Taken By The Gang Leader

54 I Can Handle Myself

•Ryder's POV•

I look at my phone and see it's four in the morning. I sigh and get up. I can't sleep. What's the point in trying to sleep and risk waking up Delilah? I get out of bed and kiss her forehead. I change into some workout clothes and grab my earbuds and phone. I also grab my gun. Got to be prepared. I stretch a little before heading out, but I grab a water bottle before I leave. I put in my earbuds and start running.

      Just leave with me now. Say the word and we'll go. I'll be your teacher. I'll show you the ropes.
       You'll see a side of love you've never known. I can see it going down. Going down.
       In my head, I see you all over me. In my head I see you fulfill my fantasy.
       In my head, you'll be screaming. Oooh.

       Damn! I see Delilah as the music fill my ears. I see her hands touching, tracing my skin. Her lips creating swirls all over my body. Her nails clawing me as I make her scream. Fuck! Great. Now all I can think about is fucking her senseless. Fucking her until she can't scream anymore. Damn it!

        I sit down and run a hand through my black hair that has some sweat from my forehead in it. Ugh! Why can't I take a run to relax?! Fuck you, universe! I don't need to be turned on when she wakes up!

I change the song to something that won't turn me on and is hip-hoppy or like rap. I don't fucking know what it is exactly! Much better. The music is fast and I don't focus on the words. Only the instruments and the beat. My mind doesn't wonder, which I am thankful for.

I decide to take a break. I find a log and sit down. I take out my water and start drinking, breathing heavy and sweat dripping down my forehead. I turn off my music and listen to the sounds of the woods. So peaceful. But it's also dark out since it's like five in the morning. Plus it's towards the end of November so the sun doesn't rise until a few hours later.

"Ryder?" I hear a voice ask and I turn to see Eliza, holding a flashlight and wearing a hoodie and sweatpants. But she has on winter boots, which makes sense because there's snow on the ground.

"Hey, Eliza." I replay. She takes a seat next to me and sighs.

"What are you doing awake and out here?" I ask her and she laughs a little.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that same question?"

"I guess."

"I just woke up after a messed up dream and decided to get some air. I kept walking and walking. I saw someone lurking in the shadows so I pointed my flashlight and BAM! Here we are!" She explains.

"I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to risk waking Delilah up by being up or moving too much. Plus I had to take my mind off things." I explain and I hear Eliza chuckle.

"Garrett can sleep through anything, I swear." Eliza says, laughing.

"I once woke up late and started screaming and cursing. Of course I couldn't find anything that I needed so I threw everything and screamed some more. Then I realized that Garrett was still sleeping. When I turned to see if he was sleeping still, he was muttering something about 'so soft'." I burst out laughing with her. He sounds like Janet. That woman can sleep through anything.

"So how much can Delilah sleep through?"

"I don't know. I've never noticed or tested it out. To be honest, I'm scared to test something like that. She'll kill me, kill me if I disturb her sleep. Especially now that she's pregnant."

"You are a good man, Ryder. She's lucky to have you. Your children will be lucky to have a father like you."

"If anything, I'm the lucky one. Delilah is everything. She's sweet, violent, caring, strong, smart, she talks dirty to me. But she has this innocence to her. She's a good girl with a glare of badness in her. Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me. I just hope my parents are proud." I mutter the last part as I look up to the sky.