Lorna leads me to the furthest room in the house. The bags I brought with me is already in the room. There are towels already in the small private bathroom attached to the room. I walk to the bathroom to avoid dripping on the carpet. I take off my clothes and let it drop into the bath. It is soaking wet. I cannot even leave it on the floor. It would cause a puddle to form around it.
I put my shoes next to the bath. Any shoe with this much water damage is ruined anyway. The bathroom is beautifully decorated. The tiles are a rich shade of cream with deep chocolate brown patterns. I walk into the shower to turn the water on. The water is instantly perfect. I stand beneath the hot stream of water for some time, letting my body absorb the heat.
I wash my hair and stand for a few moments more before I wash my body. I turn the water off and wrap a small towel around my hair. I take one of the bath sheets to wrap around my body and step out of the shower. I feel refreshed and relaxed. I stand in front of the mirror when the bathroom door opens and Ryan walks in absentmindedly. My reactions are way too slow. I can only stand and stare at him as he enters the bathroom while talking on his phone.
His clothes are as wet as mine was. Every step he takes leaves a wet mark on the floor. His shirt is moulded to his body. I can see his muscles through his shirt and I can tell he has been working out. He loosens his tie and pulls it from his neck. He walks the few steps to the bath to drop his wet tie in and sees my wet heap of clothes already in the bath.
He seems distracted and listening intently at the person on the other side of the phone. He turns around and notices me for the first time since walking in.
I clutch the towel to myself, making sure everything is covered. Ryan stands staring at me for a few moments and then nods.
"Yes, thank you. I appreciate the update." He tells the person on the phone. "I will speak to you soon"
He ends the call and walks the few steps towards me. He puts the phone on the counter next to the basin behind me before placing his arms on either side of me on the counter behind me. Deliberately caging me in. His face is close to mine when he whispers.
"Alone at last"
My heart starts to race at those words. He was waiting for us to be alone also?
I can feel the cold coming from him. His body must be freezing.
"You need to warm up" I tell him as I place my hand on his cheek. His skin is ice cold. He turns his face, pressing his cheek into my hand while closing his eyes. This tender side of Ryan is what I missed most. It is the only side of him I can really remember. I cannot remember him ever losing his temper or mistreating me. This is the only way I know him. Soft, tender, caring Ryan.
He looks at me again and smiles faintly. He nods and moves away from me.
He stands in front of me when he starts to take his shirt off. He is even more beautiful than I remember. His muscles are toned and his skin is tanned. He looks really good. I only realise how much I am staring at him when he starts to undo his belt. I realise I shouldn't be staring and quickly look away from him.
"Aww. Don't look away little lamb." Ryan tells me in his soft crooning voice. The smile on his lips is pure sin. He knows he looks good.
I look him in his eyes. I will not fall to his bait. Even if it is damn hard not to.
He undoes his pants and bends to take it off. He turns to drop it in the bath with the other wet clothes. His briefs are also soaking wet. The man was absolutely drenched. I give him a daring stare to take his briefs off as well.
He lifts an eyebrow, seeing my challenging look and immediately bends to take off his briefs.
He stands up and tosses his briefs in the bath. It takes all my strength to look him straight in the eye. I will not fail this test he is putting me under. I clench my teeth and set my jaw. This man is taunting me. He is going to win at this rate. I have never had a lot of self-control when it came to him.
He takes one step closer to me.
"Don't be so tough little lamb." He says as he lowers his head to my shoulder, placing a soft kiss on it with his cold lips. Every nerve in my body lights up instantly.
He slides his hand around my middle and trails kisses up my neck.
"Tell me to stop" he whispers in my ear.
My mind starts forming the words, but my mouth will not say them. I let my head fall back to expose my throat to Ryan. He gently bites my throat, scraping his teeth over my skin. In that moment I know, I am lost.
I unclench my hands from around my body and slide them under Ryan's arms to his back. I pull myself tightly against him and moan softly as he tightens his grip around my body. He pulls my hip and presses against me. I can feel his arousal through the thick towel.
He trails soft kisses on my jawline while kneading my hip with his hand. His touch feels divine. His mouth hovers over mine.
"Last chance, little lamb" he whispers softly. His voice is gruff with need.
"Be the wolf, Ryan" I whisper against his lips.
It is all he needed to give into every need he felt. He covers my mouth with his and claim me with a kiss filled with need and possession. His hands grip my hips as he pushes his body against mine, pinning me between himself and the basin counter.
His kiss is all consuming. I moan into his mouth. Need coursing though my body.
"Time to shed this wool" he tells me as he tugs the towel from my body. He lifts me onto the basin counter and claims me completely.
* * * * *
I lay in Ryan's arms on the large king-sized bed in the bedroom. We took another shower together and somehow made it to the bed. He wraps his arms around me and holds me tightly to him as if he is afraid I would leave. I lay snuggled against his chest.
"Rachel" he says softly as he hugs me again.
"Ryan?" I answer lazily.
"I tried to keep you safe. I didn't mean to abandon you." He tells me in a soft voice.
"I promised Marcella I would stay away from you if she would leave you alone. She promised she would not touch you. I took Marcella on various vacations and spent months on end with her, keeping her busy and occupied so she would forget her vendetta against the girls in our lives. It seemed to work really well for a long time."
I rub his back gently while he talks. My heart twists in my chest and I bite back on my tears.
"About two years ago she seemed to catch on. She disappeared one night and from there on I have dedicated my life to searching for her. I have no idea where she is. I developed a security system that tracks people. I have developed a security company like no other. I am the best in my field but still I cannot find her."
Ryan sighs.
"When Greyson came across Ellie, he contacted me that evening. He told me that he cannot live this life anymore. We gave up the women we love to protect them but their lives fell apart. Ellie had to make some really awful choices in her life for the sake of survival. Ava lives a life lesser to her abilities. Bailey was the lucky one, really. Brandon bought the company where she works to keep an eye on her. Brandon never really listened to me anyway.
It's just me that failed. I was so busy keeping Marcella busy I never looked you up to see if you were okay. I kept my promise to Marcella but she didn't really keep her promise to me. Even though she didn't harm you personally she did make sure your dreams failed."
I hug Ryan tightly.
"You are not responsible for the things Marcella did. I appreciate that you tried to protect everyone. I think you did well after all."
I snuggle into Ryan and the conversation falls silent. He has sacrificed the last ten years of his life to keep his mother busy.
We both drift off into a deep sleep.