I took my keys from my pocket, almost vibrating with excitement at the thought of having Ryan in my space again. “I take it Xander’s nosy?”
“Understatement of the year,” Ryan muttered. “Hecould give you a run for your money, and that’s saying something.”
I went to disagree, but really, he was right.
He stepped into my living room and came to a halt. “You’ve decorated.”
“Yep.” I surveyed the light blue walls. “Like I told you, I’m putting down roots.”
“Hmm.” Ryan scowled. “Is that what you’re doing, being so nice to Xander? Giving him your phone number?”
There was a hint of anger in his voice that had me drifting closer. “Yeah. I want to get to know the bloke.”
My answer was clearly the wrong one. Ryan’s hands fisted, his jaw tight. It had me wanting to draw him into me until all that tension melted away. “Should’ve known it wouldn’t take much to catch your attention.”
My lips twitched with humour, but I wrestled them into submission. “Shadow, the only one whoeverhas my attention in that way is you.”
“Then why were you so nice to him? I know you, Dominic. You’re never that nice unless you want something.”
“I do want something. I want him to like me. That’s also why I asked for his number. Xander and I should get to know each other.”
“See, you’re saying exactly what I’m thinking.”
“No, you’re hearing what you want to hear.” I gave in to the impulse and tugged him into my arms. With my cheek resting against his temple, I continued in a low whisper. “I want him to like me as a friend. Because he’s important to you. That’s all. I’m not attracted to Xander any more than I am to Mimic.”
Or Kate, another person he’d shown jealousy over. But there was no fucking way I was bringing her up right now.Last thing I needed was to remind Ryan he had no right getting jealous over me when he was weeks away from walking down the aisle with someone else. Not when I would giveanythingfor him to have that right.
“Fuck,” Ryan groaned, resting his forehead against my shoulder. “I’m being an idiot, aren’t I?”
I turned my face so my lips brushed his cheekbone. Not quite a kiss, but the promise of one. “No, you’re really not. If it helps, I can’t let myself think about you fucking Xander. It definitely won’t help with me getting him to like me.”
He leaned back to study my face. “You’ve never cared about anyone liking you before.”
“That’s not true,” I said hoarsely. “I cared about you liking me.”
Ryan cleared his throat and seemed to remember he shouldn’t be letting me hold him like this. He pulled out of my arms, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “Still, you don’t need to go out of your way to befriend Xander.”
“I think you’ll find I do. If he’s important to you, then he’s important to me. I intend on being on good terms with everyone you care about, Ry.”
Ryan took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. “In that case, you really need to go and see your dad.”
I reeled back a step. It wasn’t the first time he’d mentioned my dad, but with this implication? “What? How isFrankimportant to you?”
He shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Guess you’ll find out when you go and visit him.”
“You can’t be serious.” I stared at him in disbelief as pain cleaved through my chest. “I can’t believe you’re asking this of me. You know what he did. Youknow, better than anyone. How can you do this?”
Suddenly, Ryan was right in front me, cupping my jawin his hands. “I know. I do. But can you trust me? I’d never ask you to see someone who’d cause you pain. I wouldn’t send you back there if I believed with even an ounce of my soul that he’d hurt you again. Trust me?”
I searched his guileless eyes and gave a hollow laugh. “Fuck, and I thought I played dirty, Shadow.”
He didn’t smile, just gripped my face with the same fierceness he did my heart. “This will be good for you in the long run. I promise.”
“And if it’s not?”
“It will be,” he said firmly, stroking myjaw. “Trust me, Dominic. Please?”
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