Page 153 of Tag

I threw up my hands. “I don’t know, that’s what she said. She was only in the locker room because her stomach was having issues or something.”

“Jesus Christ,” he muttered, like he regretted asking.

Ryder was watching me, silent and calculating, like he was cataloging every word, every crack in the story she told.

What did it mean if shewasin on what happened?

Why would she be?

I refused to believe it. I already had Layla acting suspiciously and slinking around behind my back. I’d known Britt even longer. She wasn’t like that. She couldn’t be. I glared at the table, so I didn’t embarrass myself and cry.

“Let her out, Cade,” Ryder instructed, voice low.

Without hesitation, Cade slid from the booth. Ryder was there in the next instant, gently easing me across the seat.

“Get the tab,” he tossed over his shoulder, guiding me toward the door.

The chilled fall air hit like a reset button, sharp in my lungs, cold on my flushed cheeks, making it a little easier to breathe.

Ryder didn’t speak as we crossed the parking lot. He walked me to the passenger side of his truck and pulled the door open for me. I climbed in and settled onto the seat.

“Look at me, Sass,” he said softly.

I didn’t. My eyes stayed on my lap, on my hands gripping the edge of his jacket like they might keep me from coming apart. “I don’t understand,” I whispered. “And if she is in on something… why? Do my friends secretly hate me?”

He stepped closer, gripped my waist, and turned me until my legs were hanging over the side of the seat, and he was between them. “We don’t know what’s going on. Just breathe a little for me, okay? I’ll figure it all out for you.”

“I feel like I sound crazy.”

That made him laugh, the sound low and warm against my skin. “Remember what I said?”

I raised my gaze to his and instantly got lost in his eyes.

“I know what crazy looks like, and it could never be you.”

I nodded, my voice barely there. “I don’t want you getting hurt because of me, Rye. You saw those texts.”

“That’s someone trying to get in your head, and that makes it even more of my problem. I’m supposed to be the only one in there.”

I released a watery laugh.

“No one’s fucked with me remotely,” he continued. “A few of the same type of messages, yeah. That’s all. I promise I’ll make this right without a single hair on my head being touched.”

“That doesn’t make me any less worried about you,” I pushed back.

“It’s you we need to be worried about, Sass. I’m doing my fucking best to keep myself in check right now and not lock you away somewhere where nothing and no one could ever touchyou again. Knowing he put his hands on you…” He trailed off, exhaling hard.

He didn’t need to finish the sentence. I felt it in the tension of his grip, rolling off his body like barely leashed violence. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him tight. His arms circled my waist like he was anchoring both of us. His mouth dipped to my neck, and I froze.

“Ryder.”

He pressed a kiss to the side of my throat, then another. Despite everything wrong with the timing, the ache still fresh in my muscles, and the anxiety crawling in my chest, my body had no problem reacting.

“Rye,” I half moaned when he pressed another kiss just a little lower.

I felt him smile against my skin. Then he pulled back just enough to speak, his breath still warm against my throat. “Those little sounds are going to destroy me,” he groaned. “I could fuck you right here, just like this, but then I’d have to burn down our Waffle House so there’s no witnesses.”

My thighs clenched around his hips, and I couldn't look away from the way him.“I hate how much I like it when you say things like that,” I murmured, my voice unsteady.

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