Page 81 of Breaking the Rules (Roaming Devils MC 1)

Chapter Fifteen

When Ella had been in the fourth grade, she played a game of playground softball. One of the boys threw a ball at her face and busted her lip, sending her loose tooth flying into the field. She spent two hours on her hands and knees looking for it, convinced that the tooth fairy wouldn’t visit her if she didn’t have the tooth.

She groaned as she opened her eyes. Why getting an elbow to the face made her think of that story was beyond her. The bruised face hurt worse than a busted lip. She glanced over at Ryker, who stared back at her with concern. She knew how it looked. No one would ever believe that he’d done it accidentally. Her mother was already convinced that he’d beat the shit out of her, and with his prior assault history, their accident looked really bad to the unknowing eye. That was the whole reason she’d fabricated her story to the hospital. He didn’t need to be associated with it or all hell would break loose.

He’d been in a trance. Whatever went through his mind surrounded him as if it were real. Blood had poured from her nose while tears had filled his eyes. God, she hated that look. It was the same look he’d given her in the room at the clubhouse when he’d been high. It broke her heart to even think about it.

“You’re going to fuck up.” She closed her eyes. “This is just a big fuck up.”

“I’m sorry, Ella.” He sat up and turned toward her. “I’m so sorry.”

She blew out a breath. “Stop saying you’re sorry.” She sat up and pushed the covers back to stand. “No more. I forgave you the moment it happened. I know it wasn’t intentional. I made up a story to protect you, so stop saying you’re sorry. I’m okay.”

She stretched and walked to the bathroom. After using the facilities, she went back to find him damn near tears in their bed.

“Ryker,” she wrapped her arms around him, carefully avoiding accidentally bumping her cheek against his head, “what’s wrong?”

“I shouldn’t have given in to you that first night.” He swallowed. “I was so damn selfish because I wanted you and I knew that I was no good for you. Nothing good will come from you being with me. I’m going to hurt you. It’s who I am.”

She pulled back and stared into his haunted eyes. “You’re not your father.”

She knew it had something to do with what happened. His reasoning was vague but he hadn’t killed Razor even though that was what he’d set out to do. She kissed his forehead.

“I think you should take the job in DC.” He pulled her arms from him and stood. “I need to go to the club.”

She watched as he snatched his clothes from the dresser and left the room in his boxers. Ella sighed. She didn’t know how to help him. He hadn’t told her the full story that had started this mess and she shook her head at her need for asking him. If she’d just left things alone. But no. She had to ask the question. She had to bring it up.

After getting ready for work, she decided to meet her father for breakfast. She had to do poison control that week, so the hours were slightly more lenient. She did her best to cover the bruising with makeup, but the swelling was still visible. When her father saw her, his expression went stone cold.

“What happened?”

“Junkie jumped me at the clinic. Nothing is broken. I’m fine.”

“At the clinic? I thought you were in the ER yesterday?” He pulled out a chair for her at the restaurant. “Why were you at the clinic?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” She smiled at the waitress and ordered a coffee along with a country breakfast. “I’m worried about Ryker, though. He’s really not in a good frame of mind right now, and I don’t know how to help him.”

“What do you mean?” he asked her, cop face in place. “What did he say about the junkie that hit you?”

She hesitated. Her brain wasn’t firing on all pistons and her cheeks felt like a squirrel packing in acorns for the winter. She met his eyes, unsure of what to say.

“I’m going to kill him.” Her father shoved his seat back. The legs of the chair screeched along the linoleum. Ella grabbed his arm, but he easily got past her. She watched as he stalked out of the building, blowing out a breath of air.

The waitress came back with her food and Ella asked for a to-go box. The whole situation between him and Ryker was getting out of hand. They would never be able to stay in the same room together. She didn’t know what she was going to do.

Making a quick call to her boss, she let him know she was running late. Then she headed to the clubhouse to—she hoped—stop the fight before it started.

She was too late.

Rushing inside, she found Ryker and her father throwing punches at one another with several scary-looking bikers gathering around with bats and metal bars. What the fuck? She pushed through the crowd.

“Stop it!” Ella screamed as her father threw a punch at Ryker.

She desperately searched for Vampire and Superman, who stood off to the side, watching. “Do something!”

Vampire pushed away from the wall he stood against and walked toward her. “You don’t need to be here.”

She stared at him. “Where the fuck am I going to go? Do something.”

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