“I’m kidding, baby.”
I let out a quiet groan. “You’re a butt.”
“I’m aware.” He chuckled. “Love that you’re in my kitchen and demanding I come home to help, though.”
I smiled. “I kind of love it too.”
“Okay, baby, gotta go. I’ll see you in an hour.”
“Fifty-seven minutes,” I corrected.
Ryder laughed. “You got it. ’Bye.”
“’Bye.”
I hung up and then heard a crash from the back of the house. “Scottie!” I called and moved quickly to her room. “Hey, sweetie, are you okay?”
She sat on the edge of the bed, her crutches at her feet. “I tried to reach them but only managed to knock them over.”
I smiled and picked them up for her. “I know you want to be independent, Scottie, but let’s not be a hero, okay?”
“I hate this.”
“I know,” I said gently. “You’re a lot like your brother.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s a good thing, sweetie,” I assured. “He’s my favorite person on earth, so if there are two of you, it’s a bonus for me.”
Scottie giggled and settled herself on her crutches. “How did my brother get you again?”
I led her out of the bedroom and into the great room. “His protection fetish.”
“Ah, right. He’s so weird.”
I walked slowly as we moved toward the kitchen. “Just the perfect amount of weird for me.”
“Can I help?”
“How do you feel about potato peeling?”
“It’s my favorite thing in the world,” she lied.
I grinned. “Thank the Lord. I need to prep the pies.”
“You’re baking too?”
“Just a couple of pies. Apple and pumpkin.”
“‘Just a couple of pies,’ she says.” Scottie cocked her head. “When are you moving in?”
I giggled. “When he puts a ring on it.”
“So, soon,” she retorted, and sat at the island.
“Let’s not rush things, sweetie.”
She picked up a potato and began to peel. “Have you met my brother?”
I smiled and washed my hands before grabbing apples to slice. “I doubt your brother’s in any hurry.”
“Then you’re deluding yourself.”
I glanced at her. “Don’t put pressure on him, okay?”
“Sadie, he loves you. I don’t need to pressure him, I’m pretty sure he’s feeling it all on his own.”
I bit my lip, setting the apple I was peeling on the counter. “You don’t really think he feels pressure, do you?”
She shrugged. “Nah. He just hates it when he’s not in your presence twenty-four hours a day.”
I giggled. “He does not.”
“He totally does.” She focused on her peeling. “When you’re not here at night, he paces the house for, like, hours.”
“He does not.”
“Sadie, he totally does.”
I felt like this conversation wasn’t going to make sense anytime soon, so I shut it down. “How are you feeling?” I checked my watch. “You’re due for pain meds in about fifteen minutes.”
“I’m actually good,” she said. “But would you mind grabbing me a pop?”
“Not at all. What would you like?”
“Coke?”
“You got it.” I opened the fridge, pulled out a soda, and handed it to her.
“Thanks.”
We moved through our tasks silently for several minutes before Scottie paused, pressing her lips into a thin line.
“What, sweetie?” I prompted.
“Ryder told me you used to be a nun.”
“I was.”
“Did you like it?”
“Yes,” I said. “But I like life now better.”
“Because of Ryder?”
I smiled. “Partially, yes.”
“Are you allowed to think that?”
I set a bowl in the dishwasher and faced her. “I think so. I think God knows what we truly desire and wants us to live our best life possible.”
“Even if we...?”
“What, sweetie?” She shrugged, and I leaned across the island and stopped her from peeling.
“Do you think God will remember me?”
“He never forgot you, Scottie.”
“But I’m all messed up.”
I moved to sit beside her and took her hands. “Sweetie, we’re all messed up.”
“But I’m a whore.”
“You are not a whore!” I snapped, then realized I needed to be gentle. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she whispered.
“Look, we all have our demons, Scottie. God doesn’t ever forsake us.”
“Then why did He let this happen?”
Okay, Lord, here are the tough questions. I need some help.
“Sometimes bad things happen to good people. I don’t believe God wants it to happen, I think we’re just stuck in a world of sin. And sometimes good things happen to bad people. In my very limited experience, it’s important to look inside yourself and see where we can make some better choices—”
“Because of Dewy?”
“That’s your boyfriend’s name?”
I’m pretty sure I didn’t succeed in keeping the judgment from my voice... granted, I didn’t try very hard... but Dewy? Holy cow. Talk about natural selection just waiting to happen.
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Well, that’s good. Particularly if he talked you into running away. It’s a good choice to dump him.”
Scottie frowned. “Sadie, he didn’t talk me into running away.”
“Ryder said you dated Dewy—”
She snorted in disgust. “I never dated Dewy. He’s disgusting.”
“I’m confused,” I admitted.
“Taylor dated Dewy.”
“Your best friend?”
She nodded.
“Does Ryder know any of this?” I asked.
She shook her head.
“Scottie,” I breathed out.
“Dewy threatened to hurt her, Sadie. It’s the only reason I went with him in the first place.”
“Ryder would have helped you.”
“Dewy said if I told Ryder, he’d do horrible things to her. He told me in detail all the things he’d do... worse than what happened to me.”
I couldn’t imagine anything worse than what happened to her, so I felt a little sick.
Scottie grabbed my hand. “He knew her whole schedule, Sadie, and when we were at the mall, he made sure I saw him.”
I gave what I hope was a bolstering smile. “Okay, sweetie. I think we should tell Ryder now.”
“I can’t handle him yelling at me, Sadie.”
“He’s not going to yell at you.”
“Have you met my brother?” she challenged.
“I will make sure he doesn’t yell at you.” I patted her hands. “Okay?”
She gave me a reluctant nod.
“Just focus on getting better, sweetie. We’ll deal with the rest.”
I slipped off the stool and went back to the pies while Scottie continued to peel potatoes. I’d just put the roast back in the oven and set the pies on the counter to await baking when I heard the garage door lift. I braced myself for an unpleasant conversation. Ryder walked in, glanced at both of us, and threw his keys in the dish on the desk.
“How’s my girl?” he asked, and kissed Scottie’s head.
“Good,” she all but mumbled.
I wiped my hands and forced a smile. “Let’s go have a chat.”
Ryder raised his face to the ceiling, dropped the F-bomb, and then headed toward his bedroom without further comment. I squeezed Scottie’s shoulder on my way past her and followed Ryder, closing the bedroom door behind me.
“If she’s throwin’ drama, I’ll deal with it.”
I crossed my arms. “Why do you assume she’s throwing drama?”
“Because she’s Scarlett Carsen.”
“Ryder, I can handle teenage drama. This is something far more serious.”
“What happened?”
I rolled my eyes. “I think you may want to sit down.”
“Shit, baby, that bad?” he complained.
I filled him in on what Scottie had told me and bit my lip when I saw the vein on the side of his neck bulge out.
“You can’t yell,” I commanded.
“Why the hell can’t I yell?” he bellowed.
I dragged my hands down my face with a groan. “Because I promised your sister I’d make sure you didn’t.”
He slid past me and pulled open the door. “Scarlett Fay Carsen, get your butt in here now.”
“She’s kind of on crutches, Ryder,” I reminded him, more than a little ticked now.
“Damn it!” He stalked out of the bedroom (I followed) and into the kitchen where Scottie was trying to maneuver herself down from the island. She’d dropped one of her crutches and was trying to pick it up with the other.
“Wait, Scottie,” I said, and rushed to her. “Just stay there. Ryder will come to you and he promises he won’t yell.” I glared at him. “Right, honey?”
He glared right back and leaned against the island, his arms crossed and looking as though he were about to kill someone. In a controlled (non-yelling, but just as scary) voice, he asked, “What’s this about the douchebag being Taylor’s boyfriend?”
Scottie shrugged. “Um, just that. Dewy and Taylor were dating... actually, they were hooking up more than dating, but yeah, they were together.”
So much for the innocent, church-going girl Scottie was negatively influencing.
He took a deep breath. “So, you put your safety on the line for a bitch who lied and essentially threw you under the bus.”
“She lied?” Scottie rasped.
“Yeah. Over and over again.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks. “He said he’d kill her, Ryder.”
“You were raped, Scarlett! Repeatedly, because she lied!” He’d kept his cool up until ‘lied’ which was delivered in a shout. I laid my hand on Scottie’s back and gave Ryder a pointed look. “You were kidnapped,” he continued, a little calmer, “and kept locked up in a shithole because she lied. I couldn’t find you for months, little sister, because she lied. You lost a child, because she lied.”
“I get that,” she whispered.
“She’s going to have to deal with this.”
“Her parents will kill her!” Scottie argued.
“If I don’t first, yeah.”
“Don’t, Ryder. It’s done.”
“It’s not fuckin’ done!” he bellowed again. “You were taken from me!”
“And you found me!” she shouted back. “If it had been Taylor, no one would have looked the way you looked for me.”
“Are you sayin’ you offered yourself up so the douchebag wouldn’t take Taylor?” Ryder’s voice was lethal now, and I couldn’t stop myself from stepping in front of his sister.
“I’m sure that’s not what she’s saying,” I rushed to say.
“Sadie, stay out of this,” he ordered.
I bristled, but didn’t object. Now was not the time to read him the riot act. I wasn’t stupid enough to poke the bear so I stayed silent.
“I didn’t offer myself up, Ride,” Scottie said. “It wasn’t like that. Dewy threatened to kill her... well, worse than kill her if I didn’t go with him. I didn’t really take the time to think. It was spur of the moment. I thought we were just going to his house or something. I didn’t know that he had other plans.”
Ryder didn’t get the chance to respond as the sound of a motorcycle roared outside.
“I’m canceling,” Ryder announced, and I let out a squeak of frustration.
“I just cooked all this food,” I mumbled to myself, even though it was probably a good idea to call the night off.
“Don’t,” Scottie said. “I want to see Reese. Please, Ryder.”
“Reese is bringing Auntie and Molly,” I pointed out. “I’d hate to make them turn around and go home. Molly, especially, has been looking forward to seeing Scottie.”
He dragged his hands down his face. “This conversation isn’t over. We’re gonna revisit it once I talk to Reese and Cam.”
“Can’t wait,” Scottie ground out, her countenance more irritated than worried.
I threw the pies into the oven just as the doorbell rang and stowed my irritation right along with them. Pasting a smile on my face, I followed Ryder to the door and greeted my aunt.
Dinner was pleasant, if somewhat strained, although I don’t know that anyone picked up on any of that. Scottie and Molly were deep in conversation most of the night, while Reese was his normal aloof self and Oliver, one of the “extras,” ate like my cooking was the first meal he’d had... well, ever... so I could be irked at Ryder without anyone noticing. When Auntie announced she should get Molly home, I asked if Reese could take me as well. Scottie had long since crashed due to the pain meds Ryder forced her to take, so it wasn’t like I needed to run interference.
“I’m takin’ you, babe,” Ryder said.
I put on the saccharin. “No need to go to all that trouble, honey. Reese can take me.”
“Not happening,” Ryder said.
Reese glanced at him and then me, then shook his head and muttered to himself.
“Oh, it’s happening,” I countered.
“I got Molly and your aunt in the car, babe,” Reese said. “So, if you’re coming, come now.”
“She’s not,” Ryder said, stepping in front of me. “I’ll call you later.”
“Whatever, man.” Reese jogged out to his truck and took off before I could object.
“What the hell, Sadie?” Ryder demanded, closing the door and facing me.
“Um, think back, Ryder.”
“Considerin’ I missed it the first time, how about you just fill me in on whatever the hell I did. It’ll save time and I can get to apologizin’.” He cocked his head. “Then we can get to make up kissing and I can show you how grateful I am at how much work you put into tonight.”
I jabbed a finger at him. “Stop trying to distract me.”
He grinned and pulled me to him. “What did I do?”
“Your biggest offense?”
“There were multiple?” he asked with mock surprise.
I wrinkled my nose. “When you and your sister make me the go-between, and then you tell me to stay out of it, hurts my feelings, and honestly, irks me.”
He sighed. “Yeah, I can see how that would.” He took my hand and tugged me to the sofa, pulling me down on his lap. “I’m sorry, baby.”
“Thank you.”
Ryder smiled. “What about the rest?”
My irritation was gone in seconds since I knew he took what I’d said to heart. “The rest isn’t that big of a deal, especially since I’m leaving the cleanup for you.”
He chuckled. “Fair enough.”
“You need to go easy on Scottie.”
“I just can’t believe she didn’t tell me everything.”
“Me neither,” I conceded. “But she’s like you on the protection front and I think she thought she could handle it.”
“I’ll deal with my sister later.” He stroked my cheek. “Right now, I’d like to get to the making out part.”
I rolled my eyes. “One track mind.”
“No doubt.” He grinned and kissed me. “Thanks for makin’ dinner, baby. It was amazing.”
“You’re welcome. Cooking in your kitchen is heavenly.”
“Wanna do it forever?”
“Huh?”
He kissed me again. “I love you, Sadie. I wanna make this permanent.”
“Wow,” I breathed out.
“Too soon?”
I shook my head. “I love you too, Ryder. I don’t know about making things permanent yet, but I do love you.”
He gave me a gentle squeeze. “How about w
e keep moving forward and I’ll figure out something romantic when the time comes to propose.”
“You’re that sure about us, huh?”
“Hundred percent, Sadie. Told you I don’t mess around.”
“This is true.” I looped my arms around his neck. “Nothing public, okay?”
“Baby, I know you. I’ll make it perfect.”
“Okay.”
“For now, how about I grab you a pair of pajamas, we watch a movie and make out until we fall asleep.” He smiled. “I could really use a night with you close.”
“I’d like that.”
He kissed me again and then, after I changed into a pair of his pajama bottoms and a T-shirt two sizes too big, we snuggled on the sofa in front of the new Terminator movie until I fell asleep against his chest. The last thing I thought as I drifted off to sleep was how comfortable he was as a pillow.
Sadie
THREE WEEKS LATER, I arrived home looking forward to the long weekend. I’d survived my first week at my new school, but I was tired and already needed a break. I’d seen Ryder the sum total of six hours over the past few days, my work schedule was taking all my energy, and the issues with Scottie taking all of his... not to mention the ongoing investigation for the six girls who had gone missing from the Frog. Ryder upped the club’s security and had everyone on high alert, pulling overtime himself in an effort to keep anyone else from disappearing, and it was working. But his diligence meant our time together was limited, so I missed him horribly.
Unlocking my door, I stepped inside and switched on the light. An older man wearing motorcycle boots, jeans, and a leather vest sat on my sofa, his arm leaning against his knee, holding a gun pointed right at me. I opened my mouth to scream, but a rough hand clamped over my mouth before I could get much sound out, and I was dragged to the chair next to my sofa.
“So you’re the bitch who has my son turning over a new leaf,” he said. “Never seen him go to church willingly before.”
Char Carsen.
I didn’t know who the other man was, but Char and Ryder looked scarily alike, and it made my skin crawl. My heart raced, and I felt sick to my stomach. Were they here to kill me? Beat me? Rape me? The options of what might happen were way out of the realm of what my mind could handle.
“If Brick releases you, do you promise not to scream?”
I nodded, desperately wanting the filthy hand removed from my face. Ryder’s father nodded to his crony, who stepped back and crossed his arms, blocking my only exit. I wiped my mouth and swallowed. “I thought you were in jail.”
Ryder (Sinners and Saints, #1) Page 13
