Keeping What He Wants (Roaming Devils MC Book 2)

by Lexie Davis

  Ryker turned. “Oh, hey.”

  She swallowed. The woman looked over at her and frowned. Great. She really didn’t need to deal with some biker chick tonight.

  “Ella, this is Rizzo and Beth. Rizzo is president of the New Orleans chapter.”

  “Hi.” Ella stared at the woman who didn’t take her eyes off Ella. She didn’t know who the woman was, but she didn’t like her. Ella had Ryker’s credit card in her hand, and she handed it to him.

  “You’re buying Gucci purses for her, Ryker?” Beth asked.

  “Apparently.” He frowned at the bag. “Do I want to know how much or should I wait for the surprise when the statement comes in?”

  “I only forced you to pay half. I paid the other half with my money.” She glanced over at the woman.

  Beth licked her lips. “I never imagined you’d be that fancy or the type to need a man to buy you fancy things.”

  “It’s just a purse.”

  “I’m surprised it’s not a diamond ring.”

  “Uh.” Ryker stood, obviously noting the tension between the two women. “We were going out to eat. Go put your things away and join us.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Ella glanced down at her bag. “I wouldn’t want my fanciness to burden you.”

  Ryker gripped her shoulders and leaned in to kiss her. “Stop it. You can go with us.”

  “I’d rather not.”

  Ryker tilted his head, frustrated.

  The other man in the room chuckled. “I don’t know, Ella. You and Beth sure as hell are entertaining me. It’d be a shame to quit now.”

  “Who the fuck is he?” Ella glanced over Ryker’s shoulder.

  “Ella, they’re my friends.” Ryker propped his hand on his hip. “Please.”

  “No, thanks.” She moved away from him. “Have fun.”

  She carried her bag to the bedroom and took it out of the package. The store had wrapped it nicely for her. It was rare that she ever bought anything so extravagant, but she could afford one special treat. She hadn’t bought anything else while she went shopping with her friends. She shouldn’t feel bad about it.

  She sat it on the dresser and decided to change. A pair of stretchy shorts and an oversized tank top that she normally worked out in sounded nice. Ella pulled her hair back and crawled onto her bed.

  “Are you still in a pissy mood?” Ryker came into the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

  “Depends. Is your girlfriend gone?”

  He sighed. “Beth is not my girlfriend.”

  “Oh, please. You’ve been all up inside that.”

  He blinked a few times. “Jealousy is really an issue today, isn’t it?”

  “Who is jealous?” She frowned. “I don’t like that trash in my home.”

  “Ella,” he started, then stopped when she narrowed her eyes at him. “Nothing has happened if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “You’ve fucked her. It’s written all over her face.”

  “Yeah, I have. Before you were ever in the picture.”

  “She still wants you.”

  “I know.”

  She waited a beat. “And you want her.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Yes, you do. You can’t hide that look on your face.”

  “I want you.”

  Ella sat up. “I don’t think you do. Maybe as some kind of trophy, but to soothe the club part of your life, I don’t think so. I think you want a biker chick that will do whatever the hell you command her to do. Fuck you in some club orgy. Suck your dick while you smoke with your friends. Listen to you when you say she can’t go out with her friends. Isn’t that what the club life is about for women?”

  He grinned. “Oh, Ella. One of these days you’re going to realize that this back-and-forth thing we do is what I really like.”

  “You’re deflecting. Admit it. You want her too.”

  “No.” He moved closer to her. “You are the one I want. Your bitchy, bad attitude and all. Right here.” He held his hand out, looking her up and down. “This is what I want.”

  He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “And for the record, she offered and I turned her down. Every. Fucking. Time.”

  “Am I supposed to applaud you?”

  He moved in behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “Is it your time of the month?”

  It was, but she didn’t tell him that. Instead, she snarled at him and pushed him away. “No.”

  He stood. “I love you. I’m going to have dinner with my friends, and I’ll see you later tonight.”

  “Wait.”

  He turned toward her.

  “Do you not see anything wrong with this? You brought a skanky woman into my house who wants to fuck you the moment I look away, and now you know it pisses me off, but you’re going to dinner with them anyway?” She shook her head. “And you wonder why I keep bringing up you screwing around on me?”

  He licked his lips. “The last person I had sex with was you. The only woman I want to have sex with is you. I’m not screwing around. I haven’t fucked anyone but you the entire time we’ve been together. If you want a rundown of my sexual history with all my sexual partners then that will have to wait until I get back. I’m starving, and I’d really like something to eat.”

  He didn’t get it. Or maybe he didn’t care. She thought about the way Beth looked at him. There was unfinished business there. It wasn’t a look of admiration; it was a wolf in sheep’s clothing trying to determine when to strike.

  “I’m sorry about the way I handled things today,” Ryker added.

  She looked away. After a few moments, Ryker turned to leave. She watched him go. He could go have dinner with his friends and she wasn’t even supposed to blink an eye. Especially when that woman would fuck him in a heartbeat. Ella shook her head. She didn’t know the woman, but she was trouble. If she’d been a more jealous person, she would have went to dinner with them.

  Instead, she sulked in her room. Today simply wasn’t her day. She clutched the pillow tight and stared out the window. From her vantage point, she could see Ryker mounting his bike. She could see the other woman brushing up against him. Ella stood and walked over to the window, peering through the shades. Ryker wasn’t too quick to push her away either. She watched as the woman’s hand slid along his thigh. She leaned in to whisper something in his ear as he started the engine. Then her lips pressed against his as her fingers slid through his hair.

  Ella counted a whole ten seconds before Ryker pulled away. He said something to the woman and she moved away from him, getting on the back of the other man’s motorcycle. Ella stepped away from the window and closed her eyes. There were some things a woman simply knew. She saw it on his face that he wanted that woman. She didn’t know their history, and she didn’t really care. But he wanted her.

  Moving to the closet, Ella grabbed her duffel bag. Maybe some distance would do them some good. He could get whatever that was out of his system, and she could get him and her father off her mind.

  She packed a few days’ worth of clothing and grabbed all her necessities. The hospital had on-call rooms for the doctors who needed to spend the night. Staying there for a while wouldn’t be that big of a deal. She grabbed her keys and purse, heading out the door.

  ****

  After dinner, Ryker went to the club. There were plenty of men around to entertain her, but Beth was determined to get him in her bed that night. He dropped his head back as she walked over to him. How many times did he have to say no? She straddled his lap and he sat up. Her short skirt had ridden up her thighs, giving him a good view of her bare pussy.

  She leaned forward, pressing her breasts against his chest. “You want me, Ryker. Stop denying yourself and take me.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t want you.”

  She reached down to cup him. “Your cock does.”

  He was semihard and a complete wreck. “I have a girlfriend.”

  “And who is
going to tell her?”

  She ground herself against him, brushing her breasts against his face. It was so easy to get lost in her. When they had been together, he’d been in a bad place. Right now, it wasn’t much different. Ella bitching and moaning about everything wore on him. He couldn’t please her with anything yet Beth was so easy to please. She wanted to please him, and the offer was tempting.

  He groaned and gripped her hips, stopping her. “I’m not choosing you over her. She’s the one I want.”

  “Where is she?” Beth looked around. “This is your life, Ryker. You live by the brotherhood. She’s not one of us and she never will be. I’m surprised she hasn’t gotten herself shot.” She leaned forward and nipped at his lip. “You can play house with her, but I’m the one that will keep your dick hard.”

  Her tongue slipped inside his mouth as she kissed him. What the hell was he doing? If she were any other woman, she’d be banned from the club. He pulled back and stared into her eyes. He didn’t say anything when her hands went to his pants. His mind was in a fucked-up place and the late nights didn’t help matters.

  “Stop.” He grabbed her hands and pushed them away from him. “You of all people know that I deserve more respect than what you’re showing me. I’m not going to tell you again. My answer is no.”

  She blinked a few times. He waited while she stood and glanced around. Having only one woman was an issue for many of his club members, and he’d let things with Beth get too far. He needed to go home. He needed to sink into Ella and get his head on straight again.

  “I’m going home to my girlfriend.” He glanced over at Rizzo. “You need to keep yours in check.”

  He went out to his bike and mounted it. He started it with ease and backed out of his spot. He could still smell Beth’s perfume on him, surrounding him. He had no idea how to explain that to Ella.

  He rode home and parked in one of the apartment’s designated parking spots. Ella’s car was gone, and instantly his brow furrowed. He grabbed his cell from his pocket and dialed her.

  “Hello?”

  “Where are you?”

  “I’ve decided to stay somewhere else for a few days.”

  “What? Why?”

  “I watched her kiss you.”

  He blew out a breath. “Ella—”

  “No. Stop. I don’t care about whatever excuse is going to come out of your mouth.”

  He blew out a harsh breath. “You’re overreacting.”

  “I don’t know. You say you love me, but it’s really difficult for me to believe. You try to control me yet you’re free to do whatever the hell you want. Another woman kissed you for a full ten seconds before you stopped her. You knew how I felt about the situation, but you went out with her anyway. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.”

  She hung up, and he shoved his phone into his pocket. He wanted her. He didn’t know why he had to keep telling everyone that, but he fucking wanted her. Ryker climbed off his bike and went upstairs to their apartment. He didn’t think Beth would be a problem again. He’d told her what he wanted, and that didn’t change with the circumstances.

  Ryker showered and decided to call Ella again. Not knowing where she was agitated him, but he was trying to slowly ease back on his protectiveness. She’d been pissed at him over the whole lunch-with-friends thing, and she’d gotten even more pissy when she’d seen Beth. He swallowed hard as he thought about her claims. If Ella weren’t in the picture, he knew he would have let Beth entertain him for her stay. The thought scared him a little, even though he didn’t want to admit it.

  She answered the phone on the third ring. “Hello?”

  “I do love you. That’s never been in question. And yes, she kissed me. She climbed onto my lap and ground her pussy against me. I got hard too. She tried to tell me how much I wanted her and that you didn’t have to know.” Ryker ran his hand through his wet hair. “Ella, I know how it looks, but I don’t want that. I want you. I’m sorry for today. I should have handled it better.”

  “Then why did you let her kiss you?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t think about it. She just walked over to me and shoved her tongue in my mouth. It took me a minute to realize what was happening. I didn’t kiss her back though.”

  “She clearly didn’t get the message if she ground her pussy against you. Did you touch her?”

  “No.” He blinked a few times. “I handled it. She’s not going to bother anyone again.”

  “Did you kill her?”

  “What?” He frowned. “No. I told her that she of all people knew to respect me and my wishes. I also told Rizzo to keep her in line.”

  She didn’t say anything, and he grew antsy on the line.

  “The reason people keep questioning you is because nobody believes that you and I are it. You’ve gone from woman to woman since you lost your virginity. You don’t know how to be in a relationship and people—your club—keep trying to get you to give it up. You say you want to be with me, but you live two different lives. I’m not real to your friends, and because of it, they’re not ever going to accept that you want to be with me.”

  He sat on the edge of the bed, propping his elbows on his thighs. “Inviting you into the club is a dangerous thing. I don’t want you part of it.”

  “I don’t want to be part of your club. But our lives have to mesh better. We can’t keep going on like this. I don’t want to go on like this.”

  He closed his eyes. “Tell me what you want. I’ll do anything you want.”

  “You could start by not getting hard for another woman. That would probably be a great start.”

  When he sat up, he looked into the closet and saw some of her things were gone. She didn’t own many regular clothes since she wore scrubs most days. She wore his clothes most other times. Ryker glanced around the bedroom. He still smelled her perfume. He closed his eyes and breathed in the soft scent. His arms ached to hold her. His chest ached knowing that he couldn’t.

  “Come home.” His voice was gravelly and with emotion. “Please.”

  “I need time away. I’ll call you later.”

  He tossed his phone aside. So many doubts ran through his head. Ella still felt like a fantasy. She didn’t belong with him, and he feared that he made a mistake by letting things go too far. He didn’t deserve her. He knew it in the dark depths of his soul. Standing, he pulled the towel off and searched through the dresser for some clothes.

  Being with someone like Beth made sense. She wanted to be part of the life. She wanted to please him. Maybe that was the real problem. He was used to women pleasing him, and with Ella, he tried his damnedest to please her—and he wasn’t good at it. He ran a hand over his face. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get to a point where the questions didn’t arise. He’d always wonder if he and Ella belonged together. He’d always question how she fit in with his club.

  He grabbed his phone and headed for the door. Going to the club seemed like a good idea. But instead, he wanted to ride. He mounted the bike and started the engine. There was something about the wind in his face and the power of the engine beneath him that calmed him down. He rode around town for an hour and a half before finally pulling into the club. Without Ella at home, he didn’t have much reason to be there and his brothers would know it. They would know she’d left him and then the bullshit would start all over again.

  Ryker walked into the club and bypassed the party scene. Beth glanced over at him from Rizzo’s lap. He didn’t say anything to anyone as he went to the back to find a room. His head was in a fucked-up place, and he wanted the day to be over.

  ****

  The on-call room was not an ideal living space for two days and nights. While it helped her with her work, it wrecked havoc on her physically. Ella got up and took a shower in the locker room. She hadn’t slept well and what little sleep she had gotten wasn’t enough for her twelve-hour shift. Ryker had called her phone throughout the night and she’d ignored it. He’d texted her numerous times, and she
ignored those messages too. Her life was messed up. Her father was pissed at her for the whole situation with Ryker’s elbow making contact with her nose, and she was pissed at Ryker for his controlling and inconsiderate ways. Relationships were too much work, and she didn’t have time for it.

  Ella didn’t take a break the entire time she worked until her boss forced her to sit down for thirty minutes. She yawned and thought about how great her bed sounded. It was stupid that she had to leave her own place because of Ryker. But she knew better than to think that Ryker would actually respect her requests for distance. Although he was probably staying at the club anyway.

  After pulling out her phone, she stared at the numerous calls missed and text messages sent. Ryker repeatedly told her that he was sorry. She didn’t know why he thought apologizing would make everything better. She didn’t feel better.

  “You look like you’re going to fall over.” Derek sat down next to her in the waiting area’s plastic chairs. “Go home.”

  “I can’t.” She shook her head.

  “Boyfriend problems?”

  She snorted. “Yeah.”

  “He’s an idiot.”

  “I agree.” She glanced over at Derek. Ever since he’d started working in the ER, they clicked. He knew what he was doing even though he was a new nurse. He was one of the few she trusted to jump in when she needed him. He was also great with patients.

  “Where are you staying?” Derek asked, glancing down at his watch.

  “Here.” She yawned. “I’m fine. Really.”

  “No, you’re not.” Derek reached over and squeezed her hand. “If you want to keep your relationship going, don’t stay mad at him for too long. Absence does not make the heart grow fonder. It only makes the head more confused.”

  He stood and left her sitting with her phone in her hand. Ryker texted her, and she decided to respond. Clicking his number, she waited for him to answer.

  “Hey,” he said almost immediately.

  “Hey.” She didn’t know what to say. She was still mad, and nothing anyone could say would really fix it. “We need to talk about our relationship.”

  “Okay. When and where?”