Chapter 29 Good Night, Lamb
<< Vanessa's POV >>
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I don't know if it was just me, but there was something satisfying about watching my ex settle for trash.
It might sound insulting, depending on how you look at it. But from where I stood? It felt good. Derek deserved what he got.
The lies. The betrayal.
I narrowed my eyes slightly, trying to keep my vision clear.
"Let's go," I mumbled after a while, already heading to the car.
Ryker silently followed behind me, not saying a word. Together, we got to the parking space, entered the car. He threw me a glance, but I acted like I didn't notice.
I fastened my seatbelt and let the silence fill the space between us. Slowly, he pulled out of the parking lot, but I could feel his eyes drift toward me every now and then, like he was waiting for me to talk about what we'd just seen.
Honestly, I didn't know if I wanted to.
"What are you thinking about, little lamb?" Ryker broke the silence, his voice soft.
I turned my head slightly and gave him a small smile. "Nothing."
"Doesn't seem like nothing."
"Are you trying to say you know me better than I know myself?"
"Is that how I sounded?"
"Yes."
He shrugged, hands on the wheel. "If you think so."
"Isn't that what you meant?"
"No. You know yourself better than anyone, and I don't plan to change that."
"How thoughtful."
He let out a low chuckle. "So... are you going to tell me?"
"Tell you that I'm enjoying karma? That seeing Annie with someone else made me feel... vindicated?"
He didn't say anything. His jaw tightened as he continued to drive farther away from the club.
"It's ugly, isn't it?" I whispered.
"No," he said. "It's human."
Mhm.
I looked at him. Really looked. My eyes unintentionally traveled down to his jawline, his lips..and then, down to his sleeve. My eyes dimmed a little when I saw the dried stain on it.
Gosh.
I quickly averted my gaze, staring out of the window. My fingers continued to thrum on my thighs all the way back to the house.
A few minutes later, the car came to an abrupt stop.
"Here we are," Ryker announced, turning off the car's engine. He turned to look at me, his gaze soft.
And then, my poor heart did that silly flutter again.
I swallowed hard, nodding.
"Yeah," I whispered.
He smiled. Then, exited the car.
I followed suit after gathering enough 'balls', and reminding myself that he had this much effect on me simply because I had a thing for handsome men. That had to be it.
He was just painfully handsome.
That was it.
Together, we climbed up the stairs. A strange feeling surfaced in the air. Ryker had gone suspiciously quiet, as if lost in thought.
We soon reached the top of the quiet hallway, dimly lit by the wall lamps that were glowing in gold.
My heels scraped against the marble floor at every step I took.
Ryker was behind me, his gaze burning into my exposed back. And I felt raw under his eyes.
I stopped when I got to my door, my hand stopping at the knob.
He had stopped too, standing a few feet away from me.
"Ryker..." I called out, softly.
His eyes met mine. "Yeah?"
"Thanks for tonight. For taking me out. And for saving me from that jerk."
His face remained blank. But after a second, a small smile pulled at his lips. It wasn't the usual grin he gave me. This one felt real. As if he meant it.
"You needed it." He replied.
"I did," I whispered. Our voices echoed softly in the hallway, while we stood under the dim light.
For some reason, things were different. Not the usual tense moment with sarcasm flying in and out of the air. Just calmness and an unspoken heat threading between us.
He stepped closer, closing the small space between us.
I stepped back without realizing it, one step at a time, until my back hit the door.
Ryker stopped right in front of me. Leaning in slowly, he pressed a kiss on my forehead. My breath caught.
His lips were warm, even gentle. The peck didn't last more than three seconds, but in that short moment, my stomach flipped and tangled all at once.
He pulled back slowly, his breath brushing against my skin. His voice, low and soothing. "If you ever want more, you just say the word. I'll try to make it happen."
My heart raced, so fast that I thought it would jump out of my chest. Our eyes remained locked for the longest, my mind going blank.
Maybe it was the alcohol. Or his words. But I couldn't say anything.
He gave a small nod, then whispered "Good night, lamb." He turned away, heading to his bedroom that was two doors away from mine.
I heard his room's door open and close in a soft click. I stood there, not sure what to do with the butterflies in my stomach.
Right. Butterflies.
They were there. All because of that man—Ryker Holland. And there was no denying it anymore.
He was making my walls crumple.