by Adele Niles
Kenzie wasn’t my sister.
She couldn’t beat me up like she could Bradley. She could give me the stink-eye for a few weeks, sure, but that was where her power ended.
But… why had Sydney come here?
I turned to Benny, frowning. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“What?” he asked.
I nodded my head toward the envelope in his hands.
“I don’t know.” Benny opened the flap of the envelope and pulled the papers out just a little, eyes scanning the page. He pushed them back into the envelope and nodded once. “Ah, don’t worry about it. It’s not a big deal.”
That almost always meant there was a reason to worry, and it was definitely a big deal.
Bradley stood up at his booth, looking down at us. “Benny, is that the stuff?”
“Yeah.” Benny nodded. “C’mon, we should look this over. You busy?”
“Nah, I’m done for the day. I can finish cleanup later.” He wiped his hands on his shirt. “Office?”
Benny nodded. He turned and headed up the steps. Bradley joined him, and they went into the office at the back of the shop.
The door closed.
“Does it bother anybody else that the two owners just got papers from a lawyer and are having a closed-door conversation in the back?” Zoe put her hands on the counter, leaning toward me a little. “Because I’m in the worst-case scenario right now, and it looks a lot like all of us being out of a job.”
She didn’t have to put it like that.
“I’m sure if Benny was going to close the shop, he would have let us know.” But I couldn’t look away from the door.
I’d given up a lot to work here. I couldn’t lose this, too.
Logan frowned. He was the last one still in his booth, organizing some of his inks. He stood and came to join me and Zoe, his brows furrowed. “What’s up? They never close the door like that.”
He was right. Most of the business talk happened in front of us. We were all part of the team, after all.
“I dunno.” I shrugged. “This lawyer chick brought Benny a stack of paperwork, and now they’re back there with it.”
Logan blinked in surprise. He looked back toward the door, then turned to us again. “It can’t be bad, though. They looked pretty chill walking back there. Not like shit was bad.”
Maybe.
But we were all pretty good at keeping things close to the chest.
Logan shrugged. “Let’s not get worked up over it yet. They’ll tell us when they need to. And, I mean, Benny and Bradley are good guys. If the shop is closing or, you know, needs to let somebody go, they won’t just throw us out with nothing.”
That was true. I nodded. “They’d help us find a new shop. Severance packages. All that good shit.”
“Yeah, but I like it here.” Zoe frowned at the office door. “I don’t really want to work with a different group. You guys are animals, but you’re cool.”
“Aw, you think we’re cool?” I grinned. “Is that all you think of us?”
“Still a lesbian, Ryker. Shove it.”
“Can’t blame a man for trying.”
“I can when he won’t take ‘no, I’m gay as hell’ for an answer.”
I shrugged. “Okay, okay. I got it. For now. I’ll check in at a later date.”
Zoe rolled her eyes, but she was grinning. “Whatever. The answer won’t change.”
Logan and I laughed. It felt good to joke with something so uncertain hanging over us.
We fell into easy conversation. The shop was technically closed by now, but none of us wanted to leave before Benny and Bradley surfaced. We chatted a little, mostly about clients we’d had through the day. Logan had done some work on this older guy we all liked, doing more of the color work on his back piece. The old guy had told some story about taking a trip to Thailand and making friend with a pack of drag queens. The way Logan told it had Zoe and me cackling with laughter, both of us leaning on the front counter.
But all the conversation stopped when we heard the office door open.
Benny and Bradley emerged. They both paused at the stairs, looking at the three of us in confusion, then came the rest of the way down.
“You didn’t have to stay.” Bradley frowned. “What’s up?”
“We wanted to know what’s going on.” Logan turned toward them. “It’s not normal for you two to go close the office door like that.”
“It’s just business talk. Nothing serious.” Benny smiled. He looked at the envelope in his hands, humming. “C’mon, everybody out. I’ll be a little late in the morning. I have to run this by Hills & Bridges.”
They’d gone through it that quickly? It looked pretty hefty, whatever it was.
But hey, if they needed to take it back to Sydney…
“You want me to? I pass it on the way in every morning.” I held my hand out for the envelope.
Benny looked at me, one eyebrow raised, then glanced at Bradley, who shrugged.
“Sure.” Benny put the envelope in my hand. “You’re gonna talk to Sydney?”
“Why not? She’s cute.” I smiled.
“Yeah, tell me how that works out for you.”
It sounded like Benny didn’t think it would work out at all.
Asshole.
“I’ll drop it off and be in as soon as I’m done.” I smiled, reaching into my back pocket for my keys. Benny wasn’t going to get me flustered. Sydney would be into me soon; it was just a matter of time and figuring out how to approach her.
“Okay. Cool. See you when you get here.” Benny smirked, holding one hand up in a wave.
I waved back. “See you later.”
Chapter Six
Ryker
I tossed my keys into the bowl beside the door. “Daisy, baby,” I called out. “I’m home. Where’s my girl?”
She came running, leaping at me. I scooped her up, kissing her forehead. “Hey, there, baby girl. Miss me?”
She licked my face eagerly, her tail wagging against my thigh.
Daisy may have been a mastiff mix, but she lived up to her name—she was spoiled, dumb, and still believed she was a lap dog.
And she loved being the little spoon.
I put my dog down, grinning as she danced around my heels. She barked softly, putting one paw on my butt to get my attention.
“I know, I know. You’re hungry, and you’ve been home alone all day. I’m here now.” I patted her head, going into the kitchen. Daisy followed. I scooped kibble into her bowl, adding a little warm water to it and setting it on the floor. “Eat up, baby. I’ll be right back.”
It felt good to be home. My house was small, but it was quiet, away from the center of town. Not that Richland was big—even the main roads got quiet after dark, as long as you weren’t right by the bars. And it was a source of pride, to be the owner of my home.
I was still paying the mortgage on it, but one day, I wouldn’t owe any money on it. Especially if the shop kept doing well.
The shop.
Shit.
What were Benny and Bradley up to? They didn’t normally keep secrets from us. They owned the business, but they typically let us know when things were going to change well in advance. This felt different.
I looked back at the front door. The papers were in my car.
The envelope was held closed with metal brads.
Nobody would know if I took a peek. Hell, nobody would even suspect it.
And Daisy would enjoy the walk.
No, I decided, shaking my head. No. I wouldn’t. Benny and Bradley trusted us, so I’d trust them, too.
I went to the fridge instead, grabbing a beer and a container from the Mexican joint down the road. I threw the leftover fajita meat in a pan, letting it heat up slowly. A little extra lime juice, and they’d taste better than they had last night.
And while they cooked, I could do something mindless.
Instagram.
My own profile was flooded with likes and comments, like mo
st tattoo artists. But I only cared about one person. I scrolled through the list of usernames until I found the one I wanted.
I tapped on it, going to somebody else’s profile.
Bay.
She looked so pretty. All of her pictures showed her laughing, smiling with friends, or enjoying a colorful cocktail.
God, I missed her.
I clicked on her most recent picture, tapping the little heart under it.
“Wish you were here, Bay,” I mumbled, shaking my head.
Daisy bumped her head against my leg. I leaned to pet her.
“Don’t worry, baby girl. I’m okay. Just being sentimental.”
Besides, dinner was ready. Time to stop reminiscing and unwind for the night.
I plated up my leftovers and opened a fresh bag of tortilla chips. With a beer in hand, I headed for the couch, Daisy at my side. I plopped down, kicking my feet up on the coffee table. Daisy climbed up next to me, lying down. Her tail thumped on the couch, and she watched as I ate dinner alone.
But still, I couldn’t get my mind off those papers.
I could just take a peek. Make sure everything was in order. Make sure my friends weren’t getting screwed on a bad deal.
Make sure I had enough time to figure shit out if I needed a new job.
I glanced at Daisy. “What do you think? Do we do something kind of illegal?”
Daisy looked at me. She woofed softly.
Good answer.
“All right. C’mon. We’ll walk out to the car together. Cover for me, yeah? If you see any of the guys, bark like you’re crazy.”
Her tail thumped harder on the couch cushion. She had no idea what I was saying, but she still agreed.
I grabbed her leash, clipping it to her harness. She pulled me toward the door, tail wagging.
We stepped out into the dark together. It was quiet. No cars were driving on our street now, and nobody was sitting outside. I led Daisy into the front yard, letting her sniff around and do what she needed to do, then turned to go to the car.
The envelope was in the front seat, right where I’d left it.
I grabbed it and brought it in. Daisy and I got comfy on the couch again, and I opened the envelope.
It wasn’t light reading, but I remembered enough to follow the document. It was… good.
Really good.
Benny had been right. Nothing to worry about.
But I did have some thoughts. This document could be better.
I’d have to make sure I told Sydney when I saw her.
* * * * *
I woke up early the next morning. Daisy and I split scrambled eggs for breakfast, and I cleaned up for the day. Since I was going to see Sydney, I wanted to look good.
Dark-wash jeans, fitted tight. A t-shirt that bordered on being too snug, with a leather jacket thrown over the top. Hair clean and combed but still a little disheveled.
Not bad.
I petted Daisy goodbye, leaving her on the couch with the TV on. She loved having nature shows on while I was out, and I wasn’t about to deny that dog anything. With the envelope in hand, I headed out to meet Sydney.
Chapter Seven
Sydney
“Hey, Sydney?” Maggie said. “There’s a guy here to see you.”
Great. Maybe it was Benny, returning the papers. That would be one thing checked off my list for the day. I smiled at Maggie, nodding. “Sure, send him back.”
“Okay!” Maggie grinned. It looked like she wanted to say something else, but she held back. She just smiled a second longer, then turned and went back up front.
I put my pen down and reached for my travel mug, taking a long sip of coffee. Heavy footsteps were coming my way, and I wanted to make a good impression.
But it wasn’t Benny.
No, it was Ryker.
Dammit!
I didn’t let my smile drop, though. Professionalism was more important than anything else.
“What can I do for you, Ryker?” I asked, rising from my desk.
To my surprise, he held out the envelope I’d left with Benny.
“Just dropping these off for my boss,” he said. He was being polite.
That was just as sexy as when he’d smirked at me the night before, and I really didn’t appreciate it. I definitely didn’t need to spend all day at work turned on and desperate for an orgasm or five.
“Well, thanks.” I took the envelope. “I’m assuming everything is signed and ready to go?”
“Seems like it.” He nodded, but the look on his face said there was more he wanted to say.
God, I hoped he wasn’t about to flirt. I couldn’t handle that right now.
He smiled at me. The way he looked at me sent heat rushing through my body, straight between my thighs.
It wasn’t fair. It shouldn’t have been so easy for him to do this to me.
“So, Sydney. You’re new in town? Need somebody to show you around?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I grew up here. I moved away for a little bit and now I’m back.”
“Oh… cool. That’s cool.” He nodded, still looking at me.
He was gorgeous. And not at all the kind of guy I was meant to be with.
I needed somebody a little more together. I couldn’t imagine a guy like this having his life together. He probably drank too much, hooked up with all kinds of girls, and ran with dangerous crowds.
He’d drag me down if I gave him a shot.
“Well, I have work to be doing.” I smiled at him, but it was tense. “So…”
“Oh.” Ryker blinked, then took a half-step back. “Right. Well, just so you know, the offer stands.”
He clearly didn’t get told to leave often.
I smiled. “Look, I can’t imagine the kind of places you hang out are the places I’d want to go. I’m not the kind of girl who wants to hang out in a biker bar or whatever.”
He raised his eyebrows. That little smirk was back on his face.
I had to get him out before he could say something else. I nodded toward the door. “Have a nice day.”
“Sure. You, too.” He nodded, moving away.
And then he stopped.
He paused in the doorway, turning his head to look over his shoulder. “Oh, hey.”
“Yes?” I smiled but was sure it wasn’t quite as welcoming this time. He was wearing on my nerves.
“Well, it’s just...” Ryker chuckled, folding his arms over his chest. The way his arms looked like that was sinful. “Page five, paragraph six, subsection I.”
I blinked in surprise. “What?”
He shrugged. He was trying to play this off as no big deal, but I was a little rattled. “It really needs a reference to the non-compete clause from the appendix. Just to make sure everything is clear. No loopholes.”
I blinked. What the hell was he talking about? He shouldn’t know that much. He shouldn’t have even looked at the documents. He wasn’t an owner.
But… what if he was right?
That would change things a little.
A lot, really.
I hitched my dealing-with-clients smile back on and nodded. “Well, I’ll take a look at that. Thanks for bringing these by.”
“No problem.” He smiled. “Take care, then.”
“You, too.”
He turned and passed through the doorway, quickly vanishing.
I sat down at my desk and opened the envelope, pulling the papers out and flipping through them. Page five, paragraph six, subsection I.
I read over it, eyebrows raising.
He was right.
Who the hell was this guy?
* * * * *
After work, I had plans. Kenzie and I had arranged to meet up for drinks, and she’d invited Lora to join us. I’d met Lora last time I visited Richland, and I liked her a lot. She was funny, and fun, and she liked to party.
The three of us sat in a booth at The Republic. We ordered a few plates of appetizers—wings, nachos, potato skins—and beers to enjo
y while we caught up. Lora sat across from me, talking animatedly about a new recipe she’d come up with for Bakeology that was doing really well.
“And I mean, all the guys at No Regrets really liked it, and that means a lot.” She smiled, twisting a lock of strawberry-blond hair around her finger as she gushed about espresso cupcakes.
“That sounds really good,” I replied. “I’ll have to drop in and get some.”
“Let us know what day you plan to stop in, and we’ll save you one.” Kenzie smiled. “They sell out fast.”
I didn’t really want to talk about cupcakes all night, but it was better than Lora talking about her relationship.
At least one of us was getting laid.
I had some questions for Kenzie, though. I opened my mouth, but she got her question out first.
“So, Syd. What happened? With Mark?”
Oh, God. I reached for my beer and took a long sip. “I need something stronger to talk about that.”
“I’ll get shots.” Lora smiled, scooting out of the booth and hurrying to the bar.
Kenzie put an arm around my shoulders. “It’s okay. I mean, we don’t have to talk about it if you really don’t want to. I just thought it might be good for you to get it out, vent to people who might understand. Lora’s ex cheated on her, so she can maybe help a little?”
I sighed. It was true, but that didn’t mean I wanted to talk about it. It just hurt too much.
But maybe Kenzie had a point. Maybe if I talked about it, I could let go of some of the shit I felt all the time.
When Lora came back, I knocked back a shot and sighed.
“Okay. Okay. This is… it’s bad.”
Kenzie gave my shoulder a squeeze. She pushed her shot toward me. I drank that one, too.
I took a deep breath. “So, I got home from visiting you here, and things seemed normal.” I shrugged. “We still talked about the wedding a lot, and how excited we were. All the good stuff.”
My voice hitched. It had felt good, but then…
“So, yeah, a few weeks later, I came home early from work. I felt sick and they told me to go home, right? So, I come in and… and I hear… noises.”
Kenzie and Lora looked at each other, then back at me. Lora held one hand out across the table, and I took it. Kenzie put her arm back around my shoulders.
