Page 84 of Hungry Hearts

“I didn’t come here looking for food.” He parks himself next to me and rests his hip on the stainless-steel counter next to me.

“Herpes acting up so Aves kicked you out?”

“Funny.”

“The fact that you think your dick covered in warts is funny is one of the reasons Aves is going to leave you. No worries, Sealy. I’ll take good care of her. My dick’s golden.”

“You touch my wife and your dick will be shoved down your throat.”

He and I know very well I’d never touch her like that. Nolan’s one of the few people who know about my parents and how I feel about cheating or even infringing upon another man’s woman. I only joke about it with the people I care about.

“Nah. I prefer when my dick is shoved down a blonde’s throat. Preferably one with fake tits I can fuck after, and long nails to claw at my ass.”

It makes me sick to joke like this, like the old Ryder. The Ryder before Maia. But the Ryder during Maia was fucking pussy whipped, too blind to see what was in front of him the entire time.

The warning signs were clear. She defended Flynn anytime I brought up his name. She hinted not so subtly that she wouldn’t be put in a situation to have to choose between us. And if she was, she’d choose him. Flynn is her connection to Adam.

Adam. The sweet high school boyfriend who she gave her virginity to, and took from him. The man who could do no wrong. The all-American. Honor student. Talented athlete. Golden boy who got the girl and treated her like spun glass.

I don’t know a fucking thing about Flynn, not even his last name, but I highly doubt he’s regarded as highly as his dead best friend.

“I’m not a chef, but I’d say your sauce has reduced enough.”

I look down at the charred onions.Fuck. “Your fault for bringing your gonorrhea back here. Get out of my space, Sealy.”

“I will if you promise to talk to me.”

“About what? Sexually transmitted diseases? Not an expert in that area, but it sounds like you are.”

I reach for another sauté pan hanging from the rack above my head and start the sauce from scratch.

“You’ve been off this week, Ry.”

“Not sure what you mean. Haven’t even seen you.” I chop four cloves of garlic and toss them into the pan.

“Exactly. Haven’t responded to texts either.”

“Because you added your women to the chat.”

“And?”

“And you’re all pussy whipped. Losing your man card over your woman. When was the last time you went out and had a good time?”

“I’d tell you I have a good time every night with my wife, but I know that’s not where you’re going. And I know you’re not implying that I should get my dick wet with another woman.”

“To each their own.”

“Fuck, man. I’ve never seen you like this.” He shakes his head. “Actually, I have. Once.”

I feel his heated stare at the side of my face and refuse to look at him. We both know what he’s referring to. When my mom cheated on my dad. I shut down, then turned to dark, offensive humor.

Nolan and his family were my safe place, and I turned my dark offensive humor into sexual innuendos. The more I looked at sex as not a big deal, something that didn’t mean anything, the less it hurt thinking about my mom being with another man.

I mean, imagining my parents having sex was gross enough, but knowing my mom was getting hot and heavy with another? Fucking disgusting.

“Nora said you’ve been staying at the penthouse.”

“Nora needs to pop out her baby so she doesn’t have as much free time on her hands.” I soften my tone and nudge my elbow into his side. “I’ll be fine, Sealy. Get outta my kitchen and go back to scaring off cheaters in the poker room.”

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