Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Gracie

" I f it goes down," Ryker says when we're riding in the back of the taxi the next morning, "you stay behind me. You keep your head down. You do exactly what I say. Do you understand?"

I look at him for a long moment and then nod.

"You can conduct the interview however you'd like," he says as we roll down the busy highway. "But I'm in charge of security. What I say goes once we're in there."

My initial instinct is to argue with him, but I know he just wants to keep me safe. If it was up to him, we'd be on a plane back to the United States. He's compromising just being here. I can compromise too and let him call the shots once we're in the compound.

He tried one last time to get me to back out this morning, but when he saw the determination in my eyes, he just nodded and said I can count on him. I'm really glad he's here. Now that we're on the way, my nerves are starting to act up. I'm not as brave as I was back in the hotel. It feels nice to know I have someone watching my back. Someone who's willing to die for me.

"What about him?" I ask, motioning to his chest with my eyes.

"What about who?"

"Your furry friend," I say. "Is he going to make an appearance?"

"If he makes an appearance, then things have gotten really bad."

"So, he won't come out then?"

Ryker shrugs those big shoulders. "Maybe. I don't know."

"Oh god," I say with a groan. " Please don't let your grizzly bear out while I'm interviewing Hector Contreras."

"I won't," he says with a firm nod.

"Thank you."

"Unless I have to."

"What does that mean?"

He shrugs. "It means what it means."

"Which means??"

He sighs as he glances out the window. "The plan is we go in, we do the interview, and we leave. That's what's going to happen."

"And if your grizzly bear does come out?"

He looks at me with those intense brown eyes and I shiver despite the hot weather. An image of his head between my legs flashes through my mind and I swallow hard.

Once he took me off the ice machine last night, I practically ran back to my room and locked the door. I'm not sure if he stayed in the hall all night, but it took everything I had not to invite him in.

So far this morning, I've acted like nothing happened. He's been playing along even though the air around us feels charged with a sexual energy.

"Do I have to worry about your bear if he comes out?" I ask. "Would he hurt me?"

"No," he says with a fierceness in his tone. "Never. He'll be protective of you. He adores you already, I can feel it."

"You can feel it? Where?"

"Everywhere. I feel his happiness radiating through my body. I feel all of his emotions and he can feel all of mine. He can't wait to meet you. He's already obsessed."

A grizzly bear obsessed with me? I'm not sure how to feel about that.

"Five minutes," the driver says in a thick accent.

I touch my tingling neck which keeps getting worse for some reason and check that I have my notes and the camera for the hundredth time.

Ryker notices my fidgeting and he puts his big comforting hand on my bouncing leg. It calms me immediately.

"I got you," he says. "You just focus on doing the best interview you can."

"Thank you," I whisper as I look up at him. I'm so happy he's here.

I can tell he's going to do what he can to keep me safe. If anyone can protect me from these dangerous men, it's him. I think I'll be okay.

Now that my heart has slowed, I relax in the seat a little and look at him. He's wearing black cargo pants, black boots, and a white buttoned-up shirt with his sleeves rolled up. He looks like a total badass.

Maybe we should turn this taxi around, head back to the hotel, and break my bed. We could have the best two days of our lives before we have to head back home to different parts of the country. It's a tempting thought…

"We're here," the driver says as he pulls into a private airport. "No pictures."

I look out the window as we pass a row of planes of all different sizes. One propellor plane that catches my eye has bullet holes in the fuselage.

Ryker takes my hand and gives it a comforting squeeze as the driver parks beside a helicopter. The pilot is already inside and the rotor blades are spinning. It's very loud.

"You go in there," the driver shouts, pointing to the helicopter.

"Thank you for the ride," I say as I grab my bag and step out. Ryker hurries around the car and is quickly by my side. He leads the way and opens the door to the helicopter, keeping his hands on me while I get in.

I'm expecting the pilot to hand us those headphone things so we can talk, but he doesn't even turn around. As soon as Ryker closes the door, the helicopter lifts into the air and we fly away.

"Oh shit," I whisper to myself as I look out the window at the busy highway below. "This isn't like my interview with the CEO in his cushy office. This is a whole other world.

And there's no going back now.