“Yeah, about that, um, I’m really sorry, Emily. I didn’t think my father would blab so fast.” She gives Em a quick hug then turns her attention back to me. “I have to admit, Jameson, you have some serious balls putting your hands on her father like that. It makes me hate you just a little less,” she adds with a smug smile.
I grunt, not really caring if she hates me or not. Okay, well maybe a little, but only because she’s Em’s best friend. “No one puts their hands on her, I don’t give a fuck who they are,” I reply truthfully.
“You heard about that?” Emily asks her.
“Yeah, I was visiting my dad when yours came over, hollering up a storm. I have never seen him so pissed.”
“It was a mess, that’s for sure,” Em responds somberly.
“So how are you feeling? I saw the shooting on the news; they’re saying it is gang related. It’s a really good thing no one was seriously injured.”
Emily glances at me and I give her a silent warning. We talked about this earlier; no one else can know what I suspect or what I’m really doing here. We are going to let Rosa in on it but that’s it. That alone has me feeling fucking nervous, but I think it may be our only choice to get her to open up to us.
“Yeah, thankfully no one was seriously injured. I wasn’t, thanks to Ryder.” She gives me a sad smile and it makes me want to kiss the shit out of her.
“What do you mean?” Cece asks, noticing our silent exchange.
“Ryder reacted quickly and took me to the ground. If he hadn’t I would have been hit with a bullet, but it hit him instead.”
“You were shot?”
“It was just a graze, and worth it,” I add, not taking my eyes off Emily.
“Huh. That also makes me hate you a little less. Keep this shit up, Jameson, and my hate may turn to only a very strong dislike.” Emily giggles, finding her funny. I personally find nothing funny about her, but it’s clear she cares about Emily, so I’ll stand her.
“Well, I just wanted to pop in and check on you.” She gives Em one more hug. “I need to get to my meeting, but let’s do lunch soon.”
Yeah, that isn’t happening until shit is wrapped up.
“For sure. We will set something up in the next few days.” Emily walks her to the door. “Thanks for…” She trails off when Cece opens it. “Richard,” she greets in surprise to someone who’s standing on the other side of the door.
Richard? Who the fuck is Richard?
“Emily, are you all right?” I hear a second before some motherfucker walks in and wraps Emily in his arms.
What. The. Fuck! I shoot up off the couch, my blood boiling hot, wondering who the fuck this asshole is that’s holding my woman.
Cece is the only one who notices my sudden change and smirks. “Actually, I may not have to rush out after all,” she mumbles, amused.
Emily steps back from the prick and shoots a nervous glance my way. “Yes, of course I’m okay. What are you doing here?”
“Joanne just told me what happened. She said you wouldn’t be at work for a little while and I had to see for myself that you were all right,” he replies while intimately running his knuckles down the side of her soft cheek. My motherfuckin’ cheek!
“Oh, well yes, I…” I cut her off when I yank her back and stand in front of her.
The prick’s head cranes back and his eyes widen in surprise, clearly only now registering that I’m in the room. His gaze narrows as he takes in my possessive stance. “Excuse me, and who are you?”
“I’m the guy that’s going to lay you out if you put your fucking hands on her again.”
Emily gasps. “Ryder, stop it!”
“Bring on the popcorn.” Cece chuckles, finding something fucking amusing.
I watch the asshole’s gaze roam over my tattoos in distaste. “Emily, how do you know this criminal?”
“Criminal? I’ll show you criminal, motherfucker.”
Emily jumps in front of me as I start at him. “Ryder, I mean it, back off! And, Richard, stop the insults. He is not a criminal, he is a friend of mine.”
Friend? Oh I don’t fucking think so. She is not going to play the fucking friend card!
Just as I’m about to explode and lose all control, Cece jumps in and pats the dick on the back. “All right, I’m going to do you a favor here, Richard, and save your life. Come on now, let’s go.” She tries leading him out but he throws her hand off in annoyance.
“I’ll see you at work, Emily. Call me if you need anything,” he grinds out before storming off.
Cece clears her throat. “Well, it’s been entertaining to say the least. I’ll check ya guys later.” She quickly closes the door, leaving me with a really pissed off Emily. Good, because I’m pissed off too.
“What the hell is the matter with you?” she snaps, stomping past me.
I ignore her question and ask one of my own. “I want to know, right fucking now, who that asshole was!”
“He’s a doctor at the rehabilitation clinic I work at.”
“He sure seemed a lot fucking friendlier than a co-worker by the way he was touching you!”
“Not that it’s any of your business, Ryder, but he’s also my ex. We dated for awhile and remained friends.”
That has my rage jacking to a whole new level. It shouldn’t surprise me she has dated, it has been six years, but I don’t fucking like it. Not one fucking bit! Before I can think better of it I let my anger get the best of me, and I point my finger at her. “You are not going back to that fucking job when this is over. Got it?”
She gapes at me, aghast. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. My woman is not working with her ex, Mr. McFucking Touchy!”
“You listen here, Ryder Jameson!” She snaps my full name. “First of all, I am not your woman!”
What? Did she really just fucking say that?
“And secondly, no one, and I mean no one, tells me what I can and can not do! So put your dick back in your pants, and quit trying to piss on me and mark territory that doesn’t belong to you!”
That’s fucking it! She turns to storm out of the room but I’m quicker. Grabbing her around the waist, I spin her around, pick her up and slam her against the wall. Then I stake my fucking claim. I crush my mouth to hers and swallow her gasp of surprise. She resists for only a second before melting against me. I thrust my tongue past her lips demandingly, not waiting for permission. Her fingers weave through my hair, gripping with the same desperation I feel, and she gives just as good as she gets. The kiss is raw, aggressive and fucking perfect. I pin her to the wall with my pulsing cock between her sweet thighs. My one hand slips under her sundress and cups her tight ass, while my other grabs either side of her jaw, holding her in place while I fuck her mouth like I want her body. I feel like an animal, but I can’t seem to help it, all I can think about is proving to her she’s mine.
It clearly works for her because she whimpers and starts rubbing her hot pussy along my aching cock. I run my hand along the curve of her ass and bring my fingers to stroke the center of her wet panties.
A low growl rumbles up from deep inside of my chest. “You feel this, Em? You are mine; every fucking part of you belongs to me. Your pussy knows it, you know it and I know it. I don’t want to hear different any more, and I definitely don’t want to hear about that fucking loser ever again.”
Her eyes narrow and her jaw clenches under my hand, but there is no denying the lust raging in her eyes. “You are acting like a Neanderthal, Ryder. Don’t try to tell me you haven’t been with anyone else since you left.”
My anger dissipates at the hurt in her voice. “No one who’s mattered, baby,” I tell her truthfully. “You’re the only girl who has ever fucking mattered to me, Emily. Even in the years I was gone, you owned me – all of me.” Leaning in, I rest my forehead on hers. “Tell me you get me, Em,” I whisper, touching my lips to hers. “Tell me you believe me, baby.”
She stares back at me, a long moment stretching out between us. My heart pounds as I wait for her to answer. “I believe you, Ryder.”