Ryker knew it wasn't good for Talia to be at her parents home knowing that Topher knew where her parents lived and if he was the one responsible for her parents murder he had a feeling that would be one of the first places that he would be checking to see if she was there.

"I want to keep you safe, and I think that it would be best if you moved in with me."

"What about my apartment? I have a lease agreement to fufill."

"Talia, don't worry about the lease. I'll take care of that later, your safety is number one right now."

"OK, let's get out of her then." She was upset, she didn't want to leave her parents home hoping that it was all a dream and that they would be walking in the house any minute, but was willing to listen to him and get out of there. He then quickly got her out of the home and had her follow him to his house, parking her car inside of his garage.

He walked her in his home showing her where everything was "Make yourself at home, this will be your home too." He smiled as he pulled her in his arms, she was still scared and worried about what was going to happen next.

"What about all my things? I'm going to need my clothes, I have nothing here."

"Let me make a phone call, I know some people in the police department. I'll explain to them what happened and will have them come with us so we can grab some of your belongings."

Talia pulled away from him and sat down on his couch. She still couldn't believe that this was happening. She looked around his home and thought that his home was nice and cozy, but felt weird that she would be living there. She had her apartment for five years and thought it would be strange to be anywhere else.

Ryker made a phone call and was able to get a couple officers to meet them at her apartment. Talia listened in while Ryker was on the phone and was then curious as to what he did for a living by the way he was talking on the phone.

Ryker walked up behind Talia and started to massage her shoulders "We can meet the police at your apartment in about an hour. In the meantime why don't you come with me, I need to make a stop at my office and grab some things."

She closed her eyes enjoying how he was massaging her shoulders, she placed her hands on top of his stopping him. "Ryker.. what is it that you do for a living?"

He knew that she would eventually ask and figured that now would be the time to tell her, knowing that he could trust her. He walked around the couch and sat down next to her holding her hand, using his thumb he rubbed the top of her hand as he looked her in the eyes "I enjoy the job that I do, but it's a lot of work... I'm actually a private detective."

"So that's what you meant when you told my father that you're a busybody working for attorneys?"

"Pretty much, busybody is another term for what I do."

"I noticed my father's expression when you told him, I take it he knew what you meant."

He smiled "Yes. He knew exactly what it meant."

He explained everything to her and the case that he has been working on, asking her to not say a word about his case. He also explained to her what his ex had done the last time and how they lost a case because of it.

Figuring they better hurry up and leave, he brought her to his office so he grab what he needed, Marcus gave him a funny look when he saw Talia walk in with him and pulled him to the side "Ryker what are you doing?"

"I have no time to explain right now, I'll fill you in later." He placed his hand on the small of Talia's back walking her in his office and shutting the door.

He walked over to his desk grabbing some of his files placing them in his briefcase. While he grabbed his files Talia looked at all his achievements and awards on the wall "Wow.. you must be really good at what you do." She said amazed.

"I work hard at what I do, I don't like to give up until my work is finished."

She then let out a giggle "Was that a laugh that I heard?" He asks looking up at her, wondering what she was giggling about. He then walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her "Hmm?" He hummed with a question in her ear.

"You... it's what you said."

"What was that?"

"You said that you don't like to give up, it just made me think about how persistent you were with me, trying hard to get me to go out with you, getting me worked up sexually at times. Things like that... it's true you don't give up."

"I'm a very determined man." He smiled.

He walked over to his desk and grabbed his briefcase "I have everything that I need, we should head on over to your place and grab your things."

Ryker took her over to her apartment, the police were already waiting there for them. As they went inside a couple officers waited outside the building while another officer stood outside her apartment door to keep on eye out for anything suspicious.

"Don't worry about grabbing everything right now, just grab what you need for now. We can always come back or if anything I could always hire someone to get the rest of your belongings." He says to her as he watched her pile up a bunch of items on her couch.

Talia sighed grabbing what she wanted the most, clothes, makeup and her hair supplies. As they were walking out with her stuff she stopped "Wait." She said quietly as she remembered something. She walked back into her room found a tote that she had emptied onto her floor, she grabbed what she wanted and walked back out to Ryker "I couldn't leave these behind." She said with a sniffle.

"What's that?"

"Pictures... pictures of my parents, things like that."

Ryker wasn't going to say anything about that, he grabbed the tote and helped bring her things out. Talia sent Andrea a message letting her know that she would be staying with Ryker for a while and to stay from her apartment, that it wasn't safe to be around.

"I don't think that you should go to work for a while until we know that you're safe from this Topher guy." He says as they drive back to his place.

"Please don't make me quit my job. I still need something to do, I'm sure nothing will happen to me there with all who is going in and out of there."

"It's still not safe." He argued back. He tried talking some sense into her, when she got quiet and didn't say another word to him he looked over at her, he felt bad "I'm sorry Talia, I'm just looking out for you... please don't be upset with me." He placed his hand on her thigh and gently rubbed it up and down "How about we make a deal, if it means that much to you to still work, I'll do my work there while keeping an eye on things, when you're done with work I'll finish up by going where I need to go after wards."

She nodded her head and looked back over to him "That will work, just don't be getting in my way."

Ryker laughed "I'll stay out of your way, I promise. Like I said, I'll sit back at that corner table and do my work like everyone else does around there... maybe eat a little pumpkin pie while I'm at it." He winked at her giving her a little chuckle. He wanted to make her smile and get her mind off of what was going on.

Ryker got her settled into his place, opening a spot for her in his closet for her to hang her clothes "If you're OK with it, you can stay in here with me too." He says as he stood in the doorway.

She nodded without saying a word as she put away what she brought along. He walked away figuring she wanted to be alone, hoping that she was hungry he decided to make her some dinner. Luckily he had pulled some ground beef out of the freezer earlier in the day and made her some homemade meatloaf. He later went into the room to check on her and let her know that dinner was done and found her laying sideways on the bed with her face dug into the bedding.

She felt the bed dip down and pressed her face down tighter "I made you some dinner if your hungry." He said as he caressed her back. He brushed her hair to the side and lowered himself toward her ear "I know nothing that I say or do will bring your parents back, but what I can do is help protect you, keep you safe and make sure that you're well taken care of." He gave her a kiss on the cheek before leaving and grabbed a plate of food. He wasn't sure if she was going to eat, but left a plate out incase she changed her mind.

He was getting ready to sit and eat when she walked out and sat down at the table. He fixed her a plate of his meatloaf and set it down in front of her. "I hope you like it."

She was hungry, she hadn't eaten much in days and had lost a few pounds. He smiled as he watched her dig in. "This is really good." She said as she took another bite.

"Thank you."

Later that night they were getting ready for bed, just to see what she would say he threw her a shirt of his "Here.. you can wear this if you would like."

"I brought something to wear to bed... but this might be a little more comfortable." She smiled as she put it on, she knew what he was up to guys always like woman in their shirts she thought to herself. He crawled into bed and as she got in he reached his arm out wanting her to lay in his arms.

"Come here." He said lowly.

She slid over and laid onto his arm laying her head on his chest as she wrapped her arm around him closing her eyes. He held her tightly against him, giving her a kiss to the back of her head letting her know that she will be OK. The kiss made her feel warm, she felt relaxed and safe, ans something about laying there in his arms was a feeling that she couldn't figure out exactly what it was but knew that she liked it, he made her feel secure and fell asleep right away.

*******

She finally went back to work after a few days of staying with Ryker. For the last couple weeks that she had been back to work Ryker noticed a guy that kept coming in about the same time every morning. Once in a while he would come in twice a day while Talia was working. He noticed that the guy had taken a liking to her and had been trying to swoon her every time he saw her, since he promised Talia he would keep out of her hair he never said a word, even though it was bothering him.

Looking at the time he knew that guy would be coming in any minute, just as the guy walked in and up to Talia, he got an email about Hannah's progress. Shit he mumbled.

"Talia, Talia..." The guy said happily smiling as he walked up to her.

Ryker acted like he was working but listened in to what he was saying to her, when he couldn't hear him well he grabbed his empty mug and walked up standing behind him waiting to get a refill. Ryker was getting frustrated as he listened in. Talia noticed Ryker holding his mug and reached her hand out for him to hand her his mug "Man she's hot." The guy said to Ryker as he stood next to him.

"Yea she is isn't she." He says feeling his ears burning.

"I would take her home and fuck the shit out of her any day." He says to Ryker quietly as he leaned closer to him. Ryker was biting his tongue, trying not to snap at the guy. It was taking everything in his power to keep from punching his lights out and putting him out of his misery.

"Watch and learn." He says to Ryker as Talia turned around, she handed Ryker his mug and smiled at him. She could see in his eyes he wasn't happy about something, and gave him a curious look.

"How about you let me take you out tonight?" The guy asks her, looking over at Ryker with a grin.

"How about you don't." Ryker snapped back, looking to his side making sure he didn't scare the other customers nearby.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me..." He pointed to Talia "See that pretty girl standing there? The one that you just claimed was hot and that you would fuck the shit out of her any day?"

Talia was feeling embarrassed and could feel her cheeks getting red, at that moment she wanted to turn around and walk away, hide in the corner. The guy then looked over at Talia and back over to Ryker "Yea what of it? She's not your problem."

"See that's where you're wrong, that pretty lady happens to be my fiancé, so I'm asking that you kindly grab your coffee and get the hell out of here before I do something that nobody here wants to see."

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!😉😉😉

Anyone ready for some smut??🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔😁😁😁😁😁

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