Always His (Crazed Devotion #1) (11 page)

Ryker grabbed my waist and held me securely. “Damn, baby, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Taking in a deep breath, I grabbed the bottle and began to lower myself down the ladder, with Ryker still unnecessarily holding on to me.

“I’m fine,” I assured him.

“Okay.” He released me and stepped back. “Do you plan on ignoring me forever? Or is this only gonna last until the place closes, and then you’re gonna unleash that Nikki fury on me?” He bit his lip to fight his smile, but failed to.

“I was planning on ignoring you tonight, tomorrow, and maybe even the next day. You just had to use those girls to dig at me,” I said as I pushed past him and walked toward the door.

I’d only made it a few feet when he wrapped his arms around me from behind, halting me immediately. “You know I hate when you’re mad at me.”

“You didn’t care during the five years you were gone.” I didn’t try to fight against his hold, only gripped the tequila bottle tighter.

“You couldn’t be more wrong.” His mouth was only inches from my ear. A shiver threatened me, but I did my best to hide it. “The guys I toured with got sick of my bitching and whining about you. There was nothing easy about letting you go.”

He turned me in his arms so he could look me in the eyes. “If I had it to do over,” he began with a look of determination on his face, “I would have convinced you to go with me. I would have asked you to marry me, and damn it, Tori would be my daughter.”

Tears filled my eyes because the idea of him being my little girl’s daddy was a dream I’d had ever since she was born.

“But I messed up. I thought I was doing the right thing, and I couldn’t have been more wrong. I can’t change the past, but I can damn sure change the future.” He grazed my jaw with his thumb. “I want you and Tori in my life, every day. I’m sorry if that bothers you, but I can’t hide my feelings for you. I won’t.”

“I don’t want to—”

He pressed his lips against mine in a consuming kiss, and I sagged against the door behind me as he stepped even closer.

When he pulled back I was breathless.

“I don’t give a shit about Tyler or Keegan, and I couldn’t care less who knows how much I love you and need you. Fuck, Nic, I don’t care if every asshole in town thinks I’m a pussy, you own my heart, sweet girl. You always have. I was just too damn stupid to hold on to something great when I had it.” He brushed away a tear that escaped from my eye. “But I want it back.”

He paused as he slouched enough to bring his six-foot-two frame more to my level. “I want you and Tori, and if I’m given that gift, I swear to you I will never let you go again.”

I
t had been three days since I laid my heart on the line. Three days since I felt more vulnerable than I ever had in my life. Three days since I waited with a knot in my gut for Nicole to accept my love or choose to break me.

The not knowing could fucking bring a man to his knees.

For a guy that had fought to protect his country, you would have thought confessing his love for a woman would have been simple, only it was anything but easy. But when she looked up at me and said those four words, I swore the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders.

“Please don’t hurt us.”

I vowed in that moment I would always protect her heart and Tori’s. Whatever it took, no matter who I had to fight along the way, they would feel loved and treasured.

After working an eight-and-a-half-hour shift, I walked to my truck, wanting nothing more than a shower and a pillow. After climbing into the cab of my truck, I opened the glove box and got out my phone, smiling at the text message that waited for me.

Nicole: Tori’s making spaghetti for you.

That sweet little angel looked at me like I hung the moon, and she made my heart ache with the kind of love that could make a grown man melt.

Me: Do I need to bring anything?

I started my truck while holding my phone, waiting for her response as I sat in the parking lot while dusk set in.

Nicole: Not unless you want something special to drink, I don’t have any beer.

Alcohol was the last thing on my mind. My earlier intention of going to bed early quickly faded. I was now alert and ready for a night with Tori and Nicole. I hoped one day I would be able to go home to them every night. But I had to pace myself and remember she was still hesitant after what I’d put her through. We were slowly working through this, and I’d wait as long as she needed.

After a drive that felt like it took hours, I pulled up in front of her apartment building and grabbed my bag from the passenger seat. I had been staying at my uncle’s place because the drive back to my parents’ was just too long, but tonight it looked like I would be staying here.

Walking up the steps, I could smell the aroma of garlic, and my mouth began to water. I had lived on fast food the last few days. My uncle was the ultimate bachelor and never cooked, so I’d grown accustomed to swinging through the drive-thru for something quick on the way to his place.

Just as I was about to knock on the door, I heard a car door slam behind me. I looked back over my shoulder to find Tyler walking toward me with a pissed-off look on his face as he glared at me. I knew that look.

Tyler and I had never been friends, more like competitors. Throughout high school we were always trying to outdo one another in everything. And when I got Nicole, it was just another jab to his ego. It wasn’t even about him being in love with her too. He was angrier that I’d got something great because he didn’t like to see me happy.

“Why the hell did you even come back?” he asked as I walked back down the steps toward him. If I could avoid involving Nicole in this mess, I would. She didn’t need this, and it was exactly what she was worried about.

“I think we both already know the answer to that question,” I said as I reached the bottom of the steps and came face-to-face with him. “But for the hell of it, I’ll answer you.” I looked back over my shoulder at the front door of Nicole’s apartment to be sure she hadn’t overheard us. When I turned back to Tyler, his jaw was ticking in irritation. He was actually trying to intimidate me, but all I wanted to do was fucking laugh in his face.

“I came back for my girl,” I stated.

He laughed and shook his head. “Your girl?” He squared his shoulders and stepped in closer. “She stopped being your girl the minute she crawled in my bed.”

He was going in for the kill, that was for sure.

“The only name she screamed that night was mine. If she was your girl, then why’d she fuck me?”

I fisted my hands, wanting nothing more than to beat his fucking face in. “You have about two seconds to back the fuck up before I move you myself.”

“What’s wrong, Ryker, don’t like the visual?” he taunted. “It was my kid she carried for months,” he pushed even more. “They’ll never be yours.”

“You really are a piece of shit, Tyler. You always have been, and that’ll never change.” I stepped closer, and he took a step back. “Nicole has always been mine. One night and one huge mistake on her part will never change that. And being a father takes a hell of a lot more than knocking some innocent girl up. You ain’t no father.” His face darkened with anger. “That little girl deserves a hell of a lot more than you’ve ever given her. She’s not some tool you can use to get closer to Nicole. She’s innocent in this entire mess, and you’re a heartless son of a bitch if you don’t realize that.”

“Ryker?” Nicole’s asked from behind me. “What’s going on?”

I didn’t turn around to face her. “Tyler was just leaving,” I said as I stared at his sorry ass. “Isn’t that right.”

His nostrils flared as he looked between Nicole and myself. “You and I need to talk,” he said when his gaze locked on her.

“Whatever you gotta say to her, you can say right now.” If he thought I would allow him within a few feet of her without me there too, he was dumber than I thought.

Nicole didn’t argue. She remained silent as we waited for Tyler to speak. Our united front only pissed him off more. After glaring at me for a few more moments, he turned and stormed off toward his truck. His tires squealed as he drove off.