Connected in Pain : A Motorcycle Club Romance Trilogy of Crow & Rylynn

by Ryan Michele

  “Right.”

  “Get your shit together, we’re headin’ to Sumner in the morning.”

  That slithery snake crawled up my back, warning me. This meeting felt off, and I hoped I was fucking wrong about that and it didn’t change my world forever.

  18

  Rylynn

  Elizabeth. Elizabeth. Elizabeth. Where are you? Reading through the files, I thought for sure they’d be seared in my brain soon enough.

  Since the party was still going on when the police arrived, they cited several of the attendees with underage drinking while questioning them about Elizabeth’s whereabouts. Normally cops would wait forty-eight hours for a missing person, but an underage party trumped that.

  After I called Naddy upon leaving my parents’ house, she express mailed to me a flash drive that she said I needed to see.

  Placing it in my laptop it loaded. I clicked on the little boxes and then the stupid ones that ask you if this shit is safe or not. Could never be too careful these days I guessed.

  My breathing stopped for a moment. It was video surveillance from inside the Walps’ home where the party was held.

  It took hours to get through the entire thing. I watched Elizabeth go into the bathroom and then she never came out. There was a window in there, which had to mean she snuck out through there. Did the cops print the window? She couldn’t have just vanished. The window was her only way out.

  I searched through the police reports coming up short. That was strange. One would think that would be a top priority considering it was the only way she could’ve gotten out. Then I pulled out the large list of evidence and went through every line item to see if the prints were on there. It wasn’t. That piece of the puzzle didn’t fit.

  Rewatching the clips where Elizabeth was shown, I ignored her and watched the people around her, matching pictures in the file to those on the screen. Three boys showed on the screen during different times at the party, but I didn’t have an interview sheet from the police on them. Those were the three I needed to talk to. I still hadn’t been able to catch Penny at her house and my searches were coming up blank, but I kept trying.

  My heart bled for these parents, not knowing where their daughter was. The feeling was new to me because before Grandpa there wasn’t a loved one who had left us. They’d been living this nightmare for months; it was worse in a way.

  At least with Grandpa, we knew what happened to him. We knew when he left us. These parents had nothing but a pile of papers that led nowhere near their daughter. The pain they must have felt, I understood.

  The alarm on my phone went off. Shit. I left everything scattered on my floor since this wouldn’t take long. It was time to take some more pictures of pony play husband and get this one off my list. Depending on if a new case came in or not, the missing girl would be my top priority.

  Grabbing my camera and bag, I set off to watch a horse get him some.

  19

  Crow

  The ride was great into Sumner with the sun shine following us there. There were no hiccups along the way, and I had all my guys doing what needed to be done back home, but I still had no idea why I was being summoned here.

  The sense of unease rode on my shoulders the entire way there though, and grew stronger when we hit the Welcome to Sumner sign and entered the town.

  Ideas of why I was there went rampant through my brain, but nothing stood out more than anything else. Considering I saw Cruz at Dagger’s funeral and he said nothing at that time, whatever this was happened recently. Since the only thing I did while in Sumner was fuck Rylynn, it might be about that. But if that were true, wouldn’t it be Rhys calling me instead? Way too many questions with no answers.

  I was here now so I imagined I would soon find out what this was about.

  Pulling up to the clubhouse, the gate opened immediately and we glided into a parking spot, killing the bikes and getting off.

  Buzz, Breaker, Cooper, Deke and Rhys were all there to greet me and ushered me inside to Cruz’s office. Rhys didn’t punch me so it being about Rylynn was a no. With a chin lift to my guys, I entered the room where Cruz stood up from the desk, shook my hand, and gave me a one armed man back-slap in greeting. This was the same as any other time I’d caught up with him.

  “What’s goin’ on?”

  He sat in his seat. “Have a seat,” he said and I did, crossing my ankles. We were alone in the room with the door shut. Therefore, it for sure had nothing to do with the club as a whole.

  His face was a mask not giving anything away. Wouldn’t lie and say it put me at ease. Cruz was a stand up man. That I knew for fact. When his eyes connected with mine, something swirled in my gut. No, this wasn’t going to be pretty.

  “Recently I came into possession of some information. Since I didn’t know one hundred percent if it was true, I had it looked into. Deeply.”

  “Okay…” The word was drawn out. It looked as though he was trying to steady his breath, which was strange because Cruz did what he wanted, said what he wanted, and didn’t give a fuck what anyone thought. That slither got faster at his change in demeanor.

  “It has to do with you.” My knees cocked as my back straightened while Cruz ran his hand through his hair. “There’s no easy way to say this shit, and it fuckin’ kills me to tell you it.”

  My heart rate escalated as I waited for the bomb of whatever had him looking and acting like that dropped. Shit, was it about my dad or a member of my club?

  He held out a folder which I took, but still kept my focus on him, the folder feeling like a lead weight drawing my hand to lay on my lap. Whatever was in this was big. Trying to run the different scenarios in my head didn’t work since I knew nothing.

  Cruz nodded to the folder. Pain struck across his features surprising the shit out of me. But nothing. Nothing could’ve prepared me for what he said next. “In there, you will find a DNA test ran that states—I’m your biological father.”

  I rose swift to my feet clenching the information in my hand, anger, confusion, and fear all colliding. “That’s not fuckin’ possible. You know my dad. He’s buddies with yours. There’s no fuckin’ way this is possible.”

  Cruz took in a deep breath standing from his chair as well. “Believe me. I’m as shocked as you are with this. Know you and your dad are tight. No way do I want to fuck that up, but I needed you to know. This isn’t the kind of shit that I push aside. Your mother is Alma Moore, correct.” I nodded, trying not to come out of my skin, which was barely holding on by a thread. “She was around our club before going to Rebellion. This was about four years before Cooper was born. We had a fling, and she disappeared. Never thought anything of it. Women came and went all the time through those clubhouse doors. Except come to find out, she had my baby inside of her when she took off. There are pictures in there of your mom and I together. It wasn’t a relationship, but we fucked a few times.”

  “This isn’t right.” My head shook, all the possibilities floating through my mind, my world turning upside down. Confusion was winning out over everything else.

  “Open the papers,” he ordered. It was my turn to suck in a breath. My body was strung tight, but I got it under control. I sat and opened the folder not wanting to, but needed to in the same breath. “Your DNA was in the system from when you were young and got arrested. Don’t think your dad knew the cops took it, but they did and classified it. What I’m thinking is the cops knew you were a son of a Ravage member and took it while they could. Had to do some troubleshooting, but we got it open. Had it run with mine and it was a match.”

  Christ. This could not be possible. It just couldn’t.

  As I looked at the papers one said Caleb Moore-Blaine while the other side said Donovan Cruz. It showed it was a positive match at ninety-nine-point-nine percent. Fuck, didn’t think one could get much closer than that.

  Fuck. Everything in my life had been one big fucking lie after the other. The man who raised me really had no claim to me. Did he know this o
r did my mother dupe him in to taking me on all my life?

  There were so many questions I had for my dad, but obviously, that had to wait. Fuck. When I said my dad, I’d meant the one in Rebellion. As of right now, Cruz was just my brother. I couldn’t wrap my head around being his kid just yet.

  It was like a bomb ready to explode busting me to shit.

  I was thrown off. The world was spinning out of control. I was out of control. I moved around the chair, hand to my chin as I walked around needing to do something besides just stand there like an oaf. “Well, my mother was a piece of shit, so it wouldn’t surprise me if she did this.” My anger grumbled out through my words reaching new heights. It was as if a switch flipped inside of me cranking my anger up higher than it had ever been before. It was so much my hand started shaking.

  I hated my mother.

  She was a worthless whore who used me to play my dad… who wasn’t even my dad. The betrayal cut me to the core. How would he take this? What did he know?

  My entire life was playing on a reel in my mind.

  I had to get out of here and have time to process what was going on. I had to feel the air on my face and sun on my body.

  I blew out a deep breath trying to contain my emotions. Closing my eyes, a vision of an angel came clearly to my head. Everything settled seeing her smirk, her body, her face.

  Rylynn.

  Hell, I needed Rylynn, but I hadn’t called her wanting to surprise her at her place after this. Now, I needed her. All of this was so far out in left field it would’ve never been on any contingency plan I thought up. There was no preparing for this kind of news. I came here thinking it was another day and another club situation.

  This shit was personal.

  As personal as it could get.

  The ground underneath me was shaking so profusely, threatening to sink me further into the pain swirling around me. Anger and pain seemed to go hand in hand, but it couldn’t happen. There was too much at stake. One, Cruz ran the entire MC and two, he looked about as devastated as I did shocking the shit out of me.

  “Know this is hard. It is for me too. It come out of nowhere and I swear if I’d have known about you, you would’ve been with me.”

  My steps faltered. “Except the thing is, I was happy right where I landed.” The words tumbled out. My instincts screamed to tell him he didn’t know how good I had it. My dad was a good father. He was the reason I was the man I was today. He was everything. Instead, I just watched the man in front of me.

  “That’s good. I don’t want to come into your life and barge all over it. It’ll be hard not to, but this situation is jacked up and we need time to sort it out.”

  “Gotta go. Need time to process this.” I headed to the door. I had to get out. The walls were closing in.

  Cruz nodded. “Are you gonna stay in town?”

  “No.”

  Cruz’s head fell, and every feeling inside me was so jumbled I couldn’t process it. Clutching the papers, the pain ripped through me tearing me from one end to the other. The pain of having a father I never knew about. The pain of having a father that had been the best one ever. Pain that my anger was so rampant it physically hurt. Pain that everything I’d known my entire life was a lie. Everything. From the moment I was conceived till the day I stood in this very spot in Cruz’s office.

  Clutching the door handle, I spoke, “Don’t know where this goes from here. But what I do know is I have a dad at home. A damn good one. No way in hell I’d ever shit on him. And I don’t know how I feel about you and me. Need time.” With that, I turned the handle and got out of that office.

  The Sumner brothers that were around watched as I walked through the clubhouse. Not a single one stopped me. Judging from their faces, they already knew. Lifting my chin to them, I got outside and started up my bike. Wrong Way and Brewer came fast getting on their rides.

  One glance up and I saw a wide-eyed Rylynn. She was here and just by looking at her, my heart squeezed painfully. I needed her now more than ever. I needed her warmth to push away all the darkness that crept up on me.

  Our eyes locked.

  Connected.

  She read me.

  I gave her that in a single glance because she was Rylynn and this was us.

  She moved quick not looking at anyone but me. Rylynn hopped on the back of my bike and wrapped her arms around me tight.

  It was exactly what I needed.

  Her.

  She came freely. No questions. No judgments. One look, one connection, one pain, and she gave me everything I needed in this moment.

  One last look at the people standing outside, Rhys stood there a mask of fury. Rylynn wasn’t fazed. She was with me without hesitation.

  Life threw you curveballs. I’d just had mine in Cruz’s office.

  Rhys obviously just had his. Thinking on the life we led, I was sure he never thought he’d see the day his daughter rode off with the likes of me. That was for another day, though. I couldn’t stay here right now.

  What I needed was the open road to clear my mind. What I needed was to sink inside Rylynn and forget where I ended and she began. What I needed had her arms wrapped around my waist and the beast of my bike under our bodies.

  Everyone else, club and all be damned.

  We took off through the gates. With every twist of the throttle, I had one goal in mind—get the hell out of Sumner. Get away from it all.

  The only thing keeping me upright on my bike was Rylynn. It was that moment when I knew things had changed.

  Welcome to my fucked up life, Rylynn.

  Because no matter what was up or down in my world, she was mine, and I wasn’t letting go.

  The story continues in Fueled in Fire releasing on November 27th. Preorder TODAY!

  Please read below.

  * * *

  Hello! It’s Ryan.

  I know. I know. I did it to you. Don’t hate me please!

  I never set out to leave you with a cliffhanger. Connected in Pain was always going to be one book. Then with the new club, new members, old members, ol’ ladies and everything in-between, there was a lot to explore and so many different avenues to go down. Then add in the fact that Rylynn and Crow just wouldn’t shut the hell up, the book became its own beast.

  No matter what I did or how I changed things, I couldn’t condense their story into one book and give it the justice it needed.

  The good news is you don’t have to wait long for the next book!

  It will come out on November 27th. Don’t forget to preorder.

  Hope you love Rylynn and Crow’s story as much as I did writing it!

  ~Ryan

  Acknowledgments

  To my readers: Thank you so much for reading Connected in Pain. You’re the reason I’m able to write these stories and bring them to life. Words will never be enough to show my gratitude to you, just know you’re in my heart and appreciate you.

  * * *

  Critique Partner: Chelsea Camaron, thank you for putting up with all my shit. The questions, the bitching, the frustration—you take all of it, and keep me on track. You’re the best.

  * * *

  Beta Readers: Kim, you’re awesome. Bet you never thought our meeting at a signing would lead you into the twisted world of the creative process of my books. Ha!! Thank you for all your help. You kick ass at finding those small details that slip my mind (which let’s just say are A LOT). You’re the greatest. Thank you.

  SM Donaldson, you rock. Even without power and so much going on in your life, you took time out to read CIP for me and give me feedback. I adore you, thank you so much.

  Cola, surprise! Met you thought CC and stole you! Just kidding. :) Thank you so much for helping me with this book and for being there at the drop of a hat for me.

  * * *

  HUGE thank you to Silla Webb, my editor. You are always there when I need you. I never have to worry with you and you have my eternal gratitude.

  * * *

  Cassy, my cove
r designer. Thank you for putting up with my shit load of changes when it comes to the covers. In the end, you design the best ones. You’re always there ready to help and I greatly appreciate it.

  * * *

  Wander, my photographer for Connected in Pain. Thank you! The image is amazing and fits the story perfectly you. You and Andrey rock!

  * * *

  Nate, thank you for being the perfect Crow.

  Preorder Today!

  The story continues in Fueled in Fire releasing on November 27th. Preorder TODAY!

  Other Books Written by Ryan Michele

  www.authorryanmichele.com/books

  Ravage MC Series

  Ravage Me

  Seduce Me

  Consume Me

  Inflame Me

  Captivate Me

  Ravage MC Novella Collection

  Ravage MC Box Set

  * * *

  Bound by Ravage: A Taste of the Ravage MC

  * * *

  Ravage MC Bound Series

  Bound by Family

  Bound by Desire

  Bound by Vengeance

  Bound by Affliction

  Bound by Destiny

  Bound by Wreckage

  Bound by Destruction

  * * *

  Ravage MC Rebellion Series