I took a cab down to Elle’s office, where I caught her before she ventured off into her boss’s office. She looked at me, taking in the expression on my face, and smiled right back.
“I take it everything went well.”
“It did, and now Ryker gets to walk free. It isn’t going to sway everyone, but it will at least get people talking about these bikers as something other than a bunch of criminals,” I said.
“I’m proud of you, Anna. You always rush to protect the people that mean the most to you, and I admire that. Maybe once this all settles down I’ll finally get to meet this Ryker. I feel like I know him after rushing to get this story to print.”
“Is everything a go?”
“As promised. The story will hit tomorrow, and it will make history around here, that’s for damn sure.” Elle chuckled.
“I don’t know how to thank you.” And that was the truth. She didn’t have to stick out her neck for me like this, but I was just glad she did. It was the final piece that made the entire thing work, and for that I was grateful.
“No need. Just keep doing what you’re doing, and stay out of trouble. Okay? I need my best friend around.”
“I’ll try.” I teased, winking at her before I took off.
It was time I headed back to Aunt Fern’s so I could hold my daughter in my arms and let her know that everything was going to be okay.
She had been through so much with her father. That alone was more than enough for any child to deal with. Now, with everything that happened with Ryker, the Hell Riders, and moving to a new state, it was too much for one little girl to handle.
But my Hope was a strong one, and I was proud of how resilient she was. I wanted to spend the rest of the day with her, to comfort her because I hadn’t been there as much as I would’ve liked in the past few weeks.
I had no idea what the future held for me now, but I didn’t care. I did what I thought was right, and I kept the people I love safe. That was all that mattered to me.
That was what made sense.
19
Ryker
I held the paper in my hand, one of many. I couldn’t stop reading the headline again and again, embedding the words into my brain.
I couldn’t believe that just like that, my slate was wiped clean. I had another chance at life, and I refused to waste it.
It was all thanks to Anna. If it wasn't for her determination, I would’ve ended up in jail.
I sat at the kitchen counter of the clubhouse, the sound of the front door opening drawing my eyes up from the paper.
There she was, looking as beautiful and vibrant as ever. I could tell by the smile on her face that this had an incredible effect on her as well. We had been waiting for this moment since the day I was arrested for crimes I didn’t commit. There was a part of me that believed this day would never come, and that I deserved to spend the rest of my life behind bars. But Anna proved me wrong.
She didn’t let me give up, and I had her to thank for all of the good that was now going to come. But this fight was not over yet. Just because we managed to get the police off of our backs did not mean we didn’t still have some Hell Riders who managed to escape conviction, I had no doubt they still planned a hit against the Black Souls for destroying any chance they had of taking over Coronado.
Though, I planned on spending every last minute I could basking in the bliss coursing through me. It reminded me that I could spend the rest of my time fighting for what was right, protecting the club that had done so much for me, and showing up for the people that I cared about.
I wrapped my arms around Anna and pulled her close to me. My senses filled with the lavender scent in her hair, as I buried my face in her neck. “Thank you, Anna. For everything. I genuinely never thought that this day would come.”
“So, you doubted me?” she teased.
“No, it’s just, I know you put so much on the line for me. I just want you to know that I’m incredibly grateful.”
“Anything for you.” She gave me a gentle peck on the cheek.
“Come here. I need more of you than that.” I claimed her mouth and kissed her deeply. I was consumed by the thought of her and having her close to me again. My fingers cascaded down her back, while I held her steady. I kissed her neck and down to her collarbone. When I looked back up at her, she was blushing.
The heat and desire in her eyes told me we were on the same page. “What do you say we get out of here?”
She smiled and gave me a chased kiss. “I’d say that’d take too long. I want you now.”
I grabbed a hold of her hand, leading her up the stairs of the clubhouse. We found an empty room just off the hall. As soon as I shut the door, she started to unbutton her shirt, the little grin on her face drawing me in. I was enveloped in how incredible she looked and smelled.
I caressed her cheek, my mind running wild with all the things I wanted to do to her. My gaze raked down her chest, her cleavage beckoning my lips. I kissed her breasts before nipping at one of her nipples, eliciting a gasp from her sweet lips.
I picked her up, laying her down on the bed, kissing her hard. She glanced over at the door, probably wondering if someone would walk in on us.
“Don’t worry. I locked the door.” I winked at her, catching that vibrant smile of hers in another kiss as my hands traveled down her body. Warmth emanated from her skin. I towered over her, I pulled off my t-shirt desperate to feel her skin next to mine. Her hands reached up to brush against my chest making me shiver.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I said, kissing her passionately, clenching my fingers in her hair. I couldn’t get enough of her. I trailed kisses down her shoulder to her chest. I grabbed a hold of her perky breast, squeezing tightly. I freed it from her bra, taking the nipple into my mouth, sucking on it lightly before I bit the beaded nipple. She let out another moan and tightened her arms around me.
“Do you like it when I bite?” I swirled my tongue around the nipple, soothing it.
“God, yes. More.” She was breathless. I sucked her breast deeper into my mouth making her writhe beneath me. The air between us heated as my body tensed, and my need for her grew.
She unbuttoned her pants, and I helped her slip out of them, catching that familiar glint in her eyes that told me she wanted me. But before I gave her my dick, I needed to taste her and make her come all over my face.
I grabbed both of her legs, bringing them up over my shoulders and pulling her to the edge of the bed. I knelt at the foot of the bed, and gazed up her naked body. I ran my fingers up and down the seam of her panties, and growled. “Fuck! You’re soaking wet.”
“I want you.” I looked up at her smirking.
“I’m gonna make you come so hard.” I didn’t wait for a response. Instead, I pulled her panties aside, and I licked her pussy hard before I sucked her clit into my mouth. She moaned, and squirmed at my action, but I held her steady so she couldn’t move her hips. I wanted full control of her pussy. But first, her panties had to go. I pulled off that little black thong, spreading her legs wide so I could see all of her. I looked down at how she glistened in the afternoon light, and I licked her again, kissing the inside of her thighs, before I slid my tongue deep inside her.
I licked and sucked and rammed my tongue inside her over and over again until I felt her entire body quiver. I teased her, taking her close to the edge before backing off. I wanted this release to be intense and I wanted her to feel it all the way to her bones.
“Please, I can’t take it anymore.” She cried out in agony.
“But you taste so fucking good. I don’t want to stop.” She grabbed a handful of my hair and pushed my mouth closer to her pussy. I knew what she wanted but I wasn’t quite ready to give it to her. Not yet. While fucking her with my tongue, I reached up and twisted her nipple with my fingers, making her gasp. Her body squeezed around my tongue and I knew she was close. Pitching her nipples harder, I sucked her clit into my mouth and she exploded. Her body writhed and
twisted as her release thrashed through her. It was intense and made my dick hard as stone. All I wanted was to slam into her and feel the intensity of her orgasm on my cock, but I resisted. Instead, I licked and sucked up all her juices and stayed with her until her body stilled.
I kissed her inner thigh and her hands brushed against my shoulders, making me look up at her. “Fuck me.” Her voice was heedy with need.
“I’d love nothing more.” I smiled as I got up to take off my pants. My dick strained against my jeans and as soon as it was released her gaze settled on it. I stroked my cock and gave it a tight squeeze making her eyes grow wide. I tossed a condom onto her stomach and nodded. “Why don’t you put this on me.”
She smirked and sat up, her face level with my cock. She tore open the foil wrapper and looked up at me before she grabbed my cock in her and wrapped her sweet lips around me. She sucked me hard and took me deep into her throat. I nearly buckled over for how fucking good her mouth felt around my cock. She gave me another hard suck before she licked my balls and then up my hardened shaft. If she kept this up, I was going to lose it and come all over her face.
“Fuck, unless you want my cum on your face, you better slip that condom on me so I can fuck you properly.” She smiled up at me as she licked me one last time before fitting me with the condom.
She laid back on the bed with her arms thrown over her head. “I’m all yours.”
I grabbed her legs and opened her pussy to me. I settled between her legs and my tips pressed against her swollen entrance.
“R-Ryker.” She cried as my tip pressed in.
“Yeah, baby?” I slipped deeper inside her in an agonizingly slow motion. She let out a moan that was loud enough to rock the entire clubhouse, and I smiled. I thrust deep inside her, in and out, until my balls slammed up against her.
“Harder.” She dug her nails into my arms, and I gladly answered her demand by driving my dick as hard as I could inside her until she cried out in absolute pleasure.
“Fuck! Oh my God. Fuck!” She was so close to coming again, but I wasn’t ready yet. I wanted us to come together.
I pulled out, and flipped her onto her stomach. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her up so I could take her from behind. “Hang on, baby. I’m gonna fuck you hard.”
I didn’t give her a chance to prepare for me. I slammed my cock into her pussy with so much force, the bed hit the wall. I thrust deep inside of her again and again, harder with each movement, until we were both struggling for air. She pressed her ass closer to me, and I slapped it hard, making her moans grow louder.
“You like that, baby?”
“Y-Yes,” she said, barely able to get a few words out, and I grinned.
I slapped her ass again before I slipped my hand between her legs and found her sensitive clit. I tweaked and pinched her while I fucked her harder, faster. My dick was so fucking hard, I ached from the strain, begging for release. “Come with me,baby.”
Every time I pounded into her I stroked her clit until she screamed out her release. My body tensed up hard, slapping her ass again, causing her to jerk and gasp beneath me. Her pussy tightened around my cock, and I joined her. She squeezed around me, sucking me dry and it was the greatest pleasure of my life.
She quivered, and I thrust one last time before our bodies collapsed on the bed. We laid there, both panting, trying to catch our breaths, and I turned to her, planting a soft kiss on her beautiful lips.
“Now that’s one hell of a thank you,” she teased.
“Yeah, well. There’s much more where that came from.”
I don’t know how long we laid there before the urge to get up finally hit me.
“Hey, what do you say we get out of here? Head down by the waterfront?” I asked, realizing that for the first time in a while I could be back out on the streets without the police breathing down my neck.
“Of course.” Her warm, soft lips peppered my jawline with kisses until her lips joined with mine. She felt so good, so right. And I hated to pull away from her. But I wanted to be alone with her and there were too many eyes at the clubhouse.
I held her hand, and led her out front. We ran into Lucifer and he looked at us with a raised brow. “Where are you off to?”
“Wherever the road takes us, man. It’s the first time in a while I can actually do that,” I replied.
“Well, now hold on. I think it’s time you have a better ride than that old piece of shit” He crossed his arms over his chest with a mischievous grin. I peeked around him and caught a glimpse of a shiny new bike. It was black, with all of the bells and whistles that my old one didn’t have. Our sigil was painted right on the side of it, and in that moment, I’d never been prouder to be a member of the Black Souls.
“Man, is that for me?”
“Yep. The most loyal member we’ve got. You deserve it.”
“Thank you, Lucifer. You don’t know how much this means to me.” I pushed aside all my manhood and pulled Lucifer in for a hug. This ranked right at the top of the all the nice things people have done for me list.
He chuckled and hugged me back. “Yes, actually I do.”
Anna rested her hand on my back. “The bike is a man’s soul, right? Isn’t that what you told me when we first started talking?” she asked.
I smiled, surprised that she remembered that.
“That’s right.” I pulled her close and kissed her cheek. “We’ll be back soon, Lucifer. I know we still need to talk, but I need to relax for a bit.”
“Go. When we talk about all the shit we still have to deal with later. There will be no time left for fun when we do. Enjoy it while it lasts,” he said.
I handed Anna her helmet, and sat on my new bike. It felt good to have a ride I could be proud of again. She slipped on behind and her arms tighten around my waist. It felt right. Like home.
We drove off down to the waterfront where we could finally be alone to talk. It was a strange feeling, knowing that for the time being I didn’t have to worry anymore. That didn’t mean it would be forever, though. We still had our internal biker issues, and I didn’t want Anna anywhere near that. She deserved to have a fresh start. I didn’t know where her career would take her, but she deserved to be happy.
Now she was just as free as I was.
I wanted her to enjoy life without having to glance over her shoulder all of the time, wondering whether she was just going to find herself in trouble all over again. Something told me that was exactly what she was hoping for too.
She was a fighter, and she liked a challenge, but I wanted to make sure she knew that I had her back. She was one of us now, and soon all members of the Black Souls would know that.
I was proud of her, admired everything she did, and I needed her to know how I felt.
I need to tell her that I was falling in love with her.
20
Anna
I’m on top of the world, and just yesterday I never imagined I’d feel this way. I never imagined I would come back home to Coronado only to challenge the chief and his career. Harold took a chance on me, and I repaid him by unraveling all of his dirty little secrets. As bad as that made me feel, it was the right thing to do.
I wondered who that would be, and whether I was still going to be working as a detective now that word was out about my role in clearing Ryker. Thoughts for another day. Right now I wanted to focus on Ryker and where the future would take us. Ryker got his chance to live out the rest of his life and hope he considered me a part of that.
I was glad that he trusted me with this. There was a part of him that would have preferred giving up to keep me safe. He wanted to protect me, and I appreciated that.
From the first time I laid eyes on him, I knew there was something special about him. He was the one that changed my mind about bikers, and the rumors that had been going around Coronado for ages. He showed me that there was something redeemable about all of this, and I never thought I would be in a position where I actually wanted to
be a part of it.
I was comfortable by his side, helping him and the Black Souls in any way they needed. After what I managed to pull off, I was sure there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do.
Ryker held me close as we gazed out at the water. The sun glistened on the surface, reflecting in sparkles like diamonds dusted the crashing waves. He kissed me on the top of my head and said, “You’re absolutely incredible, you know that? When I first met you, I never thought we would be here. If I’m honest, I thought you would’ve been the one hauling me in for all of the terrible things you believed I’d done.”
“I was trying to press you for information because I was led to believe that you were the problem. I took a chance on you when I realized you were more that everyone said you were, and I’m so glad that I did that. You changed my life, Ryker. You showed me that there was more to all of this, more to fight for than I realized,” I said.
He turned to me, tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, and brought me closer to him. I felt the heat emanating off of him, as I stared up into his whiskey eyes with a hint of golden sparkle. He shifted his gaze to my lips before he brought me in for a kiss.
“I love you, Anna,” he whispered, and his words sent a swarm of butterflies loose in my stomach. I wanted to say those words to him ever since he saved me from the Hell Riders at my apartment, but I didn’t know how. How could I tell him how I felt before I was even sure if I could help him. I didn’t want him to view me as a failure, and if I said those words too soon it’d only lead to more heartbreak. Though, the look in his eyes right now told me he probably never would’ve blamed me if things didn’t go the way we wanted them to, but I was glad that they finally did.
“I love you too. I love you too.”
We stood there in silence for a moment, listening to the sounds of the water. We were mostly alone, but there were a few people passing by us on their afternoon strolls. I glanced behind me to see a child with his mother. They were enjoying the sunshine and the child had an ice cream cone in his hand. When I looked back at Ryker, it was like everything started to make sense again.
Ryker: MC Romance Page 14