40. Ryder
RYDER
Istood outside the door to the horsemen’s place, one of their security guards breathing up my ass.
“We fucking or what?” I asked dryly, looking over at him. I could pucker my lips and kiss him; that’s how fucking close to me he was.
“I’d fuck you,” the man replied gruffly. “You’re pretty enough. I bet you take cock like a pro. Such a pretty fucking mouth on you.”
“Back off, Dylan,” Dmitri said. “Enzo has him on the list of guests.”
Dylan eyed me before winking.
I scowled at him as the door opened, bringing me face-to-face with another nightmare.
Cole Scott.
“Hey, fuck face,” Cole greeted me.
“Dick lips,” I muttered.
He snickered at my jab and stepped aside so I could enter, and I did, jamming my elbow into his gut as I passed by. He grunted and doubled over, not expecting the move.
“Fuck, you’re an asshole,” he rasped, slamming the door behind me. “I should have just let Dylan bend you over and fuck you, prick.”
“He seems more your type than mine,” I said, turning abruptly to face him.
He skidded to a stop and stared at me. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
I shrugged. “You’re a pretty little bitch who looks like he doesn’t mind cock in or around his mouth. Or ass. I imagine the last five years have been a real fucking cock suck around here, huh?”
“You fucking prick—”
“Ryder!” Rosalie squealed as she came downstairs, looking every bit as perfect as she was.
“How does it feel to have your girl excited to see me?” I asked softly, making him snarl as Rosalie barreled at me.
I caught her in my arms and hugged her tightly as Cole shook with his barely controlled rage. I winked at him from over Rosalie’s shoulder, only making it worse.
But fuck him.
I still felt like the asshole had a lot of work to do to make up for all the wrongs to Rosalie.
I didn’t give a shit that he thought he’d gotten her pregnant.
I prayed every night that baby was Anson’s and Cole would fuck off somewhere else, but I also knew Ellis loved him, and for that reason alone, I only said the prayers once a day instead of a hundred times.
Maybe I was a dick, but I’d been there when Rosalie hurt.
I didn’t like it, and I didn’t have to fucking like it.
If I could make the bastard even a little bit miserable, then I absolutely would.
It was the least I could do after the shit they pulled on her.
“Hey, Red,” I murmured, pulling away and placing both hands on either side of her pretty face. “You look perfect today. Just like you did yesterday.”
“You didn’t see me yesterday,” she said, smirking up at me.
“I don’t need to see you to know you’re perfect.”
Cole snorted and tugged her away from me. “Fuck off, cheese ass.”
“What the fuck? Cheese ass?”
“Cole,” Rosalie reprimanded. “Be nice.” She kissed his cheek before taking my hand and dragging me into the kitchen, where she served me breakfast. I winked at Cole, who continued to glare at me.
I’d gotten in last night and barely slept because I was eager to get to Rosalie. I’d met with her guys before flying out, and I’d gotten the talking to from them since my feelings were out in the open now.
“Talk to her,” Evan said. “We’ve opened everything up for the horsemen, so it’s only right we let you have a chance to join us.”
I scoffed and looked away. “Nah. I’m good.”
“You’re such an idiot.” Anson laughed softly. “Come on, man. You know you want her. Just try. You know her. She’s not going to throw you out on your ass. If she doesn’t feel the same, then you know. Living in this limbo shit ain’t it, brother.”
“Do it, or I’ll do it for you,” Klaus said, right to the point like always.
“Don’t you dare, man,” I replied, my heart thundering. Klaus was crazy enough to do it too. Fucking German asshole. I loved him, but fuck.
He raised his brows at me. “Try me.”
I sighed and shook my head. “I just… I’ll see, OK?”
“Better than pussying out completely,” Evan muttered, smirking at me.
“I can’t believe you’re so open to sharing your wife,” I said, eyeing him. We all knew how deep his relationship with Rosalie was.
“I love her,” he replied simply. “And I have her. If you make her happy too, then I want that for her.”
I sighed. I hated that he was such a nice guy. It would make shit so much easier on me if he’d just punch me in the face and tell me to go fuck myself and that he’d pop out my eyes if I looked at her again.
“This is amazing, Red,” I said, biting into the French toast.
She beamed at me, her cheeks pink. I loved how flushed she got with compliments.
“Watch it,” Cole murmured, sliding in next to me when Rosalie turned to go back to flipping more pancakes. “She’s mine, not fucking yours.”
“Not yet,” I muttered. I didn’t know why I said it because I told myself no, but I figured it was just to fuck with him.
He stiffened next to me.
“What would you do if she decided she wanted me, Scott? Huh?” I whispered.
He glared at me.
“I’ll tell you what you’d do. You’d accept it. Then you’d fuck her with me.”
He tightened his hand on his fork as I smirked at him and raised my brows.
“Maybe if you’re a good boy, I’ll make you feel good too. Heard you’re a submissive little bitch in the sack.”
His face reddened, and he opened his mouth, but I winked at him as Rosalie turned with fresh pancakes.
He snapped his mouth closed and stuffed French toast in, his hands visibly shaking.
I had no idea if he was a submissive little bitch, but his reaction said maybe I was right. It wasn’t like Anson kissed and told me shit. All I knew was that they were together with Rosalie, and now Anson was praying the baby was his.
“Good morning,” Enzo muttered, coming into the kitchen. I watched as he went to the coffee pot, but it didn’t slip past me the way he quickly brushed his fingers against Rosalie’s as he passed.
That was an interesting development.
No other contact was given, so maybe I just imagined it, and he definitely didn’t speak to her right away.
“How long will you be staying with Ryder?” Enzo asked.
“Um.” Rosalie looked at me, then at Cole. “I think three days, then Evan and Ellis will be here. I’ll be back for the weekend since Cole has it off. Right?”
“Yes. All weekend. I get my favorite girls,” Cole said, grinning at her.
I grunted, a twinge of jealousy rising deep within me.
“I’ll also be sure to pop in and visit if you’d give me the address,” Cole said.
“Not happening,” I replied immediately.
“Ryder,” Rosalie started, but I shook my head.
“No. I don’t know who the fuck is stalking you. I’m not giving out the address.”
“Eat shit, Romano. Give me the fucking address. She’s my girl and my daughter!” Cole stood, pure anger on his face.
Ethan walked into the room with his son, pausing our conversation.
The little boy ran straight to Rosalie and hugged her around the legs. She immediately kneeled in front of him.
“You have school today, huh?” she asked, fixing his messy black hair.
He stared back at her with his big, green eyes.
“Well, I hope you have the very best day, Lazarus,” she said gently. “I’m not going to be here when you get home from school, but I will see you in a few days, OK? And when I come, I’ll bring Ellis. How does that sound?”
He gave her a smile and another hug. She hugged him back before kissing the top of his head and getting to her feet.
“Thank you,” Ethan murmured, a pained expression on his face.
“Of course. I made some breakfast,” Rosalie said. “Do you like pancakes? I made you special ones.” She held her hand out to him, and he took it.
She led him to the island, and he settled in a chair as she slid a chocolate chip and strawberry slice happy face pancake in front of him.
“When Ellis comes, we can make her favorite pancakes. I think you’ll love them too,” Rosalie said.
Lazarus nodded excitedly and dug in.
“You’re amazing, baby.” Cole got up and hugged her before pressing a kiss to her temple. His voice was soft, but I could still hear him. “Thank you.”
She nodded and broke away from him before returning to her cooking.
Everyone took a spot at the massive island and dug into breakfast, even Enzo, the grouchy mafia don prick I still wanted to punch in the face.
My excitement when I heard Evan had was out of this world.
“Damn, Red. This is good,” I said, taking more French toast and another egg onto my plate.
She grinned at me. “Thanks, Ry.”
“I actually have a few things I want to try with you when we get back to our new place,” I said. I knew what I was saying, and my goal was to piss off some horsemen. It seemed to work because Enzo and Cole both snapped their attention to me.
“You’re not trying shit with her, buddy,” Cole said immediately.
“Cole. Relax. Ry and I cook together all the time,” Rosalie said. “He’s really good. In fact, he studied culinary arts—”
“You cook with Rosalie?” Enzo cut in.
I smirked at him. “Yeah, man. She and I make lots of delicious things together. We even dance together when we cook, huh, Red?”
Her cheeks flushed pink. “We do.”
“Why?” Enzo asked, eyeing me.
“Because she’s just so pretty,” I murmured, smiling at her. “And we have to wait for the timer to go off. May as well kill some time.”
She chuckled softly.
“Enzo and her cooked together,” Cole said. “They danced, but it was horizontal. Guess we have that on you.”
“Cole,” Ethan snapped at him. “Knock it off. Laz is here.”
Laz didn’t look like he gave a shit about what was going on around him because he was mowing through his pancakes.
“Well, he’s not her dance partner anymore, Scott. That’s me these days,” I said.
Enzo got up, took his plate to the sink, rinsed it off, and put it into the strainer. He walked away without another word and left completely, the front door closing behind him.
Good. Mission accomplished.
“Laz, come on,” Ethan said, getting up after finishing his food. “We’ll be late for school. Rosalie, thank you for breakfast. It was delicious.”
“You’re welcome,” she replied softly, staring at him.
I shifted, my heart in my throat. The way she was looking at him was the way she stared at the guys back home.
Fuck.
She certainly didn’t look at me like that.
My heart sank, but I’d already told myself it wasn’t happening and to let shit go.
Ethan took his and Laz’s plates to the sink and washed them before turning to Rosalie.
I watched stiffly next to Cole, who stared at them with me.
“Can I text you? While you’re away?” Ethan asked softly as he stared down at Rosalie.
She nodded.
“OK. Um, I will. I… thanks. For this. It means a lot to us.”
“It’s no problem. I like doing it.”
He smiled at her. His hand twitched like he wanted to touch her, but he backed away before Laz ran in and hugged Rosalie again.
She hugged him back before he released her and rushed off with Ethan. They left, leaving me with Rosalie and Cole.
I got up and washed my plate, noting that Cole had tugged Rosalie onto his lap and was murmuring to her as he peppered her with kisses along her jaw.
I turned around to see Cole had claimed her lips. His eyes were open, though, and he stared back at me.
Challenging me.
Prick.
I was the wrong fucking guy to challenge because I had no issue taking that smug look off his face.
And who knew. Maybe I would.