Ryker (The Ride #4)

by Megan O'Brien

“He’s asleep.” Sophie smiled, flopping down on the couch next to me with an exhausted sigh.

  “How’re you feeling?” I asked, nodding toward her belly, which grew by the day.

  “Great.” She smiled. “It’s so amazing to get to share the experience with Axel this time around. He’s read more about pregnancy than I have!” She laughed.

  That didn’t surprise me.

  “Mad is a bit of a handful, but I have a lot of help between Ax, my mom, you guys, and the club. I can’t wait for this little one.”

  I smiled, knowing all too well what a handful Maddox could be.

  “It’s so exciting,” I agreed genuinely.

  When a knock sounded at the door, we both looked over in surprise. They lived pretty remotely and we weren’t expecting anyone.

  “I’ll go,” I offered, rising off the couch to look through the peephole.

  It took me a moment to even comprehend what I was seeing.

  “Who is it?” Sophie asked.

  “It’s Mrs. Black,” I whispered, with wide eyes.

  I hadn’t seen Ryker’s mom in years. He and Axel still checked in on her from time to time, and I knew she was trying to get sober. Ry was skeptical about it sticking, and wanted to shield me from getting sucked into what had been years of instability for him. I’d argued the point, but up until now he’d been unrelenting. Axel didn’t let her near Maddox or Sophie either. Her presence here wouldn’t be well received by either of her sons.

  “What!” Sophie exclaimed, clearly as shocked as I was.

  I opened the door to Ryker’s mother, watching as her eyes opened wide in surprise.

  “Mrs. Black,” I greeted hesitantly, noticing that her lip looked slightly swollen and there was faint bruising around her eye. “Do you remember me?”

  She nodded.

  I looked over at Sophie, not wanting to invite her in since it wasn’t my house.

  “Come in.” Sophie gestured, rising off the couch and shooting me a wary glance.

  “Is Axel home?” Mrs. Black asked, her gaze jumping from me to Sophie.

  “Not right now, he’s with Ryker. I’ll give them a call,” Sophie answered, already holding her cell phone to her ear. She stepped out of the room for privacy.

  “Is everything okay?” I asked, as Ryker’s mother stepped into the great room, her eyes scanning the space. I doubted she’d ever been here—not since Axel had bought it from his grandparents.

  She shrugged, and I watched her swallow hard as she fought to keep her composure.

  Despite everything, I fought the desire to comfort her. She looked so fragile.

  “Would you like something to drink?” I offered, before wincing at how my offer could be taken. “I mean, some water or I think they have some soda,” I blathered.

  She shook her head. “No, thank you.”

  “They’re on their way,” Sophie announced, returning to the room.

  Well thank God for that.

  Sophie was tense, and I knew she was silently praying for Maddox to continue sleeping. Axel had very intentionally kept his mother from his son, for reasons we all understood. If he woke up, things were going to get awkward, fast.

  “When is the baby due?” she asked, her gaze intent on Sophie’s pregnant belly.

  “A few months,” Sophie answered quietly, her hands resting on her stomach. “Maddox is sleeping,” she added hesitantly.

  The three of us stood in silence, regarding each other. I’d thought this couldn’t get more awkward. I was wrong. The minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness, as we all searched for something to say.

  We all agreed it’d been colder this winter than we remembered, which killed about two minutes. She hadn’t watched any movies or any television for a long time, so that was out.

  Finally, I brought up the fact that I was reopening the boutique and that bought us some solid time.

  When the guys burst through the front door, I deflated with relief, glancing at Sophie and watching her do the same.

  “What the fuck, Ma?” Axel’s voice boomed, his gray eyes narrowed on his mother, as he stepped to his wife’s side, putting a protective arm around her shoulders.

  Ry stepped to my side, pressing his lips close to my ear. “Okay, Tink?” he murmured.

  “Fine,” I assured him, with a reassuring squeeze around his waist.

  “What the hell happened to your face?” Axel growled.

  “It’s nothing,” she answered, dismissively.

  “Who did that?” Ryker demanded.

  “I’m not here about that,” she replied, shaking her head.

  “You lettin’ another man rough you up—what, you didn’t get enough from our old man?” Axel said harshly.

  I watched Sophie wince, knowing I wore a similar expression.

  “I’ll leave you guys to talk,” I murmured quietly, wanting to give them privacy to hash things out.

  “Me too,” Sophie agreed.

  We both started to move away from our men and we were both pulled back at the same time.

  I realized with a jolt of aching clarity that they needed us. Dealing with their mother wasn’t easy for either of them. I stepped closer to Ry’s side, wrapping an arm around him.

  “Don’t do that shit again,” Ryker growled into my ear, so low that only I could hear.

  I nodded, my eyes on his mother, bracing for whatever stunt she was about to pull.

  Ryker had spent so much time supporting me as of late, I was more than happy to be able to do the same for him.

  She looked at Axel, imploringly. “I know you came into some money,” she began nervously. “I need to ask you for a loan.”

  “A loan,” Axel replied, seeming to grapple with her statement. “Your house and car are paid for, and you get a social security check. What’s the loan for?” he demanded.

  Despite everything, her sons had made sure she was taken care of. I wanted to strangle her for trying to take advantage of that.

  “You got a new boyfriend, Ma?” Ry cut in, and it was clear both men smelled a rat.

  She shifted from one foot to the other.

  Axel stepped into her space, pointing a finger in her face. “Let me clarify something for you—Sophie and I use our money to support people we love, people who don’t expect anything in return.”

  A light dawned based on what he’d said but I forced myself not to react as he continued.

  “You just take. Even though Ry and I have made sure you’re set if you live smart, you still want more. And for what? To support an abusive boyfriend? To buy booze? You must be out of your fucking mind if you think I’ll spend a dime toward that,” he growled. “This is a new low, even for you.”

  “I can’t get rid of him,” she admitted, hanging her head low. “He moved himself in—he just… took over,” she whispered, and I almost felt bad for her. “He thinks I have a rich son. I didn’t want to come here, but he started hitting me and I thought maybe if I paid him off, he’d go away.”

  “Give me a fucking name. Now,” Ryker commanded. Axel gave his brother a chin lift in solidarity, his arms crossed over his massive chest.

  They still wanted to protect their mother, and I knew they always would.

  “Larry Fenster,” she replied without delay. “I’m sorry,” she added, and she seemed to be genuine.

  Ryker sighed heavily. “Next time—and I hope there isn’t one—just be straight with us, yeah?”

  “Yeah,” she agreed readily.

  “He at the house now?”

  She nodded.

  “Right, go find something to do for a few hours, Ax and I’ll take care of it.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured, gratefully. “I’m trying to get myself straight. I want to be part of your children’s lives,” she said to Axel. “And yours when you have them,” she said, moving her eyes to Ryker.

  Gah! Why was everyone planning for our babies already?

  “You know what you need to do to get there, and you aren’t there yet,�
� Ry stated, gruffly. “For now, just let us take care of this. We’ll be in touch.”

  If I hadn’t witnessed firsthand the amount of neglect both boys had suffered at her hands, I might have winced at the harsh demeanor toward his mother. Instead I understood and wrapped my arm tighter around my man’s waist in silent support.

  “Fuck,” Axel swore, pacing the living room after their mother had left. His eyes swung to Ry.

  “You… you guys…,” I stammered, looking from Axel to Sophie. “You paid for my father’s treatment, didn’t you?” I asked hoarsely.

  I watched as they shared a look, Axel shifting uncomfortably.

  “You did,” I whispered in awe.

  Axel cleared his throat, his gaze warm. “Course we did, Pipe. Your family protected Ry, when I couldn’t. You took him in, when he needed a safe place to sleep. Your parents were there for him, when he needed that kind of love. And Pipe, so were you.” His gray eyes stared into mine, as tears slid down my cheeks.

  “Bro.” Ry’s awed voice told me he hadn’t known either. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  Ax shrugged. “We didn’t want you to feel obligated to ever pay us back. That’s not what this is about. What Pipe and her family did for us is already a gift that could never be repaid.”

  I ran over and wrapped an arm around each of them. “Thank you,” I gasped, overwhelmed with emotion.

  I felt their arms surround me. “We were happy to do it and we’re so glad he’s doing better,” Sophie replied.

  I stepped back, wiping away tears as Ry reclaimed me, his arm wrapping around my chest from behind.

  “Right, back to the matter at hand,” Axel broke in brusquely.

  “I’ll drop Pipe off at home. Meet me at the club in thirty, and we’ll head over to Ma’s together, take care of this.”

  Axel nodded.

  Ry deposited me into the truck without comment. He was quiet on the way home, his jaw tense and eyes narrowed, as he watched the road ahead. I left him to his thoughts, gazing out the window as the scenery flashed by.

  “Be careful,” I said quietly, when he stopped in front of our place.

  He nodded, his eyes intent on the road ahead.

  He was gone for a few hours.

  When he came home, he changed into basketball shorts and without a word went into the garage. He’d turned it into a gym of sorts, with a punching bag and a weight bench. Judging from his mood, that punching bag was about to get quite the workout.

  I left him to it for as long as I could stand.

  I could hear the whap-whap-whap of the bag before I walked in. The sight that greeted me had my heart pounding with lust, despite the circumstances.

  He was clad only in black basketball shorts and his naked torso glistened with sweat. I watched in fascination as his muscles flexed with every move, as he continued to hit the bag without glancing at me. His shorts were hanging dangerously low on his hips and my mouth watered at the thought of what lay underneath.

  “Babe,” I tried, when his movements didn’t slow. “Ry,” I called, louder.

  He didn’t pause.

  I thought about what to do next, how to comfort him. Words weren’t going to work, but I knew something that would. The realization had my hands pulling my shirt up over my head. My boots and jeans followed, until I was standing there in my bra and panties.

  His movements stopped right then, as his muscular frame swung to face me.

  I swallowed hard at the look in his eye.

  He stalked me like prey, backing me against the weight bench. “Baby, you gotta know what you’re getting into. Right now, I have no fucking control. Can you handle that?” he demanded.

  I nodded mutely, dropping to my knees. I gazed up at him, gratified by the hunger in his eyes.

  “Christ,” he groaned, as I pulled his shorts down.

  I took him into my mouth, letting the raw lust I felt take over. My fingers gripped his firm backside, pulling him closer, relishing his taste and his smell.

  “Stop,” he ordered, before I was anywhere near done. He pulled me up, ripping my panties down my legs and tearing off my bra. “Hands on the bench,” he panted, his chest heaving.

  I bent over, my hands on the bench, and turned my head to look back at him as he moved in behind me. I’d never been so turned on in my life. I felt like I’d die if he didn’t get inside me.

  Lucky for me, I didn’t have to wait long.

  His large hands wrapped around my hips, as he took me with a firm, long thrust. Then he started to move.

  We both cried out, our voices intermingling as he took me harder than he ever had.

  Nothing had ever felt so good.

  The orgasm that raked my body, took me by surprise it was so intense and sudden. His hands moved to my shoulders, pulling me back harder and getting deeper as he pounded out his own release on a yell.

  “Fuck,” he panted, his forehead resting against my back, as we both caught our breath.

  I stood up on shaky legs, turning to wrap my arms around him. I held him as his head dropped to my shoulder. Tremors shook his body and I pulled him closer, his big body curving around mine.

  “Come on, let’s shower and I’ll fix you something to eat,” I coaxed, taking his hand. He followed me, as we made our way through the house and up the stairs. I turned on the shower, stepped in and pulled him in behind me.

  “I hurt you?” he asked quietly, his eyes on my hips where his fingers had made small marks.

  “No,” I assured him. “I want to do that again,” I added with a slow smile.

  “Sexiest fucking girl…,” he murmured, his eyes roving my body in appreciation.

  After we showered, I threw on one of his tees and headed downstairs to make us some dinner.

  It wasn’t until later, when we were laying side by side in the dark in bed that he began to talk.

  “I don’t know if my ma will actually get her shit together,” his deep voice broke through the silence. “I’m tryin’ not to hold out hope, but she’s never tried this hard. Never stayed clean this long. If she keeps letting these worthless fucks push her around, falling off the wagon will be the least of her worries,” he muttered. “It pisses me off how much I care,” he lamented. “She fucking left us with him—disappeared into a bottle. Why do I care so fucking much, when she never cared to fight for me?”

  “Because you’re a good man and she’s your mother,” I answered, moving closer to him and resting my cheek against his warm chest.

  He sighed. “I don’t want this to touch you. I don’t ever want her near you, if I can help it.”

  I looked up at him, my chin resting against his skin. “Am I not your girl?” I demanded with fervor.

  “Course you are,” he scoffed.

  “Do you love me? Do you know that I love you?” I pressed.

  “Yes,” he sighed, no doubt sensing where this was going.

  “Then you know that means I stand beside you. Not in a corner somewhere, not locked away when shit gets tough. I know you want to protect me and you do, Ry,” I said emphatically. “But you won’t protect me by shutting me out.”

  “I don’t imagine, if I put you in a corner, you’d stay very long,” he muttered dryly.

  “Nope,” I agreed with a smile.

  “I need you to trust me to take care of you,” he said, his fingers stroking my hair.

  “I do, always,” I replied without hesitation.

  That seemed to make him feel better. He needed this. When he was young, he hadn’t been able to take care of his mother and I knew that weighed heavily on him. I wanted to let him take care of me, but I’d do that by his side.

  “When are we moving out of this room?” he asked, changing the subject. We’d still been sleeping in my old room, using the guest bath.

  “Don’t know,” I replied.

  “This room is small, babe. Bed’s small. The closet is fucking tiny. What do you say we take a look at some new bedroom furniture tomorrow? Some paint? Se
e what we can do to get you ready to move in there.” His head tilted toward the master.

  I nodded. I knew he’d have to push me. I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel ready.

  He squeezed me, kissing the top of my head. “You’ve been a warrior since we were small, baby. Wouldn’t dream of containing that. It’s part of what I’ve always loved about you,” he murmured. “It’s part of who you are. You’re the only woman strong enough to take my back. You’re the only woman I’d want there.”

  My breath left me in a rush as his words washed over me. I was incapable of a response, I was so moved. Instead, I burrowed closer to his body, wrapping my arm around him in silent thanks.

  Despite the uncertainly in our lives, I’d never been more certain of him—of us.

  Chapter 14

  True to his word, he dragged me to the furniture store after breakfast. We picked out a beautiful new king-sized bed, a dresser, and nightstands. Then we picked out new paint for the walls, deciding on a muted gray-blue.

  “We’re really doing this,” I marveled as we—well, more like I—picked out new sheets. Ry’s eyes had started to glaze over the minute we’d walked into the home goods store.

  “What do you mean?” he asked in a bored tone.

  “Moving in together,” I replied.

  He chuckled, shaking his head at me. “Babe, we’ve been living together for a while now.”

  “Yeah, but that wasn’t official. This is official,” I stated, holding up the duvet in my hands, which would go perfectly with the paint we’d decided on for the walls.

  He stepped closer, pulling me to him, not caring that we were in the middle of an aisle in plain sight. “Baby, it was official the moment I got back inside you,” he murmured in my ear, making my knees quake and insides liquefy. “I got a taste of you, knew it’d never be enough,” he murmured, his lips against mine. “Knew I’d never let you go.”

  “Oh,” I replied, breathlessly, unable to garner any other response.

  He backed away, his eyes twinkling as he grinned down at me. “Now, can we please get the fuck out of here? I still have shit to buy at the hardware store.”

  “Aw, poor baby, are you uncomfortable in here?” I teased, gesturing to the lamps and picture frames that surrounded us.