Wild Rides: 10 Blazing Hot Alpha Bad Boy Biker and MC Romance Box Set

by Dez Burke

  Here I come...

  She let the motorcycle fly.

  Helios’ blood turned cold when he saw MJ’s bike blast off. She was going too fast for a beginner, dammit. Too fucking fast.

  “STOP!” He couldn’t believe she was heading for the ramp. “STOP, DAMN YOU, STOP!”

  And then she was soaring.

  His heart stopped as she soared.

  But everything went wrong after that.

  There wasn’t enough momentum, and the bike went down fast, his heart crashing with it.

  The motorcycle hit the ground with a loud smash, and Helios broke into a run as he saw MJ let it go with a scream and go flying like an unwanted doll hurled in the air. “MJ!” He ran as fast as he could, but he knew even before he reached her he would be too late.

  MJ’s head hit the edge of the ramp first, and her body laid twisted on the ground, a doll broken by his cruelty.

  “NO!” His chest was heaving and he could feel the blood leaving his face as he skidded to his knees next to her. “MJ?” he asked hoarsely, turning her around carefully.

  Blood.

  It ran down the side of her head, and the sight of it turned his stomach upside down.

  Yuri was the first to reach them. “Fuck,” he whispered, seeing the gash on MJ’s head. Behind them, Kellion was already calling 911 and Hallie was crying.

  “Don’t touch her!” The words were torn out of Helios when Yuri tried to reach for MJ’s hand. Her head was cradled on his lap, but she still hadn’t stirred and her breathing was too shallow.

  He lifted his gaze to Yuri. “She’s not yours—-”

  “She never was,” Yuri snapped. “It’s always been you.”

  Yuri’s words ripped through the haze of jealousy in Helios’ gaze, and when he looked down at MJ, shame burned inside him. What had he done? What had he fucking done?

  Chapter Sixteen

  “She saw you on the day we saved Rick.”

  The quiet words Yuri spoke was the only thing that made Helios move his gaze away from MJ. She laid on the hospital bed, unconscious, her head bandaged. She looked so small and pale on the bed. It killed him inside, knowing that he was the reason she was there.

  He didn’t care if Yuri loved her or not, or if she loved him back.

  That moment, that terrifying moment of almost losing her had made everything so fucking clear to Helios.

  He loved her.

  He loved her more than he had loved anyone, and this all-consuming love he felt for MJ made it so fucking obvious he had never loved Odessa at all. That woman had been an infatuation, a way of making him feel he had someone because his family had made him feel alone and unwanted.

  But MJ...

  Helios twisted unevenly to face Yuri. “Rick? Our old tutor?”

  Kellion, Hallie, and Andreus were also listening now. They all knew Rick. He had been the only man in Greece who had been willing to stand against the might of Andreadis and act as Helios’ guardian in the States, protecting him until he was of legal age.

  Rick had been an outcast in Greek’s rich society, disinherited by his own family because he had been gay. But to Helios and the first members of Afxisi, Rick had been the perfect parent – one who had loved them unconditionally, one who had never given up on them even when he was made to suffer for it.

  “That’s all Rick would tell me. That the day she saw you save him changed everything for her.”

  It was just one shock after another. Helios shook his head in disbelief. “Rick knows her?”

  “That’s not the most important thing I discovered. Nor the most painful...” Yuri glanced towards MJ. “Her father used to be a famous racer, but when an injury ended his career, he became an alcoholic. One of his favorite pastimes when he was under influence was riding his bike over...” Yuri gestured towards MJ, unable to speak of something so damn inhuman.

  Helios felt sick to his guts as he listened to Yuri narrate the injuries MJ had sustained as a child because of her father’s stunts.

  Several stitches to her head...

  Hair needed to be cut, leaving her half-bald when she was thirteen...

  Broken bones...

  “Where. Is. Her. Father?” If he ever found out where the bastard was, Helios would tear him apart limb from limb.

  “Her father was recently released from prison, and I hear he’s been looking for her. He has somehow managed to have a connection with Manolito Chavez.” Yuri spoke of a millionaire long suspected of earning ill-gotten gains from human trafficking.

  Hallie asked shakily, “How did she manage to live all those years?”

  “Thankfully, he still had her enrolled in school, and records show that she’s been quite dedicated. She’s also a damn good photographer.”

  Yuri paused. It was hard to say the next thing he had to reveal to the others. “The reason she was able to buy an expensive professional camera was by taking pictures of her wounds and selling it online...”

  Yuri walked towards the table and emptied the contents of the brown envelope he had brought with him. Photos scattered on the table. Kellion, usually the most laidback, cursed when he realized what the photos were. Andreus pulled Hallie towards him as she cried out in horror.

  All of the photos were of MJ.

  And all of it were of her, bleeding.

  He knew that part of her shoulder. And it was dislocated.

  He knew that part of her arm. It had a mole. And on the photo, the skin was ripped red and raw.

  Too much fucking blood.

  Helios wanted to throw up. His agonized gaze went to MJ.

  How could he ever make it up to her?

  How?

  ****

  It was dark when she first opened her eyes. Shadows on the wall seemed to be her only company inside the room. When she lifted her hand, MJ stared with numb curiosity at the IV strapped to her veins.

  She was in a hospital.

  She turned her head around, and her breath caught.

  Helios.

  He had his head down, sleeping on his arm, his golden hair left loose against his shoulders. She wanted to cry at the sight of it. So stupid, but she really did. She had a feeling she would never again feel how soft it was.

  She must have made a sound, because the next thing she knew, Helios was awake, and too many expressions registered on his face all at once. Shock, relief, fear, and...something...something that seemed tender.

  MJ didn’t want that last emotion. It was a lie. It had to be lie.

  She might have suffered from a nasty injury, but it did not come with amnesia. She remembered everything. No matter how much she wanted to forget and pretend it wasn’t true, she remembered that Helios hated her.

  “MJ?”

  It was so rare for her to hear him speak her name. Why now when there was no need for it? She whispered, “My father used to ask me to do this...thing.” She didn’t care if he didn’t understand her. This was the only time she would speak to him about it, the last time she would ever talk to Helios again.

  “And I would do it. I used to think I was doing it out of fear.”

  Helios had whitened at her words. He knew that MJ likely thought he didn’t understand her, but Dio, he did. He fucking understood her now, and he would pay for what he had done to her for the rest of his life.

  “MJ, don’t—-”

  She shook her head.

  Relax. Lie down. And keep your eyes open.

  That was how she had survived.

  She would survive this, too.

  So slowly, she made herself turn to Helios and meet his gaze. “I used to think...it was only because I was afraid of him. But I realized...it wasn’t that at all. I kept doing it because I wanted to show him I loved him—-” Her voice broke at the last word.

  She looked at Helios, and unshed tears choked her voice. “I wanted to prove to you that I love you, but that’s wrong.”

  “No, dammit, no.” Helios grabbed her hand and pressed it to his lips. He felt so fuckin
g scared by how she was talking. It couldn’t be the end. She had to understand he had only been afraid, but now he knew the truth. It wouldn’t be like that ever again.

  “MJ, listen—-”

  But the pain in her eyes made him feel like he no longer deserved to speak.

  She whispered, “I’m so tired of trying to earn someone’s love. I don’t want to do it anymore.” She forced a smile. It was so hard to smile when she felt like her heart had just died. But she had to. “So President—-”

  That last term felt like a knife stab. He whitened even more, and he gritted out, “Don’t call me that—-”

  “Could you let Astrid know I’m relinquishing the fight for you?”

  The End of Part 1 of Helios and MJ’s Story

  About the Author: Marian Tee

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  Marian Tee is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of steamy romantic comedies. She is Filipino-Chinese, has lived all her life in the Philippines, and is a frustrated mangaka. She is addicted to horror flicks, misses hip hop dancing, and loves all things Japanese.

  If you liked this story, you might also enjoy:

  Driven By Love: (Heart Racer, Book 2)

  THIS IS THE SEQUEL TO HEART RACER, which is currently available as part of the Riding Desire: Alpha Bad Boy Biker Boxed Set ONLY!

  One year has passed since Leandro Christopoulos and Bobby Granger have last seen each other. Unhealed wounds have forced them to change, but one thing remains the same - the explosive chemistry between them.

  Leandro is determined to recapture Bobby's heart, but making her fall in love with him again may be impossible when he finds out that she already belongs to another man...who also happens to be Leandro's greatest rival.

  An ordinary man would have given up in the face of Bobby's aversion, but not Leandro. Bobby is the only woman Leandro will ever love - and if blackmail is the only way to have her back in his life...then so be it.

  Stone Cold by Olivia Rigal

  CHAPTER ONE

  “Where's my order for table nine?" I ask in the kitchen.

  "Give me another thirty seconds, Lisa," the trainee answers. He's putting the final touch on a plate. When he's happy with the way he's nested the baby tomato in a tiny bouquet of pesto, he looks up at me and winks. "It's nice to have you back. How did the finals go?" he asks.

  "It's nice to be back, too. Believe it or not, I find this lunch madness relaxing after two weeks of exams," I tell him. I realize I've not answered his question, but I'm not really sure how my finals went, and anyway, even if it's no longer the busiest time of the lunch service, it's still not the perfect moment to chat.

  I bring the plates to table nine where a law professor is chatting with a man his age who's a partner in one of the most prestigious law firms of Manhattan. This is business as usual in this place. The restaurant is located between two law schools. The entire block is strictly office space rented out to law firms. It's no accident my boss called it The Law School.

  I ask my two patrons if there is anything else that I can bring them, and just when they tell me they're all set, Lyv calls me. Her face is grim, which is unlike her. She looks mad or upset. It can't be with me because I've been away for two weeks, and I just came back today. She signals me to come to her office, and when I enter she asks me to sit down.

  "Lisa, I'm so sorry," she says as she crouches in front of me and takes my hands in hers. I look into her big chestnut eyes and wonder what she's sorry about. Did she find out through her law school connections that I have flunked my year? No, it's too early—not enough time to grade our tests yet. Is she going to fire me? No, she always says I'm one of her best waitresses, and she'll be sad to see me graduate.

  "I just got a call from the Point Lookout police," she says softly, holding my hands tighter. "It's your brother..." She stops for a second, shakes her head, and for one second I think I see tears pooling in her eyes.

  Now I know it's got to be really bad because Lyv's tough. Lyv doesn't cry; no matter what happens, she always smiles like life's a stupid toothpaste commercial.

  "You've got to go back to the dorm and pack a bag, then I'll drive you to LaGuardia. I've made a reservation for you on the four o'clock flight to Fort Lauderdale."

  I try to process what she's implying, but part of my brain is refusing to do so.

  My brother, David, is larger than life and indestructible. He can survive anything. First he went through army training, and then he graduated top of his class at the police academy. David can't be dead.

  “What happened?” I ask.

  “I don’t know, they didn’t give me any details,” Lyv whispers.

  "I need to call my mother," I say. I'll speak to Mommy, she'll confirm that it's been a horrible mix-up, and we'll laugh about it. I try to free my hands from Lyv's to reach for the phone on her desk, but she doesn't let go.

  "You won't be able to speak to her before you get home," Lyv says. "I understand the doctors have given her something to put her out for twenty-four hours." She pulls our hands to her chest and sighs. "I'm so, so sorry, Lisa."

  There's a knock on the door. It's Megan. She's the evening shift manager. What she's doing here so early? Why is she holding my handbag and my raincoat?

  Lyv goes over to her, and they speak in hushed tones while Lyv puts on her own coat. She comes back to me and makes me stand up. She dresses me like a child and takes my hand. While we walk through, there's a strange silence. They don't know what's happening, but the look on Lyv's face is such that no one says a word. For an instant I feel like the world is in slow motion around me, but this changes the second we leave the restaurant through the kitchen door and hit the street. Life in Manhattan never stops. There are people passing by, and there's loud traffic. Everything seems normal.

  Lyv walks me to the dorm. Once we're in the lobby, she asks for my unit number. I tell her, and we ride the elevator up to the tenth floor. After searching in my handbag, Lyv finds my keys and opens the door. I stand by the door and watch her efficiently get stuff ready on the bed. She turns to me and asks, "Is there anything you want that I didn't think about?"

  I shake my head. I can't think, and anyway, I still have plenty of stuff left in my closet at home.

  "Then I guess this will do," she says as she folds everything neatly in my suitcase. When we leave, she takes the key of my dorm room out of my key chain and puts it in her pocket after locking my door.

  "I'll check with housing about the spring term moving deadlines..."

  She probably realizes that I'm not really paying attention to what she's telling me, so she doesn't finish her sentence. Lyv is a hundred steps ahead of me, and in my haze, I wonder how I would have managed without her, so I say, "Thank you."

  "Don't mention it." She shrugs. "That's what friends are for."

  CHAPTER TWO

  By the time the plane lands at the Fort Lauderdale airport, it's night already. I'm still on automatic pilot. It's as if I'm watching a movie of myself going through the motions. I get up. I carry my bag. I walk down the steps and then along the hallway. It's me but it's not really me. Somehow, despite the fact that I've checked out, my body keeps doing what it needs to do to get back home.

  At the luggage carrousel, I find Uncle Tony holding my suitcase. He looks like he's aged ten years since I last saw him. When was that? Less than two years ago. He hugs me.

  "I'm so sorry, Lisa," he says, and he lets me go without another word.


  I just nod and follow him. During the ride to Point Lookout, he explains why he's alone. "Nancy's at the hospital with your mom.”

  Just as I’m about to question him, he says, “We don't know how it happened. The police just called your mother, and she managed to get to our door before she lost it.”

  He lets his words sink in before he says, “I'm going to drive you home, and tomorrow, you can go to see her. No use going there now to watch her sleep."

  We remain silent for the rest of the drive.

  He parks in his driveway. I just need to cross a patch of grass to be home.

  Tony and my father were identical twins that nothing short of death could have separated. They drove identical cars, wore identical clothes, and even purchased identical neighboring houses. The main difference between them was their choice in women. Mom is nothing like Aunt Nancy. Mom is a softy, while Aunt Nancy is a survivor.

  Nancy survived foster care after being abandoned by her parents. At sixteen, she ran away and found shelter in a motorcycle club. They kept her on as a "sweet butt." She was such a lovely girl at the time that the VP's old lady, who was not the sharing type, ran her out of the club, but it was too late for Nancy's good. By then, she was already pregnant. She survived becoming a single mother at seventeen, and since then, she's survived all sorts of serious health issues.

  Yep, a real survivor with a sunny personality because she's decided that she wants to be happy and that's the way it should be.

  Mom's just the opposite. Even before Dad died, she used to make mountains of molehills. So when a truck hit Dad's car, it didn't only crush my father to death, it also broke my mother. I'm so lucky that I had David to take care of me.

  "Are you gonna be all right on your own?" Uncle Tony asks as I get out of the car.

  "Yes. Thank you for coming to get me," I say.

  "Sure thing. Now, you come on over here if there's anything you need or if you want company."