“Well, that’s what we need to discuss. I’ve got her under constant surveillance so she’s good as far as this creep watching her. It’s other things I’m worried about. Look, I gotta go, Gates. I’ll fill you in later.”
Stone returned to his car and pulled away, leaving Ridge more confused than before. To keep himself busy, he rigged up some simple devices to alert him if anyone was snooping around his house. Tape on the door and door jam, fine thread placed strategically over drawers and cabinet doors. By the time he finished it was time to leave.
Ridge ordered three beers, one for Stone and two for him. Before Stone arrived, Ridge had polished off his first and had half his second gone. Stone sat across from him, grabbed the bottle of beer and drank about half of it before leaning back in his chair.
“Bad day?” Ridge asked.
Stone nodded. “I saw something today that disturbed me. When was the last time you saw Avery?”
Ridge rolled his beer bottle between his palms and focused on a gouged out spot on the table. “Ten days ago. Why?”
“Well, I saw her today.”
Ridge cocked an eyebrow, fighting the irritation that Stone dropped by on her all the time. “And that disturbed you?”
“It would have disturbed you, too.”
Worry nibbled at Ridge as Stone’s face took on a hard appearance.
“You ever see a junky drying out, Gates?”
“No, can’t say I have.” Junky? What did that have to do with Avery?
“I have. They take on this hollow, ghostly appearance, and their attitude changes. I’m not talking simple mood swings; I mean they become completely different people.”
Ridge didn’t know whether to reach across the table and choke Stone for putting Avery in the same class as junkies, or shake the hell out of him for taking too damn long to explain.
“I’m not much for games, Stone. Explain.”
“I’ve been calling her for a week and she wouldn’t answer her phone. I stopped by several times and she wouldn’t answer the door. Today I show up, knock and I hear glass shattering.”
Ice-cold fear slid through Ridge. He took a swallow of beer to keep his hands busy.
“I had to threaten to kick the door in if she didn’t answer it. When she did I thought I stepped into an alternate universe.” Stone drank the rest of his beer and waved down the waitress for another. “The place stinks to high heaven, like rotted meat and old garbage. Broken glass jars all over the kitchen floor and Avery—” Stone shook his head and curled his upper lip. “She looked like hell.”
Explosions of mixed emotions went off inside him. Ridge couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Avery never had a thing out of place in her house. She kept it spotless.
“She has big black bags under her sunken eyes, she’s pale, looks like she’s lost weight too. I’m telling you, Gates, she hasn’t bathed in a week. I’m not sure what smelled worse, her or the house. Her hair is greasy and stringy and she all but told me to go fuck myself for checking on her.”
Ridge couldn’t swallow; hell, he could barely breathe. Avery? Ridge shook his head, refusing to believe what Stone said.
“I know Avery isn’t into drugs,” Stone went on. “But I’m telling you, Gates, she looks like she’s going through detox.”
“What do you think’s going on?” Ridge asked with a strained voice. This wasn’t Avery.
“I’m guessing she’s finally going through the grieving process in her own way, but hell, I’m telling you she resembles an addict rather than a grief-stricken woman. I told her I’d be back in two days and if she didn’t have herself cleaned up I’d take care of it.” Stone lifted his hard gaze and pinned him with it. “You got a problem with that?”
“Fucking right I do. If she needs help, I’ll help her.” He wasn’t about to sit back and let Stone clean her up. Avery needed him, no one else.
“I believe you are the last person she wants there. I don’t know what the hell is going on with you two, but I do know it’s affecting her way beyond a jilted lover.” Stone leaned across the table. “When her health becomes endangered, I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep her safe, Gates. Mark my words, I’ll toss your fucking ass in jail so fast you won’t know what hit you if you’ve been feeding her drugs.”
The accusation barely registered over the raw anger coursing through Ridge’s system. He leaned across the table and came nose to nose with Stone. “I’ve never touched a drug in my life that wasn’t handed to me by a doctor,” he growled back. “And Avery is no user.” No, he had an idea what she was suffering from. “I’ll handle this, Stone. You don’t know her background, I do. You can’t help her.”
Ridge only hoped he could at this point. Avery didn’t do drugs. He’d never buy that. Could it be possible that her complete lack of contact with someone after a lifetime of being a part of a whole had affected her? It would be like having part of your being ripped away. Half of your personality removed. That had to be it.
“You concentrate on finding out what this bastard wants with her, Stone. I don’t care if you have to stop him in the middle of the street and pull him out of his car. Find out what his deal is.” Ridge stood and tossed some bills on the table. “I’ll take care of her.”
“You better, Gates. I’m giving you one last chance here. Don’t make me get official with this.”
They shot each other cold warning glances before Ridge left the bar. He tossed his leg over his motorcycle, slipped his helmet on his head and gave the bike one powerful kick to fire the motor. Guilt piled on top of guilt as he pulled out into traffic. First he’d let Cale die, then he failed to be there for Avery at the hardest time of her life, and to make sure he iced that shit-cake, well, he’d sat at home while she suffered from some sort of withdrawal. Yeah, he’d turned out to be one poor excuse of a friend, not to mention human being.
Time to change that. The old Harley rumbled beneath him, sending vibrations through his muscles clear to the marrow of his bones. With the wind in his face and his bike growling down the pristine streets, Ridge vowed he’d park himself at Avery’s place until she snapped out of whatever hell she’d fallen into. She’d fight, and yeah, he looked forward to that, but he’d stay.
Cale counted on him, believed he’d take care of her and it was time he stepped up and made good on his promise. One day at a time. He wouldn’t allow himself to think beyond a twenty-four-hour period. If it took a week or months to get Avery back on her feet, he’d stay. After that, well, who knew.
Ridge’s heart squeezed inside his chest. He knew exactly what he wanted to do after. He wanted to be a real part of her life, wake up every morning with her, sit across from her at the table, hear about her day, be a part of her day. That’s what he’d always dreamed about. Only those dreams came when he was a whole man, not a broken, pathetic empty shell that couldn’t properly take care of the woman he loved.
Disgust in himself and the situation had him wrenching back on the gas and flying down the street. It didn’t matter. He didn’t matter. Avery was the only thing in the world that mattered to him.
Chapter Fifteen
Avery heard the roar of a motorcycle coming down the street and ignored it. She briefly wondered who on her block had gotten the new bike and then quickly dismissed the question with, “who cares?” Maybe she’d get herself one. Buy some over-expensive leather and terrorize the neighborhood at all hours as she sped down the street. A slightly hysterical giggle bubbled up from her chest.
Wouldn’t that be something? Stone would be showing up to arrest her for disturbing the peace instead of trying to get in her pants. The vision of him handcuffing her made her giggle again. Maybe she’d let him in her panties if he promised not to fine her.
The motorcycle rumbled louder and then after a quick rev, shut off. Avery sighed, slightly disappointed. She liked that sound. Now peace overtook her home once again. Damn, but she’d gotten tired of the nerve-racking silence. The silence was quickly shattered by hard thudding on her front door.
“Go away,” she muttered, staring at the ceiling.
The intruder obviously couldn’t hear her. Boom. Boom. Boom. Over and over again. Each thud seemed to get louder and harder. Damn Stone, he said he wouldn’t be back for two days.
Five minutes passed with the intruder never relenting. Solid, steady pounding that she knew would splinter her door. Finally, irritated and working up a good steam of mad, Avery pulled herself off the bed and ambled down the stairs. She still hadn’t changed out of her nightshirt and, okay, she could smell it, but whoever wanted in so badly would have to put up with it. The closer she got to the door, the more pissed she got. She could see the wood bowing with every hit.
Avery gripped the doorknob and jerked it open. “Can’t you take a hint?” she shouted. Her heart stuttered inside her chest, flipped over slowly and then began a rapid tattoo that nearly stole her breath. Ridge.
She blinked a few times to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. It had been ten days, after all. Nope, no illusion. Ridge stood at her door wearing slouchy faded jeans and a snug knit shirt that hugged his torso like a second skin. Silently she cursed as heated moisture pooled between her legs and her nipples peaked, jutting through the thin fabric of her nightshirt.
Ridge burst through the door past her exactly like Stone had earlier and that added fuel to her mish-mashed emotions. Why did they think they could barge into her home whenever they wanted too?
“What the hell do you want?” she snapped, still gripping the doorknob.
Ridge stepped farther into the house and surveyed the kitchen and living room. “I heard you were having some difficulties,” he muttered.
“Really? I bet I can guess who told you that crap. I’m not having anything but alone time, so if you don’t mind, get the hell out.”
Ridge’s back stiffened, he pulled himself up straight and pressed his shoulders back. As if being ordered by a commanding officer to about face, he turned on his heel and faced her with his hands fisted at his sides and his chest puffed out. Her traitorous body responded with a gush of heat and a shiver that slid all the way down her spine, through her thighs and made her toes curl.
The man looked impossibly good when he got mad. Avery mentally slapped herself. What did he have to be angry about? He’d cursed her out, stormed from her bed and ordered her to stay out of his head. She’d done exactly what he wanted. What the hell was his problem now?
“I’m not going anywhere, Avery,” he said in his low, quiet voice that would make normal people wince with fear.
Avery stomped her bare foot once. “What makes you think you can barge in here anytime you want and order me around? I’m not one of your fan club who waits around for you to grace me with your presence. Leave!”
Ridge took three steps toward her and slammed the door closed. She gasped and stared at the door. Ridge ignored her and headed into the kitchen.
“Of all the nerve,” she muttered and quickly followed him. She stood shocked as he grabbed her broom from her closet and promptly went about sweeping up all the broken glass and dried food on the floor. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Don’t come in here,” he barked, stopping her in her tracks. “You’ll cut your feet to pieces.”
Not in the mood to be told what to do, she jutted out her chin and marched herself right into her kitchen. Ridge growled low in his chest, brushed his arm across the top of her table, sending everything to the floor, and then picked her up and sat her down on it. The jolt went all the way through her body and made her jaw snap shut.
“What’s gotten into you?” he snarled as he continued to sweep the mess into a pile.
“What’s gotten into you?” she shot back, crossing her arms over her breasts. “I can’t keep up with you, Ridge. One minute you’re treating me like I’m a criminal and the next you’re cleaning my kitchen. Go away.” When she made a move to hop off the table top, Ridge swung around and bared his teeth like an angry animal.
His chest and arm muscles bunched until she could actually see veins popping out in his biceps. The scar on his face turned a bright red in stark contrast to his dark stormy eyes. Another rush of hot desire crashed over her, making her flesh tingle and her breasts swell.
“Stay. Put,” he ordered.
Frustrated, horny and confused as hell, she glared at him. “I’ll call the cops and they’ll remove you from my home.”
“Go ahead,” Ridge said with a shrug. “Stone will show up and if I remember right he said he’ll be here the day after tomorrow to clean up. It’s either him or me.”
Ridge stepped up to the table and forced himself between her legs. Using his free hand he slid his palm up her thigh and beneath the hem of her shirt until his knuckles brushed her hot, wet pussy. It took everything she had not to physically shiver.
“I’m guessing you’d rather me be here than him.” He purposely brushed his thumb across her throbbing clit, nearly making her groan out loud. “Would you be this wet for him? I don’t think so. I don’t think you could scream for Stone like I can make you scream. All it takes is a touch and you’re ready for me.”
He might as well have tossed a bucket of ice water on her. He knew how bad she wanted him and now he was shoving her face in it. “Bastard,” she hissed as tears stung her sinuses. She would not cry, not for him.
“That’s right, Avery, and the sooner you realize that the better off you’ll be.” He gave her clit a slight pinch and then removed his hand and went back to sweeping.
She couldn’t sit here like this. He’d just tried to humiliate her and she still wanted him. That didn’t say much for her, either. “I can’t believe my brother ever saw anything good in you,” she said, hopping off the table. “I guess you fooled Cale, too.” She hated the thick emotion in her voice, but it couldn’t be helped. He’d made a deliberate devastating blow and she needed a moment to stem the bleeding. “I’m glad he isn’t here to see the real you.”
Avery made a quick leap over the pile of garbage on the floor and headed for the stairs. Ridge moved fast for a wounded man. He grabbed her arm with force but still gentle enough not to bruise. Avery reacted like her brother had taught her and the way she taught the young girls at the high school. Using her elbow she jabbed back and connected with his solar plexus. Ridge grunted, bent forward slightly, but never lost his grip.
The next thing Avery knew she found herself pinned against the wall with Ridge’s hard body pressed into hers. His thighs kept hers from moving. His hips dug into her and when he shackled her wrists with his hands and lifted her arms over her head, Avery knew she wouldn’t be able to get free. Inside her head a hard pressure formed. Ridge was trying to break through her barrier and invade her brain. She wouldn’t allow it. An entire week of fighting would not be tossed out like useless garbage.
“Stop it,” she huffed, rolling her head back and forth against the wall. “Let me go.”
Ridge used one hand to pin her wrists to the wall and the other to grip her chin and hold her head still. Avery closed her eyes. She didn’t want to see him. Not now, not after what he said.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he whispered, brushing the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip.
“No,” she muttered between her clenched lips and teeth. “Enough is enough, Ridge. I can’t do it anymore.” The constant uncertainty with him had worn thin. One moment he treated her like a gift, the next he whipped out the cruelty.
Ridge continued to caress her lip and then he nuzzled her neck. White hot fire spilled through her bloodstream, heated her flesh and made her juices run hot and thick. God, she wanted him so badly she couldn’t breathe. No. Absolutely not. He didn’t get to treat her like one of his groupies. She was better than that, damn it.
Avery parted her lips slightly and let his thumb slip inside. She bit down as hard as she could, bucked against his body and moved him enough to bring her knee up and jam him in the thigh. Ridge cursed, snatched his thumb from her mouth and released her wrists as he reached fo
r his leg. Taking the opportunity, she ducked and clambered for the stairs.
If she could get to her room she could lock the door and then what? Call the police? He was right, Stone would come and she’d have to deal with both of them. Damn men, they were turning out to be more of a pain in the ass then they were worth. Avery missed a step and stumbled. Before she could right herself, Ridge caught her and pinned her to the stairs with his body.
“That wasn’t very nice,” he whispered in her ear.
His hot breath washed over her flesh and made her skin prickle with delight. When his hand snaked beneath her shirt and cupped her mound, she all but jumped out of her skin. His hands were magic, lethal weapons to a woman.
“Relax, babe,” he whispered, stroking her swollen, wet lips. “It’s going to be okay, I promise.”
Nothing would ever be okay again. Ridge plunged two fingers inside her hot, slick tunnel and her body clamped down on him. All rational thought evaporated as he stroked her inner walls, coaxing more thick cream forth. Inside her head she screamed “no” as her legs gently parted, giving him better access. Ridge’s erection pressed into her thigh, hard, long and so damn tempting.
“Let me make you feel good,” he crooned, scissoring his fingers and stretching her tense walls.
Avery’s mind spun with unbearable pleasure. He didn’t lie. All it took was a touch and she was ready. Ridge tugged her shirt up over her ass and kissed her flesh so tenderly it brought tears to her eyes and currents of electricity to her flesh. He licked, kissed and loved each round globe as he brought her so very close to orgasm with his fingers.
What would it hurt? One last mind-blowing bout of pleasure from him, it couldn’t change anything. And that was the point. He still wouldn’t love her and she’d be left right back at square one, desperate for a man out of reach.
“Stop!” she shouted, seconds before her body constricted and released with glorious spasms.
Ridge froze behind her. His hot breath breezed over her ass cheeks making her body tense. Against her thigh his erection pulsed hard behind his jeans.
Spliced Page 27
