NOMADS The Box Set

by Erin Trejo

  “Fuck, Xena,” I breathe before grabbing my cock on my hand. I stroke it as I watch her, her other hand sliding between her legs. She’s so fucking wet, I can see it glistening from here but she doesn’t break eye contact. Her gaze lowers to my hand where it’s wrapped around my cock.

  “Ryder,” she moans.

  “Do it. Fuckin’ come for me.”

  “I want you inside of me,” she whines. I chuckle as I keep stroking.

  “Oh, I’ll be inside of you. Just do it, Xena.” She locks her beautiful brown eyes with mine as she circles her clit. Each stroke of my hand, I can feel that burn through my body. I don’t want to come unless it’s inside of her but fuck, watching her is a sight to see. I release my grip on my cock and just watch her. Her eyes widen before she jerks. Her body spasms as she calls my name. Standing still, I watch as she closes her eyes trying to catch her breath. This isn’t the time for that. I climb onto the bed quickly, grabbing my cock and thrusting into her. Her legs wrap around my waist, her eyes flying open as a gasp rips from her chest. I drive into her wet pussy like it’s the first time I’ve been there. I find a comfort in Xena. I always have. Each roll of my hips brings her closer to another orgasm.

  “Ryder, shit!” She hisses as I feel her body locking up once more.

  “You want me to come inside of you? You want my baby?” Her eyes move to mine as all the air leaves her lungs. I know it’s been six years. I know we’ve both changed but my heart knows hers.

  “You’re staying? When this is over?” She asks almost sounding shocked. I slow my strokes but it doesn’t feel any less intense than it did before. My chest clenches as I nod my head. I don’t want to leave again. I don’t want to leave her or the kids. I did that once and it nearly broke my heart. It killed my brother. I can’t do that again. I can’t feel that anymore.

  “I’m not goin’ anywhere, Xena.” A tear slips down her cheek as I speed up. She smiles softly up at me as I rock into her. She reaches up, pulling my lips to hers and I let her. I let her kiss me like she’s been starving for me because in reality, I have been starving for her. I’ve tried to push her out of my mind and out of my heart but it never worked. From the first day I stepped foot back in this town I knew it was her I was meant to be with. As we both come together, it all hits me. I will never be able to stop loving this girl.

  48

  Xena

  It’s strange to see him sitting in my room with his shirt off. I watch him as he gets dressed, the way his muscles move.

  “You gonna stare at me all night?” he asks without even looking over at me. I giggle a little at getting caught.

  “I just don’t know what to think,” I admit. Ryder grabs his shirt, stands from the bed and pulls it on as he turns to look at me.

  “About what?” He grabs is cut and pulls it on as I watch him.

  “All of it. Everything is just so different now. This house…it doesn’t feel right without him here.”

  “So we move,” he says as if it’s nothing.

  “As much as I would love to, I don’t think we can afford it.” Ryder nods his head before walking around the bed, grabbing my hands and pulling me up in front of him.

  “I get it. This house has been your home since you were little. I hate that you owe so much money it on but if you can’t see livin’ here, I understand. Honestly, I was about to say the same thing,” he tells me as he brushes my hair over my shoulder.

  “Why don’t you like it here?” Ryder swallows hard, looking away from me for a second when it all hits me. I get it because I can feel the same thing.

  “His negative energy is still here. It’s suffocating.” Ryder quickly looks back at me and nods his head.

  “I know I wasn’t here for it but fuck, Xena. I can feel it. I can feel him here but it’s not him. Does that even make sense?” I nod my head because it does make sense to me.

  “This house has held a lot of pain and anger. Maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s time to move.”

  “It isn’t about the money. If that’s what’s stoppin’ you, then forget it. I can cover that.”

  “Are you rich now?” I tease as I let out a laugh but Ryder isn’t laughing. Instead, he runs his hands up and down my arms like he’s trying to soothe me or ease me into what he’s about to say.

  “I’ve done things over the years. I’ve changed. Things were different for me out there. I found somethin’ that I didn’t have here.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Control. I never felt like I had control around here especially in what I did or who I was. Out there, I found my way but now that I’m back here with you, I can’t picture myself leavin’ again.”

  “I don’t want you to stay where you aren’t comfortable, Ryder. Not for me.” His eyes move to meet mine and a slight smile curls his lips.

  “You tryin’ to get rid of me already?”

  “No but I want you to be happy.”

  “I am happy with you, Xena. That’s the thing. I traveled, I did shit that I shouldn’t have done but at the end of the day I wasn’t really happy. I thought I found myself but I didn’t because I left a piece of me here with you,” he admits and my heart beats a little faster. Ryder leans in and presses a quick kiss to my lips before stepping away.

  “Where would you want to live?” I ask as I move to the closet and grab my boots.

  “This town is so damn small. I think that’s what bothered me. Maybe move somewhere a little bigger, more people,” he says walking into the bathroom. I sit on the edge of my bed and pull my boots on when he steps back out. His long blond hair is slicked back. He looks dangerous yet delicious all at the same time.

  “You know I’d go if you asked me to,” I tell him truthfully.

  “And you know I wouldn’t ask you to leave your family.” A genuine smile crosses my face.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To buy a new truck,” he smirks.

  “What? Why?”

  “For one, I owe my dad a new one and two, I gotta feelin’ we’re gonna need it soon.” I follow him out the door and down the hallway. He jogs down the stairs with me right behind him when I hear it.

  “Look everywhere!” Ryder turns to face me, grabbing the gun from the back of his jeans and raising his finger to his lips. Fucking Dawson. My insides tremble but Ryder looks calm. How can he be this calm? Dawson has to know that his shit is gone. That’s what he’s doing here. Shit and double shit. I cling to Ryder’s back as he moves slowly toward the front door. If his guys are here, they are all out back looking. The door to the basement is around back. Ryder shifts so that he can look out the door and when he motions for me to move, I do. I’m out the door and down the steps with him right behind me when I hear it.

  “She’s running!” Ryder moves, shoving me to the ground before spinning around and grabbing the guy that snuck up on us. He has him around his neck, his gun pressed into his temple.

  “Tell them it’s a false alarm,” he growls. The guy I now see, Brad does it. He calls out and says what he’s told. “Xena, get up and walk into those trees,” Ryder adds. I shove off the ground and back into the trees. Brad’s mouth opens but when Ryder thrusts the gun into his head a little harder he shuts up. When we’re far enough from the house, Ryder raises the gun, bringing the butt down into the side of Brad’s head.

  “What the hell?” I hiss.

  “What? I couldn’t just shoot him out here. They would hear it,” he says casually.

  “Have you lost your mind? Do you know who he works with?” I whisper a little louder than I need to.

  “Yeah and I plan on killin’ them all remember?” he smirks. He fucking smirks after saying he’s killing them all? Ryder turns and starts walking as I follow behind him. I forget that he knows these woods like the back of his hand. He used to play out here all the time as a kid with Jack. Once we hit the backroad, he pulls out his phone and makes a call. I try to follow along but what’s the point? We walk a little further in silence when I hear the
rumble. I jolt and grab at his shirt.

  “Scared of a few bikers?”

  “You called in backup?” I ask looking up at him.

  “Hell yeah. You think I’m gonna take on Hardy alone?” He looks at me as if I’ve lost my mind.

  “I didn’t know we were doing that tonight!” I nearly shriek.

  “When did you think we were doin’ it then?” he asks with his eyebrow raised.

  “I don’t know. Like after we got intel or some shit. Not tonight though!” The bikes come into view and they all wear the same cut as Ryder. I eye each one as they pull to a stop on the side of the road.

  “Couldn’t stay out of trouble, huh?” The one at the front asks.

  “What the fuck fun would that be?” Ryder walks over pulling each of them into a hug. A few opt for a fist bump as I stand here confused.

  “This her?” The one in front asks.

  “Yeah. Xena this is Core. He’s a friend of mine.” I open my mouth to speak but he stops me.

  “No need to say anything. I’m here to save the day,” he says causing me to laugh.

  “You bring the bike?” Ryder asks him.

  “Yeah, she can ride with me. You can ride with the prospect.”

  “Ain’t no way I’m ridin’ bitch. I’d rather cut my fuckin’ nut off,” Ryder snaps. Core pulls a knife out and tosses it at him. I laugh again.

  “I think I like him,” I say looking up at Ryder.

  “Don’t get any ideas, darlin’.” Core chuckles and whistles to someone. The guy in the back climbs off his bike and onto the back of another.

  “Core, that ain’t even right, brother. You makin’ them ride double?” Core laughs this time.

  “It was him or you. Where we headin’?”

  “Into the next town over. Need to get a truck. I got a feelin’ I’m gonna need to get rid of some bodies.”

  49

  Ryder

  I forgot how much I loved having Xena on the bike with me. She fits perfectly. I bought a beat up truck from a little dealer that took cash to keep it all quiet. I’ll burn this fucker up when I’m done with it anyway. Now we’re heading to the warehouse of that bastard Hardy. I’m ready. Core brought the manpower and the guns, I’m bringing the anger. I’ve looked into it. I’ve checked and double checked. Dawson wasn’t the one that pulled the trigger but he knew his men were going out to kill Jack that night. I just can’t figure out why.

  “Are you nervous?” I ask Xena where she sits in the passenger seat fiddling with her shirt.

  “I’m scared.”

  “Of what?”

  “Losing you.” Those words pierce my heart more than I could admit but I get it.

  “Sadly to say, you are stuck with me, darlin’.”

  “I mean it, Ryder. Anything could go wrong and you know it.” Reaching over, I grab her hand in mine, bringing it to my lips. Kissing it gently, I don’t let it go.

  “Everything is gonna be fine. Hardy isn’t all that you think he is. Yeah, he runs a lot of shit but he isn’t as big time as he leads people to believe. He’s more of a backwoods dealer.”

  “They kill people,” she says softly.

  “Yeah, they did but I’m gonna kill him.” She scoots closer to me and relaxes into my side. We’ve been driving for about an hour and the closer we get, the more anxious I become. I’m ready for this. I’m ready to confront the asshole that stole my brother’s life away from him. Anger begins to seep into my pores the more I think about it. As we pull up to the meeting point, I pull the truck off to the side and kill the engine.

  “You don’t have to go in,” I tell her. Xena’s eyes cut to mine and I almost laugh. She looks pissed or insulted.

  “Don’t think bad of me when I say this but I want to see his face when you do it.” Her admission shocks me. I never thought that she would want to see something like that.

  “Are you serious? That’s not somethin’ you can easily forget, darlin’.” She seems to think it over before she blows out a breath.

  “I know that but I need this. He wasn’t just your brother, Ryder.”

  “I know. I know that.” The silence lingers for a few minutes when Core knocks on the truck window. I take a deep breath and Xena pulls away from me, climbing out of the truck. I do the same as Core and the guys watch me. I run my hand over my face and take a deep calming breath when I feel her arms wrap around me. In this moment, I know I’d do anything for her. I would kill, hell, I’d die a million times over for this woman.

  “Don’t take any risks in there on my behalf. I need the backup and I appreciate you guys bein’ just that.”

  “Fuck off, Ryder. We’re here because we’re brothers. Don’t give us that line of shit,” Whip, one of the other guys says. I chuckle.

  “He’s right. You’d do it for us. Let’s handle these bastards,” Core adds. I nod my head as I pull the gun from the back of my jeans, passing it to Xena before grabbing my other one. Once we’re all armed and ready, we move toward the building. From the intel we gathered they are having a meeting here tonight. The top players will be here including Dawson. The more I think about that motherfucker having his hands anywhere near my girl, the more the anger rises inside of me. He put his hands on something that is precious to me and I plan to make him pay for that indiscretion. We make it to the door and a few of the guy’s head around back to go through that exit. Core and I share a glance before I nod my head. We bust through the door with Xena right behind me. I don’t ask question, I don’t stop to look around, I just start pulling the trigger. Each shot drops another body to the ground until I see him. He turns to run but the other guys come in the back door causing him to skid to a stop.

  “Well well well,” I mock as I walk closer to them. Fucking Hardy stands there looking pissed and a little pleased with himself. That’ll change soon enough.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” He asks me, looking me in the eye. I raise my gun and aim straight at his head. He can see the devil as he dances in my eyes. He knows what this is.

  “I just need to know one thing. Did you order it?” I ask. Xena’s hand wraps up in the back of my shirt but I can’t focus on her right now.

  “He knew his place,” Hardy says.

  “What was his place?”

  “He wanted out, Ryder. You know this world as much as anyone. One way in, one way out. He took the out,” he says as if that means nothing.

  “He was my brother! My family and you stand there talkin’ as if he was nothin’!” I roar as rage nearly consumes me. My heart has never beat this hard in my chest before. I feel like my body is about to explode.

  “He was replaceable to me.” Replaceable? That motherfucker. Lowering my gun, I pass it behind me to Xena before I lunge for him. He never saw me coming. I tackle him to the ground before I begin to punch. Each one causes my knuckles to burn but I don’t give a shit. There’s a commotion behind me but I assume the guys are controlling the rest of his men. I zone out. All I see is my brother lying in that coffin. His eyes closed, a peaceful look on his face. My hands don’t stop until I hear the gunshot and Xena scream. My head jerks in the direction to see Core on the ground bleeding and Dawson holding Xena. Only then do I stand and leave this assholes now lifeless body on the ground.

  Raising my hand, I point at Dawson and say, “You are makin’ a huge fuckin’ mistake touchin’ my girl again.” Dawson chuckles.

  “Your girl? I’ve had my cock in her for years.” The words spur me on. The way he looks at me pushes me that much further. Xena’s eyes are wide, small spots of what I assume is Core’s blood sticking to her face. I raise my hands out at my sides.

  “You wanted to take out my family, yeah? What are you waitin’ for?”

  “It had nothing to do with you, Ryder. He wanted out. That couldn’t happen.”

  “He had a family! He had kids you son of a bitch!” Spit flies from my lips as I yell in fury and pain.

  “He was a casualty. Her on the other, she was a bonus,�
�� he sneers and runs his tongue up the side of Xena’s face. Her eyes never leave mine. That’s how I know she fucking loves me. She’s looking to me for help. For more. And I’m not about to turn my back on her this time.

  “Let her go. You took my brother you aren’t takin’ her too,” I tell him being serious. He watches me when I see Whip move out of the corner of my eye. He raises his gun in a ballsy move, slamming the butt against the back of Dawson’s head. His hand falls away from Xena giving her the chance to run. And she does. Straight toward me. Before I have a chance to move, Dawson fires. I move, leaping in front of Xena. We both tumble to the floor as more shots are fired. I can hear the guys yelling around us as my head spins after it crashed into the cement floor.

  “Shit. Shit! Ryder?” Her voice is like an angel. “That motherfucker. That piece of shit motherfucker!” She roars. I raise my head and blink my eyes trying to get them to focus but fuck, it’s a blur.

  “You shouldn’t do that,” I hear Whip saying but who is he talking to? I try to shove myself up but fall right back to the floor. A few of the other guys come to kneel next to me jabbering on about something that I’m not hearing.

  “You took everything away from us. How selfish can you be?” I hear Xena talking and wonder who it is she’s talking to.

  “I can’t see shit,” I grumble as I bring my hand to my head.

  “Hit your head pretty good,” one of the guys says.

  “You think you can walk away from this? You think that you get to live while he rots in the dirt?” Her screams come louder when I hear Dawson chuckle.

  “What are you going to do Xena? Not so long ago you needed me.”