by Aden Lowe
Finally, we got moving, and left the warehouse a few at a time, from different exits. The old building was ideally situated for our purpose. If Raiders' operations ever expanded substantially to the area, it could make a good front for storage. People could have their nice little apartments, and we could leave a few units empty to store our shit. But, no doubt, Kellen had already considered that option. I put it out of mind, and concentrated on getting to Elena and getting her out of Royse's hands.
Doubt hit again as I rode shotgun in Stella's beater. Did Elena even want away from Royse? Hell, the man had taken her mom in, got her a doctor, and Juaquin said she was wearing nice clothes. What the fuck did I have to offer her, compared to all that? All I had was myself. It didn't seem like such a great tradeoff to me.
Would she have any interest in leaving the guy that could give her everything she never had, and going with the one that had a bike, a muscle car and a rented apartment? If she was smart, no. But that wasn't going to stop me from trying. By this point, I couldn't even consider life without Elena in it, so I had to do everything possible to get her to leave him.
The Hell Raiders arrived at Royse's building in waves, taking up our assigned positions on all sides, and waited. After a short time, Royse himself left in a hurry, presumably to deal with the trouble Crank and Fabio had cooked up at the abandoned factory where the illegal fights took place.
We waited some more, to give Royse time to reach the old factory so the rest of the team could take care of him. The sun dropped for the horizon, leaving us in the low light before twilight.
And then, Kellen gave the signal to move in.
I headed for the side door, as planned, with Dix at my side. We didn't bother trying to stay out of sight any more. When twenty bikers broke cover and jogged for the doors with guns out and ready, whoever was inside knew without a doubt something was happening.
The door consisted mostly of wood, with a thick frosted glass window. I didn't even hesitate. The window shattered under the butt of my .45, and I reached through and quickly found the lock mechanism. Seconds later, Dix and I made our way inside.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Elena:
Friends? What friends did I have? I asked myself a million and one questions as I followed orders and climbed out of the basket. Mrs. Blue supported me as my legs wobbled and threatened to dump me on the floor.
"Is there a bathroom?" As much as I needed to get away, out of Royse's reach forever, at the moment, I needed the bathroom worse.
"Oh, of course! I'm sorry, I should have realized." Middle aged and round, Mrs. Blue gave me a kind smile and led the way. When I came out of the tiny, but spotless, bathroom, Mrs. Blue waited with a bundle of clothing. "I thought you might need these, Miss. I'll get you a drink and something to eat while you get changed."
The remnants of Royse's dress fell away and I hurried to put on the track pants and hoodie, then the sneakers. By the time I finished tying the laces, Mrs. Blue came back.
"It isn't much, Miss, but it should hold you until you can get somewhere else." She passed over a sandwich wrapped in wax paper, and a canned soda.
"Thanks, it's perfect." I opened the drink immediately and took a gulp to sooth my parched throat. "Can you tell me what's going on?" The paper crinkled as I unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite.
"I don't have all the details, Miss. Just that Mr. Green spoke with someone who knew of your situation, and they asked for help getting you out. We all agreed to help. So now, you're in the staff lounge, in the basement, and we're waiting for your friends to show up." She spoke as if I knew all this already.
"I don't understand. No one really knows I'm here." The food hit my system and I realized how sluggish my brain had been before.
"Well, it seems someone does, and he wants you out."
"And what about my mom?" I took another bite and waited. They'd said she was already safe, but I needed some sort of confirmation, I guess.
"Oh, we moved her already. While he was gone in the afternoon, she left with a load of furnishings that were bound for storage. A friend met the truck and took her to a safe place where she'll be taken care of until it's safe for you to contact her." The kindly woman offered a smile as she fidgeted a little.
It didn't make sense. "Why are you and the others taking such a big risk for me? I don't understand."
"Oh, Miss, we know the kinds of things that go on here. None of us likes it one bit. Until now, we've been unable to help, though. With your friends ready to get you away and keep you safe, we're also safe. He need never know we hid you until they could come for you." She smiled again, looking as pleased as the cartoon cat that ate the little yellow bird. "It's our one chance to right some of the wrongs we've bore witness to."
I still had my doubts, but right then, I didn't want to question her kindness any further. If I made her mad, she might just hand my ass right back over to Royse. "Thank you for helping." It would be nice to know who the friends were she kept mentioning. That part worried me even more.
As I finished my sandwich and drink, a lot of noise echoed through the basement.
"Ah, there they are, right on schedule." She looked even more pleased with herself. "Come along, I'll show you to the exit." She took my soda can and sandwich wrapper and disposed of them, then opened a door I hadn't noticed before. "This way."
I followed Mrs. Blue down a narrow hall, my heart threatening to choke me at every step. For all I knew, this woman could be leading me right back to an extremely pissed off Royse. All I had to go on was her story, and I'd learned long ago not to trust anyone at their word. People all had their own plans, and put their own spin on whatever came out of their mouths, and it rarely went the way anyone claimed.
We reached a solid metal door at the end of the hall, and I held my breath as Mrs. Blue shoved it open. Nobody waited to kill me, though, so I followed her through and down another hall. The noise from earlier grew louder, and I could make out shouts, and what seemed like the bang of doors being kicked in.
At a second door, Mrs. Blue paused with her finger over her lips, signaling for quiet. Apparently satisfied, she turned back to me. "Okay, Miss, I can't go any further. Out this door and up one set of stairs. One of your friends is meant to be waiting, but just in case they're not, the door to your right will lead you outside the building. To your right and around the corner is the front entrance." She leaned in for a quick hug, startling me. "Be safe, Miss."
I returned her hug after a second. "Thank you, Mrs. Blue. Tell Mr. Green and Mr. Black I said thanks to them. I would be dead now without all your help."
"Think nothing of it, Miss. Just live a safe, happy life." She pulled the heavy door open and waved me through.
The noises were far louder now, but I still couldn't make out words, or tell for sure what the loud bangs were. Shaking like a leaf and scared to death, I crept up the stairs, practically feeling my way, since the only light filtered down from above.
"Shh! You hear something?" The voice came from somewhere ahead. I froze in my tracks and tried to melt into the rough concrete steps.
"Nah, man, you're hearing stuff."
"No, I'm not. Shut the fuck up." The harsh whisper sounded slightly familiar.
I stayed put, trying to get my heart under control before they heard it pounding against my ribs.
The first voice came again. "Shit, man, where the hell is she? It's five minutes late."
"Calm down, Ryker, she'll show."
Ryker?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ryker:
Right now, I hated Kellen. When we got to Royse's building, the fucker went all cloak and dagger on me, and sent Dix and me to cool our fucking heels in an empty stairwell. Supposedly, someone would bring Elena to me there, but they were late. I was so amped, I could punch a truck-sized hole in a brick wall, but Dix kept trying to talk me down.
I'd had enough. "Fuck this. I ain't standing here waiting while Elena could be any damn where in this hell
hole."
Another small sound caught my attention, this time loud enough that I caught the direction. Someone was below us, on the next level of the stairs. I held up a finger to let Dix know, and he nodded. He'd heard it, too.
Guns drawn, we spread out and crept around the railing.
I caught the faint gleam of light on red hair. "Elena!" I leaped down the stairs to clutch her to me. "Are you okay?"
She nodded a little. "I am now."
"Let's get you out of here." I swung her up into my arms and took the stairs two at a time. Ahead of me, Dix watched to clear the way, then held the outer door open for me. Outside, I ran with her to Stella's damned old car, praying the heap would get us at least far enough to keep her safe.
I climbed in the back with Elena still in my arms while Dix took the driver's seat. The car gave a sluggish groan, but finally the engine turned over. I held my breath until Royse's building was out of sight.
"Where we going, Ryker?" Dix's words brought my mind back into the game.
"My place." I gave directions. Now that I could breathe again, I took a moment to put a soft kiss on Elena's lips. She gasped a little, and I looked at her more closely. Her face was battered and swollen. "What the hell did that bastard do to you?" Rage surged through me.
"I-I'm okay. It looks worse than it is." She lowered her gaze, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "It doesn't matter now."
I studied each mark on her beautiful skin. "Yeah, it matters. The fucker put his hands on you."
She put one hand against my cheek, and I leaned into it like a puppy looking for pats. Fucking pathetic, but I didn't care. "No, Ryker, all that matters is I'm with you now. Nothing else." Her words reached into my chest and grabbed my heart.
I smiled a little. "You're right. Nothing else matters." I let my lips ease along hers, careful not to hurt her. "I've got you, baby girl." I pulled her into my lap, vowing nothing would take her from my arms ever again.
When we reached my building, I sent Dix back to the others with my bike, and helped Elena into the Chevelle. I agreed wholeheartedly with this part of the plan. Elena stayed quiet as we drove out of town, and I didn't push for conversation. I needed to concentrate on making sure we weren't followed, and I couldn't very well do that if I was all absorbed in her.
Once we crossed the bridge, I put the miles behind us in a hurry. "Are you doing okay?" I needed to know more than I could have imagined.
She took a shaky breath. "I am now."
"Good." I drove on in silence for a bit. Then I asked for, and she gave, details about what went on while she was with Royse.
"He was insane. I hope your friends killed him." I sensed her shudder on the other side of the seat.
Time to change the subject. "Elena? I know you left to try and help your mom, and to keep me safe. Thank you." Even if her plan didn't work, I owed her gratitude.
A bitter little laugh filled the car. "I didn't do such a great job at either, and just made more trouble for you."
I thought about her words for a moment. "Partly. But you also made me think. A lot." I took a deep breath, trying to get my nerve up. "At first, I was pissed and ready to just walk away. But then I realized I didn't want to do that. In fact, I figured out I wanted to keep you around for a long time."
"You did?" Her voice sounded small and fragile.
"I did." I reached for her hand and drew it to my lips to kiss her knuckles. "Try to rest a little. We'll be there soon and things will be busy for a while." Her hand felt so small and fragile in mine, and I cradled it carefully and didn't let go.
When we arrived at the clubhouse, Georgie, Dix's ol' lady, and Tonya, Trip's ol' lady, were waiting for us. They whisked Elena away, and made clear I wasn't welcome, sending me to hang out with Badger until the others came back.
I grabbed a beer from the fridge and joined the old codger in front of the TV, where the local news showed headlines from local sports. "Hey, old man."
"Hey yourself, kid. So you finally got your head out of your ass and took your woman back, huh?" Leave it to Badger to put things clearly.
"Yeah, guess so." Where the hell did he hear that?
"Bout damn time. Never seen such a hard-headed bunch as you young'uns. In my day, if we seen a woman we wanted, we didn't waste no time." He drained his beer and immediately grabbed another from a small cooler beside his chair.
I chose to ignore him, and drank some more of my own beer. By the time I took the last swallow, the roar of bikes coming up the lane brought me to my feet. Kellen and several other Raiders came in, looking dog tired. I stood and waited to hear what had gone on at Royse's building.
"You got her home okay, brother?"
"I did. She's with Georgie and Tonya now. They wouldn't let me tag along." I realized I sounded more than a little whiny, and didn't even give a fuck.
Kellen laughed. "Probably for the best, man." He slapped me on the shoulder and went to grab beer from the fridge, passing them around to the others. Everyone dropped into chairs, clearly glad for the beer.
"Thanks, boys. To another successful operation." Kellen raised his bottle to the room in general. "We shut down the interference, added some inventory, and helped Ryker get his woman back."
"Thanks, brothers, I appreciate you all sticking your necks out to help me get Elena safe. And her mom, too." I lifted my fresh beer to them.
Elena came in with Georgie and Tonya, and a couple of the club girls. I froze, staring at her. She still bore the bruises and cuts of her last encounter with Royse. And despite all that, she was still the most beautiful woman in the whole fucking world.
Breathless, I stood and waited as she wove her way through the chairs, not looking in either direction. Finally, she came within reach. I stretched my arms out and pulled her to me, wanting nothing more than to hold her forever. Instead, I leaned in to kiss her like a man starving for a mere taste.
All around, my Brothers whooped and clapped.
I drew back a little, smiling against Elena's mouth. "Ready to get out of here?"
She nodded shyly, allowing me to tuck her against my side.
"Night, brothers, and thank you again." I led her toward the hall and my room amid more whoops and cheers. Elena flushed, and I flipped them off over my shoulder. I dug my keys out and opened the door to my room, flipping the light on. "Welcome to my home away from home."
She paused just inside the door, looking shy and unsure of herself.
A sudden thought hit me. "If you'd rather, I can find you another room. I don't want you to feel pressured, or anything."
To my surprise, she looked up at me with wide, dark eyes, and her lower lip trembled a little. "Is that what you want?"
I ran my hands over my head. "Baby girl, I want you in my arms. It doesn't have to go further than that. I just want to be near you."
Horrified, I watched as two big tears rolled over her lashes. Suddenly, she threw herself into my arms, wound her own around my neck, and pulled me down to her level. The kiss she gave me said so much more than words could manage.
She told me everything I needed to know as her lips clung to mine, and her tongue danced with mine. Every bit of fear came through, along with her desire and need to be close to me. Hopes for a future she never dreamed about followed. I gave it all back to her, hoping she understood.
My lungs threatened to implode with the need for air before I drew back. "Are you okay?" I needed to know for sure, before I asked her to go further.
"I need you, Ryker. Make love to me." She stepped back a little and stripped off her hoodie, revealing naked tits that my hands ached for.
Hungry to have her skin on mine, I ditched my shirt as fast as I could peel it off, and stepped in close. Hard nipples brushed against my chest in time with her breathing, and my jeans suddenly went from snug to strangling.
"Get everything else off for me?" I kicked my boots off and practically ripped my jeans open.
She gave a nod, and her clothes quickly join
ed mine on the floor. She stood there before me, a little shy and unsure, but eager.
"Fucking beautiful." I pulled her to me and bent to kiss her tenderly. The bruises and scrapes marring her smooth skin made me furious, but for now, that took second place to my need for her. I scattered careful kisses over her face, wanting to soothe every bruise.
Elena sighed, her breath feathering against my shoulder, and her hands skimmed up my ribs. I cupped her jaw to angle her head perfectly for my kiss, and once more tasted her lips. Her soft moan encouraged me, and I let my other hand trail down her spine to the upper curve of her ass. She stepped back, her hands dropping to my hips to pull me after her as she backed toward the bed.
"Hold that thought for a second." I reached around her to pull the blankets back. "I want my baby girl on clean sheets, not a dusty blanket." Satisfied, I lifted her and settled her gently in the middle of the bed. "I'm starved for you, Elena."
Her thighs fell open to make room for me, and I lowered my shoulders between her knees. The little whimper she gave when she felt my breath on her pussy sent my need for her into overdrive. I spread her wide, licking and tasting like a starving man.
She moaned and sank her fingers into my hair, pulling me tighter to her. No need to ask twice. I put my arm across her belly to hold her, and feasted on her, fucking her with my tongue until she writhed and bucked against me. The muscles of her belly tightened with the beginnings of her orgasm. I flattened my tongue over her clit and slipped a finger inside her, stroking deep.
She came apart, crying out and trembling. I let her catch her breath, then made my way up her body, kissing and licking every curve. When I reached her mouth, she moaned and arched her hips against me. My hard-on slipped between her wet folds to stroke her clit, and her nails raked down my shoulders in response.