Ryker (The Ride #4) (12 page)

I grinned. “Something tells me you wouldn’t like it very much if I walked out there naked with Caden and Sid around.”

He growled. “Anything happened with either of them?” he asked, any trace of playfulness gone in an instant.

“What? No, no way.” I shook my head. “Sid’s in love with Sam, he just either doesn’t know it or won’t admit it. And Caden is like a brother. A smelly, immature brother,” I assured him. “Have you
met
Caden?” I asked with a raised brow.

He chuckled rising to stand. “Fair enough.”

*****

“I’ll let you guys practice,” Ryker announced to the guys and Sam after breakfast. “You need anything before I head out?” he asked me, his gaze intent on mine.

I blushed at the insinuation. Simply having him look at me could incite such a powerful reaction. His eyes were so gorgeous, so full of promise.

I managed a shake of the head.

“Walk me out?” he asked, cocking his head toward the door.

I nodded, taking his outstretched hand and following him toward the front door.

He took me in his arms, his chin resting on the top of my head as I breathed him in, wrapping my arms around his rock-hard torso. “I gotta jet. I’ll try to move some shit around so I can take you tonight. Maybe some of the brothers and their women want to come too.”

I smiled, liking that idea.

He pulled me close, his hands grasping my backside and pulling me off the ground as his tongue swept past my lips. I melted into him as my heart rate spiked.

There was nothing like kissing Ryker.

Nothing.

“Goddammit, I wish I didn’t have to go,” he ground out, his lips a breath from mine.

“Me too,” I sighed, licking my swollen lips.

He placed his forehead to mine. “Tonight.” His tone was full of promise.

“Tonight.” I nodded eagerly.

Then he was gone. I stood staring at the front door, trying to pull myself together.

“Hello? Earth to Piper, can we use the garage? We need to practice!” Caden hollered.

“She’s in a hot biker fog.” Sam snorted. “Hell,
I’m
in a hot biker fog and I’m not the one who had his tongue down my throat.”

I heard a grumble, undoubtedly from Sid.

“Coming,” I called finally, pulling myself out of said fog but still slightly shaky as I went to clear space in the garage.

*****

The band was rockin’.

Ry had picked me up on the bike with Wes, Connie, Mack, and Ettie. Together we’d ridden out as a group to Reno.

Despite how great Sam and the guys were, it took me a while to embrace the levity of the evening. It felt wrong somehow with everything going on with my dad.

Connie and Ettie twirled around me, trying to pull me out of my introspection and into the fun.

I felt familiar arms wrap around me from behind. “Focus on the good, Tink,” Ry’s deep voice commanded in my ear. “There’s a lot of shit, I know, but there’s a hell of a lot of good to celebrate too. Your pop doesn’t know how to live right now—I want to see that you do.”

I bit my lip, nodding, moved beyond measure at how he still knew exactly what to say after all this time. He still understood me in a way no one else ever had.

Ettie looked over my shoulder, smiling broadly at Ryker, giving him a nod as though to say she’d take care of me as she took my hand. He let go with a squeeze of my waist, leaving me to dance with my girls.

Once I let go, allowing myself to enjoy the music and the company, I felt lighter than I had in years.

“This one’s for my girl, Piper, and her badass man!” Sam hollered through the mic as they kicked off “Brown Eyed Girl.” I looked at Ry, blushing, shocked that she’d remembered.

“Brown Eyed Girl” had been the song playing when I lost my virginity to Ry. I’d divulged that information to Sam one night after entirely too much whiskey.

I snuck a glance over at him only to find him staring intently back at me with a brow raised, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Clearly he remembered and understood the song’s significance.

I beamed back at him and offered him a one-shouldered shrug.

He grinned in response, shaking his head.

Ettie and Connie pulled me into the fun and we danced our asses off until the set ended, and we all turned to find our men.

I navigated through the crowd as I made my way toward Ry, a slow sexy grin lighting up his face when he saw my intent. In a black tee, Levis, and motorcycle boots, he was so handsome, my knees weakened at the sight.

Once I reached him, his hands planted themselves firmly on my hips and he propelled me backward until my back hit the nearest wall. His hands moved beneath my thighs, lifting me so I straddled his hips as his mouth crushed down on mine.

I didn’t have the brainpower to care that we were putting on a show for whoever cared to watch. I was too busy pulling him closer, digging my fingers further into his thick hair.

He broke away from my lips, his teeth grazing my neck, making my whole body shiver. “Your friends staying tonight?” he demanded, his voice ragged.

“Hm mmm,” I managed, with a nod.

“We’re staying at my place then,” he concluded.

“I have the dogs…” I trailed off. I didn’t want Sam and the guys to have to take care of the dogs overnight.

“They can come,” he interjected.

I laughed at his enthusiasm. “All right.”

“‘Brown Eyed Girl,’ huh?” he quirked a brow, still holding my weight against the wall as he pulled back to look me in the eye.

“Yeah well, I may have had more whiskey than I should have and divulged that tidbit.” I blushed. “I wasn’t sure if you’d remember the song that was playing…” I trailed off.

“Are you fucking kidding?” he demanded. “I remember every detail of that night and every one after.”

“Me too,” I admitted.

“Pipe, come on!” Connie squealed from behind Ryker. “Ry, can you take baby out of the corner and let her come have a drink?” she demanded.

I burst out laughing, as he begrudgingly set me down.

She grabbed my hand, whisking me toward the girls with Ry at our heels.

*****

It was late by the time we’d swung by my place, collected the dogs, and made it to his apartment.

“You go on up, I’ll take them out,” he told me, indicating the dogs and handing me his keys.

“Okay,” I agreed gratefully. I was wiped.

I made my way into his apartment for the first time, looking around the barren space in surprise. The small kitchen was off to the right with the living room straight ahead, a simple couch and coffee table making up the space. There were no pictures, no color, and no mementos of any kind. It was so vapid while Ry had always been brimming with life. I looked around, surprised that this was his place.

I wandered down the hall, finding his room much the same. A large king-sized bed made up the space, and not much else. I didn’t want to think too long on the significance of that.

I got changed for bed as quickly as I could and crawled under the covers, which smelled blissfully like Ry.

Within seconds I was dead to the world.

Tank’s growling and barking woke me up. Ry was a step ahead of me and had already vaulted from bed and was throwing on his jeans.

“What is it?” I asked hoarsely.

“Don’t know. Stay there,” he ordered, stalking from the room with both dogs at his heels.

When I heard a woman’s voice I ventured out cautiously, clad only in Ry’s t-shirt.

“What the fuck are you doin’ here, Cassidy?” Ry was demanding of the inebriated-looking brunette, who stood on the other side of the door. He was holding both dogs back, but they were noticeably calmer, not sensing a threat.

I, on the other hand, wasn’t so sure.

“Who the fuck’re you?” she demanded belligerently once she got a look at me.

Ry shot me what looked like an annoyed glance that I hadn’t stayed put.

“She’s my girl,” Ry answered for me, letting the dogs go so they could run back to me. “And I’m pretty fucking sure you don’t want to mess with her, she’s possessive as all hell.” He shot me a meaningful look, his eyes aimed at the claw marks on my neck. They had faded quite a bit, but not fast enough for my liking.

I glared at him, my arms crossed over my chest

“Your girl? I thought you ‘didn’t do relationships?’” she demanded, throwing her fingers into lopsided quotation marks.

“I do for her,” he responded easily.

The girl looked me over from head to toe. I straightened my spine under her scrutiny and braced for whatever heartwarming comment I was sure she was drumming up.

“She’s not even that pretty,” she scoffed.

There it was.

I watched Ryker’s spine stiffen and jaw clench. “You blind?” he growled.

“Ry,” I murmured. “It doesn’t matter.”

He turned to me with narrowed eyes. My man was seriously pissed. “Doesn’t matter?” he demanded. “You’re the most beautiful fucking woman I’ve ever seen and it doesn’t
matter
?”

I looked him in the eye. “That right there is why, babe. I know you feel that way. So no, it doesn’t matter. Not to me. What do I care what she thinks?” I scoffed, gesturing to the swaying girl, who was looking more and more confused. “Call her a cab and come back to bed.”

He turned to the brunette, pointing a finger at her. “You were one night, she’s forever.” He gestured to me and my eyes popped wide in shock at his declaration. “Don’t ever disrespect her again. You do, you answer to me and you do
not
want that. My girl’s feeling charitable, so I’ll call you a cab, make sure your drunk ass gets home okay. Go park yourself on my curb and wait. After that, I don’t ever want you at my door. Got it?”

She looked up at him blearily and nodded once before her face disappeared behind the door Ryker closed in her face.

“I can’t believe that bitch,” he fumed, locking the door and stalking to me. “When I tell you to stay put, you fucking stay put,” he ordered, getting into my space.

“Hey now.” I held up my hands, glaring at him. “It certainly didn’t sound like some security concern, and the dogs had calmed down. I figured it was safe to see which of your past treats had decided to show up.” I rolled my eyes. “And what a treat she was. You’ve got great taste, Ry,” I muttered.

He stepped even closer, tilting my chin up. “Yeah,” he murmured, his countenance softening as he stared down at me with meaning. “I do.”

I softened at that, letting him take my hand and lead me back to bed.

He placed a brief call to a cab company before turning his full attention back to me.

“You fell asleep on me earlier,” he accused, pulling the shirt I wore up over my head. “Want you to make it up to me.”

“Oh, do you now?” I quipped, breathless, as his hand ventured low.

“Yeah, I do,” he murmured.

I could work with that. Definitely.

Chapter 11

O
ver the next few weeks, I threw myself doubly into the boutique. I worked tirelessly and was motivated by Ry and the rest of the club, who came by every now and then to help. Ryker was there nearly every night doing whatever was needed, from sorting inventory to manual labor. The date of reopening had been set and it was just a few weeks off. Without his help I’d have been panicking. As it was I kept my anxiety to a somewhat minimum—on most days anyway.

I’d been to see my dad once, the first day he’d been allowed visitors. He looked much better, but he still seemed low and withdrawn. It had been a hard visit. The facility had suggested I wait a while longer until the next visit. Now, the date we’d discussed was upon me. I was both nervous and excited to see him.

“You want me to go with you tomorrow?” Ry asked that night, as I was locking up the store. “How about I drive you?” he continued, taking my hand as we walked to his bike parked at the curb.

“You don’t have to do that,” I replied, reaching for the helmet he held for me.

He kept it out of reach, so I had to look up at him. “I want to,” he answered without hesitation.

“Okay, thanks, babe.” I smiled warmly.

He drove to my place, where we’d spent every night together. Neither one of us spoke about what it would be like when my dad came home. We’d only been back together a short time, but I couldn’t imagine sleeping without him.

I kept telling myself we’d cross that bridge when we got to it.

“I’ll take the dogs out and then I gotta get with the guys. I’ll be late,” he informed me, as we walked through the front door. “One of the guys will do a drive-by. Keep the doors locked and the alarm on,” he ordered, as per usual.

I nodded.

Things with the Riders had been quiet—at least, there had been no more sightings—but the undercurrent of tension remained. Ry had been vigilant, rarely leaving me alone or without a “man on me,” as he called it.

“You good?” he asked, after he’d taken the dogs out.

“I’m good,” I confirmed, tilting my head up and smiling at my handsome man. He ran his hands over my hair and took my mouth in an all-too-brief kiss.

“You good with me wakin’ you up later?” He grinned with a raised brow.

He knew I loved it when he woke me up in the middle of the night. I also enjoyed the early morning wake-up sessions and everything in between. My expression clearly betrayed this fact.

“She’s good with it,” he muttered to himself with a smile, delivering one last kiss before he headed out.

My cell pinged with a text as I was contemplating dinner.

Bored at home. Is Ry gone too?
Connie’s text asked.

Yeah, you’re welcome to come over.

I think I’ll do that. See you shortly!

“We’ll have some company after all, guys,” I told the dogs. “And that means I won’t feel like a crazy person talking to the two of you all night,” I added dryly.

The doorbell chimed soon after and the dogs ran for the door, barking excitedly.

“I picked up something along the way.” Connie winked with a smile toward Ettie after I’d opened the door to find them both on my front stoop. “Oh and this,” she added, as they each held up a bottle of wine with matching grins.

I laughed. “The more the merrier.” I smiled, gesturing for them to come inside. “Did you guys eat?”