The Christmas Vow (Hallelujah Crossing)

Chapter 9

R ayla followed Xavier down the hall. She had been helping him coordinate events with his company to show others what he did and what they could offer him. She’d planned some things for her family in DC before but this, actually excited her.

And it wasn’t only to big conglomerates that it was for, he did things for schools and veterans centers as well. Trying to make sure if you were online, you knew how to protect yourself or you could hire him and his company. There were quite a few classes for self-employed entrepreneurs and she understood that was because of his wife.

Readjusting her grip on the tablet in her hand, she didn’t bother looking up as they entered the boardroom. At least, not until a shiver went up her spine. Ever so slowly, she lowered the tablet from where she held it in front of her, she lifted her gaze and inched it around the room.

Men. Large men stood there. A bald black man who looked like he could chew her up and spit her out without hesitation had his feet shoulder width apart and she swallowed as she took him in.

The rest in the room were white men, all powerfully built and watching her with serious expressions. Except one, he had a small smile tilting up his lips as he gave her a nod.

They were impressive, every last one of them but she knew they weren’t the cause for the shiver. Beyond the last one was Ryker. His stance mimicked the others, arms crossed, feet braced. But unlike the others, his gaze wasn’t blank, it burned.

Coating herself in the icy reserve she’d hones after being in the DC political circle, she merely cocked an eyebrow and turned her attention to the man who’d been kind enough to give her a job.

“Mr. Strauss?” She prayed her voice didn’t tremble in the slightest.

“These men are here to protect you, Ms. Hunter.”

She flattened her lips. She didn’t need protecting, not here.

“Why? Has my family done something else?”

In her periphery, Ryker shifted, taking a step toward her at her words until the bearded man beside him with light brown hair and blond highlights shot him a look that froze him.

“Not your family this time. I’ll have Mr. O’Shea explain.”

Rayla took a deep breath and turned her attention forward again, expecting the near ginger to be the one speaking. When it was the black man, she worked hard to control her surprise.

“It kind of is, your family this time as well, Ms. Hunter. Your father has ties to the Abdulov crime family.”

She huffed a breath. “Of course he does. That’s what Grant was taking photos of isn’t it?”

Ryker moved this time, not stopping at the glare from the man beside him.

“Baby, let us protect you.”

Baby. It was how he said baby that weakened her resolve. Refusing to look in his direction, she kept her gaze, completely brown thanks to her contacts, on Mr. O’Shea.

“I fail to see how that has anything to do with me, Mr. O’Shea. My father can barely stand the sight of me, in fact, I’m still recovering from my cracked ribs the last time we were in the same room together. I hardly—” She squealed as Ryker was at her side tugging her jacket off and trying to get beneath her shirt. “What are you doing? Ryker!”

“I’m trying to see the extent of your damage, then we’re going to talk about why the fuck you didn’t call me the second this happened. Take off your shirt.” He was tugging it up.

“No,” she snapped, smacking at him with the tablet. “I’m not stripping, especially in front of my boss and your…well, whatever they are. Stop pulling on my shirt.”

“Get out.” His low voice rumbled across the room even as his blue gaze remained locked on her face.

“Ms. Hunter?” Xavier’s tone held quite a bit of amusement but she didn’t doubt if she asked him to stay he would.

“I’m fine, sir.”

Ryker’s fingers trailed up and down the tiny bit of her skin he’d managed to expose.

The others left, chuckling amongst themselves and when that door clicked, announcing they were alone with each other, his gaze became feral.

“Take it off.”

She didn’t want to. She longed to have enough strength against this man to refuse, but when he commanded her in that tone. Lord have mercy on her, she had no resistance. Lips in a flat line, she carefully placed the tablet on the large table and reached for the top button of her shirt.

His hands were there, brushing hers away. He made short work of unbuttoning her top, his gaze roved over her and a low growl escaped. Ryker shook his head and pushed the side of her shirt back allowing himself to see the lingering bruise easier.

“Why did he do this?” His fingertips glided over her skin and she sucked in a breath at the contact. “Did I hurt you?”

“Not right then no. It’s tender.”

“I’m going to kill him for hurting you.” She tried to close her shirt but he batted her hand away. “Not finished.”

“The glass is open, Ryker. This is embarrassing.”

He pulled his focus from her side and held her stare. “Baby, they’re not looking in here, they’re making sure no one does.” He ran his knuckles along her chin.

“You don’t get to call me baby.”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before returning to his poke and prod of her injury. “You’re my baby. What else would I call you?”

“Nothing. You, your brother, my family, all of you can just go fuck yourselves. I want nothing from you.” She jerked away from him and furiously buttoned up her shirt then shoved it in the waistband of her slacks. “Any of you!”

Ryker looked at her, pain in his gaze but she didn’t care. Not now. Shaking her head, she backed away.

“I can’t leave you in danger, baby. I won’t.”

She jerked her hand and stabbed a finger at the window where, what did you know, they were watching. “Then let them do it. I don’t want to see you again.”

He opened his mouth only to shut it and sigh heavily. Without a word, he walked to the door and stepped through.

“She’ll take the protection. I’ll stay out here.” Ryker gripped the back of his neck and tugged before stepping out of her line of sight.

Instantly, her body longed to go after him, allow him to hold her. Because despite it all, that man was the one who’d made her feel safe.

Mr. O’Shea and the smiling one came back in and shut the door behind them.

“Here’s how this is going to go, Ms. Hunter.”

αβ

November

“Are you excited?” Tink leaned over the island to snag another two chips from the bowl.

Was she? Rayla shook her head. “I don’t think so. More like I’m kind of numb.”

Tink tipped her head to the side and studied her. Her gaze wasn’t one of judgement just studious.

“Maybe you don’t know exactly what to do now that your life is your own again and you no longer have all those hotties around you?” She waggled her eyebrows.

“One, all of them were married. Two, you’re married.”

“Three,” Tink said without missing a beat. “I’m not dead, I saw them and four, this is the most important one, they aren’t all married. There’s a single one in the bunch.”

She refused to think about Ryker Owens and his frustratingly handsome, sexy face and body. Or the way he called her baby, or said good girl and made her wetter.

Right, there I go. Not thinking about him at all.

Tink munched happily on her chips. She didn’t blame her, she had a billionaire husband who loved the fuck out of her so much it made her teeth ache to be in the same room as them.

“We need to go out,” Tink announced, popping off the stool. “Let’s go.”

Rayla shook her head. “I’m not dressed for outside things. Hell, I’m barely dressed to entertain you.”

Tink scowled at her and stomped to where she sat, grasping her shoulders in a frighteningly strong grip. “You don’t get to sit here and disparage my friend. She’s a fucking brilliant, beautiful, and sexy woman. If she wants to go out in a sweatshirt and jeans with a hole in them, that’s fine.” Another scowl followed by a blinding smile. “Now, let’s go.”

Resigned to her fate, Rayla tossed her hair up in a loose bun, swiped a jacket and shoved her feet into some Uggs.

“I’m doing this,” she said as they exited her apartment and went down the two flights of stairs. “But under protest.”

Even though the Abdulov crime family had been put away, along with her father for his ties to them, she wasn’t used to not seeing one of the men from Tungsten waiting for her. Ryker had listened and hadn’t been in view but she felt him watching.

“I hear your protest,” Tink said as she unlocked her SUV. “And I ignore it. Let’s get moving mama. I’m sure there’s some hot man out there waiting for you.”

She grinned over the hood of her vehicle before scampering inside and starting the engine with a push of a finger. Rayla rolled her eyes, pleased even if she didn’t want to go. Her friend meant well and she didn’t have a lot of friends so, she’d do with what she had.

“Not sure I want a hot man.”

“Fine.” Tink pulled out of the parking lot. “We can find you an ugly one.”

She laughed and Tink joined her. Maybe this was a great idea.

αβ

December

This he could officially say was a shit idea.

I’m a goddamn stalker. This is what my life has come to, stalking the woman of my dreams just to get a fucking look at her.

He’d moved to Birmingham to be closer to her. Not that she would talk to him on the few occasions he allowed her to see him. Now that the entire thing had been resolved and the guilty parties charged, she should be safe.

Tungsten, his new employer, had pulled out once the job was over and Aidrian had said they didn’t have anything he couldn’t do from there. So while he stalked, he did behind the scenes work for Tungsten and some of their cases.

Christmas was a week away and normally he would be heading home to spend time with family but as the woman he wanted was here, he was also. The forecast was calling for snow. Not common in this area of the country and he figured it would pretty much be on lockdown if it actually happened due to the unfamiliarity of the people driving in snow.

He lifted his head as she walked out of DarkStrike’s offices, waved at the security guard and shrugged her shoulders while tugging up the collar of her gray and pink winter coat that, to him, looked to have a 50’s look. He noticed her glance up and down the street before she turned the same direction as she always did and started walking.

I need you to vary your route, baby. You’re damn predictable.

Which worked in his favor but it wasn’t keeping her as safe as she could be. She’d not even cleared the building space when the door flew open once more and a man in a suit hurried after her.

His heart clenched hard in his chest as she smiled up at the man. He’d not worn a jacket and from where Ryker sat, it was obvious she mentioned it to him when she tugged on his suitcoat sleeve. An awe shucks shoulder shrug from the handsome Black man in a navy blue suit had Ryker grinding his jaw.

Back off fucker. She’s taken.

The man pulled his phone from his pocket while she got hers from her coat. They both typed something in before the man held up a hand in farewell before he trotted back to the door. There he stopped and glanced back to where Rayla walked away, not a single look back.

Facing where Ryker sat tucked away at a table in the coffee shop across the street, he tipped his head, smirked, and adjusted his junk. The feral growl rolled from him and he’d partially risen from his seat when the man vanished back inside.

Did they know he was still there, watching her? And who was that fucker?

I don’t recognize him from the employee records we searched.

Ryker finished his black coffee and tossed some money on the table to cover before shrugging into his dark brown sheepskin coat and heading outside, sucking a breath at the chill slamming into him.

The guy hadn’t been kidding it was bitter out here. Serves him right for coming on to my woman. May his balls freeze off followed shortly by his dick.

Shaking his head, he struck off down the street, his long strides eating up the distance between him and Rayla. He knew where she was heading, it was Tuesday so that meant a short stop to pick up her order of chicken Pad Thai, with thin rice noodles instead of medium. Extra peanuts, and a side order of fresh salad rolls. How she took those varied, sometimes with chicken and sometimes with tofu.

He forced himself to stride by without slowing as she was inside picking up. Then he ducked inside an alley where he could keep an eye on her as she finished the trek to her home. As she moved by him, his heart seized and he had to lock his knees to remain in place.

Beautiful.

She had been to him since day one and would be until their last.

Going to be a long life if I can’t get her to speak to me once more.

Snow began to fall from the sky and he moved through the waning crowd trailing her as she finished heading home. She paused at a street corner, waiting for the light and tipped her head up like she wanted to open her mouth and let the snow fall onto her tongue. But after a moment, she thought better of it and sighed. The pink tipped fur collar made him smile.

His days were pretty much the same up until Christmas closed the office. It had killed him to see her out with a group of people on Christmas Eve, knowing he couldn’t be at her side. Couldn’t claim her as his woman in front of them all. No kissing, no tucking her close to his side. No seeing his coat over her shoulders to ensure she was staying warm.

He’d been right about Birmingham and snow. They’d gotten a bit over four inches and the city had come to a frozen halt. Everyone had been encouraged to stay home. And he was pleased she’d listened.

It was Christmas morning and he had come to the end of his rope. Time to get his woman.

Pulling open the door to her building, he stepped back and held it for a couple taking their dog out.

“Merry Christmas,” they said with a grateful smile.

“Same to you.” He waited until the door had latched behind him, not wanting to let out the warmth. Then he went to the stairs and took them up to the third floor.

It wasn’t a horrible building. Not secure enough for him to be happy she was there but it was clean and well maintained. On her floor, he looked up and down the hall, taking in the numerous holiday decorations including walls and doors.

He walked to her door and knocked. While waiting for her to answer, he reached up and held onto the frame, giving his hands something to do.

“Yes?”

The smell of breakfast wafted out to him but behind that was her scent. Honeysuckle and jasmine. His cock reacted instantly, leaping to attention, more than ready to be called upon.

“Go away.” Her heterochromatic eyes narrowed on him.

Gripping harder on the frame he felt it give beneath his hand. I’ll fix it later. “No can do, baby. I gave you space, I gave you time. I’m done.”

“And it’s all about you and what you want, right?” Her words slashed into him with force.

Like everyone else in her life were the words she didn’t voice. She’d not had to.

“I love you.”

Okay, not exactly how he had planned to do this. But no way to put that back in the box once it was out.

She shook her head. “You don’t get to say that.”

Brain scrambling like a car trying to gain traction on an icy surface, he swallowed as he desperately struggled to find the right words.

“What am I allowed to say, baby?”

“Nothing. You knew who I was and used me like everyone else to get something.” A ragged sob tore from her throat, ripping open his heart. “You know what, I was so taken by you and my love for your brother that if you’d simply asked for my help, I would have done what I could.”

Bile lingered in the back of his throat. Tears burned his eyes but he blinked them away, not looking away from the pain etched in every line of her face.

I did this to her. I broke her. Shattered her. And now it’s my job to put her back together.

One he would spend the rest of his life doing if that’s what it took.

He released the frame and hit his knees in her doorway. Despite the gravity of the situation, he couldn’t help but smile briefly over her fuzzy reindeer slipper socks. Her plaid flannel pants hung over the top of one and had been tucked in the other.

Taking a chance, he reached out, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close enough to burrow into her.

“What are you doing, Ryker? This is insane. You can’t be on your knees here. Get up.” She pulled halfheartedly on the collar of his coat.

He swallowed back the comment of how she loved him on his knees. “Forgive me first.”

“No reason to.”

He tipped his head up, struggling to keep his hold comforting and not grip her ass like he wanted. “There’s every fucking reason to, baby. I hurt you and that’s not okay with me.”

A timer dinged behind her and he released her with extreme reluctance. Every synapse in his body yelled for him to follow her but he didn’t move. Remained kneeling in her doorway. Waiting for her permission and forgiveness.

“You’re letting out the heat, Ryker.”

He opened his eyes again to find her placing a dish on the counter. “I’m not leaving.”

She rolled her eyes. “Get in here and shut the damn door.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Rushing to do just that, before she could change her mind, he removed his boots by the door, lining them up beside her hiking boots and tennis shoes. Something settled in him as he hung his dark brown coat beside her gray and pink one.

Cohabitation.

Family.

Mine.

Hands in his jeans he strolled to the kitchen where she had buried her head in the fridge. Before she turned back around, he adjusted his heavy cock, willing it to behave.

She held a container of cranberry juice and shut the door with a hip pop.

“You’re forgiven but that doesn’t mean there is anything between us, Ryker.” She put the juice down.

He clenched his jaw at her statement but this wasn’t the time, he needed her to get used to him being in her space. “Is there enough for one more?”

She shot him a castrating look. “No. I was going to eat all of this myself.”

“Sheath the claws, baby. I wasn’t sure if you were having people over or taking this to join for a meal.”

Rayla blinked. “Oh. It’s fine, you can eat some.”

Not exactly a rousing invitation but he wasn’t turning it down.

She got the plates down and he dished them both up food. The meal was done mostly in silence. Her one word answers about things making his anger rise but he controlled it. When he at the last bite of the homemade cinnamon buns, he sucked the frosting off his thumb, totally picking up on the way she shifted in her seat and tried to pretend she’d not seen a damn thing.

Silence continued between them as he helped her wash and put away the food. Snow continued to fall and he took a moment to take in the precious scene. Snow outside. Holiday music and food inside. A tree in the corner and the woman he loved more than anything three steps away.

He couldn’t take it anymore and closed the distance between them, plucking the snowflake towel from her hand and draping it over the oven door handle.

Her different colored eyes snapped to him and he shook his head when she opened her mouth. A mutinous line but she closed it.

“Good girl.”

There it was, the flare of heat and lust that came from praising her.

“I fucked up and I own that. Doesn’t mean I stopped loving you, Rayla Hunter. I won’t .”