HAUNTED: The Chase Ryder Series Book 2

by Ho, Jo

  “Good boy, Bandit. That was a super nice thing you just did.”

  He woofed, pleased with himself. Gideon stepped forward and fussed Pixie one last time. She pressed into him, seemingly scared of leaving. She had taken his love for granted and now it was going away. I knew how that felt having come close to losing Bandit myself. I hugged him close to me as Doc got behind the driver’s seat and gave us all a wave.

  “I’ll be in touch as soon as I have any updates but you can check up on her anytime, I started a private Facebook group for us.”

  Gideon and I shared an amused look, neither of us expecting the Doc to be a Facebook user. She gave us a quick smile over her shoulder and then they were gone. The others headed back into the house but I hung back with Bandit. I crouched down until we were eye-level with each other.

  “I’m so sorry that I didn’t listen to you about Pixie. You tried to warn me but I had my own stuff going on and like Sully, I got caught up in it all. I promise I will never do that again, OK? I’m really sorry buddy.”

  Bandit leaned over to lick my face. And as the familiar smell of his dog breath washed over me, I figured all was right with the world.

  101

  Chase

  When the others left to bring Zeb home from the hospital, I decided to stay at the ranch with Bandit. I knew the staff wouldn’t be keen on letting him in the hospital, and since I wasn’t going to leave him ever again, staying home was the best solution. Besides, I had something I needed to do.

  Bandit sat opposite me now, head cocked in question, as he could feel the nervous waves pouring out of me. Grabbing the phone I dialed a number — careful this time to hide our caller ID — and waited, rubbing my sweaty palms over my jeans. The call was eventually answered by an angry male voice.

  “What?” he demanded.

  Though I had steeled myself for his voice, hearing it still caused negative emotions to flood my body. I shook them off, determined to see this through. “I’m calling for my mom,” I answered, proud of the way my voice remained steady.

  “Chase? You’re too late,” he said spitefully. “She’s gone.”

  “Gone? Where?” I asked.

  “Hell if I know. Her clothes are gone, and she took off without a word. Didn’t even pay the rent so now I’m being tossed out, can you believe that?”

  It was unbelievable that he thought I would feel sorry for him. I realized at that very moment that both Tubs and my mom were very similar people: they were both selfish and too involved with themselves to ever care about anybody else. Though I had a million things I had spent years storing up to say to him, I realized one simple word would convey them all.

  “Good,” I said, then I hung up.

  So she had finally done it… she had finally left him. While I was furious at the way she had used and betrayed me I had to admit that there was one small part of me that was happy she had finally left him behind.

  Maybe now she could be a better person and can go for that life she had always wanted.

  102

  Sully

  Days later, I found myself tugging at the collar of my shirt, not used to wearing such confining clothes.

  My hair had been newly cut, I’d even had a close shave. All in all, I was looking quite dapper even if I said so myself.

  I could hear a hum of anticipation from the church’s reception hall outside. We didn’t know that many people here, but it seemed the whole town had turned up, regardless. I hadn’t realized how many people liked our small family, in particular, Sam. They had waited years to see her married off and today was the day. Earlier, I had caught a glimpse of Warrey outside, looking like he had stepped out of a copy of Mechanic GQ. A bevy of available women were trying to get his attention, but he scowled at them all. I felt secretly proud that the better man had won Sam’s hand.

  Take that, Warrey.

  There was a knock at the door and in came my dad, looking quite the gentleman himself. I couldn’t think when I had last seen him in a suit and was surprised to find he seemed more at ease in one than I.

  “Hey,” he said to me. “You almost done?”

  “Yes,” I said, without any hesitation in my voice.

  “There’s something missing though,” he said as he gestured me closer. He held a simple white rose in his hand which he now pinned to the lapel of my suit. It matched the one on his own.

  “Thanks.” I checked my reflection in the full-length mirror and caught the uncomfortable expression on his face. “What is it?”

  Dad looked up at me, clearing his throat to speak when Gideon came into the room, followed by Chase and Bandit. Gideon wore a suit not dissimilar to my own, while even Bandit had a bowtie around his neck for the occasion, but it was Chase who stole the show. She was wearing a pretty peach dress that showed off her glossy chestnut hair and creamy complexion. She looked beautiful… and truly uncomfortable. I grinned, watching her pull on the dress, fidgeting.

  “Do they make these unbearable for a reason? How do people wear these things? And my God, the shoes! I hope you’re not expecting me to walk gracefully in them,” she exclaimed. Gideon shared my amused smile which only caused her to glare more.

  “Stop being so smug just because you don’t have to be strapped and cinched into submission,” she complained grumpily.

  “Well, you look very pretty if that’s any consolation,” said Gideon, causing Chase to shut up instantly and blush furiously. She didn’t say anything else, but she stopped tugging at her skirt and stood up a little straighter.

  “Just like the Princess in Bradley the bumblebee.”

  This had come from Bandit who had been given a brand-new iPad. He was referring to the first picture book we had taught him to read. After reading the book, he had compared Chase to the Princess. It was the first time he had paid a compliment to Chase, and she had taken it about as well as she had taken this one. Some girls craved attention for their looks but Chase wasn’t one of them, preferring that people liked her for her smarts instead. It was one of the things I loved most about her. Despite her embarrassment, she bent down to stroke him.

  “So, are you guys ready for this?” I asked them.

  “Are you kidding me? I just want to know why you hadn’t done this any sooner,” Gideon exclaimed. By his feet, Bandit barked once in agreement while Chase nodded. Even Zeb agreed. Though he had fallen silent since the kids’ appearance, he seemed very much on board with proceedings.

  “It was obvious the two of you should be together even during that first meal we had together, you know, when you made spaghetti?” Chase said, cutting into my thoughts.

  Her words struck a chord in me. If I were honest that was the moment that had cemented the deal for me too. Seeing Sam’s dimples and her smiling face, I was gone even then, but it was amazing to hear the kids had felt the same.

  An usher knocked on the door. “We’re just about to start. Can we have the groom’s party outside?”

  We all jumped to attention. I had been here before, but previously I had felt nervous and anxious. This time, I felt only peace and calm. We had already gone through so much together, what was a little wedding?

  As Gideon opened the door, I followed them outside to meet my new wife.

  I couldn’t wait.

  103

  Sully

  The ceremony flew past.

  Before I even knew it, we had exchanged our vows, and we were now standing on the steps of the church as confetti rained down on us. Through the colored rice, I could make out some familiar smiling faces, among them Florence and Mark, who had traveled here faster than a rocket when I had given them the news. I hadn’t realized just how much they cared, or how desperate they were to see me happy again. To have them both here now made the moment complete. I was about as happy as a man could be.

  We ran up to my truck which someone had decorated with a “just married” sign. I helped Sam inside, hoisting up the long hem of her dress and tucking it around her then turned to find Zeb besi
de me. The bandage was gone from his head now, but he still looked a little pale. He swore sunshine was all he needed, that and good food. Throughout the ceremony, he had seemed a little subdued. While Sam busied herself with well-wishers, he looked at me a little awkwardly. Finally, he spoke.

  “Son, I’m sorry I didn’t support you in your first wedding. It’s clear that Emma was a lovely person, and I’m sorry I never got the chance to meet her, but I’m here now, and I hope I can make it up to you this time around.”

  I knew how hard that was for him and I was truly touched. With that simple apology, years of anger and resentment melted away. He reached out and offered me his hand. I shook it as he smiled at me.

  “Congratulations son, we all love her.”

  I shot him a grin then searched for the kids. Chase seemed suddenly shy as she came up to me and gave me a big hug while Bandit pressed against me in his own version of an embrace.

  “Enjoy your honeymoon,” Chase said. “Bring me back something from Montréal.”

  “Woof!” Bandit agreed, making us all smile.

  “I will,” I promised. “You guys be good and stay out of trouble. We’ll be Skyping you every day to check in, and remember, Montréal is only two and a half, three hours drive away, tops. We can come back in case of any emergencies.”

  Gideon rolled his eyes at me. “We’ll be fine. Just leave already before Sam goes without you.”

  As if she heard him, Sam honked the horn impatiently.

  “OK, OK,” I said as I climbed into the truck beside her. She leaned against me, happily slipping her hand in mine. As I looked into the rearview mirror, at these people who had joined us on the happiest day of our lives, I saw a blonde figure hovering at the back of the crowd. I couldn’t make out her face at first, through the waving hands and confetti, but then the crowd parted like a wave and her face stared directly at me.

  Looking exactly the same as she had when I had last seen her alive.

  It was my wife.

  My other wife.

  My dead wife.

  I froze but before I could react, a flash of light blinded me as Chase yelled out, “Say cheese!” When the light died down, and I found my eyes readjusting, Emma had vanished.

  I shook my head, knowing it was just my mind playing tricks on me… I had just spoken to my father about Emma, so it wasn’t unreasonable that I would see her again now. Having been here before, I was determined not to fall for those tricks again. Smiling at Sam, I focused on my bride as I pulled the truck out of the driveway. She leaned out of the window, waving energetically and blowing kisses, happiness causing her cheeks to turn rosy.

  As the crowd of loved ones cheered us on, I drove us towards our future.

  Just my bride and me, knowing that whatever came next, the two of us would weather it all.

  Continue The Series

  Thank you for reading HAUNTED.

  If you loved this book then please leave a review to help keep a roof over Jo’s head, and also so other readers know to check out Jo’s work!

  The more reviews she gets for a book, the faster she prioritises writing more books in that series.

  Keep reading for a synopsis for HUNTED, the thrilling final book in the Chase Ryder series!

  COMING 2018!

  HUNTED

  The Chase Ryder Series Book 3

  Mad scientists, evil mercenaries, and

  a genetically modified dog.

  We thought we had survived it all…

  but the worse was still to come.

  Two weeks have passed since Sully and Sam were married, but instead of the happiness they expected when they returned from honeymoon, they found the unimaginable sitting on the couch.

  Before any of us could understand what was happening, we were attacked by a covert government group, but unlike Forbes’ men who had wanted Bandit alive, these were sent to wipe us out.

  To clean us from existence.

  With nothing but the clothes on our back, we fled across the country, our enemy hot on our heels, to the only friend who might be able to help us… when disaster struck.

  Driven insane by grief, one of us goes to strike a terrible deal with the enemy that would defy all laws of nature and bring everything crashing down around us.

  As the others raced to stop them from making a devastating mistake, I headed off to implement a desperate plan of my own — one which would either save us from being hunted, forever…

  Or it would get us all killed.

  We’re not done yet!

  Jo has another series that you might like!

  Continue reading for a sneak peek of her new Urban Fantasy series Twisted.

  Fans of The Mortal Instruments, The Vampire Diaries, and Pretty Little Liars will love this thrilling series!

  What Doesn’t Kill You

  WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU

  The Twisted Series, Book 1

  A YA Urban Fantasy series by Jo Ho

  OUTCASTS. MISFITS. FREAKS.

  And that was before they discovered they commanded some super dark powers.

  When Marley moves into her dorm at Blackville University, the recent murder of a Tennerson student is the last thing on her mind. She has roommates to get to know, classes to sign up for, parties to attend, and an over-protective father to avoid, who, as luck would have it, has just been hired at BU as its newest History professor.

  After a childhood of being bullied due to a condition she can't help having, all Marley wants is to be normal. She hopes a new start in a new city will provide that.

  Unfortunately, life has other plans for her.

  When she, along with three other troubled girls: Goth Eve with a dark secret she is desperate to keep hidden, ugly rich girl Cassie who can buy anything except for a new face, and newly orphaned Tyler, try to stop a brutal attack, a secret new world opens up, one where supernatural beings rule the night.

  But that’s not the worst thing, not by a long shot. Try never knowing if what you’re seeing is real, especially when one of those things is a murder…

  Saving the world has never been this twisted.

  Fans of The Mortal Instruments, The Vampire Diaries, and Pretty Little Liars will love this thrilling new series!

  Just like your favorite TV series, Twisted consists of many episodes. What Doesn't Kill You is episode 1.

  A new episode will be released every eighteen days!

  Read the first chapter of this suspenseful series —>

  Chapter 1

  Becky Stevens wanted to die.

  The sun had set hours ago leaving the sky a purple-black haze and it could stay that way forever for all Becky cared. If she never saw daylight again it wouldn’t be a bad thing.

  At least then she wouldn’t have to listen to the snickering of those around her, laughing as her world was rocked, and her dreams shattered.

  Music blared out from the speakers inside Tonic. The new local hotspot had recently been voted the most popular student hangout of the year but the place seemed too loud tonight, the flashing lights headache-inducing. She felt suffocated by the closeness of the heaving club goers.

  She couldn’t move without being pressed up against a sweaty stranger. Despite what her well-meaning friends thought, this really was the last thing she needed.

  All she wanted was to veg out in her pj’s in front of Netflix, but they had dragged her out against her will. She had to show him they had said! She couldn’t give him the satisfaction of letting him know how he had broken her.

  He was her boyfriend Mark.

  Well, technically, he was her ex-boyfriend now.

  Earlier in the day she had caught him with his tongue down another girl’s throat. It wasn’t what she had expected to see. Especially that early in the morning during her daily coffee run. The two of them had been together since high school where they were crowned prom queen and king. Dubbed the most popular couple, the two had graduated to the same private college together. As far as she had known, they were a team and
Becky had fully expected to live happily ever after with him. They had decided where this amazing life would happen — in California among the palm trees and sunshine. They even knew what they would name their kids: Gemma for a girl, and Logan for a boy.

  Why would he do that? Why would he encourage talk like that, getting her hopes up if he had no intention of making any of it happen?

  As if the cheating itself wasn’t bad enough, as if seeing him do it wasn’t bad enough, it had to happen as Becky stood blindsided, surrounded by a group of her friends all out getting their breakfast shakes. Her humiliation wasn’t complete it appeared unless it was witnessed by everyone, which was probably why they had insisted on this unfortunate night out. Her friends had figured a few drinks and some twerking later, and Becky would have forgotten all about him.