Ryker: Dead Souls MC: Prospects #4

by Rylan, Savannah

  “Toxin?” I asked.

  He shook his head, as if I’d ripped him from a trance. “You wanna fuck me too or something?”

  “What?”

  “You keep staring at me long enough I’m gonna assume you wanna suck my dick. Piss or get off the pot.”

  I blinked. “Did you say—”

  “Yeah. You two weren’t as quiet as you thought you were. Happy for you, though. Yay for being like the rest of them, I guess.”

  He rose his coffee cup to me, almost in salute. My brow furrowed deeply as his eyes turned to meet mine. And when they did, a shiver worked its way down my spine. I knew why they kept Toxin around. Because he was intimidating. Because I’d seen that man stare down more enemies, forcing them to give up their guns without ever firing a shot from his.

  Not that the man needed a gun, anyway. His hands were practically registered weapons.

  “Thank fuck for coffee,” Brewer murmured.

  “At least the kids are still sleeping,” Grave said, yawning.

  “Any food?” Knox asked.

  “Diesel up yet?” I asked.

  I turned around, leaving Toxin’s side. Leaving his mind to wander as he stared out the window. I picked up my untouched coffee and made a beeline for our president just as he came out of the hallway. I hated to hit him at such a rough time of the morning, but we really needed to talk.

  Diesel held up his hand. “Can it wait?”

  “There’s been some developments with Alex. Can we talk as a group?” I asked.

  He sighed. “Coffee and church? You guys up for it?”

  And when all the guys grumbled and rose their hands in the air, I knew I had their attention.

  “Kaylynn’s brother tried calling her a lot last night,” I said.

  “She’s got her phone on her?” Bear asked.

  “Don’t worry. Once I found her with it, I removed the battery and the SIM card. And by the sounds of it, he hasn’t tracked her or anything. My guess is he doesn’t have the capability without going to his boss, which he hasn’t done yet,” I said.

  “How do you know that?” Brewer asked.

  I sighed. “Her brother left her a voice message late last night that has her really fucked up. If you want me to risk putting the phone back together, I’ll let you listen to it.”

  The guys looked around before nodding their heads. Then, Toxin appeared. He handed me the pieces to the phone he’d already put back together, and I stared at him for a long time. That intense stare of his pierced my chest. His downturned lips seemed to frown a little deeper. I knew how he felt about all of us bringing girls and shit into the picture. But I didn’t realize he was that pissed with the whole situation.

  Apparently, Toxin had never fallen for a girl before.

  Either that or he was all right with his own loneliness.

  I took the phone and moved away from the guys, walking down the hallway to find Kaylynn. I knocked on her door and she answered quickly, her eyes traveling up and down my body. I handed her the phone. I stayed silent as she unlocked it. I navigated to her voicemail box and it prompted her to enter a code.

  And instead of punching the code in…

  “It’s 2-5-3-9,” she said.

  “2-5-3-9?”

  “Mhm. Spells ‘Alex.’”

  My heart broke a little more. “Thanks.”

  I left her bedroom and made my way back out for the guys. I punched the code in and turned up the volume on her speakerphone. Listening as her brother’s voice poured through to our ears. At first, he’d been frantic. Upset. Infuriated, really. But that anger morphed into fear. Before morphing again into a soft moment of panic.

  “There any others?” Diesel asked.

  I shook my head. “That’s the only voicemail he left.”

  “How do we know this isn’t some trap her brother’s setting for her? Or us?” Cage asked.

  “He knows our M.O. now. Helping anyone, apparently, who comes through our doors and has tits,” Toxin said.

  “We help women and children. Especially our own. Simple as that,” Diesel said curtly.

  “This is her brother, though. If we’re going to help her, then we should at least try to respect her wishes when she says she doesn’t want her brother to die,” I said.

  “And why the fuck should we do that?” Saint asked.

  “No offense, but he’s part of the mafia. He took your little girl. How the hell can you not want retribution for that?” Bear asked.

  “Simple. He’s falling in love. Like the rest of you idiots did,” Toxin said.

  “Shut up,” everyone said in unison.

  I disassembled the phone again. “All I want is to make sure Alex doesn’t die by our guns. His boss? That’s a different story. But if he doesn’t come after anyone else, I’d like to not gun the guy down intentionally.”

  “Yeah, for fear of you pissing off your new slice of pussy,” Toxin murmured.

  “I’m sorry that you’re a miserable, lonely little man. But you don’t have to shit on everyone else’s parade, Toxin,” Cage hissed.

  Toxin leveled him with that stare he possessed. “Try acting like you know me one more time and I’ll show you why I don’t need the gun I always keep on my fucking ankle.”

  “Enough,” Diesel said.

  The guys fell silent as I continued sipping my coffee. Wondering why the fuck this bothered Toxin so damn much.

  “We still move ahead with the plan to meet up with Lars. Face to face. We take the meeting he’s offered, especially since we’re working with an upper-hand,” he said.

  I nodded. “I think that’s our only play right now that doesn’t require us to automatically pull guns out.”

  “We need to exploit it to the best of our ability, too. Kaylynn was right about that last night, apparently,” Brewer said.

  “She was, yes. He hasn’t gone to his boss. No way in hell. You heard him on that voice message. He’s petrified. He knows he dies if he can’t come up with a solution. Right now, he’s probably waiting for Kaylynn to return,” Cage said.

  “Which means Lars is in the dark about what’s happening. He doesn’t know he’s lost his leverage again. So, we set ourselves up well this time,” Diesel said.

  “I’m in if you guys are in,” I said.

  “Yep,” Grave said.

  “Still not awake, but I dig it,” Knox murmured.

  “You’ve got my vote,” Saint said.

  All the guys agreed, prompting Diesel to pull out his cell phone from his back pocket. He set his mug of coffee down and turned on his speakerphone, dialing some sort of number. Probably the number that called him a few days ago when we were sitting out on the fucking porch.

  Holy hell, it’s only been a few days.

  Felt like a few fucking weeks had passed.

  “I was wondering if I’d ever hear from you,” Lars said.

  His voice came alive as we gathered around the phone. Diesel put his finger to his lips, silencing us as we clung to our coffees. Though none of us would ever admit it out loud, we were all shaking in our boots. Wondering if we’d already lost our upper hand. Wondering if Lars was about to shit on our parade somehow.

  “Thirty seconds before he can track any call,” Rock whispered.

  And that prompted Diesel to speak.

  “That meeting still on the table?” he asked.

  Lars chuckled. “I knew you’d eventually see it my way.”

  “Meeting or not?”

  “I’m assuming you still want to exchange the girl during this meeting.”

  Diesel grinned. “Of course. Yes.”

  “Well, sure then. She’s a pain in my ass anyway. Must not have quality parenting for a mouth like hers.”

  I snarled, trying my best to swallow my growls. Knox locked his finger in the loop of my jeans, holding me at his side. I looked over at him and he shook his head. The last thing we needed to do was blow this. So, I drew in a deep breath, nodded, and tried my best to settle down.

>   Even that asshole knew I was a fucking bad parent.

  “When and where?” Diesel asked.

  “Fifteen seconds,” Rock whispered.

  “I’ll send you a text with the time and place. Just stick by your phone, yes?” Lars asked.

  “I’m not your pawn. I won’t wait for your beckoning call.”

  “Then, I suppose you really don’t care about this child after all.”

  “Not my job to care. She’s not mine.”

  Diesel tossed me a sorrowful look, trying to apologize with his eyes.

  “Ten seconds,” Rock whispered.

  “Early tomorrow morning. Four A.M. I’ll send you the address of the house,” Lars said.

  “Send it to me while you’re on this call,” Diesel said.

  Rock chastised him with his eyes as Lars chuckled.

  “You really think you can boss me around?” the man asked.

  “I just did, and you followed spectacularly. Let’s try it again,” Diesel said.

  “Five seconds,” Rock whispered.

  Come on, Diesel. Don’t fuck this up.

  And when his cell phone vibrated with a text message, I was stunned.

  “See you there. Otherwise, you’ll never see that girl again long enough to try and save her yourselves,” Lars spat.

  Then, he hung up the phone call. And we had a meeting on the books.

  To try and save a girl we already had in our possession.

  22

  Kaylynn

  I heard the guys talking down the hallway for forever. I didn't know when the hell they’d shut up. But once their voices died down, I heard them filtering back to their rooms. Women up and down the hallway sighed and giggled. Wrapping their arms around the men they loved and pulling them behind closed doors. Must’ve been nice, being loved like that. Being wanted like that. Being needed like that.

  I need to call Alex.

  Just after lunch time, silence fell over the clubhouse. Not a peep to be heard, either from adults or children. Which was odd. But it signaled for me to come out. I crept down the hallways and made my way into the kitchen, trying to figure out what the hell had happened to my phone. Did Ryker put it in his room? Did he stash it somewhere? I got lucky, though.

  Because there, on the kitchen counter, was my phone.

  In pieces.

  I scooped them up quickly and put the phone back together as I rushed back to my room. And the second I turned my phone on, I cursed myself. Thirty percent. If I was lucky, that might get me two hours’ worth of basic time on this piece of shit thing. I scrolled through my missed calls, then dialed my brother’s number as I tucked myself away in the small bathroom.

  And it didn’t even ring twice before he picked up.

  “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

  “Alex, calm down. Take some breaths,” I said.

  “Take some breaths? Have you lost your damn mind, Kay!?”

  “I’m all right. Thanks for asking,” I said flatly.

  “Obviously, you’re fine. If you’re calling and you aren’t breathing heavily or sound like you’re in pain. I knew that man didn’t have it in him to hurt you when you ran out of here with him. What the hell would Mom and Dad think of what you’ve done?”

  “I’m more interested on how to save your life than what to do about our dead parent’s expectations. Which I didn’t live up to anyway, asshole.”

  “And now I see why. Always making the wrong decisions. Like running away with that fucking girl! You get her back here right now.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t do that. So, let’s talk through how to get you out of your own predicament.”

  “Can’t do that without the girl. You know this.”

  “Or you could leave the life you’re living and come back to a crew you apparently tried to pursue at one point in time.”

  He paused. “Who the fuck told you that?”

  “The Dead Souls did. Is it true, Alex? Did you try to become one of them once?”

  He sighed. “I can’t talk about that mission.”

  I paused. “So, you infiltrated them.”

  “I can’t—”

  “I’ve been told you intentionally botched something they were doing. You did it for Dad, didn’t you?”

  “I can’t. Talk about. That mission.”

  I bit back a growl. “You’ve been doing this for years. Even before you took that position after Dad died. You’ve been with these people far longer than I know of, haven’t you?”

  “Someone had to make money to upkeep you seeing as you didn’t want to marry and start your own family.”

  “Don’t you dare lay this on me. I’m fully capable of taking care of myself. I told that to Dad for years.”

  “Says the woman who didn’t have an education and no job prospects other than the ones I brought.”

  “Because you exploited me for that. You made me a victim, just like those children!”

  “That what they’re telling you? That poor old Kay, the daughter of a mafioso, is a victim?”

  I sputtered. “I—you—it—Alex, damn it. Work with me here. Tell me how we can get you out of this.”

  He scoffed. “It’s simple. Bring the girl back. Because if you don’t, I’m dead. You’ve signed my death certificate, and my blood will be on your hands.”

  “I haven’t done anything like that. You did that the second you took this job. The second you walked into this lifestyle and didn’t want to return.”

  “And you think I had a choice in that!?”

  I paused. “What?”

  “You don’t think Dad literally beat this lifestyle into me? What, you think you were the only one that got a belt to the back as a kid!?”

  “Alex, what are you—”

  “Shut the fuck up and know your place for once, Kay. I’m tired of going around in circles with you. I’m tired of listening to your ‘women empowerment’ bullshit while making a living helping me kidnap and keep kids my boss holds in order to get his way. Get me that fucking girl back, or we’re both dead. That girl, too. Because my boss won’t stop until she’s hunted down and slaughtered like the rest of us.”

  Tears welled in my eyes. “I trust the people I’m with, Alex. You’ve spent time with them, too. Not much time. But enough. You know what they’re capable of. Just come find us. I’ll even tell you where we are.”

  “You barely know them. Just like I barely knew them. So, if you don’t want to do what has to be done, then I’ll do what has to be done.”

  “What?” I asked breathlessly.

  “Goodbye, sister. You better pray I find a way out of this. Because right now? I’m your only buffer between your death and Lars’ wrath.”

  He hung up the phone on me and I found it hard to breathe. The phone fell from my hand, clattering to the floor as I tried catching my breath. My back fell against the wall. I put my face in my hands. And as I openly sobbed, a pair of warm, familiar arms wrapped around me.

  “It’s going to be all right, Kaylynn. I promise you,” Ryker murmured.

  “Why the fuck do you keep coming into my room?” I asked through my tears.

  He kissed the top of my head and pulled me into his embrace. My face fell against his chest, burying itself away from the world. I wrapped my arms around him. I fisted the back of his shirt. My legs felt weak as my knees trembled, and Ryker must’ve felt it. Because he slowly walked us over to the bed and sat down.

  With me falling into his lap.

  “You can’t use your phone any longer,” he said softly. “Not until this is all wrapped up and we know you’re safe.”

  “I’ll never be safe,” I choked out.

  “That’s not true. You’re safe so long as you’re with me.”

  “I’ve just killed my brother.”

  “No, you haven’t.”

  “To him, I have.”

  “Well, he doesn’t understand the plan we’ve got in place. The plan Diesel is going to enact tomorrow morning. And if all g
oes according to plan, we’ll all be safe after. Okay?”

  I sniffled. “How do you know?”

  He chuckled. “I just do, sweet girl. Okay? Just trust me, and know that whatever happens, you’re going to be okay.”

  “I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about my brother.”

  “I know.”

  I pulled away from him, looking straight into his eyes. His hand slid up and down my back, trying to comfort me as my breathing came in short spurts. I couldn't control it. The shaking of my body raged throughout my system. My shuddered breaths ticked up my heartbeat, which raced it so badly my stomach felt sick.

  “You have to breathe for me. Breathe, Kaylynn.”

  “I ca-ca-ca-can’t, Ryker. I—I—I—I—”

  His lips fell against mine and my entire body stilled. What was once out of whack slowly found its rhythm as his tongue slid against the slit of my mouth. I opened up for him. I wrapped my arms around his neck. I breathed the air he afforded me as his hands massaged my lower back. I shifted in his lap, straddling him as he stayed seated against the edge of the bed.

  And as my heart rate slowed down, my body settled back into place.

  “How’s that?” Ryker murmured.

  “Get back here,” I whispered.

  I fisted his hair, pulling him back to my lips. He chuckled down my throat as I pressed deeper into him, grinding against his swollen girth. His arms wrapped around me. He whipped me around and settled my back against the bed. He brushed my hair out of my face before kissing down my neck, nibbling softly against my skin.

  And oh, how I moaned for him.

  He inched my clothes off, revealing me for his eyes only. He pinned my knees open, lapping up my pussy as my folds blossomed for him. I rocked against his face. His stubble raked against my dripping lips. My juices slid down my ass crack, coating my holes as his fingers explored me.

  Penetrating me.

  Filling me as his name fell from my lips.

  “Ryker. Ryker. Oh, fuck. Ry—ker—I—you—”

  He pumped me, his fingers filling every hole they could find. He stretched me in ways I’d never felt before, and my eyes rolled back so far, my head ached. Stars burst in my darkened vision. My toes curled as his body physically pinned my legs open. I shook as my muscles contracted. Spraying his face with hot arousal as his growls filled the room.