Page 61 of What are the Risks
“You fumbled it.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
I needed to move on
Ruby
I took a deep breath, willing away the tears threatening to fall. I wished I could skip to the point in my life when talking about Noah no longer hurt. I was over feeling this way.
A light knock had me glancing up. Ryker eased the door open, his gaze softening when he saw me sitting on the edge of his bed.
“Rubz.”
That was all it took. The tears broke free.
Hurriedly closing the door behind him, he rushed to the bed and sat right beside me, so close I could feel the heat of his skin through his tee.
“I’m sorry, Rubz,” he whispered, wrapping his strong arm around my shoulder and tucking me into his chest. “Not just for what you’re going through, but for how badly I handled things downstairs. I didn’t know what to say... I still don’t.”
“I don’t need you to say anything.”
I didn’t want to talk. I didn’t want to think. I just wanted to feel better.
As I sniffed, nuzzling deeper, Ryker’s hand came to rest on the back of my head, his fingers slowly combing through my hair.
This wasn’t the first time I’d cried in front of him. He’d been there for my first broken bone – which was actually his fault – my first failed assignment, my first fight with my parents, and every toughmoment since. No matter the miles between us, he always came through when I needed him, even when he didn’t realise it – like in Miami.
He wasn’t just my best friend – he was my safe space.
Noah might have been wrong about a lot, but he’d been right about one thing – he wasn’t the person I truly depended on. Life had been hard since the breakup, but I’d survived.
I’m not sure I could say the same if I was to lose this.
Noah had been my first boyfriend, my first date, my first kiss – my firsteverything.But he wouldn’t be my nextanything.It was time to stop looking back and start moving forward.
I’d wasted enough time moping.
Jerking away from Ryker, I sprang to my feet and angrily wiped at my cheeks. “No.”
Ryker frowned. “No what?”
“I don’t want to obsess over Noah anymore. I want to move on. I’m over it.” I took a deep breath. “I’m over him.”
Ryker’s tone was gentle. “You don’t have to be, Rubz. He was a big part of your life and–”
“He cheated on me, Wheels. Trust me. I’m over him.”
“He cheated on you?” Ryker seethed, a coldness I’d never heard coming from him creeping into his voice. “I’m going to kill him.”
I instinctively reached for Ryker’s arm, like he could follow through on that threat right now.
“You’re not going to do anything,” I firmly said, crouching in front of him to get his attention.
But even then, Ryker stared straight through me, his thoughts a thousand miles from here. He rarely got angry, which made his silence all the more worrying – he was pissed off. Thank God I hadn’t mentioned anything when we’d been within driving distance in Miami. I doubt I would have had the power to stop him then.
Needing to diffuse him like a ticking bomb, I climbed over him, partially straddling his legs so that I could meet his gaze. His muscled quads tensed beneath me, as if surprised by our proximity. I was too, but I had to make sure he waslistening.
“Promise me that you won’t do anything stupid, Wheels. Think about the Draft. Hurting Noah could mess with your career. He’s not worth it.”
