40. Ryder
RYDER
From the top of the terrace, I can see most of the party. While I’m not here as security, I’m always thinking about Emily’s safety. A server holds out a drink on a tray for me. I shake my head at her.
“I can get you something else,” she says, and her tone tells me she hopes it’s her.
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“If you change your mind.” She slips a piece of paper in my pocket, and the frown on my face has her scurrying away.
I cross my arms over my chest. I had my assistant, Carter, send me some of my clothes from my brownstone in New York.
Wearing one of Oliver’s cast-off suits for a photo shoot when I was hiding behind a sofa was fine.
But walking around, I’m bound to bust a seam or be accused of wearing capris.
That’s what my sister called my pants after I’d gone through a growth spurt.
I’m alone. Sutton took pity on Anders and has been guiding him around the party.
Another woman in a fluffy dress heads my way. I raise my eyebrows at her with a scowl, and like I’ve accomplished a Jedi mind trick, she flows away from me.
“What are you doing up here?” Anders asks, appearing at my side.
“Where’s the Crown Princess?”
“She took pity on my socially awkward ass and let me come up here to you.” Anders inclines his head to the side where Sutton’s peach dress flashes in the sunlight. “She knows.”
“She knows what?”
“Not sure how much, but she knows.” Anders’s eyes trail over to where Thayer, Emily, and Oliver are standing.
“Fuck,” hisses out of me. “Did Oliver . . . ?”
“No, Sutton’s perceptive. But she won’t do anything to make Oliver come out in a bad light. I have a feeling she’ll protect him at all costs.”
There’s a buzz in my pocket, and I pull out my phone. I tilt it for Anders to see.
“Zane?” Anders’s eyebrows rise. “What do you think he wants?”
I send it to voicemail. I’m not splitting my focus even more than I already am by talking to Anders. “Don’t know.”
“Hold on.” Anders pulls out his phone as well. “It’s Calvin. I’ll text them.”
Curious, I take my phone back out.
Anders
Everything okay?
Zane
What the hell are you doing hanging out with a Zambrano?
“Didn’t Easton tell them that Emily’s marrying Thayer?” Anders asks.
Ask Easton.
Calvin
Ask him what? I’m adding him, Sam, and Dante too.
“Fuck,” I mutter, my eyes finding the top of Emily’s head.
Anders
Are you on your island?
Dante
Fuck yes. We needed a vacation. What’s this about? When are the two of you coming back with the fish?
Zane
Soon
Guys, we’re kind of in the middle of something. Wrong thread.
Calvin
Yeah, you’re hanging out with the asshole who put a gun to our heads.
I rub my temples.
You need to talk to Easton.
Dante
What does swimmer boy have to do with you hanging out with Mr. Zed-I-want-you-dead?
Zane
Shit. Our internet’s been down for a couple of weeks.
Sam
There’s a picture of Oliver, Ryder, Anders, and Emily with the fucking asshole at Oliver’s parents’ castle. What the hell is going on?
“They’ve obviously texted without reading the article first,” Anders says.
Anders
We’ll text later. Talk to Easton.
“Damn, I knew when she told Easton that this was going to be an issue, but I didn’t even think of the rest of Haley’s guys.” Anders shoves his phone in his pocket.
I glance at First Officer Anders not answering a direct question from Captain Sam. Yeah, that’s a step forward for him. “I’m going down there. I doubt Oliver’s going to pick up his phone, and party or not, we need to let them know.”
“Agreed.” Anders starts off across the terraced balcony before me. Three women corner him, and his polite good-boy personality has him slowing.
I grab his arm. “Excuse us, ladies.”
There’s a chorus of “see you around” and “I’d like to talk to you later” trailing after us.
“Is it the suit?” he asks.
“Nah, you’re overripe and off the market. Flies can scent it a mile away and come flocking.”
He furrows his forehead. “It’s the suit.”
“Sure, it’s the suit.”
We join the circle of Thayer, Oliver, and Emily, and a middle-aged couple walks away as we arrive.
“I want to talk to you,” Oliver says to me.
“I need to talk to you too. In private,” I say.
“You can say it here.” Emily puts a water glass on the stone railing next to her.
Anders shakes his head. But she’s going to find out at some point. “Easton didn’t tell the rest of Haley’s guys about your engagement.”
“He was probably hoping I’d change my mind and he wouldn’t have to deal with it. He did the same thing the year after he forgot my birthday, said I could pick his Halloween costume for Susan’s big party.”
“What did you dress as?” Oliver asks.
“A fairy.” Emily smiles.
“Okay, that doesn’t sound too bad.” Oliver takes a sip of his drink.
“Wait.” Emily holds up her hand. “It wasn’t bad for me. I was adorable. Easton, however? He was a tooth. The tooth fairy and a tooth.”
I laugh. “I need pictures.”
“Oh, there’s only one, and I have it. I had us get dressed, Dad took the picture, and then I gave him his real costume. I don’t even remember what it was. A vampire or something,” Emily says as Sutton walks over with a small village trailing her.
“Juliana says it’s time for lunch. We’re at her table.”
“Lucky us,” Thayer growls, and I have to agree.
Oliver grabs my arm, and I slow to the back of the group.
“What did you want to talk about?” I ask.
“My sister was talking about Emily’s necklace.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s nice. By some designer.”
“Yup.” I step down the final stairs onto the manicured lawn, following the trail of guests behind Sutton.
“And a shit ton expensive.”
“Nice things cost money, Oliver. I would think you know that.”
“Also, your suit.”
“It’s a suit. You’re wearing one.”
“I was a deckhand too. Even with the money Rocky passed out . . .”
“I don’t ask you about your money.” And the money Rocky gave me, I donated to Emily’s foundation.
“No, you don’t.” His lips purse.
I stop and let the crowd flow around us. I had a similar conversation with Thayer, where I lied and said my uncle left me some money. My uncle hasn’t left me anything other than my favorite pocket knife. And he’s also not dead. So there’s that.
“But it’s more than the money. Sutton says there’s like a year and a half waiting list to get one of the designs.”
“I have a friend.”
“She also says someone just anonymously bought forty-nine percent of the company.”
That still burns me up. Carter wasn’t able to get a controlling percentage.
But I got what I wanted. Also, with the news of the sale, the value of the company has tripled.
It won’t hold all the value. But it was an excellent purchase.
“And so what? Someone made an investment. I don’t follow shit like that. ”
“Another lie.” Oliver puts his hand on my shoulder. “She’s not going to be happy when she finds out the truth.”
“The truth?” The fucking hypocrisy coming out of Oliver’s mouth is astounding.
“I haven’t lied. I’m from the boonies of New Hampshire.
I have more relatives than there are trees.
I’m the youngest son of two fucking amazing parents.
My uncle’s a criminal but a decent guy. I’m six foot seven, drive a 2008 Ford 150.
I live within my means and spend my money on what’s important to me.
Ryder Dempsey is my real name.” It doesn’t happen to be the name I used when I graduated from college or the name I used to open my businesses, however.
“So if I were to pull up a picture of Griffin Stone and ask you about it, you would say?”
“Mind your own fucking business, Damien Arthur Oliver George. Or whatever the fuck your name is.”
“Fair enough. I won’t mention it again. But you need to tell Emily.”
I glare at him. I fucking hate the word “need.” It makes me want to do anything but the item at hand. So much so that my mother once tried to tell me I needed to keep my room messy. It didn’t work. But you can’t blame her for trying.
We are among the last stragglers entering the tent. Round tables surround a dance floor. Centerpieces tower over each table, and crystal chandeliers run the length, paired with flowering tree boughs covered in twinkle lights.
All eyes are on Oliver behind me. Which is how I like it. Sutton’s security and Holloway’s men are doing their best to blend in, but their dark suits compared to the bright colors of the other guests make them stand out.
I slide into my seat next to Sutton. Emily’s on my other side. Oliver frowns when he sees his name card next to Juliana.
The first course is finished when Juliana turns to Emily. “So when’s the big date?”
“We haven’t decided.” Emily takes a sip of water.
“Oh, they haven’t told you?” Juliana arches her eyebrow.
Emily laughs and places her hand on her stomach. “We’re keeping that quiet for now.”
“I see. I know how to be quiet,” Juliana smiles, and there is no way this velociraptor knows how to keep quiet.
“Juliana, I hear you’re on the board of the Art Conservancy. That’s so interesting; tell me about it.” Sutton wipes the corner of her mouth with her napkin.
Emily’s eyes glow with thanks.
The women at the table keep the small talk flowing. Juliana tries to bring the wedding up again. She’s fishing for an invitation, but Sutton skillfully slides her into another topic.
Three bites into my beef Wellington, there’s a sharp quick unnatural buzzing sound behind the tent—like something out of a science fiction movie.
It’s a whirlwind in the next second. Anders stands and darts around the table to Emily.
A royal guard appears at Sutton’s side and takes her by the hand.
Another shields her with his body. Other royal guards come to Oliver.
“No,” Oliver says. “Focus on Georgina.” He motions to Sutton.
Holloway’s here. “Move out.” His tone is low and firm.
The tent full of guests that had frozen, watching Sutton being evacuated, erupts in a flurry of motion. Holloway covers Emily, Thayer on his flank. Anders and I pull up on her sides.
“Dakota’s pulling the SUV around the far side.” Holloway takes us the opposite direction from the royal guards and Sutton. Oliver hesitates.
“We’ve got her if you want to go with your sister,” I say.
“The Castoria royal guards are the best. Sutton’s good.”
“What happened?” Thayer asks when we round the other side of the estate. The area’s littered with utility vehicles and catering trucks.
“Here,” Holloway says, motioning to a long SUV. “Get in.”