“Skye that’s awesome and I get why you want to spend more time with your sister, but you can’t leave this thing with Ryder to fester.” I know he’s right, but I don’t have it in me to deal with him anytime soon.
“Not yet. I just can’t. Look, I’m going to go bed now. I’ll talk to you soon.” Anything to stop talking about Ryder.
“Fine, I’ll talk to you soon.” He sounds disappointed but there’s nothing that I can do about that, he can’t push me to talk to Ryder. I end the call and send a text to Addi wanting to know if she’s got home.
Me: Did you make it back okay?
It doesn’t take her long to reply.
Addison: Yes mom, now go to bed. I’ll text you tomorrow. X
I place my cell on the bedside table, and it doesn’t take me long to fall asleep.
The sound of ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ by The Guns N’ Roses filters through to me; causing me to wake from my peaceful sleep. I reach out clumsily in my sleepy filled state and grab my cell and answer it.
“Hello?” You can hear the drowsiness in my voice.
“Sorry, did I wake you?” that voice has me wide awake and sitting up in bed. “I forgot about the time difference.”
“What do you want Ryder?” He really needs to get the message that I don’t want to talk to him.
“I wanted to make sure that you’re okay. I’m worried about you Skye.”
“I’m fine. It’s three am, I’m tired, and I have a meeting in the morning.” I can’t hide my annoyance before I left he didn’t even try to talk to me and now I’m over six hours away and more than three thousand miles away from the jackass and now he decides he wants to talk to me.
“Shit, I’m sorry! Look, Skye; you’ve lost weight; so much that I can fucking see your ribs. What the hell is going on? Why are you ignoring me?” He sounds angry, and he has no fucking right to be, if anyone should be angry, it should be me, and right now I feel the heat rushing to my head.
“You! You are what is wrong with me! Anytime I think about you all I want to do is hurt you. Anytime anyone mentions your name I want to either run and hide or punch you!” I scream at him, God this feels good.
“Skye, I didn’t…”
“You didn’t what? Know? Think?” I laugh sarcastically. “What the hell did you expect from me? Ryder, you slept with me, and you knew how I felt about you. Not only that, you hurt me when you told me it was a mistake and will never happen again.” The tears build in the corners of my eyes, and I bite my lip in hopes of keeping them at bay.
“Skye, I never meant to hurt you.” I can picture him pacing the room and running his hand across his jaw. He always does that when he’s annoyed or feels as though he’s out of his depth and right now, talking about feelings he’s way out of his depth.
“Never meant to hurt me? You’re the biggest asshole I know Ryder. We got married, and you will not let us get this annulled or get a divorce. You don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have me.” I huff as I get out of the bed, now it’s my turn to pace.
“Skye…”
“Leave me alone okay?” I hang up. I’ve had enough of listening to his non-answers and his lack of emotions. I throw my cell onto the bed and take a deep breath hoping I calm down; I’m so mad right now. Why is it that asshole always manages to evoke every emotion there is? I climb back into bed and hope that I can find that peaceful sleep I was in before he called.
The sound of my alarm beeping wakes me up and as soon as I move to turn the alarm off, I’m hit with a wave of nausea. I lie back and hope to hell this passes although I know that it’s a lost cause, I’ve yet to have a single day when I don’t throw up. My effort is futile, and I jump out of bed and just about make it to the bathroom.
I throw up until there’s nothing left except for me dry heaving. I feel drained, and I know that there’s something not right and there’s one explanation staring me in the face; pregnant. As much as it can’t be true as I’ve had a period since I’ve slept with the asshole, it’s the only thing that makes sense. I’ll just get a test, and then it can put my mind at ease. Gingerly getting up from the bathroom floor, I brush my teeth and have a shower, hoping I can get some energy back into my body because right now all I want to do is curl up into a ball and go to sleep.
Thankfully, this job isn’t the worst as they don’t really need a lot of updating and they really want to know what steps to take to ensure that they can’t be breached. It will take me three days tops to sort everything out. I’m just thankful there hasn’t been any asshole’s who think that women don’t know anything about security. I’ve spent the morning noting all the things that Intel’s need updating so for the rest of the day, I’ll be working from the hotel doing a spreadsheet of what’s going to be replaced along with the cost.
Harrison is the guy that owns the business, Intel’s, he’s a friend of Oscar’s hence why he wanted someone over ASAP. He has some highly sensitive documents, and he needs to make sure that they can’t be breached so tomorrow I’ll be on a conference call with Oscar for most of the day going through every step that needs to be taken to ensure this.
It doesn’t take me long to get back to the hotel and as soon as I’m in my room all I want to do is sleep, but I know that I must meet Addi in forty minutes as well as doing this spreadsheet when I get back from lunch. Damn, that reminds me, I need to get a test. I wonder where the nearest pharmacy is as I don’t remember seeing one on the way to the Intel’s. I do a Google search to see if there are any nearby and there’s one within walking distance; hell, I could leave now, go to the pharmacy on the way to meet Addi.
Chapter Three
Ryder
“Okay, I’m almost done. I’ve to set them up with an alarm system. The only thing left is to do the firewall for them can you do it from your end?” I hear Skye’s voice, and it pisses me off even more that she will talk to everyone except me. Yes, I know what I’m doing to her isn’t fair but what can I do? I can’t let her be with someone else, she’s my wife, and that’s the way she’s going to stay.
“Yes, I can do that from here. Are you finished then?” Ah, she’s on a conference call with Oscar,
“Yes, and then I’m going to be a tourist. This city is beautiful Oscar; you should have come here instead.” She sounds happy, that’s something I haven’t heard from her in a while. Usually, she’s looking at the floor and rushing out of the room as quickly as she can whenever she’s around me.
“Well I was going to, but you needed to be anywhere that wasn’t around Ryder, so you went instead.” I know he’s not complaining he gets to stay with Emma and Clara. He’s been seeing Emma for a while now; I’m not really sure how long because they were sneaking around behind everyone’s back. I think at least a month if not more. Clara is Emma’s eight-year-old daughter who is one of the funniest kids I’ve ever met.
“Liar, but thanks, I got to meet Addi again.” The way she says Addi, I can hear the love and affection in her voice. Who the hell is Addi?
“So, when are you coming back?” Back? What the hell Oscar? She should be coming back in a few days, why are you asking her that?
“I don’t know yet. Probably next week, maybe longer, I really haven’t decided yet.” The happiness she had has vanished, and now she sounds as though she’s worried.
“What are you doing standing there like a stalker?” I hear Sophia ask from behind me and damn, she’s getting better at sneaking up on me. I was so busy trying to eavesdrop that I didn’t hear her coming up behind me.
I turn and face her and see her smiling at me. “When did you get back?” I change the subject, she looks happy, and I have no doubt that’s because she’s just back from her honeymoon. Although it wasn’t a long one as she has two boys and they were staying with her dad.
“We came yesterday. I’m so fucking mad at you! Why the hell did no one tell me what happened to Morgan?” Tears spring to her eyes as she talks about her brother’s girlfriend. Morgan wa
s shot by Sophia’s biological sister; who use to date, Luke and Scott. She was one hell of a dysfunctional woman, dating two brothers at once. Sophia, never met her, and she never wanted too. Alex, Sophia’s sister, wanted to hurt Sophia a few years ago, but Soph’s dad and her brothers found out, and she fled town only to come back and hurt Morgan.
“You had just gotten married and Morgan’s fine, she told us not to call you.”
“Family comes first! They should have called. So why are you standing out here like some sort of creeper?” She thinks she’s funny; I see her trying to hide her smile.
“Skye is on a conference call with Oscar,” I tell her, and she makes an O with her mouth. “Yeah, and you know that if she knows I’m in the room, she’ll hang up on him.” She hates me that much!
“And whose fault is that?” She raises her eyebrow as she asks the question and I’m wondering when everyone thought it would be okay to invite themselves into my life and comment on it. “Come on Ryder; you can’t be that dense, surely you realize how wrong you are for doing this to her?”
“Leave it alone Soph; it’s none of your damn business.” I leave her standing there and head for my office, hoping I can get some peace without anyone annoying the hell out of me.
I’ve just sat down when there’s a knock on my door, and I swear I want to shoot whoever’s behind that door, can’t people leave me alone?
“Ryder, you busy?” Sam asks as he just opens the door and lets himself in.
“What’s up?” I try to sound enthusiastic, but I can’t.
“So, I’ll be going back to Maui soon, and I was wondering if you had found anyone to take over from Caleb yet?” The way he spits out Caleb’s name shows me that he still blames himself. Caleb was a member of our unit when we were in the army. He sold us out, and because of him, we were captured while we were stationed in Afghanistan. Sam’s just standing by the door as if he’s ready to bolt at any second.
“No, not yet, although it’s on my to-do list. Let me guess; I have to find someone to replace you too?” I knew this day would come, he’s never here anymore, and I don’t blame him. His girlfriend Winter has been through too much, and he doesn’t want to let her out of his sight. I’d be the same. Winter was raped, stalked, and kidnapped.
“Not fully, I’ll still be able to help out whenever I can. But Winter comes first, and New York isn’t her home anymore, and wherever she is, I am.” He has a soppy grin on his face like every time he talks about Winter.
“Okay, we need more staff anyway as Mary is leaving too. How is Winter?” That’s one thing I’m not looking forward to, hiring a receptionist, the last time that happened once the women took one look at Sam and Oscar they went into flirt mode. I can’t have a work environment like that; I’ll kill someone and end up pleading insanity.
“Winter’s good, happy to be going back home. Well, the reason I was asking about if you’re looking to replace Caleb was I might have a replacement.” He finally sits down; he’s more relaxed. Probably because he knows I’m not going to bite his head off. That means that he had a chat with Sophia before he came in.
“I’m all ears, who is it?” Anything to make this process quicker, I hate dealing with people.
“Travers.”
“I’m sorry what? I thought for a second you said, Travers.” My tone has a bite to it.
“Yeah Ryder, that’s exactly who it is. I know that there’s history there, but he’s the perfect fit. He’s an all-rounder, he knows how to do everything and do it well. His best ability is your worst, communications. Come on Ryder isn’t it time to let bygones be bygones. Whatever happened, happened when you were kids, you’re both fucking adults now.” He looks at me expectantly as if he thinks I’m going to say yes straight away.
I scrub my hand across my jaw and contemplate what he’s saying. Do I want the man that fucked my high school girlfriend to become one of my team members? No, I don’t, but Sam is right, Will Travers is one of the best out there, he too is Army, but thankfully was never in my team. I need someone with Travers’ expertise, with Sophia and Sam not working full time, I need someone who can pick up the slack. “Have you spoken to him?” As soon as I say that I know that he has. “Does he want to work here? Not that I’m saying I want him here, hypothetically speaking.”
“Yes, as much as you hate him, he really hates you. Go figure. So yes, he’d love to work here.” I know by the look on Sam’s face that the rest of the team have already spoken about this and Sam drew the short straw to tell me.
“So, the rest of the team want him?” He’s nodding, and I know that I have to interview the fucker at least before I can offer him the job. “Fine, tell him to come in and have an interview tomorrow at nine am and not to be late.”
“Thanks, Serge.” He says as he gets up and leaves, probably before I change my mind. Sam’s in a good mood today, and I haven’t been called Serge in a few years, I was the team’s sergeant while we were in the Army. We all own Smithy International together but as I’m a bossy motherfucker, they decided I should be the one to be the CEO of Smithy International.
I call Mary into my office; the woman has been a godsend. She’s been with us from the very beginning, and we’re lucky to find her.
“Yes, Mr. Marshall. Is there anything I can help you with?” Her kind features and the way she smiles reminds me of my mom.
“Mary, I’m looking to hire a receptionist and a few members to join the team.” I’d love a cup of coffee, and I know if I ask her she’ll make it for me, but she’s an older woman who’s retiring soon, and I feel bad, we should be the ones making her tea or coffee.
“I’ll set it up, would you like me to do the interviews for the receptionists? I know how tedious you’d find it.” She smiles, damn, knows me too well.
I return her smile, “Please that would be great also, have Sophia with you as she’ll scare most of them away.” Soph takes no bullshit and hates women who are all prissy.
“Send me the info, and I’ll have everything set up. Is there anything else you need?” I shake my head, and she walks out of the room. I open up my emails and send Mary the list of requirements for both jobs; I know Mary will have applicants ready for the interview by the end of the week.
I send the email, and I’m about to go and get that coffee that I’ve wanted since I walked into this building when Oscar barges into my office, he doesn’t even knock. I sit back in my chair and wait for the tirade he’s about to let loose. “You fucked up, and you need to fix it when she comes home!” He storms over to my desk and puts his hands on it while trying to look menacing. “That’s if she ever comes home.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Trying to control the anger that’s building up inside of me, she better be coming home. She’s my fucking wife!
“She’s not coming back yet; even though the job is finished, she told me she’s staying longer. First, she said it would be only a week now she says it could be two or even more.” He looks disappointed in me, which is something new. Oscar is my best friend; he knows everything there is about me, which is something rare as I don’t usually talk that much, so him talking to me like this means I’ve fucked up majorly. The only question is how the hell do I fix things? “You can’t lose Skye, Ryder. It will destroy you.”
“I know that, but she has to come back. She’s my wife.” I remind him, which makes him laugh and before he gets a chance to answer me, there’s a knock on the door. “Come in,” I shout, and I instantly regret it as Mary walks in with two cups in her hand.
“I know how busy you boys are. Mr. Marshall, I have emailed your list of requirements for the receptionist’s job to the agencies and put adds in the newspapers and online. All calls will go directly to me.” She’s done a lot in the fifteen minutes since she received my email.
“Thank you, Mary.” My voice is soft, hoping that she doesn’t feel hurt by my gruff tone earlier. She places the cups on the desk in front of Oscar and me and le
aves us, but not before giving Oscar a wink. Damn, I wonder who else is listening to this conversation.
“She’s not your wife.” Oscar grits out as soon as Mary leaves.
“Yes, she fucking is.” I take a sip out of the cup of coffee Mary left and burnt the roof of my mouth; I don’t make a sound as the fucker would just laugh.
“Ryder, how the hell is she your wife? You don’t even talk.”
“I’m not having this fucking conversation again. Leave things alone. How did the job go?” I force myself to stay in my seat and change the subject, so I don’t hit him.
“Fine, Harrison said she did a great job.” That fucker probably wants to sleep with Skye; I’ll kill him. “So, how are you going to fix things?”
“I don’t know, fuck, how the hell am I meant to fix things when she’s thousands of miles away? I don’t even know how I’m going to fix it.”
“Well, you better think and fast. Otherwise, you’re going to lose her.” The fucker has a grin on his face, and I know that he loves that I’m in this predicament. “You brought this on yourself. What the hell were you thinking anyway and don’t say mind your own business!”
I look down at my hands as I make a fist, trying to think of the right way to say this without sounding like a douche. “I wasn’t thinking, obviously. Whenever I’m around her, I lose all my senses. I fucked up, and she’s paying for it, hell, she ran to England because of me.”
“She’s happier, especially since she ran into her sister.” That makes me look up at him, her sister? I didn’t realize that they were talking. “Addison’s also staying in London, that’s one of the reasons why Skye wants to stay longer. She’s still sick though, I can tell you that much. So fix this, and soon, we can’t afford to be losing anyone else from this team.” He gets up and leaves me sitting here, and I know that he’s right, we can’t lose anyone else from this team, we’re family, and I know that whatever is happening between Skye and me it’s affecting this family. I need to fix things; I need Skye home.
Deadly Encounter Page 3
