57. Ryder
RYDER
“When are you leaving?” I asked Cole as I made dinner.
He raised his brows at me, making a fuck of a mess as he attempted to help. He had tomato mush all over the damn place.
“What’s wrong, Romano? Don’t want to watch me fuck our girl and put you to shame?”
“No, dicktip, I’m wondering because Rosalie was talking to Evan about going to stay a weekend with you and taking Ellis.
” I’d overheard the conversation only moments ago in the bedroom.
I didn’t like it when Rosalie was away, but I definitely hated it when Ellis was gone too.
It put me on edge, especially since we were in Chicago where I’d been attacked for opening the damn door. It didn’t seem safe to me just yet.
Just because the stalker seemed quieter didn’t mean they were gone. If anything, I figured they were gearing up for something bigger, and that shit terrified me.
“Oh.” He seemed surprised at my answer.
“But just so we’re clear, you drive me nuts.”
“Right back at you,” he muttered.
“Well, I’m not going anywhere, so you better get used to me. I have been at Red’s side for half a decade now. You’ll have to smoke my ass out if you want me to leave her side.”
He snorted. “I’m not either. So maybe you let me dock you.”
“What? What the fuck is that?” I stopped chopping vegetables and looked at him.
He leaned against the counter and smirked at me. “It’s when you pull your dick out and then let me fuck your foreskin. I come in it, and you get to carry it around in the little purse you made from your dick skin. Fun, right?”
“So you want to fuck my dick skin?”
He grinned. “I’ll try anything once.”
“What the actual fuck, Scott? I’m cut, dude. I’m not sporting a fucking purse on my cock.”
“Guys can be circumcised and still have dick skin. It looks like a little turtle wearing a turtleneck. You just make it stylish with a pearl necklace if you know what I mean.” He winked at me.
“What the fuck?” I muttered, shaking my head. “Are you serious right now?”
“Depends. You want to?”
“No, I fucking don’t want to. Fuck, how did Evan put up with you all those years?”
“It’s my charming personality. Just wait. You’ll be begging for pearls in your dick purse if you stick around here, Romano.”
“The fuck I will be,” I muttered.
He chuckled. I had no idea if the guy was serious or not. One second he was violent and doing dumb shit, and the next he was talking about fucking my dick skin. I had no idea what part of him was serious.
The scary thing was that it may have been all parts.
We were quiet as we worked. Rosalie was watching cartoons with Ellis in her bedroom while Evan put together her new bookshelf in there. It meant I was stuck in the kitchen with Cole, listening to his antics.
“So,” Cole started. “Uh, do you remember back at that restaurant—”
“You mean the one I took Red to on our date? I definitely remember it. We kissed for the first time and rode my motorcycle all night.”
He tensed next to me, making me smirk.
“Why, Scott? Have questions?”
“Did you guys fuck?” he asked, his voice soft. “After you left?”
“Is it killing you to know?”
He placed his knife on the counter and turned to me. “Honestly? Yeah, man, it is. It has been for years. I know she was with Klaus. I spent that entire night after seeing you with her throwing up.”
I was quiet as I considered what I’d say. Finally, I settled on an answer.
“Did you fuck Celeste that night?”
“No,” he said fiercely. “I never fucked that bitch. Ever. I would fucking never touch her unless it was to kill her.”
“And she’s dead. Imagine that,” I mused softly.
He let out a shaky breath. “Please tell me, Ryder. I want us to be friends, believe it or not. We both promise we’re not leaving, so I would like there to be no secrets between us if we can help it.
I know I was a prick back then. I’m fucking sorry for it and have been every damn day of my life since, but now that I’m here, I know it was worth the pain.
So please, man. Just put me out of my misery. ”
“I kissed her a few times. We had some ice cream. She smiled. She sang for me. We rode my motorcycle. We went back to Anson’s place, had a few drinks with Trent, fed him cheesecake, then fell asleep in one another’s arms while I wiped her tears and promised her everything would be OK.
” I breathed out, telling him everything.
“So you two didn’t fuck?”
“No, man. I didn’t fuck her that night,” I said. “In fact, I waited five years to fuck her, so you can rest easy knowing my cock was nowhere near her.”
“Really?”
“Really.” I stared at him, taking in the relief on his face. “But why does it matter? I’m with her now.”
“I know. I just… it was a bad time back then. It was soon, you know? It fucking broke me to see her with someone else. I saw her smiling at you, and it hurt because she was giving you the smiles that had once been mine.”
“Well, they’re yours again,” I said. “So you can stop torturing yourself now.”
He threw his arms around me and hugged me tightly. “We’re definitely docking, huh, Romano?”
“God, fuck off,” I said, but I laughed as I hugged him back.
Cole Scott was a weird motherfucker, but I honestly didn’t hate him.
I guess he was growing on me.
After dinner and watching Ellis try to teach Cole more ballet, we called it a night.
Evan took Rosalie to the bedroom after we’d put Ellis down for the night. I turned to find Cole grabbing a throw blanket and adjusting the pillows on the couch.
“You coming?” I called out.
He looked at me, seemingly confused.
“Where?”
“… to bed?” I said.
“Oh.” He raked his fingers through his blond hair and looked longingly to the hall where Evan had taken Rosalie.
“Cole, just come on. The bed is big enough for all of us,” I said, nodding for him to follow.
“You really want to sleep with me?” he asked.
“No, but I don’t like us all being with our girl and you staying out here. That’s not how it should work. Even Evan, Anson, and Klaus all sleep together when Rosalie isn’t around. I’ve been joining them a lot lately. There’s no reason why you can’t be there too if you’re staying.”
“OK.” He gave me a smile and followed me to the bedroom.
Evan had already taken one of the spots next to Rosalie, and both were cuddled together beneath the blankets.
“You’re here,” Rosalie said, looking genuinely happy at Cole’s presence in the room.
“Ryder talked me into it,” he said as he took his shirt off and tossed it aside.
I quickly undressed and pulled on my pajama bottoms, but before I could get into bed, Cole threw himself, completely naked, into my spot next to Rosalie. She laughed loudly as he tickled her, his big fucking dick flopping around.
If he cared, he didn’t make a show of it.
Evan chuckled and looked at me. “You’re not going to sleep naked?”
“No.” I snorted, eyeing Cole, who grinned at me. “In fact, I’m beginning to regret inviting him.”
Cole patted the spot next to him. “Come on, sexy. Get in.”
I sighed and got into bed.
“Don’t touch me with your dick,” I muttered.
“Why not? The things I could teach you, Romano.”
“I’m good in that department, right, Red?”
“Mm, you’re very good,” she said.
Evan chuckled and kissed her. He seemed happier than I’d seen him since, well, back before everything went to shit.
Rosalie’s phone buzzed, and Evan grabbed it off the nightstand.
“I’m better than you,” Cole grumbled.
I laughed softly at that. “We can find out.”
“You mean we do a fuck off?” He raised his brows at me.
I shrugged. “Time it on who can get her off first. Or the most?”
“Pfft, you’re on, Romano. Shake my dick on it.” He threw the blanket back to show his cock.
I snorted but grabbed his dick and gave it a squeeze. “You’re on, Scott.”
He grinned and grabbed my cock through my pants. “Bet, Romano.”
“What the hell are you two doing?” Anson’s voice called out through the video call.
“Um, I think they’re jerking each other off,” Rosalie said.
I released Cole’s dick and wiped my hand down my pantleg. “Never fucking happening.”
“I think I will skip sleepover night with Ryder and Cole,” Klaus called out.
“Then you’ll be missing out,” Cole shot back.
That started a whole load of banter. I smiled, listening to it all and watching everyone laugh and grin.
I couldn’t lie. I didn’t hate this as much as I thought I would with Cole. He certainly could brighten up the night.
Dick and all.