Ryker (The Powers That Be Book 4) (7 page)

“I don’t know. I think it’s kinda like a cook who knows which spice to put in.” She shrugged. “And let’s hope this Ryker guy’s there and sees you in this, so when you find a new boyfriend, he’ll be really jealous.”

Here we went again.

I took a deep breath, trying to control my temper, so tired of hearing that. “He won’t be there. He’s at a tournament out of town.” Gladys raised an eyebrow at me in the mirror while she smoothed on some lip gloss. “Coach G told me yesterday in PE why he was gone. That’s the only reason I know.” I shrugged nonchalantly letting her know I couldn’t have cared less but I’m sure I didn’t fool her.

“Darn. I wanted him to be there so you could show him what he’s missing out on when we find you someone else.”

Okay, I’d had it.

“I’ve had it!” I shrieked. “Stop trying to set me up! Jesus!” Sharee walked into the bathroom just then and did a turnabout. “Oh no. You get your ass back in here!” I called. When she reluctantly came back, I continued. “Both of you stop it. I know you love me and that’s why you’re doing this ganging up thing again but stop.” Their looks of innocence first at me then at each other made me want to smack them. “Greenling? Chris Swartz? Remember?” At least they both nodded knowing what I was getting at which made me calm down. “Look. I’m fine. I don’t need anyone. If I find someone, well, whoopee for me. But if not, I’m good. So for the last time, get it through your thick skulls that I’m fine, okay?”

They both nodded again.

Gladys and I continued our makeup routine in silence until Sharee broke it. “How ‘bout those Mariners?”

We all burst into laughter and the conversation was behind us. Thank God.

And even though they dropped it, I still secretly hoped I’d find someone. I mean, not at this party just somewhere. Because although I tried acting like I didn’t care about Ryker I knew I still did, which sucked. But I also knew I needed to move on.

And that’s what I planned on doing.

8—Reversal

I had to admit the party was kind of fun. It was nice to be out with my girls again. And right now I was talking to a really cute guy named Cole who was a wrestler. What was it with me and wrestlers? Yeesh. Anyway, he’d found us a cozy corner where we could talk, and let me say he was pretty easy on the eyes. He was handsome, tall and freaking built. His blond hair was longish, meeting his square jaw and his sky blue eyes were rimmed by dark lashes. What wasn’t to like? Sadly, though, I couldn’t help thinking that I preferred dark hair and golden eyes that glimmered with mischief. Damn it.

“So, why aren’t you at the tournament?” I asked before taking a sip of my drink.

“I had to redshirt this year because of a preseason shoulder injury. Coach has had me stay home when we travel because it wouldn’t do any good for me to go.” He shrugged.

“You’d probably get bored, huh?”

He gave me a million-dollar smile. “Bored as fuck. I’d probably end up just getting into trouble trying to talk to pretty girls like you.” He winked and I swear I swooned like an idiot. I couldn’t help it. He was hot.

Just not as hot as someone else I knew but I reminded myself that I was moving on, so I put that thought out of my head.

I learned that Cole was from Oregon and had been an All-American wrestler for Hallervan his last two years here. He liked that I’d played basketball and had been an All-American too, saying that our kids would be “hella athletes” which at any other time I’d have been thrilled to hear a guy saying that. Just not right now. When he told me he was a business major and wanted to own his own oil supply company someday, I knew Dad would love him.

“Hey, I’ve gotta go see a man about a horse,” he said with another gorgeous smile. “I’ll be back with fresh drinks.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine surprising the hell out of me. “Beautiful,” he murmured before winking again and going to do his business.

“Oh, wow! He’s ca-yute!” Gladys shrieked as she bounced up to me. She was already three sheets to the wind, having had at least two glasses of wine, the lightweight.

“He is cute,” I agreed, sniffing first then sipping whatever concoction was in the red cup she’d handed me. It wasn’t bad, so I slipped that cup inside my empty one deciding to keep it.

“Oh, but
that
guy? He’s
really
cute!” she said, pointing at a guy in jeans and a maroon Hallervan t-shirt who was standing in a group across the room to my right. “I’m gonna go find out what his name is! Then I’ll bring him back and introduce him to you!”

“I’m doing just fine on my own,” I said but she was already gone. Good God. I shook my head as I watched her push her way through the crowd.

While I focused on her talking to the guy she’d pointed out, I canted my head to the side thinking he looked familiar, I just didn’t know from where. And when she grabbed his upper arm and started dragging him toward me, I contemplated running. We’d taken a cab here so I figured it’d take me at least six seconds to make it to the front door—I had on five-inch heels and there was a crowd. If she gave chase, I knew I’d have to get at least fifty yards from the frat house before she’d give up since Gladys didn’t do running—another thirty seconds or so. Then I’d call for a cab—who knew how long it’d take to get here but if this kept me from being tracked down by her to face certain embarrassment, who cared. And then I’d be in the clear.

So let’s see, face Gladys trying to force this poor guy on me, being humiliated to no end as she explained to him that my would-be soulmate had only wanted me for a couple booty calls,
or
undoubtedly spraining an ankle (or both) running away, possibly falling and scraping a knee (or both) in the process and maybe tearing my favorite pair of jeans.

I saw her yanking on his arm harder and getting closer.

Decision made.

I set my cups down and just as I spun to go, she exclaimed, “Frankie! Look who it is!”

Shit. So close.

I turned back with a grimace to see her hanging all over a smaller, leaner version of Ryker.

What the hell?

“Uh…” I began not knowing what to say.

“This is Loch! Isn’t he
adorable
?” she squealed, taking his chin in her fingers and squeezing while she shook his head.

Why, lord? What had I ever done to deserve this?

“Hey,” the guy said with a grin and holding out his hand. “I’m Loch Powers.”

Oh fuck.

Fuck!

“H-Hey, Loch,” I returned, reaching out to shake his hand trying not to freak out. “Frankie Mangenelli.” I next looked at Gladys and instructed, “You can take your hand off his face now.”

At hearing my name, he jerked his head back and narrowed his eyes at me as if in recognition. “Frankie?”

“Oh! Sorry!” Gladys interrupted with a giggle letting his chin go then patting his sculpted chest and giving his pec a squeeze. Good grief. She giggled again but something caught her attention just then and she looked hard at who or whatever she’d seen. “Oh, my gosh! I think that’s Ashley Weathers over there! Be right back!” she said in her sing-songy Gladys way and took off, flitting through the crowd.

I looked back at Loch. “Sorry about that. She’s a bit drunk, not that there’s any difference between when she’s sober. And, yes, Frankie.”

The famous Powers smirk graced his beautiful face. “I know who you are.”

I frowned. “You do?”

“I do,” he said with a chuckle.

We stood staring at each other for a moment before I finally prompted through my own narrowed eyes, “Care to fill me in?”

“You’ve gone out with my older brother Ryker.”

My eyes got huge then. Had Ryker talked about me? Surely not. No way Mr. Hookup would divulge his interest in one woman and damage his player reputation, even to his own brother. “Oh, um, yeah, I did.”

“He must really like you…”

This made me frown again. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, Ryker’s, uh, kinda… popular… with, um, women.” Loch actually had the decency to look uncomfortable upon letting
that
clearly conspicuous cat out of the bag.

His proclamation made me feel
so
much better about having stuck around. I nodded knowingly several times before announcing, “Well, it was nice meeting you, Loch.” I gave him a forced smile and turned to leave, putting Operation Blow This Joint into action when he grabbed my hand keeping me from leaving. I looked back at him, eyebrow raised.

“That didn’t come out right, Frankie,” he explained. “What I’m trying to tell you is that Ryker isn’t a big sharer.”

As I waited for him to explain his cryptic remark, Sharee came walking up. Oh yay.

“Who’s this, Frankie?” she questioned with a grin, nodding at Loch.

“This is—”

“Loch Powers,” he interrupted, holding out his hand to her which she took while giving me a smirk.

“Loch Powers. Any relation to Ryker?” she inquired.

“He’s my older brother.”

She now gave me a smart look and I shook my head. “Oh, cool! You know Frankie here has gone out with your brother?” she revealed.

“I do.”

He grinned at me and I was back to getting the hell out of there when Cole walked up, handing me a fresh drink. And this night just kept getting better. Loch was going to think I was the whore that I obviously was who now was hitting on yet another wrestler.

“What’s up, Cole?” Loch asked.

“Hey, Loch. Just living the dream,” Cole replied with a grin. “You hear how they did?”

Loch started in on some wrestling speak that I didn’t understand and I gave Sharee a warning look which only made her chuckle. Oh, how I loved my friends. She sidled over next to me and bumped my shoulder with hers.

“What?” I snapped under my breath.

“Looks like you’re doing okay for yourself tonight. Cole’s cute.”

I looked at him as I leaned over to whisper to her. “He is cute. Nice too. I’m ready to leave.”

She laughed and threw an arm around my shoulders. “Nah. It’s just getting good.”

I shook my head and tuned in to what the guys were saying to hear Loch say, “An hour ago,” whatever that meant.

“Cool,” Cole commented then looked at me. “You wanna go somewhere quiet so we can talk?”

Sharee nudged me with her elbow which annoyed the hell out of me. “Sure. We can go back to our little corner if you’d like,” I answered.

Disappointment passed over Cole’s face but whatever. No way was I going to leave with him because first of all, although extremely cute, I knew I wasn’t into him, and secondly, I didn’t want Loch to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I was some kind of hooker. Nope. I was happy to let that little ditty of data remain a mystery. Ergh.

“Nice meeting you, Loch,” I said over my shoulder as Cole took my hand so we could retreat to our earlier space.

Once there, Cole still held my hand and announced, “I like you, Frankie,” as he gazed into my eyes.

Well, wasn’t I just the likeable one lately?

With a cringe I answered, “Thanks,” not knowing how else to respond.

You’d think I’d have had everything in my head absolutely figured out by now, but as I bit my lip it came to me that I was still hooked on Ryker and it was going to take time to get over him. Ding ding ding! Revelation!

Cole snorted at my response and I guess I must’ve been giving mixed signals because he leaned in to give me a kiss which I dodged by putting my hand to his chest. His very hard, muscular chest. Damn. 

“I’m sorry. I need to let you know that—” and that’s when I felt eyes on me. I shivered as my eyes drifted down from his face past his left shoulder to scan the room but I saw nothing. Weird.

At my look of consternation, Cole asked, “You okay?” He glanced over his shoulder to see what I’d been looking at turning back to me in question.

“Yes, I’m fine. Someone just walked across my grave, I guess.” I chuckled at his confused expression. “My upstairs neighbor says that. Guess she’s rubbing off on me.” I looked down at my drink and shook my head in embarrassment when I heard a deep voice from behind Cole which made my body go rigid.

I looked up as Ryker asked, “Having a good time, Francesca?” His amber eyes shone in amusement as he lifted a brow.

Oh hell.

“Hey, Ryke. How’d you do?” Cole said.

Keeping his eyes on me, Ryker stated, “Advanced through all three rounds. Picked up a fall in the second for two points. Won the fourth by technical fall.”

“Damn. That’s fuckin’ badass. Congrats, man,” Cole uttered sounding like he was very impressed.

I was impressed too but mostly because Ryker had won, not because I knew a damned thing about wrestling. Since basketball and wrestling shared the same season, I’d never really gotten to watch it or learn the terminology. But from the way Cole was acting, it was apparent Ryker had done very well.

“Thanks,” Ryker muttered still not moving his eyes away from me. Gah.

“You two know each other?” Cole looked suspiciously between us.

I bit my lip and fidgeted with my cup a little as Ryker stared me down before he answered. “We might’ve broken a bed spring or two a couple times.”

My head shot up and I blinked at him with my mouth hanging open.

What?

What!

Oh. My. God.

I gasped, shocked at what he’d said, only to see him smirking back at me.

Holy fucking shit.

Cole’s face looked confused then he chuckled. “You what?”

“I-I’ve gotta go,” I stammered.

I was pissed and flustered and boiling mad and needed to get the hell out of there before I started wailing on Ryker right then and there for once again screwing with my head. I handed Cole my cup giving him a small smile mixed with a look of apology, shaking my head at him before taking off to find Sharee and Gladys.

Making my way through the crowd, I sensed Ryker following me, the asshole, but I kept going. As far as I was concerned, he could follow me to the ends of the earth and I still wouldn’t fucking stop for him. Bastard. He’d made it clear what he wanted from me and he did
not
get to go around making me look bad or ruining potential dates I may or may not have gone on. When I got to the kitchen and didn’t see either of my friends, I looped around through the crowd toward the front door deciding I’d just have to text them and let them know I’d left.

I’d made it out the door and was heading down the steps when Ryker barked out, “Stop, Francesca!”

“Fuck you, Ryker,” I fired back, not turning to look at him as I took a right at the bottom of the steps keeping the same pace as I pulled my phone from my back pocket to call for a taxi. Of course there were people everywhere who heard our exchange and some guy snorted at the spectacle I’m sure we were making.

“Goddamn it,” I heard Ryker hiss from right behind me a moment before he grabbed my arm spinning me to face him.

“Get your hands off me,” I bit out, flinging my arm out of his grip as I glowered up at him. Merely looking at him made me want to punch him, and I knew I needed to take off again because I didn’t feel like going to jail for assault and battery tonight. I put my phone back in my pocket deciding the call could wait, my main goal for now being to get as far away from this prick as possible.