Ryker (The Powers That Be Book 4) Read online

  “Hell yeah! And like I said, if he doesn’t take you up on it, he’s a dumbass.”

  “All right. If this doesn’t go well, Sharee’s buying at O’Leary’s tonight and when you come home for spring break, you’re taking me to Spinasse.”

  “You’re on. And, listen, honey. It’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t work out with this guy, yeah? You’re beautiful and deserve the best so you hold your head high.”

  I’d just turned into Ryker’s neighborhood and felt my pulse start racing. “I don’t know, Glad. I don’t think I can do this.”

  “You can! You’re just asking him to coffee. No big deal, right?”

  “Right,” I whispered as I pulled up in front of his house and parked in the same spot I’d been the morning before. “Will you at least stay on the phone with me for a minute?”

  “Of course. Deep breaths.” When I didn’t say anything, Gladys called, “Frank?”

  “I’m here.”

  “What’re you doing?”

  “Breathing.”

  She laughed. “That’s enough. Go!”

  I closed my eyes and reached for the door handle. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I said when I got out and faced the house.

  “Wait!” she yelled scaring the bajeebus out of me.

  “What?” I hissed, automatically hunching down trying to hide behind my car as if she was there and had seen something.

  “What’re you wearing?”

  I huffed out an annoyed laugh as I stood straight again. “God! Don’t fucking do that! You scared the shit outta me!” When my heart stopped trying to claw its way out of my chest, I answered, “I’m wearing black jeans…”

  “Flares or leggings?”

  “Skinny. And the burgundy blouse you made for me last year.”

  “Nice! What jacket?”

  “My army green pea coat.”

  “Shoes?”

  “Black ankle boots.”

  “You go, girl! Go get your man!”

  I shook my head before taking a breath and blowing it out, still holding the phone to my ear. “Here goes nothing.”

  Walking up the drive toward the house on wobbly legs I wondered why I’d agreed to do this. But as I took in the cute little house in front of me, I knew why. It was for the preservation of my and my children’s future.

  “Where are you?” Gladys whispered.

  “I’m in the driveway. Almost at the walk to go to the front door. Between a blue pickup truck and a hot pink VW Beetle.”

  “Okay.”

  A few seconds passed.

  “You there yet?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “I think my feet are stuck.”

  She chuckled. “I’m right here. Go!”

  I took another step and that’s when the front door opened and I froze.

  “Fuck,” I whispered.

  “What?”

  “Fuck!” I now whisper-hissed, standing there like a statue hoping I wouldn’t be seen, you know, right out there in the open in broad daylight and all.

  “What?” she asked even louder.

  Oh, my God.

  Ryker had come out onto the front porch in jeans and was shirtless but that wasn’t the “Oh, my God” part.

  “What’s going on?” Gladys whispered.

  But I couldn’t answer as I stood there, almost half hidden by the blue truck watching as Ryker made out with a platinum blond woman who was built like a fucking stripper, meaning she was hot. And when I say “made out,” I mean, practically screwing her right there on the porch, grabbing her ass and grinding himself all up on her.

  Fuck!

  Fuck!

  “Frankie!”

  “Hang on!” I snapped into my phone.

  And that’s when Ryker heard me and pried his lips off the chick and looked my way.

  Fuck, fuck, fuck!

  “Can I help you?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at me, watching me as if I was exactly the Peeping Tom I was.

  I immediately dropped my phone into my jacket pocket and decided to go with the first thing that popped into my head. “Uh, I, uh saw this Beetle and, uh, I love the color, so I was, um, trying to get a better look at it.”

  Shit.

  Shit!

  “That’s mine!” the blonde answered with a giggle, then tiptoeing up and giving Ryker one last kiss she turned and walked toward me on heels that would’ve broken my ankles, calling back to him over her shoulder, “Call me, baby.” When she got to me, she said, “My dad got this for me because he knows it’s my favorite color. Oh! I’m Lindsey!”

  “Hi. Uh, Frankie.”

  She giggled, cocking her head to her shoulder. “No kidding?”

  “No kidding.”

  “Awesome! Well, I need to go but I live over on Elm across from the university. You’re more than welcome to look me up and I’ll let you drive it sometime!”

  God. And she was nice too. Ergh.

  “Thanks. I’ll, um, definitely look you up.”

  “’Kay! See ya!” She opened her car door, blew Ryker a kiss over the top of it, got in and started it while I stood watching it all. She waved to me as she backed down the drive and once in the street drove off.

  “I know you,” I heard from right behind me which made me jump a foot in the air.

  I turned around quickly to face the freaking Greek god that stood there, seeing that his hair, cut in what my mom would call a curtain cut undercut (she was a hairdresser), was all messy but looking sexy as hell. Shaved sides and longer on top and let me tell you, Ryker worked that hair well. Then there was his amazing tattooed chest and cut abs that were on display for my viewing pleasure. And, dear God, that damned V just below his waist that was so prominent and disappeared inside the jeans that hung low on his hips literally had my mouth drooling.

  “Uh, no, I don’t think you do,” I mumbled not able to control my eyes as they roamed over his hard body. God!

  “I think I do.”

  My eyes shot up and locked with his light brown ones that I just noticed had gold flecks and were lined in dark, sooty lashes. Dammit. Why’d he have to look so good?

  “No, I don’t think so,” I muttered again, starting to back away from him because I needed to get the hell out of there now since it’d just dawned on me that he and hot pink Beetle owner Lindsey had spent the night together and that wasn’t cool.

  His eyes were intense practically boring a hole right through me watching as I took another step back which only led to his taking a barefooted one forward.

  “Yeah. I do,” he repeated, his eyes full of recognition now.

  Shit!

  “Sorry, I don’t think you do,” I repeated and turned to go.

  The next thing I knew, he moved fast and had me backed against the truck, his hands on either side of me on the truck bed, keeping me there as I looked up at him with big eyes. Damn.

  “You were here Saturday,” he informed me of something I already knew.

  I licked my lips nervously wondering how the hell I could get free, contemplating whether he could sue me if I stomped on his foot with my boot before making a run for it. I made a note to ask Sharee about it. But no way was I going to stand there and relive something that had meant nothing to him just to be humiliated all over again.

  Leaning in close he said, “I fucked you,” all low and sexy and hot, his gorgeous eyes still piercing mine. “You were the hungry one who couldn’t get enough of my dick. Practically starved.”

  Now wait just a damned minute here. “Wh-what?” I asked indignantly, shocked that he’d talk that way to me. And about me!

  “Yeah, babe. Tightest, wettest pussy I’ve had. Possibly best piece of ass I think I’ve ever had.”

  My mouth fell open. “Did you really just say that?” I glared up at him.

  “I think you heard me.” Now I saw amusement in those captivating eyes of his and that really pissed me off.

  Oh. My. God.

  Oh, m
y God!

  I pushed at his chest and ducked out under his arm spinning to face him, my hands going to my hips. “You’re unbelievable!” I spat, glowering at him.

  “If I recall right, that’s what you were moaning the other night.” He gave me a half smirk and it was all I could do to keep from smacking the shit out of him.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” I gave him my best repulsed look. “To think I’ve wanted you for two years. And now I find out you’re just some…” I threw my hand out at him as I frowned in disgust, “some crude asshole who’ll fuck any piece of ass you can find! God! How stupid am I?” I turned and stomped down the driveway to my car.

  “Not just any piece of ass, baby!” he hollered after me. “Only the hottest pieces for me!” I heard him chuckling as I jerked open my car door and got inside slamming my door.

  I turned the key to start the engine and took off as fast as my poor little Camry would let me, giving him one last glare only to see him still smirking at me, his arms now across his magnificent chest.

  “Frankie!” I heard coming from my coat pocket.

  Shit! I hadn’t hung up when I’d dropped my phone into it.

  I dug it out of my pocket and brought it to my ear, too pissed to care that I was risking being pulled over. “Did you hear that?” I screeched at Gladys.

  “I did! Oh, my God! Frankie! He sounds so hot!” she squealed.

  What?

  “Are you kidding me right now? Did you not just hear what he said about me?”

  “Yes! That’s what was hot!”

  “Glad! He was making out with another woman! He fucked her last night! The night after he fucked me!” I couldn’t help but scream now.

  “Calm down, Frankie.”

  “Calm down? Seriously?”

  “Yes.”

  Wow. Had everyone gone nuts in the last twenty minutes? I brought my phone down to Bluetooth it as I focused on evening out my breathing. Okay. She was right. I definitely needed to calm down. Jesus.

  “Are you calm now?”

  I rolled my eyes. “I guess,” I bit out.

  “You like this guy.”

  “Liked,” I answered, making sure to put emphasis on the “D.”

  “Okay, liked. And up until about twenty minutes ago he was your dream guy, right?”

  More eye rolling, more biting out. “Yes.”

  “So what’s changed?”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, really.”

  “Gladys, he fucked another woman!”

  “So he’s a guy with lots of testosterone. Are you guys dating? Nope. So it’s not like he was cheating on you! You think he’s been celibate all this time just waiting for you to come to him?”

  She had a point. I guessed. “But he was supposed to be my future husband,” I said quietly, trying to come to terms with what had just happened.

  “And you wanted your future husband to be a virgin?”

  I blew out a breath. “I don’t know why you’re on his side.”

  “You know I’m always on your side. I just want you to see how silly you’re being.”

  “Whatever. If you went to see Nathan Bogle to start your life together and caught him making out with some hot stripper chick, you’d be pissed too!”

  I heard her gasp. Ah, I knew that’d open her eyes. “You’re right. Shit! I get it now! I’m so sorry!”

  I chuckled before answering resignedly, “It’s okay. So my dream was bashed two days in a row. Time to get a new one, don’t you think?” The backs of my eyes burned and I had to blink several times to keep the tears from coming just thinking how stupid I’d been. “God, I’m such an idiot.”

  “No, you’re not. And from what that guy said I’m not so sure your dream’s over just yet.”

  “What?” I asked on a disbelieving huff.

  “He said you were the best he’s had, Frankie.”

  Now I huffed out a humorless laugh. “I’ll bet he’s had so many how would he know? You eat enough cream puffs, they’re bound to start tasting the same, Glad.”

  “Well, apparently he likes the cream in your puff.”

  “You didn’t.”

  She laughed. “I did. But mark my words, Frankie. He’s not finished with you yet.”

  “He has no choice because I’m finished with him,” I retorted.

  And I really hoped I meant it.

  3—Escape

  I had only two classes this semester including my student teaching seminar which would meet periodically throughout the semester as well as two days this week (that was where I was headed now) then I’d begin fourteen weeks of student teaching. I was excited because I’d be teaching seven weeks of English and seven of PE in two separate schools and I couldn’t wait to get started. I’d also enrolled in Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries which met on Monday and Wednesday nights in the training room of the fieldhouse. I’d taken it on a whim thinking that if I ever decided to coach a high school sport I’d need it, so what the heck.

  Today’s seminar lasted just under an hour and now I was in line to sign in and pick up my packet.

  “Frankie!”

  I turned and saw my friend Shelby walking up.

  “Hey, Shelby. You ready for this?” I grinned at her. She was an elementary education major and wanted to teach first grade. We’d met in our College Algebra class freshman year and from the beginning I’d known she had to be majoring in something that dealt with children because she was a ball of energy who’d be perfect working with little kids.

  “I am! I can’t wait to get to teach those little babies! They’re all so cute and sweet at that age!”

  I snorted. “By the time they get to me, they’ll be all jaded and tired of school.”

  She chuckled. “I just love the innocence of the little ones. I don’t know why you want to deal with older kids.”

  “I don’t know why you like the little ones. I swear, if I taught that age and a kid peed his pants or wanted me to wipe his snotty nose, I think I’d puke.”

  She cracked up. “Oh, now, it’s not that bad! You must not have any younger brothers or sisters.”

  “Nope. Only child and spoiled rotten.” I winked at her.

  We chatted a bit more waiting our turn.

  “Francesca Mangenelli,” I told the woman sitting behind the table when I made it to the front.

  “That’s a mouthful,” a guy said from behind me.

  I laughed as I turned around to remark to him, “It is. Try learning how to spell it when you’re in kindergar—” And I froze.

  Holy shit. Ryker Powers was standing right behind me. And he was giving me his sexy half grin. Gah!

  “So, Francesca Mangenelli. I’m Ryker Powers. It’s nice to meet you.” Keeping his eyes on mine, he took my hand that hung limply at my side in his huge one and squeezed it gently, and all I could do was stand staring into his golden eyes that were dancing with amusement.

  “Wow,” I heard Shelby whisper from beside me which suddenly snapped me out of my daze.

  Raising an eyebrow at him and with a coy smile, I slipped my hand from his.

  “Ms. Mangenelli?” the woman behind the desk said.

  I looked back to her. “Yes?”

  “Your packet.” I took it from her and turned to go only to hear her sharply say, “You need to sign off that you received it, young lady.”

  “Oh, yes, sorry,” I mumbled as I took the pen and signed my name. When I finished, I looked at Shelby. “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you around.” I gave Ryker my best sarcastic smirk and took off.

  ~*~*~*~

  That night in Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries had been fun. Coach Nolan, the football team’s athletic trainer, was the teacher and he’d shown us videos on taping with kinesiology and zinc oxide tape. Afterward, he’d told us to look up ankle injuries in our textbooks then had us partner up and tape each other’s ankles. As an athlete, I’d been taped before, but now I was cursing myself for not paying much attention at the
time. Taylor, the girl I’d teamed up with, said she’d also been an athlete and had been taped before, but now she and I looked at each other nervously since we were in the same boat. Sadly, our attempts had our ankles looking somewhat like a mummy’s. Coach Nolan had walked by our table, raised an eyebrow at our shoddy attempts, looked at me then Taylor then back at each ankle and had given a “Humph” before moving on. We’d cracked up.

  Before class was over, Coach had informed us he’d be bringing in athletes Wednesday night for us to practice on. I’d talked to Ciara and Madison from the basketball team and they said they’d be there, so I hoped I got one of them which would make taping less stressful. I’d really enjoyed the class, though, and actually learned a lot in just the one night.

  ~*~*~*~

  “He wants you,” Sharee said over the top of her beer mug. She’d made good on her promise to take me to O’Leary’s if I’d gotten embarrassed when I’d gone by Ryker’s which was a mammoth understatement since I’d been completely mortified.

  “Apparently he wants every woman,” I replied sardonically.

  I’d run into Chance Reynolds, star quarterback for the football team and who Sharee had recently broken things off with, after class and asked him about Ryker. Of course, I didn’t tell her I’d talked to him. I wasn’t stupid. Plus, I didn’t want to get cussed out by her. Anyway, Chance had informed me that Ryker was considered a god amongst the athletes on campus because of all his sexual exploits which had made me all kinds of grossed out.

  “He’s a hot guy. I’m sure women throw themselves at him all the time. What’s he gonna say? No?” she challenged.

  I took a sip of my Lazy Eye, a drink with Jim Beam, having made sure to take advantage of Sharee’s offer to take me out for drinks by ordering something I liked that was more expensive than beer. Hey, she could afford it since both her parents were attorneys and she’d be one soon and probably working in the same firm they did bringing in a gazillion dollars a year. I set my tumbler down and eyed her. “He could take a night or two off every now and then.”

  She snorted. “I’m sure he does, Frank. I’ll bet if you went by his place in the morning, no one would be there.”