Page 1 of Prince of Pain

Prologue

Ryder

Six Months Ago

“Your girlfriend’s here,” Peter chuckled as he dropped the playing cards onto the table before pushing back from his seat, giving me a knowing look. “I’ll give you some privacy.”

I didn’t have a girlfriend, and I never would. Peter had just been stuck in this shitty rehab facility with me for the last couple of months, so he saw who came to visit me more than others.

My family visited as often as possible, but it was difficult because the center wouldn’t allow my mom to bring all nine of my dads with her each time, let alone my siblings.

The only person I’d seen regularly without fail had been the one girl who should’ve been running the fuck away from me.

Well, I should’ve been running from her, I wasn’t sure who was more toxic at this point.

I glanced over my shoulder towards the patio doors that led inside to the front desk, my eyes landing on Tempest Hendricks as she walked towards me, swinging her hips in a tight leather mini skirt with a netted shirt that only had a black bra underneath.

Her black stilettos clicked loudly on the floor as she opened the door and stepped outside, her tempting blood red lips kicking up into a smirk.

“Hey, Ry.”

My dick jerked from her voice alone, and I mentally scolded myself for my lack of control. We weren’t friends as such, but we kept each other's demons at bay when it was needed.

Memories plagued me of her bleached blonde hair wrapped around my fist as I slammed into her from behind, and I shook my head slightly to clear them as she sat in Peter’s vacated seat across from me.

“Hey. I didn’t know you were coming today,” I smiled, my eyes raking over her shamelessly.

I was stuck in rehab for fucking myself up on too much alcohol and drugs, so being around the female version of myself was a bad idea. We understood each other though, and I continued to be drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

She placed her elbows on the table, leaning forward with a light chuckle. “Did you have plans?”

“No. You were here on Tuesday, so I didn’t think I’d see you for at least a week. How’s Luna?” I asked, hating how her face screwed up into a nasty scowl.

“Do you love her or something? Why do you give a shit so badly?”

“Jesus, Temp,” I huffed, crossing my arms against my chest. “Sue me for worrying about her after what I did.”

“Everyone’s making a big deal out of nothing. She’s just fucking sensitive,” she spat, and I fought not to roll my eyes. Her younger sister was one of many things that set her off.

Luna was like family to me. She was soft, naive, and people had a habit of walking all over her. She’d been my sister Riley’s best friend forever, and they’d started dating a couple of months ago.

She was the reason I’d ended up in this place. Not because she’d demanded that I sort my life out, but because I’d been so fucked up on a random concoction of pills at the racetrack a few months ago, that I’d sexually assaulted her.

I’d been pushy, grabbing her ass and trying to convince her to go home with me because I was a goddamn mess. I’d scared the absolute shit out of her, and I was drowning in guilt because of it.

No girl deserved that, and as much as people kept saying it wasn’t like I’d raped her, that didn’t mean it meant less. I’d been in her personal space and ignored her when she’d told me to back off.

I’d never forgive myself for that, even if she had.

She was way too fucking sweet, and as much as I wished she hated me for what I’d done, I was grateful that she was happy to see me getting the help I needed.

I would see her in a little over a week and could apologize to her and Riley’s faces so they knew how serious I was about the hurt I’d caused.

It had taken a couple of months for Riley to calm down enough to agree to let me see Luna, understandably.

I leaned forward on the table like Tempest had done, giving her a stern look. “If Luna was uncomfortable with my actions, then that’s not her being sensitive. No one’s allowed to touch another person without consent.”

“It’s not like you asked before fucking me that first time.”

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