“Okay, okay, geez,” he said with his hands in the air. “I’m just trying to help you that’s all.”
“You’re probably helping me too much,” Stormy said.
“Well, well, well, look who it is,” a drunk, middle aged man with a matching black, leather jacket said as he approached the table. “What’s up Ryder, sir?”
“Bruiser,” Ryder said. “Meet my old lady, Stormy.”
“Nice job, boss,” he said as he tried his hardest not to check her out in front of Ryder. “Welcome, welcome.”
“Thanks,” Stormy said.
“I just need a moment of your time at some point tonight,” Bruiser said.
“Yep,” Ryder replied. “I’ll find you in a bit.”
It kind of turned Stormy on seeing how much respect Ryder got. He was a young VP, but he had obviously earned the title and power somehow.
Brooklyn and Zander came in from outside with exhilarated looks on their faces, and Brooklyn adjusted her dress, pulling it down.
“What did you do?” Stormy leaned over and mumbled to Brooklyn.
“Nothing,” Brooklyn said with a smile. She was totally lying.
“Mm, hm,” Stormy responded. “We’ll talk later.”
The men left the girls at the table and headed over to the bar to talk to some of the other club members. They had concerned looks on their faces and Zander kept glancing back over at the table.
“Why are they acting so weird?” Stormy asked.
“Are you sure you want to get back into this life?” Brooklyn asked.
“You know if Zander wanted you to be his old lady, you’d say yes in a heartbeat,” Stormy quipped.
Brooklyn bit her lip and said nothing.
“What?” Stormy asked.
“You’re probably right,” she said.
The guys came back with fresh drinks for them and sat back down. Zander couldn’t keep his eyes or his hands off of Brooklyn, which was attracting jealous, lustful looks from some of the other guys.
“Who is this guy, right?” Ryder joked. “Why don’t you come outside with me?”
Stormy followed him outside, where it was a little quieter and they could have an actual conversation.
“I don’t want to freak you out,” he said. “But I got confirmation that it was definitely one of my guys that killed Jett.”
Stormy shook her head. “Why?”
“That’s what I’m still trying to figure out,” he said. “I think the person that did it, did it only to hurt me.”
“Do you have any idea who it might be?”
Ryder paused before saying, “I think it might be Zander.”
“What?!”
“I don’t want to believe it, but he knows me better than anyone, and he’s one of only a few guys who know I ever had a brother,” he said. “We both joined Hellfire at the same time, and I rose to the top of the ranks almost overnight. He was nothing more than a patch member until I vouched for him and got him up there with me. Made him my secretary. I think he’s always resented being under me.”
“That’s ridiculous,” she said. “That’s not a good reason to kill someone’s brother.”
“We’d always talked about getting out of the gang,” he said. “I told him the only way I’d ever leave Hellfire was if someone I loved and cared about got hurt or killed. He knew my brother was the only person I truly loved.”
“Even though you weren’t talking?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “My brother was the only real family I had, even if we weren’t speaking. Zander knew that.”
“That son of a bitch just fucked my best friend,” Stormy said as she turned to run back inside.
“Stop!” he yelled as he chased after her and grabbed her arm. “You don’t know any of this.”
“So I’m supposed to stand back and talk to him and act like nothing happened? Like he didn’t come into my house and murder my husband?” Stormy was livid.
“For now,” he said. “You just have to trust that I’ll handle this.”
“I guess,” she said with her arms crossed.
“There’s one other thing,” he said. “We’re going to need Brooklyn to get involved.”
“Oh, no, no, no,” Stormy said. “She would never.”
“There’s no way you can talk her into it?” he asked.
“I can try, but she’s her own person,” she said. “What do you want her to do?”
“Keep him busy so that we can go through his room, for starters,” he said.
“So you want me to send my best friend off with some murderer so you can snoop through his room like some amateur detective?”
“It’s a start,” he said. “Got any better ideas?”
“Can’t you just ask him and see what he says?”
“I don’t want him to know we know,” he said.
“And what happens when you find the evidence you’re looking for?” she asked.
“You don’t want to know,” he said. “It’s better that you not know these kinds of things. You wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I told you.”
Stormy shuddered. The Hellfire MC was definitely on a completely different level than the Iron Souls.
They headed back inside the bar, Stormy’s heart beating fast, and they saw Zander and Brooklyn making out like crazy in the booth. She was straddling him and his hands were gripped tight on her ass.
It made Stormy instantly nauseous, and she tried to ignore the fact that the hands all over Brooklyn’s body were the same hands that had killed Jett.
“Remember, act natural,” Ryder reminded her. “Don’t ruin our only shot. If he knows we’re onto him, he’ll run. He’s chicken shit like that.”
“How am I going to get Brooklyn alone? She’s all over him,” Stormy said, concerned.
“I’ll get Zander away from her, don’t worry.”
They approached the booth and cleared their throats, and Zander and Brooklyn peeled themselves apart.
“What’s gotten into you guys?” Stormy teased.
“Zander, I need you, man,” Ryder said as he pointed towards the bar.
Zander begrudgingly scooted out from the booth and followed him over to the bar where the two men proceeded to start talking.
“Brooklyn, how drunk are you?” Stormy asked.
“Not that drunk. Honest,” she said. “Just on vacation and having a good time.”
“I have to tell you something,” Stormy said as she glanced over at the guys. “But you have to promise you won’t freak out or act weird.”
“Okay, what?” Brooklyn asked. “Now you’re making me nervous.”
“Ryder thinks that Zander killed Jett.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Shh! Don’t draw any attention over here!”
“I want to puke,” Brooklyn whined. “Do you know for sure?”
“He’s pretty sure,” she said. “We just need your help.”
“My help with what? I’m not involved in any of this,” Brooklyn retorted.
“I know it’s asking a lot, but please just go along with this,” Stormy pleaded. “For your safety and mine.”
Brooklyn looked annoyed as she caved in and bowed her head. “Fine.”
The guys came back to the table.
“We better head home,” Ryder said. “Another gang is coming. Trying to start some shit. They want our territory. Pretty small time. We don’t want to waste our time with them.”
He winked at Stormy to let her know it wasn’t true. She figured he just needed an excuse to get Zander and Brooklyn home.
They left the bar in a hurry and rode back home, Brooklyn looking particularly displeased on the back of Zander’s bike.
“It’d be a nice night to sit out on the patio, don’t you think?” Stormy suggested as they got back to the condo.
Zander took Brooklyn’s hand and led her out through the sliding glass door, completely ignoring Stormy and Ryder.
“Perfect,” Ryder sa
id. “You stand in the living room and keep an eye on them. I’m going to run to his room. Call my name if they start coming back, okay?”
Stormy nodded nervously. She watched as he reached into a hollowed out book on a nearby bookcase and pulled out a Ruger LCP gun and stuffed it down the back of his pants.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
“In case things get ugly,” he said. “I don’t want to scare you. I just need to be prepared. I thought I knew Zander, but now I’m realizing I don’t know him at all.”
He grabbed his phone, sent a quick text and stepped up to Stormy, giving her a kiss on her forehead.
“Some of the guys are waiting down the block,” he said. “If anything happens to me, you need to text Bruiser in my phone. They’ll be here in seconds.”
Stormy tried not to cry as she was overcome with fear. She kept a watchful eye on Brooklyn and Zander as her heart raced. She glanced over at Zander’s door as it was now wide open and Ryder was rifling through things. She wondered what he was looking for, but she knew it wasn’t the time to ask.
Within a few minutes, he came back out.
“God, what took you so long?” Stormy huffed. “I was getting nervous.”
Just then the sliding glass door slid open.
“Find what you were looking for?” Zander said with a crooked smile.
Brooklyn looked terrified as she shook her head and mouthed “sorry”.
“What are you talking about?” Ryder tried to act casual.
“He pulled a knife on me, Stormy! I’m so sorry!” Brooklyn yelled. “He threatened to hurt us all if I didn’t tell him what was going on.”
“Shut up, you little bitch!” he said as he shoved her back. She stumbled into the back of the outdoor sofa.
Stormy ran to comfort Brooklyn, but Ryder grabbed her arm.
“Stay here,” he commanded. His eyes locked on Zander as he reached back into his jeans to grab the Ruger.
“Ha,” Zander laughed. “Whatcha gonna do, Ryder? You wanna shoot me? You wanna get revenge for your brother’s murder?”
“I knew it was you,” Ryder said, seething. “How could you do that?”
“You said you wanted out,” Zander laughed. “I was just doing you a favor.”
“You sick son of a bitch,” Ryder said. He spat at Zander, who only laughed even harder. His laugh was almost maniacal and his face was twisted. “I loved you like a brother.”
Zander pulled out a gun of his own that he’d been stowing in a pocket holster.
“Two can play this game,” he said with a smile. “Go ahead. Shoot me.”
“I’ve killed a man before, and I can do it again,” Ryder said. “You of all people should know that.”
Zander swallowed and looked nervous but only for a split second.
“Do you have a death wish?” Ryder asked. “I’ll do it. I’ll fucking shoot you.”
“And throw away this life you’re starting with your brother’s precious, beautiful little widow?” Zander said. “You wouldn’t do it.”
Ryder stared at Stormy, who was fighting off tears.
“I bet she’s a fine piece of ass,” he said. “Don’t you know we’re brothers? Hellfire brothers share everything. You know that.”
“Leave her out of this,” Ryder commanded. “This is between you and me.”
Zander slowly sauntered over to Stormy, who was standing out of arm’s reach from Ryder. He put his arm around her, pulled her close, put his gun up to her head and cocked it.
“What are you doing?” Ryder said as he tried to keep his calm. “Don’t do this.”
“I have no choice,” Zander said as she suddenly began to lose his cool. He was clearly having some sort of nervous breakdown.
“I’m going to give you an out,” Ryder said. “I’m going to show you the mercy that you never showed to my brother.”
Zander looked intrigued and relieved all at the same time.
“You put your gun down on the table,” Ryder instructed. “I let you walk out that door. You are never to come back and show your face around here again, you here? That’s an order. Zander Mayfield is dead. You get a new name. You get a new identity. You stay out of the any other MC.”
“This life is all I know,” Zander said. He was getting emotional.
“It’s your only option,” Ryder said. “Either I shoot you, right here, right now, which I don’t want to do in front of these ladies. Or you walk out and never come back.”
Zander released his grip on Stormy, threw his gun down on the sofa and hightailed it towards the front door.
“You’re just going to let him get away?!” Stormy exclaimed. She wanted to chase after him, but her legs were frozen with fear.
Zander swung the door wide open and on the other side waited about five or six guys from Hellfire MC. They surrounded the doorway and there was no way Zander would be able to get through. They stood shoulder to shoulder, menacing looks on their faces, as they reached out to grab him.
“No, no!” Zander yelled. “Ryder, you said I could leave! No, no!”
Zander’s terrified yelps went suddenly silent once one of the guys put ducktape over his mouth. Another guy whacked him on the head as a third guy put a bag over his head. They nodded and exchanged looks with Ryder as they carried Zander’s limp body down the hall.
Ryder stood with his hands on his hips, slightly trembling, as he stared at the floor.
“You okay?” he asked Stormy.
“I don’t know, I think so,” she said.
Brooklyn came in from the patio and ran to Stormy, burying her head on her shoulders and crying.
“It’s okay,” Ryder said as he consoled them. “That guy has a fate far worse than either of you could ever imagine. The things they’re going to do to him tonight…”
Ryder shuddered.
“Stop,” Stormy said. “I don’t want to know.”
“Are they going to kill him?” Brooklyn asked.
Ryder said nothing.
“I just want to make sure he’s not going to come after any of us,” she added.
“Let’s just say, he’ll never be able to hurt anyone ever again,” Ryder said. “Excuse me for a minute, girls.”
He went into his bedroom, phone in hand, and shut the door.
CHAPTER 20
Stormy spent the next couple hours consoling Brooklyn until she fell asleep on the couch, under the sedation of some prescription sleeping pills Ryder had in his cabinet. She was clearly freaked out and ready to head back home the next day. Her trip to LA was one she would unfortunately remember the rest of her life.
As soon as Brooklyn was asleep, Stormy trekked back to Ryder’s bedroom and rapped on the door.
“Can I come in?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said as he opened the door a few seconds later. He finished up his phone call and grabbed her hand, leading her to his bed. “You okay, kid?”
“I think so,” she said. “What about you?”
Ryder shrugged. “I guess there’s not much to say. I’m sorry you had to witness all of that.”
“Are you tired at all?” Stormy asked as she looked at the clock. It was already 2 A.M.
“Not really,” he said. “I’m pretty wired. All that adrenaline, I guess. I wish I had some sort of distraction. I need a release.”
“You want me to grab you a beer or something?” she asked.
“No, no,” he said. “That’s not what I need.”
He sat down next to her in the edge of the bed. Ryder leaned in and kissed her lips tenderly while slipping one arm around her waist and pulling her into him. They leaned back on the bed, kissing and she slipped her leg on top of his. They were intertwined once again, just the way they liked it.
Ryder’s kiss soon turned a little more passionate as he kissed her harder and faster.
“Whoa, slow down,” Stormy said as she tried to catch her breath. “What’s the rush?”
“Sorry,” he said. “I was just really ge
tting into it. I can’t get enough of you, Stormy. I really need you right now.”
“Really?” Stormy asked in disbelief.
“You’re addictive,” he said as he leaned in to kiss her again. “I can’t get enough. I’d do anything for you. You’re the release I need.”
She kissed him back and relished in all the attention he was showering on her. Jett loved her deeply, but Ryder was showing a sort of passion she’d never felt before from any guy. It was new and exciting, and it was happening so fast.
“You look so beautiful tonight,” he whispered in his year. “I’ve been thinking it all night, but I forgot to tell you. Guess I was a little preoccupied.”
“Thank you,” she smiled back at him. She buried her face in his neck and breathed in his expensive cologne. She’d never smelled anything like it before, and she knew it wasn’t anything remotely available in Kansas.
She ran her fingers over his brawny, tatted arms and traced the outline of his muscles that flexed and moved as he ran his hands over her body. She wanted him badly, but deep down she felt instant pangs of guilt. Jett hadn’t been gone that long and here she was about to screw his older brother.
Ryder stood up and helped her up to her feet.
“What are you doing?” she cooed.
He picked her up in his strong arms and threw her back on his bed, up by the headboard, caveman style.
Stormy laughed. “Is this for real?”
Ryder locked the bedroom door and walked back over to her on the bed. She began to get very nervous as he wasn’t saying much, just looking at her with hungry, longing, aching eyes. He climbed over top of her on the bed and began kissing her again. He worked his way down to her neck and then her collar bone as his hands traveled every inch of her body. He slipped his hand up underneath her top and caressed her soft breasts with his strong, calloused hands.
“Do you trust me?” he asked in his breathless, sexy voice.
Stormy nodded. “Yes, but don’t you think we’re moving too fast?”
Ryder collapsed on top of her and stopped what he was doing. “Really?”
He rolled over next to her on the bed, keeping a good distance between them.
Stormy wanted to continue, but she was sure she’d ruined the moment. Ryder laid next to her, exasperated and frustrated.
Resisting Ryder Page 15