touch me. Not like that.”
His eyes squeezed shut, and he blew out a slow breath. He must have been imagining all sorts of horrors, and while I hadn’t exactly been having a ball, I shuddered every time I thought about how much worse it could have been.
“He won’t get away with this.”
I cupped his jaw, the familiar sensation of stubble beneath my fingertips bringing me immense comfort.
“He knew me, Ryker. He wasn’t a stranger.”
His eyes widened, shock crossing his face. “How do you know?”
“He kept going on and on about Elliot. How Elliot owed him. Whoever this guy is, he feels he’s been wronged, and taking me was a means to an end. His way of exacting retribution.”
“Fuck.”
His eyes glazed over as he processed the information.
I scratched my fingertips over his cheek, bringing him back to me. “I know neither you nor Elliot will let this go, but please, for me, can we forget about it, for a little while at least?”
He nodded, leaning over the rim of the tub to kiss me.
The water cooled. Ryker helped me out of the tub. My body ached from the cold, damp room, the hard, concrete floor and, no doubt, being roughly bundled into the back of a car while unconscious. He dried every inch of my skin, then wrapped me in a warm, fluffy robe and tucked me into bed.
“Stay with me until I fall asleep?”
He climbed up beside me and tucked my head into the crook of his arm. “I’m not going anywhere.”
28
Ryker
Athena’s breathing slowly evened out. I stared at her for a few minutes, still processing the fact she’d been returned to me relatively unscathed. She appeared, at first sight, to be dealing with her traumatic experience a little too well. When the shock kicked in, she’d need love, understanding, and support to help her come to terms with how easily her life could have been snuffed out.
My chest constricted at the mere thought of losing her. Compelled by an undeniable urge to connect with her, I pressed my lips to her forehead and let them linger, memorizing the feel of her skin beneath my own.
I carefully removed my arm, making sure the movement didn’t wake her, then stood. She didn’t even murmur. Pausing by the doorway, I blew her a kiss.
“Love you, Thea.”
I trudged downstairs, locating everyone in the kitchen. I locked gazes with Judy. “She’s asleep.”
“I’ll go sit with her for a while.” She crossed the room and patted my shoulder. “I’m so glad it’s you. You’ve always been like a son to me, Ryker. And soon, I’ll be able to call you that for real.”
A glimmer of a smile touched my lips. “I couldn’t wish for better in-laws.”
I waited for her to leave, then turned my attention to Elliot. “Shall we?” I asked.
Without waiting for an affirmative response, I left the kitchen and headed back to the living room. While I had sympathy with Elliot’s position, I refused to continue feeling guilty for falling in love. Both Athena and I had done our damndest to stay away from each other, but in the end, fate had other plans for us, and our mutual love had been impossible to deny.
Elliot closed the door but remained standing with his arms folded across his chest and a muscle ticking in his cheek.
“Is she coping?” he asked.
“Surprisingly well,” I replied. “Too well.”
He nodded. “When reality hits, she’s going to need support.”
“Indeed she is,” I said. “Support from all of us. You, me, Judy, Karl.” I touched my split lip. “You had your shot, Elliot, and I accept you were entitled to it, but from now on, you need to find a way to come to terms with Athena and me being together. I’m going nowhere.”
He chose a chair the farthest from me and stiffly sat. “How long, Ryker?”
“This time, a few weeks.”
His eyebrows shot up. “This time?”
I figured he deserved the whole story, so I let him have it. “Athena and I slept together seven years ago. Remember the night we all went out celebrating after we realized the successful path ROGUES was on? She came to me. I should have denied her. I didn’t.”
I squeezed my eyes closed as familiar shame swept through me every time I thought about the cruel things I’d said to her the following morning. That I wouldn’t be sharing with Elliot. Yet still she loved me. I didn’t deserve her.
“Jesus,” Elliot muttered. “The code on her phone? That was why? It wasn’t anything to do