Chapter 94: Miss you baby
Elijah sat on the couch, drink in hand, his face set in a determined expression that Ryder had seen too many times before. But tonight, there was something more—an edge of desperation that made Ryder uneasy.
Ryder watched as Elijah took another long drink. "You’ve had enough, Elijah. Stop drinking now," he said, concern lacing his voice.
But Elijah just shook his head, dismissing the comment, and poured himself another glass.
"I’m fine," Elijah muttered, his eyes unfocused. "What’s not fine is that Noah knows where Ash is, and he’s keeping it from me."
Ryder sighed, leaning back in his chair. He cared deeply for Elijah—had always looked out for him, ever since they first met years ago. Elijah was three years younger, but their bond went beyond age. Ryder had seen him rise through the ranks, a force of nature in the business world. But this...he can’t see Elijah like this. Elijah is losing it, and Ryder hated seeing it.
"So what do you want me to do?" Ryder asked, already knowing the answer but needing to hear it from Elijah’s lips.
Elijah’s eyes met his, dark and desperate. "I need you to get Ash’s location from Noah. Do whatever it takes. Thomas can help you to know more about Noah’s background and all."
Ryder’s heart sank. He had been dreading this. Getting information from Noah was no easy task, and Ryder’s reluctance ran deeper than mere strategy. His past interactions with Noah had been complex, tinged with a tension he couldn’t fully understand. There was something about Noah that got under his skin, and the thought of manipulating him left a bad taste in his mouth.
Ryder knows about Noah. More than Elijah thinks. They shared a forbidden past. Their interaction started the night they both met when Elijah asked Ryder to hold Noah back to take a drunken Ash away.