19 Caught

19 Caught
19
Caught

Ryan carried Tessy back to her house, back to the safety of her room. He set her gently on the bed. She hadn’t said a word since he pulled her away from the party, and the silence gnawed at him. Tessy was never like this.

He furrowed his brows, sighing before lowering himself beside her.
“Tessy… are you okay? I’m sorry about earlier.” His voice was careful, almost pleading. “Victoria, she’s just… too much sometimes. She acts irrationally, but she isn’t wicked. She likes to make fun, to provoke. But when you get on her good side, you’ll see she has a better side.”

He was trying to console her, to soften the edges of what happened. But his words only made her chest tighten.

Tessy finally lifted her gaze. Her face was pale, drained, her voice hoarse. Veronica words hurt her, it broke her, even though no single tears was shed, she was wrecked internally. “I thought you said she wouldn’t be there. Why was she?”

Her question cut him, and guilt pressed on his chest.
“I… She…” He stuttered a bit, Tessy's gaze boring into his. “She wasn’t supposed to come. She said she wouldn’t. Then, last minute, she changed her mind and forced her way into the car.”

“Then you should have called me,” Tessy whispered. Her throat burned. “I wouldn’t have come to the party if I knew she would be there.”

The words tasted bitter the moment they left her lips. She hated them. She couldn’t run from Veronica forever, not if she wanted a life with Ryan.

Ryan’s brows drew tighter. “Why? Did something happen between you two that you’re not telling me?”

Tessy opened her mouth, then froze. The words clung to her tongue but refused to leave. Not tonight. Not after ruining Grams’ birthday with that scene. She swallowed hard.
“Nothing,” she murmured instead. A lie.

She knew Veronica and Grams never got along but she never knew Veronica would go to that extent and ruin her mother's birthday party with no care at all.

Ryan leaned closer, regret etched in his face.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to defend you sooner. Grams asked me to find Dad. She wanted to introduce him to her so-called friends. The moment I came back and saw…” His jaw flexed. “I’ll warn Victoria. Just… believe me, she isn’t as bad as she looks.”

Tessy let out a dry, humorless laugh. “You can’t possibly know that.”

She pushed herself to her feet, the sticky feel of wine clinging to her dress. She needed to wash it away, to wash everything away. Arguing would only make things worse. They've been having arguments lately since the call she had with Victoria. She had been unconsciously projecting her insecurities on him but no one could blame her.

Ryan rose with her. “Take a shower. I’ll stay right here.”

Tessy moved and disappeared into the bathroom, letting the cold water crash against her skin. For a few precious minutes, it numbed her thoughts, her humiliation, her heartache.

But then reality sank in, she hadn’t brought in anything to change into. Just the towel. No nightgown. No underthings. Nothing.

She froze, staring at the door. Ryan was waiting just outside.

Panic set in. “Damn,” she whispered under her breath, heart skipping. “I really messed up this time.”

Tessy wrapped the towel tightly around her body, water dripping from her hair and tracing a path down her skin. She stepped out of the bathroom and froze when she spotted Ryan on the couch.

This time, he wasn’t on his phone. He had one of her novels in his hand.

“After the Divorce She Became Untouchable,” he read softly, his lips quirking. “Anais SwiftPen… you really like this author, don’t you?”

She felt her cheeks warm. “Yeah… her books are always fun to read.”

Before she could say more, his gaze lifted and locked onto her. The playful spark in his eyes dimmed into something heavier. His eyes traced the line of water trailing from her hair to the edge of her towel, lingering a little too long. His throat bobbed as he swallowed and shot to his feet.

“I… uh… I’ll just… I’ll go get dressed.” She mumbled quickly, ducking into the closet before her legs betrayed her.

“Wait… okay.” Ryan stuttered, but let her escape.

A few minutes later, she returned in a simple gown. Her face still carried the faint red of their awkward exchange. Ryan stood waiting, a gentle smile tugging at his lips.

“Come here. Let me dry your hair,” he said.

She hesitated, then sat before the mirror while he carefully used the blow-dryer. His touch was patient, his fingers grazing through her strands as though they were fragile glass.

“So,” he asked after a quiet pause, “how are you feeling now?”

Tessy sighed softly. “I’m okay. But… I don’t think I’ll be going back today. Maybe tomorrow.”

Ryan nodded. “I understand. Grams will too.”

Their eyes met in the mirror. His voice dropped. “You looked beautiful today. That dress… I really liked it on you.”

Her cheeks flushed again. She noticed how his eyes kept roaming, subtle, but not hidden. Heart fluttering, she cleared her throat and rose from the chair too quickly.

“Thanks for today. And for this.” She ran her fingers through her half-dried hair, fidgeting like a kid caught doing something wrong.

Ryan stepped closer, his movements deliberate. His hand slipped around her waist, steadying her when she tried to back away. His warmth pressed against her spine as he held her in place.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he murmured. “Nothing is ever too much for you. Especially since I indirectly caused what happened.”

Now he was too close. Tessy glanced up, her hands resting against his broad chest as if to push him away but they stayed there, frozen.

“Ryan, I…” Her words faltered when his lips descended on hers.

The kiss was sudden, fierce. His mouth claimed hers with a hunger that left her breathless, the world around them blurring until all she felt was him.

He carried her effortlessly, laying her on the bed as her legs instinctively curled around his waist. His lips left hers, both of them gasping for air, before he descended to her neck, biting, sucking, leaving trails of fire that made her arch into him. Tessy was a moaning mess beneath his touch, everything about this felt strange, new, terrifyingly good to her. She has never experienced it before.

His hand slipped beneath her gown, skimming across her stomach as the fabric slid higher, exposing her lacy panties. He squeezed her thigh, teasing, while his mouth still devoured her neck and shoulders. Then his palm moved upward, cupping her breast, giving a light squeeze that tore a gasp from her lips.

“Ryan!” she moaned, her body betraying her even as she tried to push him off. He pinned her gently but firmly, holding her there. His movements were too practiced, too confident. A sharp pang twisted in her chest, had he done this with countless women before her? The thought burned, jealousy and insecurity swirling, until his fingers brushed her nipples and erased every coherent word from her throat. All she could feel was him, his weight, his warmth, his intoxicating skill pulling her deeper into him.

His mouth found hers again, slower now, gentler, as his hand explored the curve of her breast.

Then,

GBAM!

The door crashed open.

“The fuck?!” a voice thundered, making Tessy jolt and shove Ryan off slightly, her heart leaping into her throat. Her wide eyes flew to the doorway,

“Bruno!” she gasped.

Ryan cursed under his breath, running a frustrated hand through his hair as he straightened, stepping back slightly.

Bruno’s eyes hovered between them, his jaw tightening, words sticking in his throat.
“Did you consent to this?” he finally asked, though his glare stayed fixed on Ryan, distrust burning in his gaze.

“Erm…” Tessy stuttered, her silence saying more than her words ever could. The hesitation was enough for Bruno to know, this wasn’t forced. She had chosen it. The realization both relieved and disappointed him.

“How low do you think of me, Bruno?” Ryan cut in, his lips curling into a mocking grin, though the challenge in his voice was sharp as steel.

Neither of them noticed Ronda until her voice sliced through the thick tension.
“Ryan!”

Tessy jumped, startled, her attention snapping from Bruno to the darkened hallway. Ronda stepped into the light, her eyes wet with unshed tears, betrayal etched into her face.

Ryan groaned under his breath, rolling his eyes in frustration. Damn it. He should’ve locked the door. Heat surged through him, anger boiling at the interruption, just when things had begun to shift in his favor.
“Shit,” he muttered, jaw tight.

“How could you?” Ronda’s voice cracked as she took another step forward, her trembling finger pointing at Tessy with venom. “With her?” Her tone dripped with disgust, her whole body shaking. “Ryan, you’ve disappointed me. I didn’t know your taste had sunk this low.”

“Ronda,” Ryan snapped, his voice a warning growl.

But she turned on Tessy, eyes blazing with hate. “You. I don’t know what spell you cast on him, but trust me, this won’t last. I’ll make sure of it.” Her words burned, spat out like poison, before she stormed off, tears streaking down her face.

The silence that followed was thick, heavy, suffocating.

Bruno broke it with a harsh, bitter laugh. He shook his head, disgust etched on his features.
“Tsk.” His tongue clicked sharply. “Can’t you see what he is, Tessy? A playboy. He’ll use you and toss you aside. Why won’t you listen?” His eyes lingered on her, disappointment cutting deeper than anger ever could. Then his voice dropped, colder. “You know what? Forget it. Sooner or later, you’ll see it for yourself.”

His footsteps stomped against the floor as he turned and left, the echo of his departure filling the silence Ronda left behind.

When the door finally clicked shut, the air in the room grew unbearably heavy. The glow of moments ago was gone, stripped away by accusations and betrayal. Tessy stood frozen, her chest rising and falling unevenly, her heart torn between shame, anger, and confusion. Ryan, on the other hand, leaned back, jaw clenched, his eyes locked on her with an intensity that only deepened the storm between them.

The space they shared felt charged not with desire now, but with the lingering sting of judgment, disapproval, and the unspoken question of what came next.