by Nicola Jane
“It’s his favourite show, he won’t respond to either of us until its finished. Coffee?” Ryder nodded and followed Sassy into the kitchen where a fresh pot of coffee waited. “How was your head this morning? We finished the whole bottle off,” smiled Sassy, grabbing two cups. “Reminded me of old times.”
“It was sore.” Last night it was nice to catch up with Sassy but all he could think about now was Neve. He pulled his cell out to check for messages. When there was nothing, he called his prospect who answered on the second ring.
“They’re both home Pres, she picked the kid up early from school and she’s been in the house since.” That’s all he needed to know, the prospects would stay there on watch until he arrived to get them both after he’d spent some time with Alfie.
“Everything okay?” asked Sassy handing him the coffee.
“All’s good.”
“You seem distracted,” she pushed. “Is it anything to do with Harlee and her Mom? I noticed she was back in school today.”
“I’m not distracted, I’m fine, just want to meet my kid.”
“We can do it another time if you’ve got places to be,” sighed Sassy.
Ryder exhaled heavily and rubbed at his forehead. He didn’t want to argue but she was beginning to piss him off. “It’s been a long day, not helped by the hangover. I’m not in a rush I’m just tired.”
They were interrupted when Alfie came charging through to the kitchen shouting for his mom. Sassy picked him up and sat him on the worktop. “So, remember I told you that a special person was coming to meet you tonight?” asked Sassy and Alfie nodded, eyeing Ryder suspiciously. “Well this is Mommy’s friend, Ryder.”
“You have a funny name,” said Alfie quietly.
“My real name is Ethan. Ryder is my biker name.” Ryder held out the plastic bag towards Alfie. “I got you a present.”
Sassy took the bag and peeked inside, she gasped and smiled at Alfie, “Oh my god, it’s what you wanted.” Alfie clapped his hands together excitedly and then also peered into the bag. He pulled out the stuffed dog and cuddled onto it hard.
“Thank you,” he smiled.
***
Neve tucked the blankets around Harlee’s sleeping form. She’d spent the last ten minutes crying for Ryder and Neve had almost caved and called him to come over but if he’d made his mind up to break up with her then Harlee would have to get used to not having Ryder around. She could have kicked herself now for breaking her own rule, introducing her daughter to Ryder this soon had been a mistake and now she’d have to see the heartbreak on Harlee’s face as well as feel it herself.
Neve sat at her laptop deciding to start a job hunt. It had crossed her mind to leave London, go far away and start all over again with just her and Harlee. As her laptop powered up the email notifications pinged up onto the screen. A few from a dating website that Mya had signed her up for caught her attention and she opened those first. They were to inform her of activity on her account so with a smile, she opened up the site and signed in to her account. She made herself a coffee and sat back in front of the laptop, laughing at some of the guys that had messaged. One was fifty-years old, another had a wife but was looking for extra fun. Neve shook her head, flicking through the profiles one at a time for her own amusement.
“You moving on already?” Ryder’s deep voice scared her half to death, and she screamed out. He stood in the doorway, his arms crossed, leaning his shoulder against the door frame.
“Christ Ryder, don’t do that!”
He sauntered towards her and leant over her shoulder to stare at the fifty-year old guy on the screen. “Like’s walks in the park and romantic nights in,” he read aloud. “Looking for younger woman to put the spark back into his life.” Ryder rolled his eyes, “Desperate.”
“How did you get in?” asked Neve. She was secretly thrilled to see him and judging by the jealous glint in his eye, he wasn’t nowhere near done with her just yet.
“Why are you on dating sites?”
“It came up on my email, it’s an old profile, I was just being nosey.”
“Or looking to replace me?” Ryder was pissed, one argument and she was browsing other men. He’d have to remind her what she had with him and convince her that he was all that she needed.
Neve clicked off the website. “Did you see Alfie?”
Ryder’s face lit up and he smiled wide, “I did, he’s a great little guy. Looks just like me when I was a kid.”
“You’ll get to see him more then?” Ryder didn’t miss the sulkiness in her eyes. He knew that what she was really asking was if he’d be seeing Sassy more.
“Siren I’ve told you over and over, you have nothing to worry about. Let’s talk about today and you going AWOL.”
“Let’s talk about you going out last night and going AWOL until the early hours at which point you returned drunk.” Ryder grinned, her fire turned him on. “I need my job, I need my independence and I have a responsibility to Harlee.”
“Yes, you do, to keep her safe. What you did today put her at risk.”
“I can’t live my life hiding from Finn. He hasn’t hurt her before I don’t see why he would now.”
“Because now you’re with me and he hates me.”
Neve groaned, they were going around in circles. “I need my own money.”
“I’ll give you money,” offered Ryder.
“I want my own money, from a job. I need to take care of Harlee myself. It’s not that I don’t appreciate you helping me, but Finn did that once and then he left, and I didn’t have a clue how to pay bills. I’ve spent a long time making myself independent. Ryder understood this, she needed to feel like she could provide for her daughter.
“Fine, I’ll give you a job at the club, cleaning, cooking, whatever you want to do.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Look, you want a job and I need help around the club. Take the job so we can move forward. I can keep you safe at the club, I can’t keep you safe if you stay here.”
“I thought we were done, you were so mad earlier.”
Ryder placed a hand to her cheek and forced her to meet his eye, “I told you that I’m not going anywhere. Whatever happens I’m here to stay. What do I need to do to prove that?”
Neve shrugged her shoulders, she wasn’t sure if she’d ever believe that he would always choose her. He was surrounded by women just waiting to take her place. “I don’t know what else to do baby, I’m yours, you’re mine that’s it. No one else can come close, I’m only interested in you.” Ryder wasn’t used to women with low self-esteem. The club girls oozed confidence, often a little too much and Sassy was always the life and soul of the party just like her sister had been before she died. He couldn’t understand why Neve couldn’t see it, she was gorgeous, her long brown hair, her stunning green eyes, curves in all the right places and a body that showed no trace that it once carried a baby and he wouldn’t mind even if it did because she was amazing and he wanted her to believe it.
“What happened last night?” she asked warily. He bit back the response that almost spilled out, he wasn’t used to being interrogated, that was his job.
“I spent time catching up with Sassy. Before all the shit we were good together, friends and we lost that after what I did. We talked over a bottle of whiskey and I should have considered how that’d make you feel but I didn’t because I’m new to this too, I’m learning, and I’ll fuck up a lot just like you will, but it doesn’t mean that every time when we argue we’re splitting up. I want your profile off that dating site and tomorrow we make us official the way of the club.” He’d been promising to make it official for days, that usually involved a big party and tattoo’s and shit. Things he hadn’t had time for recently but if he wanted her to see how serious he was about her, about them, then he’d have to make that extra effort.
CHAPTER NINE
Neve reached for the pillow and buried her face into it. The way Ryder was pushing her up the b
ed with each thrust was too much and she groaned into the pillow, the sound muffled. Ryder wrapped a fist into her hair and gripped it tight. They’d been fucking most of the night and still it wasn’t enough. Whether it was the argument or the fact that he needed her to see how much he liked her, the urge to be inside her was strong.
Ryder roared as he released into her again. If she didn’t have his baby in her belly by the end of this week, he’d be shocked. He lay next to her panting and she snuggled into his clammy chest. “You didn’t use protection again,” she whispered. Ryder grinned, he’d wondered if she’d say anything.
“No, your point?” he asked.
“I can get the morning after pill,” she said. Ryder stilled her wandering fingers by taking her hand and holding it in his.
“That won’t be needed,” he muttered.
“Don’t you think it’s a little soon to be committing to a family right now?”
“Nope, I keep telling you that I’m yours and you’re mine, what part of that don’t you get.” Neve sighed, deciding to save the argument for another time. She’d get the morning after pill and just not tell him. She wasn’t against the idea of having another baby and Harlee was at a great age now, she’d always envisioned her children being around four years apart but the thought niggled her that Ryder had cheated before on his old lady and although she believed him when he said he just wanted her it was impossible to be certain that he’d never cheat. Being a single mother to two children didn’t appeal to her.
“Stop over thinking Siren, if it happens then it happens, it’s Gods wishes.” Neve laughed and tapped his chest playfully.
“No, it’s us not taking precautions. We’re being irresponsible, that’s nothing to do with God.”
“It’s how they did things in the olden days,” he shrugged.
“Yeah when the woman stayed home with ten kids and the man worked in the coal pits. Times have changed.”
Ryder rolled onto his side and placed a kiss on Neve’s head, “I don’t know, the thought of having you pregnant with my kid makes me happy, ten kids would be amazing.”
“Not a chance Ryder, I will not have ten little Ryders running around in this world, think of the poor women. It’s our duty to the world not to produce too many Ryders.” Neve smirked and Ryder tapped her on the ass.
“So cheeky,” he muttered.
***
The sound of glass breaking had Neve sitting up alarmed in bed. She pulled the sheet around her naked body. Nudging Ryder, she reached for her phone to check the time. It was four in the morning. “Ryder,” she hissed, pushing him again. He grunted and she continued to push against his chest him again until he opened his eyes. “I heard a noise,” she said. Ryder was up and pulling his jeans on within seconds. He fiddled around with his boot, pulling out a small hand gun.
“Stay here,” he whispered. Neve huddled the blankets to her.
Ryder could feel his heart hammering in his chest, he was sure it’d be nothing serious because he hadn’t heard a thing and he was a light sleeper. Stepping out into the hall he couldn’t hear anything unusual and the lights were all out. He crept along the landing, holding his gun by his side. A low thud made him raise the gun out in front of him as he moved towards the staircase. Suddenly a ginger cat ran past him, confusing him for a second. He was sure that Neve didn’t have a cat, she hadn’t spoken about a pet and while his brain processed that, a small voice caught his attention. “Ryder, you came home.” Harlee rubbed her sleepy eyes as she approached him. Ryder took one last look back towards the staircase, still there was no sign of lights from a torch or otherwise and he hadn’t heard anything unusual apart from the cat. He stuffed the gun in the back of his jeans, ensuring the safety was on and then he picked Harlee up.
“What are you doing up baby girl”? he whispered. “Let’s get you back to bed.” He’d get her to bed and then pop down stairs just to check everything was locked up tight, then he’d ask Neve about the cat, there was no way that was coming to the clubhouse to live, he hated animals.
“Will you be here when I wake up?” asked Harlee as he covered her over with her blankets.
“Of course,” he promised. Harlee’s face changed from happy to horrified in a split second, Ryder didn’t react in time and the last thing he heard as a sharp pain ripped through his head, was Harlee screaming.
Neve dived from her bed. She’d already pulled on Ryder’s shirt and a pair of her shorts while she had been waiting for Ryder to report back that everything was safe. Hearing Harlee’s scream had instantly panicked Neve, causing her to run towards her bedroom. She reached Harlee’s room as Finn was lifting their daughter into his arms. Neve froze in the doorway, her eyes falling to Ryder who lay lifeless on the ground. Blood surrounded his head, soaking into the light pink fluffy carpet. Neve slapped a hand over her mouth to hold in her scream.
“Tut tut princess, don’t be upset for that piece of scum.” Finn smiled down at Ryder, “I told him I was coming.”
“Give Harlee to me.” Neve held out her shaking arms, but Finn held onto Harlee tight as she cried and reached out for her mommy.
“I’m going to tell you what’s happening now, and you will do everything I say because if you don’t, I’ll cut off her finger and that’s just the start. Am I clear?” Neve nodded furiously, her whole body began to shake. “We’re getting out of here. There’s a car waiting downstairs. If you make a noise or try and run, well I don’t think I need to repeat my threat. Anton, take the kid.” A large man entered and reached for Harlee, she began crying harder and still trying to reach for Neve.
“Please Finn she’s so upset, it’ll wake the neighbours. Let me carry her and I promise to do what you say.”
Finn nodded his head once and the large man handed Harlee over. Neve squeezed her tight, trying to reassure her best she could. Anton led them down the stairs and out of the house with Finn following behind to ensure Neve didn’t run for it. She hoped that Griff was staying home next door and would be looking out of his window, wishful thinking but still. Griff hadn’t been staying home much since he came out to Ryder, there was no need for him to sneak around anymore and he was even talking of selling the place.
Anton opened the door to the dark coloured SUV and waited patiently for Neve to climb in. She strapped Harlee in the child seat and kept a hold of her tiny hand. Finn got in next to her, squeezing her knee tight, “Good girl.”
They drove for at least half an hour before stopping outside a large stately style home. They waited patiently outside a set of large metal gates until a man dressed in a suit approached. Once he was satisfied that he knew the occupants in the car he pressed a button and the gates slowly opened. The vehicle drove along the gravel driveway and came to a stop outside the property. It was a nice house, something you’d walk past and dream of being rich enough to own it.
Finn got out of the vehicle first and waited patiently for Neve to unfasten Harlee from the seat. She followed him up the stone steps and as she stepped onto the top one the large black front door opened and a different man in a suit welcomed them. “Dennis, is Mary still around?” Finn asked, handing the man his jacket. The man gave one nod and Finn smiled, “Great, have her stay so she can meet my family.”
“Very well Mr Lawrence.”
“I’m just going to show them to their room.”
Neve followed Finn towards a winding staircase, the whole place looked elegant and far from what Neve was used to. When she first met Finn, it was clear that he was well off financially, but he had a nice apartment, not something this grand.
The first room they came to, was the one Finn opened with a key. He indicated for Neve to go in first. Harlee had fallen to sleep on Neve’s shoulder and she couldn’t wait to lay her down to give her arms a rest. Inside was a king-sized bed with white cotton blankets. The walls were also white as was the furniture. A double set of French doors caught Neve’s eye and Finn noticed, laughing he marched over to the doors and pushed. They didn’t bud
ge. “It’s locked Neve do you think I’m stupid?”
“What are you trying to achieve Finn? I don’t understand.” She laid Harlee down on the bed and pulled the blankets over her limp body. The poor girl had been terrified of her own father and she’d watched Ryder get hit over the head. Neve’s heart sank, she hoped he was just knocked out and nothing worse.
“I want my family back together,” he said.
“You haven’t wanted us for years and now all of a sudden you force us here?”
“You stopped playing by the rules. No phone calls, no goodnight video chats. I got withdrawals.” Neve had no doubts that this was a power struggle between the two alphas’ in her life, she prayed that Ryder would come for her. “Come and meet my staff.”
Glancing back at Harlee she begrudgingly followed him back down stairs. In the kitchen an older woman sat drinking a hot mug of coffee. She looked friendly enough but if she worked for Finn then she was pretty sure that wasn’t the case. Finn had a nose for evil and everyone he hired tended to be just as cruel as him.
“Mary, this is my wife Neve.” Mary eyed her suspiciously and offered a tight smile.
“Separated,” muttered Neve.
“Clearly not because you’re here with me,” retorted Finn. “Mary will bring your meals to your room. The only time you can leave the room is if I am with you.”
“Are you kidding me?” Neve gasped, he couldn’t keep her locked in a room with a five-year-old child.
“Think yourself lucky that I’ve put you up in a nice bedroom and not downstairs.”
“What’s downstairs?” Neve stared at the white door that Finn had pointed to. It had a black padlock on the front.
“Keep asking annoying questions and you’ll find out.”
By the time Finn had taken her around the house she was shattered. It was the early hours of the morning and Neve wondered when Dennis and Mary slept. She got back to her room to find Harlee still sleeping soundly. She winced as Finn closed the door on his way out and locked it. Too tired to protest she climbed into bed next to her daughter and snuggled against her.