Page 24 of Ryder

I light another cigarette, inhaling deeply and closing my eyes. I’ll never sort this shit out if I stand out here watching them, so I head towards the bar. As I get closer, I spot Neve disappearing through a side door. I frown, looking to the side of the building just as a fire exit door swings open, and Neve tumbles out giggling, hand in hand with a guy.

I wait in the shadows, my fist clenched and my jaw tight. The guy kicks the door shut and pushes Neve against it. She’s giggling again and the sound irritates me. “Now you have me all alone, what will you do with me?” she asks in a breathless voice.

The man gently brushes her hair from her face and angles his face like he’s going in for a kiss. I step from the shadows, dropping my cigarette to the ground and crushing it under my boot. I lean against the wall and sigh heavily. “It ain’t even been a full week, Siren,” I say.

The guy spins around, keeping Neve behind him. “What the fuck, man?” he demands.

I arch a brow. “Do you want your new friend to die in this dirty alleyway, Siren?” I ask, keeping my tone bored.

She steps out from behind the man, folding her arms over her chest. “What are you doing here, Ryder?”

“Surprise honey, I’m home,” I say, smirking.

“Your timing is shit,” she mutters.

“As is your choice in men tonight.”

“You left, Ryder. What am I supposed to do, wait around in case you decide to show up? One minute you’re promising me forever and the next you’re gone. You ghosted me.”

“I thought we were clear where we stood, Neve,” I say, firmly. “I needed some time away.”

“Well good for you but in case you haven’t noticed, I’m busy.”

“You heard the woman,” the man chips in, “She doesn’t want you here.”

“You sure about that, Siren?” I ask, arching a brow. “You sure you want me to leave . . . forever?” She presses her lips together in a fine line and I see her wavering. “Or we can go back to your place. Talk?”

Neve turns to the man. “Sorry, I have to deal with this. Maybe another time?”

The man rolls his eyes, storming past me. I wink, slapping him on the back as he passes. “I didn’t think you were the type of girl to be in dark alleyways with strangers,” I say, stepping closer to her.

“We met in a cupboard, you fucked me,” she says dryly.

I back her against the wall and place my hands above her head, caging her in. I lower my face until our lips are inches apart. “I’m so fucking jealous right now, I want to go after that prick and beat his face to a pulp just for being close to you.” She inhales sharply. “It doesn’t matter where I go, or how far, we are always together. Don’t ever question that. Don’t pull this shit again, the next guy won’t walk away.”

Neve

He’s possessive and I like it. I shouldn’t, not after everything with Finn, but this feels different with Ryder. I want him to own me, to possess me. He’s watching me, staring hard into my eyes while his entire body cages me against the wall. With Ryder, I feel safe.

“You left,” I whisper, the hurt still evident in my voice.

“Not you, Siren. I didn’t leave you.”

“I had to let Harlee go with Finn, you weren’t there to stop it.”

“I know,” he says, “I was watching.”

“The you saw how she cried and clung to me.” He nods. “Why didn’t you call me? Why didn’t you answer my messages?” I hate how desperate I sound.

“You haven’t told him about us, Siren.”

“Because I thought you’d left.”

He hooks a finger under my chin and tilts my head back. “I need to be inside you.”

I’m under his spell, captivate by his dirty mouth, even though I swore to myself I wouldn’t let him do this without explaining himself to me first. “We need to talk,” I manage to say.

“After,” he says, pushing off the wall and grabbing my hand.

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