Chapter 36
Ryker
Ryker’s heart was pounding erratically. There was no way the words he’d heard over the phone were real.
And yet here I am, outside the door of Xan’s office.
The shark had called him and Ezra in for an emergency meeting regarding a girl. Just the tone he’d said it in twisted his stomach until all he could taste was bile.
What the fuck has happened to Willow?
Ezra was quick to follow. The expression on his face was probably a mirror image of his own terror. They couldn’t let anything happen to her.
“Know what this is about?” his friend prodded.
A low sound escaped his throat. “Our pretty girl got herself in trouble.”
Ezra’s jaw clenched as he stepped forward and banged a tattooed fist against the door.
They waited in the painful silence for the voice on the other side to welcome them in.
It was almost a shoving match as Ezra grabbed the knob and twisted it, trying not to fling it open and give away their desperation.
The lump that had formed in his throat tightened. Willow was there, seated in the chair across from Xander Coughlin. Tentatively, she glanced in their direction.
Xan grinned. “As you can see, there are no other seats, but I’m sure you wouldn’t want to sit anyway.”
“What did you want to talk to us about?” Ryker asked, his tone careful.
A note of amusement danced across Xan’s features, the lines in his face deepening ever so slightly. “This sweet little thing here wants to free you meatheads.”
He didn’t think it was possible for that lump to get any bigger, but now he could hardly breathe.
Ezra spoke up. “Is that right?” Somehow, he managed to keep a cool and calculated tone.
“Yes.” He shifted excitedly, like this was the most fun he’d had in years. “Not quite sure why she is so intrigued by the two of you, however.” The tilt of his head said more than the words in his mouth.
“We had some fun with her,” Ryker replied. “That’s all.” If he played it nonchalant, maybe they could protect her from the worst.
Xan shook his head incredulously. “No, you wouldn’t spill your guts to some girl like this unless it was important. I know the two of you get around, and not once have any of your conquests come knocking.”
He expected Willow to show some sign of discomfort over the accusation of them fucking around, but she was stoic to her core.
“I know what you want, Mr. Coughlin,” Willow said softly, “and I can deliver it.”
Xan’s eyebrows flew up. “And how could you possibly know what I want? These two owe me time, and I’m not sure how you can deliver that.
Except…” A threat twinkled in his eyes as he cocked his head to the side and let his gaze sweep across her.
Ryker had never known Xan to pimp anyone out—that’s what Davidiuk would do.
Was this just a way to get a rise out of them?
Willow breezed by the comment like it was nothing. “I know what Davidiuk did.”
The hint of amusement flickered briefly, but he wasn’t one to give everything away so quickly. “Oh? Care to elaborate?”
She nearly rolled her eyes. Damn it, she needed to be careful not to upset him, or it would be bad for all of them. “It’s not like it’s really a secret. I read all the articles about the rivalry between you two.” With a deep breath, she continued, “I can take him down.”
A dry laugh escaped him. “How is a little girl like you going to do that? Fucking him won’t do anything. He would probably just kill you after sharing you with his friends.”
The dig at her made Ryker and Ezra tense up even more than before. How was she so unbothered by this?
“I extorted two million from Smithton Care and AxisHealth each.” As she continued to rattle off her accomplishments, Xan’s expression hardly faltered, but there was a change.
Once she had finished, he laced his fingers together on his desk and stared off into the distance.
Finally, he said, “And what’s to stop me from ordering these two to take you as a captive?
If you’re as dangerous as you say, then why not make you a member of my team?
” The grin was venomous as he leaned back in his chair.
“If I don’t give the signal to my partner in a specified window of time,” she said, “then you go down. Everything you’ve worked for will go to Davidiuk.” Willow straightened her spine, and he noted the slight shift of discomfort as she tried to rest her elbow on the arm of the chair.
“A partner now? And who is he?”
“Doesn’t matter,” she replied quickly. There were no nerves in her tone, but she was trying to maintain the upper hand.
“If you agree to let Ryker and Ezra go, I will destroy Davidiuk. All of his assets and whatever else will belong to you. I can even plant some shit on him if you want—bring the feds in since the local police are in his pocket. If you try to take me hostage or something, though… everything you have will go to him instead.”
Xan drummed his fingers on his chin as he mulled it over. “You are a bargainer, that is for sure.”
Ryker and Ezra exchanged glances. The possibility of him going through with this had to be close to zero, but he really looked like he was considering every word she’d said.
Their boss’s gaze swept across them, and that devious grin returned. “Ryker will accompany you to do whatever it is you need.” He waved a hand. “But Ezra will be staying here with me.” Xan fixed her with a hard stare. “Make no mistake. If you try something to double-cross me, then he will die.”
A flicker of unease brought her brows together. “Why would you kill someone if they’re paying?”
“Because, sweetling,” he drawled, “the debt has been paid many times over. This is about so much more.” Xan leaned forward. “No one takes from me. Ever.”
“All I want is to get them out,” Willow replied coolly. “I could be rich and lounging on a beach any time I want. I choose to help other people, and I’m choosing to help them.”
“Very well, Ness. We’ll be speaking again shortly.” Xan’s gaze flicked toward Ryker. “Escort your ladylove.” Then, he stood and straightened his coat. “Let’s see if she has the bite to match her bark.”
***
Willow would hardly look in his direction as they meandered through the streets. How the fuck did she even get out here to his office? Had she taken an Uber?
“Willow,” he muttered as their feet pounded against the cold sidewalk. The air held a chill that sank deep into the bones, and a light breeze only made it go deeper. “Where are we going?”
“It’s near his office. My friend planted the devices already, but we need to get to the meeting point.”
Ryker reached out to take her arm, but she tried to wrench away.
“Don’t, Willow… just wait.” He got a light grip and pulled her into an alley. There weren’t many people around, so the likelihood of someone interrupting was slim. Her big blue eyes were filled with pain. “This is crazy, you know that, right?”
“I know!” she choked out. “I know. But I can’t let you go.”
He leaned in, pressing his body against her until they were flush with the cold brick. Ryker tipped her chin up and pressed his lips to hers in a slow kiss. The first test of his tongue was like a message to every muscle in her body, and he felt her go lax in his grip.
Perfect. He loved the way she responded to him.
When he pulled back, he could see tears in the corners of her eyes. He reached up and brushed them away with the pad of his thumb. “Oh, baby girl. Don’t cry for us.”
“The plan is that I won’t have to.”
A chuckle escaped him. She was dead serious about this, and he was too. “Tell me what I need to do, if anything. I’m not really a computer guy.”
Willow grinned. “Yeah, I figured. Like I said, my friend—”
“Your online friend?” he prodded, his tone only a little demanding. He couldn’t entirely say there was no jealousy, but this friend was clearly important to her.
“Yeah, he showed up when I disappeared. And again, he’s gay and taken.” She bumped her shoulder against him. “You wouldn’t need to worry anyway. I can have friends. Plus, how do I know you haven’t been fucking around?” she teased. “Your boss seems to think you two are a little slutty.”
“I guess you’ll just have to trust us,” he said, “We’ve been having a hard time getting over you.”
She sighed. “Then you’ll need to trust me, too.”
A disbelieving grumble erupted from his throat, but he worked to push it back down. “Fine. You’re right. So, what is your not-boyfriend doing?”
Willow clutched the fabric of his coat around his hips and yanked him forward so he was pressed against her. “He already planted devices for our plans. Now we just need to get to the rendezvous.”
The corner of his mouth hitched up. “You sound like a little criminal.”
She brought his face to hers again for another kiss, sweeping her tongue through his mouth and igniting that fire inside that made him want to pin her against the wall. “If you don’t stop, I might just drag you deeper into this alley and fuck you ‘til you forget your own name.”
“Once you and Ez are free, you can do whatever the fuck you want,” she breathed against his lips.
“Are you sure about that, pretty girl?” He reached down and cupped her ass. His dick was already straining against his jeans, and every second he wasn’t buried in her was torture.
“Yep,” she replied with certainty. “I want the two of you to fucking wreck me. Even more than when you had me pinned in the woods.”
His fingers tightened on her waistband. “Fuck, Willow.” He pulled back. Every nerve ending screamed at him to fuck her against this brick wall.
No. We have to get this done.
“Lead the way,” he said with a hoarse voice. “I’m with you no matter what.”