His Ride or Die : Sons of Lost Souls MC Book Three

by Ellie R. Hunter

  “My dad came here?”

  This shocks me.

  “Yeah, he thanked me too. I swear, I’ve never been thanked so much in my life.”

  They must’ve showed up here after I had crashed.

  “You were awfully calm at the sight of blood.”

  “It’s only blood, everyone has it,” she shrugs.

  “What have you seen in your life that has made you this open about blood and death. Let’s not fuck around, you saw three men die today and you’re so fucking fine about it, it’s starting to weird me out.”

  She lifts her shoulders slowly and purses her lips together tightly.

  “I don’t know what to tell you, it didn’t bother me. Does it make me weird?”

  “I think it does, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.”

  Not to me anyway. If anything, it draws me to her.

  “Why doesn’t it freak you out? I mean, you were there too. You were shot in the arm today and now you’re sitting here feeding your niece like nothing happened.”

  Shrugging my shoulders is the only answer she’s going to get. After what I’ve seen lately, today was nothing to lose my head over.

  “I should get her home,” I murmur, as Rayna kicks out her chubby legs slowly, not interested in her bottle any longer.

  “When was the last time you smoked?” she asks.

  I roll my eyes, I drove here didn’t I and we’re both fine.

  “Not in a few hours,” I mutter, even though the last smoke I had was before I crashed out for eight hours.

  She stands from the chair and snatches my keys from the table where I left them.

  My eyebrows hit my hairline and I struggle to stop myself growling.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” I ask her.

  “It’s bad enough you put others in danger when you ride high, you shouldn’t put your niece in danger too.”

  I should feel insulted, but she amuses me.

  “Are you going to drive us home?”

  “No, I’m going to let you stay on the couch and hopefully you’re fit to drive in the morning.”

  I’m fit to drive now, but I’m not going to tell her that, I doubt she’ll believe me anyway. The idea of not driving back to the club at this hour does appeal to me.

  “You can take that cash back too, I saw you stash it behind the cushion.”

  “What’s your problem accepting it?”

  “I don’t care what happened, I won’t say anything to anyone, I don’t need the money.”

  There’s definitely more to it, but I don’t push her. She disappears through to the hall and comes back a few moments later with a pillow and sheets.

  “Don’t let the baby sleep in her seat all night, it won’t be comfortable for her.”

  I didn’t think of that.

  “Goodnight.”

  She slips into her room before I can speak, and I notice Rayna is wide awake, peaking up at me.

  “Hey, baby girl. You’re meant to be sleeping.”

  She coos and gurgles some noises before coming fully awake.

  “What do you think? Do you think she’s pretty?”

  She slaps her hands against me and kicks her legs out animatedly.

  “Yeah, Uncle Zach thinks she is too.”

  Picking my niece up, I decide to settle her on the couch and I sit on the carpet, resting my back against the couch.

  Rayna seems content to lay there, making noises to herself and trying to grab her feet. While I’m content to sit here and work out who the fuck Nina Rollins is.

  Nina

  I’m not sure what wakes me, but something is outside, and I need to be aware of it, I know that much is real.

  Throwing back the sheets, I’m thankful I dressed in my old sweats thanks to the hot as hell biker asleep in my living room and I shuffle over to the window.

  My window faces out the front and overlooks the street. I look right and nothing. I look left and nothing.

  I’m about to shake my head, berate myself for being silly and head back to bed when a figure takes one step onto the road and stops dead centre to me.

  Mom said he left town a year ago and hasn’t been back. She said it was safe now. The panic rises and I’m afraid to take my eyes off him in case I miss him moving.

  It doesn’t matter, he takes another couple of steps, bringing him closer to the house and a small sob escapes from me.

  I remember Zach is here, I don’t know the biker all that well and I know he is high most of the time and he was shot yesterday but he could take on Vincent if he had to. I’m certain of it.

  I let out a scream when Vincent runs for the front door. I run too, I can’t think back fast enough to last night. Did I lock up? Zachery was distracting me and when I left him and the kid to sleep, I couldn’t escape to my room fast enough.

  My feet pound against the hallway wooden floor and I reach the front door at the same time as Vincent.

  He pushes the door open and I use all my weight to close him out, I’m fighting a losing battle.

  “Zach, help,” I yell into the darkness of the house.

  Please, help, I scream in my head.

  “Zach!”

  Vincent’s arm gets through and he grapples at my arm. His touch sends an icy shiver down my spine and it burns when he wraps his slender fingers around my wrist and tightens his hold.

  “Get off me,” I scream.

  Hopefully if I scream loud enough the neighbours will hear and call the police. Zach must have left in the night. Perhaps he had to get his niece back to her momma and daddy? Where is he?

  “Let me in, Nina,” he slurs, his voce much too quiet.

  His leg manages to get through the door next and then I’m falling on my back and he’s hovering over me.

  I slap at his face and shoulders until his face changes to Zach’s and I’m still in bed.

  Inhaling sharply, I push away from him and jump across the bed until I’m away from him.

  Panting, a bead of sweat drips down my forehead and I swipe it away.

  “I thought you left?”

  No, that isn’t right. I was dreaming.

  “I’m still here, you were having a nightmare. You’re fine, you’re safe,” he rambles on and I notice him. All of him.

  He’s not wearing his hoodie or cut, in fact there is nothing covering his chest and arms apart from the ink seeped into his skin. I let my eyes travel down to his waist and although he’s wearing his jeans, they’re undone and hanging loosely over his hips.

  I should not be thinking about running my tongue down his stomach or gripping onto his thick arms as I lean up and kiss him.

  My lower stomach folds over wanting him. I want him bad. I can imagine his jeans being pushed down his thighs and him climbing up my body as I lay on the bed.

  “Usually when a woman screams out my name in bed, she’s not in a nightmare,” he laughs and breaks my dirty thoughts, and I certainly don’t find him funny.

  Waking up to him after facing Vincent in my nightmares is doing something to me and the urges are getting stronger.

  Right now, I don’t care that he smokes too much. I fucking want him. I take one step towards him and then another, and then the baby’s crying wakes me up completely.

  He leaps off my bed and walks into the living room, not hesitating to go to her and I follow, not sure why.

  He picks her up from the couch and I notice the sheets on the floor. He’s given her the couch and his sweetness drives me crazy even further.

  I slip into the kitchen while he comforts the child and grab a bottle of water from the fridge. I run the bottle over my forehead to cool off and exhale longingly. I have never been so attracted to someone like I just was with Zach.

  If it weren’t for his niece, I would’ve jumped on him and I doubt he would have rejected me. However, his niece is here and nothing can happen. Do I even want it to happen with a Lost Soul? I made a big deal about not wanting their money, and then I want to go and hav
e sex with one of them. Then again, wanting to sleep with Zach is on my terms. Oh god, I need to get away. I ignore him pacing in the living room as he cuddles the baby and hide in my bedroom. I drain half of the bottle and hope I don’t need to pee any time soon. I can’t deal seeing that man without his top on again. I might not be that strong to stay away a second time.

  When I wake, the living room is empty, and the sheets and pillow are stacked neatly on the arm of the chair. Zach and his niece are gone, and the door is locked with the key pushed through gap at the bottom of the door.

  I wonder when he left? It could be any time when I see it is lunchtime. Bloody hell, this is the longest I’ve slept in ages.

  I make it to the kitchen when there is a knock at the door. My heart beats double time when I’m hoping it is Zach returning without his niece.

  Shaking my head, I unlock and open the door, not surprised not to find him on my porch. Instead, a vase of white and pink lilies are sat before me. I step outside and I can’t see anyone. No cars are driving away. What the hell?

  A card with a receipt stapled to it is attached to a bow around the vase. The card reads, Smile, and the receipt is from the funeral home. The balance I owed for my mom’s funeral has been paid in full.

  I step back inside and shut the door. Confused, I set the vase down on the side table in the hall and rush into the living room. Throwing mom’s knitted scatter cushions to the floor, I look in every place he could have hidden the cash, but it’s not here.

  I don’t understand this. Did they pay my bill because I wouldn’t accept their pay out? How did they even know?

  Mom always told me from a young age to stay away from the men and kids at the club because they would trap you into some shit and might use it against me.

  She used to speak to Alannah occasionally, she treated mom nicely when she went into the diner. But Alannah was the only one, until she wanted to find me.

  Backtracking to the hall, I stare at the flowers. They are pretty. Lilies are my favourite, but then again, how would they know that? This doesn’t make any sense.

  Now I’m standing still, I smell the soft scent of Zachery’s cologne lingering in the air. Him bare chested, jeans hanging open, tattoos on show flood my mind and my mouth waters.

  He tried bringing back the money, perhaps he stopped by the funeral home when he left here this morning.

  Images of Zach hovering over me in bed in the night are not enough to distract me from this obvious pay off. I told them I didn’t want or need their hush money and it was true.

  Making a decision, I wash and dress and throw my hair up in a messy ponytail. Well, I put it in a pony tail and it looks messy. I’ve never been one of those girls who can make myself look like a model, with perfect hair and makeup on point.

  I leave the house with the vase of flowers and the receipt, and drive to the club. By the time I reach their gates, it is well into the afternoon and the place is busy. The gates are open today and I drive by the guy who wouldn’t let me in last night. He stares at me but doesn’t try to stop me.

  Good.

  Guys are walking in and out of a door to a building on my left. Taking a deep breath, I head there myself taking the vase with me.

  I force my mouth not to hang open when I walk inside and find a bar. A fully stocked fucking bar.

  I’ve always wondered what they do out here. I never thought they were this organised though. There are tables and chairs spread out all over, a pool table, they even have a jukebox. The walls are covered in photos and banners. A huge Lost Souls insignia hangs across one wall and I remember why I’m here, and it’s not to ogle the place.

  Surprise-surprise, Zach is the first one I see and he’s sitting at the bar already drinking. Thankfully, he isn’t in charge of the baby right now.

  I used to know kids back in high school who got high for fun, for something to do, they’d drink alcohol too. Zach screams he’s running from something and when he can’t run no more, he hides behind smoke and liquor.

  “Are you lost, strange girl?”

  I spin around and a guy, he doesn’t look any older than seventeen or eighteen, stands behind me and he looks more guarded than Zachery.

  “I’m looking for Cas.”

  He holds eye contact with me, his top lip curls as he makes his disgust of me clear. I haven’t done anything to warrant this strange reaction from him.

  “My mom might take offence to you bringing her husband flowers.”

  “I take offence to receiving them in the first place. If it will upset your mom, maybe your dad shouldn’t send them.”

  This kid is pissing me off, who I’m guessing is Cas’ son. His smirk lightens when he looks at someone over my shoulder.

  “I sure as shit didn’t send you no fuckin’ flowers. I deal in cash as you well know.”

  Cas.

  I turn around and he’s so close to me.

  I thrust the vase against his chest, one because I don’t believe he didn’t send them and two, the action pushes him away from me and opens the gap between us.

  “I found these on my porch with this receipt.”

  He doesn’t look at them, he doesn’t acknowledge the receipt, he stares at me and I shiver. How is that possible?

  “I was sorry to hear about your mom, but still, I didn’t send you these flowers.”

  He might not have brought the flowers, but he could have had the balance wiped and sent someone with the vase.

  “Did you pay my bill?”

  He narrows his eyes. “No.”

  “I refused your money and then this happens, you had something to do with it, for sure.”

  “For sure?” he snorts, mocking me.

  Men snicker around us but I refuse to let them see me cringe.

  He holds the vase out to his side and drops it, the glass smashes into tiny pieces and the water splashes up my ankles.

  He leans in to me and sneers, “Fuck off.”

  I don’t back down and refuse to show him my hands and legs are slowly going numb under his heavy glare.

  “Stop trying to pay…”

  “I said, fuck off,” he growls cutting me off. “I didn’t pay off anything, I couldn’t give a shit, I don’t even know what you’re banging on about.”

  I smell the liquor before I feel his arm fall across my shoulders. I’m crushed into his side and I admit, it feels nice.

  “Get her out of here,” Cas orders him and ignores me.

  I’m no longer in his sight or mind. I have no time to protest or argue or even yell.

  My feet barely touch the ground as Zach guides me outside and keeps me close as he walks me to my car.

  “Cas didn’t pay your bill, he definitely didn’t buy you fucking flowers.”

  He sounds so sure. Oh god, was it him? He was the one who took the cash away when he left this morning.

  “It was you?”

  He snorts, and I have had enough of that. First Luca then his dad, now Zach.

  “No, I know you can afford to pay it yourself, and I also believe you won’t say anything, it’s why I took Cas’ money with me when I left this morning.”

  “How do you know it wasn’t Cas?” I ask, but really, I want to know what time he left.

  “Because he doesn’t know you returned the money, it’s still on his desk and he only just came down.”

  I think back to what he said.

  “How do you know what I can and can’t afford to pay for?”

  “The weed gods told me,” he grins, totally messing with me.

  “The weed gods?” I ask, raising one eyebrow.

  “Yeah.”

  “What else do they tell you?”

  I open the car door and find myself smiling far too much around this guy. He’s a stoner, a day time drinker, I really shouldn’t be beginning to like him as much as I am.

  “They tell me you’re the hottest girl in town.”

  He makes me laugh and the glint in his eye captures me completely.

&
nbsp; I slide into my seat before he can catch my blush and go to shut the door. I was planning on lowering my window, but he’s there blocking the door before I get the chance.

  “Will you let me take you out one night this week?”

  I was not expecting that from him.

  “Why?”

  “Will you?” he pushes.

  “Will you be high?”

  “Not if you say yes,” he grins.

  I decide to play along as he kneels down.

  “What will we do on this date?”

  “You’ll find out when I pick you up.”

  “I’m free on Thursday.”

  He rises to his feet and closes my door for me. He steps back as I turn the key in the ignition. I’m still smiling when the engine roars to life and I’m still smiling when I look in the rear-view mirror and he’s standing there watching me leave.

  Zachery

  I’m pretty sure I didn’t imagine myself asking Nina out on a date. Running my hand through my hair, I can’t believe I came out with all that shit. You’re the hottest girl in town. I can’t remember the last time I told someone they were hot, and I’ve never asked anyone out on a date before. It felt right to do so with her though. Now I have to figure out what to do with her. The thought of going to a restaurant makes me want to hurl.

  I’ll find something to do with her that fits her style, she’s making me smile and laugh these days, she deserves something good just for those reasons.

  She says what is on her mind and she doesn’t hold back no matter who she’s dealing with. Most people from town would never go toe to toe with Cas. I intervened because somehow I knew she wouldn’t back down.

  I walk back inside and Cas nods as I pass heading for the stairs. I jog up to my room and fall onto my bed. I reach over for the laptop and fire it up. While I’m waiting, I light a joint I left lying in the ashtray this morning and inhale deeply.

  The toke hits me hard and I rest my head on the wall behind me. I make my own enquiries into who paid her bill and find myself spending hours looking into everything about her. Much more than my dad did when we were sent to find her.

  She left town six years ago, no reasons that I can find as to why and she came back for her mom.