Page 104 of Rider Daddies
I look at Saint, Ash, and Ryder and see the truth: Three broken men who are still, years later, navigating their feelings around love and loss.
The only reason I see through their masks is because I’ve been wearing one myself.
“Okay.” Tristan clears his throat. “Let’s get this party started.”
It’s like I’m back at the law firm attending a team meeting. The difference this time is that he has a gun in his hand instead of a fountain pen.
“Oh my god!” The words slip out of my mouth, unwarranted.
Once again, I’m showing Willow that I care about her by reacting to Tristan as he holds her up at gunpoint. The gun comes to rest at the side of her face, the muzzle centimeters away from coming into contact with her temple.
I stand, shaking like a leaf as Willow sets a new record for the most tears cried in a day. They keep on rolling, sliding down her face with no end.
She starts to choke on her sobs, head ducked in an attempt to escape a fate I’m almost certain she’s not going to escape. The best weapon Willow has is her mouth. Like Tristan, she’s always had a clever way with words, but since her voice box is frazzled, I don’t think she’ll be able to sweet-talk her way out of death.
“Romantic,” I say, fighting to keep my nerves under control. “Take your date out into the desert and hold her at gunpoint.” I snort. “I thought that would be more of the bikers’ forte, but I stand corrected.”
The familiar look dies in Tristan’s eye, replaced by greed.
And that tells me all I need to know about this loser—the only person he truly loves, is himself.
“Willow is collateral.” Tristan tightens his grip on the gun. “You have a choice, Lucia. Come with me, or your best friend dies. Which one will it be?”
Oh, he’s a slimy little thing.
Ash, Ryder, and Saint stand, guns at the ready. They look at me like this is a no-brainer—I let Tristan kill the girl who betrayed me, and stay here at the clubhouse. Easy peasy.
I exhale a weighty breath, nibbling on the corner of my lip. Willow’s betrayal was bigger than her hatred for math, and that speaks volumes…
But death?
Does she deserve to be killed?
It feels like Sophie’s choice.
Like the ultimate test.
How far does my bloodthirst stretch?
I look into Willow’s eyes and see the girl I was joined at the hip with, all throughout high school and college. There was a time when her eyesweren’tpuffy and red, but alive. We shared so many good memories together, but she ruined all of them by stabbing me in the back.
But it was a stab that saved my ass.
A stab that brought me here, to the Venom Vultures clubhouse.
And if I didn’t interrupt their monthly party that night looking like a nightmare bride, I never would’ve met Ryder, Ash, and Saint.
I square my shoulders, turning to Tristan.
Game on.
Tristan needs to jump back into his brand spanking new Corvette and get out of here, but he’s too prideful to do that…
So it looks like I’m gonna have to spill some blood.
“Lucia?” Saint grabs my attention.
I see Ryder, standing next to him, subtly give his brother a headshake.
