CHAPTER FORTY-SIX RYKER
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
RYKER
NOW
It takes longer than I care to admit to get my shit together after Damon drives away with Chloe.
The car won’t start, I have no cell service, and I can barely think through the panic raging in my chest, something that has never happened before.
It’s not an emotion I’m familiar with, nor is it one I’m particularly enjoying, but it doesn’t seem to matter how much I reason with myself. I can’t seem to settle my heart rate.
Once I gave up on getting the car started, I collected Chloe’s bags and started back toward the highway in the hopes of finding service, but it’s almost an hour before I get a single bar.
Thankfully my girl packed light, because as fit as I am, heavy bags would have slowed me down, and I can’t afford to waste anymore time than I already have.
Ryker: FYI, Lombardis took Chloe. Will update you when I have a plan.
I send the text into a group chat with Camilla and her guys. As far as I know, she’s still in the hospital, so it’s best all five of them are updated about what’s going on.
Once the text sends, I steel myself for a phone call I really don’t want to make.
There are few people on this earth that scare me, but my boss is one of them.
He’s a lethal motherfucker who has made his name taking down the worst of the worst, and while he’s the best boss I could ask for because he lets me scratch my bloodlust itch on a regular basis, I’m perfectly aware of the fact he would not hesitate to kill me.
And after losing the one woman he tasked me with protecting? The only person I’ve ever heard of him actually caring about? Yeah, I’m fucked.
I dial the number, quietly hoping it goes to voicemail, but no such luck.
“Ryker,” he greets. “You haven’t checked in for a few days.”
There’s a reason for that, I think to myself as I try to work out how to break this to him without him flying to New York just to fucking kill me.
“There have been some complications.”
Silence falls on the other end of the line, and I pinch the bridge of my nose as I lean against a tree along the highway.
I knew it was going to be hard to tell him that I’d lost her, but this is fucking impossible.
“What kind of complications?” he growls.
“The Lombardi kind,” I reply. “You really should have told me who she was hiding from when you put me on this job, by the way.”
“Where is Chloe?” Each word is colder and more menacing than the last.
“They took her.” The words hurt as they fall from my lips, but there’s no point delaying this.
I need his help if I’m going to get her back, and beating around the bush only gives them more time to hurt her.
“They were helping the Syndicate find Camilla and Crew, but as far as I can tell, they had no idea Chloe was in the city, let alone working for the De Marcos. Predictably, she ran, myself and the brothers chased, and long story short, they ran us off the road and held a gun to her head. My only choice was to let her go or they would have killed her right there in front of me.” The CliffsNotes version of the last few days tumbles out.
Those assholes could be hurting her right now, and here I am rambling like a fucking idiot.
He doesn’t respond immediately, and I imagine the vein in his forehead is throbbing in frustration right now. His only tick gives away his anger every single time, but it’s been a while since we’ve actually been in the same room.
“Let me get this straight,” he starts, and I know I’m about to get my ass chewed out, which, to be fair, I deserve. “I sent you to protect the only person on this earth I care about, stressed to you how imperative it was to have eyes on her at all times, and you went ahead and lost her?”
“I mean, it’s a little more complicated than that—” I start, but he immediately cuts me off.
“I don’t give a fuck how complicated it is!
You had one job. I trusted you with her safety, and you let them take her!
Do you have any fucking idea what they’re going to do to her?
Salvatore will do anything to keep his sons believing the lies he’s been spinning them, and that includes torturing Chloe until she tells him anything he wants to hear, including his version of the truth. ”
I drop my head, my eyes falling closed as my chest tightens to the point of pain. “I know, okay? Believe me I fucking know how much I screwed up.”
He’s quiet for a beat, the only sound on the other side of the line is his footsteps pacing along hard floors. He’s probably in his office. It’s where he spends sixteen hours a day, tracking down leads, taking jobs, and tracking news cycles to ensure no one picks up on our own sins.
“Where are you now?”
“I’ll send you the coordinates, but they have about an hour’s head start. It took me a while to find cell service.”
He sucks in a harsh breath, only making my chest tighter.
Who knew it could suck so much disappointing your mentor?
This is the first time I’ve ever failed him, and if I have it my way, it’s going to be the last.
“We’ll get her back,” I assure him. “I won’t let them hurt her.”
“Ryker?”
“Yeah?”
“Please tell me you don’t have feelings for Chloe?” he grinds out.
Fuck.
The last thing I want to do is lie to him, but if he finds out I fucked his girl, I can kiss breathing goodbye.
“What makes you think that?”
“Ryker,” he warns. “Answer the fucking question.”
I sigh, rubbing a hand down my face. “I can’t tell you that.”
The line goes dead, and somehow that’s worse than him yelling at me.
Because without words he just told me he’s not coming for me.
But I’m still going to find Chloe. I meant it when I said I wouldn’t let them hurt her, and when I promised her I would protect her?
I meant it with every beat of my cold dead heart.