Chapter Ten

Everlie

"I still can't believe he's taking you out again, even after you refused to put out," Tori muttered over breakfast the next morning. I rolled my eyes and ignored her. It was my day off, and I wasn't going to let her negativity—that smacked of jealousy—throw me off. "Where are you going tonight? A private jet to Italy?"

"Tori," I warned, eying her over the magazine I was studying while my cereal got soggy.

She held my gaze for a moment, and then finally dropped it. "You're right, I'm sorry. I'm just bitchy ‘cause I'm not getting any…"

"I'm sorry that Bennett left like he did. I tried to get Ryker to tell me more, but all he'd say was that he was gone." It was the only thing I could really offer to her. It was actually surprising that she was so hung up on it, normally two or three days was all she wanted, before she got bored and went off in pursuit of a new fling.

Tori sighed. "I can't believe that I let myself get caught up in it…in him…I know better," she ranted, more to herself than to me. I put the magazine aside and listened, stirring my whole wheat puffs in a slow circle. "I had this crazy, stupid idea that he was gonna show up somewhere. Like, be in the audience at my show, and I could dance for him, it would be fucking hot as hell, and we'd go fuck in my dressing room or something…" she trailed off, staring past me, lost in her fantasy world.

"Sounds like a real fairy tale…" I said under my breath. The funny thing was…for Tori, that was her idea of a fairy tale. The fact that she was pining for a guy was big news.

"Whatever, I'll go out tonight and find someone new," she resolved, flicking her gaze back to me after a few more moments of thoughts. She shrugged her shoulders, as though letting it roll off her back, and then squared them in my direction. "Maybe it's time to switch back to dating women, just swear off men. For good this time."

I laughed. "You remember how that went last time?"

"Well, I can only keep myself occupied for so long with my goodie box." She winked at me and my cheeks warmed. Tori hadn't been shy about her self-indulgent times, and very early on in our friendship had given me a tour of the small chest in her closet she kept stocked with sex toys in every shape, size and color. It had been an eye opening experience for me, and if I was honest, a little intimidating. Tori laughed as I squirmed in my seat. "Don't worry—I know you only have eyes for Ryker."

I was about to object, to insist that it wasn't serious, but couldn't find the words to explain what exactly was going on between us. If I'd been confused before our date the night before, then I was double-confused afterward.

"Just be careful, Ev," Tori said, her voice and expression shifting as the amusement fell away. "Remember that guys like Bennett, and Ryker, aren't the type you take home to your family. Ryker's a nice guy, and obviously, he's invested, I mean he bought you diamonds for God's sake, but he isn't a guy that can be tamed. He's not gonna be some doting boyfriend who buys you tampons and ice cream when you're moody."

I blinked at her, once again, unsure what to say to retort her statement. "I—I know that. It's not like I'm falling for him or something."

Tori considered me for a moment, and then nodded slowly. "Okay. Just remember, Ev, guys like him will say and do anything in the beginning, but it's not real."

I looked down, unable to hold my composure under her firm stare. I stirred my mess of cereal that had passed the point of being edible, so I got up, dumped it down the garbage disposal and excused myself. "I'm going to go to the gym for a little while. Will you be here when I get back? I could use some help with my makeup later."

Tori smiled. "Well of course!"

I nodded at her and disappeared before she could say anything else to dampen my spirits and cast doubt on my new relationship with Ryker, if it could even be called that. I changed into leggings, a sports bra and a light weight tank top and went to the gym to use the treadmill. I worked out all day at my job, but went to the gym on my days off to get the endorphin kick. A high that was particularly important with my mind so full and stressed.

Tori's warning rattled through my mind as I ran, each thought highlighted with the sound of the machine tracking under my feet, and the steady beat of my shoes landing with each stride. I knew that I shouldn't let Tori's words affect me. She didn't have relationships, she had flings, and since that wasn't what I was looking for, her advice wasn't particularly helpful. However, something about it this time rang true and I couldn't push it away as easily as I usually did. She'd known Bennett for a few days, and I could only wonder what he'd told her about Ryker. Somehow, I'd pictured their time together hadn't exactly been filled with meaningful conversation. But still…the more I turned it over, the more it made sense, that Bennett had said something that made Tori think Ryker had ulterior motives in his pursuit of me. And if that was true, I needed to know what had been said.

I cut my workout short, and went back across the apartment complex, and back up the two flights of stairs to our apartment. Tori was still lounging at the small dining table and her eyebrows shot up when I walked in the front door, barely sweating. "That was short. Was that creeper guy down there again?"

I shook my head. "What did Bennett tell you about Ryker?"

"What do you mean?"

"You guys spent a lot of time together. He didn't say anything about Ryker in all that time?" I put my hands on my hips and waited.

"Don't get all huffy with me, Ev! Bennett and I weren't together to gossip about our friends and braid each other's hair. God." Tori stood and shoved her chair back in.

"So, he didn't tell you anything about Ryker?" I dropped my hands from my hips. I could usually tell when Tori was lying, but she wasn't showing any of the signs. If anything, she was annoyed with me for asking.

"No, Ev. It was actually the opposite. Neither of them said much of anything. I mean, do you even know anything about Ryker? Like, where did he grow up? Are his parents still around? Siblings?" Tori paused, waiting for me to answer her questions, but I realized I couldn't. After a beat, she continued, "I don't know one thing about Bennett. And I sure as hell don't know anything about Ryker!"

"Then how do you know he's some scummy guy who is just lying to me to get me to sleep with him?" I fired back.

Tori laughed. "Ev, really? He's a single guy, here to party for a week or whatever, he meets a hot girl, I don't think I need to tell you what he's interested in."

"So, what? If I sleep with him then he's just going to vanish?"

Tori shrugged. "I don't know for sure, but I want to prepare you that it's a real possibility. I mean, do you know anyone who met their soul mate in Vegas?"

I couldn't argue with her. It wasn't exactly known as the city of everlasting love.

* * * *

Tori and I made peace by the time I started getting ready for my date, and she helped me get ready, and checked her cynical comments at the door—for which, I was extremely thankful—and we were back to our giggling, happy selves by the time I was all dolled up in another borrowed dress.

"You look hot, Ev," Tori said, giving me her final assessment. "Do you think tonight is the night?"

I'd been expecting the question as she'd been dancing around it all night, but still didn't have an answer. After the night before, how far things had gone—and how much more I wanted to do—I was becoming more comfortable with the idea, but couldn't give a for sure answer…yet.

I shrugged my reply and Tori gave me a wicked grin. "You do! Oh, you little slut! You're gonna have the ride of your little Southern Belle life!"

My cheeks went five shades of red and I shoved her shoulder playfully. "Stop! You're just going to make me more nervous."

"You don't have to be nervous, Ev. A guy like Ryker will take care of you. Just follow his lead."

Somehow, I knew she was right. From the glimmer I'd had the night before, it was obvious that Ryker was a man who knew what he wanted, and that he would make sure I was taken care of as well.

"How long has it been?" Tori asked, following me out to the living room.

I stalled, checking my phone for messages.

"Ev?"

"What?"

Tori just stared at me.

"Three years…"

Tori's jaw dropped open.

I rolled my eyes. "I haven't really done this whole thing. There was this one guy, when I first moved here, I was almost twenty and figured I should just see what all the hullabaloo was about…"

Tori sputtered for a moment, before she could form her question. "And? What happened?"

"We did it," I answered. "It was…nice. I don't know. I guess it wasn't what I expected and didn't leave me chomping at the bit for more."

"Wow!" Tori sank down into a chair, as though her legs couldn't hold her up anymore. "Does Ryker know?" She asked, shifting her eyes back to mine.

"No! Of course not!"

She smiled. "Oh wow, he's gonna flip. You're basically a virgin!"

"Okay, done talking about this. Ryker is gonna be here soon. I don't need you freaking me out even more."

"Okay, okay. I'm done. I swear." She mocked zipping her lips, and we waited in a thick silence for the sound of the doorbell.

Minutes stretched on, and when it was ten minutes past the time he'd said he'd arrive, I dared another look at my phone, wondering if I'd missed a message or call—even though I'd been sitting within a few feet of it.

"Maybe there was traffic…" Tori offered.

I nodded and assured myself that was the explanation, but that excuse faded away as the half hour mark approached.

"He's not coming," I announced, when his face popped up on my smart phone screen. "Ryker?" I answered.

"Yeah, text me your address again please, I'm running a little late. I'll be there in a few."

"Okay. I'll do it now. I was starting to wor—"

"—don't worry, I'm on my way. Be there soon."

"Okay, see you then. Bye." I pushed the end button on my phone and sat back with a sigh.

An hour ticked by. I was starting to worry again. "I'm going to call him," I mumbled to myself and grabbed for my phone. I pressed his name on my phone, and lifted the phone to my ear in time to hear:

"—the number you've dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Please check the number and try your call again."

Click.

"Well?" Tori said.

I shook my head and tried again only to get the same message. I had no idea what was going on, but one thing was obvious. Either Ryker had done a complete 180 on his feelings towards me…or something was very, very wrong.

And the worst part of it all—I had no way of finding out which one it was.

* * * *

Continued in Knight Moves Book 2!