Even though it seemed in the three years that I hadn’t seen my parents they had changed, I couldn’t shake the feeling that one wrong word and they would behave as they had before, when I was a teenager. Cold and uncaring about anything to do with my wants and needs. Ryer had brought in the bags well I helped my mother prepare dinner. My father showed him to the spare room, and I was told my room was still there for me.

Ryer hovered around me for a while well I helped my mother and for some reason that was getting under my skin. I had to stop and take a deep breath before I lost my shit on him. I was the one who was uncomfortable in this home and that was probably the main reason for my annoyance.

My mother picked a nice wine for dinner that complimented the pasta dish she had made. I was looking forward to the alcohol for the relaxation I needed to be here. Ryer helped set the table well I brought the dishes to the table. So far things had gone ok.

Sitting down for dinner Ryer sat to my left and chatted with my father about special ops stuff. I ignored the whole conversation because I didn’t care even a touch to talk about that shit. Sipping the wine in my glass my father spoke to me.

“Sasha, The Bradford’s daughter is back in town for a while. You should go see her, it’s been years.”

“Holly. I’ll pass on that.”

“You guys were good friends, you really should have dinner and catch——”

“If I wanted to catch up with Holly Bradford, I would walk my ass across the street and ask her. I’m not even slightly interested in her, or even having dinner with her. ”

“Sasha you don’t have to speak to your father that way.” My mother said sharply.

“I have only been here for eight hours and you both have politely reminded me that I’m in my thirties and single and not getting any younger and now, Father is trying to suggest I rekindle something I have no interest in. So excuse me if I’m annoyed with it.”

“Sasha we are only trying to help you not be alone.”

“I am just fine being alone. Thanks.”

“Sasha you need to look at starting a relationship with someone. You can’t be alone forever.”

Tossing back the rest of the wine in my cup, I sighed.

“I can and will be alone for as long as I want to. I don’t need someone else to worry about, I have enough shit of my own to worry about. When I want human contact, I know where to get it, I have plenty of friends who would be more than happy to help with whatever I asked.”

“Sasha!” My mother held her hand to her chest, in shock. My father frowned. Ryer was tight-lipped as well.

“Excuse me.”

I left the table. I didn’t wait for Ryer, because something told me he wasn’t coming with me. Which was just fine. I was a grown-ass man and didn’t need him to follow me. Heading to my room, I unzipped my bag and dug around for my headphones. My room hadn’t changed since the last time I had stayed here. Tucking my headphones in, I laid back on the bed and closed my eyes. I wasn’t really paying attention to the music in my ears as much as thinking about sneaking out the window and fucking off for a bit.

Figuring that was going to hurt, I settled for the other thing that was going to be painful. Pacing around my room endlessly. The door of my room opened, and I expected Ryer, but it was my father.

I pulled a headphone out and waited for him to speak.

“Can we talk?”

“You are more than welcome to talk.”

“I’m sorry about my comment. I didn’t mean to make it sound like I was forcing you to seek her out. I thought maybe it would change your mind about not needing anyone. That’s not healthy Sasha and I know I’m to blame for that reason you care more about your career than anything else. After all, I pushed that on you.”

“I meant what I said, I have enough of my own problems. I don’t need to worry about someone else, trust me.”

He frowned softly but spoke again.

“If you have so much going on, then open up to me about it and maybe I can help.”

Ryer opened the door as I lost it on my father.

“Help me? You want to help me now? You do not know what I’m even doing right now, you know nothing. You have not even an inch of understanding about what I do in lake-haven—-”

“Sasha that is enough,” Ryer said sternly cutting me off. His eyes were serious when they met mine and I knew why, he was worried I was going to say the words ‘I work for the mafia’ and then it would be out of the bag.

“Then tell me, Sasha. Tell me what you do in Lake-Haven.”

“I work for the police force, doing a number of things. When I’m not there I work with Ryer on private matters.”

“I’m assuming you can’t tell me what the private matters are.”

“Sasha doesn’t have the clearance to speak about the private matters,” Ryer said. Looking at my father softly. My father clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Just be safe. Lake-Haven has a reputation.” My father said, before looking at Ryer again and leaving.

Ryer waited till the door was shut and you couldn’t hear my father in the hallway anymore.

“Just what the hell were you thinking! You were going to tell him about all the shit back home!”

“You are accusing me of something I wasn’t going to do.”

“Am I because to me it looked good and well like you were going to say you worked for the mafia!”

“Keep yelling about it and both of my fucking parents are going to know about the shady business we are both involved in.”

“Sasha—-”

“Thanks for not trusting me, Ryer.”

“Sasha that’s not—-”

“Save it, I just don’t care.”

“That’s bullshit!”

“Don’t yell at me, Ryer. Or you can just get the fuck out of my room.”

“I have put up with a lot of your shit Sasha and I have fucking had it. If you were anyone else than who you are, I would have punched you in the mouth.”

“What’s stopping you huh!”

Ryer closed the space between us and grabbed my chin roughly, His lips brushed mine before he let me go and stomped from the room. The hard-on between my legs was just the beginning of how fucked up all this was. I wanted to go after Ryer and make him fight with me or fuck me, but neither was a good idea here and now. I was also bitter about the fact he didn’t trust me not to spill the beans on the mafia shit.

Annoyed. Anger. Lust. Bitter.

These were all things I felt standing under the spray of the hot water of the showerhead. The water was hot enough to turn my skin pink and it felt like a dream on my spine but nowhere else.

Getting out of the shower, I towelled off the best I could before getting dressed in sweat pants and a tank top. My back was feeling ok so I stomped down the hall to the room where Ryer was, but he wasn’t in the room. I checked to make sure his stuff was still here and when it was, I relaxed a little bit. I hated to admit that I was worried he would just up and leave. But I had been.

The closed door to the bathroom and the sound of the shower were all I needed to know where he was. I shoved back the blanket on the bed and tucked myself into the queen-sized bed. I had no doubts that Ryer was going to be annoyed to see me, but he had also kissed me. Again. But this time I had to convince myself I hated it, and I didn’t want more. Hell, I still wasn’t sure if I wanted him to fight me or fuck me. But the latter seemed to be the more reasonable thing out of both options.

Ryer didn’t say anything as he left the bathroom, he waited until he was dressed to speak to me.

“Sure you want to be here? I’d hate for your parents to think you were romantically involved with me.”

I kept my mouth shut. Even though there was plenty I could say back to that. The only thing I was doing if they saw me was proving my mother right about what she had seen.

“I’m only here to steal your warmth.”

“That’s the lie you’re going to tell yourself tonight?”

I clicked my tongue at him. He just shook his head as he went and flicked off the light in the room. He slipped into the bed and turned his back to me.

“Ryer. When I’m medically clear. I need a favour. Fight me or fuck me because I have a lot of feelings I’m not sure what to do with,”

“Then figure them out on your own. They are your problem, not mine.”