CEO's Bartender

Chapter Five

I open my eyes to see I'm not in my bedroom, an arm is around my waist. I panic for a few moments before everything comes back to me. I relax and move closer to Ryder, his arm tightens around my waist. I look up and see his watching me with a familiar look on his face.

I turn my head down and pry myself out of his arms. My phone is on the dresser along with my keys and jacket. "Um...Can I use your shower?" I mumble. "Yeah, it's down the hall on your right." Ryder responds. I duck my head and exit the room, finding the bathroom easily.

I cut the water on and strip out of my clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor. I lather up my hair and scrub my skin until it's raw before rinsing off and getting out. I towel dry my hair before realizing I don't have any clothes, I wrap a towel around my waist.

I open the door and slip out, peeking into Ryder's bedroom. He's pulling his shirt over his head, my cheeks tint pink. I clear my throat, he freezes and turns around. "Um...I don't have any clothes." I say awkwardly. Ryder shuffles through his closet.

He hands me a large t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants along with a new pair of boxers. I mumble my thanks before practically sprinting to the bathroom. The sweatpants are way too big and I have to roll the boxers up a twice before they fit, the shirt falls mid thigh.

I keep my head down as I exit the bathroom, I find Ryder in the kitchen with his back to me. I watch him silently until his voice scares me out of my revere. "Are you just going to stand there staring or are you going to join me?" Ryder asks, causing me to move to stand beside him.

He glances at me from the pan in front of him. His gaze travels down my body and I get the distinct urge to pull the shirt down. Ryder chuckles before his face becomes serious. "Is he the reason you cut?" he asks. It feels like a bucket of cold water was dumped on me.

I duck my head, the floor has suddenly become very interesting. Theo isn't the reason I cut myself, but Ryder wouldn't understand. "No, he's not. You wouldn't understand even if I told you." I say. "Tell me anyway." Ryder insists. I pull anxiously at the shirt hem.

It all starts coming back to me, the names and taunts from high school. My breathing becomes labored and I start to fall sideways. "Sebastian?" Ryder asks worriedly. He holds me up, centimeters from the floor. I blink rapidly as black dots cloud my vision.

Ryder scoops me up and carries me to the couch, laying me down gently and shaking my shoulder. My heart beats erratically in my chest and I struggle to breath. "Call...call A-avery..." I gasp out. My chest constricts and my vision dims, I feel myself ebbing away.

The last thing I see is Ryder cursing a variety of obscenities as he dials a number into a phone before he puts it to his ear...

*** *** ***

I pry my eyes open and squint at the bright light coming through the window. The curtains are open and I can hear voices in another room. I'm back in another bedroom I don't recognize and the sheets are folded down to my shoulders, a full glass rests on the nightstand.

I slowly get up, noticing I'm still in the same shirt. My feet pad quietly across the thickly carpeted floor as I make my way to the door. The voices grow louder and I recognize the hall as the one in Ryder's flat. As I get closer I identify the voices as Avery and Ryder.

"You know, I thought you'd be good for him. As it turns out, you're making it worse. This is the second time in the last week he's had a breakdown like that. That was the first time in months that he's had fresh cuts." Avery says. I can imagine the furious look on her face.

"You think I'm trying to make it worse?! Do you think I want to see another person I care about die from this?!" Ryder exclaims. "You don't know him like I do." Avery says. "How well do you think you know him? Has he told you why he does it?" Ryder retorts.

"No, he hasn't. Did you know that I've caught him talking to Theo? Theo died a year and a half ago and Sebastian thinks it's his fault. He still sleeps on the left side of the bed, like he's expecting Theo to join him at any hour of the night." Avery pauses.

"He'll say something and then turn around to ask Theo something else, the look on his face breaks my heart." Avery says. Ryder doesn't say anything, Avery decides to break the silence. "So I'm sorry if I'm being a little aggressive," she pauses.

"I'd prefer it if I didn't have to watch another person in my family fade away." Avery says. "What do you mean by your family?" Ryder asks. I freeze, my blood running cold as I silently plead for her to keep her mouth shut. "He didn't tell you, of course." Avery states.

I decide to make my presence known, stepping out from behind the wall. Ryder and Avery freeze, Avery holds a familiar silver band in her hand. "Please don't tell him." I beg her. Her eyes are apologetic as Ryder finds the ring with his eyes, they widen a fraction.

"Where did you get it?" I ask. It's a rhetorical question, I know exactly where she got it from. I just want to hear her admit it out loud that she was going through the drawer in my bathroom for spare razor blades. "It was in your apartment." Avery says.

I snatch it from her, slipping the ring easily onto my left ring finger. The white gold shines like new, the emerald shimmers under the fluorescent lighting. "What is she talking about Sebastian?" Ryder asks. I glare at Avery, but her gaze holds no regret.

"I've told you a little about Theo, but I haven't told you the whole story. Theo wasn't just my boyfriend, he was my husband." I say...