Ryder

by Patricia A. Rasey

  Sergio glanced at Luis, then slapped Ryder’s bared shoulder. “Put your shirt back on. Luis and I believe you’ve proven yourself. Eres uno de nosotros. Welcome aboard, amigo.”

  Ryder hid his grin as he pulled his shirt over his head, once again covering the Sig still tucked in the waistband of his jeans. He’d bet every man here concealed. “The pay?”

  “Depends on your worth.” Sergio smiled. “We’ll give you thirty thousand pesos a month to start.”

  “Sounds fair.” In truth, Ryder expected a lot less.

  “We also have odd jobs from time-to-time. For those, you’ll get paid extra.”

  “All of this is under the table?”

  “Sí, amigo.” Sergio laughed. “I’m thinking you won’t want to claim this on your taxes next year. How much did you make with the Devils?”

  “I didn’t earn a wage. We got paid for jobs done.”

  “With La Paz money.”

  Ryder nodded. “That about sums it up.”

  “How did you make a living?”

  Ryder shrugged. “Besides the Devils? Odd jobs. That’s why I’m here. It’s time I make some serious cash now that I’m no longer with the club. Thought I’d head south.”

  “So you came looking for us,” he repeated.

  Ryder took a sip of his michelada, then set down the glass. “I did. I had hoped I might find you. But you weren’t exactly sending out the welcome mat.”

  “Sí, we don’t trust many.”

  Ryder turned, crossing his arms over his chest, and faced Sergio full on. “And you trust me now?”

  Again, he grinned. “No, amigo. We’re offering you an income because you proved useful. Trust comes in time.”

  Chapter 10

  Lord, she was a mess. Gabby couldn’t stop the tremors from wracking her body. Thankfully, Adriana hadn’t been busy and dropped everything to head out to her uncle’s palace. The eight-thousand-square-foot house could only be thought of as such. The Spanish style home sat just yards from the beach, giving million-dollar views from almost every window. Much like her uncle’s beach house further up the coast, only larger.

  Raúl’s staff kept the mansion pristine, not a grain of sand in sight. Interior designers had custom-made furniture brought in, every inch looking as if it graced the pages of a magazine. Only the best for Uncle Raúl, she thought with a sigh. In truth, she could be happy in a one-bedroom apartment, for all she cared. All of the riches her uncle afforded her had not bought her happiness. In fact, the older she got, the more downright miserable she became.

  For the most part, Gabby stuck to her wing of the estate. She had access to the pool and spa via her personal balcony and didn’t have to see her uncle if she didn’t wish to. Even though Raúl was in residence today, she had yet to see him, which was fine with her.

  Gabby wasn’t about to seek him out either. Seeing him would only be a reminder of what had gone down at Salazar’s, everything she detested about her uncle and the men who worked for him. Sure, Raúl could be a good man when it came to doting on her. He had provided for Gabby, gave her a home when her father had been murdered, treated her like a princess, made sure she wanted for nothing. Unfortunately, she also knew where his money came from. Being born into the cartel did not mean she had to approve of the way they did business.

  The door to her sitting room opened and Adriana breezed in. Her waist-length black hair had been tied up into a messy bun, her deep brown eyes holding compassion. She instantly pulled Gabby into her embrace.

  She stepped back and studied Gabby’s face. “What’s your uncle done this time?”

  Gabriela rolled her eyes, too mad to even shed a tear. “Hired the wrong man.”

  “I’m not sure I understand. Who did he hire?”

  They moved to a pair of wicker chairs facing the picture window that overlooked the ocean and each took a seat. Gabby tucked her legs beneath her as she grabbed the iced cappuccino she had been sipping on from the center glass-topped table. Even a good coffee wasn’t helping her feel any better.

  “Can I have Maria bring you an iced cappuccino?”

  Adriana shook her head. “I had a coffee on the way over. Who are we talking about if not Raúl?”

  Gabby traced the side of her glass with her forefinger. “Ryder.”

  “The hottie Americano from the bar? Are you sure your uncle hired him?”

  “No, I’m not positive, but Ryder’s been looking for work. I’m only surmising Sergio offered him an option to join up.”

  Adriana’s gaze narrowed. “Why on earth would you think that?”

  “Remember the good-looking Americano you were dancing with the other night?”

  “The tall one?” Her friend’s cheeks reddened. “He gave me his number. If not for Mateo, I’d be wanting to spend a lot more time with that one.”

  “You won’t be calling him anytime soon, Adri. He’s dead.”

  “What?” Adriana’s mouth gaped. “How?”

  Gabriela inhaled, hoping to further calm her nerves. It wasn’t as if she had to worry about any harm coming to her. But witnessing a murder? That was all new. Just when a man finally held her interest, it turned out he was no better than her uncle. Her hopes of finding someone outside of Raúl’s circle wasn’t going to happen. Neither was falling for a cold-blooded murderer.

  Gabby palmed her iced coffee and informed Adriana of the string of events leading up to Ryder dumping the big guy’s body into the trunk of the car. She shivered at the remembrance.

  “I’m not sure what happened after I left, but I’m going to assume Ryder buried him in some backwoods or desert where he’ll never be found. It wouldn’t matter anyway. My uncle and his money control the policía. They’d turn a blind eye on anything occurring at my restaurant.”

  Adriana shook her head. “I don’t even know what to say. This is bad … really bad. He killed his friend? Why would he do that?”

  She shrugged. “To be honest, his friend drew on Sergio first. Ryder shot him before he could shoot.”

  “In defense then?”

  “Surely, but Sergio or any of his men could’ve taken him out. Why did Ryder feel the need to do it? He shot his friend in the back. That’s cold, not to mention cowardly.”

  Gabriela glanced across the horizon. The ocean appeared calm, not much of a sea breeze coming in. The opposite of the storm brewing within. Gabby was sure there was a black cloud hanging over her head.

  Adriana placed a hand on Gabby’s forearm, gaining back her attention. “What would’ve happened if Sergio had shot and killed Gunner instead?”

  Gabby thought about that and how it might’ve changed her feelings had Sergio shot Gunner instead. “I don’t know. At least I wouldn’t be thinking of Ryder as cold-blooded.”

  “No, Gabs.” Adriana tightened her grip on Gabby’s forearm before letting go. “You might have been watching Ryder’s murder as well. Think about it. They arrived together. Sergio would have made sure they buried both men. That’s how they work. Don’t leave any witnesses. You know this. Regardless of whether Raúl has the policía in his back pocket or not.”

  Gabby thought about it, knew Adriana was correct. Had Ryder not acted, he’d have followed Gunner to that grave. She wasn’t sure if it made up for his actions or not, but it certainly lent a better understanding. She sighed, leaning her head against her hand, feeling defeated. She’d never get out from underfoot of the cartel and their dealings.

  Putting her glass on the table, she stood and padded to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Her sitting room overlooked the ocean, while her bedroom afforded her a view of the spa and pool. Waves gently rolled over the sand, making her wish for the tranquility, a peace of mind. Her cell phone pinged behind her on the stand, but Gabby didn’t bother looking.

  She heard the rustle as Adriana, true to her nature, picked up the phone. “It’s Ryder.”

  Adriana’s bare feet pattered across the marble and pearl glass-tiled floor as she approached. She held out the cell. “Are you
going to text him back?”

  Gabby took the phone and stared at the display with his black typed words: We need to talk.

  “I don’t know. Honestly, Adri. I had hoped he was different.”

  “Maybe, he is. How will you know if you don’t give him a chance?” Adriana gently placed her hand back on Gabby’s forearm. “Let him explain, Gabs. He was in a room full of your uncle’s men. If he hadn’t taken Gunner’s life, he’d also be dead right now. You know that. He may have killed Gunner out of defense for Sergio, but it was likely also out of self-preservation. Don’t hold it against him. Not if you think he’s someone worth getting to know better. Don’t live with regrets.”

  “I swore I’d never get in a relationship with anyone like my uncle’s men,” she whispered. Dare she take a chance? “I don’t know. On one hand, I really want to get to know Ryder. There was something about him that made me want more. On the other, if he’s nothing more than a cold-blooded, hired killer? I can’t do this.”

  “Meet with him. What’s it going to hurt?”

  Gabby used her thumbprint to open her cell. She clicked on the message icon and read his text again. It certainly wasn’t going to hurt to hear him out. If anyone was to blame for the situation, it was Sergio. From what she had witnessed, her uncle’s man had started the argument.

  Which also brought up another issue: Sergio.

  He wouldn’t take it well if Gabby was interested in someone Sergio thought of as an outsider. He had wanted to cement his position in her uncle’s home, in the La Paz kingpin’s family. What if he set out to kill Ryder? Gabriela wasn’t about to put him in a position that could get him killed.

  Besides, what would she even say?

  “You’re putting way too much thought into it, querida amiga. Where are you hiding my best friend?”

  Gabby couldn’t help but laugh. “Right here, Adri. I’m trying to be honorable. I don’t want Ryder to get hurt because of me. You know Sergio believes I belong to him. He’s not going to step aside for some Americano.”

  “Why not let Ryder take care of himself? If what you told me is true”—she tsked—“then I’m betting he can hold his own against the gilipollas. Sergio is a blowhard and one day his ego will trip him up. Maybe Ryder’s the man to do it. Tell him the truth, let him decide if he still wants to get involved with you. Stop trying to be everyone’s savior.”

  Adriana was correct. Gabby had always tried to do the right thing, making up for her uncle lacking the gene. She needed to trust that Ryder could take care of himself. After all, he had already had run-ins with Sergio and had come out alive. Gabby prayed it stayed that way. Any other outcome and she’d not be able to live with herself.

  Gabby typed on the screen: Meet me. Before she hit the arrow, she glanced at Adriana. Her smile encouraged Gabby to hit SEND.

  * * *

  Kane sat in one of the high-backed chairs circling the meeting room table at the Washington chapter clubhouse, awaiting Gunner’s arrival. Kane had been in Seattle for nearly a week, following Red’s ashing, and was starting to get a bit restless. He hadn’t been away from his mate for this long since he and Red had headed south looking to help Anton with his undercover work, while hoping to find Joseph “Kinky” Sala’s killer. Not that they had been needed. Anton had gotten the job done.

  And Joseph’s killer?

  Raúl would be dealt with soon enough. Kane and his brother planned to personally take care of that piece of work once Ryder located him. The pleasure would be all Kane’s, and a long time coming. Losing his son due to Rosalee pissing off the kingpin, had been the single worst thing to happen to him. The second had been being strapped to Rosalee as a mate following Ion’s demise. Thankfully, Vlad had finally put her scheming ass to rest. Kane had shed no tears when he’d heard the news.

  But Red? That bastard was one of the good ones.

  It sucked seeing his old friend going up in flames. According to his men, it had been a freak accident. His motorcycle had blown a tire. And at the rate of speed he was traveling, when he hit the cable median barrier on the side of the road, it had taken his head clean off.

  He and Red might not have started off on the best of terms, back when he was the president of the Sons’ Oregon chapter and Red’s chapter was the Knights. He now looked back fondly at how the robust man had stood up to him.

  In the end, Kane had allowed Red and his boys to run guns through their state, while the Sons profited quite nicely from the deal. His twin hadn’t been quite so onboard and promptly cut off Red’s route when he had taken over the reins as President of the Sons.

  There were times Kane missed being the decision maker. He wouldn’t mind stepping back into those shoes someday. But plain and simple, he had broken rules when he and Cara had gotten together. Rules were put in place for a reason and breaking them wasn’t an option. Given the choice, he’d do it again. His mate had been the best damn thing to happen to him. And lately, he had been thinking about adding to that union, though he had yet to broach the subject with Cara.

  He had watched his mate around the other infants. It was no secret she loved babies. When he returned home, he was going to talk to her about having a brood of their own. If she worried about her job and taking care of the baby, Kane had no problem stepping up to the plate and helping out.

  Alexander and India were about to add to the growing number of baby boys within the club, while Kaleb and Suzi might be heading for baby two. At this rate, they were going to have to add on a daycare to K&K Motorcycles, Kane thought with a chuckle.

  The door to the meeting room opened, ceasing his baby musings. It was time to get to business. Gunner Anderson sauntered in, followed by the club secretary, Adrian “Smoke” Wellman. Kane stood and greeted both with a shake of their hands. Gunner and Adrian took their seats. Red’s seat would remain unoccupied until Gunner was voted in as president by the club. The Sons of Oregon had already given their blessing, following Gunner’s stint down in La Paz. After all, he had taken a bullet for them, literally.

  “Glad to see you back in one piece, Gunner.” Kane poured them each two-fingers of the Gentleman Jack he had purchased for the occasion and slid the tumblers across the table. “Salute.”

  The men clinked glasses then each downed the whiskey. Kane refilled their glasses then set the bottle on the table.

  “How was your trip back north?”

  “Could have been better, Viper. Hot as hell, for one thing.” Gunner chuckled. “I healed pretty quickly, but I still felt the discomfort most of the ride back. By the time I hit Washington, the pain was gone.”

  “Thanks for taking one for the team,” Kane said. “You have the Sons of Oregon’s backing to become chapter president. We appreciate you helping Ryder.”

  “Yeah, well I can’t say it was my pleasure. But I’d do it again for the MC.” Gunner used his thumb to indicate the man to his left. “I brought along Smoke today. I’m going to present it to the boys that we vote him in as VP. I was hoping to get the Oregon brothers’ blessing on this as well.”

  “I’ll vouch for Smoke.” Kane nodded. “I’ll let Hawk know. I’m sure you’ll have both our blessings. Look, this club is now yours, Gunner. You make the changes as you see fit. You and Smoke send Hawk your proposals. You on board with being VP, Smoke?”

  Before joining the MC and becoming a vampire, the man got his moniker from his past stint as a fireman, having left his career some time ago. He had almost died on the job from inhaling too many toxic fumes when his mask and regulator were knocked from his head by a fallen beam. By the time his senses had come back from being knocked silly, he had inhaled a good deal of smoke.

  “Completely.” Adrian took a drink from his highball glass, then set it on the table. “Not like I have anywhere else to be. I’ve also been putting some time into helping build the new K&K Motorcycle shop. Looking forward to learning the ropes and building some kick-ass custom bikes.”

  “We’re definitely looking forward to that as well, and th
e added revenue,” said Kane. “We have more orders than we can handle in Oregon. So the sooner the shop is up and running, the better. With training, we should be able to accommodate enough jobs for all of the men in your chapter.”

  “How long you here for?” Adrian asked.

  “I plan on heading back tomorrow at the latest. I’d like to call a church meeting and get the hierarchy set up before heading back.” Kane looked at Gunner. “You get that shit set up, call me, and I’ll take it to Hawk for his approval, then I’ll be back for the final vote. You think you can get that taken care of by tomorrow?”

  “Sure.” Gunner rubbed his thumb over the smooth surface of the tumbler. “I’ll give you a call once we’re ready for a vote.”

  “Sounds great.” Kane smiled. “I’ll be anxious to get back to work at K&K myself. I’ve been away far too long as it is.”

  “Not to mention getting back to your mate.” Gunner laughed. “No thank you to that.”

  “Laugh, smart ass.” Kane shared in his humor. “You’ll meet someone one of these days, and I’ll be back to tell you I told you so.”

  “You old guys can have your mates.” Gunner winked. “Me and Smoke? We’ll stick to variety.”

  Kane stood, shaking his head with a chuckle. “I’ll remind you of that when you come looking to us for permission to mate.”

  Gunner stood. “Whatever, man. Ain’t a woman out there that could convince me into fidelity yet. I got a lot of years ahead of me to play the field.”

  “I hear you. It wasn’t that long ago I was of the same mind.” Kane shook Gunner’s hand, then reached for Adrian’s as the other man rose. “Sorry about Red.”

  Gunner’s gaze softened. “A damn shame is what it is. Red knew his way around a motorcycle, man. Hard to believe he was taken out by a fucking tire.”

  “He was a good man.” Kane couldn’t help but agree. Surely, Red kept an eye on the condition of his treads. But sometimes, freak accidents happened. “See you boys tomorrow.”