Page 93 of Ryder
He shrugged. “Club versus club can get a bit violent, darlin’. Not anything you’ll have to worry about, but if word gets out that I’m letting you do this to me...willingly… they’re all gonna start doubting if I’m man enough to still be a member here. And if it gets out beyond this club, I’ll be seen as a weak man, or they could judge the whole club as too weak to be a threat to them.”
I stared at him, my body tense, and worried.
“Then why would you let me do that? Why risk yourself, and your club in that way?”
He rolled his head in my direction again, wincing as it pressed against the metal headboard.
“Because I’m in love with you, Tori. Turns out that means I’ll do pretty much anything for you.”
I swallowed hard, my hand reaching for his. I squeezed it.
“Ryder… what you did for me was reckless, foolish, dangerous, demeaning, and insane.” He opened his mouth to argue, and I pressed a finger against those soft lips.
“And I love you for it. Thank you.”
He started to smile, and then he swallowed hard.
“Please,pleasedon’t take this as a response to what you just said.” And then he lurched out of bed, and barely made it to the bathroom before he threw up.Dammit.
Ryder
Jesus. I thought I’dpurged that shit from my system last night, but here I am again. Early hours of the fucking morning, and I’m throwing up again. Tori hovered behind me somewhere, and handed me a glass of water, when I finally sat back on my feet. I took a large mouthful, swilled, and spat it into the toilet, and then sipped some more.
“I’m sorry, darlin’. This isn’t how I planned for this to go, you know. I thought you’d have fun, and we’d laugh about it later.”
She moved onto her knees beside me.
“I’m so sorry it made you so ill.”
“That’ll teach me not to just take regular drugs like all the big boys. I’d handle it better then.”
Tori surprised me then, by leaning forward and kissing my temple.
“I like that you don’t. Do you feel well enough to move yet?”
I shrugged. I didn’t feel sick anymore, but whether that was because it had passed, or because there was fuck all left in my body now, I had no idea.
“We need to get you eating something, really.”
Okay, there’s the nausea again. Fucker. I shook my head, as she started trying to haul me to my feet.
“Whatareyou doing, baby?”
She frowned deeply, tugging on my arms again.
“I’m helping you up.”
I grinned at her, enjoying the look on her face, which wasn’t embarrassment, or frustration, but something in between.
“Oh…that’swhat you’re doing? Wow… you’re good at this.”
She slapped my shoulder, and then covered her mouth.
“I’m sorry. Why am I trying to beat you up, while you’re ill?”
I opened my mouth to make some comment that I suddenly realised would be hugely insulting, and should never be voiced, because this wasn’t the same as what she’d done to me before.
“Ryder?”
