Read Online Ryder's Redemption (Badboy Rockers #2) by J.A. Templeton - Free Book Online Page A

know I had lusted after him for years before he left for college. I’d been at his house practically every single day. And he’d treated me like his little sister’s best friend. Some days he acknowledged me with a ‘hey, Ange.’ Other days it was a nod. Sometimes there was no acknowledgement at all.
    “Any guy would be lucky to have you.”
    “What a nice thing to say.”
    “I mean it,” he says, rotating his shoulder in a forward motion and wincing. “I was playing catch today and I think I pulled a muscle. Would you mind rubbing it for me?”
    Had he just asked me to rub him down? “Of course…but let me talk to your sister first. I want to make sure she’s okay.”
    “Sure, go ahead. I’ll be here waiting for you.”
    I walk down the hallway. The light in the bathroom was on and the door was slightly ajar. I knock once. “Kenz.”
    “Yeah.” She opens the door. A washrag hangs from her right hand, and I swear she had tears in her eyes.
    “You okay?”
    She motions me in and I shut the door behind me.
    “I’m so tired of Ryder. I know Deklan loves him and has this weird loyalty toward him. I do…but he just gets under my skin, you know?” She blows out an exasperated breath. “He is so frustrating.”
    “Is this more about the new apartment or—”
    “I don’t know. I mean, I trust Deklan. I do. But the thought of him having an apartment above the tattoo shop, and then sharing it with Ryder…it’s too much. I thought the whole Ryder thing was temporary. Before, I was used to hanging out with him. Now I’m just sick of his face.”
    “Okay, so you trust Deklan…but you don’t trust Ryder.” I didn’t state it as a question. It was common knowledge that Ryder slept with anyone and anything. He’d proven that just this very night.
    “I don’t trust him, Ange. Plus, girls already hang out at Branded just to see Deklan. He has groupies, and he’s getting even more now that Ryder is there. What will they do when they realize he lives above the shop with Ryder? He wasn’t even living at Curtis’s before and he already had overnight guests. I’ll have no control over who is there, and what if some random chick ends up spending the night and crawls into bed with Deklan?” Her voice is getting louder by the second.
    “Kenz, let’s take Ryder out of the equation for now. Deklan loves you. He’s head over heels crazy about you. He watches you even when you don’t realize it, and it’s like he can’t quite believe you belong to him.”
    A brow shoots up. “Really?”
    “Really. He’s not going to do anything to ruin your relationship. If he could, he would change this. He’s just torn. He’s in love with you, and he loves Ryder. Think about it—Ryder’s family took him in when he didn’t have anyone. Don’t you think in a way that he’s repaying the favor by taking Ryder in now, especially when Ryder’s parents are pretty much finished with him?”
    “True…but still, I had hoped when Deklan moved out that he would be alone. That we would finally have peace.”
    I nudge her. “You want your man to yourself, the white picket fence and all that. Yes, I get it. And I know how nice it will be to have your own place without Terry or Curtis. Especially since it must be said that Deklan is currently living in a freaking dungeon.”
    Kenzie laughs. “It’s not a dungeon.”
    “Uh, yes it is. It’s freaking depressing. Just think how great it will be to have a place that’s not a practically windowless, airless basement with zero to little appeal. A downtown apartment on the second floor that overlooks the park. Now that doesn’t suck.”
    “You’re right. The apartment would have an insane view of the park.”
    I smile. “See, there are positives such as not having to label your food.”
    Kenzie had told me about Terry’s obsession with labeling every single food item. She’s caving. I can feel it.
    “I bet he’ll love having you help decorate the new place.”
    Her