All On Contract

Chapter 127 - Ryder Mitchell Part Two

Tessa's P.O.V:
Ryder looks away from me and up at Marshall who paces up and down infront of us. Iris stays seated next to her twin brother and keeps her hand wrapped around his as she plays with the chain around her neck nervously with her other hand.

"And you live with a foster family?" Marshall asks. I glance at Ryder and watch him nod once. "Where do they live?" Marshall asks.

"Chicago." He says, making Marshall quickly look towards him.

"What are you doing in Detroit. Do they know you're here?" Marshall asks.

"Yeah. My foster mom came to Detroit to see family." He explains, making Marshall nod.

"It's two in the morning." I state. "Does she know you're here? At our home?" I ask.

"Yeah." He shrugs, making me look up at Marshall. Marshall looks away from me and lets out a sigh.

"Can he stay?" Iris asks. I let Marshall take this one and look up at him. Marshall doesn't say anything and gestures for me to come towards him.

"We can't let him stay." Marshall whispers as I stand next to him with my back turned towards the twins.

"Why not?" I whisper.

"He's got a fucking tag on his ankle." He says. I look back at Ryder and my gaze drops down on the tag that's covered with his jeans. "He's probably on probation which means he shouldn't be here....In Detroit." Marshall adds.

"He's staying." I state.

"What?" He says quickly.

"He's staying." I repeat.

"You can't let him stay." Marshall hisses.

"He is staying, Marshall." I sigh.

"It's my house. I make the rules here." Marshall says, making me let out a laugh.

"And I am your wife so this is my house too and I get a say in this." I say and walk past him.

"Tess!" Marshall says but I ignore him and walk towards Ryder and Iris.

"Shall I show you the way to a spare bedroom or do you want to stay in Iris' room?" I ask Ryder.

"He can stay?" Iris asks.

"Tessa." Marshall calls me again.

"Yes he can stay." I nod and hear Marshall let out a sigh.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Iris jumps up and wraps her arms around me.

"Go show him to your room." I say as I hug her back. "I'll see you in the morning, sweetheart. Goodnight." I say before I peck her cheek.

"Night." She mumbles. I watch her walk past me and hug Marshall before he lets out a sigh and hugs her.

"You have a lot of explaining to do." He says to her.

"I know." Iris nods. "Night dad." She says and walks away.

"Night baby." I hear him mumble before he lets out a sigh and watches Iris walk away towards the door.

"Come on, Ry." Iris says before she walks off. We watch Ryder stand up from the couch and expect him to say thank you for letting him stay or mumble a good night but instead he just stares at the both of us before he walks out.

"You're dealing with the cops when they come looking for him." Marshall says before he walks past me, making me let out a sigh.

***

"You have an interview to go to and you're performing live!" Leroy says as I look for my wallet. I ignore him as he follows me in and leans against the wall. "You have fans waiting." He adds.