Promise Me Darkness (Excerpt)

Chapter 8

Somewhere outside a car horn beeped. I peeled my eyes open and shut them quickly when bright sunlight blinded me through the bedroom window.

Stretching carefully, I glanced over at Ryder. He was sleeping peacefully on his stomach, one arm draped over my waist. The sheet was wrapped around his hips, barely covering him. Thick eyelashes rested below his eyes, hiding the cool blue irises from the early morning light. He took up most of my bed, leaving me to either hug the edge or sleep next to him. I had chosen him all night.

Everything replayed in my mind. Each touch, each kiss was branded in my head and on my body forever. Sex with Ryder. I bite my lip and glanced over at him again. Holy shit, I slept with Ryder! The bad boy, the ladies' man, the boy I grew up with. It had seemed so right to lose my virginity to him, to do something I swore I wouldn't do until I was in love. I had no regrets. How could I, when I loved him? Had always loved him.

I suddenly felt shy. He had touched me in places I had never been touched. His body had claimed mine like no one else's. But I didn't know what to expect in the light of day.

I slowly started to ease out of bed when my cell phone rang loudly, the sound ear-piercing. Reaching over, I quickly grabbed it before it could wake Ryder.

"Hello, sweetheart!"

It was my dad, sounding unbelievable too chipper this early in the morning.

I sat up in bed and pulled the sheet tighter around me. Sheer embarrassment had me panicking. My dad was calling, I was without a stitch of clothing on, and Ryder was naked in my bed. Was there a worse time for a daughter to talk to her dad?

"Good morning, Dad" I whispered, glancing over when Ryder started to stir beside me.

"I just wanted to call and check up on you. Did I wake you?"

"I was awake. You doing okay?"

"I'm fine, honey. Trying to stay out of this heat." He cleared his throat and I knew the small talk was over.

"Is Ryder still staying with you?"

"Yes," I blushed. If he only knew...

His voice turned serious. "Listen to me, Maddie. If something happens, I want you to go with Ryder. Stay with him. Do as he says. Understand?"

The lingering glow from last night fled, replaced by a chill at his words. He sounded distressed, worried. Was he feeling bad? Was it his heart again?

"Dad, what's going on?"

"Things are unraveling with this war and if anything were to happen...well, just promise you'll stay with Ryder."

"Okay," I said, frightened.

I felt Ryder sit up behind me. Glancing over at him, my mouth went dry. The sunlight hit his body, showcasing each muscle to perfection. The tattoos marking his arm and back flexed as he threw the covers off of him. He stood up, naked as the day he was born. A blush colored my cheeks as his perfectly formed buttocks filled my vision. I couldn't tear my eyes away.

"He'll keep you safe," my dad said, reminding me he was still on the phone. "Ryder won't let anything happen to you."

"Don't worry about me. Just take care of yourself," I said, trying to control the rapid beating of my heart as Ryder tugged on his jeans.

My dad sighed. "Okay, sweetheart, I'll let you go."

I clicked my phone off and watched as Ryder put on his shirt and avoided looking my direction.

I have to talk to him. I needed his reassurance that everything was okay. That we were okay.

"Ryder?" I asked, hesitantly. I clutched the sheet tighter around me, suddenly feeling the need for extra protection.