The Light Within - Book 1

Chapter 3

I fumble to shove my phone back into my purse after I finish texting out my quick apologies to Sam and Vickie, letting them know I needed to leave suddenly. I can almost hear their judgmental thoughts about me following a mysterious man in the dark hours of the night, but I can't help but feel this nagging sense that I am about to find answers that I have been craving for my entire life.

Ryze walks towards his car parked at the edge of the lot, and I do my best to keep up. The night air is crisp, and a light breeze rustles through the nearby trees, sending their leaves whispering and fluttering. The car is a sleek black muscle car, with tinted windows that hide its interior from view. Ryze fishes his keys out of his pocket and unlocks the doors with a soft beep.

As we approach the car, I notice a figure leaning against the side of it. He looks guarded. It's a tall, muscular man with short red hair and piercing green eyes, wearing a leather jacket and jeans. I recognize him as the man who was with Ryze at the cafe earlier.

"Hey Fyre," Ryze says, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "What are you doing here?"

Fyrek just shrugs and straightens up, his eyes never leaving me. "Just checking up on you, boss," he replies, his voice low and rumbling.

I can't help but feel a little uneasy under his gaze. There's something about him that seems almost...otherworldly.

"I thought I told you to wait back at the house," Ryze says to Fyrek, his voice firm.

Fyrek shrugs again, his expression unreadable. "I got bored," he says simply.

Ryze rolls his eyes, clearly exasperated. "Fine," he says, turning to me. "This is Fyrek. He's my...associate."

Fyrek gives me a nod, but his gaze remains fixed on me. I stare back defiantly, refusing to let him intimidate me. What's this guy's deal?

"So, are we going or what?" Fyrek asks impatiently.

Ryze gestures for us to get in the car, and I head towards the front passenger door. As I reach for the handle, I'm startled when Ryze's hand intercepts mine, taking hold of the handle before I can even touch it. I turn to face him, feeling a twinge of annoyance. "I can open my own door, you know," I say firmly, my feminist instincts kicking in.

Ryze hesitates for a moment, looking down at his hand on the door handle. He then looks up at me, his expression unreadable. "I just wanted to...you know...be a gentleman," he finally says. It's clear that he's not used to expressing himself.

I roll my eyes, but a small smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. "Fine, but just this once," I say, sliding into my seat.

Ryze nods and lets go of the handle, stepping back and shutting the door for me. Fyrek remains silent in the back seat, gazing out the window as we pull out of the parking lot and onto the road.

As we drive through the quiet streets, my mind races with questions. Ryze has been enigmatic and mysterious ever since we met, and I can't help but wonder what he has in store for me. After a few moments of silence, I turn to him and try to sound casual. "So...where are we going?" I ask.

Ryze glances at me before turning back to the road. "To my house," he replies simply.

"Your house?" I repeat, surprised. "Why there?"

Ryze hesitates for a moment, as if deciding whether to reveal his intentions. "I need to discuss some things with you," he finally says. "Things that might help answer some of your questions."

I nod slowly, a mix of excitement and apprehension building within me. I don't know much about Ryze or his associate, but something tells me I can trust him. Or maybe it's just his striking looks and air of mystery. Either way, I can't deny that I'm intrigued.