“Stop,” Jackson ordered. “I don’t want to know what the two of you are doing. Right now, I can’t even think about any of that—you’re in danger, Tatum,” he said. Ryder took the phone from her and she sighed knowing that her alpha caveman was going to take charge of the rest of the conversation and there would be nothing she could do about it.
“What’s the plan, Hart?” Ryder asked. He knew her brother and Jackson always had a plan.
“Can you both meet me at Savage Hell in about an hour?” he asked. “Some of the guys will be there to come up with a plan. I’m worried since I’m not the only one the Anarchy Kings are coming for.”
“We’ll be there,” Ryder said. Tatum took her cell phone back from him.
“I won’t be able to make it, Jackson. I have a new job and I’m opening today,” she said. There would be no way that she’d give up her new job—she finally found one that she loved and fucking it up wasn’t part of the plan.
“Wrong,” her brother barked into the phone. “Maybe you didn’t hear the part where your life is in danger, Tatum,” he said.
“Oh, I heard it but I won’t fuck up my chances to keep my new job. I like it and not showing up will piss off my new boss,” she said.
“Jackson is right,” Ryder said. “I won’t put your life in danger over a job. We’ll be there.”
“Ryder,” she growled. “You can’t make that decision for me. I already have one overbearing, bossy man in my life, I don’t need two.”
“I’ll call your new boss, Honey,” he said. “He likes me.” Ryder bobbed his eyebrows at her and despite her anger, she found herself giggling.
“See you both in an hour,” Jackson said and ended the call, not giving Tatum a chance to argue further.
“Shit,” she grumbled and tossed her phone onto the bed. Ryder pulled her onto his lap.
“I’m sorry, Baby,” he said. “I know you hate to be bossed around, but I won’t lose you because we don’t play this right. If your brother says you’re in danger, I believe him. Hart’s got a pretty good nose for this kind of shit and I trust him with my own life—and yours. I care about you, Tatum,” Ryder admitted. “Please.” Hearing him say that he cared about her made her heart do a little flip flop in her chest. She cared about him too, as crazy as that sounded, since they had only known each other a few weeks now.
Tatum wished she had a girlfriend to talk to but she didn’t. She was pretty much a loner, besides her mother and her brother. Losing her mom, she lost one of her best friends and that had her feeling very alone. Her mother would have known what she should do. She would have given her some sound advice to help her navigate this thing she had going on with Ryder. She couldn’t talk to Jackson about her relationship with Ryder if that was what they were calling whatever was happening between the two of them. Her brother wouldn’t want to hear about everything they had been up to, he made that very clear.
“Fine,” she said. “I’ll call Jack and let him know what’s going on. I won’t lie to him, but I’ll keep the details to a minimum.” She knew the drill. Having an older brother who was a detective taught her a few things along the way.
Ryder picked up her cell from the bed and handed it back to her. “Let’s get this over with and get dressed. We’ll need to head out soon.”
She took the phone and rolled her eyes, “You might be bossier than my brother,” she teased.
“Get used to it, Honey,” Ryder said. “You haven’t seen anything yet. I’ve been holding back with you until now.”