Ravens Ruin MC: The Complete Series

by Marie James

  “If he can’t at least cook you breakfast in the morning, he doesn’t fucking deserve you,” he grumbles as he empties the water from the full coffee carafe into the machine.

  I snort. The thought of Briar cooking anything is comical. Lynch’s eyes narrow, but I raise a challenging eyebrow in return. I wouldn’t put it past him to ask me the details, but internally I’m praying he just leaves it alone.

  “I hope you made him use the condoms I gave you.”

  Glaring at him, I wonder how he got over the idea of Briar and me so quickly, but then I realize he’s not talking about his VP. He thinks I spent the night with Owen.

  “We didn’t—” My attempt to swallow the chunk of apple without fully chewing it nearly chokes me. “I didn’t have sex with him.”

  “The condition of your neck and swollen lips tell a different story.”

  Thank god his back is to me or he’d see my eyes widen in surprise.

  “I’m not discussing this with you,” I mutter, throwing my half-eaten apple in the trash before making my way toward the staircase.

  “Thank fuck,” he grumbles. “Stop.”

  Frozen in place, I’m terrified that he’s realized something, and he’s about to lose his shit over where I actually spent my night.

  “We’re heading out for a ride.” Relief washes over me. “I’d prefer you take the week off from the vet’s office and stay here with Zoe. There will only be two—”

  “Sure,” I agree a little too quickly. It’s the best excuse I have and staying here with her under his advice won’t force me to explain right away why I won’t be returning to work.

  “Did he hurt you?”

  “Excuse me?” I turn in his direction, taken back by the scowl on his face.

  “I assumed I’d get an argument from you.” He waves his arms in front of him. “All of the ‘I’m an independent woman, you can’t keep me here’ bullshit you spewed last week.”

  “If there are only two of the guys here, it’s best that I stick close by.” I fake a smile and hope he thinks it’s genuine. “Besides, without you here, I can actually spend time with my best friend.”

  I disappear up the stairs before he can take his interrogation any further.

  “Jesus,” I hiss as I open and quickly close my door. My breaths are ragged as I lean against it with my eyes closed.

  “That bad?”

  I squeal when Zoe speaks. With a hand over my racing heart, I glare at her. She’s unaffected by my outburst, sitting Indian-style on my unused bed and smiling at me like the Cheshire cat.

  “What are you doing in here this early in the morning?”

  “What are you doing trying to sneak in the house this early in the morning?” When I don’t answer her, she pats the bed by her thigh. “Come sit. I want all the filthy details.”

  “There aren’t any details.”

  “So, you gave yourself all those hickeys?”

  Guiltily, my hand rushes up to the offending flesh.

  “I’m not talking to you about anything.” I cross the room and grab a scarf from my closet. “You’re sleeping with the enemy.”

  “Lynch isn’t the enemy.”

  My eyes narrow on hers as I cross the room again, kick my shoes off, and climb under the covers. The fabric is cold, and I immediately miss the warmth of Briar’s huge body. Zoe doesn’t say anything when I position my feet under her ass to warm my toes faster.

  “I don’t think your brother noticed, but I saw your car in the lot when we got back from dinner last night.” My traitorous friend is looking down at her perfect nails like she didn’t just drop a bomb in my lap.

  “Did—”

  She holds her hand up, and I silence immediately. “Lynch didn’t notice a thing. He had other issues on his mind.”

  The laughter in her voice makes me cringe. She’s not talking about club business, and I’m too grossed out to ask. The implication is clear.

  “So, before you lie to me, know that I know you came back, at least to the clubhouse last night.”

  My jaw snaps shut. If she doesn’t want me to lie, I just won’t talk to her at all. Words will only cheapen what I shared with Briar last night, even though I know he was still drunk when he rubbed against me. He may not even remember it this morning, and if he does, he’s got a week or so to question what we did and come up with another million reasons why it can’t happen again.

  “Silence is telling,” Zoe says, looking over her shoulder at me.

  “I’m tired,” I tell her instead of confessing what happened last night.

  “Are you sore too?” The humor in her voice makes me smile.

  “No.” I wish.

  “What about the vet?”

  “We kissed,” I answer before I can stop myself. “And I felt…”

  My voice trails off.

  “Nothing?” she answers for me.

  “Yeah.” Groaning, I cover my face with my hands. Just the thought of Briar makes my skin heat. Owen, as nice as he is, does nothing for me.

  “Lynch was downstairs. Did he see your neck?”

  “Yes, and he thinks Owen was the one who left the marks. It’ll stay that way.”

  “I knew it!” She spins, collapsing on me with a giggle. “I can see Briar being a biter.”

  “He was in the living room with some new whore on his lap.” My blood heats with renewed anger.

  He wasn’t passed out when they got started.

  TJ’s words echo in my head.

  “Really?” Zoe sounds as confused as I was when I walked in on it last night. “That doesn’t sound like him.”

  “He said he saw me kiss Owen. He was spying on me again.”

  “Kissing your boss is messy, Molly.” She’s not chastising me, and she’s not telling me anything I don’t already know, but hearing her say it out loud agitates me.

  “I know that. I probably won’t go back.”

  In fact, I know I won’t. He offered friendship last night, but there was still hope in his eyes when I pulled away from the clinic.

  “What are you going to do about Briar?”

  “What can I do?” I look over at her. The same uncertainty I feel is reflected in her eyes. She knows how difficult this situation is.

  “My offer still stands. I can talk to Ly—”

  “You can’t,” I insist. “Swear it, Zoe. You can’t mention a damn thing to my brother. I’ll never forgive you if you betray me.”

  Hurt flashes across her face. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

  “I tried,” I whisper. “I tried to move on. I tried to not think of him. Not loving him is impossible. It was easier at work before I tried to seduce my boss.”

  “You kissed him?” A sad smile tugs her lip up.

  “I figured if I kissed him, I’d feel something. Like it would give me the strength I needed to move on.”

  “Lynch says he’s too perfect for you.”

  I huff. “He’s always got a damn opinion.”

  “He loves you. He wants you to be happy.” I grumble again. “But first and foremost, he wants you safe.”

  I almost speak up to argue that I couldn’t be safer than I would be with Briar, but I’m reminded of the darkness he’s mentioned more than once.

  I murder every woman I fuck.

  If his own words aren’t a big enough deterrent, I don’t know what is, but it didn’t stop me from wrapping myself around him last night. I didn’t bother to tap the brakes even once when he lowered his body over mine and pulled my sweats out of the way. The vicious bites to my sensitive flesh didn’t make me want to run for the hills. They made me want to press against him harder.

  “Briar wouldn’t hurt me.” He had the chance last night. He was angry, livid even with the scent of Owen’s body wash on my skin. I still don’t know if he understood my explanation or believed me when I told him it was only the kiss he witnessed, but not once was I fearful.

  “I honestly don’t think Lynch would get mad.” She holds her hand
up when I open my mouth to argue with her. “Think about it. The man has never touched one of the whores as far as we know. He doesn’t drink to excess.”

  “He was drunk with that girl in his lap last night,” I mumble.

  She frowns before she continues, “he doesn’t usually drink to excess. I’ve never seen him do anything more than take a hit or two off of a joint. He’s not violent. He’s the perfect catch. The age difference is the only thing that may be an issue.”

  “Owen is older than Briar,” I remind her.

  “It’s settled then. Briar is perfect.”

  “Perfect for what?”

  We both freeze at the sound of Lynch’s voice in my doorway. We were so wrapped up in our conversation, we didn’t even notice the door being opened. I swallow thickly when I look over at my brother, wondering what all he overheard.

  Zoe remains silent, refusing to lie to him, but at the same time holding my confidences.

  “Self-defense,” I lie. “I was telling Zoe that I had a creepy feeling someone was watching me last night.”

  It’s part lie and part truth, yet I feel one hundred percent guilty lying to my brother, but he’s the one who has put me in this situation.

  “You need a refresher course?” His eyes narrow. He knows full well, I’m well versed in self-defense.

  “Never a bad idea. Zoe suggested Briar when I told her TJ never takes me seriously.”

  “Briar would be a good coach.” Lynch nods. “I’ll set something up for when we get back. Stick to the clubhouse until then. Zoe, come with me. I need to show you something.”

  She bites her lip and springs off of the bed. Relief washes over me when my door closes behind them. Her squeal of excitement ensures my secrets are still safe. For now.

  Chapter 20

  Briar

  Banging on my door makes me jolt in my bed.

  “Open the fucking door!” The banging continues.

  A quick look at the door and I realize it isn’t locked.

  My eyes are darting behind me on the bed, finding it empty when the heavy wood swings open and crashes against the wall behind it. I’m relieved when I look in the direction of the bathroom and see the door standing open, and the light turned off.

  “You act like you’re confused you’re alone,” Lynch sneers at me. “Something you need to tell me, Brother?” He’s asked me that question more in the last couple of weeks than he has over the last ten damn years.

  “Got wasted last night,” I confess running my hand over my face. “Don’t know how I got in here.”

  I won’t mention the ache in my balls and saying anything about Molly will only end in bloodshed, so I keep my fucking mouth shut to that end. I’m a smart man when there isn’t a tempting little blonde in my bed.

  “Get the fuck up. We were supposed to leave thirty minutes ago. You’re making us late.”

  I know my time with her wasn’t a dream when I walk into my bathroom. The heaviness in my balls and the reluctance my cock gives me to piss are both sure signs of my orgasm.

  “Fuck,” I grumble as I step into the shower.

  If Lynch had opened that door while his little sister was still wrapped around me? I shake the thought away because I don’t think it's above him to murder me in front of her.

  The shower takes longer than I initially anticipated because fuck if I can get on my bike with the memory of her hot cunt against me without jacking off. The release is less than satisfying.

  My go-bag is packed, so after dressing, I grab it and head out.

  “How’s the headache?” TJ intercepts me in the hallway, turning to keep stride with me as I walk past him.

  “Manageable,” I mutter as we cross the living room and make our way out the front door.

  “I figured Molly would’ve bitched you to the moon and back when you woke up.”

  Just as the foolish words leave TJ’s mouth, my eyes meet Lynch’s. He’s standing just off the porch, glaring in my direction.

  “Molly is inside?” My president’s eyes dart between TJ and me as he waits for one of us to answer him.

  “Not that I know of,” I answer with a shrug.

  His mouth opens, but before he can grill me his phone rings. His eyes stay on mine as he holds the phone to his ear, grunting out a “What?”

  “Saved by the bell,” TJ hisses in my ear as he pushes past me to climb on his bike.

  “No, baby. I didn’t realize it was you.” Lynch walks away to talk to Zoe in a more private location when a couple of the guys begin chuckling at his apologies.

  I don’t bother to look anyone in the eye as I tie my duffle bag to my bike. I know it’s not the end of the conversation. Lynch doesn’t get distracted and forget things. We’re merely putting off the inevitable. I’m certain the topic will be revisited when we’re alone in Detroit.

  I’m looking forward to having my ass on my bike for the rest of the day. The only thing I want in my face is the wind for the next several hours.

  ***

  Nine and half hours on my bike isn’t long enough to clear my head. Lynch didn’t make eye contact with me once during the three stops we made for gas, but I feel his stare on the side of my face when we pull into the hotel.

  “Careful,” TJ warns when Lynch disappears into the lounge to grab key cards for everyone. “He seems on edge.”

  “You need to get off my dick,” I hiss in his direction.

  TJ chuckles, the knife in his hand twisting against his skin. “Speaking of your dick—”

  I walk away from the whole crew, leaving them to wait for our president. TJ knows. Well, he must suspect. It isn’t the first time he’s made off-handed comments about Molly and me, but even as jokingly as he brings the subject up, he never flat out asks me about her. As cool as he thinks he is with the idea of Molly dating someone from the club, I’m certain he wouldn’t be as blasé if he knew the truth.

  No. He’d be just as murderous as Lynch if he was privy to the details of what happened in my room last night. If he had a window into my thoughts about what I’ve imagined doing to her, he’d kill me on the spot and smile when the cops arrived to arrest him. He’d do his prison time with a smile on his face.

  Knowing that is why I refuse to engage with him. He hasn’t said anything to Lynch, but I know it’ll happen eventually. There’s no turning back after hearing her soft moans as she came apart under me last night. I thought about it the entire ride down here. I mulled over every reason to stay away.

  “Am I not worth dying for?”

  Her words bounced around in my head for the better part of the day, and the only answer I could admit to is, yeah you are, baby girl. The only thing that makes me pause to consider a different outcome is leaving her alone, dying and risking her feeling like it was her fault. The guilt should rest solely on my shoulders. She shouldn’t be tainted with it.

  I regret not opening my eyes, not watching her mouth when she told me she loved me. I regret not saying it back, because I’m an idiot not to admit it to myself. Denial is something I’ve been clinging to for weeks, but it’s another thing I refuse to continue. Keeping her safe is my only concern, but doubt of my own restraint is a huge factor in doing anything further.

  My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I walk a couple more blocks before pulling it out to check the message.

  Lynch: You’re with me. Room 134.

  “Fucking perfect,” I mutter.

  My feet keep moving, carrying me further and further away. I opt to stay gone for hours instead of ending up in the room with him while he’s still awake. Before Zoe arrived, he’d be up at all hours of the night, never able to get a real night’s sleep, but since she showed up and rocked his world, he sleeps like a fucking baby. He’s admitted it to me more than once. I’m gambling on that when I don’t go back to the hotel for another couple of hours.

  I’m exhausted. I can feel the wear and tear of the ride clear to my bone marrow, but it’s late by the time I get back to our hotel.

&nbs
p; Noticing my bike is the only one on the north side, I crank it and park it on the other side of the hotel. When Smalls makes room reservations for us, he knows we always need the ground floor with outside entry. Grumbling to myself when I enter the hotel, I nearly lose my shit at the pimple-faced idiot at the desk who refuses to give me a key card. I can’t blame the asshole. If I didn’t know Lynch, I wouldn’t hand over a card on the off chance that my president wouldn’t be happy about it, either.

  “I’m the VP,” I hiss, pointing to the patch on my damn cut.

  “And you could be fighting with him.” He takes a step back when I growl. “How do I know you don’t want to go in there and hurt him?”

  “You.” I point at him, but standing here arguing won’t make a damn difference. I just didn’t want to have to knock on the damn door. Waking Lynch up with the door opening isn’t as bad as making him get out of the damn bed. If I wasn’t on his shit list before tonight, I will be by morning. “You watch too much fucking TV.”

  He’s grumbling something about Juice betraying Jax when I walk away. I just hold both of my middle fingers in the air as I walk away.

  “He was the intelligence officer. Never the damn VP,” I mumble as I close the distance between my cautious feet and the door to room 134. “I don’t think Jax would’ve hurt the man his sister loved.”

  “Jax didn’t have a sister.” I nearly shoot TJ for sneaking up on me. “Where have you been? You missed dinner.”

  “Walking,” I say as I pull my hand from the steel in my waistband, still not one hundred percent sure that I won’t need to use it. “Why are you creeping around the hall?”

  “Getting ice.” He holds up the bucket before slamming his knuckles on the door marked 134 and disappearing into the room across the hall.

  “Motherfucker.” My head snaps up when Lynch pulls open the door with a scowl on his face.

  “You don’t have to pound on the door like the fucking police.”

  I catch the door just before it clicks closed again. Shifting the weight of my bag on my shoulder, I walk in behind him.