Sinners & Saints (Ravage Riders MC Book 2)

by Nikki Landis

  “Angel . . .” His voice was weaker, and I knew R.J. was in serious pain and on the verge of passing out.

  “R.J.,” I called out, smacking his cheek lightly. “Can you hold on a little longer?”

  “Stay.” Shocked by his request, I couldn’t refuse. His hand reached for mine and squeezed once before he loosened his grip and it fell away.

  Swallowing hard, I was afraid he was fading much too quickly. “As long as I can,” I promised, placing my palm against his cheek. “Don’t die on me, R.J.”

  “Angel . . . kiss me.”

  I frowned. Kiss him? Was he crazy?

  “I might not . . . survive. Kiss me, my angel.”

  I must have been stupid or out of my mind because I leaned in . . . and pressed my quivering lips to his.

  Chapter 6 – R.J.

  “Angel,” I whispered, my throat parched and dry.

  “R.J.”

  I could hear voices. Were they calling my name? Where was my angel?

  “You awake, bro?”

  Edge’s voice penetrated the fog in my head as I opened my eyes, blinking several times before my vision cleared. Rae and Edge sat on my right. Ghost and GQ were on my left. Across from me Hayley sat on Jake’s lap as I felt all eyes watching with an intensity that made me uncomfortable.

  “What is this? A gangbang?” I choked, sinking back against the pillows after I tried unsuccessfully to sit up a few inches.

  “Don’t sit up, dude,” Ghost warned as I nodded, my head foggy.

  “Are you okay?” Rae’s voice wavered like she was upset.

  Fuck.

  I didn’t have space in my head for that shit. Tears and emotion weren’t my thing. Rae was too close to my heart and I couldn’t go there. Not tonight.

  Or whenever the fuck time it happened to be right now.

  “Bro, you’ve been out of it for a few days. The doc repaired your wound and now you’ve got a sexy scar,” GQ informed me in his playful tone. Always ready to diffuse any tension, he was just what I needed.

  “What wound?” I asked with a groan. My stomach felt like someone had punched it with a truck. “Did something happen?”

  He snorted. “Shut the fuck up.”

  I laughed lightly but winced as the stitches in my side pulled the skin taught with the movement. The joke didn’t help with the concerned expressions around the room. I was kind of surprised to see them all here, but the club was family. There was no way my brothers wouldn’t be at my side. I needed to remember that.

  Rae stood up and held a hand over her mouth. “Sorry!” She ran into the bathroom directly across from my bed and I heard her gagging right before she got sick.

  Pregnancy was really giving her a hard time.

  “Shit,” Edge swore, heading in after her as he shut the door and I heard water running, probably from the sink.

  Hayley shook her head. “She’s got it rough.” Hay slipped from Jake’s embrace and went to the bathroom, opening the door and peeking in, before disappearing inside.

  Jake shook his head. “Told Hay I wasn’t ready yet for kids.” He tilted his head, watching the door. “Truth is, I’m scared shitless. I don’t know how Edge is keeping his shit together.”

  Smirking, I knew he was struggling but that was nothing. Edge loved Rae. For him, nothing else mattered. My best friend would do anything for her, and I knew he was thrilled to learn he was going to be a father, something I also harbored a secret wish for deep down inside.

  Ghost nudged Jake. “You’re so fucked, bro. Hayley’s got baby fever now.”

  “Shit,” Jake cursed as she emerged from the bathroom, smiling wide. She rushed into Jake’s arms. “Rae’s okay now. Doesn’t she just glow with health and happiness?”

  GQ laughed and then coughed to cover it up as Jake shot him a look.

  “She doesn’t fuckin’ glow,” Ghost muttered under his breath.

  Edge and Rae left the bathroom. Edge was holding her close against his side as Rae seemed completely exhausted. He slid a hand over her flat stomach which still didn’t give any indication another person was growing in there. “It’ll get better soon.”

  She nodded, laying her head on his shoulder. “I need a nap.”

  Edge looked my way, his expression apologetic.

  “Go, take Rae home.”

  Rae tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace. “Thanks. Text us later so we know how you’re doing.”

  Edge ticked his head my way. “Get some rest, bro.”

  They left, followed by Hayley and Jake. The two of them kept staring at one another, getting lost in each other’s eyes. That shit was super annoying right now. I wasn’t sure why. Jake and Hay had been like that since high school. Never usually bothered me.

  I was just in a bad mood and I hated hospitals.

  Ghost and GQ seemed to relax now that it was just the three of us.

  “Who’s Angel?” Ghost’s question wasn’t a surprise.

  I wouldn’t meet his searching gaze. “No one.”

  “Don’t fuckin’ lie to me, bro. What’s going on?”

  GQ frowned as he folded his arms across his chest. “There isn’t anyone in this room who doesn’t know all the shit that went down with you, Edge, and Rae. No need for secrets, man.”

  “A social worker came to Edge and Rae’s last night.”

  They both perked up, probably wondering if there was an issue.

  “Cara was just checking up on how Leah is adjusting. I was surprised. She’s actually really sweet.”

  GQ instantly picked up on what I wasn’t saying. “She’s fuckin’ hot, isn’t she?”

  Ghost snickered. “Is she your angel?”

  “Fuck off,” I blurted, resisting the urge to punch them both in the face. “Cara is . . .” I didn’t know how to describe that sexy little brunette. “She saved my life last night.”

  “How?”

  “It was kind of strange now that I think about it. She found me outside Scarlet Syn. Called 9-1-1. Probably would have bled out without her help. She kept pressure on my wound.”

  Ghost whistled low. “Damn. I gotta meet this girl.”

  “She saved your sorry ass. You should bring her around the clubhouse.”

  Yeah, not gonna happen. I wasn’t dragging that saintly little girl into the MC life. “We’ll see.”

  It was silent for a few minutes as I leaned back against the pillows. Fatigue pressed in on all sides until my eyes were closing. I really needed some rest.

  The voices of my brothers faded as I drifted into a dreamless sleep . . .

  Green mist swirled around my feet, thickening until the fog was too dense to see more than a few feet in any direction. I spun in circles, yelling, my voice urgent. No one heard me or responded.

  Was I lost?

  “Angel?”

  I didn’t realize I was calling out for Cara until the word escaped my lips.

  Reaching out, my hand longed to feel her touch. A simple acknowledgement that I wasn’t alone.

  “Angel.”

  “I’m here,” she whispered, slipping her fingers through mine.

  My angel . . .

  I awakened to voices and knew Ghost and GQ were still in the room. The two guys were acting like I needed a babysitter. Assholes. They even made a bunch of jokes about how they were worried I couldn’t feed myself or take a shit without help. I was gonna get even later, no doubt about it.

  Sitting up, I pressed a hand against my stomach. My throat was dry, and I needed water. The cup was on that little bedside table that swings in and out of reach, too far away even if I could stretch which I couldn’t right now.

  “Can one of you hand me the damn cup?”

  Ghost chuckled. “Too far away?”

  Fucker. “Yeah, something like that.”

  He pushed the table over my lap, and I shot him a glare, drinking most of the water before collapsing back against the bed. My energy level was super low. I needed to eat but I already heard them say I was on a re
stricted diet with the wound in my abdomen.

  A nurse came in with a tray and I almost got excited until I saw pudding and pureed shit on the tray. “What the hell is this?” I asked, unable to hide my irritation.

  “Just a little to tide you over,” she replied cheerfully.

  “Until when?”

  “The doctor will let you know.”

  She left in a hurry, no doubt sick of my questions and attitude. I couldn’t help it.

  “You’re a dick,” Ghost laughed.

  “Yeah, what the fuck ever. You eat this shit and then tell me how you feel.”

  I tried to eat some of that slop, but I couldn’t choke it down. Pushing the tray away, I sighed as Ghost and GQ watched with humor. “You both can leave.”

  “Fuck no,” GQ answered right away. “This is far too entertaining.”

  “Mack said we stay.” Ghost shrugged. “Pres’s word is law.”

  I opened my mouth to tell them both to go to hell when there was a light knock and then the door swung open slowly. None other than my saintly, sexy little rescuer walked inside, a hesitant smile lingering on her lips.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi,” I replied, a bit stunned to see her walking into the room.

  “I wanted to make sure you were alright. That was quite a slice someone tried to take out of you.”

  No shit. “Yeah.”

  She turned to Ghost and GQ. “You must be his MC brothers, right?”

  Ghost blinked, totally caught off guard.

  GQ turned on the charm. “You got that right, baby.”

  If I could have punched him, I would have socked him right in the jaw. “That’s Ghost with the skull bandana around his stubborn skull and GQ with all of the wasted swagger.”

  She laughed lightly and then sat in the chair next to my bed. “Well, Ghost and GQ, I’m Cara.”

  “Nice to meet the woman that saved this dumb fucker’s life,” Ghost joked.

  “You were like a guardian angel,” GQ responded with a straight face.

  He was damn lucky I couldn’t hop off this bed and kick his ass for that comment.

  “The food here sucks,” I began, trying to begin a conversation before it had a chance to become awkward. Hopefully I distracted her from any mention of the word angel. She blushed lightly but didn’t reply to GQ’s words. Good. “I can’t eat a damn thing that doesn’t resemble baby food.”

  She giggled, standing up to check out the food on my tray. Clucking her tongue, Cara stared down at me with a mixture of pity and humor. “Well, at least you won’t have any bowel issues.”

  Scowling, I wanted to make a sarcastic remark but held myself back. “I hate hospitals,” I grumbled.

  “Aw,” she responded, her eyes meeting mine. “Poor big, bad biker.” Cara sank onto the edge of the bed and patted my hand. “I’m sure it won’t last long.”

  For some reason, I felt a little jolt as her fingers brushed mine, a bit of an electric shot that traveled my entire body. I couldn’t resist enclosing her hand in my own for a moment. Her skin was soft as velvet and smooth like silk as her slender fingers easily slipped through my own and I squeezed. “Thank you, Cara.”

  “You’re welcome.” She shyly tugged her hand back and blushed. “I’m glad to see you’re better, R.J.”

  “Well, I had this sweet girl find and help me,” I flirted, totally enjoying our interaction until the moment I glanced down and noticed the diamond engagement ring on her left hand. I didn’t remember seeing it before now. “You’re engaged,” I blurted, feeling like a fool.

  “Yes.” She didn’t seem happy about it. A shadow of something close to regret lingered for just a moment on her face. “I should go.”

  Nodding, I didn’t disagree. Of all the women to enter my life, why did I have to find another one that was taken? What rotten luck. First, Rae. Now, Cara. Fate fuckin’ hated me.

  She stood and said goodbye to Ghost and GQ, leaving quickly as if she was as disappointed and embarrassed as I felt. I could barely respond. The door shut behind her with an ominous click.

  “Fuck,” I whispered.

  “So that’s Cara,” Ghost announced, leaning back against the wall.

  “I can see why you like her,” GQ added. “Sexy and sweet. Kind of reminds me of Rae, oddly enough.”

  Groaning, I didn’t reply.

  “She’s into you, bro.”

  “Don’t,” I cautioned Ghost.

  “Who cares if she’s engaged? She looked at you like –”

  “Fuck!” I yelled, slamming my hand down on the bed.

  Both of my brothers wisely kept silent.

  Sighing, I closed my eyes, feeling both tired and frustrated. “I could use some time alone.”

  Ghost and GQ didn’t argue. Once the room was empty, I picked up my phone just as it vibrated with an incoming text.

  Unknown: Got your number from Rae.

  Me: Cara?

  Cara: Yes.

  Me: Ok.

  Cara: I’m sorry

  Me: For?

  Cara: Leaving in a rush.

  Me: No prob.

  Cara: I hope you’re better soon.

  Me: Thanks.

  Cara: Goodnight R.J.

  Me: GN

  I added Cara to my contacts and couldn’t resist a small smile. That girl was probably gonna be more trouble than I needed in my life but I kind of liked the idea anyway. Maybe I just enjoyed walking on the wild side. Or maybe I wanted to see how serious she was about this guy she was engaged to. I couldn’t help feeling like we met for a reason.

  Until I figured out what it all meant, I planned on seeing Cara again. Real soon.

  Chapter 7 – Cara

  I can’t believe I found R.J. nearly stabbed to death on the sidewalk outside of that strip club. What kind of life did he live to end up attacked and almost killed? Was that what a biker’s life was like? Just like some show on cable? Guns, drugs, porn, and crime?

  Sighing, I didn’t know what to think.

  My eyes closed as I leaned over the sink and splashed cold water over my face. My fingers trembled as I grabbed a towel off the ceramic ring next to the basin and dabbed at my cheeks before my eyes opened. R.J. nearly died. Just thinking about the fact that he could have if I didn’t obey that overwhelming urge to return to the market was making my head spin.

  He called me his angel. Oh, God.

  I could hardly breathe. Why did those words unnerve and disarm me? Why did they flutter in my chest over my heart?

  R.J. was just a man. A dangerous one by the looks of it. He was probably no better than Maxwell and his friends but a part of me knew that wasn’t true. Biker? Yes. Bad boy? Yes. Cruel? I didn’t think so.

  Why was my reaction to him so intense?

  I’d be stupid to have anything further to do with R.J. Even as I thought about it, the memory of his gentle kiss lingered in my mind. Was it a betrayal that I desired another? That for those few seconds I felt a passion and longing that I’d never felt with Max?

  There was a stirring in my soul I couldn’t explain. Something about that biker drew me in. It wasn’t just the fact that he was handsome, cocky, or self-assured. The way that he looked at me, like he was drinking in his favorite hard liquor and wanted to savor the taste, letting the thick liquid linger on his tongue before he swallowed hard. Like the burn was a fiery shot of necessary heat and forbidden pleasure he couldn’t live without.

  Gripping the counter, I suddenly wondered why I was with Maxwell Forman.

  Did he ever make my heart race like this? Maybe. When we were still in high school, I was certain he was the man I wanted to marry. Now, I felt hardly anything for the man who thought it was nothing to treat me harshly and control my life.

  How did it get this far? I wasn’t supposed to be a victim.

  If only Noah was still here . . .

  My brother never would have let Max hurt me. He would have kicked his ass and sent him on his way. Thinking of my brother brought tears to my eyes and
I couldn’t hold them back as the warmth slipped down my cheeks.

  “What’s the matter?” Charlotte was standing in the doorway of the bathroom, watching as I brushed the tears aside.

  “Too many things all at once.”

  “Max?”

  “That’s part of it,” I answered truthfully.

  “What else?”

  I turned around and she gasped as she saw the bloodstains on my clothes. “I helped save a man’s life.”

  Her eyes widened. “You need to tell me everything. Are you okay?”

  I nodded, then shook my head. “I don’t know.” Sighing, I sank to the floor and Charlotte rushed to my side. “I’m fine. I just need to sit down for a minute.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah.” I closed my eyes and tried to breathe through all of the emotion churning within. “I met a biker.” Charlotte made a sound of surprise, but I kept talking. “That home visit I went to last night, I was checking on a little girl that came from foster care and went to live with her sister. She’s so sweet. Leah is adorable and she’s the same age as Sophie.”

  My sister smiled.

  “Turns out Leah’s older sister Rae is engaged to a biker in the Ravage Riders MC. He had a friend there,” I explained, looking down at my lap briefly at the dark red staining my clothes. “His name is R.J. We spoke briefly. He’s kind of intimidating,” I admitted, meeting her gaze.

  “I can’t imagine.”

  “So, when I went to the store last night, I saw him. R.J. was outside that strip club smoking. He saw me and winked.”

  “Ewww. He was hanging out at that Scarlet Syn place?”

  “Not exactly. He wasn’t a patron. I think there was another reason.”

  Charlotte looked skeptical.

  “Anyway, I couldn’t sleep last night. It was weird. There was this urge to return to the market and I couldn’t fight it. I went back and I found him on the ground. Blood was everywhere.”

  “Oh, shit,” Charlotte cursed.

  “Yeah, someone stabbed him. I called 9-1-1 and I think he would have died if I hadn’t gone back.”

  Charlotte shook her head. “Wow.”

  “That’s not the strangest part.”