The Scars of Us(Scars Series)

Fear burrowed in my body, making every muscle and joint uncomfortably stiff as I sat waiting for the hospital administrator with Kamden and Nori. I hadn’t been this close to Kaleb since the incident, and that was eight years ago. Nausea assaulted my insides as my leg bounced frantically, my hands gripping the armrests of the chair to keep myself from bolting out of the door.

Reaching over, Kamden placed his large hand over mine. “Everything’s going to be okay, sorella,” he assured with a comforting smile.

Giving a tight, forced smile of my own, I nodded. I didn’t want to speak, afraid my voice would crack if I did. I can’t do this. I can’t do this. He’s going to come out here and find me. He’ll finish what he started. I have to get out of here.

As I was about to make a run for the exit, Nori silently linked our fingers before squeezing my hand gently. “You got this, girl.”

Squeezing back, I released a deep breath. You can do this. Don’t let him win. You can’t let him get released. He’ll hurt more people. He’ll hurt you.

Just then, the door opened, causing my head to whip around—an older man with glasses in a white coat walked in with a bunch of thick files in his hands. His gaze perused over us as he rounded the desk in front of us to stand on the opposite side.

Setting the files down, he introduced himself, “Good morning. My name is Dr. Samuel Owens, and I oversee things here at the Massachusetts Treatment Center.”

The Massachusetts Treatment Center was a division of the Bridgewater Correctional Complex for sexually dangerous persons. Kaleb had been diagnosed with a combination of different mental disorders, including schizophrenia and narcissism, before he was committed for his long-term sexual abuse of me.

Kamden stood to shake the doctor’s hand before introducing Nori and me.

The doctor spoke, his tone authoritative and clinical. “So, you’re here concerning your brother’s release?”

Kamden replied, “Yes, we wanted to see if there was an appeal process—we want to prevent it.”

Dr. Owens looked perplexed as he responded, “I’m sorry, but his release is determined by his doctors and other hospital personnel.”

Kamden’s jaw ticked. “You don’t take into account his victim’s testimony?”

“We do—we review his whole file, including the progress he’s made since being here. You do realize that it’s been eight years since he was committed? People change.” His tone was defensive and condescending. A*shole.

Kamden started to speak again, but I interrupted as fury took hold of me. My chair toppled over behind me as I angrily stood. “Do you realize what he did to me? What I had to go through for all those years?” Hot, angry tears began to stream down my face as my voice increased in volume. “Do you know what the aftermath is following something that traumatizing? Do you know what I’ve had to deal with for the past eight years? How afraid I am of other people? All because of him!” I screamed as my tears blurred my vision.

Kamden wrapped his arm around me, trying to comfort me as he pulled me into him. I clutched his shirt as I glared at the doctor.

His eyes softened some as he addressed me, “I’m sorry for what happened to you, but I can assure you that Kaleb is much different than he used to be. We wouldn’t be considering his release otherwise. The treatment and therapy have done wonders for him, and his current medication has proven to be successful in controlling his behaviors.”

I didn’t respond—Dr. Owens would never understand. He had looked at everything logically, only taking into account what his research had dictated, not my feelings or opinions. Kamden, however, was a different story. He wasn’t having any of the doctor’s bullshit.

His grip on me tightened as he seethed, “Monsters like that don’t change. They just find a way to adapt to their surroundings, to fool everyone into believing they’re something that they’re not.” His voice cracked, and he took a deep breath to calm himself down. “Kaleb had me fooled for our entire lives. I… I never knew what he’d been doing to our own sister for all those years, and we lived under the same roof.”

As I slumped into Kamden’s seat, tears slid down my face. I began to zone out, the heated discussion between Kamden and Dr. Owens sounding garbled and distant. All of this talk about Kaleb and the fact that he was somewhere in the building started clawing at me. I clutched my head as images of him and memories of all the times he had violated me played in my head like a deranged slideshow made specifically to torment me. I need to get away from him, need to get out of here.

Shooting out of the chair, I bolted for the door, ignoring everyone’s calls as I ran. All I could think about was getting out of there, of getting as far away from Kaleb as possible, especially since his release seemed more eminent based on what Dr. Owens had said. My legs pumped harder as I headed for the exit doors, and I almost collapsed in relief once I passed through them. Bracing my hands on my knees, I sucked in heavy breaths of air as I tried to compose myself.

Nori came through the doors shortly after I did. She wrapped her arms around me and held me until Kamden exited about ten minutes later. His hardened eyes and tight frown told me that the meeting didn’t end as we had hoped.

The whole ride home was silent. Kamden tensely clutched the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip as he drove. Nori held my hand the entire way, stabilizing my frenetic emotions, keeping me from coming completely unglued.

Once we got home, I headed straight for my room and shut the door. I could hear footsteps in the hallway directly outside, but no one knocked or entered.

Nori’s muffled voice sounded through the door. “I’m worried about her, Kam.”

“You think I’m not?” He sounded frustrated, and I could practically see him running his hand over his buzzed head.

“Well, what are we going to do?”

“I don’t know,” he sighed.

“Maybe you should call Ryker—have him come see her.”

“No,” Kamden raised his voice angrily. “He is not a part of this. He doesn’t need to be involved.”

Shutting my eyes, I blocked out the rest of their conversation. I wanted to see Ryker, but things were different now. Kaleb was going to be released, and then he would hurt Ryker because of me. My heart clenched, my stomach turning at the thought of Kaleb causing any kind of harm to Ryker.

I had to protect him. I couldn’t let Kaleb hurt him. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to him. Even if Kaleb wasn’t involved, my unstable emotions would destroy both of us eventually, and I didn’t want that for Ryker. He deserved a normal woman free of issues that could love him completely, that could give him more than I ever would be able to.


Tears surfaced as I thought about what I had to do. Don’t be selfish. Do what’s best for him. He’ll hate you, but at least he’ll be safe. I knew I never should’ve gotten involved with him. I just prayed that it wasn’t too late to save him.





Kaiya had been avoiding me for weeks, including missing class. I’d called and texted her several times with no response, so I was done. At least I was trying to tell myself that, but who was I kidding? I couldn’t get her off of my mind, no matter how hard I’d tried.

I didn’t understand what had happened—the last time I saw her, everything was fine. Well, except for that small argument, but I fixed that—at least, I thought I had. I could never tell exactly what she was thinking, so there was no way for me to know why she had started avoiding me.

Occasionally, I’d seen Kamden in the gym, but he avoided me like I had some contagious disease. I was getting fed up with him, almost reaching the point where I didn’t mind causing a scene to get information about Kaiya.

I stalked toward him in the weight room as he executed leg presses. Hovering next to the machine, I looked down at him. “We need to talk.”

He abruptly stopped and got off the bench. As if I was invisible and hadn’t said a word, he walked away from me. F*ck this, I’m getting some answers. Determined, I followed after him and grabbed him by the arm.

His muscle tensed under my grip as he stopped. “Let me go,” he seethed.

“Not until you tell me what’s going on with Kaiya,” I growled.

Turning his head towards me, he narrowed his eyes and snarled, “That’s none of your f*cking business.”

F*ck, I’m not going to get anywhere this way. Maybe hostility wasn’t the best approach. I softened my tone as I let go of his arm. “I just want to know if she’s okay.”

His hardened expression eased slightly. “She’s fine,” he replied, shaking his head. “Just forget about her.”

Not possible. I squared my shoulders. “That’s not going to happen.”

“Why? There are tons of other girls out there.”

I clenched my fists, trying to control the anger gripping me. “I don’t want any other girls—I want her,” I snapped.

“Well, she doesn’t want you,” he countered, shifting uneasily, avoiding my eyes as he swallowed hard.

“You’re a terrible liar,” I said before walking away across the gym to my office. I knew Kaiya wanted me, but something had happened to freak her out. I just didn’t know if it was something I had done, or if another factor was in play.

“F*ck!” I cursed once I shut the door to my office. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong if she refused to see me or talk to me. How can I fix this when I don’t know the damn problem?

I picked up my phone to text her but changed my mind. Maybe I should just forget about her and save myself all this trouble. She obviously doesn’t care, so why should I?

Exhaling a frustrated breath, I tossed my phone onto my desk. Quit being a p-ssy and move on. Kamden is right. There are plenty of other women out there.

Picking up my phone again, I typed a text to Drew:



Me: Bar tonight?



Drew: U know I’m always down



We planned to meet at the bar at midnight. It was one of our regular spots, and we always found girls to take home when we went there. These past few weeks had been the longest I’d gone without sex since high school, and it unnerved me because I’d easily changed my ways for Kaiya. Look where that got me. I don’t know why I trusted her.

The place was packed when I walked through the doors. I pushed past dozens of people to get to Drew, who was already at the crowded bar talking to two women in short, tight dresses. They were both practically on his lap.

When he saw me approach, he lightly pushed them away to greet me, then ordered us a round of drinks.

One of the girls, a blonde, wasted no time before coming up to me and pressing her body against mine. “Hey, handsome.”

“Hey,” I replied as I fought the urge to push her away. I knew what I wanted, and it wasn’t her. I shoved my thoughts away as I threw back the shot Drew ordered—I’d be fine once I had a few more drinks, then I could move on and go back to the way things used to be.

“What you drinking, baby?” I asked, letting my eyes travel the length of her body. Not bad, but not Kaiya either.

She gave me a sultry smile. “Cherry Vodka Sour.” She licked her lips as she ran her finger down the front of my shirt.

After I ordered our drinks, I downed mine quickly and ordered another. I needed to get wasted fast in order to drive away the guilt that was starting to eat at me because of Kaiya. You’re not together. There’s no reason to feel guilty.

After several rounds, the girl, whose name I didn’t bother to ask, was all over me, rubbing her hands down my chest and abs before cupping my dick through my jeans. “I want you,” she slurred.

Drew laughed as the other woman sloppily kissed his neck. “They’re good to go,” he shouted jokingly over the music.

I chuckled before turning my attention back to the blonde in front of me. “Let’s go then, baby.”

As she pulled me toward the door, I called over my shoulder to Drew, “Catch you later, bro.”

She stumbled through the exit. Classy. I snorted at her and rolled my eyes. “Where’s your car?”

She looked up at me—her glazed, blue eyes were nothing like Kaiya’s. “I came with my friend. Can you give me a ride?” she replied as she bit her bottom lip. It was so sexy when Kaiya did it, but on her, it was too fake, like she was trying too hard.

“Sure, I’ll give you a ride,” I responded suggestively.

Once I started driving to her place, her hands roamed over my dick, rubbing it through my jeans. It began to harden under her touch reflexively, but she wasn’t turning me on like Kaiya did so effortlessly. Stop thinking about Kaiya!

When we entered her apartment, she led me to her bedroom before pushing me down on the bed. Slipping clumsily out of her dress, she tossed it to the floor and tugged off my shirt. Her bra was next, freeing her tits as she slid down my body to kneel on the floor by the bed between my legs. She unbuckled my belt and undid my jeans before sliding them down to my ankles.

Her hand wrapped around my cock as she licked her lips, eying it hungrily before taking me in her mouth, sucking me deep in her throat.

The woman eagerly consumed me, stroking me up and down with her tongue, but she didn’t feel right; she wasn’t Kaiya. Even though I was drunk, I couldn’t let go of how terrible I felt, how wrong this was. I was pretty sure at that moment that no one would ever feel as good as Kaiya did.

Propping up on my elbows, I told the woman, “Stop.”

Ignoring me, she sucked my cock harder and dragged her teeth along it.

“I said stop,” I repeated as I pushed her lightly on the shoulders.

My dick popped out her mouth as she gave me a confused look. Her face morphed to excitement as she got up and positioned herself on my lap. “Can’t wait, huh? I want you inside me just as badly,” she said as she grabbed my cock, readying to sink down on me.

Gently forcing her off me, I stood and pulled my pants up. “I have to go.” I grabbed my shirt before exiting her room and heading toward the front door.

I could hear her footsteps behind me as I put my shirt back on. “Wait, why?”

Turning the handle, I replied, “I just do.”


I left without waiting to hear her response, wishing I could rid myself of all the feelings caused by Kaiya. We’d only known each other a couple of months, but I couldn’t deny that she had left her impression on me.

I found myself driving to her house, but I changed course when I realized what I was doing. I’d done the same thing many times since we stopped talking, but I could never bring myself to go through with it. She’d probably just slam the door in my face.

I drove home, where I showered the smell and feel of the woman off me before collapsing into bed. What the f*ck am I going to do?





I’d spent weeks avoiding Ryker, and they were definitely taking their toll on me. Every part of me missed him, especially my neglected body, which craved his touch. I hadn’t had sex since the night before the meeting with Kaleb.

I’d been ignoring him and Bryce. I hadn’t returned any of their phone calls or texts, and I’d been skipping class. Before Ryker, I had hooked up with Bryce at least once every two weeks, if not more often. We hadn’t had sex in over a month, and he had definitely noticed. He called and texted me multiple times daily.

I was waiting for one of them to show up at my door since I wouldn’t return any of their calls or messages, but neither had. I guess both of them respected my privacy, but that selfish part of me wished that Ryker would come searching for me.

Avoiding Ryker meant I had to stop going to self-defense class, and that was definitely affecting me. My body harbored so much pent up energy and anxiety from not releasing it that I thought I was going to come out of my skin.

Knowing that Ryker didn’t usually go to work on most days until the afternoon, I decided to go to the gym early one Saturday morning with Kamden. I had to get out of the house, had to release some of the frustration and nerves eating away at me.

As we parked in the lot of the gym, he asked, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Looking among the cars, I searched for Ryker’s truck, but I didn’t see it. A combined sense of disappointment and relief washed over me, and I scolded myself for being selfish and wanting to see him. You can’t be with him. He’ll only get hurt.

Once we entered, Kamden wanted to stay with me while I exercised, just in case Ryker showed up. Rolling my eyes, I walked away from him to get on the elliptical. He didn’t follow me, so I assumed that he went to the weight room.

After I finished, my muscles felt strained, sore from lack of use. I decided to use the sauna to help relax the tight tension, so I headed to the locker room to swap my clothes for a towel.

After I had the towel securely wrapped around me, I padded to the steam room, hoping that since it was so early no one would be in there. I’d been wanting to use it since we started coming to this gym. But the sauna was always filled with people, and I could never bring myself to go in, afraid of being alone with strangers with only a towel on.

Peeking in, I smiled—no one was inside. Hopefully, no one will come in. I went in and sat on the bench, already starting to perspire from the humidity within the room.

Closing my eyes, I leaned my head back and let out a breath as my body began to relax. A couple of minutes passed when the door abruptly opened, causing me to stand and grip my towel. When I focused on the person in the doorway, I blinked several times to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

“Why are you avoiding me?” Ryker angrily spat, closing the door to the sauna. His eyes ran over me as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. Clad only in a pair of gym shorts and no shirt, his skin gleamed with a sheen of sweet. He looked like he’d just finished working out. F*ck me.

“Are you really going to do this in here?” I snapped back as I clutched my towel to me.

His voice was gruff and matter of fact. “I have no other choice—you’ve missed class for almost three weeks now, and you won’t answer my calls.”

“I’ve been busy,” I lied.

The truth was that I’d been sulking around my apartment trying not to think of Ryker, which was almost impossible. He dominated every thought, much like his presence did in real life.

Eyes narrowing in determination, he advanced toward me, causing me to back up into the tile wall. Surprisingly, I wasn’t scared—Ryker never caused that kind of fear in me. What he made me feel was more of an exhilarating kind of the fear, the kind you get when you’re about to do something like bungee jump or skydive, the kind that excites your soul.

Caging me between his arms, my already fevered skin heated more from his proximity as he pressed against me with his body. I hadn’t realized just how much I missed his touch until his skin reunited with mine, making me feel as though a piece of me had been lost since we’d last been together.

Ryker’s eyes met mine, and there was no denying the desire and longing in them. “Always fighting me, Warrior,” he softly spoke as he caressed my cheek with the back of his knuckles. Leaning in, he grazed my neck with his lips. The combination of heat from the steam and his mouth began to blanket me in a heady fog, evaporating all thought and replacing it with lust.

“I’ve missed you,” Ryker murmured against my skin before tracing the curve of my jaw with his tongue. My breath escaped in a low moan as he pulled my body closer to him, leaving no space between us while he continued to taste me.

My hands tangled in his hair, leaving my loose towel barely clinging to my sweaty skin. When he brought his lips to mine, I let go of everything, losing myself in him and how he made me feel.

He groaned in my mouth as our tongues met, tangling together seamlessly as he lifted me. My legs automatically wrapped around him as he pressed me up against the wall, his hardened erection pushing against my already heated core.

Ryker nipped at my lips as he ripped the towel from my body, tossing it to the floor as his callused hands reacquainted themselves with my skin. God, I missed him. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same without his touch. Finding my breasts, Ryker’s talented fingers massaged my stiff nipples before his mouth claimed them. The blissful combination of his soft, wet mouth and hard, smooth tongue ring against my sensitive flesh caused a moan to escape from my throat.

Leaning my head back against the wall, I let Ryker consume me. He eagerly suckled my breasts, pulling each nipple with his teeth before caressing it with that amazing piercing again. I love how he makes me feel—so alive… almost whole.

“Ryker,” I breathlessly moaned as I reached for his shorts. Slipping my hand inside, I found his cock and pulled it out, needing him to fill me.

He didn’t hesitate—he never did. Gripping my hips, he thrust himself inside my slick sex as his mouth reclaimed mine. Sweat beaded on our skin as he roughly pummeled me against the tile, taking me closer to heaven with each stroke.

Ryker’s thick shaft stretched my walls, the pleasurable pain spreading throughout every inch of my limbs. I reveled in how he made me forget everything else, immersing me in us and the beauty of how our bodies perfectly connected. He unraveled and completed me all at the same time.

“F*ck, I missed you, baby, missed the taste of your sweet skin,” Ryker groaned against my lips.

I love it when he talks to me like that.

I forced him deeper inside me with my legs, tightening my hold around his hips. He growled his approval, increasing the pace and intensity of his thrusts as his cock blissfully ravaged me.

Ryker’s lips left mine as he nuzzled his face into my neck and placed soft kisses along my skin. “I haven’t been able to get you off my mind. I’ve been going crazy thinking about you, baby.”


“Me too. I’ve missed you so much,” I whimpered as I guided his mouth back to mine.

His strength amazed me, unwavering as he supported my weight while simultaneously using his body to f*ck me senseless. Ryker continuously pumped into me, creating a sensual rhythm just for us as our bodies molded together in harmony.

Ryker pulled back and grasped my face in his inked hands. “Never again, Warrior.” His voice was gruff and deep, laced with emotion. “Can’t go through that again.”

“Never, baby, never,” I whispered.

His mouth crashed on mine again. Every press of Ryker’s lips, every caress from his hands, and every stroke of his amazing cock pushed me closer to ecstasy. My body ached for it, needing release after craving Ryker for so long.

As if sensing how close I was, Ryker pounded harder into me, creating the perfect combination of pain and pleasure within my body. My nails raked across his back as I cried out in euphoria, my climax sending tremors of sensation throughout my limbs. My thighs trembled against his hips as his strokes intensified in both speed and strength, seeking his own release. Seconds later, he withdrew his throbbing cock from my sex before shooting his cum up between my breasts.

The sticky heat of the room was stifling, making it more difficult to breathe as we disentangled ourselves. Picking up my towel, Ryker gently wiped his release from my skin, snapping me out the sensual fog we’d created. Immediately, I felt self-conscious, causing panic to root within me. Anxiety began to tighten in my body, trying to seize every muscle in its grasp as it attempted to take hold.

Ryker’s hand cupped my cheek. “What’s wrong?”

My eyes snapped to his, trying to focus on him to pull myself out of my downward spiral. My chest heaved as it struggled to breathe, causing Ryker’s eyes to crease in worry. “Breathe, baby, breathe. It’s okay, everything is okay.”

Breathe. In, out, in, out. The pressure began to relinquish as I concentrated on Ryker’s face. Both of his hands clasped my face. “You with me, baby?”

I gave him a tight nod. My chest was still somewhat constricted, and my muscles were stiff, but the tension was slowly easing away.

“I’m sorry—I have to go,” I stammered as I snatched the towel from Ryker’s hand. I darted around him toward the exit while trying to wrap the cloth around me.

“You don’t have to run from me, Warrior,” he called out after me.

Ryker’s words stopped me, only a few feet from the door. I felt him behind me as his arms wrapped around my waist, pulling my body against his. Pressing a soft kiss to my shoulder, he murmured, “Talk to me, baby.”

My mouth dried up, the words stuck in my throat. I blinked rapidly, willing back tears. Ryker slowly turned me to face him and pressed our foreheads together as he released a breath.

“I know you’ve been hurt before, experienced things that no one should ever have to. Just know that I’d never do that to you. Ever. I know you’re probably not ready to talk about it yet, but when you are, I’ll be here.”

And with those words, Ryker smashed a small hole in the barrier surrounding the broken pieces of my heart. My eyes watered as I looked away. “My demons are torturing me a lot lately. I’m having trouble dealing with them.”

“You know I’m here for you, Warrior. You don’t have to fight alone,” he said as he caressed my cheeks with his thumbs. My eyes closed from the blissful sensation, wishing I could just stay like that with him forever.

Opening my eyes, my gaze locked with Ryker’s. My voice cracked, sounding weak and small as I spoke, “You know how I told you that someone abused me when I was little?”

“Yes,” he growled angrily.

“Well, that person was institutionalized, but he’s being considered for release.” I sighed deeply and looked away as the reality overtook me. “Kamden and I went to protest it. The whole thing overwhelmed me.” My hands wrapped around my body, keeping the towel in place and the shiver coursing through my body at bay. “I… I hadn’t been that close to him in years, and I didn’t deal with it well.”

Ryker enveloped me in a hug. “Why didn’t you tell me? You shouldn’t have dealt with that by yourself.”

Laying my head against his chest, I confessed, “I didn’t want to bring you into it. You shouldn’t have to deal with my issues.” With my psychotic brother.

Ryker pulled back, gripping me softly by the shoulders and leaning down to look in my eyes. “Don’t start this shit again, Ky. If I didn’t want to deal with your issues, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt,” I choked.

“Hurt? Why would I get hurt?” His eyebrows furrowed in confusion and his forehead creased as his eyes ran over my face, looking for an answer.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “If my… he gets out, he’ll come after me. He’ll hurt you just for being with me.”

He laughed—actually laughed. “Baby, you don’t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself.” He paused before his eyes steeled, his voice deepening angrily. “And if he lays one finger, one f*cking finger on you, he won’t be breathing for long.”

My eyes searched his, looking to see if he was joking—he wasn’t. This had to be the most serious I’d ever seen him. My heart swelled at his protectiveness, and my resolve to stay away from him crumbled.

Melting against him, I wrapped my arms around his waist, pressing my cheek to his muscular chest. “I’m not good for you,” I whispered.

His body rumbled beneath me with a soft chuckle. “Oh, yeah? Why not?”

“I’m just not.” I’d already divulged too much, and I didn’t want to reveal anymore, afraid he’d leave if he learned the whole truth about me. That might be best for him.

Tilting my chin up, he stared deep in my eyes. “You are.” His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Then, he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine, evaporating all my fears and doubts and replacing them with hope. He made me feel as if one day, I could be complete, not the f*cked-up, fractured version of a person that I was.

The door opened, causing me to jerk away from Ryker and tightly grip my towel around me. An older man walked in, giving Ryker and me a suspicious look as we darted around him and exited.

A laugh burst from Ryker as soon as the door closed. My heart beat fast as adrenaline rushed through me from almost being caught. I couldn’t fight my own laughter when Ryker’s was so contagious.

Draping his arm over my shoulder, he led me toward the locker rooms. We both were still laughing as he said, “That was a close one.”

“Yeah, and whose fault is that? You’re such a bad influence,” I joked.

“Me?” His eyebrows rose incredulously as a playful grin tipped up his lips. “You’re the one who makes me crazy. I can’t control myself when it comes to you. Especially when I haven’t seen you in weeks.”

My stomach and chest bunched tightly from his words. I felt so terrible for avoiding him, especially when I considered how I just stopped talking to him with no explanation or reason. Who knows what was going through his mind that whole time; he probably thought he’d done something wrong, and it was really me and my madness.

“I’m sorry,” I looked up at him as we walked. “I was only trying to protect you.”


“I don’t need you to protect me, Warrior. I just need you.”

Need? Needing someone was way different than just wanting someone—did he really need me? I wasn’t ready to go into that, and I doubted he was either, but I couldn’t ignore the joy that fluttered within me at the thought.

We had reached the locker rooms, and Ryker stopped and faced me. “Are you going to stop fighting me now, Warrior? Or do I have to keep chasing you?”

I held his gaze with mine. “I don’t want to keep running, but it’s hard to let go of my ways. If we do this, it’s not going to be easy.”

“Easy is boring—you know I like a challenge.”

My lips curved up in a smile. “Well, good luck because I’m definitely a challenge. I’ll probably try to run again—will you keep chasing me?”

“Until you don’t let me catch you anymore,” he softly grinned, sending a tingle through my body.

I wasn’t really afraid of Ryker hurting me any longer—I didn’t think anything could hurt me as much as Kaleb had. I was more scared of myself, of what my emotions could do to him if I let him in. I might not have been ready to let him in completely, but I wanted to try to make things between us work.

“You’ll stop chasing me before that happens,” I teased, placing my hand on his chest as I dipped my face to hide the blush that touched my cheeks..

His finger tilted my chin up. “I don’t think I’d be able to stop chasing you—you’re like an addiction.”

“That’s really what I want to be compared to, thanks,” I replied sarcastically as I moved away from him.

He pulled me back to him, not letting me get away. “That was a compliment.” I raised an eyebrow and pursed my lips in doubt. He cocked his head to the side and tightened his arms around me. “Addictions give you a high unlike anything else, make you crave whatever it is you’re addicted to. And, Warrior, I crave you.”

His lips found mine, fueling the flames his words had started inside me. The kiss was greedy and hungry, filled with passion and longing. It spoke volumes without needing words. It was the kind that made your stomach knot while igniting your soul.

When we finally broke apart, I was breathless and flushed. The feelings that kiss evoked within me confirmed that it would be almost impossible for me to walk away from Ryker. I’d never be the same after him, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing yet.