Witness Protection (The Witness Series) Read online

  “I believe you.”

  I turn to him. “You do?”

  “Yeah, I do. I think he did look at you, and I think this is the best place for you to be. Ryder and I are good cops and we will be by your side at all times until we find him.”

  “Has he really killed nine people?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. We don’t know anything. Damn man gets away every time we get a lead, we don’t even have a name but we have suspects.”

  “Are the killings always in this area?”

  “No, he stays close but far enough to give us a shake up.”

  “I am scared for the next victim, I really am. He was so brutal.”

  “Yeah, let’s hope we get him before he finds another.”

  “Yeah, I should wash this out.”

  “Ok, come out if you like, we don’t bite.”

  “I was just going to rest a while.”

  He smiles and stands. “Ok sweetheart.”

  I frown at him, but he simply winks. When he is gone, I feel a small sense of ease wash over me. He is right; we will get along just fine. I shower and rinse my hair, then stand staring at the new me for what seems like ages. I am the opposite of what the killer usually picks. I am petite, probably not even five three, I am tiny from head to toe. I have light olive skin, brown eyes with thick lashes and big, full lips. My hair is long, thick and was my favorite thing about myself; until the hair dye.

  I get into bed when I am done and fall into a deep sleep; actually sleep is what I do for the next few days. Nate spends time trying to cheer me up and encourage me out and Ryder pretty much works most days, and is out most nights. Some protector he is. I find him overbearing and hard to handle, and having a conversation with him is near impossible. Nate on the other hand is friendly and welcoming and he makes my settling in easier.

  On day four, when things have settled for the most part, I decide to join them men out in the lounge, I know they are both home today and I figure it’s time we bonded a little more. I am trusting them with my life after all. They are kicking back on the couch when I walk out, chatting about the case. When they notice me, both men stop and stare. Nate smiles, as he always does and Ryder simply stares.

  “I thought I would come and see what you guys are up to.”

  “We were going to head out to lunch, you up for it?” Nate says with a warm smile.

  “Oh, sure, that would be great.”

  I sit on the couch beside Nate and stare at the screen, 007, of course.

  “Good movie.” I comment.

  “You bet it is.” Ryder says.

  “So Ari, how are you feeling?”

  “Ok, I feel a bit out but I will get used to it. You guys have some good books in that library.”

  “Yeah, Ryder likes to read.”

  I gape and stare at Ryder. “Really?”

  He shrugs. “I am not all good looks and charm.”

  I snort. “I could have told you that.”

  He gives me a look. “You are a strong willed little creature aren’t you?”

  “I am not a creature.”

  He grins. “We are all creatures baby, the lot of us.”

  “Don’t call me baby.”

  “You two stop that, every time you get together one of you gets snappy. Seriously, were you former lovers in a past life or something?”

  I laugh. “Yeah, unlikely. I have better taste.”

  “Same.” Ryder huffs but I can see a small smile playing around his lips.

  “So what do you feel like eating?” Nate asks, ignoring out little attacks.

  “I am good with whatever you guys want.”

  “We will go over to Kazaly’s.” Ryder says.

  “Oh?” I ask, never having been.

  “It is a seafood place, you eat seafood?”

  “Love it.”

  “Alright, well let’s go before it gets crowded.”

  “Is it safe for me to go out?” I ask.

  Ryder stands, sliding his gun into his jeans.

  “Yeah, you will be fine. Just don’t go off on your own, not even to the bathroom.”

  “Guess I better go now then.” I mumble.

  “Guess you better.”

  I change and go to the bathroom, then we head out in Nate’s flashy car. It is a convertible and the warm fresh breeze touches my skin as we zoom through the streets. We arrive at Kazaly’s and Nate parks while Ryder leads me inside to get a table. It is a beautiful restaurant and is packed full of people. I feel a little nervous; considering I haven’t been out for a few days and now I wonder if every person staring at me is a killer.

  “Stop fidgeting.” Ryder says into my ear.

  “I can’t help it, I am nervous.”

  “He isn’t going to shoot you in broad daylight, Nate told you that.”

  “Doesn’t mean I am not nervous.”

  “I make you nervous?” He asks and I roll my eyes.

  “Dream on GI Joe.”

  “Don’t be sassy, I make most girls nervous.”

  “I bet you do.” I mutter.

  “So what are we having?” Nate asks, coming in and stopping beside me.

  “I am having whatever you guys are having.” I say, peering around the room again.

  “Stop looking so damned nervous.” Ryder snaps again.

  “Well fine, I will stare at the floor if it makes you feel better.”

  “Are you two arguing again, seriously anyone would think you want to bang each other.”

  “What? As if!” I cry, folding my arms.

  “It’s not a bad idea.” Ryder says, staring at the board casually as though he didn’t just suggest that.

  “Dream on.”

  “I am dreaming, and it’s a good dream.”

  “Stop hitting on her, you are scaring her Ryder.”

  I glare at Nate who gives me a stupid grin.

  “Alright, I will order, you two go sit down. Usual Nate?”

  “Yeah bud.”

  Nate takes my hand and we find a booth and slide in, he sits across from me and smiles at my twitching fingers.

  “Stop worrying, it is going to be ok.”

  “I know, it’s not that.”

  “Ryder gets under your skin, doesn’t he?”

  “What, no, I don’t think so.”

  “Oh he does!”

  “Nate, shut up.”

  “Don’t worry; he gives most girls red cheeks.”

  “Yeah I just bet he does.”

  Ryder comes back over and instead of sitting beside Nate, he slides in beside me and close enough that his leg touches mine. I flinch and my knee hits the table.

  “Ryder, keep your hands above the table.” Nate says, warning him.

  Ryder laughs and holds his hands up. “They are above the table.”

  “Then keep your legs off her, come on mate, she doesn’t need to feel uncomfortable.”

  Ryder grips my chin suddenly and turns my face to his, my heart begins to pound. God he is beautiful.

  “Are you uncomfortable, baby?”

  “Stop calling me baby and no, I am not uncomfortable.”

  “Do I make you flustered?”

  “No.”

  “Good, then we have no problem.”

  He lets me go and I stare out the window, trying desperately to control my heart beat.

  “So Ari, tell us about your family?” Nate says.

  I turn back. “I have a sister, she is seventeen.”

  “Oh very cool. Does she live around here?”

  “Yeah.”

  Getting the hint that I am sketchy about my family, he changes the subject.

  “How long have you lived out here?”

  “All my life.” I say, picking up a bread roll the waitress brought over. I nibble on the soft fluffy morsel.

  “Same.”

  “How long have you been a cop?”

  “God, a good ten years.”

  “Yeah, about that.�
� Ryder agrees.

  “Hi Ryder.”

  I look over to see two girls who have stopped at the table.

  “Sandra, Emily.”

  “How have you been sir?”

  Sir?

  “Fine, thanks.”

  “We saw you and thought we would come and say hello.”

  “I am busy.”

  “Oh, right.”

  He gives them a glare and they both walk off, I gape.

  “That was rude.”

  “They are stalkers.”

  I choke on my bread, Ryder slaps my back while I cough and splutter.

  “God Ryder, maybe she is safer in the killers hands.” Nate mumbles.

  “I didn’t do anything.”

  “It’s ok, I am fine.” I say, sipping my water.

  “Those are ex’s, they don’t seem to take no for an answer.”

  “Oh, of course.” I say, nodding stupidly.

  “Here is your food.”

  A waitress stops and puts three bowls of seafood gumbo down, it smell divine, makes sense now why we have bread.

  “Oh, that smells great.” I whisper, inhaling.

  “Best damned gumbo in town.” Nate says with a wink.

  We eat in silence and the food is divine. Oh, divine. I am full and groaning by the time we are done.

  “God, I am so full.”

  “There ain’t much to fill, makes sense.” Ryder says, giving me a gorgeous stare.

  “No, you are right about that.” I mutter.

  “Want to walk it off?” Nate asks.

  “Nah, best I can do right now is roll.”

  “We can arrange that, would make my day rolling you down the street.” Ryder says in a monotone, but his eyes are dancing with amusement.

  I glare at him. “Do you know how to be nice?”

  “That was nice.”

  “That was not nice!”

  “Don’t start again guys come on.”

  “Why don’t we go?” Ryder asks.

  “Sounds good.”

  We drive home in silence, I feel like the ice has been broken somewhat but it still feels a little sketchy. We spend the afternoon swimming and playing tennis, then I plod to my room for a sleep, feeling exhausted. I wake in the early evening, and make my way out into the lounge. I hear the giggling before I see the females. When I step into the lounge room, I see Ryder and Nate sitting with beers in hand and topless. Two girls are sitting and giggling beside them. The girls are pretty; tall, leggy blondes.

  “Sorry.” I mutter.

  “Don’t be, we are just entertaining. Come in.” Nate says, smiling.

  “No, it’s ok. I was just getting a drink and…”

  “Come on, we have beer.”

  I smile a little at Nate, who gives me a truly all American boy grin.

  “Oh yeah?” I say, a small smile touching my lips.

  “Yeah.”

  “I…”

  “It’s good beer.”

  “Alright.”

  “Ladies, this is Ariana, our house mate.” Ryder announces, not looking at me.

  “Hi.” I murmur.

  “This is Nicole and Stacey.”

  “Hiiii.” They both chirp.

  “We got good pasta.” Nate says standing and taking my hand.

  He leads me into the kitchen, and pulls out a bowl. My stomach grumbles at the pasta that he puts in; I inhale the rich, tomato sauce.

  “You make this?” I ask.

  He laughs. “No sweetheart, it came all the way from lazy Joes.”

  “Oh, I love lazy Joes.”

  His gaze meets mine. “Well, you will fit right in. It’s our favorite spot.”

  We all sit in the lounge and I listen as the women banter on about shopping and shoes, seriously, gag.

  “What is your favorite brand?” Stacey asks me.

  “Brand?”

  “Of shoes?”

  “Err, flip flops.”

  Ryder snorts a laugh and Nate falls back clutching his belly. What?

  “Oh, are you serious?” Stacey gapes.

  “Shoes bore me.”

  “Oh my God.” Nicole says, covering her heart in shock.

  “I think it’s sexy.” Ryder says and I feel my cheeks heat.

  “Well in that case, we might have to try it out,” Stacey purrs. “I could wear them when we…”

  “You wear what I tell you.” He snaps.

  I gape, blinking back and forth between the two.

  “Yes master.”

  “Master?” I snort, choking on my beer.

  Both girls stare at me, like I have just abused their mothers.

  “What?” I ask.

  “Don’t disrespect him like that.”

  I glance at Ryder, who is gazing at me.

  “Um, am I missing something here? Is he the king or something?”

  “No, he is our master.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “They are my subs.”

  Subs? What the hell is a sub?

  “They don’t look like big yummy sandwiches.”

  Nate roars with laughter again and drops back down onto the couch.

  “A sub is not a sandwich you insolent shit, it is a submissive. They are my submissives.”

  Oh…OH. Wow, he is a Dom, that’s so kinky and weird.

  “Well good luck with that.” I say, waving my hand.

  “You don’t have a master?” Stacey asks.

  “Yeah, no, that is never going to happen. I enjoy my own control.”

  “When someone like Ryder is controlling you, you don’t.” Nicole purrs.

  “Sorry, not my cup of tea.”

  “Have you tried it?” Ryder asks, and I turn to stare at him.

  “No.”

  “Then how would you know it’s not your cup of tea?”

  “Something about being tied up, ordered around and spanked like a child just doesn’t cut it for me.”

  “It’s not about all that, those are just the perks.”

  “If those are the perks, I would hate to see what the cons are!”

  “Ryder is an amazing dom.” Stacey cuts in.

  “Sure he is…no issues there at all.”

  Ryder hisses and glares at me. “Back down.”

  “Or what, you will spank me?”

  “Don’t fucking tempt me.”

  “You would have to catch me first and I can assure you Mr. Dominant that won’t happen.”

  “Is that a challenge?” He growls.

  “Alright, enough. That’s enough,” Nate says, sitting up and stretching. “I am going to bed, Ari unless you want to be involved in Ryder’s fuck fest you should do the same.”

  “I am happy here thanks, he can go anytime.”

  “Careful, I have never had three.” Ryder warns with a heated gaze.

  I gape at him. “That’s disgusting.”

  “How?”

  “It just is!”

  “Goodnight!” Nate sighs, standing.

  “Night Nate.” I smile, as he walks past.

  “Behave yourself, Ryder doesn’t like being challenged.” He grins back at me.

  “Well, here’s the funny thing, neither do I.”

  “Challenge accepted.” Ryder snarls.

  “Pipe down GI Joe, I am getting another beer,” I mumble, “Anyone want one?”

  Ryder stands and follows me into the kitchen. I rummage through the fridge and pull out a beer.

  “Making yourself at home?”

  “Would you like me to get on my knees and beg you for a beer, will that make your juices run?”

  Ryder grips my hair and his aqua eyes flare, oh yes, I can see the dominant inside him, it is flowing off him and I can’t help the throb between my legs thinking about it.

  “Careful, I will push you against this wall and fuck that pretty body until you can’t breathe.”

  “I don’t think so.” I whisper, hating that my voice has betrayed me in my time of need.

  “Don’t. Tempt. Me.�
�

  “Consensual sex, haven’t you heard of it, or isn’t that part of what you do with those women?”

  “They consent, and they fucking love it.”

  “I think they have daddy issues and can’t think for themselves.”

  “Watch it. Those girls have fantasies, it is perfectly normal.”

  “I fail to see how.”

  “Don’t knock it till you try it.”

  “Won’t be happening.”

  “You are giving me a challenge every time you open those pretty red lips, if you don’t shut them, I am going to slide my dick in there and shut them for you.”

  I gape. “Does that really work on people?”

  His gaze grows hungrier. “I have two women here, don’t I?”

  “Then you don’t need my pretty red mouth.”

  “We will see about that.”

  “Dream on cop.”

  “You aren’t bothering her, are you Ryder?”

  Nate’s voice comes from over my shoulder and I am about to turn when he stands up behind me. I can feel his chest pressing against my back.

  “Not at all. I was just having a nice chat.”

  I shift out from between them and walk back into the lounge, trying hard to control the thumping between my legs, well who knew it would affect me like that? Geez. We sit and we drink until we are all laughing stupidly. When Ryder takes Nicole AND Stacey off to his room, I can’t help the little sting that stabs into my chest.

  I walk into my room and flop into bed, trying to ignore the moaning and hissing I hear coming from the other room. The thumping, the slapping of skin and the feral cries of pleasured women. When it quietens down, I figure it is safe to get a glass of water. Sneaking out, I tip toe down the hall. I am passing Ryder’s room and realize the door is open, figuring he went out I keep walking. I halt when I realize he in fact hasn’t gone out.

  I peer in and see a woman strung up on the bed, she looks as though she is doing star jumps. I am not sure from this distance which woman it is, but she is moaning and writhing as Ryder slaps her with a riding crop. I scream, it wasn’t meant to come out but seeing a woman strung up like that, dug out my inner most fears and caused a tremble to rack my body. I turn and run.

  “ARI!”

  I hear Nate’s voice, where did he come from? Oh God, was he in that room too? Jesus. I ignore his knocking but he just keeps on pounding.

  “ARI!”

  I swing the door open and glare at the two men standing at my door. Ryder is panting and has only a towel around his hips, Nate is fully clothed. That is a good thing, right?