My Client the Rockstar (Book 2 Steel Wolf Collection)

Chapter 36

This chapter is dedicated to kristynrhorick for all their votes on my other book. Might be a bit before they see this. But thank you for all your support! 

When lunch ended everyone went their separate ways. We only had a few more days before the tour would start and they guys like to spend those days as far from one another as then can get. Being locked on a bus for days on end together they need this time to themselves. The next time we will be together as a group will be when we meet at The Hideout for dinner the night before we leave for the tour. This is a tradition of ours. I was thinking about inviting Wicked Minion , this is a Steel Wolf tradition and the guys would probably not appreciate me inviting them.  

Ryder follows me back to my place. While at the restaurant he had asked if he could come to my house for the evening. I had already planned on him coming over and was surprised he asked me. His brown eyes had become dull when he mentioned the evening will be a rough one. Rough one how I had wanted to ask, but a look in his eyes had me biting my tongue. This was not the time nor the place for whatever was plaguing him.

I enter into the parking garage and Ryder pulls up beside me. He remains in his car for a moment even after I had exited mine. I wait for a moment and when he makes not motion he is going to leave the car any time soon I walk around to the drivers side. What I discover tears at my heart. Ryder is leaning forward with his head resting on the steering wheel, not moving. 

His over night bag is on the passenger seat with a letter sitting on top. In that moment I realize why tonight is going to be a rough night. Ryder wants to read the letter his father had written him from prison. This is going to be one hell of a night and not in a good way. Ryder has been putting of reading this for awhile and I'm glad he is going to do so tonight. He doesn't need this letter hanging over his head during the tour.

I tap on the window drawing his attention, but when he remains in his position over the steering wheel I check to see if the door is unlocked. Successes! The door opens and I kneel beside him resting my hand on his knee.

"Ryder. Baby," I call softly not wanting to startle him. He turns his head to the side to look down at me. I squeeze his knee. "Can we go up to my apartment please?" Ryder turns his head to the side to watch me. His eyes met mine for a second then he turns his head to stare at the letter on his bag. "Ryder we can go up stairs and either read the letter or set the damn thing on fire."

Ryder once again stares out the windshield. He speaks so softly I almost miss him. "This letter has been burning a hole in my pocket ever since my mother called to tell me he had sent it. For the most part I've been able to put his written words from my mind, but when I'm alone this consumes my thoughts." He closes his eyes, sits back in his seat and hold his hand out to me. Without hesitation I take his cool hand in my own giving me a slight squeeze.

"Soon all of this hanging over your head can be gone, but you need to leave the car," I coax. He sighs and nods his head. I stand and shift to the side to give him space to exit the car. Ryder reaches over to grab the dreaded letter and his bag. 

He leaves the car and shuts the door, not saying a word. When he starts to walk away he stops and reaches back to me. Hand in hand we continue on our way to my apartment. The silence was deafening. I wish he would let me into his head and let me in on what he was thinking. A brooding Ryder is never a good sign. 

I unlock the lock and push the door open waiting for him to enter first. Ryder strides past me to put his bag in my bedroom. I head to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee though I think we are going to need something stronger than coffee. Debating with myself on wither or not I should poor some whine as well I decide on pouring some whine. I set the two glasses on the table.