Page 40 of Tag

I swallowed. “It stings a little, but I promise, I’m all good.”

“You’re not,” he objected quietly, eyes locked on mine.

His thumbs moved slowly, brushing that sensitive spot just beneath my jaw. I knew he could feel it, the way my pulse betrayed me. Not from fear anymore, but something else entirely.

“Can you give us a ride?” Layla’s voice cut in, hesitant but clear. She hovered nearby, watching us.

Ryder didn’t look away from me when he answered. “That’s what I was coming to do.”

Then, softer, just for me, “Come on.”

He released me just to take hold of my hand. He didn’t let go until after he opened the passenger door of his truck, then reached for me again. He gripped my hips just enough to guide me up, his touch firm. The sleeves of his dark gray hoodie were pushed up to his elbows, revealing his inked forearms. He smelled like his body wash and usual warm cedar-and-spicescent. He had to be fresh out of the shower, because his dark hair was still faintly damp.

Once I was situated, he leaned in and grabbed the seatbelt, pulling it across my body and clicking it into place himself as Layla climbed quietly into the back seat. Ryder shut my door and walked around to the driver’s side, climbing back behind the wheel. The warmth inside the truck enveloped me. He drove in silence, the usual music replaced with something heavier in the air. It wasn’t awkward per se, but it felt tense, like we were both waiting for the other to speak first.

“I’m fine,” Layla offered quietly.

I turned away from the window and looked at her. “What?”

Ryder kept his eyes on the road. “I can see that,” he replied dryly. “You weren’t the one on the ground.”

I twisted back around and shot him a look.

Among all of us, I knew Layla wasn’t his favorite, not by a long shot. I didn’t think it was really about her specifically, but more so, he didn’t like sharing me with anyone outside of our core group. It was a miracle Dougie and Olivia had slipped through the cracks like they had. He had no say when it came to the cheer team, probably the only thing keeping my other few acquaintances safe. Thinking about it now, I realized I didn’t have many friends beyond the ones I considered family. Maybe that’s what Layla meant earlier.

Catching the look I sent his way, he sighed and glanced up at the windshield, as if seeking divine help to get through this ride.

Then, in his well-practiced tone, the one most people knew him for, he extended an olive branch. “That was rude. I’m sorry, Fey. I know you’re scared.”

Fey?Who the heck was Fey?

Layla's lips instantly curved into a gentle smile. “It’s okay. I know how you get,” she replied, all soft, soothing, and understanding.

She knew how he got?

Also, why wasn’t she questioning that nickname he’d just given her? Why was I letting it bother me? I couldn't scold Ryder for not being nice and then get irritated when he tried to be. As we turned into my driveway, I rummaged through my bag, feeling the cool metal of my house key. I didn’t want to knock and disrupt one of the girls inside on the off chance they were buried deep in textbooks.

Ryder’s hand gently but firmly grasped my arm before I could open the door. “Can we talk for a minute?”

I hesitated, casting a quick glance at Layla. “You can head inside. I’ll be there in a sec,” I instructed, extending the key toward her. She accepted it with a nod, giving Ryder a polite smile before slipping out of the car, leaving nothing between us but the hum of the engine and everything unsaid.

I broke first because my mouth moved before my brain could, for the second time that day. “Where didFeycome from?”

His eyes roamed over my face, slow and deliberate, before the corners of his mouth curved into an amused smile. “That’s what you’re choosing to focus on right now?”

“No. Yes.” I shook my head, already regretting asking. “Never mind.”

He laughed, far too pleased with himself. “I love when you get territorial.”

“I’m not territorial,” I shot back, too fast.

His grin deepened, all smug confidence. “Whatever you say.”

“I asked a simple question.”

“It’s not hard to piece together, Sass. What do me and the guys usually call her?”

I stared at him, slowly putting it together. “Ferret face,” I replied flatly.

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