She could tell from the look on his face he thought she was lying, that she was playing some kind of angle in order to get him to release her from the house. Did he have so little faith in her?
Of course. Because of Australia. Because she’d left with the black diamond after he’d asked her to wait.
Would she have to pay for that forever?
“Look. I understand you don’t trust me anymore. I’m sorry about Australia, about hiding the black diamond. But you have to understand that my sister comes first. I was afraid for her then, and I still am. I don’t know who to trust, Ryder.”
“Did I ever give you a reason not to trust me? Did I ever hurt you or betray you, Angie?”
Damn. “No.”
“Then why did you run?”
“Because I was afraid. I thought you might be dead, that I was alone. And I knew the black diamond was important. I couldn’t just leave it there. It has some connection to me, or to Isabelle, and I couldn’t just walk away knowing the Sons of Darkness wanted it so badly. I’ve been doing this on my own for so long, I didn’t know how to ask for help.”
“Yes, you are the self-sufficient woman, aren’t you?”
“Don’t you understand anything about family?”
He snorted. “You’re barking up the wrong tree, Angie. Don’t talk to me about family, because I’m as clueless as they come.” He walked away.
She followed, refusing to be dismissed. She grabbed his arm and spun him around. “Don’t walk away from me, goddamit. Look, I don’t know what your issues are with family, with trust and responsibility. But I love my sister.”
“Oh, right. You’ve been singing her praises to me.”
“I might not agree with the way she lives her life, or her motivations and the way she acts, but I still care what happens to her. I need to know she’s okay. She’s the only family I have left.”
“Sometimes family isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Sometimes it’s best to walk away.”
“Who in your family hurt you, Ryder? Who made you so bitter?”
He grabbed her arms and jerked her to him. “Don’t.” His voice went low, dangerous, the anger radiating through him shocking her. The darkness in his gaze was menacing, but she didn’t feel threatened despite his steely grip. She stared him down.
“I’m not frightened of you, Ryder. You might be all tough on the outside, but you’d never hurt me.” As she said the words, she knew they were true.
He released her and stepped back. “Don’t play at psychoanalysis, Angie. Not with me. Not ever. Now go inside. We’re done talking.”
She felt chilled at the loss of his touch, despite the warmth of the sun on her skin.
What had happened to make him hate family so much? What had his family done to him?
And did he think so little of her that he figured one tough-guy exhibition and she’d run for the house and lock the doors? She knew him better than he thought she did.
She followed him to the ocean ledge, slid her hip onto the wide stones, close enough that her thigh touched his. He didn’t flinch or move away.
“Family is tough sometimes,” she started.
He didn’t reply.
“My mother was an incredible woman. So giving and warm. She loved Isabelle and me so much, even though we were so different from each other. But she knew how to handle us. When she got sick and knew she was dying, she told me I was the stronger one, that I had to watch out for Isabelle, because Mother was. . concerned.”
That got his attention. He turned to her. “Concerned about what?”
Angelique shrugged. “She didn’t elaborate. I figured she was afraid Isabelle would get in trouble. Mother wanted me to keep an eye on her, and I promised I would.”
Ryder nodded. “A deathbed promise. Kind of a tough burden.”
“Not really. It was just a promise. And despite my constant disagreements with Isabelle, I have always watched over her, as much as I could, anyway. As much as she’d allow.”
“Does she need watching?”
“Yes,” she admitted. “Over the years I’ve realized that she does.”
“Because?”
“Like I told you, Izzy has a dark side.”
“And that worries you.”
“Of course it worries me. I always thought it was just greed, a personality quirk. Now I’m certain it’s much more than that.”
He gave her a quick nod, and she hoped he at least listened to her, that in some way he understood how important it was that she get to her sister.
“Ryder, she’s all I have.”
There was nothing more she could say. She stood and walked toward the house, hoping it was enough to
