Chapter 31 Ryker
RYKER
SINNERS AND SAINTS GROUP CHAT
Jace: Just got off the phone with Knox. Some judge is threatening to bury him if you don’t drop Faith’s case?
Blake: What the FUCK?! Seriously?
Axel: Give me a name. I’m free Tuesday through Thursday. Possibly Friday if I move some things around.
Me: Let’s not put felony conspiracy in writing.
Axel: Too late. I already started a PowerPoint presentation, titled Definitely Not Crime.
Jace: That’s a yes then. Whatever you need, we’re in.
Axel: We find this judge. We make him understand that threatening one of us is a PHENOMENALLY bad idea. Right up there with pineapple on pizza.
Blake: Your priorities are fascinating.
Me: Keep this from Faith. She’s got enough to deal with. If she finds out, she’ll try to fall on the sword and tank her own defense.
Blake: We’ll handle it. She doesn’t need to know.
Axel: Can’t have another one of us behind bars anyway. Knox already claimed that territory. We need diversity in our criminal portfolio.
Blake: Jesus Christ, Axel.
Axel: What? I’m being STRATEGIC.
Jace: Focus. What’s the play here, Ryker?
Me: Working on it. But Faith’s already pissed at me, so that’s not helping.
Blake: Why is she pissed at you?
Axel: Did you use the wrong fork at dinner? Chew too loud? Women notice EVERYTHING.
Blake: Shut up, Axel. Ryker, what happened?
Me: She opened up about her past. Told me things she’s never told anyone. It was … a lot.
Blake: And?
Me: And I left.
Blake: You LEFT?
Axel: OHHHHH. Oh no. No, no, no. Rookie mistake, Counselor. This is worse than that time you tried to represent yourself in traffic court and lost.
Me: I was still in college, jackass.
Jace: You left? While she was vulnerable?
Axel: You still LOST. For a traffic ticket. *laughing out loud emoji*
Me: I got an urgent phone call.
Axel: Was it from your common sense? Because, clearly, you didn’t answer.
Blake: Have you talked to her since?
Me: Once.
Blake: And?
Me: I left her a note.
Axel: A NOTE.
Axel: Oh my God. HE LEFT A NOTE. This is incredible. It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
Blake: Please tell me you’re joking.
Axel: He’s not joking. Look at his silence. That’s the silence of a man who left a NOTE.
Jace: What did the note say?
Me: That I’m sorry. That we’d talk.
Axel: “We’d talk.” Very romantic. Very reassuring. Did you sign it “Sincerely, Your Emotionally Unavailable Lawyer”?
Blake: Are you out of your mind?
Blake: She’s my SISTER. She trusted you with something she’s never told anyone, and you walked out?
Me: The call was about HER case, Blake. That’s why I left.
Blake: Then you should have TOLD her that.
Me: I know. I’m handling it.
Blake: You’d better be. Because if you hurt her worse than she’s already been hurt, I don’t care how many years we’ve been friends.
Jace: Guys, same team, remember?
Me: I’m putting my career on the line for her, Blake. You think I’m taking this lightly?
Blake: Then act like it.
Me: I’m heading to her place right now.
Axel: Bring flowers. Expensive ones. And maybe a helmet in case she throws something.
Me: She’s not going to throw anything.
Axel: You LEFT HER AFTER SHE TRAUMA-DUMPED. She might throw EVERYTHING.
Blake: Don’t make this worse, Ryker. She’s been through hell. The last thing she needs is you adding to it because you can’t handle your own feelings.
Me: I know that.
Axel: WAIT. Did Ryker Kincaid just admit he fucked up?
Axel: Someone call the Supreme Court. This is precedent-setting.
Blake: Fix this. Today. She doesn’t need one more person letting her down.
Me: I will.
Jace: You’ve got this, Ryker.
Axel: Bring the expensive flowers. And maybe practice your apology in the car. Out loud. Trust me.
Me: That’s … actually not terrible advice.
Axel: Dakota’s podcast. I’m a changed man.
Axel: But seriously, good luck. She’s been through enough.
Me: Thanks. I think.
Axel: And if you need bail money, we’ve already proven we can raise it FAST. *winking emoji*