“He sounds exactly like what every woman needs… even without a douchebag ex.”
She’s not wrong, but damn, if that doesn’t make me feel a twinge of jealousy. Even knowing what’s going on between us is just sex, the idea of him with someone else stings.
“Speaking of,” Hazel says, “Rick says hi.”
“How is he?”
“Missing you but glad you’re safe. Says the Rusty Nail isn’t the same without you.”
“The Rusty Nail?” I glance up to find Ryder standing next to the booth.
“My brother’s bar. Ember here used to perform there,” Hazel tells Ryder.
“Oh, really? And exactly what did you perform?” He takes a seat next to Hazel.
“Nothing.”
“Secrets don’t make friends,” Ryder tells me with a playful smile.
“And friends don’t have sex, so if you want to keep your benefits, I suggest you drop it.”
“She sang. She’s amazing. Haven’t you ever heard her?” Hazel continues on, not allowing the conversation to drop.
“Once. When she was cooking. It wasn’t nearly enough. Maybe you could give me a private performance tonight? Another… benefit of our arrangement.” Ryder’s smug, handsome face infuriates me.
“In your dreams,” I tell him.
The sound of something crashing emerges from the kitchen. The three of us glance in the direction of the sound to find an irate Edgar staring at us. Even when Ryder makes eye contact with him, he doesn’t shirk away.
“What’s that guy’s problem?” he asks.
“That’s Edgar. He’s got one hella crush on our girl,” Hazel says. “It’s a little scary.”
“He’s harmless.” Far from it. I still haven’t forgotten that day in the storage closet. I’m still not sure what he was trying to do—hurt me or scare me. Still, the last thing that I need is for Ryder to get involved. It would only make matters worse.
“He will be when I’m done talking to him.” Ryder stands, his eyes never leaving Edgar.
I hurry out of my seat and step in front of him. “Don’t do this. It’s fine, really. I’m never even here.”
Ryder’s eyes drop to me, then look back up at Edgar. He smirks at him, then pulls me in for a toe-curling kiss.
I shove him off of me. “What the hell was that?”
“I was showing him—”
“Who I belong to? Fuck you, Ryder. I don’t belong to anyone.” Not anymore. Never again. Storming out of the diner, I stalk off down the street.
“You want to tell me what the fuck just happened in there?” Ryder’s voice shouts after me.
“Leave me alone.” His hand grabs my arms to stop me, and I jerk it away. “Don’t touch me.”
His hands release me. “Tell me what I did.”
“You turned into a possessive caveman. That’s what you did.”
“I was just—”
“I don’t care what you were trying to do. I don’t belong to anyone.”