who gives them to me."

Now he was beyond confused. What kind of memories did she want from him?

"I'm going to need you to spell this out for me."

He felt like an idiot, and considering the look Amelia was giving him, he sounded like it as well.

Based on the long drawn-out sigh she gave him, he expected her to take him up on the offer for the guest room after all.

"It means I want you to have sex with me."