Chapter 35 - Parched

"I'm confused. What are you doing again?"

"My exercises. You know my doctor says this is the most natural way to have the baby," Kaylee said as she swayed in the water and I looked at her strangely.

Of course I'd never thought about to this stuff before. I mean it's not like I was planning on having a baby anytime soon or ever for that matter and honestly the thought scared me. I mean it may have something to do with my mother but there is also the nagging fact I've always been reckless when you don't think about the past three weeks since I got here. Underground fighting, gym, martial arts and now I'm going for kickboxing. Not exactly baby proof activities.

"So the baby just falls into the water?"

"Technically yes, but it's better than being cooped up in a room," she said and I nodded absentmindedly looking back at the house.

You might be wondering how I ended up talking babies with Kaylee. After I'd gotten home, I'd gone for a shower immediately and texted Ryder I wouldn't make it for whatever he planned when I saw the bruise on my cheek. Of course, it was only after I cussed out at Jason in my head that I actually entered the shower. My father had never let me enter the family business. Of course, why would let his only daughter be involved in all his Mafia business when his son could? And I say this very hurt. Of course, he knows about my interest. Hell he taught me to shoot a gun but when you're in the business you're careful with those who matter to you. Of course, if you'd ask anyone, no one knows I even exist apart from the inner circle of his business. I didn't mind of course. There were pros and cons, for example, no one would ever ask for my hand in marriage for an alliance. Of course, they'd be dead for merely thinking about it. But as long as I existed my life would always be in danger. When he realized that there was a likelihood that news had gotten out of me existing he was more than happy to send me to the States. After all I wanted to come here and he wanted me safe. You see why loyalty matters here. I know I shouldn't have said that but it's the mere truth and I had the feeling it was partly the reason Dad didn't want me involved. He thought I would mess up the business with my logical thinking or so my mother told him when I said the only way to keep the family out of trouble was to cut off the links that got us into trouble and he never involved me.

Anyway given my abrupt and vague text, I found him once more on my bed looking perplexed and it morphed more into anger when he saw the bruise on my cheek. Of course I blamed it on my clumsy side and I doubt he'd believed me but inspite of that he'd brought me to his house instead before he excused himself and Kaylee invited me for a swim before night fell.

"He'll come you know," Kaylee said interrupting my thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Ryder, you don't have to pretend. I know you're thinking about him."

"Just curious about this store he was going. It's been an hour already," I said sheepishly and she smiled.

"You know I'm glad he has someone that cares about him so much. It's been tough the last couple of years," she said and I looked at her questioningly and she shook her head. "It's his story to tell. I've never seen him so happy ever since he came back from military school. I almost lost hope that he'd be back to himself."

She said and my eyebrows shot up in surprise. Was this where he was when from when he came back? To be honest, I wasn't much of a gossip addict. Sure Alice and Adelaide do but I've always made it the least of my concerns. I knew he had been suspended from school for something he did, and that people never talked about. And I know it was why people looked at me strangely on my first days here when he showed interest. It had to be why the classes we shared, we ended up sitting together. Of course I've never asked but at this rate my curiosity was getting piqued more than ever and it was beginning to bug me. I mean come on, Alice tells me everything and yet this is one topic she'd never venture into her own and I was tempted to ask the main man himself but I'd never build the courage. After all we were fairing well.

"He's more himself now. I see the bubbly kid once more and I can only thank you. You'll take care of him won't you?" She asked and I nodded silently feeling heat rising to my cheeks, trying to shrug off the lump in my throat. "Thank you. Well I've got get out now before I become all wrinkly. I'm making dinner soon. Wanna join?"

"Yeah, I'll be in in a few."

I only nodded afraid that I would say something that would offend her. I couldn't make promises I wasn't sure I could keep, not with the life I'm involved in. These people had accepted me what kind of person would I be if I brought trouble to their doorstep, I wondered before diving into the pool deciding to burn off some of the frustration because I didn't feel like going to the gym later tonight.

Ryder's POV

"Why?" Ethan whined and I rolled my eyes.

"Because you're annoying and I don't want to."

"That has never stopped you before," he said and I rolled my eyes as I pulled into my driveway just beside Cody's car and we got out. "I don't buy it. Cody just tell him the party is for him."

"Since when have we been able to get him to do stuff he doesn't want to do," he asked and I silently thanked as I made my way into the house and the black ankle boots caught my gaze first and I let out a sigh in relief.

It was almost strange that I had began dreading that she'd already got bored and went home and I tried to convince myself that I was merely prideful and I was a little bit concerned about her, not buying into the walked-into-a-frame story. She had been fine when I left her, I thought before my gaze fell on the two males hunched back as they leant towards each other.

"With the number of times you two gossip about me I wonder how you two get anything done," I said and Ethan grinned at me.

"It's a secret. In other news, we found out why you were so eager to get home," he said and I didn't even bother to deny it.

"I'd pick her over any stupid party," I said as we walked into the kitchen and I headed straight for the fridge deciding to pick a drink before I went to find her.

"Woah, since when does Diana have a tattoo," Ethan asked and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion before finding them gaping at the window and I could feel myself choking on my breath, which was bad because I'd been sipping my drink.

So this is how it ends: BOY MEETS DEATH AFTER SIGHTING HALF NAKED GIRL, would be the headline of tomorrow's paper. I thought grumpily as Ethan rubbed on my back stifling a laugh that his whole face was turning red and I groaned. I'd never live this down, I thought letting my gaze peer once more outside the window and gulping harshly as I steadied myself against the counter. On her had to be the sexiest bikini I've ever seen held up by two thin straps that crisscrossed on the stomach and back and I wondered how they managed to hold up the weight of her full chest that now spilled to reveal the gorgeous skin of her plumps that I could actually see myself nestling on them, marveling at their softness.

The material of the bottom seemed to have a mind of its own as she stretched when she bent down to strap her sandals to her feet and pulled along with her revealing two round and full cheeks as it slipped in between them and I was sure I was having a heart attack, not really mentally prepared to be graced with this sight this soon as I caught on the previous mentioned tattoo. Roses not exactly similar to my own and yet the red roses on her arm in a half  contrasted greatly against her skin as did the white bikini. Fuck how could someone look so innocent and yet make my blood boil as desire coiled and curled in my loins and I could feel my blood rushing to my shaft and I cursed.

This has never happened before, I mean look at me. I was practically drooling, I thought closing my mouth before I concluded I didn't like her being seen like this by anyone else and I sent the two males on my side a daggered glare and they picked up on it. Well, Cody did, Ethan was just being Ethan.

"You're back? What took you so long?" She asked when I met her by the glass doors and my breath hitched at my throat. The view was much better up close and I was feeling parched. Very very parched as I took in her whole form.