Page 13 of Ryder
“She said he’d had a skin-full, and needed a ride back to the clubhouse. What was I supposed to do? Turn her away?”
Reacher made a low growling noise, and looked at Stitch.
“He’s right. What else could he do? Some chick seems to be doing our boy a favour, dropping him back here, where he’s safe. How was he to know she wasn’t the good Samaritan she appeared to be?”
Nick held both his hands up. “I swear, I thought she was just some chick he’d fucked, that’s all. Figured saying no would be the wrong move. Gates were open too, because we thought we heard a bike coming.”
Stitch was nodding too. “Can’t fault his logic.”
I grabbed my hair. “Are you people fucking insane?! This is useless!” I turned to glare at the prospect. “What did she look like? Give me fucking details!” I was grabbing at his clothes, as I slammed him against the wall, cursing my superiors when they pulled me back.
“Jesus Christ,” the prospect muttered. “I’m sorry, brother. I’m sorry. She was hot. Long blonde hair… dark clothes. I only saw her for a few moments, and she was in the car.”
Blonde. Why did everyone think she was a blonde? It was a fucking redhead who… I stared at him.
“Did you see her face?”
He shrugged. “She seemed nice. I just saw all this blonde hair, you know? I figured you lucky bastard, out getting laid while I was on watch, and she was nice enough to bring you home. I don’t get what I did wrong.”
Stitch nodded, patting his shoulder as he glanced at Reacher.
“You can go, kid. In future, anyone shows up with one of your brothers so out of it, you wake us up, right? You get your brother in safe, and you call us. You don’t let some stranger onto the premises, unless you’re detaining them.”
He nodded vehemently. “Shit. I fucked up. I’m sorry. She seemed nice, I guess. I mean, it was a chick. What harm could she do?”
“Get the fuck out of my sight,” I snarled, curling my fingers into fists.
He left while Stitch held on to my clothes, stopping me from going after him.
“He didn’t know, brother. How could any of us know?”
Ain’t that the frustrating part? I would never have suspected, if I’d been in his place. Who would? We’re bikers, this shit doesn’t fucking happen to bikers.
As we walked back through the room, and across the communal space, past the bar, Reacher’s phone rang, and he answered.
“Yeah… it was where? You need reinforcements? For fuck’s sake. Yeah, we’re on our way.”
He shoved his phone back in his jeans pocket.
“Torch found your phone, and what looks like a fucking nest. We’re going to check it out.”
I stared back at him. “Please tell me you’re not benching me, Pres. I need to see this place.”
He nodded once. “A prospect will drive you though. We’ll meet you there.”
Fuck. A prospect will drive me… as in he’s still not letting me ride.Bastard.
Her
Never use the sameplace twice. It was my motto for a good reason, and I knew dumping his phone nearby was a bad idea. I didn’t care at the time, because I knew I’d be gone.They just tracked it a hell of a lot faster than I’d expected. I didn’t think it through. Biker clubs.They have resources. I usually went for lone men.
Picking one who was a member of an organised group, that was a mistake. Still... What if this drew him out of that compound, and I could see him again? What if I could get my hands on him again?
I sat in the third-floor flat I’d rented, across the road from the squat I’d used. You don’t do what I do in space connected to you, but I liked being able to see the place. Knowing it happened there. Another man made weak and pliant. Another man I took control of. Another man under my power. For some reason, though, this one… this one I couldn’t forget.
I heard the motorbikes before I saw them, the first guy had mooched around, then made a call, while the one who’d been keeping watch went in to take a look. They both looked confused. That would be because he hadn’t told them what I did. He wasn’t sure. He knew something had happened. Probably even knew he’d had sex, but just didn’t remember a damn thing.
Four bikes pulled up, the one in front clearly their Club President. He was a big guy, intense looking, with greying hair, and lots of tats. There was a pretty boy walking up front with him; his VP, I assumed. Long blonde hair. Tidy beard. Too tidy for a biker. He needed to let loose. There were two other guys with them, and I forgot them instantly, because a van pulled up too, and the guy who got out of the passenger seat washim. My conquest. My… victim… I guess.
