And the truth of it was, she had never been more so.
Ryder took the phone from her and tossed it to the floor, smashing it beneath his booted heel. “You won’t be needing that. He can trace us through it.”
After throwing open the double doors, he led her down the steps and helped her onto the back of his motorcycle. He placed his helmet on her head and snapped it into place, tightening the strap, then stepped over the seat in front of her. Gabby shrugged her backpack across her shoulders, then wrapped her arms around his middle.
He looked back at her. “Hang on tight.”
With one last look at her uncle’s estate, Gabby did as she was told. Ryder started the engine, turned the bike, and headed down the driveway. Not being able to help herself, she took one last look back and saw her uncle standing in the doorway, a murderous look on his face.
She shook her head and gripped Ryder tighter. Fear had caused her to hallucinate. Had she not known better, she’d swear that, when her uncle let out a mighty roar, a pair of vampire-like fangs flashed in the sunlight.
Chapter 17
Fuck!
Well, that had gone incredibly wrong, Ryder thought, pulling his motorcycle to a stop on the side of a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Only brush, palm trees, and sand could be seen for miles. Truthfully, he had no fucking clue where they were, other than near the ocean. The smell of salt water told him as much. Over an hour ago, he had made a left out of the drive from Raúl’s estate, heading straight south down Highway 1 to 19. Somewhere along the way, he had veered off the main road and headed in the direction of the shore near San Pedrito Beach. If the earlier signs were any indication, they were only about a mile down the dirt path.
Thankfully, Raúl hadn’t alerted his soldiers to take immediate chase. They were given a clean getaway, but by now Raúl had surely sent out the masses. Ryder’s hope lay in Raúl thinking they had gone north for the States. But even so, they couldn’t afford to stay in one place overlong. Raúl’s men were everywhere and Ryder was positive word would spread like wildfire throughout the country. Ryder might not be highly recognizable, but Gabriela would be.
He needed to call Grigore and give him the rundown. Grigore would be pissed. And rightly so. Ryder’d had one job, to keep an eye on Raúl’s whereabouts. Fuck! Now, he might’ve blown the whole mission, putting Raúl on the move because Ryder couldn’t keep his dick in his pants.
Kicking down the stand to the bike, he cut the engine. The sound of lapping waves rolling up on the shore confirmed their location. Gabby stepped off the bike first and unsnapped the skull cap, shaking out her damp, long hair. A sheen of sweat glistened along her skin. Nevertheless, she hadn’t complained once. The day was already warm, with a promise of getting only hotter. She hadn’t taken the time to change out of her lightweight gray lounge tank and pants, making it a bit more bearable.
Ryder stripped off his black T-shirt and wiped the sweat from his face. Luckily, anticipating spending the night at Raúl’s estate, he had packed a change of clothes. His black shirt drew the sun’s heat, roasting him.
Gabriela’s gaze took a slow path from his chest to his abs before landing back on his face, further warming him. Ryder smiled at her appreciation. She could drink her fill any day. At the moment, though, there wasn’t time to act on the rising desire he scented from her.
Not only had he fucked up his mission, but Gabby’s life. Even though it was a heady thought that she wanted him, even in the face of danger, it pained him to know she could never go home. Not as long as her uncle lived. Hell, Gabby still had no clue that she had been a pawn, helping him in his assignment. He needed to get that call in to Grigore ASAP, with hopes the Tepes brothers could still catch up to Raúl and end the piece of shit’s life. Maybe then Gabriela could be set free.
Yeah, Ryder was pretty sure this thing between them would end badly.
“You’re a long way from home.” Gabby placed the helmet on the leather seat. “I thought we’d be heading to the United States.”
“I’m counting on your uncle and his goons thinking the same.” Ryder pulled his cell from his jeans pocket and checked the signal strength, thankful for small favors. “Give me a sec, Gabby. I have to make a call. When I’m done, we’re heading to Cabo San Lucas, where I hope we can get lost among the tourists.”
“Then what? We can’t run forever. At least not in Mexico. Uncle Raúl has men everywhere.” Her lips turned down. “They’ll recognize me, Ryder, and you’ll be killed outright.”
He placed a thumb under her chin and raised it. “You let me worry about me, ángel. But rest assured, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Uncle Raúl won’t have me killed.”
“Maybe not, but he’s not going to be too thrilled you left with me. He hit you once, he’ll do so again.” Ryder turned her head to the side, happy to see the bruise already starting to fade a bit. He held up his cell. “I’ll be back in a second.”
Ryder pulled her close and gently kissed her forehead. Lord, he cherished this strong woman, marveled at the fact she chose to go against her uncle and leave with him. Turning away, he strode far enough from the bike as to not be overheard. Soon enough, she’d know his duplicity.
Scrolling through the burner phone’s contacts, he tapped on Grigore’s number then placed the phone against his ear.
“Talk to me,” Grigore answered. “Tell me Raúl is still in the house.”
“There’s a problem. Raúl and I had a falling out.”
“Is he still alive?”
“I left him that way, yes. But I can’t say the same for the two soldiers he tried to unsuccessfully use against me.”
Grigore all but growled. “Want to tell me what the fuck happened?”
“I messed up. I was worried about Gabby. I wanted to show that fuck if he tried to hurt her again, he’d have to answer to me.”
“He hurt Gabby? I can’t say I’m surprised. I’m sure it wasn’t the first time.”
“Raúl struck her across the face. I had to do something, man.”
“Of course, you did,” Grigore said, then grumbled something Ryder couldn’t quite make out, but he was pretty sure Grigore was calling him some sort of a dumbass. Instead, he said, “Only fucking cowards hit women. Where are you?”
“Gabby and I hightailed it south, down the coast. I figure they’ll think I headed north. I’ll keep Gabby safe. She’s my number one priority. I’ll leave Raúl for you and the twins. Unless, of course … he finds us. Then all bets are off. I’ll take his fucking head myself. He’s no match for my strength. I already proved that back at his estate. We’re heading for Cabo San Lucas to lay low and hide among the tourists. How far out are Viper and Hawk?”
“About a day. They should be here sometime tomorrow. For now, I’ll hold tight and try to keep an eye on Raúl’s fortress. If he leaves, I’ll follow him. Maybe, with any luck, he’ll send his fucking goons after you and he’ll stay put.”
“One can hope, Wolf.”
“Look, bro, stay alive.”
“That’s the plan.”
“I have no doubt you will. With your primordial strength, I pity anyone getting in your path.” Grigore chuckled. “As soon as Viper and Hawk get here, I’ll be in touch. We won’t waste time. We find Raúl, the fucker dies. I hope you can explain that to your little señorita.”
“When this is over, Wolf, she’ll want nothing to do with me.” He ran a hand through his hair and looked back at Gabby. “But hey, my fault, right? I signed up for this. Besides, she’ll be rolling in money, what would she need me for?”
“Yeah.” Grigore laughed again. “Who’d want your ugly ass anyway.”
The call went dead and he pocketed his cell.
“Is everything okay?” Gabby asked as he returned to her side.
Ryder ran a knuckle down her soft cheek. “I just uprooted your life and you ask me if everything is okay with me? Fuck, I wish…”
He trailed off, not wanting to finish the t
hought in his head, not wanting to complicate things further. Hell, he had already fucked up her life enough. The last thing she needed was to hear confessions of his heart.
“You wish what, Ryder?”
Her gaze was so innocent. When all was said and done, he was going to take that from her. Fuck, he hated himself for it. Where Raúl was evil and corrupt, Gabriela was the opposite. Sure, she knew what her uncle did for a living, the kind of man he was, and yet she had managed to keep a semblance of innocence along the way.
“I wish things could be different for you. I wish for you another life, one without death, corruption, the fucked-up shit your uncle brings to the table.”
“I know what my uncle is like, what he’s done. I hate him for that.” She frowned. “And yet I love him because he’s my uncle and he took me in. What was I to do?”
He brushed the pad of his thumb across her lower lip. “You could’ve left, should’ve left when you were of age.”
“How? He wouldn’t have let me go. And even if he did, his enemies wouldn’t have hesitated to use me against him. I’d be a pawn for their gain.”
Ryder dropped his touch as anxiety raced through his heart and shortened his breath. Once she found out, he was toast. She’d never look upon him the same. His gut clenched at the thought of her glaring at him with the same contempt he saw in her now. And yet it was unavoidable.
“You have a point, ángel. Anyone using you for their gain is unconscionable. You were meant to be loved, not used.”
No truer words were ever spoken. He only wished he were free to love her. After she found out about his hypocrisy, his chance to do so would be off the table. Gabby wouldn’t be able to get beyond her antipathy for him. Nothing he didn’t deserve. Fuck, Ryder should’ve kept his hands to himself and his dick in his pants.
Filled with self-loathing, Ryder picked up the helmet and handed it to her. “We need to get back on the road. I think I saw a sign back there for a seaside diner. Let’s get you something to eat.”
He took a white T-shirt from his saddlebag and pulled it over his head. Much more time and he’d be in serious need of sustenance himself. Hopefully, this nightmare would be over and he’d be on the road to home by then. The thought of leaving Gabriela behind was a kick to his gut. Losing his girlfriend and unborn baby to the cartel had been the single hardest thing he had ever had to live through. But losing Gabby because of his and the Tepes brothers’ fucked-up need for revenge against them? That would kill him.
* * *
Kane followed his twin through the door of the small rustic cabin Grigore had secured for his stay in Mexico. Constantine and a few of the Sons of Sangue members from Washington lounged on the rustic furniture. The sofa had moth-eaten holes in it, and if Kane’s sense of smell was any indication, the place was also infested with rats and mice. It appeared as if the cabin had been long-ago forgotten, which meant it was off the cartel’s radar. Grigore had chosen wisely, though that didn’t come as a surprise. The man never did anything without thoroughly thinking things through from every angle.
Grigore wasn’t only a man of action, but one with a plan.
He had been the best man for the job of keeping an eye on the mission. If things went south, it wouldn’t be Grigore’s doing. Ryder had managed to do that all on his own, from what Kane had been hearing.
He took a deep breath, already counting the hours he needed to be here before making his way back to Oregon. Tracking down the kingpin had been a long time coming. Kane needed to finish his revenge and move on. Raúl Trevino Caballero was about to have his fucking head displaced and Kane would finally be able to put to rest his only son, Ion. He thought about that, had for the past few days. It seemed fitting, once Ion was at peace, then it would be time for Kane to start his new family with Cara. Gone was his ex-mate, Rosalee, thanks to Vlad, and soon it would be Raúl’s turn to go.
Once they returned to Oregon, and he took back the presidency from Kaleb, all would be right in Kane’s world. His heart swelled. Fuck, it felt damn good to have his axis righted again. He’d never have asked for Kaleb to step down from the presidency. His brother had been doing a damn good job of heading the club when Kane’s head hadn’t been exactly in the right place. He had never been prouder of his twin.
Now, though, the timing seemed perfect to take back the reins, and he had his brother to thank for that. Kaleb hadn’t allowed his ego to dictate his actions, preferring to step down, spend more time with his family and build his custom bikes.
His brother was a good man and father. Watching Kaleb play with Stefan had made Kane more than ready to be a dad again. And once he returned home, he planned on telling Cara, hoping to hell she would be on board.
Grigore walked over to the brothers, shaking both their hands, followed by a bump of shoulders. “Fucking great to see you two.”
“Got here as soon as we could.” Kaleb brushed the dirt from his chaps. “I think there are more fucking dirt roads down here than asphalt. Times like this I wished I had a full face shield on my helmet. I think I ate enough dirt to make a sandcastle.”
Kane laughed, slapping his brother on the back. “Maybe you shouldn’t have talked so much, bro.”
Grigore opened the fridge and handed them each a bottle of water. “This should help.”
“What’s the plan, Wolf? Ryder have any fucking clue if Raúl is still in his fortress?”
The big guy scratched behind his ear, looking even more wolfish. “I’m not entirely sure, Viper. As I told you on the phone, Ryder had to make tracks.”
“Don’t tell me we lost Raúl,” Kane all but growled. “Ryder had one fucking job—”
“Gabriela complicated matters.”
“Give us the lowdown, Wolf,” Kaleb said before taking a swig from the water.
Grigore filled them in on the events leading up to the moment they’d walked through the door. “So, Ryder and Gabriela are likely in Cobo San Lucas by now and laying low. He had no clue if Raúl took chase himself or sent his goons. I’m betting the latter because Raúl isn’t going to want to go traipsing all over Mexico looking for them. I’m thinking he’s waiting for word.”
“Anyone keeping an eye on the estate?” Kane asked.
“I’ve had someone watching the grounds twenty-four-seven. Rocker’s there now. We believe Raúl is still in residence, but we haven’t had eyes on him yet.”
“Good,” Kane said. “I’m ready to get this shit over with and get on with life. Raúl doesn’t deserve any more of my time.”
“We got this, Viper.” Kaleb set his empty plastic bottle on the old Formica kitchen table. “That fuck doesn’t stand a chance. I’m ready whenever you say the word.”
“I’d rather not make this messy.” Kane’s eyes heated with his simmering ire. “No need to bring the entire cartel down on our heads. Once we have confirmation he’s at his estate, we take a head count. If the numbers are low, we go in. If there are a lot of his soldiers, then we wait until he leaves the grounds and follow him. Either way, he’s a dead man, along with the crew who stupidly chooses to stay and fight with him.”
“That’s one way of putting it,” Constantine put in his two cents from his seated position. “If you ask me, though, none of those fucks deserve to breathe air. They fucking make money off distributing drugs. They don’t give a rat’s ass who dies from their product. They’re now lacing the shit with fentanyl, hoping to keep their clients addicted and coming back for more. Except these addicts are dropping like flies. If you ask me, I say we go in and kill every fucking one of them.”
“Can’t say I disagree with you, Lightning, but the main goal is Raúl.” Kane jabbed the table with his forefinger. “I don’t want to lose any one of you because we decided to play cops and robbers. There are far too many of them. They’re like moles. The minute we go in, they’ll go underground. We leave the rest of those fucks to the Federales.”
“I agree with Viper,” Kaleb said. “Let’s stake out the estate, find out how many m
en we are looking at, and make our plans. Once Raúl is dead, we get the fuck out of there. Anyone resists, then we take them out as well. Those we don’t take out, we make sure they don’t remember vampires or the fact their boss was a bloodsucker. We make sure they have no idea the Sons of Sangue was behind this. We don’t need the rest of these fucks hunting us down. Revenge ends here.”
“Any questions?”
“Not that I can think of, Viper,” Grigore said. “Let’s rock ’n’ roll.”
Chapter 19
Ryder tossed the keys to his bike onto the desk in the hotel room. The thud echoed off the walls and caused Gabby to jump. He had paid for the room with cash, not wanting to leave a trail for Raúl or his men to follow. His gaze traveled to Gabby who skirted the bed, most likely making sure it was safe to sit, a telltale sign that they came from two very different worlds. While the hotel room was nice by most standards, it wasn’t what Gabriela Trevino Caballero was used to. Soon enough she’d be on her way back to the life she was born to and Ryder would be on the road headed north.
So why the hell did it feel like such a kick to his gut?
Yesterday, after securing her a bite to eat at the little diner by the beach, Ryder had wasted no time heading for Cabo San Lucas. They had stopped at a small bed and breakfast on the outskirts of town for the night before heading into Cabo this morning. The short, plump señorita running the B&B had recommended this hotel. Far enough away from the hubbub, to be affordable but close enough to fit in as tourists. If they stayed overlong, his dinero would run out, leaving him little choice but to use one of his cards to transfer them more cash. Hopefully, Kane and Kaleb will have found Raúl by then.
Ryder ran a hand through the hair at the top of his head.
What a fucked-up situation.
Using the story that the two of them had just arrived in Cabo San Lucas on their honeymoon, he’d been pleased when the hotel clerk upgraded them to one of the nicer, more spacious rooms. It was the best Ryder could do for Gabby under the circumstances. As it was, she had grown increasingly quieter the farther away they got from La Paz, worrying him.
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