Stone

by Addy Archer

  STONE

  TRIGGER PULL MC

  By Addy Archer

  Copyright ©2019 Addy Archer All Rights Reserved. This book or any portion of it may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without written permission of Addy Archer. Except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, businesses, characters, events, places, are used fictitiously or are the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, or events is purely coincidental.

  Please do not buy if strong sexual situations, violence, explicit language and biker romance offends you. This is not meant to be an exact impression of life in a motorcycle club. This is purely a work of fiction meant to entertain.

  1st edition published: March 16, 2020

  Editing by: Kristin Scearce, Hot Tree Editing

  Final-eyes reader by: Tina Moran, Hot Tree Editing

  Proofreading by: Olivia Ventura, Hot Tree Editing

  Formatting: Addy Archer

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  BLURB

  Rylee’s life would have ended the day she met Stone. You might say he’s the one who saved her. If only she can allow herself to see it that way too, since the turn of events makes her question everything and everyone.

  Protecting an innocent while simultaneously dealing with an ulterior motive will never work out the way it’s supposed to. Not when Stone is fully invested and finally decides to grab hold of what’s right in front of him. He thought no woman had what it takes to be the president’s old lady. In the end, it all comes down to his ability to protect the woman who claimed his heart.

  The moment you pull the trigger, there’s no stopping the bullet; all you can do is brace for impact. Collide with the world of Trigger Pull MC, where an encounter with a rugged biker will inevitably change your life.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  C H A P T E R O N E

  C H A P T E R T W O

  C H A P T E R T H R E E

  C H A P T E R F O U R

  C H A P T E R F I V E

  C H A P T E R S I X

  C H A P T E R S E V E N

  C H A P T E R E I G H T

  C H A P T E R N I N E

  C H A P T E R T E N

  C H A P T E R E L E V E N

  C H A P T E R T W E L V E

  E P I L O G U E

  BOOKS BY ADDY ARCHER

  C H A P T E R O N E

  – R Y L E E –

  Daniela places two beers on the table and sits down across from me. I stare at her for a moment, grateful to have her as my friend. Hell, she’s my only friend, but I’m thankful nonetheless.

  I take a deep breath and croak, “I don’t know what to do.”

  I reach for one of the beers and take a few large gulps before I place it back on the table. The bar we’re in is crowded, and I’m pretty sure the music is blasting while people are having loud conversations to get their voices heard.

  Normally when we meet up in this bar, I would have my hearing aids, but I lost them earlier today. Though, with these types of background noises, it would still give me issues. Without them, I’m not able to hear a TV, the ringing of a phone, or people speaking if they’re not loud enough.

  If people shout, for instance, it would reach my ears as a faint whisper. But to stay on the safe side, I’ve learned not to rely on my hearing. I usually stick to reading people’s lips to “hear” their conversations. It sure beats getting your head smacked or being called stupid.

  And to be honest, I’m still getting used to having hearing aids. Daniela was the one who gave them to me, and that was only recently. We’ve been friends for a mere few months, and since I’m good at hiding my disability, she only became aware of it after a few weeks.

  When Dani found out, she kept harassing me to allow her to give me hearing aids. I finally gave in a few weeks later. A whole new world opened up, and happy tears rolled down my cheeks when I was able to hear for the first time without straining myself or watching people’s every move.

  Without them, I need to rely on my ability to lip-read and make sure to pay attention to the body language of those around me. This is also why I shouldn’t be drinking—since I don’t have my hearing aids anymore and need to stay focused—but what happened to me before I arrived at this bar still has me shaking, and I need the alcohol to calm down.

  And that says a lot, because my life story holds no fluffy unicorns, sunshine, or a loving family. My father likes to beat the shit out of me if I don’t pay attention to whatever he’s saying or if I’m too slow giving a reply. He doesn’t acknowledge my hearing loss, just thinks I’m an idiot who’s too stupid to listen but good enough to do all the work at the junkyard he owns.

  My father is a mean drunk who keeps me under his thumb with the threat that he’ll kill me the same way he killed my mother many years ago. He told me three weeks back that I now belonged to Keith, a guy who started working for him a few months ago. Something about making sure the company stays up and running.

  It’s not like I had a choice without anywhere to go, no money, and no other family members. And even if Keith worked at my dad’s company, I didn’t actually know him well since I only saw him a handful of times. He’s good-looking, and again, I didn’t have a choice, but whenever he came to talk to me, he seemed kind and understanding.

  Until this morning, when we got into an argument.

  At first, when we agreed to have a relationship, Keith said we would take it slow and get to know each other like a normal couple. Even if in reality it’s anything but normal; more like an arranged marriage.

  This morning it all changed, and he demanded we have sex because he had needs and I should take care of them. As if it was my job to make sure he got off and my fault he had blue balls because I wanted to wait. Well, excuse me for being inexperienced and not having a clue about anything relationship-wise.

  Keith’s whole face became mean, and it was as if a completely different person was standing in front of me. I’d misjudged him. I really thought he was different and would save me from my father’s beatings. But I guess men all have a mean streak and like to throw their anger at me.

  I managed to get out of the house and locked myself inside my office. But it was merely postponing the inevitable. I should have known it was useless, and eventually I would have to have sex with Keith.

  I have no other place to go, no other relatives, no money, no nothing. Except for the one friend sitting across from me who doesn’t know how bad my life really is. I’ve only shared a hint with her, just the tip of the iceberg.

  I tug my sleeves farther down to hide the bruises my body is covered with. Old, new, I can’t even remember a time where my skin hasn’t been black, blue, brown, yellow—all the steps of fading bruises. Reminders that there’s no escaping the way of life I grew up in.

  “Whatever it is, I’m here for you. Now, please tell me why you made me come here this late in the evening, and why did you use someone else’s phone to text me? What happened? Did someone hurt you?” I flawlessly read Daniela’s lips but can’t take it anymore and drop my gaze.

  I reach out to cover the side of my face with my hand, finding the skin is still heated. It’s also why I lost my hearing aids. Keith hit me when I walked in on him screwing some woman in my own bed.

  “I don’t want to go back home,” I tell her with determination in my voice, gaining some of my strength back to connect our gazes. “I can’t.”

  Her face radiates kindness. “You know I left everything behind once when I found out my ex was cheating on me. I started over in a new city without knowing
anyone or having anything on me. You also know I have enough cash to do it all over again, and I will do it without thinking twice if it’s what my best friend needs. Now, tell me what happened. Because if it’s as bad as I imagine it is? You and I will stop at one beer, get in my car, and ride off together.”

  Tears burn my eyes, but they don’t spill. They never do when it comes to pain or bad things hitting my life over and over; I’ve learned to harden myself over time. You learn quick enough not to show your tears—or any emotion, for that matter—when your own father smacks you with the back of his hand at the first sight of watery eyes.

  I shouldn’t have agreed to be Keith’s girl when my father ordered me to. But he seemed so nice. Clearly I was a fool, but again, it wasn’t like I had a choice. Keith was kind enough to remind me today that I’m part of the deal he made with my father. No way out, pawned off like a whore along with the rest of the inventory.

  Bile starts to rise when a flashback hits me from earlier today. I take a deep breath and rattle it all off before I lose my nerve to tell anyone what happened. “I closed the office early because I wasn’t feeling well these last few days. And when I say early, I mean it was slightly after ten. You know how I’d rather spend the night working at the office these days than having to deal with Keith sitting in front of the TV drinking his beer. Anyway, my head was killing me, and all I wanted to do was sleep. When I walked over to the house, my only thought was to lie down on the bed. But when I came into the bedroom, I saw Keith having sex with another woman.”

  I see Daniela gasp and slam her hand over her mouth, but I need to get it all out.

  “I was frozen to the floor, all while Keith kept going. Then he saw me. The evil in his eyes was pure darkness. He pulled his dick out and turned to me. His pants were still wrapped around his ankles. The woman… she was smirking at me. I finally pulled myself together and turned to run out of the house, but Keith grabbed my hair, smacked my face with the back of his hand, and shoved me to the floor. He was going to force me to take his dick in my mouth, but I punched him in the balls and ran as hard as I could. Then I came here and asked one of the women in the ladies’ room if I could send my friend a text. And that’s how we ended up here together. See how I can’t go back? Please, Dani, I don’t know what to do. I’m afraid Keith will kill me, and if he doesn’t, I’m sure my father will.”

  Somewhere during my storm of words, my gaze hit the floor due to the mixture of emotions coursing through my body.

  Dani reaches out and pats my forearm. “Take a deep breath, Ry. Another sip of your beer too. I’ve been where you’ve been. Well, minus the abuse from both that dick of a boyfriend and from your father. You might not have told me anything, but I’m not blind, sweetie. My point is, you need a minute. And you’re going to get it, but then you’re coming home with me. You’re not going back, not ever. And you’re not alone. You’re a grown-ass woman who has a right to make her own choices. We got this, Ry. I hate that this happened to you. You’re the sweetest person I’ve ever met, and you don’t deserve this. You deserve—”

  Her lips stop moving because her jaw drops.

  I quickly take a glance over my shoulder. My heart is pounding in my throat due to the flash of fear. What if Keith has managed to track me down? There aren’t many bars in this town, and Dani and I always go to this one if we get a drink every now and then.

  But instead of Keith, I see a bunch of bikers standing near the bar. Releasing the breath I was holding, I slide my gaze back to Dani. She’s smiling at me with a huge grin on her face. Realization sets in as I remember the story she told me regarding what happened to her before she came to live here.

  “No.” I shake my head with determined ferocity. “I’m not you, Dani,” I tell her and grab the beer in front of me, finishing it off in one go.

  A few months ago, right before Dani moved here, she went through something similar. Meaning she also caught her boyfriend cheating on her. But that same day, she also met a man who, as she puts it, “showed her pussy the ride of her life.”

  Of course, I’ve heard her tell the story a few times since we met, and the facts always stay the same as she vividly shares her hot and steamy encounter with the man of her dreams. This tells me she wasn’t exaggerating, because when people do and start to lie or level up, the story loses meaning and believability. Well, that’s my opinion, anyway.

  “I am not going to screw a biker just because that worked out perfectly for you.”

  Her lips move slightly, but I know she’s muttering, “Suit yourself.” But then they start to move again, more pronounced as she says, “It’s him. Shit.” She dodges to hide behind me, so I’m now blocking them from seeing her. “We come here at least once a week, and I’ve never run into him or any of his MC buddies, yet tonight of all nights, they show up. Un-freaking-believable.”

  “It’s almost midnight on a Friday night. When we go out, I need to be home before eleven, Dani. No wonder we never saw them, because the fun starts when I get home. Besides, you looked him up when you moved here and decided not to enter the clubhouse because of the handful of barely dressed girls who were going inside. And you’ve had every opportunity to look him up when you come visit me, because their land is right behind the junkyard. Not that I ever see them, but still. All I’m saying is, you wanted a chance encounter, and life has a way of screwing everything up with bad timing.”

  Her eyes are locked over my shoulder, and I glance in that direction. I notice Jace—the one she had a hot and steamy encounter with—due to her detailed description of the large tattoo of a dragon on his neck, his bulging biceps, and his short, dark reddish hair.

  It’s the one he’s slapping on the shoulder who catches my attention.

  It must be Stone, Jace’s buddy, from the description Dani gave when she was telling me the story. Stone is slightly bigger, with a sparkly stud in his ear, and he’s looking right at me. Holy shit, those eyes. They seem dark from this distance, but the glint I catch in there—along with the expression sliding over his face—tells me he likes what he’s seeing.

  I swallow at the dryness in my throat, because it feels as if he only has eyes for me. That can’t be. There are lots of other women around who have the perfect figure—unlike me. Not to mention the fact that this guy has a blonde bombshell standing next to him, rubbing her tits against his arm to gain his attention.

  She’s a large contrast from me. To make it clear and to keep it short—totally pun intended, because I would reach Stone’s shoulder if I was standing next to him—my ass is probably twice the size of hers, maybe close to three times as big. My hair isn’t blonde but completely white, a natural color I inherited from my mother.

  The blonde bombshell has huge breasts. Mine are bigger, but I’m guessing hers are fake while mine are natural. And why am I comparing myself to this chick and focusing on my looks while I have so many problems hanging over my head?

  The biker’s gaze shifts slightly over my shoulder to Dani with a flash of recognition. But it’s short-lived, since his penetrating eyes quickly land back on mine. I can flawlessly read the words on his lips, making me break our connection.

  “I need to pee,” I tell Dani, then add in frustration, “It’s the beer. It always makes me go to the bathroom countless times.” I hop from my chair and lean in to tell her, “A little heads-up: Jace is heading this way, since the big biker with the stud in his ear—I think that’s the one you called Stone in your story—just told him you’re here. So, you go deal with that, and I’ll save you when I come back from the bathroom in a few minutes, okay?”

  I start to turn, but Dani reaches out and grabs my hand to draw my attention to her mouth. “We’re leaving when you come back. Keith might be out looking for you already.” Her eyes are pleading. “I’m serious, Ry, we’re out of here. We’ll go to my house, make a plan, and leave everything behind.”

  I nod furiously at her words, because I’m very aware Keith will kill me if I stay here. Today I saw how
Keith is a mean sonofabitch and will do whatever he wants to get his way. It’s exactly the way my father’s been all his life, and I’ve learned the hard way not to defy him. If my father or Keith doesn’t beat the life out of me, I’ll expel my last breath fighting either one. Dani is right; we need to leave this town as soon as possible.

  I wrestle my way through the thick crowd to get to the bathroom. Once inside, I handle my business quickly but take my time washing my hands while I stare into the mirror at my own reflection. One side of my face still shows the spot where Keith backhanded me. His ring ripped open a bit of skin as an extra reminder.

  I dry my hands and tug down my sleeves but pause to look at both the faded and new bruises on my wrist. There’s never been a time where I didn’t have bruises. My father likes to talk with his hands instead of his mouth, and now Keith falls into the same category—or worse.

  And why shouldn’t they? I’m not pretty, don’t have a brilliant education, and can only do the junkyard’s administration because that’s all I’ve ever done. And it’s not like I could hear them when they address me without having my eyes on them.

  Best day of my life was when I met Dani a few months ago. She was the first person who showed me kindness and made me realize the world I grew up in kept me in an invisible cage.

  Once I started to trust her, I told her some things. Other stuff she forced out of me, but like she said, most things she could guess. She’s always been honest and supportive, even if she wants nothing more than to pull me out of the life I’ve been living.

  I was scared to make a change because I would have nothing if I left. Scratch that. I was scared. Because I am finally at a point in my life where I’m choosing me. I have to; otherwise, it’ll all end here.

  Today I realized I do have something to take with me: my life.

  I take another deep breath and open the bathroom door.