Raiden's Choice (A Ravens MC Novel Book 1)

by J. L. Leslie

  I climb on behind him and relish at the feel of the machine between my legs. I haven’t ridden in a few weeks, not since the night I went to Diesel’s, and I didn’t ride long that night. I love riding. I would ride every day if I could.

  “Hold on.” he says over his shoulder and I wrap my arms around his waist. I can feel the hardness of his abdomen, the firmness of his back, as the bike roars to life and begins to move.

  Riding with Luka feels different than riding alone. Of course it does. I have a man and a bike between my legs. I’m not in control of the bike. He is.

  He speeds out onto the racetrack and makes the first turn, causing dust to fly up behind us. I laugh against his ear, exhilaration coursing through me. I love this feeling. The wind against my face and blowing my hair out around me. The rumble of the bike in my ears. The vibration of the powerful machine beneath me. It’s great.

  I don’t know how long we ride like this, but when he stops, I still feel like it’s too soon. I climb off his bike and can’t stop smiling. He stays seated, but laughs at me attempting to run my fingers through my wild hair.

  “I love it!” I exclaim, my heart pounding in my chest.

  “I can tell.” he grins. “You’re all dusty now.”

  I breathe out and I don’t know what comes over me, but I lean over and touch my lips to his. His arm snakes around my hips and pulls me closer. I cup his face and part my lips, losing myself in his taste.

  I’m only lost for a moment before the severity of what I’m doing hits me. I pull back and ignore the raw look of desire on Luka’s face.

  “I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t have done that.”

  “Raiden, it’s fine. You’re fine.” he tells me.

  “No, I’m with Griffin.” I explain.

  “Not really.” he smirks.

  “I don’t fuck up like this. I never have and I never will.”

  I leave him on his bike and haul ass from the track. What I just did could ruin what I have worked for the past two years. I can’t let the desire I feel for Luka fuck up the plan I’ve had with Griffin. The Ravens are more important. They always come first. Always will.

  ~Luka~

  I watch Raiden walk away and don’t try to stop her. I know it wouldn’t do any good. If she doesn’t want to stay, I know she won’t.

  Just hearing her say she’s with Griffin Knowles pisses me off. She’s been living a lie for so long, she actually believes it. I wonder who she would be if she were able to live the way she wanted to. If she were free.

  “Shit.” I mumble when my phone vibrates in my pocket. I fish it out and see it’s Kane.

  “Meet me at 215 Forrester Avenue. Your enforcer skills are needed.” he informs me and clicks off.

  I pull my helmet on and head in that direction. When I get there, Kane is waiting behind Santino’s Self-Serve with a man I don’t recognize. There’s a few patrons at the gas station, but no one pays me any attention as I drive around to the back of the store.

  “Luka, meet Jon, Jon this is Luka. Jon here decided to steal our delivery truck.” Kane explains. “Moses stopped at Rusty’s to eat, like he does every trip, and when he came back out the truck was gone. Ol’ Jon figured he would just get in and take it. Now why did you do that, Jon?”

  Jon spits blood at Kane’s shoes. Obviously, Kane has already been working on getting that answer out of him without much luck.

  “Where’s the fucking truck?” Kane yells and receives another blood splatter on his shoes.

  I help Jon to his feet and then deliver two quick jabs to his gut, making him double over in pain. He coughs and spits blood onto the ground.

  “Jon, this will go much easier for you if you cooperate. Tell us who hired you and where the truck is. We’ll find out anyway. You talk and we’ll let you go.” I tell him.

  “Fuck you.” he chokes out. “I know better than that.”

  “I’m a man of my word, Jon.” I assure him.

  “I wanted to go on a joyride.” he laughs.

  I grip his hair and bring his face crashing down against my knee. He stumbles to the ground. I get behind him and put him in a choke hold, making him feel that I could break his neck or his arm. Possibly both.

  I can see his face turning a deep shade of red. The veins in the side of his neck beginning to bulge and I know he’s on the verge of passing out.

  “Rykers.” he manages and I loosen my grip. He gasps for air and clutches his neck.

  “Who?” Kane asks and begins reaching in his pocket.

  “Cal Harrison called me. He’s used my trucks in the past before for deliveries. Offered me five grand to get it. I needed the money.”

  Cal Harrison. What a sick fucking asshole. I look down at Jon and shake my head. This guy was willing to risk his life for five grand.

  “Thanks for your help, Jon.” Kane smarts and slits his throat in one swift motion. I stumble back in surprise, but recover quickly. Jon grips his throat for only seconds before he bleeds out.

  “Get the tarp out of the truck.” Kane instructs.

  I walk numbly to the F150 parked a few feet away and grab the tarp off the back. I spread it out and together, we wrap Jon’s body in it and toss it on the back of the truck.

  I spot a hose connected to the back of the building so I take my shirt off and use it to cover my hands and turn the nozzle on. I keep my hands wrapped and hold the hose to spray off the concrete where Jon’s blood has stained it crimson.

  “Good thinking. Now follow me so we can get rid of this fucker.” Kane says before he gets in the driver’s seat.

  I return the hose and go get on my bike. So this is who I am now. This is what I do. Participate in killing someone and disposing their body. Haley would be rolling over in her grave right now. I know that. But a part of me wonders what Raiden Daughtry would think about this.

  Chapter Eight

  ~Raiden~

  “You’d better take it easy with that syrup.” Sonnie warns and I roll my eyes, ignoring her. I’ve lost count of how many times I have heard this same exact warning. She’s been telling me this since I was a kid. Even before my mom died. Shit, she warned us both.

  I dig into my pancakes and nearly moan at how delicious they are. Especially with the peanut butter I’ve slathered on them.

  “If I ate like you, I’d be as wide as a house.” she gripes. “I can’t eat what I cook.”

  “As long as you keep cooking it.” I grin.

  I hear the bell chime, but I don’t turn to see who is come in. I don’t care. I’m in syrupy heaven. Nothing else matters right now.

  “Can I get a breakfast platter, Sonnie?”

  Well…

  “Peanut butter on pancakes?” Luka asks and sits two stools down from me. “Why you wanna ruin pancakes like that?”

  “How dare you?” I joke. “Do not insult my food.” I glance over at him and make a face. “Are you still wear…” I catch myself before asking if he’s still wearing the same clothes as last night. “Don’t you shower?”

  “Rough night last night.” he answers, solemnly. I know that means he had some sort of club business to take care of and chances are, he is just now getting back. I don’t question him any further.

  “I’m sure Sonnie’s cooking will make it all better.”

  “I’m actually feeling better already.” he smiles and I roll my eyes.

  Sonnie brings his plate a few minutes later and I smile when I notice him putting peanut butter on his pancakes. He flashes me a grin before he takes a bite.

  We eat in silence, but I can feel his eyes on me every once in a while. I don’t know exactly what it is about Luka Varelli. He makes me want to let my guard down, which is something I never do. He makes me want to be myself…again, something I never do.

  He’s just a Raven. Not even really that. He’s a snitch. Loyal to his brother and only his brother. I shouldn’t want to believe there’s more to him than that when there isn’t.

  I finish up and stand from my stool.
I get some cash from my purse and head over to the register to pay up. When I’m done, Sonnie heads over to start clearing up my plate and glass.

  “We should do that again soon.” Luka says quietly as I walk by.

  I don’t acknowledge that he’s spoken to me at all. “See you later, Sonnie.”

  Regardless of whether or not I acknowledged him, Luka’s words haunt me the entire time I’m at work. We should do that again soon. I can’t deny that I had a good time with him. It felt good to just ride and not worry about looking over my shoulder. Not worry about getting caught. To be myself.

  Then I’d kissed him and he’d felt good. He’d tasted so good. His lips had moved across mine with need and desire. He’d wanted me and I’d wanted him.

  When I was younger, I’d always imagined that one day, I’d end up with a club member. I was born into the club life and raised into it too. It’s all I’ve ever known and all I’ve ever wanted. It’s what I still want.

  Then when my mom died, things changed. My dad took me to where they did target practice and let me shoot a gun. He had said I was a natural. We started going almost every day after that and I just got better and better.

  I’d gotten a little lost when I was fifteen. I met Cal and for a short time, he was my world. I thought he was my future. Turns out, he wasn’t.

  When I was seventeen, my dad explained to me that I had talent. Talent the Ravens could use. Talent no one would suspect me of being capable of and talent that shouldn’t be wasted. I knew what he meant and I knew I’d do anything for the Ravens. They were my family.

  I didn’t understand that he meant my talent couldn’t be showcased. None of the Ravens needed to know what I was capable of. In fact, I didn’t really need to associate myself with them much anymore. It would be better that way. I was heartbroken, but I understood his vision and I had to start working toward it.

  I finished high school and went to college to become a nurse. I distanced myself from the Ravens and only spoke to my father when he needed me.

  He called me for my first job when I was nineteen. He was right. I was a natural. Killing Vincent Carroll had been easy. I hadn’t even cried afterwards. I knew my dad wouldn’t ask me to kill someone who didn’t deserve it.

  Everything was going as planned and always has. I’m the club’s perfect asset. Unnoticed. Linked to the ADA. Unsuspected. And a stone-cold killer.

  Only now, I just want to be Raiden Daughtry again.

  ~Luka~

  “You’ve called five times. I’m fucking working.” I growl into the phone.

  “I need something. The drug deal was a damn bust.” Griffin says. “You made me look like an ass to the DEA.”

  “It’s not my fault they didn’t get there on time. My info was correct.” I assure him and I hear him mumble a curse.

  “Get me something, Varelli, or the next time you visit your brother, he won’t look so pretty.”

  He makes his threat clear before he disconnects. I clench my jaw and shove my phone back into my pocket. I turn the machine back on and the wood starts moving again.

  So now I have to worry about what Griffin has in store for Lincoln if I don’t deliver information or what Dax has in store for me if I actually betray the Ravens. I can’t win in this fucked up situation.

  I should have known better than to make the deal with the ADA in the first place. What the hell was I thinking? He doesn’t give a shit about me or Linc. He only cares about making a name for himself by bringing down a notorious gang leader. Now I’m caught in the middle of this shit and there’s no fucking way out.

  I push the wood toward the blade and my thoughts have distracted me so much that I push a little too far. I realize it when I feel the blade slice into my hand. I jerk back and yell, “Shit!”

  Blood gushes from the wound. I grab the hem of my shirt and press it to the gash to try and stop the bleeding. One of my co-workers rushes over, calling for help as he does.

  “It’s…I’m fine.” I tell him, but the bleeding is still going strong.

  Donnie, the foreman in charge, comes over with a towel. “You should get to the hospital. Looks like you need stitches.”

  I attempt to be stubborn and tell him I don’t need to go, but he shuts me down. I wrap the towel around my hand and decline his offer for a ride. I assure him I can make it just fine. I grip the towel and rest my hand in my lap as I drive my bike to Mercy Memorial.

  I enter through the ER department and I’m directed to the waiting area. I check the wound and a small amount of blood still oozes out. I notice I have some sawdust in it and decide wrapping it in my shirt probably wasn’t the best idea.

  “Luka Varelli.”

  I stand at the sound of the familiar voice and then follow Raiden to a treatment room. After I’m seated on the bed, she removes the towel.

  “So this is a work incident?” she asks.

  “Cut it on a blade at Johnson’s Mill.” I explain as she begins cleaning the wound.

  “You have some pieces of sawdust in it and it looks like you’ll need some sutures after I get it cleaned.” she informs me.

  When she looks up, I capture her lips, hearing her gasp of surprise. Damn, I can still taste peanut butter and syrup on her lips. She puts her hand on my chest and pushes me back, breaking the kiss.

  “I need to get some tweezers and sutures. I’ll be back in a moment.”

  Her voice is calm, not even a trace of nerves, but I can see that I’ve rattled her a little. There was a slight betrayal in her eyes when she looked at me. I’m getting to her.

  She comes back in and focuses on cleaning the sawdust from my cut. I can feel her breath on my hand. Her touch is soft. Her skin a lighter contrast to my own tanned skin. I’d like to see how her naked body looks lying against mine. Hers a perfect porcelain and mine an inked work of art.

  “I’ll go ahead and do the sutures if you’re ready.” she says, barely glancing up at me.

  “I’m ready, Raiden.” I tell her, my words carrying a double meaning.

  She stitches me up and it takes twelve stitches to completely close the gash in my hand.

  “Keep it clean and come back in two weeks to have the sutures removed. If there’s any sign of irritation or swelling then come back in. Here’s some ointment you can put on the incision until the stitches are removed. Don’t do anything that might cause them to open.”

  “Like?”

  “Heavy lifting mainly. Fighting. Regular activity should be fine.” she says, giving me a pointed look.

  I know what she means by heavy lifting and fighting. No dead bodies and no MMA or fighting for the club. My regular activity.

  “Raiden…”

  “Have a good day, Luka.”

  Chapter Nine

  ~Raiden~

  I feel Griffin’s hand slide around my waist and I lean back against him. He presses a kiss to my cheek.

  “I’ve missed you, babe. It feels like I’ve hardly seen you this week.” he complains.

  “I know. It’s been a crazy week.” I agree.

  “Then I’ve got that damn CLE in Arizona next weekend. I’m seriously considering canceling that. If they’ll give me a refund, I will. I really don’t want to go to a seminar on the Civil Court Judicial Forum. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking besides the fact that it was a cheap education credit and I’m required to have a certain amount each year. Still, I don’t know if it’s worth it.”

  “It’ll be boring, but it does give you the rest of your credits you’re required to have. If you don’t go now, you’ll have to go later.” I remind him.

  I don’t want to push too hard and have him get suspicious. This CLE seminar is the same weekend as the Ravens’ bike rally in Sacramento. Typically, I tell Griffin I either have to go to training myself or that I’m going to visit my grandmother who lives in Stockton. I only go for one night so he doesn’t put two and two together. This time, I’m getting to go for the weekend and I don’t want him ruining that for me. It�
�s the one time a year I can actually be myself with the Ravens. I’m lucky my dad even lets me go.

  “Is that chicken pot pie?” he asks.

  “It is.” I answer and turn around to face him. His mouth dives onto mine, savoring a kiss as he backs me against the kitchen counter. His fingers graze the hem of my shirt a few seconds before lifting it over my head.

  “I need this first.” he mumbles and I nod. “Then we’ll eat.”

  He pulls at my bra straps, lowering them down to expose my breasts. His hungry mouth closes over one of my nipples and suckles it between his teeth.

  When you’re ready to stop hiding who you really are, come find me.

  I hear Luka’s voice in my head and I open my eyes. Griffin’s blonde hair is tangled in my hands as he caresses my nipples with his tongue, but Luka is who I have on my mind.

  Griffin trails kisses back up to my neck and begins pushing my pants and panties to the floor. My eyes flutter close as he pushes a finger between my folds.

  Raiden…

  I remember the feel of my arms around his waist. How strong he felt against me. How good it felt riding with him. How he tasted.

  Griffin turns me around and I rest my elbows on the countertop. When he surges into me, I see Luka in my mind. His powerful body behind me, gripping my hips and thrusting into me. His dark hair mingling with mine as he kisses my neck and sucks my earlobe into his mouth. God, yes…

  “Oh…I’ve missed this, babe!” Griffin tells me. “This pussy…so fucking good.”

  “Mmm…” is all I manage to get out. I’m afraid to say anything else. My mind is so filled with Luka and picturing him behind me that I don’t want to fuck up and say the wrong thing. The wrong name.

  I grip the counter and come, pleasure washing over me. Griffin pours his release into me moments later and as he grunts with it, I wonder how Luka would be. Would he hold me after or pull his jeans up and get the hell out of dodge? How quickly would he be ready for round two?