Loving Enough (The Enough Series Book 2) (12 page)

Rylee

The first round of the draft went perfectly. Seven of our
players were drafted tonight. This is by far my best year yet. If my other six
clients are drafted over the next three days, it will be a perfect weekend.

Now we are in the middle of a roaring party. There are at
least three hundred people packed into the ballroom and more pouring in every
minute. There are trays of hors d’oeuvres circling the room and an increasingly
long line at the bar. The dance floor is crowded and the DJ is keeping it funky
with a mix of old school dance themes and newer techno mixes.

I lost Gabe shortly after we arrived when he went to check
on a few things. Ruzek and I found a table near the center of the room. Ruzek
looks like he would rather be anywhere else, but he is managing. My constant
movement is not making it easy on him. Socializing at large parties has never
been my favorite thing, but once a year I make this worthwhile exception.
Tonight is about young athletes and the realization of their dreams, something
I am proud to be a part of.

After talking to each one of my clients and enjoying their
enthusiasm, I give Ruzek a break by returning to the table for a minute. Looking
over at Ruzek, I can see a mixture of relief and intensity in his eyes. He
continues to scan the room, for potential threats I assume, and hasn’t said
more than a few words since our arrival. Somebody would have to be bold to pull
a stunt here; there are too many potential witnesses, in my opinion.

“Ruzek, take a break. Go get a drink or some fresh air. You look
like you are ready to climb out of your skin,” I say with friendly concern.

He shakes his head at me while focusing on something over my
shoulder. His eyes narrow and his posture stiffens.

“No, Rylee, I’m here to make sure you stay safe. Don’t worry
about me, I’m good.”

His words do nothing to convince me, but it’s no use arguing
with him.

“OK, but if you change your mind just let me know. There are
several large, beefy guys here tonight who I could hang with for a minute while
you take a much-needed break,” I say with a hint of sarcasm.

He doesn’t acknowledge my last statement and is preoccupied
with something over my left shoulder.

“Ruzek, what are you staring at?”

Again he does not answer me, so I turn to see for myself.
What I find comes as a shock on two fronts. About twenty feet away Ryan is in
what appears to be a heated discussion with Micah Jones. Ryan appears to be
yelling at Micah, who is practically bowing at his feet. The exchange is beyond
strange.

I admit I don’t know much about Ryan’s life anymore, but I
cannot fit together how the two of them would be well acquainted. Ryan has
lived in Houston for the past several years and Micah was in Alabama before
being drafted to the east coast. Add to that, I can’t figure out why either one
of them is here, at a party for this year’s draft class.

Ruzek is still studying their exchange as I turn back to him
and summon his attention.

“I assume you’re watching Ryan and Micah?”

He nods, still intent on observing the odd pair. “Yes. Can
you think of any reason they would be here? Or be together, for that matter?”

I shake my head no and, considering I have already combed
through all the possible scenarios in my head, I am confident in my answer.

“No. I actually find it very strange.”

Ruzek’s scrutiny comes back to me, prompting me to glance
back over my shoulder. Micah and Ryan have disappeared. My stomach tightens
with uncertainty. New possibilities begin running through my head, pausing at
every worst-case scenario. The worst thought is that Micah and Ryan are working
together.

Is it possible that Ryan is my stalker? Surely not. We
parted on good terms in Colorado. Although he did say he wanted another chance …
and Ryan saying ‘you can’t replace me’ would make sense. Twisted sense, but
more so than it would coming from Micah. No, there is no way that is what’s going
on. My imagination is getting the best of me. It has to be.

Gabe saunters up on cloud nine before he takes stock of the
somber mood at our table. He looks between us.

“Why do you two look like you have seen a ghost?” Humor
laces his words and I try to smile to mask the insecurity coursing through me.

Not wanting to alarm Gabe, or put a damper on his evening, I
lie.

 “It’s nothing. The inappropriate behavior in here threw us
for a loop. It is amazing how brazen people can be.”

Well, that is a near description of what we really witnessed.
We’ll call it a white lie. Gabe seems to take my explanation at face value.

“No kidding, there is some serious partying going on in
here. We may need to keep an eye on our boys before they get into any trouble.”

With a wink, Gabe descends back into the masses to get his
groove on. As I watch Gabe disappear onto the dance floor, I scan the crowd
looking for Ryan or Micah. They seem to have disappeared without a trace. I
turn back to Ruzek.

“Wel,l what do you think? I don’t see either of them.”

Ruzek is in full protection mode. He stands taller with his
broad shoulders tight and a look on his face that says he could be deadly if
pushed too far. His focus never deviates from the room and his continual search
for the troublesome duo.

  “I’m not sure what to think, Rylee. I don’t know either of
them beyond what you guys have told me. It seems strange though.”

The worry etched into his face lets me know that he is far
more concerned than he is telling me. This night has taken a sudden nosedive
into scary.

Rylee

Determined to enjoy the rest of my successful night, I push
the past few minutes out of my mind and head for the bar. Ruzek follows right behind.
Sliding up to the far end of the bar, I turn to give Ruzek room. Instead of
Rusek, I find Ryan’s tall frame hovering over me. His piercing green eyes stare
into my own. Startled, I jump back as he reaches out and grabs my arm to steady
me.

“Christ, Ryan! You scared me. You can’t sneak up on a girl
like that,” I say, giving him a mock slap to the chest. I don’t want to show my
discontent with his presence. First, I want to know why he is here.

He gives me his best panty-dropping smile, but it does
nothing for me. It only tells me he wants something. I try to see around him to
find Ruzek, but it’s no use; Ryan has me caged in against the bar. He flags the
bartender down and orders two shots. He is out of his mind if he thinks I will
be staying.

“So, Rylee Ash,” he draws my name out. “We meet again and
you look good enough to eat.”

His attempt at a compliment irritates me and causes my skin
to crawl.

“What do you want, Ryan? And why are you here? Don’t you
have anything better to do than crash my party?”

Each question comes out angrier than the last and his face
falls slightly. So much for hiding my displeasure with his presence.

He reaches out to place his hand on mine. I block the
gesture by crossing my arms over my chest. I figure a defensive posture is one
way to show my irritation with his comments and unwanted touch.

“Well, Ry, I stopped by to see you. After running into
Austin a few days ago and seeing how worried he is, I thought it would be nice
to check up on you for him. The stories surrounding you all made me concerned
for your well-being. Oh, and how is J doing, by the way?”

The way he asks about J seems off. The question had a
different tone than the rest of his statement and he smirked as he said it. It
almost felt like a taunt, and the rest is likely bullshit. Even if he ran into
Austin, there is no way Austin would have asked him to check up on me. Austin
would not want Ryan anywhere near me.

Stepping back, I answer his question. “J is doing great. His
recovery is progressing ahead of schedule. Thank you for asking. Now I have to
get back to my date, if you don’t mind.”

I take a step to the side, removing myself from his confines
and see Ruzek nearing me, thank God. As I turn to set my empty drink glass
down, Ryan grabs my hand and pulls me toward him.

“Look, Ryles, I am not trying to piss you off, but I was
serious when I said I wanted us to be friends. I don’t know why you have to make
that so hard. We were good once, you know. Why can’t we be friends?”

Looking into his eyes, I can see a flash of what was once
there, and even a little sincerity, but I still haven’t forgotten the pain he
put me through.

“I’m not trying to make it anything at all, Ryan. I told you
in Aspen that it would take time and I meant it.”

Once I am away from Ryan, I meet a troubled Ruzek a few
steps away.

“What happened to you? I thought you were right behind me,”
I say, trying to quell my annoyance with his disappearance.

“Shit, Rylee, I’m sorry. My phone buzzed. I stopped to pull
it from my pocket and got caught in the crowd. It was my ultimate pleasure
telling J that I lost sight of you in a room with Ryan and Micah present,” he
says, upset with himself.

I can’t help laughing at his self-imposed punishment. “Yeah,
I don’t think I would have given J all the details. Especially any particulars about
Ryan - he is not a fan of that man. Is everything all right with J?”

Ruzek looks up from his feet and smiles a half-smile. “Well,
next time I won’t make the mistake of giving J any information without details
to share. I feel like I have been grilled, but he is fine. He was just checking
up on you, said his nurse refuses to entertain him.”

 He lets out a deep chuckle at the last part. I knew poor
Dani was in trouble, but, on the plus side, it sounds like she is standing her ground.
You go, girl!

“Cool. Let’s go find Gabe and say a few goodbyes. I am ready
to get out of here. Gabe can wind down the party,” I say, feeling the
exhaustion creep in.

Ruzek gives me an approving nod and we set off towards the
center of the room looking for Gabe. It takes nearly ten minutes before I catch
sight of my business partner and, true to form, he is in the center of a large
group, entertaining them all.

I sidle up next to Gabe and lay a hand on his shoulder blade
to quietly announce our arrival. He looks down and gives me a smile before
concluding his flamboyant story.

“I kid you not, I had no clue whether it was a he, a she, or
an it. But, damn, it looked so good I just couldn’t help myself. The way I see
it, if the tent pitches, I am in,” Gabe says with extraordinary flair.

The entire group erupts in laughter and I wish I had caught
the first of the story to understand why the punch line carries such weight. While
the others are still laughing, I take the opportunity to tell Gabe that Ruzek
and I are leaving. He understands and we agree to meet tomorrow afternoon
before the second round begins.

Ruzek and I say goodbye to a few more people while making
our way to the front of the hotel. There we catch sight of Ryan and Micah deep
in a discussion once again. That cannot be good, but I am too tired to stand
around and watch. I hug Ruzek goodbye and climb into the waiting town car.

Rylee

The rest of draft weekend went off without a hitch. There
were no more Ryan or Micah sightings and my stalker was also absent. Ruzek
stayed the weekend and drove back to Boston with me. I had a hard time leaving
J, even though he practically threw me out first thing this morning.

It seems as though Dani is warming to my brother’s not-so-subtle
flirting tactics. She says she isn’t, but I would beg to differ. The way she
smiles at him betrays her. I even her caught her trading flirty banter with
him. I wish she understood that I really don’t care. All I said to her before I
left was, “Be good to him; he deserves it more than most.”

I meant that statement in more ways than one. Be good to him
if you decide to cross the professional barrier. Be good to him in his
recovery.

He deserves the absolute best in this world, because that is
all he has ever given me. I want him to have the best. I hope she read at least
a few of those things into my statement, but that could be wishful thinking on
my part.

One thing is for sure though, J is smitten with her. I truly
hope he eventually finds the one for him as I have with Austin. J was all too
ready to get me out of his house this morning so that he can have some alone
time with Dani. It is just as well, because work will be crazy for the next
couple of weeks, if not months, after this successful weekend.

Ruzek and I make the drive back in near-zombie states. It
was a long weekend full of late nights, unbelievable success and bit too much
celebrating. We arrive at my house in the early afternoon, where Ruzek leaves
me under the guard of the officer stationed at my home.

After throwing a load of laundry in, I hop in my Jeep and
drive down to the shelter to pick up Boss. I miss my big, furry friend. Boss is
beside himself with excitement and takes me to the floor with his version of
hello. Those obedience lessons are showing through. Ha.

Boss and I spend the next few hours curled up on the outside
sofa. I fall asleep for a few hours before my ringing phone wakes me. I hurry
into the house to pick it up.

“Hello?”

Silence hangs on the other end of the line. My other cell is
lying on the counter and I didn’t notice which one I answered. I swipe open the
one on the counter to see the picture of Austin and me. This tells me I am
using my old phone and, as I am about to hang up, the caller speaks.

“Rylee, our time is coming. I cannot wait.”

The voice sounds somewhat familiar, but I can't place it. It
sounds like the caller is in a tunnel or the reception is bad. Either way, my
heart races and my stomach plummets in fear. With shaking hands, I pick up my
new phone to dial Ruzek as the other phone falls to the floor.

“He just called me,” I say in a high-pitched voice.

“What do you mean, he called you?” Ruzek asks, clearly groggy.

I probably woke him up. Normally I would feel bad for that,
but right now I am too freaked out to care.

“I don’t know who. He said our time is coming and he can’t
wait. Fuck, Ruzek, I hate this.”

Tears of fear now sliding down my cheeks.

Sounding awake now, he responds, “OK, Rylee, take a breath.
I will be there in fifteen minutes. I’ll call the officer out front and have
him come to the door. You let him in and then lock the door. I’ll call you when
I get there.”

I hang up the phone and stand by the front door, still
trembling. Two minutes later, I hear a knock and nearly jump out of my skin
when Boss barks. Looking through the peephole, I confirm that it is the officer
before letting him in.

“Hello, Miss Ash. I’m Officer Walker. Are you OK?”

I nod. “Thank you for coming in. Please call me Rylee.”

With a reassuring smile, he shakes my hand. “Sure, Rylee. I’m
going to check all the doors and windows, if you don’t mind. Just want to be
sure we have all of our bases covered.”

My body still quaking in fear, I command a strong voice to
reply. “Yeah, sure. I think I left the back open. I will go close it and make
sure Boss, my dog, is in the house.”

As promised, fifteen minutes later Ruzek shows up. Office
Walker assures him that all of the possible entry points are secure and goes
back to his post across the street. Ruzek locks the front door behind the
officer and takes a visibly deep breath before facing me.

We trade small insincere smiles before he walks over and
gives me a hug. The hug is out of character for Ruzek, but it calms my unsteady
body and slows my panic.

“What’s this for?”

He squeezes me tight. “You look like you could use it.”

He is right. I am missing my family right now. I would give
anything to have J, or Bode, or Austin here to melt into for comfort. But they
aren’t here.

Hugging him back, I try to calm my emotions. I don’t want to
lose my shit in front of him again. Ruzek has seen me at my worst, but there
has always been someone else there to support me. Protection is his job, not
support, I tell myself. We have a weird relationship. I believe we are friends,
yet at the same time it is his job to ensure my safety. The lines that were
once clear are blurring.

Summoning all of my inner strength, I step back from the
hug. “Thank you.”

He nods. “All right, so I spoke to my superior on the way
over and first thing tomorrow morning we will come up with a plan to stop all
of this shit. We had hoped it might run its course with a little time. Since
that isn’t the case, it’s time we get out in front of it. We can’t have you
living under protection forever.”

 I sigh a breath of relief.

“Sounds good. I bet you are ready to be done with
babysitting duty anyway,” I say with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

He half-coughs, half laughs. “Well, I would rather you not
need protection, but I think I will miss you. I am just getting used you
bossing me around all the time.”

“Well, I believe I will miss you, too. Since we are friends,
I expect to see you around when you have the time. After this is all over, I
mean.”

I mean it too. I want Ruzek and I to stay friends after this
ordeal is over. Whether he feels the same way or not I don’t know.

With a sparkle in his emerald green eyes, he replies, “I
would like that. You guys are a great group. You remind me a lot of the friends
I left back home. When I first met all of you, it was like seeing myself ten
years ago.”

With all the touchy feely stuff out of the way and my nerves
back to calm, Ruzek and I take to the couch. We watch episodes of New Girl on
Netflix before I go to bed and he makes himself comfortable on the couch for
the night. I try to give him J’s room, but he says he wants to be near the
doors. Always the protector. I could not be more grateful.