Page 12 of Fighting for You

It was the million-dollar question that I had been asked probably a million times. Sighing, I say, “Maybe. Probably. But, I just can’t let go, yet. It feels wrong to think of myself with someone else,” I admit.

I almost gasp at my own honesty. What is it about Ryder that makes me so vulnerable?

“I can understand how difficult it is to lose someone. I’ve lost plenty of people in my life that I loved dearly. But at the end of the day, the people we loved the most would want us to continue living. What if I make you a deal?” he asks, his eyes searching mine like he is trying to read my soul.

“Why do I feel like this deal works more in your favor?” I ask, trying to ease some of the seriousness of the conversation.

“Because it does,” he admits, chuckling. I find myself drawn to the deep vibration of his laugh. It is mainly, but sweet altogether. “How about you and I just go out as friends? I’m sure you need friends and it would give me something to do that doesn’t include the rowdy guys I work with,” he says.

I think over this for a minute. I mean, if he is fine with just being friends, I don’t see any harm in his proposal. However, is this something I think we can both do?

“Come on, I see that you want to say yes,” he goads, nudging me playfully with his shoulder.

I want to say no. I want to get up and run away from this man who has me feeling things I haven’t felt in years. I want to do so many things, but instead, I do the last thing I expected. I say yes.

“Ok, I will go out with you. Only as friends,” I say, making sure I emphasize friends clearly.

Ryder claps his hands together and beams at me. “Great. I will email you a date and time, along with my number. We are in the twenty-first century, you know. Most people connect on their iPhones,” he laughs.

“I am already regretting this,” I say, rolling my eyes as I suppress my own laughter.

We exchange goodbyes and as I walk back to work, I can’t help but notice the smile that hasn’t diminished from my face. My cheeks hurt from smiling because if I am being honest, this was the most I had smiled in months-- possibly years.

Chapter 13

Ryder

When faced with danger, most people try to build up their defenses. It becomes more of a coping mechanism than anything else. Over the years, I had learned that when people started messing with the crime, their walls were not hard to see.

I take this mentality with me as I begin my first day at the ports. Dressed in black security detail clothes, I make sure to appear as a civilian worker and not someone on the hunt for a rat. However, I will be setting my traps very soon, I just need to uncover everyone’s vices.

“Are you ready?” Matt asks, as we walk through the large shipping yard.

Our task was simple: we were to patrol the area and make sure no one who wasn’t permitted to be in the gated area, stayed away. Our orders from Salvatore Security Forces were to pay careful attention to the workers to help unload the ships and who checked the products as they were loaded onto each vessel.

“I’m always ready,” I say, taking my flashlight and shining it near a shadowed area.

This place was poorly lit and could lead to some serious trouble if they didn’t take care of that. Anyone could hide among the large crates that were stacked in rows. I made a mental note to talk to my new ‘boss’ about that soon. My only reprieve is the slight breeze floating in off the ocean.

We continue patrolling and I see a large barge making its way into the port. A couple of guys who I met during orientation begin heading over to the dock. I can hear them laughing and chatting, but I am unable to make out what they are saying.

“We’ve got a shipment coming in,” I say to Matt.

He nods as he shifts his belt. Unlike the rest of the guys around here, we also are armed and have body cameras on us. We both activate our camera just in case something goes down, we will get it all recorded.

The group of men begins unloading several crates that they place on a trailer that will move the products to another shipping container. Nothing seems out of the ordinary as they work together. Matt and I keep moving, not wanting to get caught watching them. The last thing we need is for someone to suspect we aren’t just new security details.

Suddenly, one of the men, an older guy with a thick beard and bald head, lifts open the top of one of the crates. I see him inspecting the contents while the rest of the guys unload. He looks inside, shakes his head, and then tosses the crate with the rest.

I can’t be sure, but his actions seemed a little strange. Why would he be shaking his head no, like he didn’t find what he was looking for?

I whisper my thoughts to Matt, who also watched the moment. We decide to share that with the team tomorrow. For now, we continue patrolling, and thankfully, for the rest of the night, we don’t see anything else suspicious.

Early the next morning, I am woken by another horrific nightmare. It’s always the same.

Realizing I will never be able to go back to sleep, I check my email on my phone. A smile spreads across my face as I see Meghan’s name in my inbox.

Ryder,

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