25. This was Where He was Meant to Be

CHAPTER 25

This was Where He was Meant to Be

" E xplain this game to me one more time?" Brynleigh fiddled with the zipper of her scarlet sweater.

She'd styled her hair in a slick golden ponytail that hung down her back, and every time she turned around, Ryker envisioned wrapping his fist around it and pulling her against him.

He discretely adjusted himself. This wasn't the moment for those types of thoughts. Their guests were a few minutes out.

Still, he had to touch her. He couldn't stop touching her. Not since their kiss and subsequent conversation last night. Catching her fingers in his, he held her hand and drew her close.

"It's simple, really. Two teams play in a large, enclosed arena. It's filled with obstacles and targets, and the team with the highest points at the end of the fourth quarter wins."

Brynleigh frowned. "They get points by shooting lasers at each other?"

Between her tone and raised brow, it was clear that she didn't understand the point of the game.

"Not each other, the targets," Ryker explained patiently.

There were offensive and defensive positions, and some targets were worth significantly more than others .

"But people can get shot." She seemed hung up on that, which was delightfully ironic considering her line of work.

Ryker smirked. "It's a sport, sweetheart. Sometimes, people get hurt, but the athletes are highly trained and get paid a lot of money to play. There are rules against intentionally hurting or blinding your opponents."

Not that those rules had always stopped the players. There were a few incidents over the years of laser athletes suffering career-ending injuries.

"Mhmm." She nibbled on her lip. "And this is… fun?"

"Very." Ryker squeezed her hands. "Players need to work together and implement various strategies to defeat the opposing team."

Her eyes lit up. "Like chess?"

"Yeah, exactly like that." Grinning, he glanced at the board on the coffee table. "Maybe we can play tomorrow?"

The responding smile that spread across Brynleigh's face made Ryker burn hotter than any fire ever had.

"I'd love that," she said.

He stepped towards her, unable to pull himself away from the magnetic draw of her stunning lips when a wet nose bumped into his leg.

Pausing, he looked down.

Marlowe stood with his leash in his mouth, his tail thumping eagerly as he looked between the fae and vampire.

"I'll take him," Brynleigh offered. "The sun's set. We'll walk around the block while you wait for River."

"Thank you." Ryker kissed her cheek before crouching. He hooked Marlowe's leash on his collar and looked the dog in the eye. "You listen to your mom, okay? Her word is just as good as mine."

Marlowe barked, saying what Ryker could only assume was a resounding, Yes, sir .

Straightening, Ryker handed Brynleigh the leash. "Don't let him pull you around. Show him who's boss."

"You got it, Captain."

Brynleigh gave him a mock salute and blew him a kiss as she headed out the door. Marlowe trotted eagerly behind her, happy to go outside .

Ryker watched them go, a grin on his face. His chest heated, and he rubbed a fist over his heart. It took him a moment to realize what he was feeling.

Happiness.

This was what he'd always wanted, ever since he'd made his Choice. Finally, it seemed like they would get the future he wanted. As long as everything worked out.

Ryker had just pulled a sweatshirt over his head when a knock came on the door. "Open up. Your favorite sister's here!"

He hurried through the apartment, moving a few pairs of shoes aside in the mud room before flinging open the door.

River beamed up at him. Like Brynleigh, his sister was wearing black leggings. Unlike the vampire, River wore a cropped navy blue and white jersey. A dragon flew across the front, the symbol of the Drahanian Dragons. The jersey was tied above River's belly button, showing off her newest piercing.

"Who says you're my favorite sister, Shortie?" Ryker teased, pulling her in for a hug.

She laughed, wrapped her arms around him, and squeezed. "I'm your only sister, so obviously, the title belongs to me."

Ryker chuckled as he pulled back and ruffled her hair. "I suppose that's true. How was training earlier?"

Two water fae Ryker trusted, Gabriel and Carson, were continuing with his sister's magical training while he dealt with the Black Night. Hopefully, he could get back to personally supervising her sessions once things died down.

"It went well. I told you, I've got my magic under control. Nothing bad will ever happen again." She jabbed him in the side. "Stop worrying about me."

"Never." Still, he released her. "What time is Ember coming?"

"The second quarter. She has a late class." River held up her phone, showing Ryker her text thread with the fire fae.

The background was a selfie of the two friends, Ember's glowing russet skin and midnight hair contrasting River's tan. The two fae were grinning, and there was an air of lightness about them that Ryker rarely saw around his sister .

"Wonderful." Ryker meant it.

He was pleased River had someone to confide in, especially since he knew how difficult life in Waterborne House could be.

River peered around him into the mud room. "Where's your wife?"

"She took Marlowe for a walk, but they'll be back soon." Ryker placed a hand on his sister's arm and waited until she looked at him before he continued, "Brynleigh's been through a lot over the past few weeks." Understatement of the century. "Try not to overwhelm her."

His sister's brown eyes widened, and she gasped. "Who, me? I would never ."

Yet, Ryker knew firsthand that River could very easily do that. At school, she was the quiet academic type, but she could be unhinged when it came to sports.

"I'm serious, River. I don't want you to scare her off." Especially not now, after last night.

River must have picked up on the seriousness of the situation because she swallowed.

"Okay. I understand. I'll be good." She smiled, gesturing to her feet. "I stopped and picked up a few snacks on my way."

Ryker's eyes widened. "A few?" Five overflowing cloth tote bags surrounded her. "We're not hosting the entire army."

She smirked, handing him several bags. "I know, but I got hungry and couldn't decide, so I bought everything that looked good."

He laughed. That was just like River. He loved her, but she had no concept of money.

Picking up the remainder of the bags, Ryker led his sister inside. They unpacked the snacks, putting them out while River updated her brother on the state of her life. She was halfway through a tale about an incident in her senior chemistry class earlier this week when another knock came on the door.

"Hello, anyone home?" Atlas's deep tenor was audible through the door.

Ryker grabbed a stack of colorful bowls from the cabinet that had been a housewarming gift from a teenage River when he first moved into the apartment.

"Come on in," he hollered.

Moments later, the door opened. Atlas came in first, carrying a case of beer in each hand. The tall redheaded earth fae wore a T-shirt despite the cold weather, showing off his tattoos.

"I'll put these on the balcony." He lifted the cases in demonstration. "The temperature is dropping fast. The winter will be long—the land is preparing for a cold snap."

When Ryker first met Atlas, he found it strange that the earth fae often spoke for the land. Now, it was just one of his friend's amusing little quirks.

Despite looking like he should be part of a dangerous gang, Atlas had a gentle side that he hid from the world. Even his students would never guess their tattooed professor could be soft outside of the classroom.

Thanking Atlas, Ryker set the bowls down as Nikhail entered the kitchen. The air fae placed two wine bottles on the counter before leaning against the marble.

"Hey, River, nice to see you," Nikhail said.

She turned from the fridge, smiling shyly at the air fae dressed in his signature suit.

"Hey, Nik. How are you?"

Something in River's tone had Ryker narrowing his eyes. His gaze danced between the two, and he glowered.

Whatever this was, he wasn't pleased about it. Nikhail was a good man, but he wasn't suitable for River.

At. All.

She deserved someone perfect, and Nikhail, for all his good qualities, was not that.

Frowning, Ryker glared at his best friend. This had better not be what he thought it was. He already had enough going on without dealing with his sister and his…

No. He wouldn't even entertain the thought.

Nikhail didn't seem to notice Ryker's displeasure as he dipped his head.

"I'm good. Glad to have a night off."

River chewed on her lip, the ring glinting from the artificial light in the kitchen. "You deserve it. You army folk work too hard, which says a lot, coming from a medical student."

The air fae shrugged and smiled.

Smiled!

Nikhail never did that.

"Well, you know. Someone's got to do it."

The pair stared at each other as if both had forgotten Ryker was standing in the kitchen with them. It was… wrong. All of this was wrong.

Ryker wanted to punch something and tear his sister away from Nikhail, but he didn't want to ruin the evening.

Thank the Blessed Black Sands, Atlas chose that moment to come back inside.

"Want a beer, River?" the professor called out. "The game's about to start."

"Yes, please." River grabbed a couple of bowls of salty snacks and hurried into the living room.

Nikhail stared at her as she left, which was…

Upsetting.

Ryker cleared his throat and scrubbed a hand over his face.

"Hey, man. You're not… with River…"

He couldn't even say the words.

Nikhail's gaze shot back to him, and he shook his head. "Gods, no. She's your little sister. We're just friends."

Just friends.

If Nikhail had been staring at anyone else like that, Ryker would've pointed out that friends didn't lock eyes the way the two of them just had. However, seeing as how Ryker would never, ever approve of his best friend and his sister in any sort of relationship, he didn't.

"I see," Ryker grumbled, unconvinced.

He would let it drop. For now.

"So, how are things with Brynleigh?" Nikhail asked, clearly trying to change the subject.

The water fae leaned his hip against the counter. "We're… good. Or at least, we're getting there."

"Really?" Nikhail's brows rose, surprise evident in his tone .

Ryker supposed that was fair. After all, he'd been a mess after finding his wife in the Pit.

"Yeah. I love her, Nik." He stared at the front door as if he could summon her with his thoughts. "Even with everything that happened, I still love Brynleigh. And I… I need her."

More and more with every passing day. He needed her like he needed air to breathe or water to drink. She had woven herself into the very fabric of his soul, and he couldn't imagine living without her. Not anymore.

Nikhail's gaze swept over his for a long moment before he dipped his head. "Good for you, Ryker. I'll admit, I've had my doubts about her, but if you say you love her?—"

"I do," he said gruffly. "She's my whole world."

Truth. He couldn't lie about this, even if he wanted to.

"Then you have my support." Nikhail clapped Ryker on the back. "No matter what. That's what friends do."

A few minutes later, Brynleigh and Marlowe came back.

Everyone was kind as they greeted her, and they settled on the couch as the game began.

A grin stretched across Ryker's lips as Brynleigh curled up next to him. River stretched out on the floor, pointing out her favorite players as they ran across the screen. Atlas and Nikhail claimed the armchairs, and Marlowe dozed by the door. Ember arrived, joining River on the floor, and together, they laughed and screamed every time the Dragons got a point.

By the time the game was over—the Dragons won—Ryker's cheeks hurt from grinning. Even the news that Jelisette had a job for Brynleigh tomorrow didn't shake him from his happiness.

This was where he was meant to be, the life he was meant to live, and it felt right .