Chapter 20: TWENTY | MUSCLE BABY

CHAPTER TWENTY | MUSCLE BABY

ASPEN

I got off the bed, circling around Ryker, my face pulled back in concentration and suspicion. I wanted to believe that everything he told me was true, but when I thought about the fact that he was literally Rachel's brother, I knew that something was missing.

He was either lying to get the real truth about me, or maybe he was trying to make me confess so he could collect the ransom money. There were probably some cameras here or something.

"You're acting suspicious," I teased, hoping he would break under my intense look.

I didn't want to say something that would annoy him and cause him to decide to hurt me now rather than later. I still had time to escape now.

"Oh, it's fine if you really don't want to go out with me. I'm not going to force you."

But that wasn't the problem. Something else was.

Luckily, Rachel arrived just in time to pull me out of my misery. My head could have imploded with the amount of things I was thinking about, and the theories of his motive I was trying to come up with.

When she saw me, awake and healthy, she began crying immediately and rushed over to me. "I'm so glad you're okay, Alex. I thought something bad had happened to you. I was so scared," she said while giving me a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you for helping me. Even though you locked me out in the first place." I said the last part a bit aggressively, angry that she locked me in the room with Ronan. Well, Ronan's rogue wolf.

She scratched the back of her head, sweat breaking out on her forehead. "About that, I'm really sorry. I had to keep him occupied so he wouldn't burst out of the room. You know he was already crazy at that point."

My mouth opened wide in disbelief. "You used me as bait?" I almost screamed.

Before, I thought the reason she locked me inside was because she was too terrified to think straight, but now I was so mad at her, I wanted to knock her right in the middle of her head. I would have liked it better if she didn't tell me I was the trap to stall and catch Ronan.

"I'm so sorry, Alex. From the depth of my—"

I cut her off, still shocked that she would do something like that. I thought we were friends. "I could have died. You could have killed me."

She looked down guiltily, shuffling on her feet and picking at her fingernails. I couldn't stay angry at her. She had helped me so much in the past few days, even breaking her own father's rules and putting herself in danger.

"Thank you," I whispered.

She was taken aback by my words but gave me a small smile back and nodded, her thumbs up.

Ryker, who had been silently watching our interaction, suddenly cleared his throat, got up, and cleaned off his shirt even though there was nothing on it. "I guess I'll excuse myself now. We can meet later on to discuss plans on keeping her identity. I also have to start training her the moment her body heals. She'll easily be spotted out if she doesn't fit in. We have to do everything possible to make sure she fits in." Then he turned to me and added, "Think about what I said, please. I'll be expecting a response from you."

When his hand touched the door, my hand automatically reached out to stop him, my fear of him completely gone now that Rachel was here. "And what if I say I don't want to go out with you?"

He smiled sadly, as if he was expecting this response from me. "Then it's fine. We're cool. It changes nothing. I wouldn't still rat you out, and I sure as hell would help you."

He placed a hand on mine, squeezed it gently, and walked out.

When I took my gaze away from the door and turned back to Rachel, she was still staring at me, mouth agape. Her cheeks were puffed, a smile so big on her face you'd think she was a chipmunk hoarding nuts in her mouth.

"What just happened?" she squealed, rushing over to me in excitement.

I shrugged, going back to lie on the bed and putting back the drip I'd ripped out in anger earlier. "I don't know."

"Did you just say Ryker asked you out?"

"Yeah, he did," I confirmed.

She screamed, jumping on her feet and hitting my arm gently. I had no idea what the excitement was really about. Was it meant to be a good thing that her Uncle asked me out? Shouldn't she be skeptical or suspicious? I mean, he had hated me since the moment I stepped in here, but suddenly he finds out I'm a female and wants me.

His intentions were as clear as day. He didn't want me because he liked me or anything like that. He wanted me because it's been so long since he got laid and he's looking for a quick one. That was if he has ever gotten laid in his life.

I would not be the one he used to experience what it feels like to be with a woman.

Noticing the frown on my face, she nudged my arm playfully. "You don't look excited. A guy just asked you out. You should be screaming and wondering what you'd wear."

I scoffed, folding my hands, then dropping them when I realized I was straining the drip connected to me. "That is if I get asked out by a guy I like. This is Ryker. Scary, big Ryker that almost choked me to death the first time we met. I don't want to have anything to do with him."

"Oh, come on. The only reason he did that was because you didn't have an ID and they thought you were an imposter. We don't deal lightly with imposters here. Also, take it from me, who has known him since he was fifteen, Ryker is actually one of the nicest men you'll meet in life. He's just a big baby with muscles that makes him look scary. You should give him a chance. If it doesn't work out, then that'll be fine. But imagine the love you'll get if it works out."

I gave her the stink eye immediately. "Isn't he your Uncle? Shouldn't you be vehemently against me having a relationship with him? Especially since the whole world thinks I'm a criminal."

She waved me off. "Ryker isn't my Uncle. I have no relation with him. I only met him when he came to work here at the age of fifteen. I call him my Uncle as a joke, and it just stuck."

I was about to reply, but the door burst open and Ronan walked in.