Page 23 of Wicked Obsession

“The detective said she made her move while the man was asleep.”

Ryder shook his head. “While her ankles were bound. No wonder the two of you are such good friends. How does your calf feel?”

The question caught her off guard and it took her a moment to switch gears. “Much better.”

“I’m going to try taking off the shoe. Brace yourself.”

She nodded. “I’m ready.”

Moving slowly, he eased the shoe from her foot and scowled when he got a good look. There was blood covering her toes and bruising underneath two of her toenails, turning them black. She was barefoot, but socks wouldn’t have made a difference. How the fucking hell had she continued to function without complaint? “Holy shit, hellcat.”

“That bad?”

“It could be worse.” He started to massage her foot. “After you shower, we’ll have to see about an ice pack.” Langley made a hiccupping sound, but he was pretty sure she’d tried to swallow a sob. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I know.” Her voice was definitely thick. “Keep going.”

He did, and when he’d finished with her left,he moved to the right calf and foot. They weren’t any better, and this was one instance when he was glad Langley had tight control of herself. Ryder didn’t see any bruising on the ball of her foot, but her reaction every time he massaged there made it plain that it caused her a lot of pain. When he had her muscles back to a more normal level of tension, he asked, “Do you want to try standing?”

“No.” Her smile was lopsided. “I suppose I should, though. I’ll need help.”

Straightening, he took both of her hands in his and said, “Let me know when you’re ready.”

Her fingers clutched at his briefly, and then with a nod, she said, “Pull.” Her face went pale.“Mère de Dieu,”she whispered as she gained her feet.

Langley’s knees started to buckle, and Ryder wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. “I got you, hellcat. Hang on to me as long as you need.”

“I hate being weak.” Her hands clutched at his waist.

“You’re not weak, you’re human, and you put your body through a lot of abuse today.” And she continued to push herself. It was hard to reconcile this tenacity with the formal gown and her aristocratic accent.

It took a while before Langley eased her holdon him and said, “I think I have this now. Let’s see if I can stand on my own.”

Cautiously, Ryder released her and moved away, but he stayed close. She wavered and then balanced herself. One step, though, and she wobbled again. “I’m okay,” she said, when he made a move to catch her. “It’s the mermaid cut of this raspberry nightmare.”

“And the six inches of skirt wrapped around your feet,” Ryder said as he took in the full scope of the issues the dress caused her.

“Get me out of this absurd thing, will you please?”

The request showed exactly how much Langley trusted him not to be an asshole. It humbled Ryder, especially now that he knew what had happened with one of her bodyguards in the past. “Sure,” he said, his own voice a little rough. He moved to her back, but all he saw was dress. “Where the hell is the damn zipper?”

As she looked at him over her shoulder, she managed a ghost of a smile. “It’s hidden under the chiffon. Dig around toward the top. You’ll find the pull.”

He located it, but he had to keep shifting more and more fabric to keep the zipper moving south. “I thought the bride was supposed to have the complicated dress,” he said as he finished opening the back. Langley didn’t respond, but pushed itdown, trying to get it off. Ryder helped her until there was a crimson—make that raspberry—puddle on the floor. Lifting her free, he put her back on her feet and watched to make sure she remained steady.

When she did, Ryder faced a new issue. Langley hadn’t been the only one who’d dealt with fear and adrenaline tonight, and seeing her in nothing except a pair of panties reminded him of a very primal way to prove they were both alive. Clenching his hands into fists, he took a giant step backward and reminded himself that he’d seen her in less many times.

He’d also made love with her many times and knew how damn good it would be with her.She trusts you, dumbass.“I’m going to check if there’s any ice to put on your feet for after you shower,” he said. “If you need help, holler.”

Ryder barely waited for her nod before he escaped from the room.

Langley saton the end of the bed and fiddled with the sock beside her. The blinds were partially open, and the early morning sunlight gave her a clear look at her surroundings. The bedroom was small, the large bed taking up nearly the entire width, and it had pale sage walls. From whatshe’d seen of the house, the man had lived here alone because it was a very masculine space with a lot of oversized furniture. It was also immaculate, something she appreciated more than ever after her time as a hostage in the cockroach cottage.

Her stomach growled. She was starving, but there wasn’t any food in the house. She’d been promised breakfast on the road, and if she wanted to eat soon, she had to move. Her bags were in the Explorer, the men were ready to go, the only thing she needed to do was slip on a pair of socks and her tennis shoes.

But the idea of putting anything on her feet was abhorrent. She gazed down at them.

They looked horrible and felt worse—no wonder Ryder had said holy shit. She could hardly walk, a fact she was attempting to hide, but she suspected it would become obvious when she tried to make it to the vehicle. Her balance wasn’t helped by the lack of sleep, either. She’d been wired the entire night, and even if she had been tired, the throbbing in her feet would have kept her awake.

---