Page 21 of Ryder

I heard yelling somewhere near the door. “Dad. It’s not his fault. He had guards on her. How was he to know? Divinity can look—”

“Son, I’d shut that fucking mouth before I shut it for you.”

Standing, I shut the file on my desk as my gaze widened at the man stalking in followed by Holden my partner, and Arron. I’d seen pictures of Divinity’s father, but what I’d seen hadn’t done him justice. He looked to be close to six feet, but his presence alone could make you think he was twice his size. He strode in confident, like he’d done it all before and won every battle. I’d seen men like him before. My family employed men like him, but watching him in his anger as he stormed to me, I knew I was in trouble and that if Divinity hadn’t been kidnapped, she would have been right, her father wasn’t the type we could just thrust the news of our relationship on. He needed to be eased into it. I was an alpha and the curse made me crazier, but I knew that the man now before me wasn’t someone to fuck with.

“What the fuck did you get my daughter involved in?”

As I glared at the man before me I promised that when I got Divinity back, she wouldn’t be leaving my fucking sight. She would put the engagement ring on and I would marry her as soon as my family could get the wedding organized. Once she was mine with my last name and her arse tied to me in every way my little vixen wouldn’t be leaving anywhere, even if she went to the fucking toilet, without at least two guards.

I had to stand my ground and show the man that I could look after his daughter and when I got her back I would do everything in my power to make sure she was safe, even if I had to put her in a bloody bubble. I would make sure he knew I was man enough to be able to protect my woman and this shit wouldn’t happen again. I knew a man like the one before me didn’t like wimps. Standing from my desk, I stared Divinity’s father in the eyes. “Nothing. Who’s to say it’s my shit she’s been fucking taken for?” I growled. I ran my fingers over my head. I needed to clip it all off. Fucking hell I needed my bloody women. “I had a fucking tracker in her engagement ring, and if you weren’t a wanking idiot, and she wasn’t a stubborn vixen, she’d have been wearing it.” I shouldn’t have let her have her way. I should have let the Caveman curse within take over and not take her arguing and no for a fucking answer. She is mine. “Fuck!” I yelled. “If she wasn’t so worried about you, she would have fucking been with me or her bodyguards. Not babysitting your Goddamn arse.”

I should have expected the fist that flew at my face, but when I stumbled back and black surrounded my vision I knew I probably should have toned my anger down.

I awoke and every part of my body ached. I was surprised to find I wasn’t tied up, but I figured whoever had taken me didn’t think I was in any shape to escape. Doing an assessment, I was sure at least three of my ribs were cracked, if not broken. My pinky finger on my left was broken and pointing in the wrong direction. And, my hands were cut up from the glass I’d held and used as a weapon. My right palm would need stitches. The only reason it wasn’t still bleeding was because the dried blood stopped any more from coming out. I wasn’t in great condition, but I was alive and could move, which meant I could still defend myself and try and escape. I’d never been so grateful my dad was a hard-arse and had made me take self-defense classes and had never gone easy on me when he’d taught me things.

Now I knew what condition body was in, I gazed around the room I was in, taking everything in. I was in an older style house I was sure, as it was a large room and the ceiling was high with elaborate crown molding. The window was without a fly screen and it looked like it was at least eighty or so years old with a pull leaver on each side when you lifted it. I’d lived in older houses before, and seen rooms and windows like this, I was sure the window would be stuck closed with years of being unused and being painted over and over. The floor was old wood and in need of repair. The paint on the walls was peeling. This house was either a knock down or a rebuild and refurbish.

There was nothing in the room besides me. No bed, no blanket, food, water, nothing. Easing to a sitting position, I counted to three and snapped my finger back into place holding back my scream. I thanked my dad again for never going easy on me when we’d trained and for never being the kind of father that coddled his child when she was hurt. I didn’t want anyone to know I was awake yet until I could assess my situation more, and yelling or screaming in pain would definitely alert them.

I slowly stood and couldn’t bite back my groan as pain radiated through me. Hobbling over to the door, I carefully twisted the knob, trying not to make much noise, to see if it opened. The door wouldn’t budge. I was locked in. I made my way to the dirty window and looked out to see it was late afternoon and there was grass as far as the eye could see. Fuck. It looked like there were no close neighbors. From what I could see I guessed I was on a farm or house with acreage. It would be hard for me to run as there was nowhere for me to hide if I got away. I had no idea if there were more than the two men who took me or why they did take me. As much as I wanted to just attack the next person I saw and try to get away, I needed to think and be smart.

Testing the window, I was surprised when it lifted and eased up, but it was noisy. They either were confident I wouldn’t get away and had more men, or they didn’t think I would run. Or maybe they didn’t know the window actually worked. I highly doubted that though. They went to so much trouble to take me, I was sure they couldn’t be that stupid. Sliding the window back down, I gazed around the empty room. I needed a weapon. The floorboards were in bad shape. I hoped I could maybe break one and use it. I shuffled around the room, cautious of my injuries as I checked each floorboard. Three were rocky and two were loose and one was starting to rot. Going back to the loose boards, I eased down and checked the ones on either side of them. I needed options. I started to hear voices and it sounded like more than two. I just hoped there wasn’t a huge group here.

I was so engrossed with the floorboards that I almost missed the rattle of the door. I eased away from the loose and rocky boards and moved to around where I’d awoken. I needed them to think I was weak still. I hunched a little and let the pain show. I needed whoever it was to see me as too weak to move, so they didn’t tie me up.

Two men came in. One I recognized from taking me. I was sure his name was Greg. The other wore a ski mask. I knew instantly that ski mask guy was in charge. Not only did he walk in the room like he owned it, but why the hell would he cover his face?

Tilting my chin up, I glared into blue eyes that were so bright they almost looked glacier. I waited for one of them to say something, but when serval moments passed and nothing was said, I rolled my shoulder back and sat up, holding my wince in, and glared at the fuckers. I’d try and see if tough mouthy woman could get me anywhere. “You’re a fucking idiot. You do realize whose daughter you took? I wasn’t on the base for shits and giggles, you wanker.” I shook my head. “My dad is home from a tour. I hope you realize how stupid you are. Although even if he wasn’t home, the shit you’ve brought down on your head is major. No one fucks with family and Army is all about family.” I thought of mentioning Ryder, but for some reason I held back on mentioning him or the Silverman name. I knew something was going on. Ryder was working double shifts and getting calls at all times of the day and night. My gut told me this had to do with Ryder, and I had learned thanks to my dad and brother that you always go with your gut.

“She has fucking mouth on her, X. She needs to learn to keep it shut. She should be taught a lesson. She fucked up Roy really bad. Cage doesn’t know if he’ll make it, if we don’t get him to a hospital.” Greg snarled. He then turned and sneered down at me. “The fucking Army won’t come for you bitch.”

I laughed, and damn did it kill my ribs. I didn’t want to show them how much it hurt, but I keep up the facade wincing dramatically and shrinking. I forced a laugh and it did sound hollow. X still hadn’t said anything, just watched me. I shot a smirk Greg’s way. “You’re the biggest idiot I’ve ever met. Of course the Army won’t come after me, but my father and his men, and my friends who are in the Army will, you fuckwit.” I shook my head and moaned, but kept X in my vision. I needed them to know I was broken in body but not in spirit.

“You left out information.” The voice under the ski mask was soft and smooth. I wondered for a moment who he was speaking to until Greg groaned.

“She’s been with him. I saw her. She’s had guards on her.”

This was about Ryder. I now knew where I could tread, and what to avoid saying. I didn’t comment, and tried not to show reaction to what Greg said. X didn’t say anything and Greg continued on like he was trying to come up with a reason why taking me was a good idea.

“He hasn’t been with any women for like a year or so. Anytime we’ve watched him he’s been alone, but not lately. She’s been with him.”

X still didn’t say anything, but I could feel his gaze on me like he was waiting for me to react. I stayed quiet and kept my face in pain, or angry.

“I don’t like this,” X said in his smooth as silk voice. “Silverman. Ryder Silverman. You’re his woman?’

This time I put feeling into my laugh knowing I needed to be convincing. I held my ribs. “Ha, I’ve fucked him, sure. Don’t know if that makes me his women, though. He’s an arsehole, so not really relationship material.” I shook my head. “You do know your idiots picked me up coming from my home, where I live with my dad on base?”

“X, she’s been with him. She has guards. He wouldn’t give her guards otherwise.” Greg snapped and took a step towards me.

I chuckle. “Guards. Ha,” I jerked my head to Greg. “He’s so dumb. They’re friends, not guards. If you’ve been watching me, you’d know my activities aren’t girly, well lately. I go to boxing, out for dinner or work. I hang with guys. That are friends. They don’t have much time to hang with me otherwise.”

Greg growled, “Guys who sit in the salon all day. Men don’t do that even if you are friends.”

I roll my eyes. “You’ve seen the women I work with? They’re hot. The guys come in and chat with me between clients and perv on my work mates.” I shrug. “I also think my dad had them checking on me, while he was gone”

The mask guy might be the brains of this operation, but I had a feeling he was doubting his man. Staying with my father the last couple of days and the way my relationship with Ryder happened so fast might work in my favor.

X stared at me for a while and without saying another word, turned to leave, only to pause at the door. Greg stomped towards him and X pushed him out the door before him. I was grateful he didn’t order me tied and sagged for a moment in relief only to stiffen when I heard faintly from the other side of the door, “Kill her. I want no trace of this to get back to me.”

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