AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Jayden!" My voice is sharper than I intend. Her green eyes snap to mine, wide with surprise—or is it excitement? I can't tell, and that bothers me more than it should.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing here?" I demand. This isn't where she belongs, surrounded by hungry pleasure-seeking men who’d swallow her whole without a second thought.
"Ryder?" There's a small tremor in her voice. No matter how much I try to fight it, Jayden Sommers matters, and the thought of her walking blindly into this makes my blood run cold.
"Come on, we're leaving." It's not a suggestion. My hand wraps around her wrist, maybe a little too tightly, but I need to get her out of here.
"Wait, I came here for a party." She tugs her arm back, but I pull it and her forward, further down the dock.
She tugs again, and this time I stop and square up to her.
"You came here for what? A party?" The skepticism in my voice is loud and clear.
"Yeah," she chirps. That one word is all innocence and naiveté but filled with an adventurous sparkle. "I heard it was the event of the season and would be fun."
"Fun?" I echo, the word tasting bitter on my tongue. Fun is a concept I've reduced to cold ice rinks and competition, not whatever that party had to offer.
Jayden, bless her heart, stands there in her sundress and cardigan, looking like she wandered off a beach postcard instead of into the Match Me Bunny's den.
She's got no idea. No clue about the hungry looks thrown her way. She's a lamb among wolves.
"Jayden, you're not..." I struggle to find words that won’t shatter her eagerness, "...dressed for this kind of party." My gaze sweeps over her again, taking in the freckles dusting her nose, and the way she's biting her lip.
"Is there a dress code?" She glances down at herself, then back up at me, her brows knitting together in confusion with a frown.
"Sort of," I admit, and it punches a hole straight through me, seeing her enthusiasm dim. There's an ache, deep in my chest. Ishouldn't care, but damn if I don't want to wrap her in a shield and keep her safe from this, from everything.
"Ryder?" She reaches out, her hand brushing mine, a jolt of electricity that grounds me in ways I can't explain bolts through me.
"Jayden, this isn't your scene." My tone has no room for argument. "You need to leave."
She blinks up at me. "I can't just go. I didn't bring my car. You know, in case I wanted to drink." She crosses her arms, and her posture tells me she's not budging easily.
"Damn it," I growl, frustration knotting in my chest. "That's irresponsible. Coming to a party alone, especially one like this."
"You don’t know me. Maybe I like trouble," she mutters, but her face falls, and I can tell she's retreated into herself, feeling out of place and stranded. "Fine. I'll call an Uber."
"Come on," I say, softer this time, and hook my arm gently around her shoulders, steering her away from the yacht. "I'll drive you home."
We head towards my Jeep, the dock quiet except for the distant sounds from the party behind us. I open the passenger door for her, and she hops in.
As we pull onto the road, I keep my eyes fixed on the dark road ahead.
"Look, Jayden..." I begin, breaking the quiet as streetlights flicker past. "That kind of party, it's... It's not for everyone. Definitely not for someone like you."
Out of the corner of my eye, I see her head turn, and I sense her studying me. "What do you mean 'someone like me'?"
"Someone genuine," I admit, my knuckles whitening on the steering wheel. "You're sunshine in a world that thrives in the shadows. You shouldn't be anywhere near that place or people like me."
"You might think you’re the king of the shadows, but even you can't deny that every night eventually meets the dawn," she says, her voice soft, almost a whisper.
Chapter 5
Jayden
I tuck my chilled fingers tighter around the small plastic bag from Book & Barrel, my favorite bookstore that’s close to the beach. The boardwalk is a Christmas wonderland, all twinkling lights and garlands, but even the festive cheer can't distract me from thoughts that Ryder's piercing look gave me when he demanded I leave that party.
"Jayden, you're going to love this one," Mimi gushes, waving one of the steamy hockey romance novels she just snagged. I can't help the grin that takes over my face at our new book selections that I’m excited to dive into.
