Ray of Hope (Ray #2)

by E. L. Todd

  “I don’t know how much cash I have until the end of the month.” He turned his gaze back to the TV in a failed attempt to ignore me.

  “But you should have enough to make rent, so you should start looking for a place—pronto.”

  “Damn, are you going to hound me to pay you back too?”

  “No. You can keep that. I just want you out of my space.” I walked back to the kitchen. “Hi, Zeke.”

  “Hey, Rae.” He held up his beer in acknowledgment.

  I poured a glass of wine then sat on the couch with Safari.

  He opened his eyes and saw me then scooted closer until his chin rested on my thigh. After I started to pet him, he closed his eyes.

  “Do you guys have any single friends?” I asked.

  “Did you break up with Ryker?” Zeke blurted out the sentence so loud it sounded like a shout.

  “Did you kick him to the curb?” Rex asked hopefully. “I knew you would see reason eventually. That guy is—”

  “I’m asking for Kayden. But I’m glad to hear you guys finally accept Ryker…”

  “Oh…” Rex deflated like a popped balloon.

  Zeke drank his beer then stared at the floor. “I have a few, but I’m not sure if Kayden would like them.”

  “And none of my friends are good enough,” Rex said.

  “You don’t have any doctor friends?” I asked Zeke. “The rich and good-looking type?”

  “None that are young or good-looking,” he said.

  “Kayden needs to get laid?” Rex asked. “I can help her out with that. When we went out last month, she wore this tight black dress and damn, she looked so fuckable. Her legs went up to her neck.”

  “Ew.” I was about to drink my wine but thought better of it. “Don’t talk about my friend like that.”

  “What?” Rex asked innocently. “I’m just being honest. She cleans up good.”

  “Well,” I said. “She cleans up well.”

  Rex had a blank look on his face. “What?”

  I shook my head. “Never mind.”

  Zeke leaned forward with his arms resting on his knees. “Has she tried Tinder?”

  “I don’t think so,” I said. “But I doubt she’s looking for a hookup. I think she’s more serious than that.”

  “There’s eHarmony and stuff like that,” Rex said. “But seriously, I could show her a good time.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Rex.”

  He rolled his eyes back at me. “I mean, I could show her a well time.”

  I smacked my hand to my forehead and dragged it across my face. He was hopeless.

  Zeke smirked but didn’t bother correcting him.

  “So no?” I asked. “Neither one of you has any good guys to recommend?”

  They both shook their heads in response.

  “I guess I’ll just go out with her and help her scoop up a guy.” I hadn’t been out with the girls in a while anyway. It would be nice to get dressed up and get out of the apartment, especially since my brother was permanently parked on the couch.

  “Don’t dress too nice,” Zeke warned. “Otherwise, all the guys will go for you instead of her.”

  “Yeah, okay,” I said with a laugh.

  Zeke didn’t change his expression.

  “Well, I’m gonna get in the shower. You girls have fun tonight.”

  Rex stuck his tongue out at me. “Tell the other gremlins I said hello.”

  ***

  I met Kayden outside the bar. She wore a short black dress that showed off her killer legs, silver heels, and a silver clutch was tucked under her arm. Her hair was done in humongous curls, making her look like a beauty queen contestant. I looked her up and down when I reached her. “Damn, I think I might be bi.”

  She laughed before she hugged me. “Yeah right. With Ryker’s package, you’re straight to the bone.”

  “Very true.”

  She pulled away and looked at my pink dress. “You look so cute. I love that color on you.”

  “Thanks. So, are you ready to pick up a fine-ass man to take home?”

  She crossed her fingers. “Let’s hope I get lucky.”

  “I invited Jess to come along, but she said she’s bitch-zilla because she started her period today.”

  Kayden cringed. “She did mankind a service by staying home.”

  “Word.”

  We entered the bar and pushed through the crowd to get our drinks. I noticed every guy in the room was staring at Kayden, so she would probably hook up with someone quick. I could duck out and go to Ryker’s for some sweet action.

  We got our drinks then walked to a free table in the center of the room. There were no chairs, so we stood there in our five-inch heels. We were both in pain, but according to girl code, you weren’t allowed to complain no matter how excruciating it was. If you chose fashion over comfort, you were stuck with it.

  “See anyone you like?” I glanced around the room and saw a few good-looking guys. But most of them were already making moves on different chicks.

  Kayden glanced around the room casually. “Not particularly. But it’s pretty early. The best ones come out late.”

  “True.” More like, the bad ones.

  Kayden sipped her drink and continued to glance around. “Thanks for coming out with me tonight. I know you already have a man, so this may seem boring.”

  “Nah. It’s always fun to hang with you. I just hope you take someone home.”

  “Me too…”

  “So where did this need for a man come from?” She wasn’t overly boy crazy, about the same as Jess and me. We were always looking for Mr. Right, but it didn’t control our lives.

  She shrugged her petite shoulders, and when she moved, her diamond earrings sparkled in the dim lighting. “I just realized I haven’t been out with anyone for a while. And if I don’t go out to a bar, then how am I going to meet someone? It’s not very often a guy my age walks into the library.”

  There was no worse place to meet someone. The only people who used public libraries were retired folks. Since Kayden wasn’t a gold digger, that wasn’t an option. “Well, there are definitely men your age here tonight.”

  Her head turned to the corner, and she narrowed her eyes.

  “See something you like?”

  She continued to squint. “Doesn’t that guy look like Ryker?”

  I turned in her direction and narrowed my eyes on the booth in the corner. The guy Kayden was referring to was sitting on the right, and two other men took up the circular booth. Each guy had a woman under his arm. Ryker appeared to be alone.

  He better be alone.

  “Yeah, I think that’s him.”

  “Did you tell him you were going out tonight?”

  “No.” Come to think of it, I hadn’t spoken to him since my cab ride home. He usually asked me to do something the second I was free, but he obviously had other plans.

  “You don’t think he’s with some skank, right?” She gave me a look of trepidation, like she hoped she was wrong.

  The thought never crossed my mind. “No. I’m sure he’s here alone.” Ryker was difficult for me to read, but he would never do that to me. He wasn’t a liar, and he wasn’t disloyal either. “He’s probably just with some friends.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

  A tall brunette walked to their table and sat beside Ryker. She was beautiful, painfully so, and she rocked her heels like they were sandals. Ryker didn’t touch her and barely looked at her, but I still didn’t like the fact she was there.

  Kayden turned her gaze back on me, but she didn’t say anything.

  “Let’s go say hi.” I left the table and knew she was behind me without looking. I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions because Ryker wasn’t doing anything wrong. If he wanted to go out for a drink with his friends, he had every right to do so. And just because his friends found hookups didn’t mean he did too. That third woman might be friends with the other two and that was it. No need to panic.

&nbs
p; I reached their booth and looked down at Ryker with Kayden beside me.

  It took him a moment to realize I was there. When his eyes settled on me, he didn’t seem as surprised as he should be. “Small world, huh?” He gave me his naturally charismatic smile like always.

  And that told me everything was fine. If he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t, his reaction would have been a lot more skittish. Now I felt guilty for letting the thought even cross my mind. Ryker would never do that to me, and I felt like a bitch for not trusting him implicitly to begin with. “I’d say so.”

  He turned to his friends. “That’s Ryan and Leana.” He turned to his other friend. “That’s Jeremy and Wynona.” Then he turned to the mystery woman sitting right beside him. “And Tisha. You guys, these are my friends Rae and Kayden.”

  Friends?

  We were his friends?

  I was his friend?

  Kayden tensed beside me, just as offended as I was.

  I kept my cool even though I was a volcano about to explode. His choice of words was a slap in the face. I probably wouldn’t have cared if he got out of his seat and kissed me or something, but he continued to sit there like we hardly knew each other.

  Like we weren’t sleeping together.

  After all the shit he gave me about telling Rex and Zeke about the two of us, he had the audacity to introduce me as a friend?

  A friend?

  Kayden grabbed my shoulder and gave me a gentle pull. His glass of scotch was on the table, and I had the urge to grab it and throw it in his face. She could read my mind as well as Jess, and she knew it was coming. Throwing alcohol in people’s faces was somewhat my forte.

  I looked Ryker in the eye, pretty much flipping him the bird with my threatening gaze. “Have a good night. Friend.” I turned on my heel and walked off with my shoulders back and my head held high. I didn’t put up with bullshit, and that behavior was the definition of bullshit. If he chose to act like we weren’t together, then fine. We weren’t together.

  “I can’t believe that little prick.” Kayden’s voice picked up the second we were out of earshot. “He’s such a dick.”

  “I know. I wanted to slap him.”

  “And throw that drink in his face. I saw you eyeing it.”

  If only I was a little closer.

  “Rae.”

  I heard his voice come from behind me, but I didn’t want to deal with him. I honestly wasn’t expecting him to chase me at all. And I was hoping he wouldn’t. “Keep going.” I pulled Kayden with me and pretended not to hear him.

  “Rae.” He caught up to me and grabbed my other arm. “What was that?”

  “Seriously?” Now that I was looking him in the face, I was even more pissed. Those beautiful green eyes no longer held any charm, and I was too angry to melt for his stern jaw and impressive shoulders. “I need to tell you something about me because you clearly don’t know it already.” I poked him hard in the chest and felt my finger ache from hitting the hard surface. “I’m not the kind of woman who waits around for some guy. I don’t date men who aren’t man enough to tell their friends I’m his. I don’t play games, and I don’t lie. You clearly don’t fit the bill for me, Ryker. So I’m done with you.” I turned away because I didn’t want to look at him anymore. I just wanted to get away and tell Rex he was right. I never should have gotten involved with this playboy.

  “Whoa, hold on.” Ryker grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me into his chest. “What the hell are you so worked up about?”

  “You introduced me as a friend. You didn’t get off your ass to even hug me, and that cunt looked pretty comfortable as she practically sat in your lap. Ryker, if you can’t handle a woman like me, that’s fine. Because I’ll find someone who can.”

  He grabbed both of my wrists and pinned them to my sides so I couldn’t move. Kayden must have stepped away because this conversation was awkward to anyone who had ears. “First of all, what am I supposed to introduce you as?”

  “Uh, your girlfriend?”

  “I didn’t think we were there yet.”

  Ouch. That was a slap in the face. “You’re the one who wanted to date monogamously. If that doesn’t make me your girlfriend, what does?”

  “I thought we were just seeing each other.”

  “Then that disqualifies me as a friend, which was how you introduced me.”

  “I can’t believe you’re getting so worked up over this.” He shook his head slightly with a tense jaw.

  “You’re the one who demanded I tell Rex and Zeke we were seeing each other.”

  “So I wouldn’t have to sneak around behind their backs like some kind of pussy,” he barked. “And before you explode, I told Ryan and Jeremy I was seeing you. So when I introduced you to them, they knew exactly who you were. The only reason why I didn’t get up was because Tisha just sat down, and I didn’t want to ask her to get up again. You’re blowing this completely out of proportion right now.”

  I felt a little stupid, but I was also still pissed. “You would flip if I introduced you to someone as a friend and you know it.”

  “To an ex, sure. But to random people you’ll never see again, no.”

  “And Tisha seemed interested in you.”

  “So what?” He continued to squeeze my wrists. “She asked if I wanted to go back to her apartment about twenty minutes ago. That’s when I told everyone I was seeing you. Who cares if she wants my nuts when you’re the only woman who gets to touch them.” He pulled me closer into his chest, practically yanking me. “I’m sure they’re watching right now, and it’s pretty fucking clear I’m pussy-whipped. So will you calm the fuck down now?”

  My chest ached with every deep breath I took, and I couldn’t make the humiliation burning in my cheeks stop. But I was still angry, upset all of this happened in the first place. If he’d just addressed me more personally, I wouldn’t have stormed off. So, it was still his fault in my eyes. “Good night, Ryker.” I just wanted to go home and be alone. I had some thinking to do. I pulled out of his grasp and turned on my heel.

  “That’s it?” he asked incredulously. “End of story?”

  I turned back around. “End of relationship—or whatever the hell this is.” My rage was doing all the talking, and I said things I didn’t mean. I didn’t want to lose Ryker. In fact, I wanted him more. I wanted him to call me his girlfriend and jump out of that booth to kiss me where everyone could see.

  Ryker grabbed me again, and this time, he pulled me outside to the cool air. The music thudded from inside the building, the bass bouncing against the walls. A short line was outside as people waited to get in. He pulled me to the sidewalk and kept his hold on my elbow. “This isn’t over.”

  “Yes. It. Is.”

  “Why?” he demanded. “Over that stupid little misunderstanding?”

  I threw his arm down so he wouldn’t touch me again. “No! I’ve never been this jealous in my life. I’ve never wanted someone so much before. And I’m just realizing how much I’ve fallen, how deep in the hole I’m getting. And if you won’t even call me your girlfriend…then I’m setting myself up for failure. If I could be so easily hurt by that introduction, then that tells me you already mean more to me than you should. I thought I could guard my heart and play it cool, but I guess I can’t. That’s why I’m ending this.” I stepped back so I would be out of reach if he tried to grab me again.

  He stared at me, vapor rising out of his nose with every breath he took. He wore a long-sleeved, gray t-shirt and dark jeans, and despite the cold, he looked so warm. His eyes were full of fire, like he was angry at me for everything I just said.

  I crossed my arms over my chest because I was cold. My nipples were poking through the fabric. Tonight was supposed to be carefree and fun, but it ended up being a disaster instead. I was doomed to repeat my mistakes and fall for guys who always broke my heart. Why couldn’t I change the cycle? Why couldn’t I pull my head out of my ass and think clearly for once?

  “Rae, th
is is new to me. And I’m scared too.”

  My eyes found his and saw the sincerity.

  He stepped closer to me, but I didn’t back up. “I know we have our problems, and we need to work on them. But I don’t want to break up. I don’t want to stop seeing you, stop kissing you, and stop making love to you.”

  It was one of the few times he said something sweet, and I felt my heart race as it fluttered.

  “I’ll be your boyfriend if that’s what you want.”

  “I want you to want it too…”

  “I want to be with you. That’s all I know. If you want me to introduce you as my girlfriend, then I will. If you want me to introduce you as the Queen of Seattle, I’ll do that too. Whatever you want.”

  Finally, my lips formed a smile.

  He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close. “Did I fix it?”

  I nodded. “I think you did.”

  “Want to go back in there, and I’ll introduce you the proper way?”

  I chuckled because I thought he was joking. “Unnecessary.”

  “Because I will, Rae. Whatever you want.”

  I pressed my face against his chest and inhaled his masculine scent. “It’s really okay.”

  He rested his chin on my head and kept his arms tight around me. “Sweetheart, you’re freezing. How about we go back to my place?”

  “Even if I weren’t freezing, I’d want to do that.”

  He kissed my temple then walked me down the sidewalk to his car. “Good. Me too.”

  ***

  “You have some making up to do.” Ryker stripped off his clothes then lay on the bed, his back against the headboard and his long dick resting against his hard stomach. He interlocked his fingers behind his head and stared me down, that smoldering look on his face.

  “Me?” I placed both of my hands on my hips and cocked my head. My attitude was forced. I wasn’t the least bit annoyed. In fact, anytime I saw him buck naked, I was aroused. My thighs wanted to squeeze together in longing, and my breathing had already changed. My mouth was dry and desperate to wrap around his shaft, forming a suction so tight he’d come immediately. “I remember tonight quite differently.”