The Scars of Us(Scars Series)

Everything had been going so well with Kaiya over the past few weeks that I was afraid something bad was going to happen to balance it all out. Things just couldn’t possibly stay this good; they never did.

We had been spending every other Saturday working on self-defense routines one-on-one. Kaiya had been wanting more practice ever since she started coming back to class after her hiatus. The meeting she had about her abuser had really shaken her up, but at the same time, it had made her more determined. She had begun to ask more questions and wanted to try new techniques to improve her form and skills, in addition to wanting the extra classes.

One Saturday morning, Kaiya and I were working on rear hold escape techniques when he walked in. At first, I thought I was dreaming, possibly hallucinating, because there was no f*cking way that he would really be there. The last time we spoke, I threatened to bash his face in if I ever saw him again.

Stepping away from Kaiya, I clenched my fists in anger. “What the f*ck are you doing here, Ethan?” I growled.

Ethan held his chin up confidently, but I could see the apprehension in his eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously. “Good to see you, too, Ryker. Tristan’s birthday is coming up. I thou—”

“You thought what? That I’d forget what you and that whore did to me?” I seethed.

A muscle in Ethan’s jaw ticked as he gritted, “She’s not a whore. She’s my wife and the mother of my child—your nephew.”

“I don’t have a brother, so how can I have a nephew?” I asked condescendingly as I crossed my arms over my chest.

“I don’t know why I thought you would’ve changed. Everyone told me you wouldn’t have, but I hoped that you would’ve matured after this long,” he spat.

“This has nothing to do with maturity. This,” I emphasized as I gestured between us, “is because my own brother betrayed me. I don’t know if you forgot, but I told you that I never wanted to see you again. So, get the f*ck out!” I roared angrily.

Ethan’s furious expression faded somewhat as sadness took over his features. Good—I hope he hurts as bad as he hurt me. Wordlessly, he turned and exited the room, glancing back only once before he walked out of my sight.

I don’t know how long I stood there before Kaiya tenderly placed her hand on my bicep. “You okay?”

I was far from okay—seeing him had ripped open my scars and threw acid in the open wounds. But I lied, not wanting to burden her with my issues since she had enough to deal with on her own. “I’m fine, baby.”

She gave me a knowing look as she moved in front of me. “You can tell me, Ryker. I’m here for you.” She linked our hands together.

Kaiya’s words thawed some of the ice that had started to freeze within my chest from seeing Ethan. She smiled warmly at me when I looked down at her. She’d already trusted me with so much, opened up to me more than she had with anyone else besides Kamden and Nori. I owed it to her to open up, as well. Sighing, I replied, “That was my brother, Ethan. We haven’t spoken in over four years.”

“Why?”

“Right after high school, I met this girl, Molly. We dated through college, and she ended up getting pregnant during our senior year. At first, I was scared, shocked actually, but then I was so happy. I loved her and was excited to be starting a family together. I proposed to her a few months after we found out, and she said yes.”

“What happened?” Her eyes held a look of concern as they searched my face.

I released another heavy breath. “When Molly was around eight months pregnant, she told me that the baby wasn’t mine—it was Ethan’s.”

Kaiya’s hand flew to her mouth as her eyes watered. “Oh my God! Ryker, I’m so sorry!”

“Don’t be—it’s not your fault. I blamed myself for the longest time, wondering what I did wrong.” Wow, I’m really opening myself up here.

“You did nothing wrong! They’re the ones who were wrong! I can’t believe that your own broth—” She abruptly stopped, her eyes widening as if she realized something.

“What?” I asked as she shook her head and hugged herself.

“Nothing,” she quickly responded. Avoiding my gaze, she began to tense up. Most people wouldn’t have even noticed it, but I did. I had learned so much about her over the past few months that I knew that she was holding something in.

Pulling her to me, I wrapped her in my arms. Even though she probably thought I was only trying to comfort her, in reality, I also needed to hold her, to feel her against me. Seeing Ethan had resurfaced so many bad feelings that I wanted her to wash away, like she always was able to do. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “You can trust me, Warrior.”

She buried her face in my chest. “I know, it’s just hard for me to talk about.” Her voice was muffled against my shirt. “I… I don’t want you to be disgusted by me.”

Framing her face in my hands, I forced her to look up at me, “I could never be disgusted by you. Ever.”

Her lips trembled as tears began to rain down her cheeks. “I… I have another brother. His name is Kaleb. He… he was the one who abused me when I was little.”

Holy shit. I had no clue what to say, what to do to make it better, but I wanted to do anything to take the pain from her. “Oh, baby, no wonder you fight so much. I’m so sorry.”

“I didn’t fight hard enough—I should have made him stop, but I was too weak. I’m still weak,” she sobbed, burying her face in my chest again.

I tilted her chin up to look at me again. “Hey, you’re not weak. You know how strong you are to survive something like that?”

“I survived, but I’m… damaged—completely damaged. Everything he did to me slowly broke me, leaving nothing but fragments for me to try and put back together.”

Looking deep into her eyes, I caressed her cheeks with my thumbs. “I’ll help you pick up the pieces if you let me, Warrior. I want to be the one to make you whole again.”

More tears flowed freely down her rosy cheeks as she clasped my face in her hands, bringing my mouth to hers. Her lips claimed mine with desperation as she pressed our bodies together, showing me how much my words meant to her. So much was said in that kiss, more than we could have expressed in words at that point—it spoke of hope, faith, and trust, helping both of us in the right direction to becoming whole again.


My arms had wrapped around her waist, lifting her to where her toes barely touched the ground. My hands began to roam lower, and I knew if we didn’t stop that I was going to end up taking her right there on the mat like our first time. The problem was that there were still people in the gym, unlike before when we were the only two there.

Breaking away, I set my forehead against hers. “If we don’t stop, I’m going to take you right here, right now.”

Reconnecting our lips, she whimpered with desire. “I need you.”

F*ck me. There was no way I could say no to that. Picking her up, her legs wrapped around my waist as our mouths collided. I walked to the door before fumbling with the handle and locking it, then headed to the closet.

Once inside, I kicked the door closed. I maneuvered around most of the boxes and equipment before positioning us against one of the bags that lined the walls. No one should find us, unless one of the other employees happened to come in for some reason, but I really didn’t give a f*ck at the moment—I had to have her.

As I moved her shorts and panties to the side, she grabbed my cock and pulled it out, eager for me to enter her. Guiding me to her, her hands placed my tip at her opening, which was already wet.

Slowly, I pushed myself inside her, gradually filling her until her p-ssy surrounded my length. We groaned in unison as I began to pound her against the bag, grasping her hips for deeper penetration.

My mouth found Kaiya’s neck as she continuously moaned, her cries of pleasure becoming louder and louder with each of my thrusts. Savoring her skin, I began to push her shirt up, needing to feel her flesh against mine. Kaiya maneuvered to help me take off her top before removing her sports bra, letting it fall to floor.

My shirt was added to the pile as Kaiya eagerly pulled it off. Her hands roamed over my shoulders and arms as my mouth claimed her breast, my tongue ring flicking over her hardened nipple. She arched against me as I moved to her other tit, sucking it deep into my mouth.

Wrapping her legs tighter around me, she forced my dick deeper inside her sex. Growling my approval, I thrust harder as her nails dug into my biceps and her head tipped back against the bag.

“Ryker?” a voice called out from outside the door. Shit.

I stilled, my cock still inside Kaiya. Her eyes widened as she looked from me to the door and back again. Putting my finger to my lips, I gently set her down and slid myself out of her. I motioned for her to hide behind the bag as I put my dick back in my shorts and went toward the door.

Glancing over my shoulder, I made sure Kaiya was hidden from view then turned back around and exited.

One of the other trainers was in the middle of the studio, searching for me. “You need something?” I asked as I shut the door.

He turned around. “Where were you?” he asked suspiciously, looking over my shoulder.

“Doing inventory in the supply closet. What’s up?”

“I just wanted to tell you that Mark can’t make it to class tomorrow night, so he asked me to fill in for him. Is that cool?”

Really, you came in here and interrupted my sex session for that? “Yeah, that’s fine. Be here at seven.”

“All right, see you tomorrow,” he replied as he walked to the door.

Once he left, I waited a minute or so before going back into the supply room. “The coast is clear,” I called out.

Kaiya peeked her head out from behind the bag before coming out of her hiding spot. Her face reddened in embarrassment. “That was a close one,” she said, straightening her sports bra and brushing her hair behind her ears with her fingers.

Chuckling, I made my way to her. “Yeah, it was. You want to pick up where we left off?”

“Ryker, we almost got caught,” she chided, even though a smile lined her lips.

“So?” I teased, but she gave me a disapproving look. “Fine, but we’re finishing this tonight.”

Grinning seductively at me, she agreed, “Deal.”

We spent another hour or so working on more techniques before I had a personal training session with another one of my clients. Kaiya planned to come over to my place after my shift ended, and I was looking forward to finishing what we had started.

When Kaiya arrived at my place, I had already set another plan into motion. I had been working on breaking another one of her rules, the one about staying over. I routinely broke the other two rules, almost nightly, so I was determined to break them all. Two down, two to go.

Whenever she came over, I always asked her to spend the night, but she resisted me. I hadn’t stayed the night with a girl after that whore and I broke up, and I’d never wanted to until Kaiya. Everything was different with her, from the way she was able to make me smile so easily to the way she set a fire inside me with just one look. I loved every minute I spent with her.

We were hanging out on the couch watching T.V. when Kaiya mentioned, “I feel like dancing.”

I played with her hair, twirling it around my fingers. “Yeah?” I replied in surprise. We hadn’t been out to a club since the night that she’d been attacked.

“Can we go tonight?” She asked hopefully as she looked up at me.

I didn’t really see the point in going to a club when the main reason that I had gone to them before was to pick up girls. I didn’t need to do that anymore now that we were together. But I knew that Kaiya loved to dance, so I gave in. “Sure, baby. Where?”

“How about that new one that just opened up? I think it’s called,” she paused, looking up to the side and pursing her lips as she thought. “Tunnel.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard of it. We can go if you want.”

“Yay!” She hopped up off the couch excitedly. “I’ll call Nori. Maybe you should text Drew to meet us—they seemed to have fun together the last time.” She giggled as she tromped toward my bedroom.

I loved seeing her laugh—her smiles and laughs had become regular occurrences, replacing the scowls and sorrow that I had thought were permanently etched on her face. Some of the sadness still lingered at times when she thought I wasn’t looking, but I was able to chase it away for a while. My goal was to totally eradicate it one day. That would be my biggest challenge yet.

I got off the couch to get my phone from the counter. I sent a text to Drew, who was down with the idea since he had fun with Nori the last time. He hadn’t been able to close the deal with her, so I knew he’d be planning to tonight. If she was anything like Kaiya, he’d need all the luck he could get.

Kaiya came back into the room before grabbing her purse. A smile lit up her face. “Nori’s in. I need to go home and get ready, then we’ll meet you there, okay?”

“Yeah. Text me when you’re on your way.”

She stood on her toes to kiss me. “Okay, baby. See you later.”

Once she left, I decided to head over to Drew’s to wait until they were ready. We drank some beers to pass the time and when Kaiya finally text me, it was quarter till midnight. I didn’t know what took women so long to get ready, but the end result was usually worth it.

This time was no exception. When Kaiya walked up to us outside the club, my pulse raced as the blood rushed to my cock.

She was wearing a tight, black one-shoulder dress that stopped right above her mid-thigh. She bit her lip as our eyes locked, her cheeks flooding with color as I admired her. I doubted I would ever get tired of looking at her; everything else paled in comparison to her stunning beauty.


Peering up at me with those captivating eyes, she smiled shyly. “Hey.”

I leaned down to kiss her. “Can I just take you home now? I don’t think I can wait with you looking like that.”

Her grin spread as she laughed. “Then, all my hard work to look this way would be wasted.”

“Oh, it won’t go to waste. I’ll make sure of it.”

She rolled her eyes playfully then slid her hand into mine. As we walked to the entrance, Drew draped his arm around Nori, who was already giggling flirtatiously. Yeah, he should be getting some tonight.

We had to wait a few minutes in line before we were let into the club—the place was packed wall to wall, and the heavy bass of the music vibrated the air as we squeezed through the throng of people to get to the bar.

Decorated in various shades of gray with splashes of reds, the club was long and narrow, like its namesake. Rows of lights ran overhead, and they pulsed to the music as the colors fluctuated, taking on every hue of the rainbow. Couches lined the walls of the VIP area, but there was only standing room everywhere else, so we chose a spot close to the dance floor after taking a shot and ordering our drinks.

Kaiya sipped her cocktail as her eyes scanned through the crowd before settling on mine. A shy, yet seductive smile came over her lips as she glanced away.

Nori started pulling Drew towards the dance floor, but he resisted. “I’m not drunk enough for that yet.” He chuckled.

Nori pouted. “Please. I promise I’ll make it up to you later.”

Drew conceded, letting Nori pull him out to the floor. They soon were lost in the sea of bodies as I directed my attention back to Kaiya. “You wanna dance, baby?”

Eagerly nodding, she threaded her free hand with mine and pulled me into the dancing crowd. Swaying to the beat, Kaiya pressed her ass into my cock, and my hands automatically went to her lithe hips as she moved against me.

Leaning into me, her body undulated rhythmically against mine, making me want to take her home early even more. My dick began to stiffen from her sensual movements as my mouth found her neck. Tilting it, she allowed me better access to taste her as my tongue traced along the slender flesh.

Pushing my erection against her, I caused her to bite back a moan as she turned her head to connect her lips with mine. Our tongues tangled along with our bodies, the sensual movements making our skin heat from a combination of body heat and arousal. I was on the verge of hiking up that dress and slipping inside her right in the middle of everyone—that’s how crazy she made me, making me want her unlike anything before.

“Kaiya?” someone shouted over the music, interrupting us.

Kaiya broke away from me, her fair skin flushed and those full lips slightly swollen. My head followed hers as it turned in the direction of the voice, and anger began to simmer under my skin once I saw the source—Bryce.

Kaiya stiffened nervously as she uncomfortably said, “Hey, Bryce.”

He stepped towards us, causing me to instinctively move in front of Kaiya. His eyes hardened as they met mine, and I knew he was pissed about her being with me. Too f*cking bad. She’s mine.

He looked around me, focusing back on Kaiya. His eyes softened some as he spoke to her, “You haven’t returned my calls—I wanted to talk about what you said. I—”

“She obviously doesn’t want to talk to you about it, or she would have answered your calls. Why don’t you take a hint and leave her alone?”

Bryce moved toward me, coming right up in my face. Brave, but stupid. “I don’t remember asking your opinion.”

Clenching my fists, I snarled, “Back the f*ck off before you get hurt.”

“Guys, stop,” Kaiya pleaded as she squeezed between us, pushing Bryce away from me. She put her back against me as she faced Bryce, keeping her hands on his chest. I growled low as I put my arms around her waist and pulled her away from him.

Kaiya gave me a look over her shoulder, but didn’t say anything until she redirected her attention to Bryce. “Look, Bryce, I’m… Ryker and I… we’re together now. Like I said in the text, I can’t see you like that anymore, but I still want to be friends.”

Glaring between me and her, he patronizingly remarked, “Really? After everything we’ve been through, you’re just going to drop me for some… some… meathead that you just met?”

Meathead? Did he really just call me a meathead? What are we, in middle school? “This meathead will beat your ass if—”

“Stop!” Kaiya yelled, gaining both of our attentions, as well as some of the people’s around us. “Look, Bryce, I’m sorry, but I can’t help the way I feel. Ryker and I just connected, and—”

“Save it, Ky. I’m glad to finally see where I stand,” Bryce spat before pivoting and disappearing into the crowd.

Shoulders slumping, Kaiya gazed sadly in the direction he went and sighed. “I didn’t mean to hurt him.”

“I know, Warrior. Try not to worry about it,” I said as I rubbed my hands up and down her arms, hoping to comfort her. I knew from some of our talks about him that Bryce had provided stability for her when she needed it, and that she cared for him. I could tell that Bryce felt the same for Kaiya, too, maybe even loved her. How could he not? I was falling hard for her myself, and there was nothing I could do to stop it, even if I wanted to. I should’ve wanted to, should’ve been more concerned with protecting myself from being hurt again, but Kaiya had found a way to slip past my defenses, making me let my guard down.

Turning around, she wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly. I returned her embrace, enjoying the warmth it stirred in my stomach. I’d only felt this way once before, but it was already becoming stronger than it was back then. Holy shit, I think I love her.

Being the coward that I was, I pushed the thoughts away. Neither of us was ready for that, and I couldn’t bring myself to say the words yet. I wasn’t prepared for the repercussions of speaking them, especially if Kaiya didn’t feel the same way, even though I was pretty sure she did. When she thought I wasn’t looking, I caught the way she stared at me sometimes, that look of love—the one that was so evident on both of our faces in that picture we took at the aquarium.

Even still, I couldn’t voice my feelings, too afraid of her rejection. I didn’t want to push her away, unsure of how I would deal with not being with her anymore. The idea twisted my stomach uncomfortably, and I quickly pushed it away and focused on something else.

“Ready to go, baby?”

“Yeah.” She scanned the dance floor. “Where’s Nori and Drew?”

Looking around the club, I searched for them, finding them making out on the dance floor. Pointing them out to Kaiya, I joked, “I don’t think they’re ready to leave yet.”

“I need to tell her we’re leaving—she gets pissed when I leave without telling her,” she replied before walking toward them.

When she came back, I linked our hands and led her through the crowd to get to the exit. The fresh breeze that hit us once we stepped outside was a welcome change from the hot air inside the club.

Once we got to my apartment, I was on Kaiya as soon as we walked through the door. Our mouths collided as I lifted her, my hands gripping her exposed thighs as she hooked her legs around me. I slipped her dress up further as I headed for the couch, unable to wait any longer. I had been waiting all day to have her, and now that we were finally alone, I was taking full advantage.


Kaiya straddled me once I sat down. Her hands immediately found my jeans and she hastily unbuttoned them, as eager as I was for me to sink inside her.

As she pulled my cock out, I moved her panties to the side, and then she was lowering herself down on me. Filling her inch by inch, I groaned as she cried out in pleasure until she took all of me.

Slowly, she moved her hips into me as I removed her dress. Pulling her flush against me, my mouth found her tits as she continued to ride me. I teased her nipple with my tongue before nipping and sucking it lightly, causing her to moan over and over again.

Kaiya’s pace increased as my hands caressed her silken skin and my mouth consumed her. I traced my teeth and tongue along her collarbone to her neck, then brought her lips to meet mine, needing to taste her sweetness. Our tongues threaded together as her hands knotted in my hair and pulled tightly as she rocked harder on my dick, bringing us both closer to ecstasy.

Grasping Kaiya’s ass, I began to thrust upward, meeting her movements stroke for stroke. I could feel myself nearing release, so I broke my mouth away from Kaiya’s, breathing heavily as I spoke against her lips, “I’m gonna come.”

She didn’t stop as she replied, her voice full of desire, “Come inside me.”

F*ck me. “Are you sure?” I asked before biting her bottom lip.

“Yes,” she moaned. “I’m on the shot.”

I didn’t know what that was, but I figured it was some form of birth control. I didn’t really care, plus I was sure that Kaiya wouldn’t let me come inside her if she wasn’t on some type of contraceptive.

Rolling her hips, Kaiya’s snug walls continued to perfectly caress my cock. I pounded up into her, jetting my cum inside her after only a few more strokes. Her p-ssy pulsated around my dick as her body shuddered her orgasm against me.

We stayed like that until our breathing evened. Then, Kaiya reluctantly sighed, “I better get going home. It’s late.”

I brushed her hair out of her face, then caressed her cheek with my thumb as our gazes met. Here goes nothing. “Stay with me.”

Her eyes searched mine. Framing her face with my hands, I pulled her to me, pressing a tender kiss on her lips before softly saying, “Please.”

Silently, she lay her forehead against mine as she exhaled a deep breath. She remained quiet, and the longer time passed, the more I was sure she would say no. My pulse pounded as I waited for her response, and after what seemed like hours, she finally whispered, “Okay.”

Abruptly pulling back, I looked at her in surprise. “You’ll stay?”

She smiled softly at me. “I’ll stay.”

Grinning back, I stood and carried her to the bedroom. After getting ready for bed, I slid under the covers as Kaiya stood nervously on the other side. “This is the part where you get in with me,” I teased with a grin.

Toying with the hem of the shirt I let her borrow to sleep in, she bit her bottom lip nervously as she looked at me. “I’ve never spent the night with a guy before.”

“Never?”

“Never,” she repeated.

Sitting up, I scooted to the edge of the bed where she stood, framing her between my legs. I linked both of my hands with hers as I pressed a kiss to her stomach, then tilted my head up to look at her. “Are you afraid of me, Warrior?”

Her brows furrowed as she firmly responded, “No.”

“Do you trust me?” That was the million dollar question.

We stared at one another as she contemplated her answer. My heart pounded in my chest waiting for her response, wanting so badly for her to trust me, needing her to. “Yes,” she finally replied, barely above a whisper.

The tension in my chest faded away from her answer. I moved back on the bed, pulling her with me as I lay down. Facing each other, I brought her into me as I covered us with the blanket. Pushing some hair behind her ear, I gently kissed her lips, then her forehead before wrapping my arms around her. “Goodnight, Warrior.”

Sighing, she rested her head on my bicep as her arms draped over my bare side. Her stiff body relaxed as I rubbed her back, and she snuggled closer to me. Burying my face in her neck, I inhaled deeply, enjoying my smell still lingering on her skin. Closing my eyes, I loved the feel of her warm, delicate frame against my much larger one. Even though our bodies were so different, hers was perfect for mine in every way.

Tangled with the girl of my dreams, it didn’t take long for me to surrender to sleep.





My eyes fluttered open to Ryker’s sleeping face. Once the fog of sleep lifted, realization sank in. Holy shit, I spent the night. Anxiety attempted to trap me in its clutches, my heartbeat and breathing starting to speed up as panic tried to set in.

Focusing on Ryker’s handsome face, I took deep breaths as I studied his features. You’re with Ryker. You’re safe. He won’t hurt you. That warm, fuzzy feeling that he gave me so often began to set in as I stared at him, melting away the anxiousness building inside me.

My eyes moved down, scanning over the beautiful artwork inked on his chest and arms. I wanted to trace over them with my fingers, commit them to memory, but I didn’t want to wake him when he was so peaceful.

After several minutes, he began to stir before stretching lazily like a cat as he opened his eyes. When they met mine, a sleepy smile spread over that sexy mouth. “Good morning, beautiful,” he said, his voice still thick with sleep.

“Morning,” I murmured back.

He leaned forward, eyes on my lips, but I pulled away. He gave me a questioning look, to which I replied, “I haven’t brushed my teeth.”

Laughing, he threaded his fingers through my hair as he said, “I don’t care about your breath, baby. Before I do anything else, the first thing I want to do is kiss my girl.”

Damn, he just gets better and better. I smiled before conceding, “Okay, but closed lips until I brush my teeth.”

He chuckled again, the sound vibrant and full of life. “Whatever you say, Warrior.”

Leaning toward me again, he pressed his lips to mine. Even just that small kiss sent tingles throughout my body.

When he pulled away, he rubbed my back. “How’d you sleep?”

“Surprisingly well.”

“You didn’t think you would?”

“Honestly no. I have nightmares, and I don’t sleep well, even at home. I definitely didn’t think that I’d get any here, but that was the best sleep I’ve had in a while.”

“Maybe you should stay over more often,” He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

“Maybe I will,” I replied teasingly. “If you’re lucky.”

Ryker gave me a playful grin before he pounced on me. Pinning my body beneath his, I squealed as he tickled me. Our laughter filled the room as I squirmed under him, trying to free myself from his grasp.

“I’m going to pee if you don’t stop,” I warned, still laughing.

Relenting, he propped himself on his elbows, framing my face between his arms as he gazed down at me. His lips parted to say something, but he closed them and stayed silent as he brushed some hair back that had fallen across my face and kissed me again. I wonder what he was going to say.

My internal thought was forgotten as the kiss deepened, the feel of his almost naked body atop mine so alluring that I didn’t care whether I brushed my teeth or not. When his tongue parted my lips, I eagerly reciprocated, twining mine with his as he pressed his morning erection into me.


Ryker’s hands pushed the shirt I was wearing up until it came off. I slipped down his boxer-briefs as he moved my panties to the side, just like last night. His hard shaft pressed against my slick entrance, slowly pushing in as he stretched me. His mouth captured a moan that escaped me as he cupped my face in his hands, passionately kissing me.

Ryker slowly pumped his hips into me, gently thrusting in and out of my sex. The delicate way he was touching and f*cking me was so different from the way we normally had sex, but it was just as amazing. The emotion he was creating within me was unlike anything I’d ever felt before, connecting us in a way I’d never experienced with anyone else. In that moment, I knew no one would ever compare to Ryker—my body was made for his, and his for mine. He completed me in every sense of the word.

Pleasure swarmed every nerve from his touch, filling me with molten fire. Electricity began to build in my core, radiating through my body as my orgasm approached. How does he do this to me?

My hands knotted in his hair as he continued to rock into me, possessing all of me with his sinful mouth, inked hands, and divine cock.

Arching against him, he sank further inside me, my walls molding to him as he caressed them.

“F*ck, baby, I love your p-ssy,” Ryker growled against my lips before slipping his tongue back in my mouth. F*ck, so good.

I could only moan in response, my mind already lost in oblivion from Ryker pleasuring my every cell. Almost there, almost there.

Pushing deeper each time, Ryker repeatedly thrust into me. After a few more strokes, my orgasm found me, trickling through every limb and drowning me in bliss. One hand tangled in my hair, softly pulling the long tresses as the other stroked every curve of my body. He stilled above me as warmth coated my core and his cock throbbed inside me.

Panting breathlessly, Ryker hovered over me as he stared down at me. Sweat glinted over his golden skin and dampened his messy hair as he smirked at me. I could get used to this every morning.

He gave me one last kiss before we disentangled ourselves. As I made my way to the bathroom, my phone rang. I went back to grab it, and saw Kamden’s face and number on the screen. Shit.

I answered the phone to hear Kamden’s enraged voice, “Where the f*ck are you, Ky?”

“Good morning to you, too, Kamden,” I greeted sarcastically.

“Morning? It’s almost one in the afternoon, Kaiya. Where are you?” he gritted through the phone.

“I’m at Ryker’s,” I snapped back, immediately regretting it. F*ck, I shouldn’t have told him that.

“What? You stayed the night at Ryker’s?” he exclaimed angrily.

“Yeah, I did. I’m a grown woman for f*ck’s sake.”

“You could’ve at least called me—I’ve been worried sick.” His voice was strained, but it was more with concern than anger. He was still upset, but I could tell that he was relieved that he was hearing from me.

I sighed, feeling like shit. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. I’ll be home soon, okay?” I said, softening my tone, as well. I should have been more considerate—I’d only spent the night at Nori’s before, and I called him beforehand to let him know. I felt like such a jerk for worrying him over something that could have easily been avoided.

After we said our goodbyes, I hung up the phone and turned around to go to the bathroom.

Ryker stood against the door, looking concerned as he asked, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Kamden was just upset that I didn’t let him know I was staying here.”

“He’s protective over you,” Ryker commented.

“He’s been like that since the whole thing with Kaleb.” I still couldn’t believe that I had told him that Kaleb was my brother the day before.

“I would be, too if something like that happened to my sister.”

Reaching him in the doorway, he blocked my path before tugging me in his arms. He must have sensed my unease about talking about Kaleb because he stated, “He’s never going to hurt you again, Ky. I’ll kill him if he tries.”

Our eyes had locked as he spoke, and the warmth normally present when he looked at me was gone—he was completely serious. I knew without a doubt that he meant what he said, and that both comforted and scared me. If Kaleb ever did get released, he’d come after me. And that meant Ryker would protect me, and possibly get hurt. Kaleb always hurt people I got involved with, and I didn’t want that for Ryker.



I didn’t know how he found me—I hadn’t told anyone at home about the party. They all thought I was spending the night at Nori’s house.

One of the varsity football players, Liam, and I were upstairs. It was his best friend’s party, so he let us use his bedroom to hook up.

We were both pretty drunk, and had been all over each other the whole night. By the time we made it to the bed, lust had gripped us in full force, and most of our clothes were off.

Liam ripped a condom open with his teeth and fumbled to slip it on. I needed him to be faster, wanted him to rid me of Kaleb’s touch and replace it with his; anything to make me forget, at least for a little while.

Finally, he entered me, flushing out my thoughts and filling me with sensation. I couldn’t focus on anything else except the intimate tangling of our bodies, and that was exactly what I wanted; to lose myself, if only for a short time.

Noise filled my ears, like a door slamming, but it didn’t completely register, my mind lost in sexual oblivion as it closed off the outside world.

Only when I felt the loss of Liam against me did I start to comprehend what was happening. Kaleb was atop Liam on the floor, repeatedly punching him. Shit.

“Kaleb, stop!” I screamed as I pulled the blanket to cover my naked body.

Hand raised in the air, ready to throw another punch, he stilled before turning to look at me. He had that look in his eyes, the one that I had come to fear, the one that there was no reasoning with. F*ck.

I clutched the comforter tighter to me as he approached. Sitting next to me on the bed, he pried the covers from my hands and pulled them away, exposing my bare flesh to him. I cringed as he began to trace his fingers down my skin, trembling in fear for what he might do to me, how he would punish me.

“Kaleb, don’t,” I whimpered.

His fingers dug into my thigh as he snarled, “So, he can touch you, but I can’t?”

Flinching, I cried out, “You’re not supposed to touch me like that, Kaleb. You’re my brother!”

His other hand came up to roughly grab my jaw, squeezing it painfully. “Yes, and that means that you’re mine! No one else’s! You let him f*ck you, gave him what was mine,” he accused angrily.

There has to be something wrong with him. He shouldn’t be this way with me. Or maybe there’s something wrong with me. Maybe I’m crazy. No one else makes their brother act this way.

“Look at me, Kaiya!” he yelled as he gripped my jaw harder.

My eyes snapped open to meet his, which were identical to mine. Same unique shade of blue, but I hated them. Tears trickled down my cheeks as he let go of me and roamed his hands over my breasts down to my sex.

I pushed his hands away and prepared for the backlash, clenching my eyes shut. Noise of footsteps and talking from outside the door caused them to snap back open. Kaleb stood up and backed away. Thank God.

Kaleb made his way for the door, glancing over his shoulder as he said, “This isn’t over. I will take back what’s mine.”


I zoned out after that, pretending that I didn’t hear his words, and wishing that my life was different.



“Ky? You with me, baby?” Ryker asked, cupping my cheek, bringing me back to the present. His eyes were brimmed with concern as he searched my face.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I get lost in my head sometimes.” I smiled weakly. Too much.

“Don’t get too lost up there. I want to be able to find you,” he said as he grazed his thumb softly over my skin.

I couldn’t stop myself from speaking what I felt in my heart. I’d always been strangely drawn to Ryker, like iron to a magnet, unable to stay away from him, even from the beginning. There was no way I’d be able to now. “I’ll always find my way back to you.”

Ryker brought my body into his as our lips joined in a tender, passion-filled kiss that made my knees feel like quicksand. When we finally separated, I wavered a little as I braced myself against him. He grinned cockily as he steadied me before smacking me lightly on the butt and letting me pass him to go into the bathroom.

After I finished getting ready, Ryker drove me home. He walked me up to the door, but I didn’t want him to come in, afraid that he and Kamden would get into a fight because of last night. I really couldn’t deal with that right now. I was trying to hold myself together after my flashback of Kaleb.

“See you at class tonight?” I asked as I tiptoed to kiss him; kissing him always chased away the darkness that threatened to swallow me.

Wrapping his arms around my waist, he placed his hands on my lower back, deepening the kiss before pulling away seconds later, way too soon. My lips tingled and I immediately missed the warmth of his mouth on mine. “Yeah. See you later, Warrior.”

His smirk tightened my stomach, making me think about the morning and night before. My hand clumsily fumbled for the doorknob, and I slipped slightly as I missed it. Blushing profusely, I gave him an embarrassed smile as I found the handle and turned it. “Bye.”

“Bye, baby,” he replied, still wearing that grin. Turning, I entered my apartment and shut the door before leaning against it and letting out a breath. The things he does to me.

“Have fun?” Kamden questioned, notes of anger still lingering in his voice from earlier.

Really? Is he still mad? I thought we worked things out over the phone.

I pushed off the door. “I did, actually. Thanks for asking,” I replied as I walked past him down the hallway.

“Kaiya, we need to talk.”

“About what?” I asked as I stopped.

He approached me with his arms folded over his chest. “You and Ryker. Since you didn’t take my advice and stay away from him, we need to talk about things.”

“What things? Our relationship is none of your business, Kamden.” I didn’t understand why I was being so abrasive—I knew he was only concerned about me, but I hated that he was so adamant that Ryker and I not be together.

“Why are you acting like this? I’m just worried about you.”

Sighing, I replied, “I know, but I’m not a kid anymore. I don’t need you to protect me.”

Kamden looked pained as he responded, “I didn’t protect you when you needed me. It eats at me every day, Ky. Every. Single. Day. I just don’t want you to get hurt again.”

My eyes watered. I hated that he felt responsible when it wasn’t his fault. If anything, it was our parents’ fault for not paying more attention to their children. I set my hand over his crossed arms. “It wasn’t your fault, Kam. We were just kids.”

His mouth set in a hard frown as he inhaled deeply and shook his head. “You’re my baby sister—I was supposed to protect you from anything like that ever happening.”

I’d never be able to convince him otherwise, no matter what I said. We were both stubborn in that way. Once we got something in our head, there was no changing our minds. “You’ve more than made up for it by taking care of me and supporting me. I would’ve never made it without you,” I replied sincerely.

He gave me a weak smile. “Yes, you would’ve. You’re stronger than you know.”

I rolled my eyes—I was the weakest person I knew. Having breakdowns and being afraid of your own reflection didn’t equate to being a strong person in my book.

“Look, I know you’re just worried about me, but don’t. I haven’t been this happy since… well, ever. Ryker may seem like an a*shole, but he’s… he’s amazing. If anything, you should worry about me hurting him. My kind of crazy isn’t good for people,” I joked, or at least attempted to.

Kamden didn’t laugh, but his smile broadened a tiny bit.

“You’re not crazy, sorella.”

“Whatever you say. Seriously, don’t worry about me. Ryker treats me very well.” Huge understatement.

“If that changes—”

“You’ll be the first to know,” I interrupted, finishing his sentence.

Continuing my way down the hall, I headed to my room and stripped off my clothes before jumping in the shower. Once I emerged, fully refreshed, I made my way to my office, wanting to check my calendar to see the upcoming projects for the next few weeks and possibly get some work done on them. Ryker occupied a lot of my time, so I tried to squeeze in work whenever possible so I wouldn’t get behind.

After I scanned over my desk calendar for the rest of August, I flipped up the page to look at September, my eyes zeroing in on a date circled in red. My body stiffened as fear began to root itself in my stomach, the darkness attempting to creep back in. Kaleb’s release. Holy shit, it’s only a month away. F*ck, f*ck, f*ck.

My leg bounced nervously as I stared at the date, unable to tear my gaze away from it. My pulse pounded in my ears as a thin sheen of sweat started to cling to my skin, making me uncomfortably hot. The blackness began to suffocate me, trying to blanket it me with its poison and send me spiraling into a breakdown. Fight it, fight it. Focus on something else.

I knew exactly what the perfect something was—Ryker. He always saved me, and breaking me from the tainted darkness was no exception. His face came into my mind, chasing away the inky mass threatening to crush me.

I broke free of the trance I was in as I threw the calendar, sending it flying off my desk. Pens and other office supplies joined it as they scattered over the floor. Breathe, breathe, breathe. Needing to escape, I rushed to my room as I repeated the phrase over and over in my head. Grabbing my phone, I immediately dialed Ryker, but it went to his voicemail. F*ck, he’s probably already at work.

I paced nervously back and forth in my room, gnawing on my bottom lip. Calm down. You’re safe. Ryker and Kamden will protect you. Breathe, breathe, breathe.

My hands shook with nerves as I sat on my bed. Pulling my knees up, I wrapped my arms around them and began to softly rock back and worth, attempting to soothe myself. Wet warmth coated my cheeks, my fight to contain my tears lost. So weak.

My phone rang, startling me. Glancing down at it next to me, Ryker’s face filled the screen. I instantly grabbed it and answered. “Hello?” My voice was strained, thick with emotion.

He must’ve heard the panicked sadness in my voice because his response was quick and full of concern. “What’s wrong, baby?”

I thought about lying, but I couldn’t lie to Ryker. I was so good at it with everyone else but not him. Taking a deep breath, I tried to steady my voice. “Kaleb’s release is a little over a month away. I just saw it on my calendar.”


“Are you okay? Do I need to come over?”

My knight in shining armor. My lips curved up slightly from the gesture, warmth filling my body and ridding me of the cold that the darkness left snaking through my veins. I wiped my cheeks, which were tight from my dried tears. “No, I’m okay. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“Are you sure, Ky? I can leave work if you need me.”

He didn’t even understand how much I needed him. He had become the glue that held me together, the stitches that were slowly repairing the scars on my heart.

“No, I’m fine. I’ll see you at class in a little bit.”

“Call me if you need me, okay? I’ll keep my phone on me.” His voice was still edged with worry.

“Okay.”

“Bye, baby.”

“Bye.”

When we hung up, I exhaled another breath before getting off the bed. Grabbing my laptop, I decided to do some work on it instead of facing the mess that I left in the office. Anything to keep my mind occupied.

I thought about going to Kamden, but I had been selfish with him our entire lives. I needed to learn to cope on my own, no matter how difficult it was. And now I had Ryker to help me through until I could handle everything on my own. Kamden deserved a break.

By the time I made it to the gym, I was like a balloon that was inflated to the point of bursting. I needed to see Ryker, to have him calm me down like only he could.

I arrived thirty minutes early so I could talk to him before the other students showed up. If not, I’d probably lose it and have a meltdown during class.

When I walked into our training room, Ryker immediately came over to me. His eyes searched mine. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Better now that I’m with you,” I said as I forced a smile. It wasn’t a lie, but I was still being plagued by the impending date looming over me, overshadowing the happiness Ryker brought me.

Slowly rubbing both of my arms up and down, the concern in his voice increased, “Maybe you should skip class tonight.”

My brows furrowed as I frowned. “No. If anything, I need to get this out. Bottling it in only makes it worse—trust me, I know.”

His mouth set in a tight line. He knew he wouldn’t win this argument. “Fine, just take it easy.”

Yeah, right. Me, take things easy? Nothing is ever easy when it comes to me. “I’ll try. I really need to kick the shit out of something, though.”

Ryker’s lips quirked up to one side in a lopsided grin. “Always fighting.”

Before I could respond, another student came in with David and an unfamiliar employee, not the normal instructor Mark. Ryker followed my gaze and said, “Mark couldn’t make it tonight. Another one of the staff is filling in for him—I need to go brief him on class.”

“Go ahead, I’ll get my gear on.”

Ryker walked away as I dropped my stuff by the bag I always used. I wrapped my hands with athletic tape, which I started using upon Ryker’s insistence since I bruised so easily, then slipped on my gloves.

When class finally started, my pent-up frustration and stress still coursed through my body, making my muscles ache from the tension. I couldn’t completely push the thought of Kaleb being released from my head, probably because of how soon it was. If I didn’t expel everything soon, I was going to spontaneously combust. What better way to release it all than to take it out on the bag?

I began with simple jabs and punches, but after my fists connected with the vinyl, my moves intensified as fury took over my body. The bag morphed into Kaleb, and I completely lost it. Control was no longer mine as I cascaded into that abyss inside me, the source where all my demons lay.

My arms and legs flew as I pummeled Kaleb with elbows, kicks, and punches, making him hurt as he had hurt me all those years. Sweat drenched my face as I continued, unable to stop; if I stopped, he would only hurt me back, punish me for fighting him.

My chest burned as I struggled to breath, but I couldn’t stop. I had to keep going, had to protect myself. Dizziness settled over my body like a heavy weight as my vision blurred, and I felt my knees meet the ground. No.

Ringing filled my ears from the piercing scream of someone, and I covered them to drown out all the noise. I clenched my eyes shut as I folded into myself, wanting to conceal as much of my body as possible from Kaleb’s backlash.

Rough hands gripped my shoulders, causing me to strike outward. The hit was weak, but I still connected before slumping forward in exhaustion. I heard a familiar voice, but it didn’t sound like it normally did; it was frantic and laced with fear. “Look at me, Ky! Come back to me, baby.”

Trying to concentrate on the sound, I lifted my head slightly, but it caused everything to spin around me so I put it back down. My heart thudded as the voice urged, “Breathe, baby, breathe.”

Closing my eyes again, I focused on taking deep breaths, trying to claw my way out of the dark chasm I was buried in. That voice kept talking to me, saying soothing things that helped bring me back towards reality, helped me regain some control.

Some of the pressure constricting me lifted, enough so that I opened my eyes to try and focus on my surroundings. The first thing I saw was a pair of warm, brown eyes that were creased in worry. Ryker.

Some of the tension eased from his strained face as he forced a smile. “There’s my Warrior. I knew you’d fight your way back.”

I blinked a few times to combat my blurred vision and dispel the rest of the disequilibrium clinging to me.

Ryker pushed my sweaty hair out of my face before handing me an open water bottle. “Drink.”

Sipping the cool liquid, what had happened started to sink in. Embarrassment heated my already fevered face as tears stung my eyes. I glanced around the room, expecting to find a bunch of scared faces staring back at me, but there were none. The room was empty except for Ryker and me.

I gave him a confused look, and he answered my unspoken question. “I made everyone leave.”

Completely humiliated didn’t even come close to how I felt. I doubted that I’d be able to come to class ever again; Ryker would have to give me private lessons. If he still wanted to be with me.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered as a tear rolled down my cheek..

“Sorry? For what?” His eyes held a look of confusion.

“That I flipped out and totally lost it, that you had to stop class because of me, that I embarrassed you,” I bitterly replied as I looked down, angry for my lack of control.

Ryker gripped my chin and tilted my face to look at him. “I’m not embarrassed by you. Concerned, yes, but not embarrassed. And I don’t give a f*ck about stopping class—you are all I care about.”

There’s that amazing feeling stirring. “Thank you. I think I’m okay now.”

“What happened?” He brushed his knuckles down the side of my face as his eyes met mine.

“I’m not exactly sure. I was trying to let my anger over Kaleb out on the bag, but I lost control. All I could see was him, and then I got lightheaded and disoriented. I can’t really remember too much after that.”

“You went crazy on the bag. You probably felt that way because you were holding your breath. When you fell, you scared the shit out of me—you were screaming so loud, and I had no idea what was wrong.”

I was the one screaming? This just gets better and better. “I’m sorry. That happens sometimes. I thought I had better control over it now, but getting closer to his possible release is starting to get to me.”


“That’s understandable, baby. Don’t stress yourself out about it.” He rubbed his hands up and down my arms before threading our fingers together. “You know you’re not alone in this—you have me. You don’t have to fight by yourself, Warrior.”

There was that feeling in my chest again—that one that made my heart beat faster and wrapped me in happiness. He was borderline perfect, knew exactly what I needed and the right words to say. I had no clue what the hell he saw in me—I was a hot mess.

“It’s not easy to talk about. It’s bad enough that I can’t escape him since I see him whenever I look in the mirror.”

“You look a lot alike? You and Kamden don’t,” Ryker commented.

Shit. I really didn’t want to go there, but Ryker had become my rock, my anchor when I needed security and strength. I’d already realized if things didn’t work out between us, there’d never be anyone that could take his place. He was it for me. If anyone deserved my trust, it was him. “He… he’s my twin.”

Ryker’s face hardened, his beautiful mouth being dragged down in an angry frown as he seethed, “What?”

I didn’t say anything. His rage was palpable, and even though I knew he wasn’t angry at me, I didn’t want to set him off. He abruptly stood before slamming his fist into the punching bag a few feet away from me. Roaring angrily, he threw it like it weighed almost nothing towards the center of the room.

His outburst didn’t scare me. In fact, it made me feel good; it showed me that he truly cared. Never trusting anyone besides Kamden and Nori made it hard for me to judge whether someone’s intentions or feelings were genuine, but there was no denying Ryker’s. There was no doubt that he cared about me, maybe even loved me. Could he possibly love me? The thought was almost laughable since I was certain that I was completely crazy. Even if I wasn’t, Ryker was still too good for me. Girls like me didn’t get guys that looked like models. Not to mention that Ryker had such a good heart. Yeah, he’s way too good for me.

Pacing the room, he cursed furiously. His face was painted red with anger as he looked toward me, locking his eyes with mine.

“He’s your twin?” he asked again in disbelief.

“Yeah. We look identical, which makes it harder for me. I see him staring back at me all the time when I look in the mirror, so I avoid them as much as possible.”

He looked utterly confused, almost at a loss for words. “How? Why?” he stammered, seeking answers that I’d been searching for years, answers I still didn’t really have.

My eyes glistened as my chest tightened, but not in the same way Ryker caused. The tightening I was experiencing was from pain, anger, and sadness because of everything my own twin did to me.

“I never really got an answer to that. Kaleb always said that I was made for him. I was his. The psychiatrists and doctors said he had several mental conditions that caused him to be the way that he was, that it wasn’t his fault,” I bitterly replied. Even though I knew it was true, that his disorders contaminated him, controlled him, I couldn’t forgive him for everything he did to me, for scarring me so deeply.

“F*cking bullshit,” he muttered angrily. Approaching me, he sat beside me on the floor before cradling me in his lap. The position made me feel vulnerable and safe at the same time. Ryker tucked some hair behind my ear, releasing a sigh before promising, “He’ll never get his hands on you again. No one will ever mistreat you again.”

His statement broke the dam holding my tears. “I don’t know what I did to deserve what he did to me,” I choked through the sorrow clenching my throat.

Ryker clasped my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. “You didn’t deserve any of what he did. You hear me, Ky? None of it. What you deserve… what you deserve is to have everything you ever wished for. You deserve happiness, not sadness, love, not pain. You deserve more than I could ever give you, but I’m damn well going to try to give you everything you deserve.”

I wanted to tell him that he was everything I ever wanted, more than I deserved, but there was still that small part of me that cowered in fear, afraid to give myself completely to Ryker. So I didn’t say anything, like the coward I’d always been.

His thumbs wiped away the tears on my face before he kissed me, ever so gently. “Let’s get you home.”

Ryker drove me home, despite my protesting that I was okay to drive. I usually took the underground transit to work so I wouldn’t have to pay ridiculous amounts for parking. Kamden could take me to pick up my car the next day when we went to work out, so it wasn’t a big deal.

When we got to my apartment, I asked Ryker to come up. I was still fighting the feelings brought on by the events of the day and really needed him. Enough so that I was willing to deal with whatever Kamden had to say about it.

I walked up to the door, worried that Kamden would be on the other side and give me a hard time about Ryker. But as I opened it and stepped in, our apartment was dark except for a small light shining from the kitchen.

“Kam, I’m home,” I called out, but there was no response. Ryker followed behind me to the kitchen and laid down the bag from the Chinese takeout we had picked up. When I went to the refrigerator to get plates and drinks, I found the note Kamden left, letting me know he had gone out with some friends. Good for him.

Ryker’s arms wrapped around my waist and I leaned back against him. “He’s not here. Went out with friends,” I said, feeling a sense of relief. Kamden spent so much time taking care of me that he seldom did anything for himself.

“That’s great. I get you all to myself,” he whispered in my hair before pressing a kiss to my temple.

I brought my hands over his, smiling. “That sounds really nice.” I took in another deep breath, inhaling his masculine scent before I pulled out of his hold. “We better eat.”

Grabbing some dishes, Ryker helped me set the table. I glanced up at him periodically as we fell into a comfortable domestic routine, and I couldn’t keep the smile off my face, thinking about how normal we seemed.

After finishing dinner, I started cleaning up the to-go boxes and plates when Ryker disappeared from the kitchen. I was slightly irritated that he wasn’t helping me, but I wasn’t going to say anything about it, not wanting to cause any tension between us. I’d had enough drama for one day.

As I was putting the last of everything in the trash, Ryker called from down the hall, “Hey, babe, can you come here for a second?”

I wiped my hands on a dish towel and threw it on the counter. I went to my room, but when I entered, he wasn’t in there. What is he up to?

“In here,” Ryker said, his voice coming from my bathroom. What’s he doing in there? The door was slightly ajar, so I slowly pushed it open before stepping into the room. My eyes widened in surprise as a smile spread over my lips.

The room was dimly lit by candles that I had along the rim of my garden tub. Bubbles crested the top of the bath water that Ryker must have drawn for me while I cleaned up our dinner.

“I thought you needed to relax after today, so I got a bath ready for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

Walking over to him, I slipped my arms around his neck. “No, I don’t mind. This is just what I needed. Thank you so much, baby.”


“I’ll let you relax,” Ryker said as he leaned down. He pressed a kiss to my lips, then grinned and stepped around me and out of the bathroom.

The bath was exactly what I had needed, and I felt so much better after getting out. My muscles felt relaxed and most of the negativity still plaguing me had washed down the drain with the bathwater.

Wrapping my towel around me, I walked into my bedroom, ready to thank Ryker again for being so considerate. As I opened my mouth to speak, I immediately closed it when my gaze landed on him. He was sleeping on top of the comforter of my bed.

My heart warmed at the sight of him sleeping so peacefully. He had said earlier that I deserved more than him, but he was wrong. He was perfect for me; if anything, I didn’t deserve him.

Not wanting to wake him, I quietly grabbed clothes to change into for bed and went back in the bathroom. He was still asleep when I came out, and I gnawed on my bottom lip as my thoughts attempted to ruin everything. I’ve never had a guy spend the night in my bed before. I don’t know if I can do this. Sleeping over at his house was one thing, but at mine is another. This is more personal, more intimate.

Sitting cautiously on my bed, careful not to wake Ryker, I studied him as my mind warred. Ryker won’t hurt you. Look at everything he’s done for you. You already broke your rule anyway.

My decision made, I slipped under the covers. The movement caused Ryker’s eyes to open. He blinked several times before his gaze met mine. “I didn’t realize how tired I was,” he yawned. “I better get going.”

“You wanna stay?” My tone was hopeful, yet nervous.

“Isn’t that against the rules?” he asked with a teasing grin.

Rolling my eyes, I smiled. “You’re right. I guess you should go, then.” I started pushing him off the bed for emphasis.

Grabbing my arms, he pulled me into him. “You know I like breaking rules, especially yours. I’ll stay.”

Letting go of me, he stood and kicked off his shoes. I was entranced by the rippling of his muscles as he removed his shirt and stripped his shorts off, leaving him in only his boxer-briefs. Dear lord, thank you for this man.

Joining me under the covers, he wrapped me in his embrace, spooning me. I felt his hot breath on my neck right before he placed a kiss there and whispered, “Night, Warrior.”

Laying my arms over his, I snuggled back into him. The smile was still on my face as I drifted into sleep.