CHAPTER 25
1102 Words
RYDER
I spent the entire night locked away in my study, burying myself in work until my eyes burned and my shoulders ached.
The paperwork spread across my desk wasn't important enough to justify the hours I poured into it. Truth was, I wasn't working because the club needed me to. I was working because I needed a distraction.
Every file I signed, every report I reviewed, and every email I answered was another attempt to force my mind back into line. Another attempt to remind myself exactly who I was, what my responsibilities were, and what kind of mistakes I couldn't afford to make.
Especially when those mistakes came in the form of a stubborn woman with grey eyes and a smile that had no business affecting me the way it did.
I rubbed a hand over my face and stifled a yawn before finally pushing away from the desk.
Enough.
I headed upstairs to my room, took a quick shower, changed into a clean black Henley, and attempted to wash away the frustration that had followed me through the night.
It didn't work.
Nothing seemed capable of erasing the memory of Liora calling out his name in her sleep.
Jaw tightening, I shoved the thought aside and made my way downstairs.
Coffee.
That was what I needed.
The moment I reached the top of the staircase, a warm aroma drifted through the house.
Fresh bread.
My gaze shifted toward the kitchen just as Liora emerged carrying a tray of freshly baked bread.
The sight stopped me for half a second.
Her hair was loosely tied back, a few strands escaping to frame her face.
The second her eyes landed on me, her lips curved into a bright smile. "Good morning."
I answered with a grunt and continued toward the kitchen.
The smile didn't leave her face. "When did you get home?"
"Late."
One-word answers.
That was all she was getting from me.
I reached for my coffee mug, only for her to snatch it away before my fingers could touch it.
I frowned.
She grabbed the coffee pot and began preparing it herself. "You told me to wait for you last night."
I leaned against the counter and watched her work. "Something came up so I had to leave."
She nodded slowly, sliding the mug across the counter toward me.
I accepted it. "Thank you."
Taking a sip, I froze.
Perfect.
Exactly how I liked it. No too much sugar, no too much cream.
My eyes lifted to her.
How the hell did she know that?
I swallowed down that question with another mouthful of coffee.
I didn't need answers to questions that would only lead me down roads I had no intention of traveling.
Liora leaned against the counter, crossing one ankle over the other. "So about last night..."
The moment those words left her mouth, every muscle in my body stiffened.
I already knew where this conversation was heading, and I wasn't interested.
"...are we going to talk_”
"Last night was a mistake."
Her smile vanished. She slowly pushed herself away from the counter, a small frown appearing on her face. "It wasn't a mistake on my part."
"It was on mine. You kissed me, and I should have pushed you away."
The memory flashed through my head. The taste of her, the way she'd looked at me, the way I kissed her back.
"Which I didn't," I continued. "And for that, I'm sorry."
A disbelieving laugh escaped her lips as she folded her arms across her chest. "I am not sorry I kissed you."
Christ.
This woman.
"Liora," I hissed. "Do it again, and I'll have you arrested for assault."
Her eyebrows shot upward. "You can't be serious."
"I am."
I need boundaries, because if she kissed me again, I wasn't entirely sure I'd have the strength to stop myself from kissing her back.
"You've been warned."
She opened her mouth as if she wanted to argue.
For a moment, I thought she would.
Her lips parted, but whatever she was about to say never came out.
Slowly, she closed her mouth again and looked away. "Breakfast is ready."
My gaze drifted toward the dining table.
Several loaves of freshly baked bread sat in a basket alongside eggs, bacon, and coffee.
Normally, I would have rejected it.
Hell, I should have rejected it.
Accepting food from her felt too domestic.
Yet for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to do it.
Without another word, I reached over and grabbed a piece of bread.
"Thank you."
She didn't respond, didn’t even look at me.
Turning on her heel, she walked out of the kitchen.
I watched her disappear into the hallway before climbing the stairs.
"Fuck."
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I released a long breath.
This was exactly why I should have pushed her away sooner.
Now everything felt messy.
And somehow, despite being the one who created the distance between us this morning, I was the one feeling like s**t.
Shoving the remaining bread into my mouth, I stalked out of the house before I could change my mind and go after her.
I swung my leg over the seat of my bike and started the engine. Revving it, I prepared to pull away, when a movement caught my attention.
My gaze shifted toward the second floor window and I saw Liora by the curtains, watching me.
Even from this distance, I could see the sadness she was trying to hide.
For a second, neither of us looked away, then I twisted the throttle.
The motorcycle shot forward and I left before I could do something stupid.
Like turn around.
***********
The ride to the charter should have cleared my head.
It didn't.
The entire journey, all I could think about was the look on her face.
The disappointment.
The hurt.
The way her voice had sounded when she'd said breakfast was ready.
By the time I reached the clubhouse, my mood had only worsened.
I pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine.
Several brothers were gathered outside the building, drinking coffee and talking s**t as usual.
A few nodded in greeting.
I ignored every single one of them.
Right now, I wasn't interested in conversation, nor in anything except business.
The moment I stepped inside, Kane looked up.
"That wanker already spent most of the money."
Luca sat tied to a chair in the center, his face was swollen, one eye nearly shut.
The beating he received last night was obvious.
Unfortunately for him, it wasn't enough to improve my mood.
- Writer
