Passing His Guard (Against the Cage #2)

by Melynda Price

  The cop gave him a knowing grin that sent Aiden’s hackles up. He wasn’t usually so touchy, but he was quickly discovering when it came to Ryann, he didn’t know himself nearly as well as he thought he did.

  “Oh, her? Yeah, she’s kinda hard to miss. Last I saw, she was over by the vending machines down the hall and on the left.”

  After a curt “Thanks,” Aiden spun around and headed in the direction the officer pointed, each step ratcheting the tension inside him. Common sense told him she was safe. She was in a police station, for crissake, and Moralli had no way of knowing she was even here. It didn’t matter that his concern for her was irrational, just knowing the threat existed courted the alpha in him to life, and that beast ran on pure testosterone. By the time Aiden reached the break room, there was a healthy dose of it flooding his veins. He entered the doorway and came to an abrupt stop.

  The relief at finding Ryann was quickly drowned out by another emotion so foreign to him, he was reluctant to name it. Yet there is was, all the same, spiking his pulse higher, suffusing a rush of adrenaline through his system. His jaw clamped tight to bite back the growl rumbling in his throat. Across the room, Ryann stood in front of the vending machine. Her back was to him, as was the officer’s standing beside her. The man was close—too close.

  The boy in blue said something Aiden couldn’t hear, and she laughed as he shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out a fistful of change. After dropping several coins in the machine, Ryann pointed to a bag of trail mix through the glass, and the guy entered the code. When a bag dropped into the bottom compartment, the cop retrieved the trail mix and handed it to her. She gave him a smile that set Aiden’s teeth on edge. It was a sweet grin he wanted to be the sole recipient of. She thanked the officer, telling him he didn’t have to do that and the guy told her it wasn’t a problem. When he moved a step closer, Aiden suspected Dudley-Do-Right was about to make his move, and Aiden didn’t think twice about cock-blocking the bastard.

  “You about ready?”

  They both spun around. Ryann looked genuinely pleased to see him, but the other guy . . . not so much.

  “Aiden, there you are. I was starting to get worried.”

  Was it possible this woman completely missed the fact that this guy was hitting on her? There was zero guilt or embarrassment in her eyes, and that beautiful smile she’d given the officer beamed impossibly brighter for him. Holy hell, looking at her was like a sucker punch to the solar plexus.

  Pure male instinct sent his feet moving forward. He approached Ryann and her admirer, barely resisting the urge to tell Dudley-Do-Right to back the fuck off. Instead, he opted for the communication that wouldn’t get him arrested. Reaching for Ryann, he snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her tight into his side before planting a quick, firm kiss on her lips. She stiffened against him, seeming surprised by his PDA, which was nothing compared to what he wanted to do to her right now. Ignoring her startled response, he shot her a Disco grin that earned him a scowl.

  “It looks like we’ll be spending one more night here, sweetheart.” Then to the officer, Aiden said, “Hey, man, you know of any nice places in town I can take my girl to eat?”

  The cop took a measured step back—message delivered loud and clear, but if he was attempting to disguise his disappointment, he was doing a piss-poor job of it. After getting the name of a place to eat, Aiden ushered a contemplatively silent Ryann out the door. Just before they reached the SUV, she pulled away from the hand he’d possessively planted against her lower back and spun around to face him.

  “What the hell was that?”

  “What do you mean?” he asked innocently.

  “You kiss me in front of that cop and call me ‘your girl.’ And by the way, I’m holding you to that fancy dinner tonight.”

  Aiden bit the inside of his cheek to hold back his amused grin. She was so damn cute when she was all in a tiff. “I thought you were supposed to be my girlfriend,” he said, taking care to keep his expression guileless. “At least that’s what you told everyone last night. I’m just playing the part, sweetheart. Wouldn’t want them to think you were lying.”

  “And I suppose none of that had anything to do with the officer talking to me at the vending machine.”

  “Why would it?”

  “Don’t give me that lawyer talk, Aiden Kruze. You were jealous. Admit it!”

  “I’m not jealous.” He was jealous. “I’m just sayin’ it doesn’t look good when we’re supposed to be together and some other guy is panting all over you.”

  She let out an unladylike snort that somehow managed to sound cute as hell and rolled her eyes. “Please . . . he gave me trail mix.”

  “That wasn’t all he wanted to give you.”

  “You’re being ridiculous,” she chided.

  “And you’re being naïve if you think that guy didn’t want to fuck your brains out.”

  She laughed. She actually laughed at him. “You’re right, Aiden. Nothing says ‘I want to fuck your brains out’ like a bag of trail mix.”

  Oh, for crissake, when she said it like that, he did sound like a jealous jackass.

  “Just admit it, Aiden. You were jealous.”

  He had no intention of admitting any such thing. But he didn’t have to. She gave him a triumphant grin and said, “Well, at least now you know how it feels.”

  She turned to walk away, but Aiden caught her arm before she could take two steps. “How it feels? What in the hell are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about the night of the after party. Do you think I enjoyed sitting at the bar watching you Disco it up?”

  “ ‘Disco it up’? What does that even mean?” He wasn’t sure whether he was more amused or more annoyed at this point.

  She sighed. “It means have you ever even had a real relationship?”

  Whoa, wait, where the hell did that come from? He didn’t know, but he sure as hell was going to find out. “Ryann, what do my past relationships have to do with anything?” Again, answering a question with a question. Hopefully, she wouldn’t notice. If she did, she let it slide.

  “It means that our relationship is complicated enough as it is, and I don’t think it’d be a good idea to make it worse by getting emotions involved.”

  “Emotions like lust? Because I think that ship’s already sailed for you, sweetheart.”

  Too far . . . ? His mocking comment earned him a scalding glare. She looked like she wanted nothing more right now than to introduce her knee to his balls. If he wasn’t careful, they were going to get into a full-blown domestic right here in the parking lot of the Portage Police Department. But goddammit, her rejection stung more than he wanted to admit.

  What the hell happened to that frightened, vulnerable woman who clung to him so desperately back in there, begging for his help? She shot him one last look before jerking her arm from his grasp and turning away. Oh, she was still in there, he realized, catching a glimpse of hurt reflecting in those emerald eyes as she stomped away. But she was fighting like hell to keep that woman buried. Why? Then the answer came to him like an epiphany. Perhaps it was easier to pick a fight than tell him the truth. The truth she knew full well he was going to demand as soon as they got back to their motel. It was a defense mechanism he’d effectively played many times himself. Oh, this girl was good . . .

  “I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work.”

  Oh, she very much doubted that he did. Aiden fired up the Escape and when a hurricane of cold air blasted Ryann in the face, she reached forward and turned off the fan. As he let the SUV idle, giving the engine time to warm, she felt the heat of his stare burning into her. She avoided his gaze, pulling out her phone to check her messages. Great, one from his mother . . .

  “Ryann, look at me.”

  She didn’t want to look at him. She feared if she did, he’d see the trut
h. The truth of how much that kiss in there affected her. How having him pull her against him and call her his girl melted one more layer of ice she’d been working so hard to build around her heart. Watching him stake his claim as he grappled for control, when she knew he wanted to hit that guy for flirting with her, made Ryann feel wanted—owned. It was a feeling she never would have thought she’d enjoy, but coming from Aiden, it was a heady experience.

  If she wasn’t careful, she was going to lose her heart to this man. Especially after the kindness and concern he’d shown for her in the station. She no longer had any doubt he would help her. Aiden had his chance to leave her, and he hadn’t taken it. Gratitude fractured her last vestiges of control, and the willpower she’d been clinging to in an attempt to keep them from crossing the line she’d redrawn this morning was all but shredded.

  So no, he didn’t know what she was doing. He had no idea how hard it was for her not to leap across this center console and throw herself at him right now. And to think he might actually have been jealous! The idea warmed her to her very core, because she knew men like Aiden did not get jealous. So if he was, even a little bit, did that mean just maybe he felt something for her, too? The hope that blossomed in her chest had swiftly scared the shit out of her, which in turn had spurred her to lash out in a failed attempt at self-preservation.

  “Ryann, look at me.”

  When his second request got the same result, he reached over and gently but firmly took her chin, turning her head to face him. Damn, he was too gorgeous for words . . .

  “You’re going to have to talk about it, you know. Fighting with me and pushing me away isn’t doing either one of us any favors. You’ve gotta help me help you, Ryann.”

  But pushing him away might be her only saving grace. She wasn’t sure how much more close-quarters with him she could take. Opening up to Aiden would require her to give him something she wasn’t sure she was prepared to part with—her trust. She’d have to tell him everything, about her father and about Moralli. Although in that moment of panic she’d so glibly made the promise to do just that, now that it was time to bare her soul, she wasn’t sure she could do that and still keep it.

  “And if you must know the truth . . . I was insanely jealous back there.”

  She gave him a weak smile, returning his boyish grin. A bubble of laughter caught in her throat. How sweet . . . This was his olive branch. For Aiden to admit to any emotion that might be perceived as weakness was a true miracle in itself.

  “And that smile . . . Sweetheart, I want to be the only male on the receiving end of that beauty.”

  Oh, he was good. And she would have told him so if that unguarded honesty in his eyes hadn’t rocked her to her very core. That unmistakable spark of connection she’d momentarily experienced last night was back in full force, and she was done for—all defenses obliterated. Meeting his stare, she was helpless to do anything other than nod like a simpering mute. But after the smile she got in return, she was pretty sure she would have agreed to anything at this point.

  “So it looks like I owe you one fancy dinner. What do you say we table this talk about Moralli and enjoy the night out together? We’ll pick this convo up tomorrow. We’ve got a lot of miles to kill between here and Manhattan.”

  Grateful for the reprieve, she thought that sounded like the best idea she’d heard in a long time.

  CHAPTER

  19

  Aiden wasn’t used to having to make concessions, but where Ryann was concerned, it seemed like that was all he did. Had he really confessed to being jealous? Briefly, his conversation with Katie came back to haunt him like the ghost of Christmas Past. She was so confident he’d meet someone that would turn his world upside down. Well, that pretty much summed up Ryann in a nutshell.

  “I feel underdressed,” she complained, checking out her backside in the mirror.

  Aiden hadn’t moved from his spot on the bed. Stretched out, legs crossed at the ankles, hands laced behind his head, he watched Ryann fuss over her appearance. Didn’t she know how beautiful she was? If she asked him, he’d have told her all that primping and makeup was completely unnecessary. But she didn’t ask, and he didn’t offer. He’d already said too much as it was.

  “You look fine.”

  Apparently, fine was a cardinal sin, because she shot him a scowl and grumbled, “Gee, thanks.”

  Deliberately ignoring her snark, he said, “No problem. You about ready to go?”

  “Just a minute. Don’t rush me. Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I’ve been out on a date?”

  Wait, what? Was that what this was? Suddenly, he was the one feeling underdressed, and more than a little anxious. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been on a real date, because he was pretty sure booty calls didn’t count. Ryann must have seen the oh, shit look on his face because she blushed and quickly stammered, “I didn’t mean an actual date date. Like you and me.”

  Yes, she did. Otherwise she wouldn’t have said it. And that added a whole other element to this “night out” scenario. He’d wanted to take her out because he didn’t think he could stand being cooped up in this tiny room with her all evening and keep his hands to himself. He’d hoped getting her out in public would help him govern his urge to fuck her blind. It never occurred to him that Ryann might have thought this was something more. But if she had, it was probably his fault. He knew he was sending her mixed signals, not that she hadn’t been sending a few of her own. Right now, he felt like a pendulum, swinging between his wants and desires and the bone-deep knowledge that it would be a mistake to get physically involved with her—any more than he already had, he amended.

  Bottom line, there was something between them, but that didn’t mean they should let it go anywhere. If he knew what was good for him, he’d keep Ryann at a distance, and once they got to New York, they would go their separate ways. He’d deal with his parents, Ryann would get her money and do whatever it was she needed to do to get Moralli off her back. Then he would return to Vegas, start some rehab on his shoulder, and pretend this whole fucked-up thing never happened.

  And you’d think that all that head knowledge would have caught up with his mouth because in the next two seconds he was asking, “How long has it been? Since you were on a date?” He had to clarify that question because it could have meant so many other things—things he was dying to know but had no business asking.

  She shrugged as if the answer were inconsequential and spared him the briefest glance. Mercy, she looked hot in those dark-wash skinny jeans that hugged her curves just right. Her heather-gray sweater was one of those numbers that molded to her. She’d pulled her mass of red, wavy hair into a bun and pinned it on top of her head. With her hair swept up like that, she looked young—too damn young for the thoughts that were running through his mind right now. The touch of makeup aged her just enough that he didn’t feel like a total perv.

  “How old are you, Ryann?”

  She glanced at him through the reflection in the mirror as she skated a sheer gloss over her full, ripe lips. She rubbed them together, smoothing out the gloss, then ran her finger along the border, wiping off the excess. His cock instantly became hard as he watched her apply the finishing touches. It took all his restraint not to go over there and kiss it right off that lush mouth of hers. If she’d sensed the wicked direction of his thoughts, she didn’t acknowledge it, which might have been her only saving grace.

  “I’m twenty-six. Why?”

  Now it was his turn to shrug. “Just wondering. You look younger with your hair pulled up.”

  She turned toward him, her hand subconsciously lifting to her bun. “You don’t like it?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  As if his legs had a mind of their own, they swung over the side of the bed and he was on his feet and advancing on her before he even realized he’d moved. Aiden stopped in front of her and lifted
his hands, framing her face. “Ryann, I’m trying really hard to be good here. But you’re making it really hard to do the right thing. So I’m only going to tell you this once, you look absolutely gorgeous. It doesn’t matter what you put on, or how you fix your hair, you’re stunning no matter what. So unless you want to stay here and let me prove to you just how hot you make me, then we need to go. Now.”

  But she wasn’t heeding his warning. This was him telling her to leave, to go get in that car before he said or did something they’d surely regret—well, she would, anyway, because the one thing he was learning about Ryann was that she did not do casual sex. When she’d let him touch her, it had meant something—he’d felt it in her uninhibited response to his touch.

  “Twelve months.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Twelve months. That’s how long it’s been since I was on a date. Since my fiancé and I broke up.”

  He gave her a surprised look. “Fiancé, huh? How long were you together?”

  “Four years.”

  “What happened?” A flash of pain crossed her face that immediately put her ex on Aiden’s shit list. He didn’t even need to know what happened. All that mattered was that prick had hurt Ryann.

  “You don’t want to hear about this . . .”

  She cast her gaze to the floor and tried to back away, but he wouldn’t let her go that easily. “I do. I’m really curious to know what kind of an idiot would be stupid enough to fuck up a four-year relationship with you.”

  She laughed, the soft and melodic sound hitting him right in the gut. “I’m warning you, it’s a pretty ugly story.”

  “Can’t be any uglier than some of mine.”