Her Journey (Her Series Book 2) by Rachael Orman Read Free Book Online Page B

Ryan’s voice carried through. “Hey, Melia. It’s just me. Please open the door.”
    I pulled it open and gave her an embarrassed smile. “I guess I have some things to get used to. Like needing to use locks and keeping a towel on.”
    “Nah. Well, yes, but these stupid men need to learn some manners, too, with a lovely woman like you around. They aren’t used to people who have manners,” Ryan comforted me. I still felt stupid. I’d lived alone for so long I’d never thought someone would walk in or that I should have kept my towel on after leaving the bathroom. “Why don’t you get dressed and then I’ll take you down to meet Wrench, and then you can lie down for a few hours. He’ll keep bothering you and me until he finally meets you. Trust me when I say sometimes it’s just easier to give into him. I can be just as hardheaded, but it’s exhausting fighting him all the time. You win some, you lose some. This is a losing battle.”
    I nodded and she left the room, giving me privacy to dress. Pulling on a pair of cotton panties and one of the few loose summer dresses I had that still fit, I was ready. I pulled my hair into a low ponytail since I wasn’t going to take the time to dry it. I did stop to take a minute to put on some blush, eye liner and mascara. I never went out without some makeup on. Stepping into a pair of flip flops, I opened the door to find Ryan leaning against the opposite wall waiting for me.
    “Well, let’s go get this over with. Just remember, he can be a dick, but he’s not as bad as he seems. It won’t get better if we make him wait, but at least I’ll be there with you.” Ryan spoke quietly to me as we walked down the hall. I felt nauseated for an entirely different reason than usual. He was just a person. Sure, from across the hall his back had been broad and his arms appeared thicker than my thighs, but I tried not to think about it. We stopped in front of a door on the first floor and Ryan appeared to be preparing herself before she raised her hand to knock on the door.
    “Come in,” a gravelly voice called out. Ryan swung the door open, then stepped inside first. Following suit, I took a deep breath before stepping into the room. Unsure of what to expect, I slowly raised my eyes from the floor to lock with a pair of bright blue eyes that froze the breath in my lungs.
    “No fucking way.” I hadn’t meant to speak out loud, but the words were out before I knew it. Ryan turned to look at me, confusion clear on her face. I kept my eyes on the large man in a leather vest and tight t-shirt. Anger spiked in me as I remembered my expensive broken camera lens. Pointing at him, I shouted, “YOU! You owe me a camera lens, dick head.”
    “Wha…” Ryan’s gaze rapidly switched from me to the man who’d kicked me, then back again. He stood from his chair, probably trying to make himself appear bigger and scarier, but I was too pissed to really take notice of how much bigger he was than me upclose. It was just Ryan, me and this man, whom she’d claimed was her brother. Family be damned, this jerk had asshole stamped on his forehead, or he should. Even the look on his face as he crossed his large arms over his chest, lifting an eye brow at my outburst told me, clearly he didn’t think much of me either.
    “ That is the asshole who broke my camera the other day.” I pointed at the man again before turning to look at Ryan. I had been calm until I’d seen him sitting there, looking all smug, handsome and assholish. I couldn’t seem to stop myself from ranting, “Your brother is the one that owes me a new camera lens. He’s the dick who thinks it’s okay to kick a pregnant woman.” I threw my hands in the air and spun back to face him. “Oh, and then he gets to be upset. Not because he kicked a woman or a pregnant woman, but because she was in his way. How dare she!” All the while I talked the man stood there with that damn smug look on his face, like I wasn’t