RYDER
G’Anna only fooled herself with her bravado about staying here alone. With fear written all over her face, I demanded to stay with her. No tactic she used would stop me from getting my way, and once she understood that, everything would go smoother.
“Why don’t you go shower and dress in clean clothes? I call some people while you do, and then we can settle in for the day.” She only nodded but did as I asked. I called my security team’s company to install cameras around her house and business. I made Chandler’s call last.
Clean clothes arrived for me shortly after that, and the security guys worked installing equipment in both locations. Finally, Chandler and KeeMac arrived with food and a few groceries. The tour schedule started tomorrow, but I doubted G’Anna’s ability to depart with us. She would battle me over it, but I needed her in perfect condition, physically and mentally, before she left on a grueling four-month trip.
“Hey, Ryder.” Chandler kissed my cheek. “You know we wanted to come to the hospital last night, but they turned us away.”
“Sorry. The doctor asked that we not have any more visitors so G’Anna’s rest wouldn’t be interrupted. I wanted her home this morning, so I told security not to let anyone in.”
KeeMac wrapped his arms around my daughter and pulled her back against him. “We decided someone made the rule. Didn’t know you had so much power there, pops.”
I looked at this long-haired, muscled-up, pretty boy. “Don’t call me pops.” I shook my head no to reemphasize my command, and Chandler laughed.
“Well, damn, dude. I’m trying to treat you like family, and you shoot me down every turn.” I believed I hurt his feelings. Oh well, I’m not pops to him… yet.
“Babe, tell your pops that I need a special name for him.”
“Don’t get me in the middle of you two. I love you both, so I can’t get involved.”
My heart swelled. She’d said she loved me. The love of a daughter felt amazing. Deep down, I knew I loved her the minute I saw those aqua eyes and dark hair and her mother’s face smiling at me. At this moment, my life never felt so right.
Chandler unfolded from him and stepped closer to me. Speaking softly, she asked, “Do you think she’s going to be ready to leave tomorrow?”
I shook my head. “Doubt it. She took a bad fall after she was hit. One was bad enough but two…” I raised my hand to the back of my neck. “It could have been a lot worse, though.”
“Yeah, but it wasn’t.” She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me tight. “She’s going to be fine, right?”
“Right, she is, but you already know touring takes a lot out of a healthy person. I hate to see her start out in less than perfect condition.” I hugged Chandler back. Having her support in my life changed me to a different kind of man.
“Who’s less than perfect?” We turned to see G’Anna standing in the doorway in yoga pants and a fitted t-shirt. “I know the three of you aren’t talking about me. I feel fine, great even.”
She spoke the words, but her face said otherwise. The pale skin lacked the glow she usually wore. The lump on her forehead stuck out, and her left eye below it sported blue and purple. Overall, she looked like someone who’d taken a beating. My stomach rolled from thinking about her being hurt.
Chandler moved to her and enveloped her in a tight embrace. “You still need rest. Time on the road takes everything out of you.”
“I’ve done a few short tours before. The work demands I be in great shape. I know it.”
I stepped up to her as she moved to the middle of the kitchen. “Sugar, listen to me. If you need to stay behind a few days, no one will question it. We need you one hundred percent.”
She spun around fast. “I understand, Ryder.” Her movement caused her to sway and fall into me.
“G’Anna?” The three of us moved in to catch her. I had her in my arms holding her up.
“Whoa. Guess I need to rethink making fast moves.” She held her hand to her head careful to not touch the mountainous contusion. We all watched her closely. “Guys, I. Am. Fine. Tomorrow, I’ll be back to my old self. The doctor said to rest today, and that’s what I intend to do.”
My eyes darted to the kids who scrutinized her every move before returning their gaze to me. She needed more than a day.
“G’Anna, you know we want you with us every step of the way, but your health rates a lot higher than photos. Four months of concerts will give you a huge window to do your magic.”
Rejection covered her face. I felt like an ogre for saying this to her. “I think it would be better if you joined us in a week or so.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “But I need to be there for the first show especially now with the bastards ruining all the shots I’ve already taken.”
I pulled her into me. “We can take more pictures. The idea of you doing more damage to yourself trying to keep up, scares the shit out of me, sugar.”
Chandler nudged forward and patted her on the back. “You’ll only miss one or two shows. Plenty of action will be waiting when you arrive.”
G’Anna nodded her head, her words stuck behind the tears now flowing down her ashen face.
Chandler and KeeMac said their goodbyes after the three of us calmed G’Anna down and visited. We traded stories of past tours. I withheld the worst experiences. No need to scare everyone seated at the island. The kids kept their short list clean, but from the way the heat bounced between them, I knew more happened with those two than I ever wanted to hear about.
They showed themselves out the door as I shuffled my woman to the bedroom. No argument from her told me she needed rest more than she let on. The ride home, visitors, and men working around us suggested it was more excitement than G’Anna needed in one morning.
“Lie down, sugar.”
“Only if you’ll be beside me.” Her usually bright eyes carried a lackluster look to them. I pulled the comforter back and held my hand out for her to get in with me following. She rolled to her side, and I spooned behind her, our bodies fitting perfectly together. Everything about this beautiful woman screamed perfect for me. Leaving her behind tomorrow might kill me. Memories of me doing that before haunted my thoughts.
“Ryder?” Her soft voice broke the silence.
“Yeah, sugar?” I whispered in her ear.
“I hate the jet leaving without me.”
“Not as much as I hate leaving you behind without me here to be with you especially right after you’ve been injured. I want to be here for you.” I kissed the edge of her soft ear.
Her gentle sob still caused her body to shudder. I pushed back and pulled her to her back. “G’Anna, what’s going on?”
“Nothing. Just feeling emotional. I’m going to miss you. I love the time we’ve spent together.”
If I could die today, I’d be one happy fucker. She’s hurt and yet still thinking about our time together. “Oh, sugar. I’ll miss the hell out of not having you with me, too, but it’s only for a few days. You’ll wake up feeling back to normal a couple of days from now, and I’ll send you a ticket to join us. In the meantime, I insist you take it easy. I won’t be here to check on you.” I kissed her cheek. “Or kiss you when you wake.” I kissed her nose. “Or squeeze these perfect beauties.” I plumped her breast which caused her to smile.
“You’re thinking about sex while I’m whining about your leaving?”
“Sugar, I’m always thinking about fucking you.”
“Just fucking?” she said smiling up at me.
“No, not just fucking. I think about licking your pussy.” I nuzzled up to her cheek. “And biting your clit.” I nipped at the soft spot below her ear. “And rolling your tits between my fingers to watch you squirm.” I kissed her lightly. “I also think about kissing the hell out of these plump lips, and licking around your sweet navel, and leaving kisses down the inside of your thighs.”
“Stop. Stop right there. You’re going to say all of this and then walk away from me for how many days?”
My lips perked up into a smile. “There might be something I can do about it.” I trailed a finger down her middle until I reached the stretch waist of her pants. I pushed my hand under them and found the lace of her panties. “Spread your legs, sugar.” Slipping under them, I pushed down on her wet lips and found a swollen clit waiting for me.
“You like me talking about all the things waiting for you in Europe?” A slight sparkle lit her eyes before she murmured a breathy “Yes.” The lace provided more friction as I rubbed across the raised nub causing her to arch up ever so slightly.
“No, you lay there and relax. Let me do all the work here.”
“How can I with you doing that to me?”
“Try.” That’s all I gave her as I moved inside the lace. I moved my rough guitar fingers against her soft, intimate pussy sliding up and down the passage to the treasured location I sought. The sensation brought her higher with each pass until I pushed one and then two fingers in the silky chasm. My thumb continued a lazy assault on her clit as I slowly pushed and pulled in and out of her.
Searching her face to find her eyes closed and her bottom lip caught between her teeth, I watched as she climbed to a languid orgasm. This one didn’t rush her relaxed body as they did when we fought to reach them. It flooded over her senses as her muscled walls lightly shuddered against my fingers, which now sat still inside her warmth feeling her feminine liquor cover them.
“You okay?” I brushed my lips across hers.
“Better than okay.” I pulled my fingers out but put the heated digits in my mouth to clean her essence from me.
“Will this hold you over for a few days?” I wanted her remembering what waited for her on the other end of the flight.
“Yeah, I believe it will.” Her soft voice told me she teetered on the edge of sleep ready to fall off the rim. I watched her until her breathing evened out in a deep sleep. She barely moved to gain comfort. Her peaceful sleep called to me to join her, but unfinished business pinged a louder sound in the form of my phone in the kitchen.
I eased out of bed praying I didn’t disturb her and made my way back to the annoyance on the island. “Speak to me, and I hope it’s some damn good news.”
Thomas laughed through the phone. “Not sure how good it is, but we pulled some surveillance from the cameras across the street. Three guys entered, but only one did anything. The others stayed in the lobby. The perp slipped down the hall, and we know the rest. Without cameras inside, there’s no way to know exactly what he did.”
“Any names to go with these fuckers?”
“No, they wore hoodies and black clothes and never turned enough toward the cameras to get a read on them.”
“Fuck. That’s not good enough, Thomas. How the hell am I supposed to leave knowing she’s not safe?”
“Look, Ryder. We installed the best cameras and alarms money can buy. We can monitor it from anywhere, anytime.”
“Someone watches her until she steps on the jet. You got it?”
“Sure thing. We’ll stay on her all the time. When’re you leaving?”
“First thing in the morning.”
“We’ll be at her house before you go.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Thomas.”
“No problem. Have fun in Europe.”
“Not until she’s beside me.”