Chapter 226

My voice was dead serious, but I heard Ryan let out a small chuckle behind me. “You’re really gonna pay his debt?” the leader asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

“He’s my employee. I’m not going to stand here and watch you thugs haul him off,” I said flatly. “Get me the official loan agreement, and I’ll wire you the money.”

“We don’t have it on us,” the man said, giving a curt signal to his men. “Same time tomorrow. Right here.” And with that, they turned and left.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and turned to look at Ryan. He didn’t look scared at all and just kept staring at me with this weird expression.

“You okay?” I asked. “That didn’t freak you out?”

Ryan shook his head. “You were brave,” he said quietly.

I let out a short, humorless laugh. “Don’t be so sure. I’m sweating through my shirt right now.”

Ryan’s eyes got all intense. “No,” he insisted. “You’re the first person besides my mom or my grandma who’s ever stepped up to protect me.”

“Wait, you’re an only child?” I blurted out, surprised.

He just nodded. “Yeah.”

“Then your grandfather is a real piece of work,” I muttered, unable to help myself. “Getting into that much debt at his age and leaving a college kid to clean up his mess.”

Ryan started cracking up, which made no sense to me. When he saw my confused face, he caught himself and stopped abruptly. “My grandpa’s actually… He’s a good man,” he said softly. “You’ll see when you meet him.”

I wasn’t convinced. Any grandpa who let his grandson get hunted down by loan sharks wasn’t winning any awards in my book.

“Just go on back to the office,” I told him. “Don’t go wandering around by yourself. Those guys might come back for you.”

“Got it.” Ryan turned and headed back toward the office.

I killed half an hour at a coffee shop. By the time I got back to the office, Jared was gone.

I called Melissa to get her advice about Ryan’s loan. She told me to make sure I got the IOU back and to record the whole meeting tomorrow, just in case I get scammed. If these were loan sharks, I really needed to watch myself.

It hit me then that Jared was probably doing an airport pickup this afternoon. A wild, reckless thought sparked in my brain: I should go, too. I needed to get proof myself.

I grabbed my jacket and bolted. Halfway to my car, I realized it was a stupid plan to go alone. I needed help. So, I called Ryan.

“Ms. Murphy, should I bring any paperwork?” Ryan asked.

“No. Just you. I’ll explain in the car. Just hurry,” I said, my mind already racing to the airport.

He was waiting on a side street. The second he buckled in, he asked, “Where are we going?”

“The airport,” I said, gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles ached. “Ryan, I’m paying off your debt. Now I need a favor from you.”

“Absolutely.” Ryan nodded right away.

I chewed on my lip. The idea of ambushing my own husband was humiliating, but right now, Ryan was the only person I could use.

He’d be going back to school in Shaville in two months anyway. And now, I was his creditor. I could make sure he kept quiet.

“I’m going to catch Jared cheating,” I said after a long silence.

“What?” Ryan blinked. “So… things aren’t good with you guys?”

“Stay out of it,” I snapped, my voice like ice. “Just listen. When we get there, you’re going to be my eyes. You are to follow Jared, film every single thing he does, and send it to me. Got it?”

“Got it,” he said, and fell silent. I could feel his pity radiating from the passenger seat.

The airport parking lot was massive. After circling for what felt like forever, I spotted it: Jared’s Bentley. He was here.