Page 60 of Ryder

“So what’s the plan?” Tag grunts. “We're gonna need numbers.”

“Or we can make a bargain with Razor,” Priest suggests.

“We don’t bargain.” Cash points at him. “If he knows we want Crystal, he’ll kill her just to get to us.”

From what I’ve heard about this piece of shit, Cash isn’t far off.

“Need the element of surprise,” Harlem says. “Catch them off guard. We’ve got numbers, maybe not as many as them, but we can call in some favors. The Irish always need allies.”

The Irish mafia run most of the city’s underworld, and keep the Italian mob out of town. We’ve never had dealings with them yet, but that sure looks like it’s about to change.

“So, we’re gonna go get her, right? Is that the plan?” I look from one to the other.

“First gotta be sure that she’s there,” Priest points out. He turns to Jett.

“Already on it,” Jett says. “It’s gonna take some work, but if I can tap into the security cameras near the clubhouse, I’ll be able to see if that’s where he took her.”

“Fuck,” I mutter. “And if he hasn’t?”

All the faces around the table turn to look at me. We all know what it means: it could be finding a needle in a haystack. If I focus on what Crystal could be doing right now, I know I’ll go out of my mind.

Why has it taken me until now to realize that Crystal is the one?

Why am I always a day late and a dollar short?

It’s the story of my goddamn life.

Now she’s hurt because of me. I should’ve put a stop to this. I could have ended this a lot sooner. If I’d taken the time to snoop when I first thought about it, then she may not be in this mess right now.

The rage I feel inside is nuclear. Luca — he doesn’t even know anything yet. Her parents? They’re going to freak the fuck out.

I take a breath. The only thing that doesn’t have me storming out of here and over to that motherfucking clubhouse is that they may hurt Crystal if they see us coming. I’ll admit, it’s hard to be rational when it’s not just your life flashing before your eyes, it’s the one you care about the most.

“If he hasn’t taken her there, we will start a massive search,” Bronco says. “Can’t even rule out the pigs on this one.”

A few mutters ring out around the members. None of us are fond of the police, but sometimes they do have their place and we’ll use them as a last resort.

“Like Cash said, Razor will hurt Crystal just to get to us,” Harlem says across the table. “We gotta play this right to make sure she doesn’t get hurt.”

What is the right fucking way? How am I supposed to know what to do?

“If we don’t act soon, fuck knows what he’s gonna do to her. We know about their ties to trafficking. This fucker is unstable, he’ll put her on a bus out to nowhere just to get back at her,” I say. “Then that’ll be that?—”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Cash has always had an authoritative tone that I usually have no choice but to listen to. But now I just want to knock his head clean off his shoulders. This is the woman I love. And we’re just sitting around here talking about it. “This is what’s gonna happen. Nevada and JJ will report back shortly. Jett’s gonna check the security cameras around the clubhouse, then we’re gonna move. We’re gonna bring her back, son.”

I’m desperate. Fucking desperate.

I should call Luca. He’d want to know.

But the only thing that stops me is the idea that Rifle could’ve already kil—No!No. I can’t think like that. I don’t know how, but I would feel it. If Crystal wasn’t breathing the same air as me, I would know. I’m sure of it.

We might have had our ups and downs over the years, but we’ve always had a connection I can’t fully explain. This may haunt me for the rest of my life, but what will really stick the knife in is not getting to her when I had the chance. I will never forgive myself for that. Leaving her alone. Knowing he was out there, and I still rode away to come and talk to Cash. All the while, he was there, hurting her. He made her bleed. There is nothing that anyone can say or do that’s going to change the fact. Seeing her blood will haunt me for the rest of my days. My beautiful princess.

There is nowhere that this prick can hide that I won’t find him. And if that means going to jail, so be it. I’ve never cared about my life that much, and I would certainly put mine on the line to save hers.

It can’t be too late.

I’m coming, Crystal.

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