RYDER (Slater Brothers 4) (13 page)

“Honey, I won’t leave your life, not when I’ve just gotten you back. I love you to death, you’re me family and that will
never
change whether I’m with Ryder or not.”

“Tell me what he did,” Damien bit out, ignoring me. “I can’t help if I don’t know what he did. Just tell me, please.”

“He’s done a lot of things,” I replied, my shoulders sagging. “While you’ve been away, things changed between us and they’re just goin’ from bad to worse.”

“But… why?”

I managed a snort. “Sweetie, I’ve been askin’ meself that question for months.”

“I don’t understand, Branna,” Damien grunted, furrowing his brows. “I
need
to understand, help me to. Please.”

He took my hands in his and carefully pulled me to my feet then we sat at the kitchen table across from one another.

“It started off small,” I began. “He’d go out for a late night run or to grab some food, but instead of being gone only a little while, he’d be gone most of the night. Honestly, I didn’t notice a pattern until a few months after it first occurred. Workin’ at the hospital wipes me out so I paid no mind to when he left the room at night because I’d fall into a dead sleep, but when I started to mention it, that’s when the fightin’ started. He refused to tell me anythin’ when I asked so he resorted to blockin’ me out and ignorin’ me. It got worse when nothin’ was resolved so we’ve just been growin’ apart from one another ever since, and I’m at a point now where I want to detach meself completely from ‘im so I can start to move on from ‘im.”

Damien’s brows were drawn together. “My brothers, do
they
know what he is up to?”

“I’m confident that they do.” I swallowed. “Keep what I’m about to say between you and me, okay?”

Damien nodded.

“All of Ryder’s money—our money—is gone.”

Damien’s jaw dropped open. “I don’t understand.
How
?”

“I’ve
no
idea,” I said with frustration at my situation. “I asked about it, but Ryder threw up his wall and blocked me out so eventually I stopped askin’ and just started payin’ the bills and for food out of me own wages.”

Damien looked more confused than I felt.

“It gets
more
mind bogglin’,” I frowned.

“Jesus,
how
?”

I gnawed on my inner cheek.

“Dominic’s money is gone too, and so is Alec’s. Ryder told me about a bad investment they made with Brandon Daley. It’s why Dominic started to fight again, he needed money and he knew fightin’ got ‘im good money and that bein’ a personal trainer didn’t. He tried the ‘normal’ side of workin’ and it’s obvious he finds fightin’ is best suited for ‘im. I’m sure me sister is in the dark as to what happened to his money, too, she’d tell me otherwise.”

I hated not telling Bronagh the real reason I thought Dominic was back fighting, but I couldn’t do it. Not now. Not while she was pregnant for him.

I turned my attention from my thought back to Damien and noticed he was processing everything I told him, I could see the wheels turning in his mind as he thought.

“How could I not know any of this?” he whispered after a few moments of silence.

I frowned. “You’re the baby of the family. From the start, the deal was to keep you out of the life they were roped into, and I guess they’re still tryin’ to protect you.”

Damien growled. “I don’t need any fucking protection. I’m not a damn child, Dominic is only four minutes older than me!”

I sighed. “I know that, sweetie, it’s just that you’re precious to them. They risked everythin’ to see you safe, it’s a trait that’s instilled in them. You can’t blame them for wantin’ to keep you safe from harm, can you?”

“No,” he agreed, “but I’m not in danger anymore. Marco and Trent, they’re dead.”

“And thank God for that,” I said and blessed myself.

“I don’t see why they couldn’t fill me in on their problem. I’m a brother, too.”

“Of course you’re a brother, too. You’re my
favourite
Slater brother, if I’m being honest… don’t tell Alec that though.”

Damien managed a snort. “You say I’m a Slater brother, but since that day back in New York with Trent when he baited me into a fight about my dad, I’ve felt like nothing but an outsider to my own flesh and blood.”

“Damien,” I whispered.

He sighed. “I’m cool, it’s cool. Don’t worry about me, you’ve got enough going on.”

I wanted to argue that I’d always worry about him no matter what I had going on, but he didn’t give me a chance.

“You stay here in case Ryder comes back, I’m going to see Dominic. I’m bringing all this to him. He may be silent with you, but let’s see him give
me
the run around.”

I blinked. “You look a little scary right now, Dame.”

His lips quirked. “Well, hell, I
might
be a Slater after all.”

“Smartarse.”

He kissed the crown of my head then walked out of the kitchen, and a few steps later, out of the house, closing the front door behind him. I didn’t like the silence, so I got my phone and dialled my sister’s number. I put my phone to my ear and waited for her to answer.

“Hello?” a cheery male answered.

Dominic Slater.

“You word twistin’, weight liftin’, fight pickin’, cock suckin’, son of a
bitch
!”

My future brother-in-law gasped. “I have never, and will
never
, suck someone’s cock you misinformed wench!”

I gripped my phone tighter. “I’m goin’ to
end
you when I see you, Dominic.”

He was silent for a moment then he said, “Ryder spoke to you then?”

“Oh, Ryder spoke to me all right!” I snapped. “He came home and accused me of
cheatin’
on ‘im, and he said he is goin’ to break one of Ash’s limbs and it’s all
your
fuckin’ fault!”

“What the hell is that screamin’ about?” I heard my sister’s voice. “Who are you talkin’ to, babe?”

“Bronagh!” I shouted.

“Is that Branna?”

“Yes, but—no, give that back to me
now
!”

“What’s goin’ on?” Bronagh asked me.

Her voice was clear now, a sign she took her phone from Dominic without much of a fight.

“Dominic told Ryder I was cheatin’ on ‘im!” I stated to my sister. “I told the lyin’ prick that Ash was me friend when he mistook us jokin’ around for somethin’ more than friendship, but he
still
called Ryder and told ‘im his views. Ryder thinks I’m
cheatin’
on ‘im, Bronagh.”

“This has to be a joke,” my sister said. “It’s a joke, right?”

“No,” I growled. “And if that bastard you call a fiancé comes near me house again, I’ll gut ‘im!”

“Tell me she is lyin’!” I heard Bronagh growl.

“This dude had his hands on her
hips
—” I heard Dominic’s voice in the background.

“Did you tell Ryder you thought she was cheatin’ on ‘im?” Bronagh snapped, cutting Dominic off.

“I told him what I saw, and what it looked like to me, but he came to his own conclusions.”

“You didn’t tell ‘im that Branna told you he was harmless?” she pressed.

“No, I didn’t because—”

“Get out!” She snapped. “Get the hell out of this bedroom. You have
no
idea the trouble you have just caused them!”

“Pretty girl—”

“No, Dominic!” Bronagh spat. “Get. Out. Go find Ryder and make this right or I swear to God I’ll make you miserable!”

Things were silent for a moment then Dominic said, “How miserable?”

He was
such
an arsehole!

“
Very
miserable!” My sister warned. “You think you have blue balls now? You have no idea of the term, but unless you fix this you will. I
promise
you!”

I think I heard a door slam then came my sister’s tired sigh.

“I’m so sorry, Branna,” she said, and I heard the sincerity in her voice. “I can’t believe Dominic would do somethin’ like this. I don’t know why he didn’t believe you when you set him straight.”

My lower lip wobbled. “Me either.”

“Don’t cry,” my sister pleaded. “Not over that prick I call me other half, he isn’t worth it.”

I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. “Ryder said he was goin’ to hurt Ash, do you think he will?”

Bronagh was silent for a second then she said, “I don’t know, Bran. Maybe you should call Kane and Alec, they could help find ‘im? He’d listen to them quicker than the twins.”

I nodded. “That’s a good idea, I’ll do that now.”

“I’m goin’ to get showered and dressed then I’ll come over to see you, okay?”

“Okay,” I said to my sister. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

When the phone line went dead I opened up my messenger app, and sent a message to both Kane and Alec to come to my house as soon as they could because I needed to speak to them about Ryder. I added to the message that he was okay just so they wouldn’t worry. Thirty-seconds after I sent the message I got two messages back saying they were on their way to my house.

I didn’t know how long I was sitting at my kitchen table, staring at the floor, but I snapped out of it when I heard the sound of a key in a lock. The noise of the front door opening sounded and my heart jumped up to my throat.

“Branna?” Alec called out.

My stomach churned on the diminished hope of it being Ryder coming home.

“In the kitchen,” I called out as I quickly grabbed the sweeping brush and began to sweep up the mess I made earlier.

Alec and Kane entered the kitchen, and they both greeted me with a kiss on the cheek, and tight hug. When he stepped back, Kane frowned at my cleaning bits of potato off the cupboards.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Me and Ryder, we had a big fight.” I sighed. “I lost me temper and smashed a plate so be careful you don’t step on any bits I may have missed when sweepin’.”

Alec whistled. “Did you hit
him
with the plate?”

I shook my head. “I threw it at the cupboard when he stormed out mid-argument. His poxy phone beeped, and as usual, he left the house to do God knows what or God knows
who
.”

Alec’s gaze hardened. “Ryder isn’t cheating on you Branna.”

“How am I supposed to know that?” I snapped. “How am I supposed to know
anythin’
anymore? He leaves the house for hours on end every day, he is gone every night and he
never
tells me where he is goin’ or who he is goin’ with. I can’t take the lies and secrets anymore. I can’t fuckin’ do it!”

Kane and Alec’s mouths were agape when I finished shouting, and it did nothing to settle my burning temper.

“I
know
you both know what he is up to, but don’t worry, I won’t pester you both with questions because Ryder should be the one to tell me what he is fuckin’ around with. I deserve to know.”

Alec scratched his neck. “Things are very complicated, Branna.”

“Me life is complicated, Alec, and it’s why I’m settin’ out to
un
complicate it.”

Kane stepped forward. “What does that mean?”

“It means,” I said with my head held high, “that I’m breakin’ up with Ryder. I’ve been plannin’ on doin’ it but haven’t found the right time. I’m realisin’ now that there is no right time, so the next time I see ‘im, I’m just doin’ it.”

“Are… are you serious, Bran?” Alec asked, his eyes wide.

I nodded. “I’m sad, Alec. I’ve been sad for
months
. We either fight or ignore one another, there is no in-between and I refuse to live like this anymore. I don’t love this version of Ryder. I love the man he used to be, but I am
through
waitin’ around for him to reappear. I deserve to be happy, and Ryder, as he is now, doesn’t make me happy.”

Kane scrubbed his face with his hands. “This will change…”

“Everythin’.” I finished for him. “Yeah, it will change everythin’, and that’s the point. I can’t live like this anymore so I’m gettin’ out.”

“Have you talked to the girls about this?” Alec asked. “Keela hasn’t mentioned anything about you wanting to leave Ryder to me.”

“Neither has Aideen.” Kane chimed in.

“Aideen is busy with Jax, Keela is busy with her writin’, Bronagh is pregnant, and Alannah is swamped with work. They’re all under enough stress as it is. I didn’t want to burden them with problems that don’t concern them so I kept this to meself.”

“Nothing about you is a burden, Bran,” Alec frowned.

I managed a small smile. “Thanks Alec, I appreciate you sayin’ so.”

“It’s the damn truth,” Kane firmly stated. “You’re family, and family isn’t a burden. Understand?”

I nodded, and my mind wondered if they would still consider me family after I broke up with their big brother.

“When you find Ryder, please, don’t tell ‘im any of this. I have to talk to him about this meself, okay?”

Both of the brothers glumly nodded.

“What set him off anyway?” Alec asked a moment later. “What was the big fight about?”

I filled them in on what went down with Ash at work earlier in the day, and what Dominic said to Ryder about it.

“I’ll
kill
him!” Kane growled, talking about his younger brother.

Alec grunted. “Not if I get my hands on him first.”

I chewed on my nails. “You don’t think Ryder would hurt Ash, do you? He really
is
me friend, and I’d never forgive Ryder if he hurt him.”

Kane and Alec shared at look.

“What does that look mean?” I questioned.

Alec sighed and looked at me. “I’m not going to lie to you, Bran. Ryder, when he is pissed and pushed to the edge… he can be, well, terrifying. He hasn’t been that angry in a long time, I honestly don’t think you’ve ever seen him lose it before, and I don’t want you to either. We’ll find him and bring him home to you.”

I swallowed down bile. “Thank you.”

They both nodded and stood. “Let us know if he comes home in the meantime.”

“I will.”

When they left I was on my own with just my thoughts for company, and that didn’t bode well for me because, like earlier in the day, my mind drifted to happier times with Ryder. It was like I was hurting myself on purpose by remembering how incredible things were with us, but I couldn’t help it.

Ryder, the way he used to be, was my addiction, and like any addict I had to have him in any way possible, even if that way was just a memory.