Wildcard: Volume Three

“No reason,” I grin. “You put Jake all the way up one end of the house and you and I at the other. Just an observation.”

“Do you really need me to explain that to you?” he smirks, his mouth pressing against mine. “I plan to make you squeal tonight.”

I laugh and pull away from him. After a fourteen-hour flight, sex is the last thing on my mind. My body is craving a hot shower, and I plan to give in.

“Can you take the rest of my things to my room while I take a shower?”

“I can,” he says, a glint in his eye, “or we can say fuck the luggage and I can join you?”

I laugh and shake my head. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m tired, I smell, and I do not want to share my shower with you right now.”

“Your shower?” he teases.

“For the next half hour.” I pause. “Or perhaps an hour, it is my shower.”

Chapter Eight

Ryder

What the fuck?

I sit down on the end of the bed in her room. Her bags spill from my hands as I focus on the message on the phone in my hands.

I can’t believe this.

Her message tone is the same as mine, and I honestly thought it was my phone when I picked it up and read the message. I read it over and over, and each time the pounding in my heart increases.

Penny: Glad to hear you arrived safely, but you need to relax. He’s not going to find out. You’ve made sure of that, okay? Tony is out of the picture. You can move on.

My fingers tap back a reply. My stomach is a mass of knots. I listen out for the sound of the shower, my breathing heavy. I’m not proud of what I’m doing, but I need to know what’s going on, and this might be my only chance.

Me: How sure are you that Tony’s gone? What if he comes back? What if he tells Ryder?

Penny’s response is instant. I cannot believe I’m invading her privacy like this. I’m disgusted at myself, but I can’t stop. I need to know she’s okay.

Penny: Scar, he’s not coming back. Ten grand has made sure of that; trust me. For what it’s worth, I think Ryder would understand. He loves you. I’m sure he’s done plenty he’s not proud of.

Me: I know, but I’m terrified of losing him. I want to tell him, but what would I say?

My finger taps my leg as I wait for her to reply. Come on. Spit it out, Penny. My heart jumps into my throat as I hear the water turn off. Fuck. My fingers are shaking as I quickly delete the entire conversation. I slip Scarlett’s phone back into her bag and skulk out of the room.

Fuck! Shit, shit, shit. What the hell have I just done?

I pace the hallway, my hands laced behind my head. She’s going to reply. She’s going to reply to my fucking question, and Scar is gonna know. Oh, God, this is not good.

Scar walks out of the bathroom, a white towel wrapped around her body. Her hair is tied up in a messy bun on the top of her head. She smiles and wraps her arms around me, kissing my lips. I smile back, my heart thudding. All I can think about is how I need to read that message before she does.

Why the fuck did I put her phone back? Hell, she could’ve gone days thinking she’d lost her phone, and it would have aroused no suspicion at all.

“Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be ready. Can you check on Jake?” she asks.

“Sure.” My voice sounds foreign to me. I feel like I want to be sick. My body goes from hot to cold as sweat films my skin.

Scar glances at me closely. “Are you okay? You don’t look very good.”

“I’m fine.” I force a smile. “Let’s hurry up. Mum is expecting us.” My only hope now is that she doesn’t check her phone before we get to Mum’s. Once we’re there, I can hijack her bag and fix this mess.

***