Page 51 of Ryder

“I wouldn’t do anything stupid if I was you, Finn, look around.” My eyes trail over the men that appear from the shadows, all dressed in black, all armed. Finn is outnumbered, but he presses the blade harder into my skin and I begin to feel panic. He only wants Ryder to feel pain, and seeing my throat cut, would give him the best results.

“You’re making a huge mistake, Ryder.”

“Bigger than letting you live when I had the perfect opportunity to kill you?” asks Ryder. “I should have chased you down instead of comforting Alice. I should have slit your damn throat.”

“Do you know what she told me, what she said before I pushed her?” Finn taunts. Ryder remains quiet and Finn laughs. “She told me she was pregnant with your fucking kid, pregnant by a scumbag.”

Ryder remains calm but I can tell by the tick of his jaw this is new information to him. Finn continues, “She came to tell me it was over, she was leaving me because you and her were out in the open. Stupid bitch. There was no way I was letting her leave me for you, and then, even after all of that, you go after my wife. You must like my cast offs.”

Ryder glares hard. “So then you let me take the blame for her death, even though it was you all along.”

“Boo fucking who. You couldn’t just leave it could you. You had to come and try and ruin me. Well fuck you. Have this stupid whore, she’s useless to me anyway.” He shoves me towards Ryder who catches me, sagging in relief as he grips me to him.

Suddenly, the place is bathed in blue. Police cars surround us. “Armed Police. Drop your weapons,” shouts an officer.

I cling to Ryder harder, pushing my face into his chest. “Baby,” he whispers, letting go of me. “We have to step apart, they aren’t fucking about.”

“No,” I murmur, refusing to move.

“They have guns, Neve. Let me go. You’re safe now.”

A female officer gently take my arm. “Come with me,” she whispers.

Ryder

Officers begin to cuff men. The chief of police comes over and Griff hands over the recording device. “Well done,” he says, patting him on the back. “I’ll be in touch.”

“I’m sure you will,” Griff utters. He hadn’t been keen on making a deal, or even approaching the chief, but we had no choice. It was taking too long to get to Neve and this was the perfect opportunity to get Finn for what he did to Alice. Apparently, the chief had been playing Finn all along. The dinners and golf had all been a ploy to find out more about the shady shit he was doing. We decided to partner and nail the bastard. Plus the chief agreed to help us secure custody of Harlee and get an injunction against Finn, which means safety for my old lady.

“Where’s Neve?” I ask and the chief points to a nearby police car.

“Ryder, you need to know that we found the house where Neve was kept. Harlee wasn’t there.” I give a nod, I’d suspected as much.

I go over to the car and the second Neve sees me, she climbs out, releasing the hands of the other two girls who are sobbing in relief.

“Have they got Harlee?” she asks.

I shake my head and she pales. “They’re working on it Siren. We’ll get her back.”

“His house maid took her. Her name is Mary. She lost her own child. She looked after Finn when he was a kid.”

“Okay baby, okay. I’ll tell the chief. We’ll get her back I promise.”

Chapter Twenty

Neve

The mud caked to my skin is now dry, pulling it tight. As I climb from the car and stare up at the clubhouse, Ryder wraps his kutte around me. I glance at Griff as he leads Malia and Adelina into the club. “You’re safe now,” says Ryder, kissing her on the head.

“What will happen to the other two?” I ask.

He shrugs, “The chief wasn’t happy about us bringing them back here, they’re here illegally,” he says. “But I hope we can swing a deal to help them.” He places a hand at the small of my back and we go inside. “Go and shower, I’ll make you a hot drink.”

I get to the top of the stairs, loving the feel of carpet under my toes. I glance at the room where Harlee had slept and gently push the door. Surprised when I see Sassy curled up asleep on the bed, with Alfie. Tears fill my eyes and I feel Ryder rush up behind me, like he’s suddenly remembered his ex was here.

“Siren, it isn’t what it looks like,” he mutters.

“It’s fine,” I whisper, swiping at my tears. “I just needed to smell her pillow,” I add, almost laughing at how ridiculous that sounds out loud. “but it’s fine.” I rush to his bedroom.

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