Page 8 of Keeping What He Wants

Ryker turned the water off and reached for a towel. He knelt in the shower with her, wrapping the towel around her before he pulled her into his arms. He held her, not saying a word until she stopped crying. She closed her eyes and clutched him tight.

“He doesn’t love me.”

Ryker smoothed her hair from her face. “Yes, he does.” He leaned down to kiss her. “Sometimes you push the people you love away. I tried with you, remember? It’s a defense mechanism.”

She pushed to her feet and turned toward him. “Defense against what? What reason would he have to push his daughter away?”

“Maybe he knows it won’t end too. Maybe he doesn’t want you to choose all the time. Maybe he doesn’t want you between us.” Ryker smoothed his hand along her back. “He worries about you. Much like you worry about me. It must be something that runs in your family.”

“It’s not funny.”

He pulled her closer, tightening his arms around her. “What’s really bothering you about him?”

She sniffled. “It’s stupid.”

“Nothing about you is stupid.”

“I miss eating breakfast together.” She shook her head. “He used to call me and bring me a donut or a chicken biscuit—whatever I could fit in on my break. He’d stop by and we’d chat a few seconds about what we’re doing that day and then he’d tell me he loved me and leave.” She pushed away from him. “Some days, it was the highlight of my day. Especially when I had to deal with traumas where nobody made it.”

Ryker kissed her cheek. “You are a beautiful woman, inside and out. I love you so much, Ella. And I promise you, this crap with your dad is going to blow over. You’re too fucking lovable to hate. I don’t care what happens.”

She wrapped her arms around him. He felt good against her cold, clammy skin. She laid her cheek against his shoulder and held him to her.

“I love you,” she whispered.

He cupped his hands underneath her ass and stood. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

She gave him a small smile. Tracing her finger along the line of his jaw, she took in the harsh gash on his lip. “What did you smart off to him about to make him punch you?”

“It’s not important.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Tell me anyway.”

He grinned, not quite looking at her. “He made a comment about me sticking my cock in prostitutes, and I came back with you being the only woman I stick my cock into He punched me.”

“You’re proud of yourself, aren’t you?”

Ryker shrugged. “I like pissing him off, sure.”

She leaned forward to kiss him lightly. “Will everything really be okay?”

“It will.” Ryker tilted his head. “He dropped everything and came to see you, didn’t he? Even after our little ordeal. He loves you, Ella. That’s never going to change.”

“So what do I do?”

“Give it some time.” He kissed her. “Then you can try again.”

****

Ryker walked into the club and smiled at the blonde woman standing at the bar. The short skirt she wore revealed long, shapely legs that fit nicely around a man’s hips. “What the fuck did we do to get a visit from you?”

She turned and smiled at him. “Rizzo and I were stopping through on our way back to Louisiana.”

Ryker came up beside her. “Yeah? Where is the dirty bastard?”

“Bathroom.” She pointed to the men’s room.

Ryker glanced over just as the beefy Rizzo walked out. “You talking to my girl?”

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