Page 61 of Breaking the Rules (Roaming Devils MC 1)

“Ella.” Ryker rubbed his forehead. “Okay. Your father is the least of our problems right now. I’ll see you when you get home.”

He leaned in to kiss her. His lips were warm against hers and she cupped his scruffy cheek as her lips parted. Maybe dating a cop’s daughter wasn’t his ideal choice of a partner, but it was what he got. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer as he kissed her.

“Quit,” she giggled. “You’ve got company and I need to go.”

“I’ll kick them out right now and you can stay home with me.”

“Not happening.” She kissed him. “Have fun with your boy scout meeting. I’m going to eat.”

She extracted herself from him and left. Her parents lived on the north side of Atlanta, in a suburb on the outskirts of the city. It was a nice neighborhood that was tucked away from crime. She knew her father’s neighbors liked having him around. He made people feel safe and she liked that about him.

She parked her car in the drive and got out. Her parents’ house was lit up and she actually felt good about visiting them. She missed her daily phone conversations with her father. With Ryker and the stabbing, they hadn’t talked much.

The front door was unlocked and she let herself in. Her mother had fixed enchiladas and her stomach growled at the smell of them.

“Mom?” She set her stuff down and walked to the kitchen, where she found her mother on the phone. She waved at her before going to the dish of food she had on the center island.

“I know. We’ll talk later. Ella just walked in the door.” Her mother nodded before making a motion with her hand that the person wouldn’t stop talking. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye.”

She hung up. “Two hours later and I still don’t know if the high school greenhouse has my flowers.”

Ella smiled. “Let me guess. Margie.”

“Yes, Margie.” Her mother pulled her into a hug. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” She hugged her mother back. “Hungry.”

“Well, there’s plenty.” She glanced around. “Where’s Ryker?”

Ella rolled her eyes. “He didn’t want to come.”

Her mother nodded. “Are you two doing okay?”

“Oh, yeah. We’re great.” She smiled.

Her mother studied her. “He doesn’t hit you, does he?”

“What? No. Mom, where did you get that idea?”

Concern filled her face. “Margie’s daughter dated a biker. He beat her. He knocked her up, too, but she won’t admit that. They’re planning on raising her kid themselves. She’s just nineteen.”

Ella shook her head. “No. Ryker doesn’t beat me. He’s never hit me.”

“Well, they don’t start out that way. It’s all sex and fun in the beginning. Then she said something he didn’t like and the next thing Margie knew Anna’s got a black eye and a bloody lip.”

“Mom, Ryker would never do that. Not to me.”

Ella could tell that her mother didn’t believe her. She could only imagine how it seemed. Ryker was rough around the edges and played that image well. He was a former drug addict. He still dabbled in illegal activities. But he’d never hurt her.

“I hope not. You’d tell your dad if he did, wouldn’t you?”

Her father walked around the corner. “Tell me what?”

Ella pushed away from the island. “Mom thinks Ryker is going to beat me.”

He glanced over at his wife. “Why?”

“Margie’s daughter dated that biker. He knocked her up and beat her.”

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