“You know this guy?” I whispered to Mike, not tearing my eyes off Ryker.
“Yeah,” Ryker answered my question then he jerked an enormous hand my way and he went on. “Everyone knows me. Now you do too. I’m Ryker.”
I didn’t want to but I took his hand. He squeezed hard. I tried not to wince. He let me go.
Ryker looked over my shoulder at Mike.
“Nice hair,” he noted and I was thinking he wasn’t talking about Mike’s.
“Ryker,” Mike said in a very low voice that sounded like a warning.
“Pretty voice,” Ryker went on.
“Ryker,” Mike repeated.
Ryker grinned and if I was scared before, I was really scared now.
“Seriously great rack,” he commented.
I blinked.
“You’re done,” Mike stated and his voice didn’t sound like anything. It was, quite simply, a warning.
But I was thinking that I didn’t want Mike to have a smackdown with this guy. I figured Mike could take care of himself. I’d seen him in action with Beau and he took Beau down to his knees in a split second and kept him there with no apparent effort. But this guy had two sleeves of tattoos. He was tall. He had a lot of bulky muscle. He had no hair at all. It was early April, there was still a nip in the air and he was wearing only a tank top with no coat in evidence. He had a knife on his belt. And even his smiles were terrifying.
Before Ryker could say anything to piss Mike off (more), I cut in.
“Um, please don’t have a smackdown with my boyfriend. We just moved in together and when I say ‘just’ I mean, like, last night. Drunk sex for us is awesome. I’m half-drunk. I intend to get loaded. You have a smackdown with my boyfriend, you might be tempted to shank him with that knife. This would mean I might miss out on drunk sex and that would be upsetting.”
Ryker stared at me and I quailed hoping I didn’t do it visibly.
Then he threw his big, sadly unattractive head back and shouted with laughter.
That was scary too.
When he was done he trained eyes on Mike and declared, “I like her.”
“She’s likeable,” Mike replied, sliding an arm around my belly from behind.
Ryker looked at me and repeated what he said earlier, “Cake.”
I thought it best to agree though I didn’t know why.
“Uh…okay.”
He stared at me then looked at Mike. “She has no idea.”
“I told her someone was lookin’ into McGrath for me,” Mike said. “She didn’t know who.”
That was when I stared at Ryker with new eyes.
This was Colt’s informant? I’d never met an informant but I guessed he looked like one since he looked like he was capable of committing a variety of felonies and definitely knew others who participated in these activities.
“You’re helping my family?” I asked.
“For cake,” he answered.
Suddenly, I liked him.
Therefore I grinned and agreed. “Totally. My biggest cake is ten layers but that’s five cut in half so don’t get excited about the cake since it is a lot of cake but it’s mostly frosting. If you want twelve, I could swing that. That’s a little tall and it might slide off but as long as it’s on the counter, it slides off, just eat it off the counter or scoop it onto a plate. It won’t look pretty but it’ll still taste good.”
He stared at me.
“I like your tattoos,” I shared.
“’Course you do. They’re awesome,” he returned.
There was no reply to that so I tried gratitude for something else.
“Thank you for helping my family.”
“Nothin’ to thank me for yet,” his eyes moved over my shoulder to Mike, “McGrath’s slippery.”
“Fuck,” Mike muttered his favorite word of the evening.
“Still nosin’,” Ryker told him.
“Good,” Mike said.
“Gotta admit, I wasn’t committed to the task,” Ryker confessed. “But for a bitch in a tight tee with a great rack who makes twelve layer cakes and likes drunk sex, I’ll step it up,” he offered.
I pressed my lips together but I was pretty sure my smile still came through.
“Jesus,” Mike muttered.
Ryker looked at me then announced, “I’m taken. Got a good woman who gives amazing head. But I find myself free and you find yourself the same, just sayin’, I’m open for a hook up.”
Mike’s body got tight at my back, his arm the same around my belly and angry vibes started searing my skin.
Clearly Mike was pissed but I forgot this guy terrified me and instead thought he was funny so you could hear the laughter in my voice when I turned him down, “That’s a great offer and I appreciate it but I’ve been in love with Mike for about twenty-five years so if that were to happen it would be in another dimension.”
“Yeah,” he nodded his big bald head, “Lissa’s got her hooks in me deep. Still, the you and me in another dimension’ll have fun.”
“I’m sure the you and me in another dimension will,” I concurred.
He grinned his scary grin then muttered, “Right.” He looked at Mike and stated, “On the case now, bro. I’ll give it undivided attention.”