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

by Ellie R. Hunter

  “I don’t know Nina Rollins.”

  Dad slaps him on the shoulder and nods once.

  “That’s the attitude. Good, now we’ve established you’re to stay the fuck away from my son’s girlfriend, I’m going to untie you and help you clean up the place.”

  Girlfriend? I don’t pull him on his mistake. We haven’t had that talk yet.

  “It’s fine, it’s just a bowl.”

  “I meant the photography, it’s got to come down. I wouldn’t allow another man to have so many photos of my old lady, it’s not respectful, is it now?”

  He shuffles in against the curtain ties.

  “Stop it now, I’m trying to help you. Do you want to die?”

  I know dad well and I can hear the strain in his voice to keep his composure and maintain this camaraderie he has with this prick.

  “Fine. Untie me and get out.”

  Dad doesn’t have to say anything, I backtrack to the kitchen and grab the trash bags I saw in the cupboard under the sink.

  I thrust a couple of them at the twins and they get up to their feet.

  “I want every photo of Nina taken down and all the shit from his bedroom, anything that makes your skin crawl, trash it.”

  They get on with it and Ricky remains on the couch with his feet up on the table. While dad busies himself freeing the creep, I walk around and take down the photos in the living room and in the hall. I don’t know who these other two women are, but they’re in as much danger as Nina.

  I thought stalkers focused on one person, this guy is obsessing over three. I’m not sure if that makes him sloppy or more dangerous.

  By the time we’re finished the place is empty, it looks like he’s getting ready to move house.

  It’s killing him. He’s followed our every movement and if I looked at his tongue, it would probably have a hole in it from biting down so hard.

  Dad has stayed close to him and when he looks at the five trash bags packed with shit he shouldn’t have, sweat pebbles his forehead.

  “Who’s up for a bonfire tonight?” Ricky hollers, finally getting up to his feet and straightens his cut.

  “You’re going to burn it all?” Andrew gasps.

  Seriously?

  This guy.

  “We’re not going to keep it, and I doubt Nina will want any of it.”

  This little scene is wounding him, and we need to get out of here before we tip him over the edge.

  “Let’s go,” I say, and no one argues.

  The twins and Rick leave first, all taking a bag each and dad walks out in front of me. We both stop on the porch and Andrew is hovering way behind us in the hall.

  His face is clear of blood, but the cut at the top of his nose looks fresh and ready to spill out at any moment.

  “This is the only warning you get. If we find out you’ve been anywhere near her, don’t doubt we will be back.”

  Not another word is said and dad and I walk to our bikes. I wait for the door to slam shut and it takes everything in me not to turn around and see what he’s doing.

  I relent when I dump the bag in my hand on the ground and he’s standing on his doorstep.

  “I do love her,” he calls over, still braving it up with us.

  “Then set her free,” I yell back and swing my leg over my bike. “Or I will kill you.”

  I don’t care who hears and I don’t care what is done about it. I will do anything to keep Nina safe.

  As long as he stays away, he’ll live.

  Nina

  The cabin has a different atmosphere when the owners are home. I blushed hard when we walked through the door and floods of images of being with Zach on their living room floor came back.

  Luckily, we’ve been in the kitchen all afternoon and the most that happened in here was a little kissing.

  India is currently spinning around the place, stirring something in one pot and checking something in another. She hasn’t stopped and I’m getting the idea that she is making an effort and she doesn’t want to mess up.

  I’ve never shared her need not to fail, if I succeed I do, and if I don’t, oh well, it’s not the end of the world.

  “Your dad just messaged, he and Zach are on their way back and Ricky and the twins are joining us.”

  Zach’s with his dad? That has to be a good sign, doesn’t it? From the little Zach has spoken about, I don’t think he spends time with Slade unless he has to.

  “What? No.” She panics. “I haven’t done enough.”

  “Yes, you have.”

  I watch mother and daughter in fascination and jealousy slices me in half. I miss my mom so much. I can’t think about her yet, I focus on the sauce bubbling away in the pan and push out all thoughts and pains of my mother. India’s groans of having to cook for more carry around the kitchen and Kristen does her best to soothe her and when the baby cries, India is relieved to leave the cooking in her mom’s capable hands. Leaving us alone.

  Leaving me under her eye as she multitasks and cooks and looks me over as I lean against the island.

  “So, are things between you and my son serious?” she asks me, not holding back and I’m grateful we’re alone.

  “I think so,” I say, because I do think we are, I just haven’t heard him confirm it. We haven’t had the conversation.

  “Slade tells me you’re only recently back in town, do you plan on staying?”

  “Your son is my reason to stick around. I don’t plan on leaving.”

  I don’t actually have a plan for anything, my life is up in the air right now, Zachery is the one solid constant in my life and I’m more than happy to go with the flow for now.

  “You’ve seen how he is with us; don’t think he will ever leave with you if you have enough of this small town again. He is a brother, he will never be anything but a Lost Soul…”

  I cut her off, she’s worrying over nothing.

  “Mrs McCarthy, I didn’t leave before because I wanted more than a small-town life, I loved my childhood here and because of reasons I don’t want to talk about, I had to leave. What I feel for your son is unexpected and exciting. He’s like no one I’ve ever met before.”

  And I want more, much, much more of him.

  “Exciting in this club, in his life isn’t always fun. You must remember that if this is serious with the two of you. He’s more sensitive than he lets on and I don’t want to see him suffer anymore than he already does.”

  “I promise you, he’ll never suffer because of me.”

  Leo has Rayna in his arms and is followed by India when Cas and Alannah join us in the kitchen and Kristen ends our conversation, or her interrogation and I silently thank everyone. This place has the ability to be quiet one moment and full of life in the next.

  “Dinner smells great, Indie,” Alannah coos, taking her granddaughter from her son.

  I’m quickly learning who’s who and who’s family is who around here. Leo cuddles up to India as she stirs dinner at the stove and her happiness is palpable in the air.

  Do Zach and I look like this when we’re together? I feel like we’re more passionate than loving, but then again, these two have been together for a while and clearly have a tight relationship. When I was with Joey, I liked him. I thought I loved him and was proved wrong when it didn’t hurt so bad when I caught him with the tramp in our bed. How I feel for Zach is too much, it’s indescribable, it’s more than it should be for now. Looking around to distract myself, Cas sits at the table and fails to hide he’s suffering. He’s pale and I stop staring when he catches me.

  My breath is stolen from me when Zach walks in the back, I don’t see his dad or the twins, or the guy called Ricky, who I’ve learned is the twin’s dad. Zach takes my entire focus.

  His hand lands above my hip and he leans in close to my ear.

  “Can I have a word outside?”

  “Sure.”

  He doesn’t take my hand like he usually does, and I notice his knuckles are bleeding. He must be about to tell m
e what he’s been up to today. He did say we would talk when he returned.

  A pile of trash bags sits in the middle of the backyard by a firepit and that’s where we stop.

  “I went to Andrew Smith’s house today, or as you know him, Vincent.”

  “Andrew?” I whisper.

  “That’s his real name, he lives alone, works at the cemetery and had over a hundred photos of you and you and him on his walls. That’s what’s in these bags, he had the same perfumes you use, your brush, it was fucked up. We collected up everything about you from there.”

  “Why are your knuckles bleeding?” I ask, choosing to ignore what’s inside the bags.

  “He wound me up.” Is all he says and pulls out a lighter from his back pocket. “There were many photos of two other women too. You weren’t the only one.”

  I don’t know if this makes me feel better or not. How fucked is it that I’m even thinking this way? I step forward and peek inside one of the bags and wish I hadn’t. A photo of me at a beach startles me.

  “I’ve never been to a beach in my life,” I tell Zach.

  “They’re all photoshopped. Don’t look at anymore, you don’t need to see his insanity. It really is best you don’t.”

  He bends down and picks up a can of lighter fluid, he squirts it over the trash bags and he flicks the lighter open and sparks a flame. He passes it over to me and I take it gingerly.

  “Burn it all, babe.”

  I chuck the lighter on top of the pile and it erupts into one big flume of fire and then settles down as it spreads to every bag.

  Zach’s arms wrap around me from behind and I lean my head back on him.

  “Tell me how you hurt him.”

  My voice comes out low, unintentionally, and I wait for his answer. Lifting my head up, I see the dried up blood on his hand and I run my finger over it.

  “Why?”

  I turn in his arms and he’s too serious, there is no trace of humour or happiness anywhere.

  “Tell me,” I urge him.

  “I punched him repeatedly in the head until he lost consciousness.”

  “That’s it?”

  “Is that not enough?” he asks, narrowing his eyes questioningly.

  “I suppose. What else happened? I mean, I have so many more questions, but I’m starting with these ones.”

  “I found out who he really was last night and had the twins come with me to his house. I wanted to kill him, I would have if I hadn’t had called my dad. He was so infatuated with you he couldn’t see reason or logic at first. He says he loves you.”

  “He doesn’t know anything about me.”

  “He knows more than you think.”

  “No, he doesn’t,” I argue. “He doesn’t know me in ways that you do.”

  He leans down and captures my mouth with his and kisses me hard. The truth sparks passion from him.

  “What happened after your dad showed up?”

  “He spoke with him and made him promise to stay away from you.”

  That’s it?

  “And he just agreed?”

  “Yeah, but we don’t think for one second that he’s going to, which means you’re not leaving my side and if he breaks his word, it’s not going to be pretty.”

  “Uglier than punching him until he loses consciousness?”

  “Far worse,” he promises, and I lose it.

  “This act of protectiveness, going out of your way to deal with my crazy, this makes you mine. Officially.”

  The corner of his mouth pulls up and he cocks an eyebrow.

  “Yeah?”

  “Yes.”

  “You still being here after spending time with my family makes you mine. Officially.”

  “Yeah?” I throw back at him.

  “Yes.”

  “So, we’re official. Together. Boyfriend and girlfriend. A couple-”

  He smashes his lips onto mine, one, I don’t care because he’s kissing me, but two, I know it’s to shut me up. Who cares, he wants me and we’re together now.

  We stood outside as the flames died to embers and ash, and all the fake photos of me were dead to the eye.

  Currently, I’m sitting between Zach and Mason and they’re shovelling down the food India cooked for everyone. I’m happy her food is going down well, she certainly earned it.

  “So, is anyone going to fill me in as to why Zach’s knuckles are busted up, or why there was a trash bag fire out the back before we sat down to eat.”

  “Slade had it handled, Cas. You don’t need to bother with such things,” Lana tells him, and he pins her with a stare that has her rolling her eyes.

  I like their relationship from what I’ve seen so far. They’re so real and yet so much like a fucked up fairy-tale.

  “Slade can tell me what happened then, and if anyone else thinks they have to take a softy soft approach around me again, I’m going to start shooting.”

  I don’t think he’s joking, and Zach squeezes my shoulder when he sees I’ve been staring for too long.

  “Zach had a problem and we helped him with it.”

  “Is it dealt with?”

  “We hope so.”

  “That doesn’t fill me with confidence. It’s enough that I have to deal with this fucking cancer when we should out there dealing with Ellis, but if we’ve got shit happening in our town, I want it dealt with swiftly.”

  “Nina had a stalker, and hopefully now she doesn’t. If he doesn’t quit, he’ll have to disappear.”

  Slade is brutal, and I didn’t expect it from him. All I’ve seen from him is sadness and quietness.

  All eyes then fall on me and I think they forgot I was sitting here. I don’t care though, not if he disappears, as long as he stays away from me, I just don’t care.

  Slowly, everyone starts to eat, and the night passes nicely. Zach doesn’t have much input, but it’s not because he’s left out, he chooses to sit and take everything in.

  His small touches and our chairs getting closer and closer brings me warmth and I can’t wait to be alone with him.

  I’m enjoying spending time with his family and friends, or brothers as he calls them, but our time on our own is what I need.

  “I should get you home,” Zach murmurs so low I don’t think anyone else can hear but it gets Cas’ attention.

  “Everyone is to stay here tonight. Little Rayna needs to spend time at her home, so for tonight, find somewhere to lay your head and in the morning, we’ll be planning our next run.”

  Zach exhales loudly and I hold his hand and smile at him. I don’t care where we are as long as I’m with him, and to be honest, I don’t care where we are to have a conversation about Vincent or Andrew I should say.

  I want to know everything that happened today. The kitchen becomes a flurry of everyone moving around and Zach grabs my hand and we disappear upstairs.

  It’s huge up here and I count eight doors before Zach opens the one furthest from the stairs and closes us in and locks the door.

  “Tell me everything,” I order and push him back slowly towards the bed.

  I don’t know what’s coming over me but hearing how far he went for me is driving me crazy for him.

  He catches on quickly and manages to spin me around so I’m the one who falls back on the bed and he lands on top of me.

  “It’s like that, huh?”

  “It’s like that.”

  Zachery

  The sun is rising, and the bedroom has a warm orangey-red glow after I was too distracted to close the shades last night. I don’t know why I’m noticing this, so, I let the thoughts that have been popping up more and more recently in.

  “I think I could fall in love with you,” I blurt out enjoying the after high of my climax.

  “You already have, you’re just waiting for your head to catch up with your heart. You’re lucky I’m patient.”

  My laugh echoes around the scarcely furnished room and I struggle to open my eyes and see her relaxing across my chest.


  “You’re crazy.”

  “Shh, I need some sleep.”

  I do as she asks and stroke her hair away from her face as I lay there waking up to one of the best mornings of my life so far.

  I can’t blame Andrew for being infatuated with her, I am myself. However, his infatuation is not healthy. She is worth protecting and I will protect her.

  Her breathing evens out and her ability to fall asleep astounds me. She does it all the time, it’s made me see how stressful I’ve been because I sure as shit can’t fall asleep that easily.

  She rolls off my chest and curls up on the other side of the bed. Another thing about her, she likes to fall asleep touching me, but once she’s out for the count, she needs her own space.

  I slip my jeans on and throw on my hoodie and leave the room as quiet as I can. It’s still really early and I’m not surprised my mom is up and pouring coffee down in the kitchen. She’s always been an early riser. She pours me a coffee as she smiles warily at me and takes me in.

  “Thanks.”

  Fuck. I need this.

  “Join me outside.”

  I follow her out and we sit by the fire place. I can still smell the acrid scent of burnt plastic.

  “You looked happy last night, I enjoyed seeing you smiling. It’s been way too long,” she begins.

  “She makes me happy without even trying,” I tell her.

  “I get it, she’s nice. I like her.”

  “Good, because she’s going to be around from now on.”

  “Your dad told me what happened yesterday, I’m glad you called him, he is too.”

  “I am too, I couldn’t think past killing that guy. You should’ve seen his house, mom. It was something out of a horror movie.”

  “Well, she’s safe with you.”

  Yes, she is.

  “Do you love her?”

  “Yes.”

  I don’t hesitate to answer her and I don’t care who knows. I should probably tell Nina first but it isn’t like my mom’s going to go around shouting my business.

  “If she had a kid, would you still love her and want to be with her?”

  Huh, what a time to make a point. I wonder how long she’s been waiting to use that one on me?