Ryker’s scent pulls me from the panic that hits when the loud sound of thunder strikes. Calm rolls over me for a moment until I realize what he just said. I lean back to look at him, and I can’t believe I threw myself into his arms like that. He has a smile on his lips, and I involuntarily lick mine. He has to be the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in my life. Then a memory from what feels like forever ago enters my mind. I saw him at the coffee shop on my first day at the gallery. I was about to start my new job when I saw those eyes. His eyes. How could I ever forget them?

You’re not leaving.

His words repeat through my mind. He’s crazy. That has to be it. It’s the only way this makes sense. He’s too good-looking to have it all together anyway. Nobody is this perfect, so clearly he’s nuts.

I realize my fingers are digging into him and I jerk my hands back. I wiggle to get away from him, needing space. I’ve got to figure out what the hell is going on.

The grip he has on me tightens. I fight a little harder but freeze when my ass comes into contact with something hard. It’s then I realize I’m straddling him, with my core right up against him. The shirt I’m wearing has ridden up, and my panties are on full display. I glance down and then back up, and our eyes lock. It takes everything in me not to wiggle again. My breathing becomes shallow and I say nothing. His own is growing deeper and more pronounced.

“I have a boyfriend,” I blurt out.

Well, maybe I do. I never really told Fritz it was over, or even processed what happened between him and Lilith, so I guess we haven’t officially broken up. Though in my head he’s pretty much dead to me. I would never be with a cheater. Not like my mama. She didn’t care when her boyfriends stepped out on her. Maybe because more than anything I want loyalty. I’ve never had that in another person, to be able to always count on them no matter what.

Ryker’s whole face changes when I say that, and a look of anger takes over. The gentle softness he carried before is gone, and my heart starts to race. Fear takes hold and I try to remind myself that he wouldn’t hurt me. But should I believe that from a man who said he isn’t going to let me go? I don’t know why, but I do believe him. He seems like a man who always says the truth no matter if you’re going to like it or not. Kind of like how he said he isn’t letting me go. Though I’ve been wrong about a man before. That’s clear from my choice in my last boyfriend.

He stands with me still in his arms, and I let out a loud squeal. But instead of him doing something crazy, he sits me back down in the chair I was in a moment ago. My eyes dart around the room looking for an escape. When I look back at Ryker, he pins me with a look that tells me I’d never make it if I tried to run. He’s probably right. The man is easily twice my size and most definitely in shape. I can’t even remember the last time I did cardio, so I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t make it a block. How many acres did he say this place was? If it’s longer than the driveway I’m screwed.

He turns around to face away from me and takes a deep breath while he runs his hands through his short hair. Maybe I shouldn’t bring up the boyfriend thing again. Clearly that’s a hot button subject with how much it pissed him off. And I don’t want to piss off the handsome, crazy guy who wants to keep me.

Why in the world does he want to do that in the first place? This can’t really be about some attraction he has for me. This man cannot be hard up for women. He’s hard up for you, I remind myself. And damn, was he hard. I close my legs when I feel a tingle between them, remembering that length and heat pressed up against me there. There has to be another reason, though. Something I’m not seeing.

“Drink your tea, Cricket. I’m going to get you something to eat.” His voice is calm, unlike how he looked moments ago.

He’s still facing away from me, and I can see the strong muscles that trail down his perfect skin. My eyes slowly move down his back and to his ass, where his slacks hang dangerously low. I wonder if he feels soft to the touch, or if there’s any give at all between his skin and his muscles. Every inch of him is oversized, like he’s been engineered to be the best of the species.

When he walks towards the microwave and hits a button, I’m snapped out of my drool-fest.

“I’m not hungry. I think I want to go back to sleep.” Yeah, I need to go back to my room so I can get some space and figure out what the heck is going on.

I need to get out of here, but I’m also being honest when I say I want to go back to bed. I know how long he said I slept, but I still feel tired. I’m starting to think that maybe he did drug me. I want to ask him a million things, but I also don’t want to trigger the anger I saw on his face a few moments ago.

“You’ll eat, then you can go back to sleep if you want to,” He says, and there’s no room for argument.

The microwave dings, and he pulls out a dish then walks back towards me. My eyes can’t help but roam over his torso now. The muscles of his pronounced chest create shadows and make him appear even larger. His arms are bigger than my thighs, and I’ve never had a gap in between them. There’s hair across his pecs, and a trail that leads down to hard abs. It disappears down into slacks, and god help me, he’s got that sexy-as-hell V-shape on either side of his hips. His body doesn’t look real. It looks like something sculpted from stone that was put on earth to populate the species.

I look away quickly when he catches me checking him out. He’s crazy, why am I losing it over this guy? Great. I like cheaters and psychos. My taste in men might be worse than my mama’s.

He sets the plate down in front of me and my stomach growls when I see it’s chicken parmesan. Ryker leans down and kisses the top of my head as he hands me my fork.

“See? You’re hungry.” He takes a seat next to me and watches me, waiting.

I look at the food. What if he put something in it? As if reading my mind, Ryker takes the fork from my hand and takes a bite for himself. He chews it up and then swallows, giving me a small smile. “I would never hurt you.”

My eyes catch on the hairband on his wrist. I know it’s mine because of the small hearts on it. He’s been in my apartment. In my room. I remember the smell I detected when I got home the other day thinking someone had been in my room. I was right. It was him.

“But you’ll keep me against my will?” I snap back, and the words are out before I can stop then. Yeah, poke the crazy person, Blair. That’s seems like a bright idea.

“I don’t want to fight with you, Cricket. I want to take care of you and keep you safe.” He emphasizes the last part.

He brings a forkful of food to my lips, and I take a bite. I moan at the taste. His bright green eyes turn a shade darker and his jaw clenches. He pulls the fork back and I lick my lips once again. Why do I keep doing that? I know every time I do it, it makes his eyes go to my mouth.

“Is that from Trattoria?” I ask, and he smiles.

“Yes, it’s your favorite,” he says, bringing another bite to my mouth.

I open for him and then wonder how could he could possibly know that. I pull my eyes away from him while I chew.

“Am I in danger?” I finally ask.

“Not while you’re with me. I would never let anyone hurt you.” I glance up at him and see the sincerity in his eyes. “I’ll protect you from even yourself.”

The fork once again rises to my mouth and I take what he’s offering me. He feeds me until the plate is clean and I think I might explode.

“I have a piece of their cheesecake, too. I know how much you love it.”

His words scare me, but they do something else as well. I bet Fritz never noticed any of that. Anytime I go out to eat, if chicken parmesan is on the menu I always order it. It’s my food weakness. But this man knows this. It’s something so small, but Ryker knows. It has me wondering what else he knows about me.

He picks the plate up and carries it over to the sink. Just then, Bear comes strolling in and jumps up onto the counter like he owns the place. I watch as Ryker pulls out a small bowl and puts cat food into it. Bear purrs at him before eating and he even lets Ryker pet him. I’m going to guess it’s because Ryker gave him food, and not because Bear is a traitor.

Ryker comes back over to me, holding his hand out. I take it because I don’t really know what else to do, and he leads me back towards the front of the house. We walk up the stairs and back to the bedroom I woke up in. Thunder rumbles again just before the lightning strikes and it makes me jump. Ryker pulls me into his big body, and though I probably shouldn’t use him for comfort, I do.

“It’s okay, Cricket. I’ll keep you safe, but I had a storm shelter installed in the basement. Do you want to go down there and sleep?”

I shake my head. I love the idea that there’s somewhere safe to go during a storm, but I don’t like the idea of being locked up tight in a basement. I should probably be thanking my lucky stars I’m not locked up down there already. With the things Ryker keeps saying, he’s definitely not worried about my escape plan. He’s baffling me right now. He says the sweetest things and the craziest stuff almost in the same breath.

“If you change your mind, just let me know.”

His hands release mine and I think he’s going to leave. But instead he goes over to the closet and comes back out a few moments later in a pair of loose-fitting sleep pants. I try not to stare at the outline of the beast he has between his legs, and it’s then I notice he has a piece of silk draped over his arm.

My mind goes back to what’s in the closet. I remember seeing all the women’s clothing inside and my anger starts to grow. “Are you married?” I ask, and I realize the way it comes out is accusatory. For some irrational reason this makes me madder than when he told me I couldn't leave. Maybe it’s my newfound disgust for cheaters. Apparently, they’re worse on the hate scale than kidnappers.

He lets out a deep laugh, as if my question is funny. It only makes me angrier. My hands go to my hips and I stare up at him. He smiles down at me.

“Calm down, Cricket. No, I’ve never been married.” He leans down, and I should step back, but I don’t. I hold my ground as his mouth pauses a breath away from mine. “Yet.”

Before I know what’s happening, he pulls the shirt I have on over my head and tosses it to the floor. I don’t have time to react as he slides the silk nightgown over my head, and I stand there stunned.

“Since I’ll be sleeping with you tonight, there’s no need for you to sleep in my shirt,” he says easily, like he didn’t just take my clothes off and see me naked.

I think I should smack him, but I just clench my hands into fists. I remember my clothes had been changed when I woke up. He’s seen me naked already. Well, at least partially. Or maybe he had that woman from the kitchen change me. I think I would know if he did something. Wouldn’t I? I’d still be tender between my legs. My eyes trail down his body again as if they have a mind of their own. Yeah, I would have known if he used that on me.

I’m irritated that all this is happening around me and I don’t have any choice or say. I don’t feel threatened exactly, and I’m not scared, so frustrated is all I can seem to manage.

My hand goes to the necklace and I lift it, drawing his eyes there. “I can’t get it off,” I tell him, already knowing he put it there. Who else?

“I know,” is all he says in response. I look down at the necklace again, not sure why he put it on me, but out of everything it’s the last thing I should be worried about.

I turn around and stomp towards the bed. I hear him laugh behind me, and I spin around, wanting to give him a piece of my mind, and almost run into him. How did he move so fast without me hearing him? Someone his size should make a noise when they freaking move.

“Did you touch me while I slept?” I spit out and raise my chin in defiance.

“I changed you out of your clothes, nothing more.” He pushes my hair off my shoulder, and then he traces a finger down my chest to the deep V in the silk nightie next to the necklace. I’ve never worn something so pretty and soft before, but I don’t tell him that. “I’ll touch you, Blair. But you’ll be awake for it. You’re mine. Now get into bed.”

His words are final as he tells me what to do, so I turn around and do what he says. The bed is so tall, though, that I’m trying to climb in when I feel his hands on my hips to lift me up. I don’t say anything as I crawl in, but when I see him getting into bed with me, I hold my hands out.

“You can’t sleep with me,” I tell him. As if I have any say.

“I’ve slept enough nights without you. I don’t plan ever doing that again.” His voice is low, and his words have a southern drawl to them as he climbs into the bed.

It's the first time I’ve caught a southern accent, and I hate to admit how hot it sounds. I’ve heard all kinds of twangs back where I’m from, but hearing him talk to me like that is soothing.

He turns off the lamp, and I’m shocked into making a little squeak as I’m pulled across the bed. My back nestles against his chest as he wraps one of his big arms around me. His legs tangle with mine and he buries his face in my neck. I’m totally unable to move but completely comfortable.

“Besides. I shouldn't have left you earlier when it was storming. I know how much you hate them.” His arm around me tightens, then relaxes again.

A few minutes go by and I’m unable to fall asleep. My mind won’t stop turning.

“How do you know so much about me?” I whisper into the dark.

“I’m not him, Cricket,” he says easily, and I know he’s talking about Fritz. “You always have my attention. You don’t even have to try, and it will always be all yours.” He kisses me below the ear and my heart pounds at his words.

I close my eyes and all that he said goes around and around in my head. He should frighten me, and I should be plotting to get away. But as I lie here in his arms, all I feel is peace. Finally.