Chapter Twelve
Fuck it.
Fuck her.
Ripper knew it was a long shot, knew it’d be useless, but he did it anyway.
He spent hours erasing that video from their system. Ripper didn’t know the first thing about computers. Strike did. Since he refused to let Strike know exactly what he wanted deleted or let him do it himself, he demanded Strike teach him how to erase a video, and it took too long. All the surveillance videos were automatically recorded onto DVDs and kept in Prez’s office. After finally deleting it from the computer, Ripper took the only copy and gave it to her. He explained himself, how he hadn’t meant to record them, how he never wanted anyone, except maybe himself and her, though he didn’t say that, to watch that video. She just stood there with her beautiful face and that long blonde hair wearing his tee looking at him not saying a goddamned thing.
Now, he was just pissed. He missed lunch because he chose to have her instead. Then he’d been too busy to think about food, picking up Bree while having a panic attack knowing he had to find a way to delete the video from their system. By the time he learned how to delete it, it’d been past dinner. He was starved, and he missed spending the afternoon and evening with Bree. What the hell did he get out of going through all that trouble—nothing. She didn’t believe him. She probably thought he had another copy of that video. Granted, had he been thinking clearly, he would’ve made a copy. Not to share, never that, but so he could watch it over and over again. God knew he’d probably never get that lucky again. Like the first and last time, he hadn’t savored it, her. He should’ve taken his time, should’ve made it last longer, much longer.
The realization made him angrier, so revved he wasn’t even hungry anymore, just livid. No way in hell he’d get to sleep. Closing his eyes, he released a breath and came to the conclusion a ride wouldn’t help cool his temper, only running for miles would. That sucked, big time. The last several days, he’d barely slept. After he tucked Bree in every night, he ran from bar to bar trying to find that bitch Lilliam. All to no avail.
He ripped off his cut and shirt then removed his boots and jeans and donned a pair of athletic shorts and sneakers. With the run on his mind, he pulled the door open and froze.
Em stood there, arms wrapped around her mid-section, still beautiful, still wearing his tee and looking as surprised as he to find her there.
“I…um…” She looked to her right then met his gaze. “Can we talk?”
He looked to his left. Hash and some tap stood ten feet from them making out hot and heavy. The tap nearly naked already, skin-tight shirt, revealing her stomach, skirt hiked up around her waist, Hash gripping her bare ass. Hadn’t he just reamed him about this shit?
Ripper whistled loud. When Hash met his stare, Ripper glared. He didn’t have to say a word. Hash opened his door and tugged them inside.
Ripper sliced his gaze back to Em. “What?”
He hadn’t meant to bark, but seeing Hash getting lucky put him in a shittier mood because Hash was getting some, and he wasn’t, because Hash could fuck whoever he wanted, and he couldn’t. He wanted Em. No one would do but her, and he couldn’t have her.
“I wanted to talk to you.”
“Talk.”
She looked at his chest quickly, almost like she’d been trying to hide it, but he caught it, and it made him ecstatic. He bit his lip to hold back a smile.
She met his eyes. “I believe you.”
Still thinking about her checking him out, he didn’t quite catch that. “Say again?”
“I believe you, and I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions and snapped at you, and thank you for giving me the video.”
Hearing footsteps coming up the stairs, he grabbed her arm, led her into his room, shut the door, and faced her. “You believe me?”
“Yes.”
He quirked a brow. “Yeah?”
She sighed. “Yes.”
“About what?”
“About the video.”
“What about it?”
“I believe you didn’t mean to get us on camera. I believe you never meant to use it against me.”
He couldn’t bite back his smile then. If she believed him, then maybe anything was possible. Maybe she liked what they’d done. Maybe she wanted him again. He should take the chance.
He took a step toward her. She took one back. He took another, and she did the same. He didn’t stop though. She didn’t either, not until the back of her legs hit the bed, and she fell on her butt.
He knelt, eye level to her. “Would you lie to me, Em?”
She shook her head.
He cocked his. “No?”
“No.”
He drew closer, lips an inch from hers. “So I can ask you whatever I want, and you won’t lie?”
Her eyes widened. “Not—”
“Did you like what we did, Em?”
Her breath hitched. She put her hands on the bed behind her and leaned away. Positioning himself between her legs, he snaked an arm around her waist, shoved her up, and held her still. Her hands went to his bare chest. That close, her hands on him and feeling her warmth…amazing. She liked it too. Her face flushed even as her breaths became shallower.
“Do you want to do it again, Em?”
Her nails bit into his skin. “I…Bryce…”
He rubbed his nose against her cheek then trailed it toward the base of her neck. “You want me, Em?” Moving back up to her ear, he flicked his tongue out licking her lobe.
Her whole body shuddered, legs closing against him instinctively. “Bryce…”
“Gotta answer me, Em.”
“Please…”
“Gotta answer me.”
He kissed under her ear softly then tasted her and refused to stop. She arched her back as her legs wrapped around him.
“You want me, Em?”
“Always.”
Always?
Fuck.
Always?
He reared back, locking gazes with her. She blanched and pushed at his chest. She could do that all she wanted, but she’d get nowhere because he was a lot stronger and no way in hell he’d let her go.
“Please…” She sounded panicked.
“Always what?”
“Stop… Please.” She pushed harder.
“Always. What?”
“Stop—”
“Tell. Me.”
Her eyes grew wide. Then they watered, so he did something he used to when she got stubborn. He bargained.
“Tell me, and I’ll let you go. I promise.”
She fought back the tears, but still, two fell out of her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks.
Hating the tears, he shut his eyes. “You always what?”
“I—”
He cracked his eyes open and met hers.
“I always want you.” Her voice shook like it hurt her to admit it, like she didn’t want to.
Too late though. She had, and he heard every word. It left him wondering what she wanted him for? To fuck? To mess with? For keeps? No, not for keeps, she didn’t love him, not anymore.
Since he had to keep his word, he had to let her go. He didn’t want to though, and he was a selfish bastard, so he tried to find a way to break his promise. Coming up empty, he had no choice. “I don’t want to let you go, Em, but if you want me to let you go, I will.”
She didn’t say a word, didn’t push him away either, so he lay on the bed and tugged her against him. Clutching her to him with the scent of her perfume taunting him, he decided he’d have her. Whatever part of her she’d give, he wanted because he loved her. He never stopped.