Chapter 15
Ryder
Violet stilled on my lap, and I purposely pulled her tighter against me before my unhinged brain realised and reacted violently. A therapist would say it was a trauma response, but what do therapists know?
It wasn’t like this was an intimate situation. Firstly, she was clothed, which already put a damper to everything. And secondly, she wasn’t actually touching me. Her hands were very clearly clutched around the edge of my desk.
If she wasn’t going to give me the USB drive, then I would make her so uncomfortable she’d hand it over just so she could run away with her tail between her legs.
Honestly, having her here was a complete fucking inconvenience. Especially when she rocked slightly forward to look at the screen and accidentally pressed harder against my cock.
No. Down, boy.
Plan A was to force her to spill everything she knew.
Seduction was Plan B. It would’ve been Plan A if she wasn’t already so suspicious of me.
Things would’ve been a hell of a lot easier if Cedric hadn’t shown up.
I could’ve charmed my way out of it, but not even my handsome face could save me this time.
So now I was without the USB drive… and possibly had a bounty on my head. Which meant I was stuck with her until she either cracked, or I figured out a way to slip out of this mess alive.
Violet shifted again, and I had to swallow a groan as her arse rubbed against me in a way that shouldn’t be a turn-on. But clearly my cock didn’t seem to care because he was already prepping for something that wasn’t going to happen. At least not yet.
Plan A, remember?
“Careful, blondie,” I muttered, leaning forward to try and ease a little of the pressure. “Move like that again, and I’ll think you’re coming on to me.”
Violet jerked up, and I threw my head back laughing at the blush darkening her cheeks. Her eyes darted to my crotch, but my jeans disguised the majority of my hard-on. Which was a small mercy, because I didn’t want to scare her away just yet.
Or maybe I did?
With a deliberate wink, just to piss her off, I stood and slipped a hand into my jacket for my personal phone. Hendrix answered on the second ring.
“What do you want?”
“What? Not even a hello?”
He sighed, as if he was done with my shit. Which was honestly just rude. “What do you want, Ry?”
“I’m calling in my favour.” Leaning back in my chair, I patted my leg for Violet to come sit back down. When she just glared at me in return, I blew her a kiss.
“You’ve called in that favour five times already.”
“Yeah, well. This will be it, I promise.” A lie, and Hendrix knew it just as much as I did. “Come on, be a dirty cop for me one more time.”
“Don’t call me that,” he growled. “What exactly do you want?”
“Other than for my brother to love me?”
“We’re not brothers.”
“Ouch, I think mum would disagree.”
“We were fostered together for a month.”
“And it was the best month of my childhood. Should we visit… what was her name? Oh right… Samantha for Christmas?”
“Ry—”
“I wonder what she’s up to now. She must miss us after all those beatings she gave in the name of love. Oh wait, I remember now. She’s dead.” I watched Violet, her eyes so large she resembled a fairytale character. It was cute.
“I see your sense of humour hasn’t improved,” Hendrix said dryly. “I’m going to hang up now.”
“Wait!” I sat forward in the chair, the springs squeaking a little at my weight. “I need your talents in breaking open an encrypted phone.”
“Why can’t you do it? Have you even tried?”
“Yes, genius. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be calling you.”
Hendrix was the one who’d taught me everything I knew about breaking into surveillance systems and basic firewalls. But when I needed a little help with the fancy shit, he was the one I called.
“Why do you need it unlocked?”
I barely controlled my grin. I knew Hen wouldn’t be able to resist something like this. “Because I fucking do, what sort of question is that?”
“Why, what have you done?”
I was immediately offended. “Why do you think I’ve done anything wrong?”
“Because it’s you.” There wasn’t even a pause.
“Wow. Where’s the brotherly love?”
“Still not brothers.”
“Look, come on. Help me out and I’ll owe you.”
A heavy sigh. “Meet me at Chains in an hour.”
I glanced at Violet, who’d only heard my side of things. “I’ll be there. Might have an annoying blonde in tow, though.”
There was another slight pause, as if he thought I was joking. “A blonde? You know I don’t like people in our business, Ryder.”
“You know I have a type.”
Violet didn’t seem to find my comment amusing. Shame.
“That reminds me. Tell Elena I said hi,” I continued, teasing.
Hendrix hung up.