22. Ryann
Ryann
F uck Ronin and these God-forsaken dinner parties.
One of our executives is droning on at the far end of the table, his monotone voice dragging like nails on a chalkboard. A quick glance to my left confirms Olivia’s just as bored as I am, her chin propped on her hand as her eyes glaze over. Across from us, Declan and Paige look like they’re one deep breath away from passing out.
Must be nice.
As the soon-to-be new head of the company, I have no choice but to pay attention, but it’s hard. I’m hard, thanks to Shilo. Christ, he’s all I seem to think about.
My gaze sweeps over the dining room in my father’s manor as I try to distract myself from the picture he sent me earlier. The extravagant dinnerware gleams under a chandelier, velvet drapes covering the arched windows screaming wealth. This room has never seen warm family suppers or casual laughter, only lavish business meetings I’ve been forced to endure. Even as a child.
One thing’s for certain—the word frugal has never existed in Ronin’s vocabulary when it comes to personal comforts. The company, on the other hand? Different story.
“Now, about our budget for the upcoming quarter,” he starts, barely sparing Declan a glance as he slides a binder over to me. “Let’s discuss the areas where we can downsize.”
I really fucking hate these parties. If you can even call them that. Sure, there’s wine, music, and the finest desserts his live-in chef can whip up, but everyone at this table has a stick shoved so far up their asses they’re practically muppets.
All I want is to get home to my little doll and kiss my way down that cute-as-fuck belly he’s flaunting in his crop top.
“Is downsizing necessary when AVA’s doing so well?” asks some analyst whose name I can’t remember even if my life depended on it.
Ronin’s cold gaze cuts to me. “I think I’ll let my son answer that question.”
Fucking kill me. Please.
“Our pre-orders are promising, that’s true,” I agree, forcing the annoyance from my tone. “We’ve more than made up for the overtime hours with those sales alone. However, once we launch, our Tech Support crew will—“
Paige’s phone interrupts my words, blaring the Bee Gees, and her face drains of color as she fumbles to silence it.
“I am so sorry. Please, continue,“ she mutters, cheeks flushed as Ronin shoots her a disapproving glare.
My lips twitch in bemusement. She’s so much like her brother. “As I was saying, Tech Support is going to have their hands full when AVA goes live, which means we’ll have to allocate more hours to the budget—“
Stayin’ Alive blares again, cutting me off mid-sentence. Paige huffs in frustration, excusing herself as she steps away to take the call. My gaze trails her from the corner of my eye while I try to continue, but I falter when I catch her reaction.
Her breath hitches audibly, and she goes rigid, hissing something under her breath before ending the call abruptly. When she returns to whisper into Declan’s ear, her face is pinched with worry, and my gut twists uneasily.
“Apologies,” my brother says, rising from his seat. “My girlfriend is having a family emergency we must attend to. Excuse us.”
Family emergency?
Ronin waves them off with a curt gesture, looking only mildly inconvenienced. But my concern spikes as I push to my feet, my thoughts immediately jumping to Shilo.
Before I can take a step, a hand grips my arm with painful force, yanking me back.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Ronin asks sharply, his calculating eyes—so much like mine—pinning me in place.
“I just want to make sure everything’s alright.” I need to check on Shilo.
Ronin’s lips curl into something resembling a smirk. “Your concern for your brother’s girlfriend is admirable, but we aren’t done here. Sit.”
His voice is firm, leaving no room for debate, and the weight of every gaze at the table presses down on me. My throat tightens as I slowly sink back into my seat, my heart pounding so loudly I can barely hear anything else.
Olivia’s knuckles brush mine under the table, her worried gaze searching my face in question. Shaking my head, I pull out my phone to send Shilo a text.
Me:
Declan and your sister just left claiming a family emergency. Is everything alright?
Five minutes pass with no answer, the message still unread. A heavy weight settles in my stomach, the pulse in my ears drowning out conversation around me. Getting antsy, I shift in my seat until I can’t take it anymore, deciding to give him a call.
But it goes to voicemail. Twice.
Me:
Shilo, pick up the phone.
I need to hear from you.
My father leans toward me imperceptibly. “If company concerns are of no interest to you, perhaps I should give this position to someone else?”
Goddammit.
Clenching my jaw, I shove my phone into my pocket and force myself to focus, or at least pretend to. I barely register the conversation, offering vague answers when prompted, my mind in a panic. Every second stretches endlessly as I wait for the buzz of a notification to ease the growing dread in my chest, thinking up one bad scenario after the next.
Where is he? What if something happened? What if he’s been hurt?
The thought hits like a punch to the gut. I’d never forgive myself.
Fuck, I shouldn’t be here. It’s his birthday, for Christ’s sake, and instead of celebrating with the boy I love, I’m dealing with fucking work matters —
All at once, the air is sucked from my lungs, leaving me breathless. The realization crashes over me like an icy wave, chilling me to the bone.
Love. I love Shilo . And I haven’t even told him.
Minutes drag into an hour. Supper ends, and Ronin invites everyone into the drawing room for drinks. The moment we’re dismissed, I slip away, pulling out my phone to call Declan.
No answer.
What the fuck is going on?
“Is it your boy?” Olivia’s voice startles me as she approaches quietly from behind.
“I don’t know.” I exhale sharply, running a hand through my hair. “No one’s answering their phones.”
He needs to know. I have to tell him how I feel.
Just as I pull up KC’s number to call for information, my phone buzzes with a message from Declan.
Finally.
Dec:
I thought you should know that we just picked up Shilo from the hospital…
There’s more to the message, but I don’t bother reading it. Fear drives me as I take off for the front door, my movements frantic. Why the fuck was he in the hospital? What happened?
“Ryann, wait for me!” Olivia’s heels clack against the marble as she follows close behind. We’re nearly to the foyer when my father steps out of the drawing room like a villain in a bad thriller.
“Where have you been? We’ve got board vacancies to discuss.”
“We’re leaving,” I snap, yanking Olivia’s coat from the hook before grabbing my own. “Paige’s brother was hurt. I need to make sure he’s okay.”
“I fail to see what that has to do with you.” Ronin steps closer, his full height matching mine as his lips curl in disbelief. “You’ve got responsibilities, boy, or did I make a mistake entrusting this company to you?”
Rage ignites in me, burning white-hot. “There are more important things than the company. Family might not matter to you, but I won’t make that same mistake. Declan needs me.”
He scoffs, sneering harshly. “Don’t insult my intelligence. We both know it’s not your brother you’re worried about.”
Blinking, I take a step back, briefly stunned into silence.
“I have cameras everywhere,” he continues. “Especially in my office. Don’t think I didn’t see why you rushed off on Christmas Eve.”
My chest tightens, fury warring with disbelief. The thought of him seeing Shilo that way, witnessing something so private, so ours , makes my blood boil. Beside me, Olivia glances between us, her face pale.
Ronin moves closer, a threatening gleam in his eye. “Take one step out that door, and you can kiss your career goodbye. That boy, too. I’ll make sure neither of you works in the tech industry again.”
Swallowing hard, I clench my fists. “You don’t have that kind of pull.”
His cruel smile twists deep. “Don’t I? With that video, the boy would be lucky to get a job anywhere on the West Coast again.”
My vision goes red, and I pull back my arm, ready to land a punch. Before I can make contact, Olivia catches my wrist, holding firm.
“Then they’ll both work for me,” she interjects, meeting my father’s glare with one of her own.
He laughs darkly. “Did you forget we have a business arrangement, little girl? CalTek owns you.”
“Not yet, you don’t.” Olivia adjusts her coat coolly before tugging me toward the door. “The merger isn’t official until Spring, and Sentinel Solutions doesn’t tolerate blackmail. I’m sure my board of trustees will be very interested in your less-than-ethical business practices.”
Ronin sputters, his face trembling with rage, but I smirk as the front door closes behind us, the sight far more satisfying than it should be.
“Technically, I still own the rights to AVA,” Olivia hisses, stomping toward my car. “And I’ll be damned if I let it fall into his hands.”
Before she can reach the passenger door, I pull her into a crushing hug, feeling the weight lift off my shoulders. “If I were straight, I’d kiss you for that.”
She tosses her head back to laugh. “If I liked men, I’d let you.”
We both grin as we slide into the car, but the moment fades when I pull out my phone to finish reading my brother’s message. With every word, my blood runs colder.
Shifting into gear, I tear out of my father’s driveway, racing across the city toward Declan’s condo as fast as my wheels can take me.