Page 33 of Ryder

“I know this is a lot, but I do want to thank you for agreeing to come with me,” he says, and the sincerity in his voice is heartwarming.

Sitting back in my chair, I turn my head to face him. “Ryder, I wanted to go with you. This is all a lot to get used to, you know?” I say.

I know he can tell that I don’t just mean the celebrity status he holds, but the lifestyle and my own demons that keep chasing me.

Taking my hand, Ryder interlocks our fingers. Such a simple gesture, but it holds so much meaning.

“As I told you before, Scarlett, I want you. And, when I want something, I know how to be patient.”

I exhale a deep breath. This is so much harder than it should be. Why can’t I just be normal and allow this amazing man to care for me? I hate my ex more than anything. He broke my heart, and now I have to work hard to mend it back together again.

“I just need time to figure everything out,” I say through my yawn. The early flight is finally getting to me, and I can feel myself growing tired. This conversation is heavy, and we should both be more awake and alert. Plus, I need time to think. I don’t want to keep running from Ryder, but I have to find a way to fix myself.

“I can wait,” he says, then closes his eyes and pulls his earbuds on.

The flight begins to take off, and I close my eyes and hope that whatever comes next, I can be brave enough to tell Ryder how I really feel.

Chapter 19

Scarlett

We landed in Kentucky a little over five hours after we departed from Los Angeles. I had never traveled to Kentucky before, so of course, I had done a little research before we left. All I knew was that Kentucky was known as the Bluegrass state and famous for its elite horse racing and bourbon.

We arrived at the Bluegrass airport and had another limousine waiting for us. I was starting to like these amenities that came with knowing Ryder Raven. We drove through the busy city traffic, and I marveled at all of the green that I saw. In California, we didn’t have this much natural green landscaping. It was amazing.

As we traveled further out of town, we made our way to the outskirts of Lexington. I saw the sign for Hollow Cove, and a wave of nervousness washed over me. I had no idea why I felt this way. Ryder had a broad boyish grin on his face, and his happiness radiated off him in waves.

“You are really excited to be here, aren’t you?” I ask, watching him admire the scenery outside of the car window.

“Yes, sometimes you need to go home,” he says.

I wish I could relate to that sentiment. I ran away from home, while Ryder was running toward his.

“So, any advice or warnings before I travel into the world of the Ravens?” I ask coyly.

This causes Ryder to turn his attention back to inside the vehicle finally. He thinks over this, and I can see the naughtiness building.

“Well, you are about to become immersed in a world full of guys with tattoos, biker clubs, bars, and filthy language,” he laughs.

“Oh, so not very different from you,” I joke.

Ryder offers a hearty laugh at this, and we both crack up for a minute. With Ryder, it’s so easy to be light and carefree. Even though his celebrity status, he still manages to remain down to earth and connected with his roots. Seeing his brother, Axel, was a great insight into his world, so hopefully, I wasn’t in for as big a shock as Ryder made it seem.

After a few more minutes, the car slowed down, and I moved closer to the window. Outside, I spotted a full parking lot with various motorcycles parked everywhere. A bar sat in the middle of the lot, loud music heard even through the car.

Offering me his hand, Ryder moved to open the door. “Welcome to the world of the Ravens,” he said, before opening the door.

Stumbling out, I was met with a couple walking past us, glaring at me like I didn’t belong. In my denim black jeans, rose gold top, and gold sandals, I guess I wasn’t fitting in. The woman wore leather pants and a blood-red shirt. The man had worn jeans, and a black vest with patches sewn all over.

“Should I change?” I ask, suddenly feeling very uneasy.

“Nah, just wait until you meet Axel’s wife, Ivy. I think you two will get along,” Ryder smirks.

Not sure what that means, I follow his lead as he begins to walk inside of the bar. Once the doors open, I spot neon green signs on the walls. A band played in the back, and a few people swayed side-to-side as they listened to the heavy metal music. Behind the bar, I saw a picture of a group of guys that held a strong resemblance to Ryder.

“So, who owns this bar?” I asked.

Earlier, Ryder had tried to fill me in on the information I needed, but there were so many Raven’s or friends, it was hard to keep them all in order.

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