Saving Ryder

Shaleigh

Today has just been so much to take in. What's really upset me the most though is the fact Ryder never told me he had a son, and that he got kidnapped. Maybe this is everything he refused to tell me, but then again I think he's still hiding parts of his past from me, and so am I. I just don't think he'll be able to handle it. Silas is a cute kid though, and I would never wish for Ryder to abandon him. "So do you love my daddy?" Silas asks bringing me out of my train of thought.
"I care for your daddy a lot." I reply not knowing what else to say.
"He loves you." Silas says catching me off guard.
"Why do you say that?" I ask confused.
"Mommy says when someone loves someone they never stop smiling and they can't take their eyes off of them. She also said that when you love someone nothing will come in between them they'll fight for what they love. Daddy hasn't taken his eyes off of you since I met you and every time he looks at you he doesn't stop smiling." Did that really just come out of a four year olds mouth? I guess I never thought Ryder loved me. Even after he told me he was in love with me after the MMA match. I just thought he was trying to put on a show, but I guess not. It still doesn't change the fact that his ex-girlfriend is still trying to be with him. It was still clear as day that the only reason she brought Silas around was to try to get them to be a family again. I just need to figure out who he wants, and if he still feels the same for the girl who broke his heart a while ago.
As we make our way over to the bears we stop at almost every animal on the way. Its amazing watching Silas express his interest on all the different animals they have here. "What's your favorite animal?" I ask Silas.
"Cheetahs." Silas says enthusiastically.
"Well I don't think they have cheetahs here, but they do have almost every other animal you can think of." I say smiling down at him. We've been walking around for nearly an hour and a half and Ryder still hasn't come and found us. "Silas do you want to go look for your dad?" I ask kind of worried.
"My legs hurt." He complains.
"Come here. Get on my back." I bend down, and Silas wraps his little arms around my neck, and his short legs around my waist. I start heading off into the direction of the bathrooms where he was supposed to be. After about ten minutes of walking I stop dead in my tracks. I see Ryder talking to Siege. How the hell did she know where we were? Do I leave or do I go up to them and show Siege Ryder's mine. "Be really quiet." I whisper to Silas slowly sneaking up behind a tree.
"But I miss you." Siege says to Ryder.
"Don't do this Siege." He says almost too quietly.
"Don't you still love me?" She says almost in tears.
"Siege I have a girlfriend." He says to her.
"Does she make you happier than I did?" She says there's a little hint of hope in her voice.
"She makes me happier than anyone, and honestly Siege I love her. I fall in love with her more and more every day." He says, and it makes me smile.
"What do you love most about her?" She asks tiling her head a little to her right.
"I love the way her blonde hair falls down past her boobs. I love the way her eyes make me melt every time I look in them. I love the way her touch gives me butterflies still after all of this time. I love how she doesn't take shit from anyone, and how if something doesn't go her way she fights until it does. I love her legs, her laugh, the way she bites her bottom lip when she's thinking, the feeling of her breath on my face, the sound of her voice when she first wakes up in the morning, the feeling of her lips on mine. Why pick between them when what I love the most about her is, her." He says confidently. I can't hold it back anymore. I run to Ryder, and I grab him by his shoulders turning him around, and I kiss him. I kiss him like I've never kissed him before. My hands are in his hair, and his arms around my waist pulling me against his erection. That's enough to send a tingling sensation through my entire body. I pull away because I know if I don't now, everyone will be seeing Ryder and I fully naked.
"I love you too, Ryder. I love you so much." I say taking him into my embrace.
"AWHHHHH." I hear Silas screaming as he's jumping up and down. Ryder lets go of me, and picks up his son and spins him around in circles while hugging him.
"You want to go home and take a nap then go out to dinner later?" Ryder asks still hugging his son.
"Yes. Shaleigh will you tuck me in tonight?" He asks with his lip poking out.
"Of course." I say hugging him and Ryder both. Siege is just standing there staring at all of us in disbelief.
"Bye Siege. I'm going to get my family home." Ryder says with his son in this left arm, and my left hand in his right hand. When we arrive to the car Silas is already asleep in his daddy's arms, so Silas sits him in there carefully, and climbs into the driver's seat beside me, taking my hand in his. "So you really love me?" He says glancing over at me.
"Yes. What you said tonight won my heart. You have my heart Ryder, and you have the power to break me." I say looking at him.
"I don't want to break you baby. I love you, and I want to prove that every day with you. Not just with words, but with actions also." Ryder said. I never thought I could love someone this much, but I do. "Do you still need to talk when we get home?" He looks at me asking.
"I still have some things I need to get off my chest." I say looking at him right back. The rest of the way home was peaceful and relaxing. Silas stayed asleep the whole time while Ryder and I just listened to music quietly. After ten minutes of driving we arrive at Ryder's house. It's early spring so it's not that cold outside. Luckily it's exam week which means it's there last week of school. After this week I can officially be a lawyer. Ryder gets out the car which signals me that I should too. He goes around to my side and opens the back door revealing Silas. He picks him up, and carries him to the front door. I take his keys out of his pocket and unlock the front door stepping in. Ryder trails behind me until we reach the guest bedroom where Silas will be staying. I open the bed room door, and Ryder and I both tuck Silas in and exit the room. Ryder pulls me into his embrace and buries his head into my hair taking in my sent. He smells of ax and body wash which sends my body tingling. His lips press against my neck, and it causes my head to go back giving him more access to my neck. "Wait." I say barely able to get it out.
"What... is.....it....baby?" He asks each word after he kisses my neck.
"We need to talk." I say letting a moan escape my mouth.
"Okay baby." He says pulling away and walking towards his room. I follow him, and he gestures me to sit on the bed with him. "Talk to me beautiful." He says looking me in my eyes.
"Do you think that Siege is trying to break us up so that way she can have you and Silas back as a family?" I ask concerned.
"Even if she is, I don't want her. Not the way I want you. You're my future, and she is my past. I can't dwell on the past when my future in staring me in my face." He says, and I can't hold it back. Tears start rolling down my face like raindrops. "Did I say something wrong?" He asks. He has this concern look in his eyes that causes chills to go down my spine.
"You just always know what to say. I love you, Ryder." I can tell I catch him off guard because his eyes get really big, and a smile fills up his entire face.
"I love you beautiful," he says giving nothing away. If he knew my past I can almost guarantee you he wouldn't want to stay with me. After I killed my own mother I kind of lost all trust in everyone. It'd be different if I accidentally killed her, but I purposely did with the only weapon I had possession of, my gun. I don't know how long I'm in my train of thought, but I drift off to sleep in the arms of the man I love. The only one I've ever felt safe with.