Page 1 of Ruger
Chapter 1
Ruger
I scratch the back of my head, my fingers scraping through my black buzz cut. I was called into the Riders of Retribution’s chaplain’s office, and chances are that whatever Reaper has to say to me has to do with my best friend, Blade. The bastard got himself caught in an operation a while back and just got sentenced to five years in prison.
When I get to Reaper’s office, I rap my knuckles against the door. There are two voices coming from behind the door, one of them Reaper’s, and the other a woman’s that I don’t recognize. The talking stops, and after a second, Reaper calls me inside.
“Ruger,” he says, nodding at me in greeting. “Thanks for coming so quickly.”
“Yeah,” I say as my eyes drift to the woman that’s sitting in a chair in the corner of the room.
She’s gorgeous. Long, red hair cascades down her back, draping over her shoulders and over her chest. Her bright, green eyes roam over my face. When our eyes lock, something like electricity passes between us.
I’m not sure why she’s here, and I have no clue how long she’s going to stay. But I know for a fucking fact that I’m going to stand outside this office until she leaves. I need to know more about her. I need to knoweverythingabout her.
But something about her is familiar. Maybe I’ve seen her somewhere before…
“I talked to Blade today,” Reaper says as the realization hits me. Ihaveseen this girl before. “He’s left some instructions for you.”
“I assume it has something to do with you, Marigold,” I say, watching as Blade’s little sister turns bright red at the sound of her name on my lips.
Fuck, she’s gorgeous. When the fuck did she turn into such a pretty little thing?
“It is,” Reaper says, pulling my attention away from Marigold. There’s a look on his face that tells me to behave. “You know, he did us all a favor by keeping his mouth shut about what was going on. That’s what got him thrown in prison. He could have thrown half of this MC under the bus.”
“I’m aware,” I say, rolling my neck, wondering why the hell he’s buttering me up like this. Blade’s my best friend. I’d do whatever I can to help him out while he’s locked up. “What does he need?”
“He needs you to keep an eye on Marigold,” Ruger tells me, glancing at the girl in question. She’s blushing and looking at the floor, almost like she’s embarrassed. “He said that if anyone touches a hair on her head, you’re going to be sorry.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I say, immediately trying to reign in my thoughts. I’m not stupid enough to think that Blade would be okay with my fucking his sister while he’s in prison. In fact, I’m pretty sure he’d be even more ruthless with me than he would be with anyone else. I turn my attention to Marigold, waiting for her to meet my gaze again. “I’m going to keep you safe, Marigold. As long as your brother’s locked up, I’ll make sure no one touches you.”
She nods at me, giving me the cutest fucking’ smile I’ve seen in my life. Right then, I decide that I’m going to do everything in my power to keep her smiling. Even after Blade gets back, this girl’s happiness is my priority.
Almost without my permission, my gaze drifts down her body. Before I’m able to properly admire her, I notice a bag at her feet. She shifts slightly, clearing her throat. Then, she speaks for the first time, and her voice is just as beautiful as she is.
“I’m going to be staying with you,” she says, tucking a strand of her red hair behind her ear. “I hope it’s not too much trouble. It’s just… Well, Blade doesn’t think I’ll be safe at our house.”
“And I agree with him,” Reaper says, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. “It won’t take long for the Apex Runners to realize that one of our own is in prison. Those bastards aren’t the kind of people who will leave his place alone. We’ve locked down all of his important documents and possessions, and we’re monitoring the area. No one wants to risk Marigold’s safety, and neither of them have other family in the area.”
“That’s fine,” I say, trying to calm the fact that my cock is trying to kick to life at the thought of being alone with this girl. God, she’ll be in my house. Keeping my hands to myself is going to be really fucking difficult. “I’ve got a spare bedroom. It’s not much, but the bed’s comfortable.”
“A comfortable bed is all I need,” she says. Her shoulders relax and she smiles at me again, a big grin that shows off her perfect teeth.
I didn’t even realize how much tension she was holding in her body until it all fades. I wonder if she thought that I’d say no, that I was the kind of man that would let a woman likeher fend for herself in a situation that’s almost guaranteed to get dangerous.
“So,” Reaper says, clearing his throat as if sensing the thoughts swirling around my head. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if can read it on my face; I’ve been told I leer at women I’m interested in. “I doubt her bag’s going to fit on your bike, so I’ll have someone drive her to your place in the MC’s van.”
Now, that’s not going to work for me. Not at all. I want this girl on the back of my bike.
“Is there anything in there that you need right now?” I ask her, pointing at the stuffed, pink bag at her feet.
“I– No, no I don’t need anything in there,” she squeaks out. She seems flustered by me. It’s likely because of how protective Blade is; she’s probably not used to men talking to her. And fuck, if that isn’t another dangerous line of thinking. Her face is still a pretty shade of pink. I don’t think she’s stopped blushing since I walked into Reaper’s office.
“Then someone can drop that off later. I’m sure there’s other business that has to be taken care of today. Just have whoever’s making that run bring her bag along,” I say to Reaper with a shrug, hoping I come off as nonchalant. As road captain, this is the kind of call that’s well within my scope. Then, I turn to Marigold and ask, “Blade ever take you out on his bike?”
“Once,” she says. Then, when I don’t immediately respond, she adds, “But I liked it!”
“Good,” I reply, shoving my hands in my pockets to keep myself from reaching for her. “Because we’re taking my bike to my place.”
