My Client the Rockstar (Book 2 Steel Wolf Collection)

Chapter 38

At first Ryder says nothing and the two of them enter into a staring contest. The rest of us sit in our seats unsure on how to proceed. This is only going to go a few different ways. One Ryder gets mad and storms out of the restaurant. Two he breaks down and actually talks about what is bothering him. Three he denies the accusation and continues how he has been. I keep my fingers crossed in hopes he chooses to talk about what is bothering him. Not having Ryder opening up to me is killing me.

He tilts his head sideways in my direction and I watch the tension leave his body when he sighs. "I picked the habit back up a few days ago," he confesses.

"Why," Dimitri presses.

At the same time Lucan asks "What habit," taking an open seat.

Ryder answers Lucan's question first, probably because of the two questions his was the easiest to answer. "Smoking." At Lucan's frown he adds. "Cigarettes. And only cigarettes."

"And now I'll parrot Dimitri. Why," Lucan wants to know.

Ryder glances around the room for a moment before responding. "I got a letter from Paul."

Dimitri sits back and crosses his arms. "Your father sure is a piece of shit, but you've gotten letters from him before and those never pushed you down the rabbit hole." Then a light bulb goes off above Dimitri's head and he leans forward resting his elbows on the table. "What was in the letter Ryder?"

Once again Ryder glances around the room nervously. His movements are making me nervous the only conclusion I can come up with is he is making sure Mason isn't here yet. "Basically he wrote to ask me for money."

"You aren't sending that dirt bag anything are you," Lucan interrupts asking.

"Fuck no," Ryder readily states shaking his head sending Lucan a glare for even thinking he would. "I would never send him anything. If I could sever any ties I have to him I would. DNA included."

Lucan nods his head and throws his hands up in the air. "Sorry man I wanted to make sure. He still is your father and family."

"He's no family of mine. Sadly I share his DNA, but like I said I would get rid of all his DNA if I could." Ryder pauses for a moment steading his breath before continuing. "But sadly him asking for money wasn't the worse thing in the letter." Everyone's attention falls to Ryder. He reaches under the table and takes my hand. My heart skips a beat this is the first time he has reached for me since then night he read the letter. "Paul also wrote to tell me he's found a lawyer who thinks might be able to get him out for time served and only be on probation for a few years. Apparently there was something in the last trial he might be able to use for his advantage."

"No," we hear muttered softly from behind Ryder. Ryder swivels in his chair to have his eyes meet Mason's blank ones. We all look on in concern not sure how this is going to play out. I'm sure this was not at all how Ryder would want Mason to find out. Yet here we are.

Ryder stands and gathers a stoic Mason close to him. Mason remains unmoving with his arms at his sides. This sure is a great way to start the next leg of the tour. At least nothing else major should happen.

A silence falls upon the table. No one knowing how to respond to the latest development. The guys had strongly believed the past would stay in the past and Ryders's father would never see the light of day. My heart goes out to Mason and Ryder. Sure the others feel the loss of Kelly, but not in the same way at Ryder and Mason feels her loss the worse.

"How long have you know," he asks with no emotion.

Ryder breaks away from him, but remains standing. "For a couple of days." he answer meeting his gaze dead on. "I was trying to figure out how to tell you."