by Ruby Vincent
“We’ll do any and everything you want, but first, there’s somewhere I want to take you.”
“Is this about your final labor?”
“Yes.”
“Will you tell me what it is?”
“Not yet, but you can trust me.”
I did trust him. Ryder reached across the dash and laced our fingers together. We talked on the drive. The topics started out light, but naturally drifted to the one hanging over our heads.
“I never knew about Benjamin and the thirteen families,” he said. “Mom was just as shocked as me when I told her.”
“That’s no surprise. Eric said he wanted you denied of that legacy too.”
“I’ve thought it many times before, but again, I am glad to not be his son.”
“I just wish we knew who the other eleven were.” I gripped his hand harder. “We would know... if the yearbooks hadn’t been taken.”
“The yearbooks?”
“Yes. I’ve been thinking of nothing but since I found that duffel bag gone. It’s why Eric brought all of them instead of the one I asked for. If I had seen them all, I would have discovered the secret for myself. I would have noted the thirteen last names that popped up over and over throughout the years going back to the first class.”
“Of course.” He smacked the dash. “Fucking hell! That makes sense.” He took his eyes off the road to look at me. “But there are other ways to find that out. We can check public records for families who have lived in Evergreen since it was founded.”
“That includes too many people. Sofia’s mother’s family have lived there for years too. Not to mention there are no guarantees they live near the academy. It’s a boarding school. The students don’t have to commute.”
“Shit. You’re right.”
“Plus,” I went on. “Even if we got around that, there’s no way we’d get access to students’ records to confirm they went back to the first class. The easiest way was to look at those yearbooks, which is why Eric tried to sneak them to me and why they were taken. We have to find other copies.”
“There aren’t any at my house. I mean, there’s one from Mom and Benjamin’s senior year, but only that one. I’ve never seen any others.”
“There has to be more. Maybe in the school.”
“But you’re not going back to school, are you? Not after...”
My throat clenched as I remembered the choking water and the foreign thing that brushed against my hand.
“I don’t— I don’t know.”
“You don’t have to,” he whispered. “Even if you don’t come back, I’ll never give up finding the Spades and making them pay for what they did. They won’t get away with it if I have to beat the truth out of everyone in that school.”
I chuckled softly as I wiped away a tear. “I know you won’t give up.”
I said no more about it and thankfully Ryder changed the subject. I relaxed as the next hour passed. I didn’t know where we were going, but I trusted him.
Eventually, anonymous highway gave way to cute shops and general stores. Ryder turned down a cul-de-sac and pulled the car up to the curb.
“Ryder? Where are we?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned over me and pointed through the window. My eyes lit upon a two-story house with a small blue fence. There were two cars in the driveway and a pink bike abandoned behind them.
“Who lives here?” I asked.
“Val.” Something in his voice made me turn to look at him. There was an expression on his face that I couldn’t read. “I said that you couldn’t choose your labors, but this one you can. If you want, I’ll start the car, drive away, and we’ll never talk about this again, but...”
“What? Ryder, what are you talking about? Where are we?”
“We’re outside your father’s house.”
I froze. My eyes grew as that sentence penetrated. “My... father?”
He nodded. “I wasn’t lying about the private investigator in freshman year. They did track him down and this is where he lives. If you want to meet him, he’s there.”
“How do you know?” I whispered. “He might not be home.”
“He works nights. He’s home during the day.”
Slowly, I turned to the house. “Home... with whoever owns that pink bike.”
“He has a daughter,” he confirmed, “and a wife.”
A fist clamped down on my heart and squeezed. He has another family. One he didn’t run out on.
“What’s his name?” I croaked.
“It’s Conrad Smalling. He’s home, Valentina. They all are if you want to meet them. This time, it’s truly your choice.”
“My choice...”
I never had a choice. Olivia refused to utter one word about him my entire life. All I knew of the man who fathered me was that he rejected his college girlfriend when he found out she was carrying his kid.
I could meet him. I could see his face for the first time. And my sister. I have a sister. Does she have the pointed chin I didn’t get from Mom? Does she know I exist? Has she been wishing I would knock on that door one day?
Has he? Does Conrad regret leaving me? Has he spared one thought for the daughter he never knew?
I sat there for a long time. Ryder didn’t speak or rush me. He gave me my space as I looked out at that pretty house and the promise of a happy family it contained.
I turned away. “Let’s go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. The man in there isn’t my father. They aren’t my family. He’s just... a stranger.”
Ryder started the car and pulled away. I didn’t look at the house as it faded in the rearview. There was nothing for me there.
We turned out of the cul-de-sac and paused at a red light. Ryder leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I hope I didn’t upset you. It’s just felt wrong all of these years to know where he was when you didn’t.”
I stroked his cheek. “No, Ryder. I’m not upset. I’m glad you brought me here. You reminded me of something I forgot for a moment.”
“Reminded you of what?”
The hand stroking his cheek stopped. “You reminded me I have a choice and that no one but me should decide what happens in my life. I chose to go to Evergreen to make a better life for my son and my reason hasn’t changed. I’m going to finish what I started... and I will take down the shits who tried to get in my way.”
To my surprise, the corner of his mouth tugged up into a grin. “You know, you’re really sexy when you plot vengeance.”
“Oh yeah?” I replied, laughing. “Did you remember there was something else we had planned for tonight?”
“I couldn’t forget that. The hotel room is booked and waiting for us.”
“Let’s go now. I don’t want to wait any longer.”
Ryder zoomed off when the light turned green. It was lucky he had the foresight to book a place near our destination. It would have been awful to have to go all the way back to Wakefield when I was itching to tear his clothes off now.
“It’s right there.” Ryder pointed through the window at a grand hotel towering in the sky. My mouth fell open seeing the luxury resort. Christmas had arrived at the property. String lights wrapped around the trees and garlands hung over the doors. It was even more magnificent on the inside. White Christmas trees twinkled throughout the lobby.
Ryder checked us in and took my hand on the way to the elevator. “I got us the honeymoon suite.”
“Oh?” I pulled him inside when the doors slid open and pressed him against the wall. “Is there something you need to ask me?”
His cheeks reddened. “Not tonight, but I thought you would appreciate the extras included with the room. I want tonight to be special.”
“It will be.” I rested my head on his chest as we were whisked twelve floors up. Ryder and I stepped out and made for room 1201—the final door at the end of the hall.
He opened the door, but stepped aside so I could go in first. I took two steps and gasped.<
br />
I had been expecting cheesy touches like rose petals scattered on the floor and a heart-shaped bed. What I walked into was a gorgeous winter paradise. The lights were dimmed to give the Christmas tree the chance to shine. This one was green and perfectly matched the dark green covers on the bed that took up the raised platform. Fairy lights cast a gentle glow over the space and onto the small table for two and the meal resting on it.
Ryder stepped out into the middle of the room. “I made sure dinner would be waiting for us in case you were hungry. You mentioned Christmas movies? There are plenty on the TV. We can watch while we eat.”
“I’d love th-that,” I said, voice cracking. I was in serious danger of crying, but I didn’t want to do that. Words couldn’t describe how perfect this was, but tonight, actions would. “We had our first date over Christmas. It’s right that this is happening now.”
“A date to remember.” Ryder picked up our plates and moved them to the coffee table. “Adam beat up Santa, we ran away like fugitives, and the elves made fun of us.”
“Get used to it, Shea. That is the kind of trouble you’re in for if you stick with the Moons.”
He smiled at me over the champagne flutes. “I can definitely get used to it.”
Ryder held the glass out to me. “It’s apple cider.”
I took it. A thrill went through me just thinking of what else the night would bring. Together, we snuggled up on the couch as Ryder put on the movie. Watching, giggling, feeding each other bites, I was content in his arms as we relaxed and let this unfold without rushing.
When the credits rolled up the screen, I tilted my head back to look at him. “Want to watch another movie?”
“Nope.”
“Want more room service?”
Ryder trailed his finger down my cheek and traced the curve of my lips. “Nope.”
“So what do you want to do?” I whispered.
“I’ll give you a hint.”
I was still smiling when he bent down and claimed my lips. The kiss was slow and sweet—all the things I once thought Ryder could never be. Slow though it was, it sparked electricity in my body that surged through me and curled my toes.
I was breathing hard when we broke apart. “I didn’t quite catch the hint. Can you tell me again?”
His laughed warmed my lips. Ryder’s answer was to stand and hoist me into his arms. He carried me to the bed and set me down gently on the sheets. Our eyes locked as he reached for the edge of his shirt and pulled it over his head. I reached for the buttons of my dress as he pulled at his belt. My pulse quickened as we undressed for each other. We weren’t touching each other, but the anticipation made me pulse with need.
Why had we waited a week? Why did we wait at all?
Only when we were naked did I turn over and crawl to the pillows. The mattress dipped as he followed me. Heart racing, I faced him and sank into the bed.
Ryder pressed his lips to my forehead. “Are you sure about this?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He kissed my head, then the tip of my nose, then down to my lips where he lingered. I draped my arms around his neck, but he slipped out of them as he continued his journey. He kissed down my body as my heart rattled in my chest. I bit my lip as he kissed my belly button.
Ryder’s head sank between my legs. The next thing I felt was his soft lips against my inner thighs.
“We talked about the teasing,” I gasped.
His chuckle reverberated through me. “I told you I was going to take my time. We have all night, Valentina. I’m going to spend it exploring every inch of you.”
That sounded like such exquisite torture. I didn’t want to wait, but I also didn’t want to stop his exploration. His touch tingled on my skin long after he moved on, and soon I felt him everywhere.
Ryder kissed and licked every inch of my body until my core wept for him. “Ryder,” I panted. “Please.”
“Please, what?” He put his arms on either side of my head, grinning down at me.
I groaned. “There’s no ridding you of that evil streak, is there? You know what I want.”
“But I’m not finished.” He bent until our noses brushed together. “There are a few parts of you I haven’t tasted yet. Like... here.”
I sucked in a breath as he closed his mouth over my nipple. They were hard as pebbles, but so sensitive he pulled moan after moan from my throat as he worshiped it with his tongue.
“Then there’s this one.”
He moved to the other breast and I almost ripped my nails off as my hands clutched the bed. He put the other nipple through the same treatment as beads of sweat broke out onto my body. I had imagined sex with Ryder more times than I admitted, but I had never pictured making love with him, because this was what it was.
Ryder lifted his head and gave me a kiss that seared my blood. Our tongues danced as our hands roamed each other.
His breath was ragged when we came up for air and it thrilled me. I loved the effect I had on him.
“I’ll be right back,” he whispered into my ear.
All I could do was nod as he slid down my body. Black spots popped along my vision as he put his mouth to my core. His tongue probed, licked, and tantalized me as I contorted with pleasure. A cry escaped my lips when he slipped a finger inside of me and found that spot that drove me crazy. I came screaming. My back arched so far off the bed, the top of my head touched the sheets.
Ryder put his arms under me and pulled me up, pressing our chests together. As I watched, he swiped his tongue across his lips, tasting every last drop on his lips. We kissed again before he reached around me and grabbed a condom.
His eyes appeared almost black in the fairy lights. I could see his need for me as clearly as my reflection.
“Turn around,” he whispered.
I didn’t hesitate. I turned over and settled on my hands and knees, offering myself to him completely. My excitement rose as I listened to the crinkle of the condom unwrapping.
Ryder put his hands on my waist, but surprised me by pulling me back up. I molded to his chest, feeling his heart pound against my shoulder.
“There’s something I want to tell you before we do this.”
“What’s that?”
His hands moved up my thighs and cupped my breasts. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
I laughed breathlessly. “You said that the first time you kissed me—minus the cursing. Do you remember?”
“Of course, I do. We were twelve. You came over to my house and snuck me away from my tennis lesson. We hid behind a palm tree and in the middle of giggling like we did something really bad, I kissed you. Then I found out about the affair and everything changed. If I could go back and do things differently, I would.”
“I wouldn’t. If things had been different, I wouldn’t have Adam. I wouldn’t have gone to the academy. I wouldn’t have fallen for you, Jaxson, Maverick, and Ezra. All that matters is that we are here together now.”
“That reminds me of the other thing I want to tell you.”
“What, baby?”
“I want to tell you that I love you.”
Holding my breath, my eyes fluttered shut. I held still as I tried to capture everything about this moment. The feel of his hands, the sound of his breathing, the pounding of his heart, and the emotions swirling inside of me.
“I love you too.”
Ryder’s hands made a slow journey down to my thighs and no more words passed between us. I gasped when he pushed into me and my exclamations only got louder as he moved. Every thrust brought me closer to the edge until I tipped over and the black spots exploded in my mind. Collapsing on the bed, I rode the aftermath down as Ryder lay on top of me.
“I love you,” he whispered.
I would never get tired of hearing him say that.
Chapter Nine
The rest of my winter break was perfect. Ryder and I spent an amazing weekend watching movies, Christmas shopping, and exploring the resort. At night, we made
love until we fell into an exhausted sleep.
I thought things couldn’t get any better until we went to Maverick’s house for Christmas dinner. Our families had such a great time, the Beaumonts invited us back for another year. I could picture us all around the fireplace year after year, laughing and eating as a family, and it was a picture I liked.
As the night wound down, Maverick and I snuck away for a private moment in his room. It wasn’t until we dressed that I told him about my decision to go back to school. He took it as well as Ezra did—as in not at all.
“They threatened your life, Val. This isn’t a game anymore.”
“It was never a game. It’s bigger than me now. Eric is still missing. The Spades turned on their own. They showed that there is nothing they wouldn’t do, and that they have no intention of stopping. I have to stop them for all the innocent students like me who passed through the gates looking for a dream and ended up with a nightmare.
“But why you?” He came around the bed and grasped my arms. “Let’s tell the police.”
“Tell them what? Who would they haul in for questioning?”
He tossed his head. “I don’t know—the Edens. They have to know who the other families are.”
“If that was enough to get their son back, Sofia wouldn’t be texting me about visiting their manor and finding Mrs. Eden won’t get out of bed. She’s been a wreck since it happened.”
“This is crazy,” he burst out, throwing up his hands. “All of this is crazy.”
“I know it is, but unlike anyone else, I know how to end it.” I grabbed his chin and made him look me in the eyes. “I have a plan.”
“What plan?”
“One you can help me with so that this can all be over for good, and we can go back to planning our future in that tiny apartment with my mischievous three-year-old.”
A smile graced his lips as he enfolded me in his arms. “Who said anything about tiny?”
Convincing the men I loved that I had to go back was the easy part. Then there was Mom.
