“Hey, I’m an innocent bystander,” she called out good naturedly.

“Nicole, sorry we didn’t know you were out here,” the oldest boy, Jacob said, as he came running up to her, looking very guilty. He had several friends trailing behind him, all with the same expressions of guilt on their faces. “I heard a noise over here and thought it was one of the guys,” he said, as a slight blush stole over his cheeks.

“I’m fine Jacob, it looks like you guys are having a great time,” she reassured him.

“We are, do you want to join us?” he offered. The other boys nodded their heads encouragingly.

“No, I have to get back but maybe some other time,” she told them. She turned around to walk back towards the house and the boys all ran off in the other direction, shouting and firing at the same time. She smiled to herself. Jacob was Ryan’s nephew, well technically his cousin but the three men were more brothers than cousins and the kids called both the men uncle. She was impressed with the very tightly knit family.

She finally reached the house and realized the paint ball hit her harder than she originally thought. She had a slight limp and a huge knot on her leg. She stepped into the kitchen so she could clean up when a shadow nearly scared her to death.

“What happened to your leg?” Ryan said to her. She was speechless for a moment, as she looked up and saw him standing before her. She hadn’t expected him back for a few more weeks and she was worried by how much she wanted to throw her arms around the man who haunted her dreams each night.

“I got shot with a paintball but it looks far worse than it is. This is only paint,” she said and bent to run her finger over the paint.

Ryan sucked in the breath he’d been holding. He’d missed her so much and when he’d arrived home and not been able to find her, he’d gone a bit crazy. He’d thought she may have left him but her clothes were there and Patsy’s room was filled with her possessions. He smiled to think how well Patsy had settled in. At least one of them had no problem with him spoiling them. Nicole acted like he was committing a sin when he tried to give her anything. It was downright insulting.

He had more money than he could possibly ever spend but she didn’t want to allow him to buy her a simple pair of jeans. He wouldn’t allow people to think he mistreated her in any form. He would purchase her things, even if he had to literally take her into the dressing rooms and dress her himself. He got hard just thinking about that scenario.

He stared at her, from her toes, to the top of her head. She was make-up free with her hair thrown back in a sloppy ponytail and she was wearing loose work-out clothes. She’d never looked sexier to him. Damn, he was in a really bad state.

“How did you get shot?”

“Oh, your nephews were having a paintball war and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It could’ve been worse, they might’ve been going for the kill shot,” she said on a laugh. His lips rose slightly at the corners.

“I missed you,” he said before he could stop himself. He hadn’t meant for it to slip out but from the gleam in her eyes, it had been the right thing to say. He had a feeling she’d missed him too, although he didn’t think he could get her to admit it.

“Um, I um, need to, um go get this off of me,” she stuttered, acting more like a middle school child, than a full grown adult. She needed to get a grip. She quickly fled the room and never saw the smile split across Ryan’s face. It was the first genuine smile he felt cross his features since the night he dragged her from that restaurant.

He began whistling as he followed her up the stairs. He would wait for her to get out of the shower and then give them what they both so desperately wanted. His aroused body was making it difficult to climb the stairs but the pain was worth it. Soon she’d be relieving that for him.

Chapter Eight

“Where the hell have you been?” Ryan asked furiously, as Nicole walked in the door. He’d come home early from work and she’d been gone. He didn’t like the feeling of not knowing where she was.

“Not that it’s any of your business but I was at work,” she snapped back at him. He’d been back for a week and though they made love nightly, their days were not so pleasant. He was still highly demanding and she was still inserting her own independence.

She had zero doubt she was in love with the man but she also knew she was simply a play thing for him and he would eventually grow bored with her. Then she would be devastated all over again. To top all that off she had a really bad feeling she was pregnant. She’d been ignoring it for months but her stomach was starting to thicken and she’d been so exhausted.

She could pass off the thickening stomach to the amount of food she consumed but the unusual desire for foods she’d never liked before, the complete exhaustion and the mood swings were a dead giveaway. She’d refused to take a test. Then she’d know for sure and she’d have to break the news to Ryan. She wasn’t ready for that.

“Everything you do is my business. How quickly you forget what we agreed upon,” he snapped. He was beyond mad she’d taken one of her worthless jobs again when he was willing to provide everything she and Patsy needed. She allowed him to spoil Patsy but she refused to wear the jewelry he bought her and wore the same old clothes she’d come to his home with, over and over again. It was really making him angry.

Every other woman he’d ever dated had tried to get every last thing they could out of him and he finally had a woman he wanted to buy things for and she tossed them back in his face. He’d already had a frustrating day at the office, which was why he’d come home early in the first place and she was now aggravating his mood even further. He’d hoped being with her would’ve calmed him down. It wasn’t happening.

“You’ll quit whatever crappy job you took because I want you home when I need you,” he told her. She looked at him like he was insane for a moment. He could see she was trying to decide whether to yell at him or walk away. Finally she started laughing. He stood there in complete shock. No one ever laughed at him. He didn’t like it happening to him.

“I won’t quit my job. I happen to have found one that I love. I know my measly little paycheck for two weeks doesn’t even compare to what you make in one hour but it’s my money and I’m earning it on my own. I’ve told you before I’ll pay back every penny you’ve spent on Patsy and I. I need a job to be able to afford to do that.”

“I’ve told you I don’t want a dime from you,” he said for the hundredth time.

“Well, I don’t take hand outs and I’ll be paying you.”

“Why the hell do you have to be so stubborn all the time? It’s ridiculous and you’re doing nothing but hurting yourself and your sister. Grow up and stop acting like a damn child,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Just because you have far more money than any one person should ever have doesn’t mean you can throw it in my face. If I want to pay you back then I’ll do it, whether I have to stuff it down your throat or not,” she told him stubbornly.

“I can’t even talk to you,” he shouted, as he ran his fingers through his hair once again.

“Well, that goes both ways, you arrogant jerk,”

“I guess then I’ll have to drag you away from this job you have. I’ve done it once, don’t think I won’t do it again,” he threatened.

“I don’t think you’re going to be able to do that,” she smirked at him, which caused his blood to boil even more.

“I can figure out easily where you’re working Nicole, so don’t act so cocky.”

“Oh, I don’t have a problem telling you where I work. My co-workers will rip you apart if you so much as lay one finger on me while I’m there,” she said far too smugly.

Images of her working at a strip club with bouncers went through his mind. He could think of no other place where she would foolishly believe he wouldn’t try and drag her out. He would certainly drag her out of a strip club too and he’d look forward to the fight. She caused more emotions in him than any other person on the planet.

“If you’re working at some trashy night club, or bar I swear I’ll be going to jail for pounding the crap out of whoever has dared to look at you,” he yelled. Nicole was shocked by the intensity of his worlds. A shiver ran down her spine as she realized he was serious. Thank goodness she hadn’t been that stupid.

“If you must know, I’m working with Jasmine and Trinity at their place,” she said smugly. She watched a mixture of relief and acceptance wash over his features.

Ryan blew out his breath, as he realized she was right, there was no way in hell he would try and drag her out of there. Jasmine and Trinity would tear him apart. There wasn’t a man on the planet he feared but his cousin’s wives were a whole different matter.

She once again laughed at him, loving she’d won that argument. She took off up the stairs like she didn’t have a care in the world.

He stared in shock. She laughed in his face and then outright defied him. To top off everything, she had the gall to walk away when he wasn’t finished with their argument. He knew logically he should let her go so he could calm himself down but he was never one to walk away from a fight.

He slowly stalked her up the stairs and found her in their bedroom. His temper was already escalated and seeing her in their room, in the same raggedy clothes made him snap. He was sick and tired of seeing her lessen herself by wearing rags.

Nicole turned around and the look on Ryan’s face terrified her. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him so furious. Maybe she’d pushed it a little bit far. She was thinking it may be much wiser to apologize and tuck tail and run. She wasn’t going to quit her job though. She was getting ready to do just that when he opened his mouth once again and infuriated her all over.

“I’ve bought you new clothes and you still choose to wear those rags. I demand you toss them out now,” he yelled at her. Her hackles were immediately up again.

“I’d rather be naked than wear your charity hand-outs,” she shouted right back. Her eyes widened by the look that came into his eyes.

He walked into her closet and ripped her precious few items off the hangers and walked over to her dresser and took out the few pairs of her underclothing she’d brought with her. He tossed it all on the bed and stalked towards her.

She backed up, like anyone would do when a predator was coming towards them. She was terrified and yet incredibly aroused at the same time. He was so masculine and she couldn’t tear her gaze away from him.

“Take them off,” he said in a deadly calm voice.

“Not on your life,” she spat back but her words were bellied by the breathless quality to her voice. He walked up to her and yanked the shirt off, then tossed her on the bed, which caused her to gasp. He pulled her jeans off next, leaving her in nothing but her bra and panties. She was incredibly grateful she was wearing one of the pairs the girls had made her get or she was sure he would’ve ripped those off as well.