I cut him off there, not wanting an apology. I didn’t need an apology. I didn’t need anything from him. I was too angry and hurt to forgive him yet, if ever. I heard the bell from the front door opening, but I didn’t care if anyone could hear us anymore. I was so mad at him for having the gall to show up at my work to try to talk to me like he cared.
“So you’re apologising for dragging our relationship out? In the hopes of what, Chace? That the sex would improve? Is that why you hung around so long?” He looked surprised at my words. He opened his mouth to say something but then closed it again. Ha, I was right. The stupid loser only stayed with me for the last couple of months to see if the sex would get better. That hurt like a knife in the chest. My mind was running a million miles an hour, and I wasn’t paying attention to what I was saying. “Well, guess what, Chace? It did get better. A whole hell of a lot better. Just not with you,” I shouted and watched as his face paled. Way to go, Bailey. Damn it! Why did I just say that?
“You mean, you and…and…you and Ryder?” he stuttered, turning a terrible shade of green. I heard someone clear their throat behind him. Oh God, someone heard that!
“Well, clearly she means me. She did just say the sex got better, didn’t she?” Ryder strolled over, smirking arrogantly. “Your loss, man. She’s ah-maze-ing.” I was sure I heard a giggle coming from the bookcases by the kitchen.
Oh crap! Mrs. Romanov heard that too. My cheeks warmed up. The look on Chace’s face when Ryder confirmed it was priceless. If I weren’t so angry and attempting to hold back tears, I’d have been laughing at him right then.
“Hi, beautiful.” Ryder smiled slightly and dipped his head. He pressed his lips to my cheek and wound his arms around my waist, and for the briefest second, I forgot where I was and who was watching as I relaxed into his arms. Wow. He was good.
“I went to your house, and your mum said you were here, so I thought I’d see if you wanted to get some dinner?” I gripped onto his shirt, holding myself as close to him as I could, and nodded in agreement. I was so mad at Chace and stunned at Ryder showing up that I didn’t even question him about going to my house.
I hadn’t introduced him to my mother yet because that was a big step in a relationship—meeting the family—and we weren’t in a real relationship.
“You can go now,” Ryder said over his shoulder to Chace while also watching me warily, apparently concerned about my reaction since, you know, I’d had about fifty panic attacks that day. Jeez, he must think I’m a nutcase.
“No, we were talking. You can leave. B and I have a few things to discuss. Don’t we, B?” I tensed at the use of that letter. He just didn’t get it. He never did. Ryder looked at me with his eyebrow raised, as if silently asking me if I wanted to talk with Chace. I shook my head and rested it on his chest so he knew I wanted him to stay there with me.
“Okay,” he whispered, giving my waist a small but reassuring squeeze before unwinding his arms and stepping away from me. My eyes burned with tears trying to escape, but I wouldn’t give Chace the satisfaction of seeing me cry over him again.
“Don’t call her B.” Ryder turned and stepped toward Chace. Chace flinched slightly at the venom in Ryder’s voice but squared his shoulders to hide the fact he was obviously intimidated. “I’m not leaving her here with you. You have nothing at all to talk about, so I suggest you leave before I make you.” His voice was low and slow the entire time, sending a chill up my spine. If I had been where Chace was standing, I’d probably have wet myself. Ryder was scary.
“You’ll leave her. You’ll get bored with her soon enough. You know how it is.” Chace’s lip curled up into a sneer, and I let out a small whimper. That hurt. A lot. Was he always such a hurtful person? I got the feeling there was a double meaning behind that comment, but before I could even wrap my head around what Chace had just said, I saw Ryder’s arm pull back and snap forward. A sickening crunch sounded through the store when his fist connected with Chace’s face.
I gasped in shock and rushed over to check that he was okay. Clasping his wrist in my hands, I inspected Ryder’s knuckles for signs of injury, but they looked fine. Not a scratch. Apparently, he knew how to throw a punch. “Are you okay?” I asked him. He nodded slightly, still glaring at Chace.
“Last time, Chace. Don’t come near her again.” Chace was sitting on the floor, groaning in pain with his hands covering his face. Ryder wrapped his arm around my waist and led me toward the door before shouting back over his shoulder. “Sorry, Mrs. R. See you tomorrow.”
“Don’t worry, son. You kids have fun.” Mrs. Romanov came out from behind the bookcase with a big smile on her face before looking at Chace in disgust.
“Don’t get blood on my floor,” she said before returning to the kitchen, showing him no sympathy. We walked outside, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Ryder’s arm around my waist soothed me again. I couldn’t believe he had punched Chace. That was kind of sweet. And a little…sexy?
“You sure you’re okay?” I asked him again, picking up the hand that should be injured.
“Yes, don’t worry. I’ve done this plenty of times before. Do you want to grab some dinner or want me to take you home?” He turned to look at me, a small smile on his lips.
“Dinner, please,” I said, releasing his hand and following him to his car.
Chapter Nine
Ryder took me to an all-night diner just outside of town. It was part of the roadhouse on the highway that went straight past Blackhill.
“I didn’t even know this place was here,” I said to him as he pulled open the grubby glass door and gestured for me to enter. The smell of brewed coffee and fried meat hit me as soon as I stepped inside.
“Best burgers in the state,” he whispered in my ear as he leant down. I felt his hand on the bottom of my back as he gently pushed me toward a booth in the corner. I looked around the diner while we waited for the waitress to come and take our orders. The whole place was done in lime green and chrome, but it had a very fifties retro feel to it. I liked it.
“Best burgers? Really?” I asked him as he sat across from me, playing with the saltshaker.
“Yep, usually. But tonight, I think they’re gonna suck.” He laughed and looked over my shoulder.
“Why do you think that?” I was confused as to why the burgers would be no good if they were the best in the state and why he’d taken me there if the food wasn’t going to be good. He was acting very weird.
“Well, the cook who makes the best burgers isn’t on tonight. It’s his night off, so we’re stuck with—Oh, hey, Johnny!” Ryder smiled, and I looked up to see a man approach us with a spatula in his hand and a very greasy apron around his waist. “We’re stuck with Johnny’s awful cooking.”
“Ryder, you can’t say that.” I glared at him, hardly believing he could be so rude, especially when the cook was standing right next to our table. But Ryder just laughed, and so did Johnny. I frowned.