too much for you to take? What if it’s something so bad, you can’t look at her the same way?”
He didn’t look remotely worried. “I have an advantage over other guys because I know she’s mine no matter what. Don’t worry about my relationship with her. You need to find out if Grimm’s that guy for you. If he isn’t, well, that just means there’s a better match still waiting.”
She hesitated but then blurted, “Do you ever feel like everything is about her and not about you at all? Like even your own life?”
“She’s why I live and I’m why she lives.” He shrugged. “You entered our world when you got involved with Grimm. Nothing has ever been about us stepping into Kylie’s shitty world.”
Her heart was throbbing “Please stop being mean.”
He stared at her. “I’m telling you what you need to hear because it’s clear no one, not even Grimm, is telling you what an ugly heart you have, and that it’s going to destroy you.”
She gaped at him, words not forming.
“You’re not a girl who’ll go down quietly, though, and that’s why I’m saying this shit to you. Because I see it in your eyes”—he shifted his gaze between hers—“you want to ruin Janie, tear every bit of her from Logan, and in doing that, you’re fucking with my world.”
Kylie swallowed, not breaking eye contact with him. She wanted to argue, but there was no point. All she could do now was find out what she needed to know. “Do you think he felt something when he was with her yesterday?”
His expression went blank. “Yeah. I think they both felt something.”
The air in her lungs felt like it had been stolen. “We’re supposed to be okay with that?”
He heaved a sigh. “It’s okay to be upset and hurt . . . I’m angry with her choice, but I’m proud of her for being brave and doing something she didn’t want to do. I might not give a damn about Grimm, but I know he means the world to her, and she got to be his hero in a way. And while she’s hurting all alone, she knows I’m waiting here. I’m showing her that her stupid little plans can blow up, and I’ll still be here to help her piece everything back together.”
“I don’t think I can deal with her being his hero.” She held her hand over her heart.
“You deal or you don’t,” he said plainly. “The story doesn’t change just because you prefer it to go a certain way. But sometimes tragedy gives us something better than we could have ever dreamed of.”
“Thank you, Ryder.”
“It’s never for you,” he said, and she saw he meant it.
“Asshole.” She wiped her face again.
Now he smirked. “Keep my ass out of your fantasies.”
Knock, knock.
They both looked over as Ryder shoved off the desk and walked toward the door. He withdrew a key from his pocket and unlocked it. Janie walked in, and he immediately pulled her to him.
He kissed her again and again as he lifted her up. “Oh, my love. It’s okay. I’m here.”
“You weren’t there,” Janie cried. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m here. I’m always here.” Ryder swayed with her like she was a little girl. “Everything will be okay. Stay with me.”
Kylie looked away from them just as Logan entered.
“Hey, baby.”
“Logan,” she said, pushing herself up out of her desk to meet him.
He grinned and pulled her into a kiss. And just like that, nothing else mattered.
“I missed you,” he said, smiling against her lips.
“I missed you, too.” She opened her eyes, sighing. He was there.
“I’m sorry I haven’t called. I’ve been busy.” He leaned away. “Why were you with Trevor?”
She froze, staring up at him. “What?”
He glanced at Ryder and Janie. “How long do we have?”
“Only two hours.” Ryder scanned Janie’s face, but he continued speaking to Logan. “Be here when I get back.”
Kylie frowned as she watched Ryder start undoing his jeans, Janie already holding his jacket. “What the—“
“Fuck,” Logan said, turning her around quickly.
“Afraid she’s going to see what a real man looks like?” Ryder’s menacing voice raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Obviously, Ryder the philosopher was gone and Ryder the cold bastard was back.
Logan moved in front of her and pulled off his shirt. “He’s going to pretend to be me so they can leave together for a little while. The building is being watched.”
“Oh,” Kylie said as he handed her his shirt and then shoved his workout pants down.