“Ry, Ry, Ry, Ry,” Sasha squealed as she ran through the grocery store just three hours later.
She stopped in front of a Mr. Peanut displayed and stared up at the giant peanut in awe.
“Gotcha,” I said, scooping her up. She laughed and threw her arms around my neck.
“Ry,” she squealed, kissing my check. “Watermelon?” she asked though coming from her it sounded like a completely different word. I knew my girl well enough to know what she wanted though.
“Over here,” I said, carrying her to the produce section.
“You know she pushed you into the pool for a reason,” someone behind me said. I knew that voice.
Turning, I looked back to see Brian walking into the store with Kevin. They were alone with not even Carlos or Tom there with them. My temper started to rise.
“Hold on, Sasha. Ry sees someone she needs to talk to,” I said, turning and heading straight for the duo.
“Ryder,” Kevin said as the first to see me.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded of Brian.
“We ran out of sodas,” was his only explanation.
“We had a deal, Brian. Nowhere but Kevin’s, remember?”
“It’s just the grocery store, Ryder,” he defended.
“No, it’s a public place where you don’t have protection. We had a deal and you broke it. Remember what you said to me. Your life was in my hands. You die or get hurt on my watch and I’m the one to be blamed. When I took you on you agreed to this, Brian. My rules. You follow them or you watch me walk. We don’t do this half way, damn it,” I seethed.
“Ry?” Sasha’s voice broke through my anger with its shaky fear.
“I’m sorry, Sasha. Ry, lost her temper. Let’s get your watermelon and go home,” I said, soothing the worried child in my arms. I looked up at Brian. “I’ll call Nathan and let him know this isn’t going to work. I’ll see if I can find you another bodyguard before I go.”
With those words I turned and walked away from him. What was he thinking? How could he be afraid and yet dumb enough to take such a chance? Men were such idiots!
“Ryder, stop!”
I looked back to see Brian coming towards me. Damn it!
“I’m sorry. Please, don’t quit. I don’t know what I was thinking,” he begged.
“This is for the best, Brian. For a lot of reasons,” I said, hinting at the previous night’s events.
“Ryder, please. I’ll keep my distance, I’ll do anything you tell me to. But please, please don’t leave me.”
“Ry, don’t leave,” Sasha added, her bright green eyes looking from Brian to me and then back to Brian.
“Don’t do this in front of my little girl, Brian,” I warned.
“Then I’ll go back to Kevin’s right now. You could even take me back. Please, Ryder.”
I’ve been a bodyguard for nearly seven years and not once in those seven years have I ever let a client disrespect me or break my rules. What I said was law and if you disobeyed the rules I set then I walked. With Brian looking up at me with those blue eyes though something in me did the impossible. It gave in, I gave in.
“This is the last warning, Brian. Again and I am gone,” I warned.
“Home, Ry?” Sasha asked.
“I have a better idea, beautiful girl. See that big guy over there? He’s got a pool at his house. Want to go swimming?” Brian asked Sasha.
“Water,” she squealed, grinning as she threw herself into Brian’s arms.
“I think you’ll be spending the afternoon with us,” he smiled at me as he held my precious girl.
“That is not fair,” I answered even as I felt myself smiling.
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