Page 23 of Ryder

He opens it and I take a step back. He’s looking pale and tired. There are dark circles under his eyes and he’s missing that annoying grin that’s always plastered on his face. “I just wanted to check if everything was okay because I haven’t heard from Ryder since Tuesday and it’s now the weekend and he hasn’t answered my calls.” I feel my cheeks redden with embarrassment. I feel like a desperate idiot now I’ve said the words out loud.

He opens the door wider without a word and heads back inside. I follow to the kitchen where a topless blond guy is sitting drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. He doesn’t look like a biker, and I haven’t seen him with the guys before and when he looks up to see me, he smiles, only confirming my suspicions because the guys never smile . . . apart from Griff.

“Corey meet my neighbour, Neve,” Griff mutters, sitting down at the table. He points to an empty chair and I sit too. “Ryder ain’t mad at you,” he adds, taking Corey’s coffee and sipping it.

“We argued on Tuesday, I asked him to give me space,” I confess.

“He’s hit the road,” he explains.

“What does that mean?”

“It means he’s off radar.”

“Until when?” I ask, wondering if he does this sort of thing regular.

Griff shrugs and then taking pity on me he adds, “It’s not you he’s running from. It’s me. He found something out and this is his way of dealing with it.”

“Or not,” mutters Corey.

“So you’ve spoken to him?” I ask.

“No. He text me to say he’s taking some time out.”

I push down the hurt feeling his words cause me. The fact he’s not even answered me, when I clearly pointed out I was worried, pisses me off. “Well, at least he’s okay. Sorry to have bothered you,” I say, rising to my feet.

“Why did you argue?” Griff asks.

“I met his ex, Sassy,” I tell him.

He gives low whistle, “She’s a cold bitch.”

I nod in agreement. “I was jealous,” I admit, “and I told him I needed space to clear my head. Stupid really,” I mutter. Ryder was only trying to help but I was so pissed about the whole Sassy thing, I overreacted. “What did he find out about?” I ask.

Griff gives a small unamused laugh. “He caught me fucking Corey.”

I stare back and forth between the pair, waiting for one of them to laugh like it’s a joke but when they don’t, I say, “Mya will be so relieved, she thought it was her.”

Griff laughs, “I told her not to take it personally. If I was into women, she’d be first on my list.”

“So Ryder just took off?” I ask, and the pain returns to Griff’s face.

“I should have told him. There was no reason not to. The other guys in the club know. But with Ryder being inside, I just never found the right time to tell him. I even took this house so he wouldn’t find out.” He groans rubbing his tired face. “I fucked up. He hates secrets.” He stands as I head for the door. “Look, I’ll text him and tell him to call you. It’s not fair for him to ghost you like this.”

I open the front door, “God no, please don’t do that. I don’t want the pity text. Look Harlee is at her father’s tonight. Why don’t we get together and have a few drinks. There’s no reason we can’t get along just because your brother is an arse,” I suggest. Griff looks like he needs a friend right now, one without balls and tattoos.

Griff nods. “I’d like that, Siren. Consider it a date.”

Chapter Eleven

Ryder

I stop my bike on the roadside and stare at the bar where Neve is inside. I track her phone. Not that she’s aware, but I needed to know she was safe from that prick, Finn. And when shit gets real, he’s going to up his games and I have to be prepared.

I’ve spent the last few days just riding and fuck it’s felt good. I’ve missed the road and if I didn’t have Neve back here waiting for me, I’d consider doing that shit permanently. But it worked, it cleared my mind and now I know I want her more than anything.

I watch as my brother lifts Neve onto a table and they begin to sing a bad version of Meatloaf’s ‘I’ll do anything for love, but I won’t do that.’ They’re yelling more than singing and it’s loud enough for me to hear from over the street.

Griff joins her on the table and I spot Corey watching. My heart twists. I hate he couldn’t come to me and be honest about his sexuality. I’d never look at him any differently, he’s my little brother and I love him.

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