Endeverafter: The Series Presents The Cursed One

Chapter Thirty-Three

When Ryan finally got home, the last person she was expecting to be sitting on the porch was Austin. She walked up to him and smirked. "Did you save one for me?"

Austin looked at the can of beer in his hand and shrugged. "I didn't take you for a beer drinker."

"After the night I've had, I could use a case."

"I'll have to remember that next time."

"So, to what due I owe this pleasure?" she asked, placing her heel on the bottom step.

"There was an incident at the Church of Saint Gerald tonight," he replied, gulping down the rest of his beer. He crushed the can between his hands and stood up. "You wouldn't know anything about that?"

"I may but I was told not to worry."

"But you are."

"My daughter was kidnapped tonight and instead of looking for her, I was instructed to sit back and wait," she replied, rolling her tongue across the front of her teeth. "So, as worried as I am, I'm more pissed than anything."

"I never took you for a woman that likes to be told what to do," Austin said, confidently.

"I'm not," Ryan said, stepping up the stairs. She stopped on the step just below him and looked him in the eyes. "I'm also not in the mood to be condescended to. So, if you're here to annoy me, you can leave." She brushed past Austin and walked up the stairs to the front door. As she was unlocking the door, he appeared behind her, leaned up against the porch.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm only in the mood to drink," he said. "Got any beers?"

"I'll see what I have." Inside of the house, Austin made himself comfortable on the couch in the conservatory while Ryan disappeared into the kitchen. Moments later, she returned with two bottles of Coronas. She handed him one of them and said, "Will this suffice?"

"For now, it will. Thanks honey."

Ryan sat down on the couch beside him and slipped off her heels. "Here's to... you," she said, looking at him.

"Why me?"

"I don't know. Ask me again in ten minutes." She held her beer up and the two of them tapped their beers together. "So–" she started to say something until the front door opened. She heard the sound of keys jingling before her sister appeared in the foyer.

"Ryan?! Are you–" Kris spotted Ryan sitting in the conservatory and walked in, only stopping when she saw Austin sitting there. "What's-what's going on?" Kris' eyes remained on Austin as her shoulders straightened up. When she noticed the beers in their hands, she raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Drinking. You want one?"

"No thanks, I'm good. Um, Ry, have you heard anything from Virek?"

"Nope."

"Well, have you tried to call Drue?"

"I did, on the way here and it went straight to voicemail," Ryan replied, flatly. She took a sip of her beer and sat back on the couch. "Not that I'm surprised. She never talks to me anymore."

"I heard something happened at the Church and–"

"Yeah, Austin just told me."

"You don't seem concerned? What if it involves Drue?"

"One, I am concerned and two, you told me to let Virek handle it. So, that's what I'm doing."

"If you're drunk, maybe we shouldn't have this conversation."