This book is available for purchase on amazon.com as an ebook.
Chapter 11
Ryder led Ingrid to a small room of the hallway on the first floor. There was a Grand Piano in the corner, along with a guitar and lounge chairs dispersed throughout. "Do you play?" Ingrid asked, pointing at the piano.
"Yah," Ryder grinned sheepishly, "This is my favorite room, next to my own room, of course. I come here a lot to relax."
Ingrid scrunched up her nose and smiled, "That's awesome. I'm not very musically inclined; I tend to sing all the wrong notes. Can't even manage the ABC's on tune."
He laughed softly, "That's alright, as long as you can listen." He sat down on the piano and started playing softly, letting his fingers fly over the keys. It was as if they had a mind of their own, weaving a melody so sweet and bitter. The song spoke of trials and tribulations combated by anger and remorse. He ended on a bittersweet note that hung in the air precariously.
"That was beautiful," Ingrid whispered after a moment. Ryder truly had a talent for writing stories with his music. She wandered away from the piano slowly, biting her lip nervously. "Ryder?"
"Yes," he said in an amused tone from behind her.
Ingrid turned around to face him, "Why did you want to talk to me?"
He looked at her intensely and blurted, "I didn't bring a woman back from the cabin." He ran a hand nervously through his mahogany hair, "I couldn't stop thinking about you, and I didn't want anyone else there." Ryder gave her a tortured look when she didn't respond. "I know technically you're Paxton's woman because he's the one that brought you here, but I believe that you have a choice who you want to be with."
Ryder started to pace in front of her, "I know you don't know me very well, nor I you, but I would really like to get to know you better if you would let me."
"Ryder."
"I'm not asking you to shun Paxton; I'm only asking that you give me a chance before you completely make up your mind."
"Ryder."
"Because, I really like you Ingrid. I respect your need for independence, but I also see the hurt and pain in your eyes and I want you to know that I would never hurt you, in fact I will work extra hard to ensure that you're never hurt again."
"Ryder!" Ingrid yelled, finally getting his attention. Good gods he could talk. "Shut up." He gave her a confused look mixed with hurt. "I'm trying to tell you yes, but you keep talking," she said with a grin.
A smile slowly spread across his face as understanding dawned, "Really? You don't know how happy you've made me!" he declared, sweeping her up in his arms and spinning her around in a circle.
Ingrid laughed gaily, "Put me down you oaf!"
Chuckling lightly, he set her on her feet and smiled. "Now, I want to warn you: I can be very jealous...so you're going to have to be patient with me. Very patient."
She gave a mock sigh and rolled her eyes, "If I have to."
Ryder's face turned serious as he looked deeply into her blue eyes, "I'll let you get back to your friends," he brushed a stray hair out of her face, "I'm sure you will want to meet the new women." His eyelids lowered heavily over his deep blue eyes as he leaned in to place a soft kiss on her lips, "Until later, Ingrid." He left the room quietly, leaving a stunned Ingrid behind.
She touched a hand to her lips in wonderment. Ryder was unlike any other man she had known. He exuded kindness and safety, not pain and anguish like her past relationships. Maybe giving him a chance wasn't such a bad idea after all.
Ryder walked down the hallway to his room confidently. She had said yes! Ingrid had promised to give him a chance and that was all he could ask for. He pushed the niggling feeling of guilt aside, reminding himself that it was Ingrid's choice, not Paxton's. Besides, he was too happy right now to care what Paxton thought. He heard footsteps behind him, but ignored them, lost in his own thoughts. He had already decided to do everything in his power to make Ingrid happy.
A deep growl resonated throughout the hallway. "You little shit." Before Ryder could react he was thrown against the wall with a force that would kill an ordinary man. Paxton loomed over him, looking like the angel of death with his dark hair and silver eyes. Hatred and jealously emanated from every pore as he struggled to keep a reign on his thinly grasped control.
"What the hell, man?" Ryder gasped.
Paxton reached down to pick him up by his collar. "You touched her. She's mine!" He slammed him against the wall again, "Mine!"
Ryder got his legs between them and kicked out at Paxton, sending him across the hall to slam into the other wall. "No she's not," he said harshly. "She hasn't picked you yet. I gave her a choice and now it's up to her."
"I picked her out, not you!" Paxton ran at Ryder, clenching his hand into a fist. He swung at him, connecting solidly with his left eye.
Ryder sneered at him, "That doesn't matter. It's her choice and she's going to go with someone who will offer her comfort and safety, not more pain. And we all know that all you're going to do is cause more pain."
"I'm going to kick your ass." After that there were no more words, just solid concentration and fighting.
The match was pretty even, but Ryder managed to split Paxton's lip and land a couple of punches. They circled warily around one another, watching for any points of weakness. Paxton let out a low growl, giving an upper cut to Ryder and finishing it with a swift kick to the knees. Ryder caught himself and landed on his feet, immediately striking at Paxton's ribs. He controlled the change into a panther, just morphing his hand into a claw.
Paxton let out a harsh cry as Ryder's claw tore into the skin on his abdomen. The cuts stung but he pushed the pain to the back of his mind, concentrating on ripping Ryder to shreds. He would teach him to leave what was his alone. He grabbed Ryder around the neck and forced him into a headlock. Ryder struggled in his grasp, swiping madly with his claw, forcing Paxton to release him when he scratched his face.
They both lunged for each other's necks, grabbing a hold and choking madly. Neither man was willing to give up; they were going to fight this to the death. Soon black spots danced in Ryder and Paxton's vision, but their grip never wavered.
"STOP! Oh my God, LET GO! STOP IT YOU TWO!!!" Ingrid had heard a loud growl followed by suspicious thumping noises and had run down the hallway to discover...this. She ran over to the men and started smacking them both, ignoring the furious tears that ran down her cheeks.
"Let. Go. Of. Each. Other. You. Morons!" she cried. Paxton and Ryder both let go at the same moment and held out hands to Ingrid pleadingly, begging her to understand. "No!" she yelled angrily. "This is not ok! I don't want you to fight over me you stupid stupid men!"
"Ingrid," Ryder pleaded.
"No. Both of you go to your rooms. I will visit you individually and talk things over." When neither man moved a muscle Ingrid yelled shrilly and pointed down the hallway, "NOW!"
They walked away slowly and remorsefully, ashamed that Ingrid had caught them fighting. "Don't you dare think about laying a finger on each other!" She called after them, "Don't think I won't notice!" When they turned the corner she headed towards the closest bathroom, muttering under her breath about stupid males and their pride.
Ingrid grabbed a couple of towels, antiseptic and a bucket full of hot water and walked to Ryder's room. She needed more time to cool down before she could face Paxton the Pea brain.
When she entered his room, Ryder leapt to his feet, "Ingrid, I'm so sorry—"
"Shut up," she said coldly. "I'm this close to murdering both of you, so if you have any shred of sense left in that small brain of yours I would suggest not talking."
She dunked a towel in the hot water and motioned for him to sit on the bed. Ryder sat obligingly, looking like a schoolboy that had just been efficiently scolded. She dabbed the towel over open wounds, cleaning the blood away and did her best to ignore his repentant stare. She applied the antiseptic and wrapped a bandage around his split knuckles. After a couple moments of silence she sighed dejectedly, "Ryder look—"
"Wait, before you say anything let me talk," he interrupted hurriedly. "I know what you're going to say and I'm not going to let you push me away already. I know I shouldn't have fought with Paxton but I couldn't help it. I warned you I would be jealous."
"Ryder," Ingrid said softly, "That's not what I was going to say. I know Paxton started the fight."
"See! I knew you—what? Then what were you going to say?"
Ingrid dunked the cloth back in the bucket and wrung it out before handing it to him, "Place it over your eye," she said softly.
"Ingrid?" Ryder asked carefully.
She sighed and looked directly at him, "I was going to tell you that I think we should take things slow. I don't know if I can pick between you and Paxton, but it's unfair for me to drag you and him along, especially for the man I don't pick. So if we take it slow, it won't hurt as much."
She paused to gather the unused towels, "What I'm trying to say is that I don't expect you to wait for me. If another woman comes along and you have feelings for her, I don't want you to feel held back by my lack of decision."
Ryder growled in irritation, "I will wait for you, Ingrid, until you make your final decision. As for taking things slow, I'm fine with that, but don't expect me not to try and make our relationship more than just friends. I care about you too much to leave it at that."
Ingrid nodded slowly, "I understand. I just want you to have options too." She grabbed the bucket of water and walked towards the door, "Goodnight Ryder."
"Night Ingrid," he murmured softly.
She closed the door and headed back to the bathroom, dumping the dirty water and filling it up with fresh hot water. Time to face Paxton. Ingrid had cooled down enough to handle him without removing a limb.
h