The Three Fates of Ryan Love

The Three Fates of Ryan Love Read Free Page A

Book: The Three Fates of Ryan Love Read Free
Author: Erin Quinn
Ads: Link
could it hurt to sit in his truck and wait it out? If nothing else, maybe he’d get to the bottom of her story.
    She waited impatiently by the door, watching the clock switch numbers. Brandy sat at her feet, ready to go. According to Sabelle, they had less than fifteen minutes to get out of there before the whole place was incinerated.
    â€œHurry,” she said and stepped onto the landing without a backward glance.
    Shaking his head, Ryan clicked his tongue for Brandy to follow and locked the door behind him.

S abelle felt Ryan following her all the way down the stairs. Outside, the storm raged in vengeance and she tried not to pin more importance on it than it deserved. But it was hard. It could be a storm and it could be the Sisters. Knowing what they planned for Ryan, it seemed wise to consider the latter. The storm could be a symptom of their anger.
    They would know she was gone by now.
    When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Ryan paused, muttering, “Something smells rotten down here.”
    Sabelle got a whiff of the pungent odor, too, but her sense of smell was something new and the only scent that mattered to her was the warm, masculine one that clung to Ryan’s jacket. She pressed her nose into the collar as he took her hand and the lead, turning right toward the pub instead of to the left and the parking lot where he’d found her.
    His hand was warm against hers. She felt it from her fingertips to someplace low and deep inside her, a human reaction to his nearness that disconcerted and delighted her. She’d imagined it enough times, but she’d never considered the impact of feeling.
    They entered the pub from a door behind the bar with Brandy racing ahead. A hundred times she’d seen Ryan’s family pub through his eyes, but she’d never seen it through her own. She’d never imagined the taste of it. The air was thick and malty, sharp and sour all at once. The graying walls held memories of secrets shared by friends long gone. Framed pictures of Ryan’s relatives posing with people she didn’t know watched her pass, judging her from their lofty positions.
    High up along the front wall, stained glass in brilliant emerald and dusty rose filtered the streetlights and danced pastels over the long, smooth bar. Below them, hazy picture windows looked out on a deserted street where twinkling Christmas lights glimmered from every tree and pole she could see.
    â€œIt’s smaller than I expected,” she murmured.
    Ryan gave her a questioning look but she didn’t say more. The responsibility of the pub had always seemed such a huge burden for Ryan that she’d expected an echoing chamber instead of a cozy niche. Her steps faltered as she stared at the empty tables and chairs, knowing soon they’d be rubble and ash. Ryan tugged her hand.
    â€œDid you forget we’re about to be incinerated?”
    Not something to joke about, but he’d figure that out on his own. Pack on his back, Ryan took a few steps toward the exit and stilled. He sniffed the air again.
    â€œFuck,” he breathed. “That’s gas.”
    His accusing gaze swiveled toward her. The fury of the storm amplified the silence inside the bar as the moment stretched. Hail began to pelt the walls and sidewalk. It battered the roof and bombarded the windows.
    Ryan cursed again and moved to the door, Sabelle’s fingers firmly clasped in his. She matched his stride, suddenly worried that she’d gotten it wrong and they’d run out of time. He had the key in the lock and the door opened in seconds.
    â€œKeep your head down,” he said, shrugging out of the jacket he wore and holding it over them both. “Get closer.”
    Dutifully, she obeyed, wrapping her arm around his waist to anchor her to his side.
    â€œBrandy, come,” he ordered as they stepped onto the sidewalk. Brandy didn’t look too keen on the idea, but she scooted out and stayed

Similar Books

Wild Thing

Robin Kaye

Cold Snap

Allison Brennan

Made of Honor

Marilynn Griffith

Cobra Clearance

Richard Craig Anderson

The Exquisite

Laird Hunt

Harrison Squared

Daryl Gregory

In a Perfect World

Laura Kasischke

The Sand Castle

Rita Mae Brown