I frowned. “You shouldn’t be here.”
He dropped his phone into his pocket and crossed his arms. “Babe, you and I are gonna talk.”
“I don’t want to talk.” I slid my phone into my pocket as well and forced myself not to wrap my arms around him. I loved the big fat jerk, but I didn’t want him to know that.
“Pickin’ up on that, but I’m not leavin’ you here this weekend until we hash out a few things.”
“Whatever.” I slipped my hands into my jeans’ pockets and shrugged. “Say what you need to say.”
He smiled as he stared at me before uncrossing his arms and closing the distance between us. Before I could get my hands out of my pockets, I was pulled against his body and the top of my head was kissed. “I love you, Sadie.” I tried to wiggle away from him, but he just held me tighter. “Settle, baby.”
“You’re the most annoying man on the planet,” I snapped.
He chuckled. “I know, but you love me.”
“I can’t believe you changed my official record without talking to me,” I accused.
“Honey, we didn’t change your official record. We just put a fake record in there in case the club went searching.”
“Oh, ’cause that’s different?” I glared up at him.
“It is different,” he said. “I will do anything to keep you safe, you have to know that.”
“I don’t understand why you don’t just talk to me about this stuff.”
Ryder shrugged. “Honestly, I didn’t think it would come up. I’m trying to shield you from some of this crap.”
“Um, Ryder? Your dad broke into my home!” I cried. “You failed.”
His expression darkened. “You don’t think I don’t know that?”
“Well, then why don’t you admit that what you’ve been doing isn’t working?”
“Why do you think I’m standing here right now?” he ground out.
“Don’t you take that tone with me right now,” I snapped, pushing away from him. “So far today, you’ve kept me in the dark, beat your chest like some ape-man while grunting half orders, and told me you flooded the Internet with false records about me without my permission. Not one time did you admit you did anything wrong or apologize for it. Not to mention, you’re still giving me half-answers and evading some of my questions entirely.”
He settled his hands on his head and dropped his head back, spouting expletives to the sky.
“You’re a freakin’ juvenile,” I accused. “Not to mention a bully.”
He shook his head, took a deep breath (he’d done that a lot today), and then said, “Sadie, I’m trying to protect all of you here. I get that you’re used to sacrificing yourself, and I’m happy that there’s a little part of you that’s standing up for yourself here, but understand that I want you safe too.”
“Maybe if you didn’t keep me in the dark, I could help,” I ground out.
“Baby, there are things I can’t share with anyone and that includes some bigger picture issues that you have, unfortunately, been dragged into. I’ll share what I can, but Cameron and I, along with his team, are trying to keep twelve girls from being found and sold to bad men who want to use their bodies for some pretty damn disgusting reasons. This problem started before I met you, and I’d really hoped to keep you out of it, but the sperm donor made that impossible, so now I have to figure out how to keep twelve girls from being found and make sure the only woman I’ve ever loved stays safe!” His voice rose in volume steadily until he practically shouted “safe.” “So adding to all of these issues with trying to save little girls from animals, is whatever has crawled up my beloved’s ass so that now she won’t listen to reason.”
“You’re the one who’s crawled up my...” I pressed my lips into a thin line. I wouldn’t say it. I wouldn’t. I threw my arms up in the air. “Gah! You make me crazy!”
“Sadie, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you everything that was going on. I love you. I’m gonna screw things up on occasion, but I need to know you’re safe. Tell me what you need to hear so that I can go meet Cam and take care of this.”
“Go, Ryder. I’m not stopping you.”
He pulled me to him again, cupping my face. “Honey, you are stopping me. I can’t be distracted. I need you to understand that.”
“I’m really scared, Ryder,” I whispered.
“I know, baby.” He kissed me gently then wrapped his arms around me. I hugged his waist and settled my cheek on his chest. “I don’t know how to make you feel safe until my father’s dealt with, but I promise if you stay here you will be... at least I hope so. I’d feel better if you were with me, though.”
“I have to go to work on Tuesday.”
“Then come and stay with me and I can take you.”
I shook my head.
“Will you at least come stay Monday night?” he asked.
“Will you promise not to make me crazy?”
“No.”
I smiled against his chest. “You’re a butt.”
He gave me a gentle squeeze. “Do you know how much I love you?”
“Yes. Enough to make me crazy.”
“Well, you’re not wrong.”
I leaned back to meet his eyes. “Why do you need me to stay with you?”
“Because it’s going to be really crowded here.”
“Um, why?”
“Because we’re using the abbey as a hiding place.”
“For?” I still wasn’t getting what he was saying.
“The girls.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “I doubt anyone will think to look here, and if they do, they can hide them quickly...”
“In the tunnels,” I finished.
He nodded. “She filled me in on the secrets of the abbey.”
“My aunt’s getting way too into this cloak and dagger stuff.” Suddenly cold, I rubbed my arms, fear setting in again.
“Hey,” he said quietly, pulling me to him again. “I’m here, baby. I’ve got you.”
I burrowed into his chest. “He said he’d do horrible things to me. Things worse than death.”
“He won’t.”
“I’m not afraid to die, Ryder, but I am afraid of what Brick wanted to do to me. And the thought of him getting anywhere near those girls frightens me even more.”
He stiffened as he held me tighter. “No one will touch you or the girls,” he vowed.
“Promise?” I whispered.
“I promise, baby.”
“Okay.” I closed my eyes and relaxed against him. “I’ll come stay with you.”
Ryder slid his hand to the back of my neck. “Tonight?”
I rolled my eyes. “Ryder.”
“Please, baby.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
“Thank you.” He lifted my face and kissed every inch. I scrunched up my nose and tried to lean away but he just held me closer. “Settle.”
When he puckered up for more, I laid my hand over his mouth and giggled. “You’re insane.”
He grew serious and smiled gently. “I thought I’d never hear that again.”
“What?”
He stroked my cheek. “Your laugh.”
“It’s been a really bad day.”
“In the definition of bad days, yeah, baby, it has been.” He leaned down and kissed me gently. “I’m sorry I dragged you into all this shit.”
“Technically, your father did, honey. I don’t blame you.” I waved my hand. “That doesn’t get you off the hook for the other stuff, but this one isn’t on you.”
I was rewarded with a slight smile. “Let’s get home. I’m gonna cook for you and then I have to meet with Cam.”
I frowned. “I’m going to come to your place only to have you leave?”
He shook his head. “I’m gonna meet with him at my place.”
“Oh.”
“I told you I’m not gonna leave you, Sadie. I mean it.”
“What if you have to deal with the girls?”
“Will you fill me in on your ‘crew’?” I asked.
“Yeah, if you want me to.”
“Yeah, I want you to,” I droned sarcastically.
He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close, kissing my temple. “Whatever you want, baby.”
I relaxed against him, kissed him at the back doors, and then went inside to retrieve my bag.
Sadie
I STARED OUT the windows of Ryder’s family room, a glass of Guiness in my hand, finally left alone to my thoughts after arriving to chaos at his home. I’d showered and was blissfully lounging in a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt, drinking beer. I could certainly get used to looking at this view every day. It rocked.
Apparently, today was the day to meet “the crew.” Well, the majority of it, anyway. What I didn’t realize (because Ryder didn’t mention it... shocker) was that his basement was where the men congregated when something big needed to be dealt with. He didn’t go into detail about what might constitute something big, and quite frankly, I didn’t ask. I just didn’t have the emotional capacity for answers at the moment. I had been shown the panic room, which nearly did me in, but it was secure, had a direct line to the cops, and had a way to escape through the backyard if need-be. Good lord, I hope there’d never be a need.
Ryder said he’d chosen his house for a specific set of reasons, the biggest one being he could hide. His name wasn’t on the deed... he technically owned it, but the house was held by a shell company he said he’d set up to hide certain assets from his father.
The house was also hidden from the road. You’d have to know it was there in order to find it, and then you’d have to be admitted through the gates or know the code to get in. You could find it by flying over it, but Ryder wasn’t concerned about that, figuring the Spiders wouldn’t go to that much trouble. I hoped he was right.
Before I’d been left to my thoughts, I’d met Axel and Blake (Ollie was also there and he was awesome). The one woman introduced in this ragtag band of men was Sandy. She’d worked for Ryder for a long time and she treated him like a son. I warmed to her instantly. She obviously loved him and looked out for him, and I liked her for it.
Axel was tall with dark hair and piercing blue eyes. He was a little more on the Portland hipster side for my liking, but he was certainly pretty. He also smiled a lot, but wasn’t a big talker.
I don’t think Blake was quite six feet tall, but he held himself like a much bigger man and had long silvery black hair he’d pulled back. The thing that stuck with me the most was that he had an Anson Mount look about him, complete with full beard and smirky smile. He made me a little nervous and it might have been because he appeared to be tattooed everywhere, including his neck, which was alien to me. I kept having to force my gaze away from his tattoos (Blake referred to it as “ink”). Ryder mentioned he was the oldest of the crew and I figured he had at least fifteen years on all of them.
Ollie, on the other hand, I liked. Adored. From the second he arrived, he treated me like a long-lost sister (as he did with Scottie), keeping me included in every conversation, asking questions so I wouldn’t feel left out. He was the same when he’d come for dinner, but tonight he seemed a little more on alert. He was a little taller than Ryder and had dark-blond hair and hazel eyes. He was all lean muscle and had a few tattoos on his arms, but nothing like Blake.
Reese and the rest of the guys were handling business this weekend so Ryder could stick around home, but Ryder promised he’d introduce me to them another time, and I was grateful it was a small group for tonight’s meeting.
Before the guys commenced their meeting, Ryder cooked. And, boy did he cook. Pork chops, garlic mashed potatoes, and cheesy asparagus were served without any assistance from me, and what I found most interesting is how normal this seemed. The men may not have been blood, but there was a brotherly bond there that was probably closer. They seemed to welcome me into the fold... and it was a fold I was really happy to be welcomed into.
Stories were flying around the table, everyone joking around since they’d pretty much known each other since birth, and I simply sat back and watched. It was awesome.
“Did you ever tell Sadie about when we were in those dirt biking trials?” Ollie asked.
“So, Scottie, how are you feeling?” Ryder asked in an obvious attempt to divert attention.
“What happened?” I asked, and then frowned. “Wait, don’t tell me if he got hurt. I won’t be able to handle it if there was blood or broken bones involved.”
Ollie chuckled. “Only his pride was hurt.”
“Ooh, do tell, then.”
“Ollie, man, shut your mouth,” Ryder ordered.
“We were fifteen, sixteen, something like that, and Ryder figured he’d do something ‘dangerous’ to impress some club princess—”
“What’s a club princess?” I asked.
“Daughter of another club’s prez,” Scottie said.
“So, Ryder decided he was gonna wheelie by her.” Ollie chuckled, and Ryder leaned over me to shove him on the side of the head.
I grabbed his arm and held onto it. “Continue,” I said.
“We had a time to beat, but Ryder’s problem wasn’t speed, it was balance.”
Ryder let out a rather rude expletive and I squeezed his arm as Ollie continued the story.
“So, he does his first lap, smokes everyone else’s time, then he’s coming up to the girls and rolls up into a wheelie... and flips his ass over, almost taking out the object of his affection at the same time. It was classic.”
“She wasn’t even that cute,” Axel provided.
“She was smokin’ hot!” Ollie said.
“You’re a dumbass, Ollie,” Blake snapped, nodding toward me.
I giggled. “I’m okay, Blake. But thanks for looking out for me.”
Ryder’s arm slid behind me and pulled me closer to him. “Ignore Ollie,” he whispered.
“No way,” I countered.
As the topic moved from childhood to talk about the bar and life in general, Ollie asked Scottie for the butter and she blushed so red, I thought she might be having some kind of allergic reaction. When she pulled herself together, she handed him what he’d asked for and dinner commenced, but I wondered how long that little crush had been going on.
I was staring out the living room window when arms wrapped around me from behind and I started a little. Ryder kissed the back of my neck. I leaned against him as he whispered, “How ya doin’?”
“I’m good, honey.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.” I craned my neck to smile at him. “Is everyone gone?”
“Ollie’s hangin’ for a bit, but the rest have stuff to do.” He turned me to face him. “Reese’ll be here later.”
I frowned.
“You don’t like Reese, do you?” he asked.
“It’s not that I don’t like him, it’s just...”
“Just, what?”
“He’s kind of a jerk.”
He chuckled. “I’m kind of a jerk.”
“Well, I’m not kissing him.”
Ryder sighed. “Break it down for me, baby. If he’s said somethin’ I’ll talk to him.”
“I already tried that.”
“Yeah? You’re brave.”
I grimaced. “Not that it made any difference.”
“Now who’s being vague?” he accused.
So, I “broke it down” for him. I told him every offense Reese had ever committed from the airport conversation to the driving me to my aunt’s even when I didn’t want him to.
“He did all of those things because I asked him to.”
“Yes, I heard you,” I snapped. “But it’s like he dismisses me when I talk to him.”
“Like you’re the litt
le woman and he’s the big man?” he asked, paraphrasing my words. “You’ve said the same about me.”
“Okay, he’s like you... sort of,” I conceded. “But why would he need to call you if I want to go to Savannah? I’m an adult... if I want to fly to the moon, he doesn’t have the right to stop me.”
“No, but he did have to find out where I was at with everything so you weren’t walking into a shit storm.”
Well, crap, that was probably true.
“And he knew the club was watching us. We’d gone to great measures to hide much of the trip and movements around town, but we can never be sure who to trust. He didn’t want you ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Oh.”
Ryder slipped a lock of my hair behind my ear. “He and I were talking constantly, Sadie, and anything he did was to make sure you were safe. He made sure you and your girls were safe on your night out—”
“I’m sorry?”
“And it was a good thing, since you had issues.”
“Ryder, back up. You had him follow us, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“You didn’t tell me about that! I knew it! He made me think I was nuts.”
He rolled his eyes. “Well, him trying to keep my secret notwithstanding, he was looking out for you.”
“I will concede it was nice he took care of the guy in the other club, but you should have told me,” I said. “Actually, he should have.”
“Okay, baby. I’m not gonna rehash the stuff about lack of information with you, because I’m enjoyin’ our peaceful interlude, but he isn’t gonna share shit with you unless I say it’s okay. You’re my woman, not his, so it falls on me to do so.”
I bit my lip. I hated it when he was logical. “Still don’t like him being a bully.”
“I will talk to him about that.” He gripped my chin gently. “I can tell Reese not to come, honey, but he’s family and he adores you, so it’d be great if you can deal.”
I let out a quiet snort. “How could you possibly know he adores me, Ryder? The man only has twelve words in his vocabulary arsenal and the F-word seems to be his favorite. How he manages to use it as a noun, a verb, and an adverb is beyond me. Admittedly somewhat clever, but still a rather disappointing testament to the educational system of America.”
A Nun Walks into a Bar (Nun-Fiction Series Book 1) Page 16