“Y-yes,” Natalie stammered, her eyes wide. “It was Parker. I-I didn’t know what to do. And he said we could be happy, the three of us, wanted to show me what it would be—”
“He wants you for himself,” Ryker interrupted, abruptly releasing her. Turning away, he shoved a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe it. My best friend, stabbing me in the back.”
It was unreal. Incomprehensible. Parker and he went back—way back—and had looked out for each other through street gangs, schoolyard bullies, drill sergeants, and enemy fire. Parker knew how much Ryker loved Natalie. He’d even talked with Parker about how he was thinking of proposing, once Natalie had gotten over the loss of her husband, missing in action and presumed dead.
And he’d thought she was there or, at least, almost. She’d told him she loved him. They’d made love …
Then Parker had seduced her. To do something like that to someone as trusting and vulnerable as Natalie made his blood boil. Parker had finally shown his true colors. It had just taken a woman to bring out what Ryker had always suspected was there—a narcissistic asshole blinded by his own wealth and privilege. It must’ve amused him, all these years, playing the savior for the charity case kid from the shitty part of town.
He felt Natalie’s hands on his back, lightly stroking his skin, gentling him.
“I love you,” she said, “and only you. I don’t know why I let him get inside my head like that. Forgive me? Please? You’re the one I want.”
The words were a balm to his fractured soul, though nothing could heal the searing pain of Parker’s betrayal. The thought of Parker with Natalie—
No. He couldn’t think about it, wouldn’t think about it. It didn’t matter what she’d done or been coerced into doing, Ryker couldn’t live without her. His every breath was for her. If she left him … he’d have nothing and no one. He needed her more than he cared about his broken pride or wounded psyche.
“Of course I forgive you,” he rasped. “It’s you and me. Together. Nothing will come between us. Especially not Parker.”
Taking a deep breath, he turned around and took her in his arms, his lips finding hers in a searing kiss that melted his anger and turned his guts into a molten river of want.
She let him make love to her, their joining more desperate on his side than it had been before. As though his soul knew he was losing her, inch by inch.
*
It was only a week later that his worst fears were realized.
Ryker didn’t announce his presence when he walked into Parker’s place. He hadn’t been able to reach Natalie for the past hour, though they were supposed to meet for dinner after he got off work. On a suspicion he didn’t want to dwell on, Ryker had come here.
He hadn’t spoken to Parker since Natalie had confessed. Unable to know for certain what he’d do if he saw Parker, Ryker had avoided him all week.
Now he stood, frozen in Parker’s bedroom doorway, aghast at the tableau in front of him.
Natalie, naked, her limbs entwined around Parker’s hips. The sounds of her gasps and moans filled the air, pouring into his ears like acid. The sheets tangled around their legs and the sight of Parker pumping between her thighs sent fury raging through him.
With a roar, he attacked, grabbing Parker and hauling him off Natalie. He tossed him, and Parker hit the wall with a thud and grunt before falling to the floor.
Parker’s gaze met Ryker’s, shock and confusion followed quickly by horror.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Parker asked.
“Besides watching you fuck my girlfriend,” Ryker spat. “I’m here to kill you, asshole.”
He went for him, but Parker fought back, blocking Ryker’s right hook and retreating.
“It’s over between you two,” Parker said. “You’ve got to accept that.”
“Fuck you,” Ryker growled, going after him again. This time he landed a good hit to Parker’s jaw and gut before Parker was able to retaliate, the blows to Ryker’s solar plexus making him lose his breath, forcing him to pause.
“You’ve gotta stop,” Parker said, breathing hard. “She’s not worth this.”
Nothing Parker said could have enraged Ryker more and he yelled as he attacked again, this time his fury such that Parker’s blows didn’t stop him. Blood flowed and his knuckles ached, but all he saw through the haze of red in his vision was Natalie’s body being desecrated by Parker.
“Stop! You’re going to kill him! Stop!”
Natalie’s words broke through the rage at last and Ryker went still, his chest heaving from exertion. Parker lay on the floor, blood staining the skin around his mouth and nose. His eyes were closed and he didn’t move.
“Oh God oh God oh God …” Natalie was murmuring over and over. She’d dropped to her knees, her hand tenderly brushing back the hair from his face. “I think he’s just unconscious,” she said at last.
Lifting her gaze to Ryker’s, he was stunned to see the tears streaking her face.