Page 29 of Laying it Bare Biker Style: Ryder

Grayson and I moved to stand near theback beside Gage and Axel.

After they were situated, Pipaddressed our group. “Brutal Demons have been slowly inching theirway into our area and I’m not just concerned about them taking overour properties and businesses. Although not confirmed, we highlysuspect they are working with the cartel in trafficking women,stealing weapons, and dealing in drugs. We had an informant relaysome of those details after a few of these incidents. We haven’tbeen able to catch them in the act. They cover up their tracks toocarefully and we’ve had close calls where members have barelyescaped with their lives. A few of us have also come across theirlate night meetings with local law enforcement as well as judges,but have not been able to get close enough to hear. But the lastcouple of months when we’ve been at each other’s throats for thingsand then later discover that neither side was at fault justprovides more evidence that our suspicions are correct.”

“So you want to worktogether with us?” Remus folded his arms across hischest.

“No. I know you guys wouldnever go for that. But just help us keep an eye and don’t jump toconclusions anymore so that we don’t miss anymore shit going onright in front of us. If something were to happen down the roadwhere we would need to join forces for the safety of both of ourclubs’ members, I would hope you guys would help us out. But rightnow, I think we need to not be so quick to jump at each other sothat we are more aware of the real threat.”

Remus scratched at his beard. “I don’tsee a problem in that. And we can reconvene if things escalate withthis group. So for now, we won’t be so quick to accuse and reactuntil we know more details concerning the situation. We’ve had badblood between our groups, but maybe now is the time to really focuson moving past that and live congenially and hope that we can finda way to make that work. That way we keep both clubs’ interests andsafety secured.”

“Thank you. We wouldappreciate that and will do the same. One more thing, Wasp wantsSage. He came back to our club for her.”

Red hot rage coiled in my stomach asecond before it pulsed through my veins. I shoved from my spot atthe back wall, ready to tackle him to the floor and beat the fuckout of him, when Grayson, Gage, and Axel grabbed me.

“Keep your cool, Bro. She’snot going anywhere.” Grayson barked in my ear.

“She’s my Old Lady now! Youguys figure something else out!” I shouted. “She’s not any part ofany deal we make here.”

“Enough, Ryder.” Remusswung his steely gaze to me. “I would never turn over one of ourclaimed girls to another club. You know better than that. Even withthese unusual circumstances. Get yourself under control and let theguy finish. I took this as a warning for us to be even morevigilant, nothing more.”

Even to my own ears, my reaction wasover the top, but she was mine to protect. But was that really allit was? I visibly shook myself to get my thoughts into betterworking order. It couldn’t be anything else.

“It’s okay. I deserved hisanger. I won’t drudge up the past, but I can understand thehostility.” Pip gave me a strange look that bordered on regret, butI was still too pissed off to believe or acknowledge it. “We didn’tgive out any information on her whereabouts. We played it like wehad thought he had taken her with him that night because she neverreturned to us. But I wanted you to know that so you would takeextra precautions. We’ll let you guys get back to your stuff. Weappreciate you hearing us out.” With that, Pip strolled to the exitwith his brothers following.

“I said my piece. Now allof you get the fuck out of this room. I have a horny Old Lady toget home to so you guys do whatever you want, but I’m leaving.”Giving us a nod, Remus strode to the door and was gone.

“I’m heading out too, thatway Angel and Misti can get back to whatever they were doing. Seeyou guys later.”

Axel and Gage exchanged confused lookswhile Grayson gave me his smug smile.

After thanking Angel and Misti forheading to the club on short notice, I collected Sage and we headedhome. She was overly quiet, but I shrugged it off as too muchexcitement to deal with and the fact she was still processing alot. And even though she slept in my arms again, she seemed to haveput some distance between us.

The next day, I dropped her off at therestaurant and then busied myself with the car restoration. Thenwhen one o’clock rolled around, I paused to ride over to TwistedEats for lunch with Sage and then brought her back with me untilthe end of my work day. Once again, she was rather subdued.However, she did engage in small talk about enjoying her work evenwhen the rushes came in because Randy always helped her out whenshe got overwhelmed. He was lucky he was married because I washighly suspicious that he was sweet on Sage.

When five o’clock rolled around, Sageand I strolled out to my bike. Just as I was getting ready to starther up, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Remus’ name flashed on myscreen so I swiped to answer. “Hey, Remus, what’s up?”

“Can you head down to thePyro’s tattoo place? Seems a bit of a mob is stationed there and Idon’t want any trouble. I’m going to wager a guess it’s amisunderstanding, but fuck didn’t we cover this last night?” Remus’heavy sigh rushed down the line.

“I’m leaving work now soI’ll swing by.” Ending the call, I returned the phone to my pocketand shook my head. They were such dumb fucks.

Sage studied my expression.“Everything okay?”

“Probably. We’re going tostop at Pyro’s Ink on the way home and see what is going on there.Hopefully we won’t be long.” I started my bike and drove in thedirection of their tattoo shop.

When I pulled along the street acrossfrom the shop, I was irritated to discover there was indeed a bitof a crowd along the sidewalk in front of their place. TakingSage’s hand, I tugged her over to the gathering. The shop sat offof the street a good fifteen yards and the back of the buildingstretched into the woods. Stepping alongside some of my brothers, Idirected my frustrated gaze to Pip. “What the fuck is going onhere?”

The brothers standing beside himstarted grumbling all at once so a few of my brothers blasted themback until I wanted to throttle them all.

However before I could deliver anyviolence, Sage jerked on my hand. “Ryder, someone in a dark hoodieis running from the back of their building.”

Alarm rushed through me and sank lowin my stomach. “Everyone move away from the building,now!”

Tucking Sage into my side, I barelymade it three steps when the right side of the building exploded,shaking the ground and knocking the two of us down. I covered herwith my body as debris and thick smoke rained down all aroundus.

Six

~Sage~

One minute I was standing beside Ryderand the next I was on the ground with him as a human blanketprotecting me from the dust, smoke, and debris filling the airaround us. In the ensuing chaos of people yelling and pullingrubble off of their brothers, a strong hand gripped my upper armroughly and tried to drag me along with him. I jerked my gaze inhis direction to tell him I was fine and was met with the side viewof the hooded guy who had been running from the back of the shoponly moments ago.

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