Wasted Love with You (Wasted Love 1)

“You could’ve knocked on the door.”

“It took a high level of restraint not to.” A smile tugs at his lips, but he doesn’t let it stay. “Anyway, I need you to carefully listen to my instructions.”

“Nate is in the hospital,” I interrupt him. “Someone beat him up so badly that he’ll be in recovery for quite some time.”

“What a shame,” he says. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Are you really?”

“No.”

“Were you involved?” I ask.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Autumn.”

“I think you do.”

“Then I’m afraid you’re making an assumption.” The look in his eyes makes it all too clear that he’s well aware of what happened.

Staring at me, he tucks a few strands of hair behind my ear. Then he trails his thumb against my cheek.

“You can’t be two places at once, so I’ve decided to handle the second job that’s just come up.” He changes the subject. “The first one is far more important anyway.”

“I don’t want to ask you about Nate again, Ryder.”

“I don’t want you to either.” A smile returns to his lips. “It would actually make my day if you didn’t.”

Silence.

“The steps are ready now, sir.” The pilot clears his throat from behind us. “Ground transportation has arrived, as well.”

“Let’s discuss things outside.” Ryder motions for me to move in front of him.

“I’ll be right back,” he says to the pilot. “Tell Anna she can change the cabin for my return trip.”

The pilot shoots me a wary glance before following the order.

Ryder presses his hand against the small of my back as I make my way down, and then he leads me to a Tesla with tinted windows.

“You have until daybreak to drive to the Fort Lauderdale airport.” He opens the driver’s side door. “There’s a first-class ticket to New York’s LaGuardia in the glove box and your duffle bag is already in the trunk.”

“Wait, what?”

“Tell me which part I need to repeat.”

I look around and realize that we aren’t near a private hangar or an airport.

We’re in a deserted field and there are no other buildings around us. No other people either.

There’s nothing.

And suddenly, this sudden jaunt to nowhere, all to fly somewhere else, is making me question everything again.

Why couldn’t I fly directly from Seattle to New York?

“Because that’s not how this job works,” Ryder says, reading my mind. “Anyway, when you do get there, my most important asset will be delivered to you.”

“Can you give me a description?”

“You’ll know it when you see it,” he says. “A private jet will bring you back to me.”

“Can you tell me how to find your jet, then?”

“You’ll find it easily,” he says.

I blink, more confused than ever.

“Don’t talk to anyone, and call me if something goes wrong.” He looks into my eyes. “Are there any other questions about what I’m telling you to do?”

“I want to hear what the second job is,” I say. “I think I need to trade.”

“That’s not an option.” He looks amused. “Anything else?”

“Yeah.” I take a step back. “Tell me what I’m really doing for you and don’t hide it behind one of your metaphors.”

“Okay.” He brushes a few hair strands from my forehead. “You’re helping me with something crucial, and the only person hiding things is you.”

“Seriously?”

“I think that’s part of the reason why I’m so intrigued by you.” He slips a hand around my waist. “You’ve spent so much time trying to convince me that you’re out of your depth, but I don’t think you are… I think you’re a lot more cunning and complicated than you’re letting on.”

“Thank you for blatantly ignoring my request about metaphors.”

“Tell me that I’m wrong then,” he says, bringing his mouth closer to mine, whispering against my lips.

“What do you mean?”

“Say that you’re just a divorcee who married the wrong guy and wants to start life over on her own terms. Tell me that’s all there is to you and you’re not hiding a single goddamn thing from me.”

Silence.

“I thought so,” he says. “You have as many layers as I do, Autumn. You just hide them differently.”

Refusing to respond to that, I move past him and settle into the front seat.

Ryder shuts the door, and I sync my phone to the car’s system.

Gently tapping on the window, he motions for me to roll it down.

I oblige, and his eyes meet mine. “Yes?”

“Welcome to the Former Mob Girlfriends podcast, the place where we share stories of what it’s like to date a man in the mob.” A loud voice blares through the speakers. “All true and verified.”

Shit. Shit. Shit!

Ryder tilts his head to the side and my cheeks flush red.

“Today we’re sitting down with a woman who can tell you the first-hand struggles…”

I lean forward and violently tap the center screen, trying to change it.

“Men like this will never love you, will never give it up for you, and—”