Chapter 17
Willow
“Oh my fucking God.” Ezra shoved back from the table so fast his chair skidded. His eyes locked on her like he was seeing her for the first time. “I thought I was going crazy.”
Ryker’s was equally stunned. “So you knew what we looked like this whole time?”
Willow grinned. “I’m surprised you didn’t figure it out. You both looked like you wanted to eat me that night. So are you going to take off the masks? I like them, don’t get me wrong, but it’s gotta be uncomfortable.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Ryker said, tugging his off. He ran a hand through his messy dark blond hair in an attempt to smooth it out. “I didn’t see the uh…” He brushed a thumb across his jaw.
“I usually cover the scar with makeup,” she said, heat creeping up her neck.
“Wish you’d tell us the story,” Ezra piped up, pulling off his mask as well. His brown hair was buzzed, and his cheeks were still flushed. God damn it. Why did assholes have to be so attractive? At least she didn’t feel as stupid for admiring how gorgeous Ryker was since he was nice.
“I already told you the story.” Again, wanting to change the subject, she continued, “So, when can we leave here?” Stahma was probably being pampered by Helen with too many treats and new toys, but Willow missed her little furball.
Then her mind wandered to Landon. He would have to know something was up. She was chronically online and had suddenly dropped off the face of the earth.
Ryker sighed. “Don’t know. The bridge got fucked up, so they need to make sure it’s safe to drive across. I already called my job to tell ‘em I won’t be in for a few days.”
Ezra swore under his breath. “I need to text mine. We’ll take a drive tomorrow.” He inclined his head toward Willow. “What about you?”
She gnawed on the inside of her cheek. “I had already taken the week off for a game release.”
Ryker perked up. “Final Dawn?”
“Yeah,” she replied. “My whole plan was to do nothing but kill zombies for a week.”
A toothy grin spread across his face. “I’ve been waiting for Ez to get it so we can team up.”
“It’s fucking sold out,” he fired back. “I told you that.”
“Should have preordered,” Willow teased.
He stood and waved her off.
“What’s your job?” Ryker asked.
“I’m the IT help desk for ZenLink Telecom.
” She was sure they were going to start making fun of her next or joke that she’d gotten the job because she’s a woman.
That was usually the reaction she got. The last date she’d gone on the guy even tried to test her knowledge and ended up red-faced and pissy when she knew more than he did.
“Didn’t know nerds could be so pretty,” Ryker said as he stood up and stretched his long limbs.
Heat ignited in her belly as she watched the bottom of his shirt lift as he did.
There was a tattoo that started somewhere below the waistband of his pants that trailed up his hip and disappeared again under his shirt.
Fuck. I want to see where it goes. Preferably with my tongue.
As if he’d heard her thoughts, Ryker gave her a wink, his brows accentuating the hint of lust in his eyes.
This got him another pointed look from Ezra.
“Can you two stop eyefucking each other for five minutes? There’s some shit that needs to get done around here that I keep putting off.
” He ran a hand over his buzzed head, the topic of the cabin clearly making him uncomfortable.
“You’re going to put us to work?” she asked with a laugh.
“That’s right, sweetheart.” The corner of his mouth quirked up. “I’ll give you something that requires bending over.”
She cocked an eyebrow, trying not to give away just how much she would enjoy being bent over for him—both of them. “You really are a charmer.”
Ezra ignored the quip and crossed the room to open a closet.
He withdrew a broom and dustpan. He held them out for her, and she accepted with a scoff.
“I won’t disappoint you, Dad.” The thought of spending the day completing chores was oddly funny.
From kidnapping victim to house cleaner. What the fuck is my life?
Again, he ignored her sarcastic remark and instead went to Ryker to instruct him on some task outside that needed doing.
Ezra was intentionally keeping them separated, it seemed.
The growing jealousy and suspicion between them was something she needed to watch carefully.
She hadn’t expected to feel conflicted over playing them like this, and she especially hadn’t foreseen not needing to get away.
If they did find out she’d been fooling around with both of them, then they might get in a fight.
That outcome left a sour taste in her mouth. She barely knew them. What if they decided to hurt her instead?
Then I’ll run. Like I should have run from Billy.
She hadn’t thought of him deeply in so long, but being with these two, and the intimate games they’d played, had her recalling too much.
Willow wandered off without taking any more direction from Ezra. She knew how to sweep a house. Plus, she wanted to be alone for a little bit to reflect.
She started in the room they had initially tied her up in. With slow methodical moves she dragged the broom across the floor, stirring up puffs of dust and gathering the months of neglect into a pile close to the door.
The bristles caught on something that was under the dresser.
She bent down to retrieve it—maybe a piece of paper.
She slid it out and wiped the layer of accumulated dust on the leg of her shorts.
It was a photo. There was a young teenage boy—maybe thirteen—with shaggy, brown hair standing next to an older man with a hand clapped on his shoulder.
The boy wore an embarrassed grin as he stood next to the beaming man at his side, holding up a dead fish.
It was such a sweet picture. Even with the obvious teenage rebellion on the boy’s face, he was happy to be there.
“Telling you to bend over was a joke, but I’m not going to complain,” said a voice behind her.
She nearly dropped the photo out of surprise, but clutched it quickly to her chest as she bolted up to her feet.
“What did you find?” His tone turned darker.
Willow took a step away as he advanced, not wanting him to take it away from her. His eyes found the item, and he reached out calmly to pry it from her grip. A muscle in his jaw ticked as he looked it over.
“Is that him?” she asked. “Your uncle?”
Ezra cleared his throat. “Yeah.”
“What happened?”
He sighed and leveled her with a pained expression. “You first.”
That had her hackles up. “No.”
He dropped his hand, the photo still pinched between his fingers. He was about to walk away when she asked, “Are you actually a mechanic?”
“Yeah…”
“Does Ryker have a job?”
A wry smile touched his lips. “Why? You like him?”
Her cheeks flushed as she searched for an answer. The truth was she liked them both. To a fucking stupid degree.
“Shut up,” she muttered, reaching out to take his hand in hers. Ezra stilled at the unexpected contact. The photo was still there as she brushed her thumb along his palm.
He pulled her into an embrace and locked her in a deep kiss. Their hands groped and explored each other, but not in an entirely sexual manner. There was something beneath their hungry clutches.
Guilt and lust swarmed her senses. Playing this game and only getting to have half of what she wanted—what she needed left a deepening hollow. How could she possibly have both? That was even crazier than everything else about her life.
Too soon, Ezra broke off the kiss. Heat still radiated from him, but again, it wasn’t merely sex. This peek under his hard facade, her prying into his life, was having an effect.
Willow only hoped that she wouldn’t get burned.