Chapter 4

Thalia

I walked faster. After all that had happened, he had the spunk to talk to me, hold me hostage and call me a prostitute! Defending that whore who had the audacity to smile at me as she gyrated on my husband's lap—ex-husband! And he just told me not to call her a whore!

I heard Ryder yell my name, but I kept my pace. I was not going to cry. Why would I cry? Tears threatened to spill as my walk turned to a jog.

Damn these heels.

"Goddamnit, Nara!" I heard him spat. "Why do you keep running away from me?" His booming voice neared, making me hasten my pace.

"Uh, because you cheated?" Gosh, why am I even yelling back at him? "And if that reason is not enough, you freaking called me a prostitute!" I should be mature enough for the both of us, stop shouting and just focus to get away from here.

I was nearing the gate and the pebbled part of the front yard. The adrenaline rushed through me at being able to get out soon.

"Nara, don't touch the gate! Stay where you are, baby!" His voice was closer than before and it had an urgency and panic laced with it.

I didn't care what he'd said, I was going out of here and out of his life for good!

But the next thing that registered my mind was my breath getting knocked out of me. Ryder maneuvered us so that his back hit ground while my face hit his chest. He rolled over me so fast, it seemed that the fall didn't affect him at all.

"I told you to stop but you didn't!" He was panting, but I doubt it was from exhaustion. I didn't want to acknowledge the nagging feeling that the tremor in his voice was him being worried. "You don't ever listen to me, do you?"

At the moment, I didn't want to acknowledge anything else other than the fact that my lungs stopped working. I was frozen and couldn't seem to move everything except my eyes that were roaming on his face and on his flushed neck.

I opened my mouth to gasp for air, but not even a sound came out. I struggled to get a noise—even the tiniest bit—to come out as Ryder started his rapid-fired monologue.

"I told you that my team was on an undercover assignment and that you're the only one I love, but what did you do? You fucking left without even saying anything! And now you want a goddamning divorce? No, I won't let you."

"Ryder, fuck! Lemme uh," Now tears were running down my face, not because of him—well, partly because of him—and because I couldn't breathe, like at all!

"So you can run away from me again?" He roared. "Earlier, I told you to stop running but," he chuckled humorless, he could've shrugged and lifted his hands in the air if they were not braced on either side of my head. "you continued as if you didn't hear anything. The gate is rigged with thousands of voltage that you could've been fucking fried to crispiness if you so much as lain your finger on it. Thank God you didn't. When will you ever listen to me, huh, Nara?"

I think I was going to die here, with Ryder above me, not the best way to die, but not the worst either. "Lemme up, dammit!" I heaved. "Ryder." I barely got out. And then the next thing I knew he was holding me up. That helped a little. As my lungs were demanding oxygen, I took large gulps of air like a hungry mofo.

"Baby, are you okay?" He crushed me on his chest. "Tell me right fucking now."

I didn't respond—I couldn't—I was busy filling my lungs with the much needed relief to answer him.

He pulled away, just enough to wipe the tears and dried mascara on my face. "Baby, I'm freaking out here. Tell me how you fucking feel." He's got such a dirty mouth and he had no right to panic for me, we ended that a long time ago.

"It's none of your business if I'm okay or not. We ended that type of relationship five years ago. Just let me go so I can be out of your hair and your damn business." I answered him, when I felt it was okay to talk.

The muscle under his eye twitched.

Seeing a window of opportunity, I wasted no time and kneed him in the groin. I ran.

I was already a couple of feet away when I heard his groan, I didn't look back but I knew he was cupping himself.

I lived here for years so I knew there was a forest at the back of the house, as far as I knew it was not fenced.

On the way, I managed to take off the dratted heels without stopping and low and behold, the only way I was clinging hope to was fenced. Poop!

My thoughts were flying everywhere and panic was getting ahead of me.

Do I scale it?

What if it was also electrified? But what if he was bluffing about the gates?

Oh, dammit all!

I jumped and was about to reach the barricade when I was hauled back.

I turned and push to counter the hold, unclutched my bag and whipped out my gun.

With deep breaths, I pointed it at him with surprisingly steady hands.

Ryder took a step closer and I did not hesitate to pull the trigger and aimed the shot to the ground in front of him.

Bang!

It didn't stop him though, he was still coming, and before I could shoot another bullet to the ground, he grabbed the gun and threw it.

He turned me around and held my hands from behind.

I threw my head back in an attempt to hit my captor in the face.

"You need to improve your defensive combat more, baby." How could he say that with such ease?

"Let me go, Ryder!" I probably looked like a mad woman with the streaked mascara and wild hair, but I didn't care.

He did, only now my hands were tied behind my back.

"Untie me, asshole! We are done, why don't you get it?" I was angry, so angry that he still dared keep me.

"I don't want you anymore!" I wanted to say that I don't love him anymore but those words seemed to not want to come out.

Without a word, his left arm hooked behind my knees, the other came at the back of my neck. And then, he was carrying me to the house—fireman-style. I shouted profanities, kicked my legs, but to no avail, my resistance was futile.