Chapter 14 Connor
Connor
Ithought I was going to have to wait the entire day before I could sneak off the ranch.
Even so, I had no idea how I’d manage to walk the several miles across town to the Nelson Ranch, see Ryder, and make it back in time before I had to work in the morning.
I didn’t care if I slept though, I just needed to know that Ryder was alright.
However, for the first time, it seemed luck was on my side. In the late afternoon Larry said he was going into town to pick up some supplies and that he needed my help. However, it wasn’t until we were halfway to Hell Creek that he told me the truth.
“Evelyn texted me,” he said in a rather gruff voice. “And told me you needed to go to the Nelson Ranch today. No questions asked. And that if I was any kind of decent man, I would give you a ride.”
“Oh…” I felt my heart sink. “I’m not sure what—”
Larry held up his hand, cutting me off. “It’s none of my business what she needs you for.
And it’s none of my business what goes on between you and Ryder.
” He gave me a knowing look. “But if I were you, I would be careful. Pete’s not the kind of man to take kindly to his son getting involved with an ex-con. ”
I let out a long sigh, not bothering to deny his insinuations. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“And do me a favor?”
“Yeah?”
“Tell Ryder I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “And don’t come back until after dark. I don’t want Pete to know you’re gone.”
I nodded, grateful for Larry’s unexpected help. “Thanks for this. I know you’re sticking your neck out.”
“Pete’s been like family to me for almost thirty years,” Larry said, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the steering wheel. “But what he said to that boy... what he’s done over the years...” He shook his head. “There are lines you don’t cross. Not with your own flesh and blood.”
The rest of the drive passed in silence.
My mind raced with worries about what I’d find when I saw Ryder.
Would he be beaten and bruised? Would he be broken emotionally?
I was fully prepared to do whatever it took to make him feel better, but I didn’t want to see him hurting either.
Still, I was going to be there for him, no matter what.
I tried to tell myself I was just concerned for his wellbeing.
But my heart knew better. And that terrified me.
When we pulled up to the Nelson Ranch, Larry put the truck in park but left it running. “The ranch should be pretty quiet by ten. That’ll give you plenty of time.”
“Thanks again,” I said, climbing out.
“Connor,” Larry called as I started to walk away. I turned back to see his weathered face serious in the afternoon light. “That boy’s been through hell. Be good to him.”
I nodded once before heading toward the house. The wedding decorations were mostly gone now, just a few forgotten streamers fluttering in the breeze. I’d barely reached the porch when the front door swung open and Evelyn appeared, her expression a mixture of relief and concern.
“Thank goodness,” she said. “I wasn’t sure Larry would come through.”
“He did,” I confirmed. “Is Ryder okay?”
She gestured for me to follow her inside. “He’s been better. Physically, he’s alright—a bruised throat and some scraped knuckles. But...” She trailed off, leading me through the house to a back bedroom. “He needs someone right now. I think that someone is you.”
My heart hammered against my ribs as she knocked softly on the door. “Ryder? Connor’s here to see you.”
There was a moment of silence before a muffled “Come in” reached us. Evelyn gave me an encouraging nod and stepped aside.
I pushed the door open slowly. Ryder was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring out the window.
When he turned to look at me, my breath caught in my throat.
He looked so young, so vulnerable. He was nothing like the cocky, flirtatious cowboy I’d known these past months.
A dark bruise circled his throat, unmistakably in the shape of fingers.
“Hey,” I said, closing the door behind me.
“Hey,” he replied, his voice slightly hoarse. “Guess you heard what happened.”
I crossed the room and sat beside him on the bed, careful to leave space between us. “Evelyn paid a visit to the ranch. Made quite a scene.”
A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “Yeah, she told me she was going to rip him a new one.”
“She did,” I nodded. “More than I thought possible, actually. Even Larry turned on him.”
A hint of relief washed over Ryder’s face. “Larry did? Really?”
“Yeah. Said he was angry he didn’t stand up for you sooner.” I wanted to reach for him, to touch the bruise on his neck, but I held back. “He told me to tell you he’s sorry.”
Ryder nodded, his fingers absently touching the marks on his throat. “Better late than never, I guess.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off those bruises. The thought of Pete’s hands around Ryder’s neck made something dark and dangerous stir inside me. If I’d been there... if I’d seen it happen...
“I should have stayed with you after the wedding,” I said, my voice low with regret. “I shouldn’t have let you go back there alone.”
“This isn’t your fault, Connor.” Ryder’s eyes met mine, clearer and more direct than I’d ever seen them. “It’s been building for years. Maybe my whole life. Yesterday was just... the breaking point.”
“What happened?” I asked, finally giving in to the urge to touch him. I reached out, my fingertips lightly tracing the edge of the bruise on his neck. “Did he do this because you went to the wedding?”
Ryder leaned into my touch, his eyes closing briefly. “Not exactly. He was drunk, ranting about the wedding, about Cole and Jesse. Then he started talking about my mom...” His voice cracked. “He told me he never wanted me. That I killed her by being born.”
My jaw tightened as anger surged through me. “That’s bullshit.”
“I know that now.” He swallowed hard. “But I’ve spent my whole life quietly believing it was my fault, anyway. That I had to make it up to him somehow.”
“And then what happened?” I asked, my hand moving to cup his cheek.
“I told him to fuck off.” A small, proud smile flashed across Ryder’s face. “And when he grabbed me by the throat, I punched him. Hard. Knocked him on his ass.”
Despite everything, I felt a surge of pride. “Good.”
“It felt...” Ryder searched for the right word. “Liberating. Like I’d finally broken some spell he had over me.” He reached up, covering my hand with his own. “But I couldn’t stay there anymore. Not after that.”
“No, you couldn’t,” I agreed, my thumb gently stroking his cheekbone. “You did the right thing, Ryder.”
“I don’t know what happens next,” he admitted, vulnerability creeping back into his voice. “The ranch was my future. My inheritance. My home. Now I’ve got nothing.”
“You’ve got yourself and you’re safe,” I said firmly. “And that’s worth a hell of a lot more than any ranch.”
He looked down at our hands, now intertwined on his lap. “I’ve got you too, right?” His voice was so soft I could barely make out his words.
My chest tightened at his question. Those uncertain green eyes looked up at me, asking for reassurance I wasn’t sure I had the right to give. But I couldn’t lie to him. Not now, not when he was so raw and vulnerable.
“Yeah,” I said softly, squeezing his hand. “You’ve got me.”
Relief washed over his face, and he leaned forward until his forehead rested against my shoulder. I felt him exhale, his whole body seeming to release a tension he’d been holding since I walked in.
“I was afraid you wouldn’t come,” he whispered against my shirt.
I brought my hand up to cradle the back of his head, fingers threading through his soft hair. “Of course I came. When Evelyn showed up at the ranch, I knew something was wrong.”
We sat like that for several long moments, his breathing gradually steadying against me. I was happy to just hold him, to be the support he needed in this moment. After all, if we were going to do this, going to be something, that was my job.
“Does it hurt?” I asked, my fingers ghosting over the bruises at his throat.
“Not much anymore,” he replied, pulling back slightly to look at me. “My hand hurts worse, actually.”
I glanced down at his bandaged knuckles. “Worth it though?”
A small, genuine smile curved his lips. “Definitely worth it.”
I couldn’t help but smile back. This was a different Ryder than I’d known before. There was a steadiness to him now, a quiet confidence that hadn’t been there when he was playing games and pushing buttons. Standing up to his father had changed something fundamental in him.
“Come here,” I said, shifting back on the bed and opening my arms.
He didn’t hesitate, moving into my embrace and settling against my chest as I leaned back against the headboard. I wrapped my arms around him, protective and possessive all at once. The weight of him against me felt right in a way I hadn’t expected.
“I didn’t think I’d ever get to do this,” Ryder murmured, his hand resting on my chest. “Just be held by you. Without all the games and the teasing.”
“Is it what you hoped for?” I asked, pressing my lips to the top of his head.
“Better,” he said simply.
We sat in comfortable silence, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the bedroom floor. I could feel the steady beat of his heart against mine, our breathing gradually syncing until it felt like we were one organism.
“What are you going to do now?” I asked eventually.
Ryder sighed. “I don’t know. I can’t go back there. Not after what happened. But I don’t really have anywhere else to go.”
“Evelyn said you could stay here?”
“For a while,” he nodded. “Until Cole and Jesse get back from their honeymoon, anyway.”
“And after that?” I asked, my hand absently stroking his hair.
“I’ve got no idea.” He shifted against me, his body warm and solid. “I’ve never really had to make my own way before. Dad controlled everything—the money, the ranch, my future. I have a degree in agriculture, but it doesn’t mean much without a place to farm.”
“You’ll figure it out,” I said, surprised by how certain I felt. “You’re stronger than you think.”
Ryder tilted his head up to look at me, his green eyes searching mine. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because I’ve seen it,” I told him honestly. “Most people wouldn’t have had the courage to do what you did yesterday. Standing up to someone who’s hurt you your entire life takes real strength.”
A faint blush colored his cheeks, and he looked away. “I was terrified the whole time.”
“Being brave isn’t about a lack of fear,” I said, gently turning his face back to mine. “It’s about doing the right thing, anyway.”
His lips parted slightly, and I could see the need in his eyes. It wasn’t the playful lust from before, but something deeper, more vulnerable. He needed reassurance, connection, proof that he wasn’t alone in this moment.
I leaned down and kissed him softly, my hand cradling his jaw. His lips were warm and yielding under mine, no games or performance, just honest need. When I pulled back, there were tears in his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, brushing my thumb across his cheek.
“Nothing,” he shook his head, giving me a watery smile. “It’s just... no one’s ever been this gentle with me before.”
The admission broke something open inside me. I pulled him closer, wrapping him tightly in my arms as if I could shield him from all the pain he’d endured. “Then they were all idiots,” I murmured against his hair.
We stayed like that for a long while, just holding each other as the light outside began to fade. Eventually, Ryder shifted in my arms, his hand sliding up to rest at the base of my neck.
“Can I show you something?” he asked, his voice soft but steadier than before.
“Of course.”
He pulled away and got up from the bed. Turning to face me, he reached down and unbuttoned his jeans, dragging the zipper down with deliberate slowness.
I watched, open-mouthed, feeling like I should tell him to stop but unable to do so.
He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his underwear and pulled both the jeans and the cotton low until his cock flopped free, already half hard.
And there, snug at the base of his dick, was the silver cock ring I’d given him.
“I’ve been wearing it,” he said, a hint of his old mischief returning to his eyes. “Put it on this morning.”
Heat pooled in my groin at the thought of him walking around with my gift hidden beneath his clothes, a secret reminder of who he belonged to.
“Good boy,” I said, watching his pupils dilate at the praise. His cock gave a heavy twitch. “It looks beautiful on you.”
“It means I belong to you,” he grinned, not shy about anything he was showing me. “That I’m serious about pursuing whatever this is between us.” He glanced at the ground, suddenly shy. “I just… I’ve never done the whole relationship thing, and I’ve never done BDSM stuff, so I’m not really sure—”
I reached out, placing a hand on his hip. “You belong to yourself,” I corrected. “But… if you want me to own you when the mood strikes, then that’s something I can do.” I gripped his hip a little tighter. “Is that what you want, pup?”
Ryder whined with need, the sound going straight to my cock. “Yes, sir. More than anything.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Well, then I think it’s time you got a little reward, don’t you think?”