The Hate Vow: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Romance

by C. Hallman

  “Go,” he repeats, still looking ahead as if he can’t bring himself to look at me.

  Climbing across the seat, I lean over and place a kiss on Ryder’s cheek.

  He doesn’t move or say anything. Simply looks ahead, his eyes trained on some imaginary spot on the road.

  “Bye,” I murmur and climb out of the truck. As soon as I close the door and step onto the sidewalk, he drives off.

  I watch his truck disappear when he takes a turn. The road turns blurry, making me realize I’m crying. Wiping the tears away with the back of my hand, I keep staring at the road, hoping he might change his mind. Wishing he would turn around and pick me back up.

  But he never does.

  He left, and I’ve never felt so alone.

  22

  Ryder

  Absentmindedly, I bring my hand to my face. I let my fingertips run over the spot where her lips touched my skin. It’s like she left an imprint, just like her scent is lingering inside the truck, and her presence never seems to leave my house.

  I have to force myself to drive home, fighting the urge to turn around and make her come back with me. Driving on autopilot, I’m lost in my thoughts. I did the right thing by leaving her, I tell myself. She doesn’t belong with me…

  All my internal rambling ends when I turn onto my road. Blue flashing lights from two police cars and an ambulance light up the street. All parked in front of my house.

  What the fuck?

  When I get closer, I spot Maddox’s bike on the front lawn, him standing next to it.

  I park in the street, cut the engine, and hop out of the truck.

  “Why the fuck are you not answering your goddamn phone!” he yells at me, loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear.

  “What the hell is going on?”

  “Someone called the cops hearing shots inside your house. When the cops got here, the door was kicked in, and the windows smashed.” I look past him, only now realizing the damage.

  Then my fucking heart stops.

  Mojo.

  Pushing past Maddox, I run inside the house. A cop tries to stop me at the hallway, but I shove him down until I get to the living room.

  There are two medics and a cop all hovering over my dog, who is sprawled out on his side, whimpering in pain.

  “Is this your house?” one of the cops asks.

  “Yes.” I kneel next to Mojo’s head, gently stroking his ear.

  “Someone broke in and shot your dog,” the same guy tells me.

  One of the EMTs is putting pressure on Mojo’s wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

  “Where is your girlfriend?” the cop asks. “She might be in danger.”

  “I don’t have a girlfriend.”

  “Do you know who this note could be about?” He points at the wall.

  I look up and read the large black letters spray-painted on the wall.

  Your bitch is next!

  Fuck.

  “Don’t let my dog die!” I yell at the EMTs as I jump up.

  Maddox is standing in the doorway, reading the writing on the wall.

  “Maddox, stay with Mojo, and get him to a vet. I’ve got to go.” I’m normally not the one giving orders, and the deep frown on his face tells me he doesn’t like this one bit. Still, I trust he is going to do this for me, whether he thinks I’m making a mistake or not.

  The cop yells something after me while a second tries to stop me from leaving. I shove him to the ground, leaving him lying in the grass, and get into my truck.

  With squealing tires, I take off, leaving my house behind in the review mirror and going back to the place I just came from. It’s a twenty-minute drive that only takes me ten minutes this time around.

  Fucking Tucker, it has to be him. He is the only asshole brave enough to fuck with me.

  When I get back to the Jenkins’ house, I half park in the street, half in the front yard. The truck has barely come to a stop, and I’m out of the car. Running toward the front door, I bang my fists on it hard enough to make the wood crack.

  The door flies open, and James stands on the other side, looking at me perplexed. “Ryder?”

  “Where is she?” Without an invitation, I push inside the house, frantically looking around.

  “Ryder, calm down. What’s wrong?”

  “Where is she?” I repeat as I storm into the kitchen.

  Laura, Penny’s mom, is sitting at the kitchen table looking at me like she’s seen a ghost. Right next to her is Penny, concern written all over her face.

  “What’s wrong?” Penny asks. Her voice has my panic simmering down at last.

  She is here. She is fine. No one hurt her.

  Relief washes over me, and I sag against the closest wall. Catching my breath, I close my eyes and let my head fall back against the wall.

  “Is that blood on your hand?” James asks, and my eyes fly open.

  Laura and Penny have gotten up from their seats. Now all three of them are standing in front of me, inspecting me with concerned eyes.

  I look down at my hands and find smears of blood.

  “Someone shot my dog,” I explain.

  “Mojo?” Penny gasps. “Is he okay?”

  “I don’t know. Maddox stayed with him. I came here,” I say, still looking at my hands.

  “Who would shoot your dog?” Laura asks. The sound of her voice has me looking up at her. Taking her in for the first time. She hasn’t changed one bit.

  She reaches for me, placing her hand on my arm and squeezing it lightly. Her touch comforts me like it always has.

  “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up,” Laura coaxes, tugging me toward the kitchen sink. She uses a washrag to clean up my hands like I’m a child and not a man three times her size.

  Penny moves with us, staying close to me but not close enough to touch.

  When Laura is done cleaning me up, we all move into the living room. I take a seat on the couch, and Penny sits down next to me, while Laura and James take the love seat.

  “It’s good to see you, Ryder,” Laura starts. “And I’m sorry it’s been so long…”

  “It’s good seeing you too, and you don’t have to apologize. It’s in the past.”

  “Thank you for taking Penny in when she needed a place to stay,” James says. I grind my teeth together, stopping myself from giving a response.

  “I can’t stay long, and I’m taking Penny with me. I don’t think she is safe here right now.”

  “What do you mean not safe?” Laura asks, worry lacing her voice.

  “The guy who shot my dog, he threatened to hurt her too. I’m taking her somewhere safe. Until…” He is dead. “Until the cops find him.”

  “You don’t think she’ll be safe here?” James asks, sounding just as concerned as his wife.

  “I think it would be better if I go with Ryder,” Penny chimes in.

  Laura and James exchange looks before returning their attention back to me.

  “We’ll trust you. Just stay safe. Both of you.”

  After a long twenty minutes of goodbyes and promises that we will be back soon, we are finally out of the house.

  Just as we climb in the truck, Maddox sends me a text.

  “Mojo is doing good,” I tell Penny. “He has to stay at the vet for a few days, though.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.”

  I watch her buckle up before backing out onto the road. “Tucker broke into my house, destroyed it while he was there. We can’t go back there.”

  “Oh… where are we going?” she asks, and I already know she will not like the answer.

  “I’m taking you to the club. It’s the safest place.” It’s true. There is nowhere safer. Not only does it have a security system and cameras, but it is also where you can find most of the brothers. Some actually live there, but most of us just have a room to crash… or fuck.

  “I know you don’t enjoy going there, but it’s safe, and that’s all we need right now.”

  23

&
nbsp; Penny

  We don’t walk into the front of the club this time. We park around the back, close to a large metal door with a keypad attached to it.

  Before we get out of the truck, Ryder turns to me. “Listen, no one in there is going to touch you… but you have to do exactly what I say. To everyone else, you are nothing more than someone who owes the club money. Do you understand?”

  I nod my head furiously.

  “That’s the way it’s going to have to be. Especially with this Tucker shit going on. I need all my men trusting me, and they are not going to do that if they think I’m distracted.”

  “I understand.”

  I climb out of the truck and follow Ryder. He punches a bunch of numbers into the keypad, and the door clicks open. Taking my hand, he pulls me inside and shuts the door behind us.

  We move through the long hallways, and I suddenly feel like I’m a calf being led to slaughter.

  Stopping in front of a door, recognition sets in. I’ve been here before. This is where Ryder took me the first time.

  “You finally ready to share?” some guy yells down the hall.

  “Fuck off,” Ryder yells back and grabs me by the arm. He pulls me into the room roughly and slams the door shut before letting me go.

  Wrapping my arms around myself, I look around the room. I hate being in here, and I hate how Ryder acts when we are here.

  Then something catches my eye. There are clothes lying next to the bed… my clothes. I don’t remember taking them off in here.

  “How did these get here?” I ask, pointing to the pile on the floor.

  “Last time I brought you here, someone slipped something in your drink. I tried to get you to sleep it off in here, but you wouldn’t, so I took you home.”

  “I walked out of here naked?” I ask in complete horror.

  “You didn’t walk out of here at all.” He chuckles. “I wrapped you up in the blanket and carried you out. No one saw you naked, little owl.”

  I glance at the bed to find the blanket missing, confirming his story. It doesn’t make me feel much better, though. I still don’t like any of this.

  “Speaking of naked… I’d like you to get naked right now,” Ryder tells me, his voice low and husky.

  I turn around to find him standing closer than I thought, so close I have to tilt my head up to look at his face. The mood in the room shifts. I go from being nervous and scared to feeling excited and content.

  Grabbing the hem of my shirt, he drags it up and over my head slowly, then throws it to the floor, adding to the pile. My bra is next. He cups both of my breasts once they are free, massaging them and toying with my nipples, drawing tiny moans from me.

  By the time he gets to my jeans, he is not so patient anymore. He yanks the zip down and pulls the jeans down my legs, taking my panties with them. I step out of my shoes and stand in front of him completely naked, while he hasn’t taken off anything yet.

  Reaching for his shirt, I grab hold of the soft fabric and pull it up. He lifts his arms, helping me get it off. I drop it on the floor next to mine, reaching for his pants, but he swats my hand away and picks me up instead.

  With a gasp, I wrap my arms around his neck on instinct, and my legs around his waist. A moment later, my back is pressed against the door.

  Ryder holds me up with one arm and his body while he undoes his pants. Then he slowly lowers me, guiding me onto him. He fills me with one deep thrust, burying himself inside me. I cling to him, my nails digging into his shoulders as he rocks against me.

  Our faces are only inches apart, and I wonder if he would kiss me. He tips his head and presses his forehead against mine. Our noses brush against each other. We are both panting. His minty breath only makes me want to kiss him more… taste him. But I’m scared. Scared that he doesn’t want to. Scared that this is still nothing more than me paying him back.

  He drives into me over and over again, pushing me against the door harder and hard. With every thrust, he rubs against my clit, bringing me closer to fall off the edge.

  When I feel my orgasm looming, the urge to kiss him overcomes me. His eyes are closed, his face contorting in pleasure.

  On a whim, I lean in and place my lips on his. He pulls back, and his eyes fly open, but he doesn’t stop fucking me against the door. Surprise flashes over his face, and I’m about to say sorry, but then his lips are back on mine.

  Our kiss is urgent, primal, and possessive. He kisses me like he has been waiting for this for a hundred years. Like a starving man eating a meal. What is even more surprising is there is something familiar about this kiss. Almost as if this isn’t our first time. A sense of déjà vu overcomes me.

  The kiss only intensifies my arousal. The orgasm slams into me, overtaking my complete body. Ryder keeps fucking me through it, only elongating it. I’m still coming when he finds his release, grunting and grinding himself into me so deep I can feel him at the end of my channel.

  He buries his face in the crook of my neck until he catches his breath. He is still holding up all my weight, and I’m thankful because my limbs feel boneless right now. I don’t think I could stand up if I tried.

  He carries me to the attached bathroom, which I didn’t even know was there until now. He puts me on my feet but keeps one arm around me, holding me up. Closing my eyes, I lean against him, my cheek pressing against his warm chest.

  I hear the water in the shower being turned on and feel tiny escaping droplets on my heated skin. We wait until the water is hot before he guides me under the spray. After a few minutes, I feel my strength resurface, and I’m able to stand up on my own.

  Reaching for the shampoo, I’m about to wash my hair, but Ryder takes it from me. Pouring a healthy amount into his palm, he washes my hair for me.

  “I like taking care of you,” he admits, shocking the hell out of me.

  “I like you taking care of me,” I whisper after a moment. It’s true, I like this, maybe even need it. I have dreamed about being an independent woman, free from any man, but now I find myself giving in to this, accepting it in a way.

  I know I’m playing a dangerous game, letting myself rely on someone again, needing someone to care for me. I’m giving Ryder a lot of power, and I’m trusting him not to abuse it.

  As he rinses out my hair, I stare at his muscular, tattoo-covered chest, wanting to run my fingers over it. Watching his muscles flex each time he moves only intensifies that urge, but I stop myself. I’m still unsure what this is between us, how this works, and what I’m allowed to do. Whatever we have, I feel like it’s fragile, and I need to treat it with care.

  After he is done with my hair, he grabs a washcloth and covers it in soap. He runs it over my entire body, washing every part of me, paying special attention between my thighs.

  Once I’m clean, he rinses out the washcloth before reapplying soap. Instead of washing himself, he holds his hand out to me. I look at the washcloth for a second before it clicks in my head.

  I take it from him, excitement swirling deep in my core, as I run the soapy cloth over his skin. Beginning with his chest, the place I’ve been yearning to touch. Making sure not to cover my hand with the fabric completely, I let my fingertips run over his skin.

  Taking my time, I wash his entire body just as he washed mine. I enjoy every second. Enjoy how he lets me explore every inch of him. After everything we’ve done, nothing has felt more intimate than this.

  All too soon, the shower is over. We step out, and Ryder retrieves two larger towels from the linen closet. He wraps me up in one and dries himself off with the other. While I dry my hair, he grabs some sheets from the same closet he got the towels from and spreads them out on the bed.

  “I’ll get a new blanket tomorrow. Are you hungry?”

  “No, I ate before you showed up.” Kicked down the door and barreled in like a tank.

  I hang the wet towels over the shower stall to dry and walk into the bedroom. Ryder takes in my naked form.

  “Get under the she
ets before I fuck you again,” he orders, and I know he isn’t joking.

  The sheets are cold, and the mattress is not as comfortable as the one at Ryder’s house, but at least he’ll sleep next to me.

  He slides in beside me, turning off the light on the nightstand. There are no windows, which means the room falls into complete darkness. The soft sound of music carries through the walls, but it’s subdued enough to where it shouldn’t bother me to go to sleep.

  Ryder is not touching me, but he is close enough for his body heat to seep into me. Curling up on my side, I wrap the thin sheet around my body, trying to get comfortable. The thin fabric doesn’t offer much to keep me warm, and the air in this room is chilly.

  I wonder if he would be okay if I scoot closer to Ryder and steal a little of his body heat. I took a risk kissing him, and it turned out well, but I don’t want to push my luck. I don’t think Ryder is the cuddling kind of guy.

  Maybe I just wait until he is asleep before I scoot closer.

  “Are you cold?” he asks suddenly.

  “A little,” I admit, only then realizing my voice is shaking because I am shaking.

  The bed creaks, and the sheet is pulled down a bit as he moves. A shiver runs through my body as the cold air kisses my skin, but it’s quickly forgotten when I feel his hands on me.

  Large, strong, warm hands pulling me into his chest, engulfing me in warmth. I cuddle into him, kicking myself for not speaking up sooner.

  Closing my eyes, I relax, turning to putty in his embrace. It doesn’t take me long before I drift off, and for the first time in a long time, I’m excited to wake up in the morning.

  24

  Ryder

  I wake up the same way I fell asleep, with my arms wrapped around Penny. Her face is pressed against my chest, and with each breath she takes, a puff of air fans out over my skin.

  This should feel odd. Cuddling has never been my thing. Kissing has never been my thing either. Yet, it feels right when I do it with Penny, a girl I hated for so long. How is that possible? Nothing about this makes sense.