Page 40 of Hungry Hearts

The man she’s sitting with says something else and she laughs again. Jealousy rages through my veins. As tempted as I am to sayfuck itand leave, it’s not the way I roll. My dad looked the other way for too long and the rift in their marriage and our family dynamics were harder and harder to repair the longer he let the affair go on without calling Mom on it.

Not that Maia and I are in that place. We’re nowhere near married, and I’m not even sure if we’re in the boyfriend-girlfriend stage. We haven’t talked about it, because it’s not a conversation I’m comfortable with. I haven’t been too concerned about her seeing other men because I didn’t think she was that type of person.

Me? Yeah. I am. Was. Maybe am again if I’ve been reading her wrong. Ignoring the pit in my stomach, I step up to their table.

“Maia. What a pleasant surprise.” I keep the malice out of my tone, because I’m not a spiteful person.

The color drains from her face and I don’t miss how she quickly glances at her table mate before standing in front of me.

“Ryder? What are you doing here?” Her whiskey eyes are wide with worry. Worry about what, I’m not sure yet.

Ignoring the douche who stands as well, I turn my back to him and study her face, trying to get a read on what’s going on inside that head of hers. Is she nervous I busted her with another man or is she nervous the other man knows about me? Who is she going to protect? To side with?

“Roast & Toast has become my favorite coffee shop. Nice memories here that I missed so I thought I’d swing by and see if it’s still...the same.”

“Maia? Who’s this?” the douche asks.

Her cheeks burn red and I’m that much of a jealous asshole that I don’t take my eyes off her. My back molars are clenched so tight I’m pretty sure I’m going to bite through my jaw. It’s been a long fucking time since I’ve had anger spewing through my body.

I’ve had very few moments in my life that elicited such emotions.

“Um, Flynn, this is Ryder.”

Flynn steps around me and stands by Maia’s side, staking his claim. My eyes don’t leave Maia’s, but I can feel him studying me, his gaze flicking between the two of us. Maia drops her chin to her chest.

“Haven’t heard of you before...Ryder.” Flynn sticks out his hand while resting his other on Maia’s lower back. “You a friend of Adam’s?”

I stare at his outstretched hand for a beat before unclamping my jaw and giving him a quick shake.

“No, Flynn. He’s...”

I wait for Maia to explain who I am. When she doesn’t, I ask, “Who’s Adam?”

Flynn, the smug asshole, cocks his head and smiles. “Maia’s husband.” When I don’t respond, he continues. “I’m his best friend. The three of us grew up together. We know everything about each other.”

My heart fucking drops in my stomach, but I hold his smarmy grin and match it with one of my own, although it’s as bright and fake as a Playboy bunny’s tits. Maia doesn’t deny her marital status, and she stares at her feet.

Not one to get in a pissing match, I tuck my hands in my pockets before I slug the mother fucker. “Well, nice meeting you. I’ll let you get back to your coffee.”

I leave without acknowledging Maia or even offering a canned, “I’ll talk with you later.”Because I won’t. Ties. Cut. No matter how badly I wanted Maia to be mine, she isn’t. Somehow, I find my car in the parking garage. I’m a fucking zombie, my soul empty. My heart fucking shredded into a million pieces.

The irony gods had their fun with me. Not only did they get Ryder Benton to finally fall for a woman for the first time in his pathetic thirty-three years of life, but they had fun making a fool of him in the process.

The plan to better my mood backfired so deep it’s sunk out west in the Grand Canyon pit of Hell. There’s no climbing out of this one.

The night is long and miserable as I bark out orders at my staff and refuse to walk the dining room, something I do every Saturday night at the top of each hour. Normally, I like to be the last one to leave the kitchen at night. Except for the evening I bailed to meet Maia at her hotel room, I’m here locking up.

Tonight, as soon as the last meal is plated, I toss my apron in the basket by the back door and storm out of the kitchen. No one questioned me. No one tried to make small talk. This is a whole new side of Ryder my staff has never seen, and I owe them an apology. I’ll make it up to them tomorrow. After I’ve drowned myself in a bottle of Jack and fucked the first woman to come on to me at The Club.

As soon as I step into the dance club, the music thumps through my feet and up my legs. Usually, I love the vibration and how it sets the mood for sex. Tonight, not so much. I bypass greedy hands on my way up to the VIP lounge where I’ll start my drunken process.

Thank fuck the guys and their wives aren’t here. I give Maxine a forced, cocky smile. “I’ll take a double shot of whiskey. Don’t be shy with it.”

“Sure thing, Ryder.” Maxine would have been my type if she wasn’t hands-off. Trey won’t let me sleep with any of his staff. He thinks they’ll quit after one night with me, especially knowing one night is all they’re gonna get.

Otherwise, she’d be my type. Average height, slender, with fake tits a man could get lost in and a smart mouth. One that, according to rumors, knows how to suck cock. But Maxine doesn’t whore herself out to guys at the club. If she did, Trey would have canned her a long time ago.

As soon as she pours my drink and slides the glass across the bar, I swing it back in one gulp and slam the empty glass down. “Another.”

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