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CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR
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2024-10-29 19:42:56It was as clear as a crystal ball to Bree that something had shifted in their still tender relationship and it was obviously tilted to the negative.
It scared her, this Ryder here did too.
This was just the worst possible time for whatever it was that had gotten to him like this.
He was drowned in the bottle of the Amber colored drink filling up to half of the glass.
And the bottle next to it was almost empty.
She could perceive the alcohol in his breath from where she stood as he growled at her to stay the fuck away from him, and that could only mean he's been drinking for longer than she'd initially given him credit for.
He didn't look like the man she'd just been with, the same one who'd just professed to loving her, this wasn't her Ryder.
Tears stung her eyes as she tried to bite it back, refusing to let him see how affected she was by his new attitude.
There was no point in it, if anything it'll just make her seem
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The whole ride to the office passed in a blur as Bree's mind stayed glued to worrying about Ryder.She was only jolted back to reality as the cab came to a stop right in front of the large building that housed their firm.Paying for her ride, she gathered her things and carried them with her into the building.It's been about a week since the last time she was in here and for some reason her mind took its time adjusting back to the environment.Not that that had been her longest break since she started working here.She just pinned it to mental adjustment due to the reason for her previous absence.She needed to dissociate her work space from what had happened with that bastard of a man and his stupid goons.She'd heard gunshots while she'd been being rescued from him and she still hoped the bullets had been pumped into his heart and sent him scampering to the eternal damnation that he so wonderfully deserved.There was Sammy a
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It took a while for Bree to come to terms with what just happened back in Bernet's office.God, she must look all puffy from all the crying she's done already, probably looking like she already got some Halloween make up put on.Her head hurt as she tried to wrap her head around the fact that she's been jobless for the past ten minutes and her only hope now is a man who didn't want to see her.Nemy wasn't in the office still so had no shoulder available to cry on, today really sucked and was going well on its way down the book as one of the worst days of her life.There were some that came really close and others that were worse but this one was doing great on its way.Great way to start her weekend, just peachy.Bernet had been clear in his instructions, clear out her desk into a box and take nothing with her.He'd probably have them mail her personal belongings to the house than just have her leave with them now.She's seen h
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Finally she paid for the now cold cup of coffee, sad that she hadn't gotten around to drinking it or have a bite of that bundle of creaminess that was their cake.She'd been too lost in her own head to have placed an order for it and even if she had, she doubted she'd have been able to stomach more than just a bite.While it was so good everyone wanted a piece, the thought of it right now was nauseating.It was time she went home and dealt with her demons, she decided as she made it outside the Cafe, looking around for a cab.What's the worst that can happen after all these, right?Finally, she was able to wave one down and settle inside it.While the car sped up the road, headed for the house, her mind slowly drifted back to Ryder.The man was as enigmatic as he was mysterious, and his eyes hide a lot of secrets in them, secrets she knew nothing about.He only let her catch glimpses of his emotions in the few moments he
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Bree barely made it into her room before she came crashing down on the bed and crying her soul out. Why would this be happening to her, why now of all times? They say God only gives you as much as you can handle right? Maybe he'd given her too much credit because she wasn't ready for this, she didn't think she could handle it all without snapping. He'd asked her to get out of his house, said it so casually like they hadn't been together just hours ago with him processing his love to her. He'd said it like she'd forced her way in here and he wanted her gone the next minute. He'd looked do different and she knew whatever it was that had happened, it was taking its toll on him too. He looked like it to her. She stayed curled in bed, her heart ripping to shreds as she thought about the things he'd said. It hurts so much, and it was worse because it hurt in the one place she couldn't hold, the one place she couldn't
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Bree couldn't say which one hit her harder between finding a documented file full of her personal information on Ryder's desk and hearing that voicemail from his phone, in the same voice that she's known for years now.She would know Cole's voice any where, even in her sleep, because she'd spent years listening to it.His words in the recording had been loud and very clear."I need more money...." He'd started in his usual unperturbed voice that makes it always seem like he was in control of every situation."And you are going to give it to me this time because I know you don't want your little chess pawn to find out what you've been up to now, or do you? I had to burn a lot of funds getting your contact and now that I have it, you are going to pay for that too. Say hi to Brianna for me and hey....don't use the bitch too much, I might still need her later."It made her sick to her stomach, he made her sick, they both did and she wished she had neve
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Her box laid open in the middle of their bed while Bree went around the room, taking anything she thought she'd need and throwing them inside it.She's procrastinated this packing for a while now but it needed to be done and as a matter of fact now that Ryder was still at the office.She didn't want him to come home and find she was the only one delaying the vacation he'd taken the whole month to plan for them.Yeah, a vacation, more like a honeymoon except the kids, Karen and Issy, the new nanny, were coming too.In the couple of years that's passed, a lot has happened, none of which she regretted one bit.Not learning how damaged how husband had been before he waltzed into her life or that his plan had been to use her as pawn in his schemes to get revenge, none of it.That last part had hit harder than the rest, knowing that she could have so easily suffered for the crimes of someone who didn't even give two piece of flying shit about her.She'd taken her time to digest that piece
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"You know you'll never hurt Xander, right?" She asked him quietly, and honestly, she had no idea what that did for him.He didnt know that, he's been afraid of that since he knew he was expecting a soon too and maybe, just maybe, that has affected his relationship with his baby.He wondered if she'd noticed, all the times he'd opt to hold Lexie instead of him, afraid that whatever had made his father get so awfully abusive to him might be nestled somewhere inside him.What if it was a bad trait living inside him too, waiting to grow and make him a monster too?It was the sole reason he hadn't wanted kids, ever, but Bree had come into his life and many things had changed with her presence.She'd made him want things that he had no right wanting, made him be live he deserved some good things in his life and now here they were, with two kids, one of them a boy......just like he'd been."I need you to understand this Ry, you'll never be like your father. You are a good man, one of the best
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Before he got into bed, Ryder had already made up his mind to tell Bree everything that she wanted to know about him and why he turned out the way he did.He didn't want a fight like the last time, that had been an absolute hell, and he didnt want to let his past keep winning.He wanted to get it out there, he needed to.This morning had shown him that, he might never be over those horrid incidents but it would be better to know he tried.And if he had to share it with anyone, then why not her? Why not the woman he was ready to spend the rest of his life with?Even though he hasn't popped the question, he knew that was his truth, he's been ready for that step for a while now and he'd ask her anytime from now."Baby please...."Her voice called his mind back from wandering off.He opened his mouth to, but the words weren't coming, his tongue sat heavy in his mouth, unmoving, while the forbidden images he's fought so hard to keep at bay flooded his head.His hand that held her close sque
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The memory of what happened in the bathroom stayed with Bree while she had her soak in the tub and an accompanying nice bath, making her flush every now and again.She never expected it to feel this good again, but Ryder had broken every of her doubts with how easily he'd made her body sing and how intensely he'd made her come.Her legs still felt shaky even after time had passed and she was out of the one room that now held a different memory for her.She'd worried that he didnt want her anymore since the babies came and mentally, she blamed it on her postpartum body and the scar that lined her flesh, the scar that marked her first step into motherhood.And those thoughts had almost made her hate it and herself too.But this morning, barely an hour ago, he'd shown her that she'd been worrying for nothing really.Her body ached sweetly even as she got dressed up, still humming from his sinful ministrations.The room was empty which means he'd taken the babies with him on his way out, s
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"Then stay."That sentence, made only of two words, in that moment, sounded more powerful than any argument Ryder could think of.He wanted to, fuck, he's dreamed of staying, like she was asking him to and doing the things she was suggesting, but the fears he'd parroted to her were real for him.He didn't want to hurt her, shes been through enough in recent times to add that to her plate and he knew he might with how rough this could easily turn.She had no idea what she did to him, to his control and without it, he could do things that both of them would only regret later....While his head turned and tossed the pros and cons of indulging their flaming desires and fantasies right now, his eyes followed her body's slow descent until she dropped to her knees before him.She looked like an angel to him, in fact to him she was one, just naughtier and more tempting to his already thin control.Her dainty fingers reached up to the waistband of the sweatpants he had on and he just watched as
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"Ryder.......please......"Bree could hardly believe the voice saying these words belonged to her.She sounded so different to her own self and that was probably because it's been a long while since she's had Ryder touch her like this.She was almost beginning to think they'd hit a drought in their sex life before this morning happened.The no sex rule made sense during her recuperation period she could understand, but even before that and then after, he'd still been reluctant to touch her in an suggestive way.It had bothered her enough to make her believe it was because she looked hideous to him now with her scars and all, but the eyes that had taken in every inch of her body just minutes ago had cleared her of worries.He wanted her snd he wasn't hiding that either.She arched her body as his fingers found her other nipple, catching it between his forefinger and his thumb and rubbing it mercilessly till she thought she'd come from the pleasure.Initially, she'd been afraid she might
