by Nicola Jane
“Weird,” shuddered Griff, “I didn’t like the way he spoke to her when I saw him.”
“I’m not gonna be around the club as much over the next few weeks because I need to be around her while she lays the new rules on the line. He isn’t going to react well at all,” sighed Ryder. Neve had been nervous about telling Finn she was in a relationship, but Ryder agreed to let her do it her way and in her own time. He couldn’t deny that he was looking forward to putting Finn in his place, he’d waited five years for it.
***
Work was hell. Neve had spoken to more upset customers today than she’d ever spoken to in her whole time of working at the Hotel DeLú. “I apologise, I’ll get the porter to bring your bags straight up,” she said with a tight smile. The angry man shook his head and stomped off. Neve called for the porter, Anton, “Can you go to the holding rooms and see if you can find a bag belonging to Mr Hart, it hasn’t arrived in his room yet,” she sighed. Neve was relieved to see Kai arrive, it meant she could go home and forget all about this damn day.
Stepping outside into the busy London street she finally let out a long breath, she couldn’t wait to get home and hug Harlee.
“We need to talk,” she looked up into the eyes of Finn. Her heart dropped, like today couldn’t possibly get any worse. Neve had promised Ryder that she’d start to stand up to Finn, but it was easier said than done, especially when he surprised her like this, she wasn’t prepared.
“I have to get back for Harlee, the childminder will charge me extra if I run over,” she explained.
“Call her, I’ll pay the extra.”
Neve sighed and pulled out her cell. She sent off a quick text to Mya to let her know she’d be late. There was no childminder because Neve hated to leave her daughter with anyone that she didn’t really know so Mya or one of the girls usually was around to collect Harlee from school and watch her whenever Neve worked the late afternoons.
Finn pressed a handful of crumpled notes into Neves hand and then grabbed her wrist and led her down the street towards his offices. His receptionist stood as they entered. Finn had been fucking her for years behind Neves back, so Neve felt smugness as the receptionist scowled at the pair. “Hold my calls,” he snapped as he pulled Neve towards his office.
Once inside he locked the door and set about closing all the blinds. It was an open plan office with his private office overlooking the room. “What’s going on?” asked Neve. It wasn’t the first time Finn had turned up to her work and dragged her somewhere to talk.
“Harlee’s school called me today. She told someone that I hit her at the weekend.” Neve froze, the last thing she needed was school labelling her as a terrible mother.
“Okay, well what did you say?” she asked.
“I said that she was lying,” he snapped, “What was I supposed to say?”
“The truth, you shouldn’t lie it will make it worse. If you’d have explained what had happened, they might have just spoken to us about it but now they will question us all. Jesus Finn you should know all this with your job,” she hissed. Finn slapped her hard across the face and she held a hand to her sore cheek. She felt like her eye had exploded and had to force the tears to stay back.
“I am not fucking stupid so don’t talk to me like I am! You need to lie. Tell them that she was mistaken, say one of those bikers from next door did it.”
Neve gasped, “No, I can’t do that. Harlee will tell them it’s not true.”
“I’m serious Neve, lie or I swear I’ll make your life hell.”
“You already make it hell Finn, what more could you possibly do. They definitely won’t let you take her away from me, now will they?” she snapped. Finn gripped her by the upper arm and pulled her to her feet.
“I haven’t had sex for at least two days, you know how I get when I’m like that.” She swallowed hard. It had been a few years since he’d forced her.
“What happened to Jenifer?” she asked.
“She doesn’t fight like you do baby, she likes me, I prefer to be hated.” He pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her, burying his nose in her hair and breathing in her fresh scent.
“I’ll sort it out Finn.”
He pulled back and smiled. “I knew you’d see it from my point of view.” He pressed his mouth against hers and when she didn’t respond he grinned. Releasing her arm, he opened the office door. “Go, let me know what they say.”
Neve rushed from the office and out into the street. Tears rushing to her eyes.
By the time Neve finally got home she’d composed herself. She’d talk to the school, explain it was a misunderstanding and hope that they wouldn’t push it further. She took a deep breath and went inside. “Hey, I’m home, sorry I’m late something came up,” she called as she hung her bag on the hook by the door.
“You have a visitor,” answered Mya. Neve walked towards the kitchen. Mya and Harlee were colouring, Mya loved to colour and having Harlee around was her perfect excuse to do so. Mya nodded towards the garden where she saw Ryder hunched over looking at his phone. Neve kissed Harlee on the head.
“Did you have a good day?” she asked and Harlee nodded without looking up from her Spiderman picture. Neve headed out to where Ryder sat. He glanced in her direction.
“I stopped by to collect you after work,” he said, looking back down at his phone. “Imagine my surprise when the doorman there told me you were with your ex,” he added.
Neve folded her arms over her chest, “Okay, and your mad about that?” she asked, sensing his hostility.
“No, I’m not mad for that, in fact I’m pretty sure you didn’t go to him willingly. I’m upset about two things, the first, you didn’t answer your phone when I called, I got worried. Second, I’ve had no call from Finn which means you haven’t told him our news,” he said, standing and waving his cell phone at her.
“I had other things to discuss with him,” she muttered.
“Other than your new relationship?” he asked raising an eyebrow.
“Yes actually, like our daughter,” she snapped.
“Don’t even bring that bullshit excuse up. You don’t have to stand there pointing out that you have a daughter with him, I know that shit. Still doesn’t excuse why you didn’t tell him.”
“Ryder this isn’t about you or him, it was about Harlee and the fact that I might end up with Social Services on my back because today Harlee told the teacher that her daddy hit her. Stop using me to piss Finn off, I said I’d tell him in my own time.”
Ryder moved towards her quickly for such a large guy. His nostrils flared and he placed his finger under her chin so that she was looking up at him, “Don’t think for one minute I’m using you to piss off that piece of crap. Once he knows about us, he will stop pulling you for chats and causing bruises on my woman,” he grated out, running his spare hand over a bruise on her arm where Finn had grabbed her. “And because once he knows that you’re mine, he knows that Harlee comes under my protection too and then I can kick that mother fucker’s ass for hurting your little girl.”
Neve sighed, stepping back from him and wrapping her arms around herself, “Maybe in your world; that’s how things are sorted, but in the real world where I live, it isn’t.”
“This is our world now and you might’ve had to fight him alone for the last few years but not anymore. We’ll go to the school tomorrow and speak to the head, explain things.”
Neve sighed again, “The head hates me, she talks to me like I’m a child. I hate going to see her.”
“It’s no big deal but I know her well, so she’ll be fine.” Neve eyed him and saw a slight blush over his cheeks. He didn’t give her a chance to question him and she watched as he headed back inside, joining Mya and Harlee at the table to colour.
***
Ryder held Neve’s hand tight, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He’d spent most of his school years sitting outside offices just like this one, always in trouble for something. He didn’t have his pa
rents waiting to fight his battles though, they were too busy running the club or fighting or fucking or whatever it was that they did back then.
The door opened and Miss Sarah ‘Sassy’ Hind popped her head out with a smile. Her smile froze awkwardly when she saw Ryder and then her eyes fell to our conjoined hands. “Oh, erm, Ryder, I wasn’t expecting you to…” she trailed off and then shook her head like she’d thought better of finishing that sentence. She indicated for us to step inside.
“Sorry Sass, I should have called,” said Ryder. Her eyes shot to his and a flicker of anger passed through them before she pointed to the two seats opposite her desk.
“It’s not Sass anymore, Just Miss Hind.”
Ryder nodded and gave a small laugh, “Yeah I deserve that. I was gonna pop by when I got out but then shit got in the way,” he began to explain as Sarah took her seat graciously.
It was clear to Neve that whoever this woman was to Ryder, she’d been important because her eyes were filled with pain. Sarah pulled out the paper folder and glanced at the paperwork inside. Neve was desperate to know what they’d written in there about her and her daughter.
“Mrs Lawrence,” she began and Neve instantly cringed. Yes, she was still married but not by choice and she hated that name so much. “Yesterday Harlee concerned us when she disclosed to her teacher that her father had hit her hard.”
“Yes, I’m aware of what she said, that’s why I’m here.”
“Did you know that her father had struck her?” she asked glancing up coldly.
Neve nodded, “Erm yeah, he told me. I just wanted to say that…” Sarah cut her off with a stony stare.
“He told you he’d hit her, and you didn’t think to come and speak to us?”
“Come on Sass,” butted in Ryder, he couldn’t help but think she was being slightly harsh, he knew that Neve already felt terrible about the whole situation. Her eyes burned to his again.
“Miss Hind is my name Ethan. When did you get out exactly?” she snapped.
Ryder shifted uncomfortably in his seat, he could feel Neve’s eyes burning into the side of his head. He hadn’t told her that his real name was Ethan, he hadn’t really thought about it until now, but Sass was the only person to ever really address him as that and it was usually when she was pissed at him.
“A few weeks ago,” he sighed, rubbing at his buzz cut. “We can do this Sass, we can have the chat, but can we do it separately, Neve came to sort out the stuff with Harlee.”
Sarah glared at him for a few seconds. Her green eyes were alight with hate. He’d always loved the way they lit up whenever her mood would change, her deep red hair was tied up into a tight bun at the back of her head, years before she’d always wear it down, it’s how he remembered it.
“I’m happy for you to catch up now, I can rearrange this,” said Neve, standing.
“No, it’s about Harlee, sit,” growled Ryder and she slowly lowered back down.
“Still bossy then,” muttered Sarah which confirmed to Neve that this woman knew Ryder well. She knew his first name, something he hadn’t bothered to tell her, and she knew little things about him like his bossy temperament. Neve felt her guard go up, this had to be an ex and it didn’t sit well with her.
“Miss Hind. My daughter stays the weekends with her father. We don’t get along, but he is a lot harsher than me. I spoke to him about raising his hand to a five-year-old but unfortunately, he doesn’t tend to listen to me. I told him I’d come and speak to you to get you off his back, but I know that’s not how it works. Things are complicated but please let me handle it the best I can until I can get him away from us,” said Neve all in one long rush.
“You’re right, it isn’t how this works,” said the head teacher, “But I trust that you are doing your best to protect Harlee and so I can log this as an isolated incident. However, if he does it again, I will pass it to the safeguarding team, and they will investigate it further. I trust that Ryder is helping you with him,” she said looking up from the paper work. Neve looked to Ryder and he gave a nod. Clearly, other people knew how his world worked and were happy to accept that.
“Harlee won’t be seeing her father alone again,” he gritted out and Neve frowned. They hadn’t discussed that, and she resented him making decisions like that without speaking to her. “Do you want to talk now, or should I come around later?” he added, looking at Sarah.
“I think we’ll both be more comfortable talking here. I know how things end up when you turn up at mine,” she muttered.
Ryder turned to Neve, “Baby would you mind giving us a minute?” he asked, and Neve nodded. A fake smile forcing its way to her lips. He could have all the minutes he needed because she was done with this humiliating meeting. She stood and the chair scraped across the ground as she pushed it back. “I won’t be long,” he smiled.
***
Neve stomped all the way home. She was so mad that even if she wanted to walk less stompy she couldn’t. Why would he come to a meeting with an ex he clearly has issues with, an important meeting that involved her daughter, and not have the decency to warn her that he was familiar with the damn woman. The head teacher already disliked Neve and she had no clue why because honestly, she’d never done anything to warrant her standoffish behaviour.
Neve had luckily called in sick to work today because she couldn’t face having the meeting and then going there to be yelled at by dissatisfied customers all day. She arrived home just as the rumble of the bike turned into her street. The twenty-minute walk had done nothing to calm her like she’d hoped. Ryder got off the bike as she headed up her driveway, pulling out her keys. He yanked off his helmet, his face red with anger.
“What the hell Siren, I got out and you were gone?” he yelled. She spun around to face him.
“You expected me to stay while you chatted over past issues with her, what is she, an ex?”
Ryder sighed, he hated dramatics. “Let’s go inside and talk.”
“Not a chance, once we are in there, you’ll fuck your way out of talking and I’m done. Is that what she meant?” she asked, “When you go to her place do you end up fucking?”
He rubbed at his forehead. She’d noticed he did it a lot when he was getting stressed or angry. “I want to talk to you about this but not out here,” he growled.
“Tough because you don’t get to boss me around anymore Ethan,” she snapped, using his birth name with attitude. He chewed on his lower lip, she could tell he wanted to yell at her. “I felt like an idiot, I went in there completely blind. You should have told me.”
“I didn’t know she was the head teacher there. I had my suspicions because she was a teacher there when I went inside. I didn’t expect her to react like that that okay. I thought she’d be a little happier to see me. I misjudged it.”
“Who is she?” asked Neve again.
“An ex. She was my ol’ lady before I was locked up.” Neve sucked in a breath. In all the things she’d read on line, a biker taking an old lady was a big deal. She’d been a part of his family.
“Why isn’t she anymore?” she pushed, she had the upper hand now and she wanted answers.
“She just isn’t, can we go inside and talk about it?” he asked glancing around.
“No,” she yelled taking him by surprise, “Tell me everything or I’m going inside alone.”
“Baby it’s not something I can discuss on the doorstep. There’s club business tied in to the story. Stop being crazy,” he sighed. That was enough to send Neve over the edge and she swung the door open, went inside and slammed it in his face. How dare he call her crazy when he was making her that way.
***
Ryder groaned in frustration, stomping his foot heavily on the ground. Why were women always so damn dramatic? He looked around at the houses opposite. The curtains were twitching and the last thing he needed was the cops showing up, so he made his way over the lawn to his brothers. Hopefully Griff would be in so he could lie low until Neve calmed her ass dow
n.
Ryder tried the front door, but it was locked. He muttered a curse word and then knocked, he knew Griff was here because his bike was outside. When Griff didn’t answer he made his way around the back of the house. The back door was unlocked, and Ryder smiled to himself. Griff was probably balls deep in pussy or fast asleep. While he was here, he reminded himself to ask Griff about Mya, she’d said he’d turned her down and Ryder was confused as to why. He thought Mya would be Griff’s type.
Griff was nowhere to be found downstairs. Ryder needed to take a piss anyway, so he headed upstairs. He grinned wide when he heard a groan from Griff’s room. The horny bastard was probably fucking Mya right now. He pushed at the bedroom door, ready to surprise their midday fucking and then froze. Griff stopped mid thrust, surprise on his face at finding his big brother in his bedroom.
“Oh Jesus,” muttered Ryder turning away. He heard Griff scrabble around and when he thought he was decent he turned back to face him. The guy in the bed smiled and gave a small wave.
“Hey, I’m Corey,” he said. Ryder glared at his brother to explain but Griff’s eyes were firmly on the ground. He turned back to Corey.
“Explain,” he growled.
“It isn’t really up to me to out him,” muttered Corey and Griff glanced at him with annoyance.
“Eric?” pushed Ryder, using his brothers birth name. This got Griff’s attention, Ryder had never used his real name before, not since they were kids.
“Sorry brother, sorry you had to find out like this,” he muttered.
“Say the damn words,” yelled Ryder.
Griff flinched at Ryder’s tone and then taking a deep breath he looked Ryder in the eyes. “I’m gay Ethan.” Ryders face paled, he hadn’t even suspected it, not once. He turned and walked out of the house, heading straight for his bike and drove. He needed to put distance between himself, his woman and his brother.
***
It had been almost a week since Neve had argued with Ryder and she hadn’t heard a thing from him. She knocked lightly on Griff’s door. When he answered he looked pale and tired. Neve suddenly worried that something bad had happened to Ryder and she hadn’t been told.