by K. Renee
I wanted to hear how she was a rat.
Falling for her is going to be my biggest mistake. I can already see the backlash this is going to fucking cause.
“Where did you go?” Ryder asks when I park my bike in formation with the rest.
“Where do you think?” I sneer. Yeah, I’m still pissed at him. I shouldn’t be, but I need to take my anger out on someone.
“What did she say?” He stands there with his arms crossed over his chest, the tattoos stretching across the solid muscle that he’s gained over the last few months.
“That he threatened to kill everyone she cared about, including you, your ole’ lady, and me.”
He doesn’t say anything, he just stares at me. It’s like he knows there’s more and that he expects me to just tell him like we are some gossipy bitches.
“And?” he finally asks when I don’t say anything else right away.
“That Hallum is pissed that I joined the MC. He said it’s the club’s fault I traded sides. He doesn’t care what happens to her. She was just a means to an end, and if we don’t protect her, she’s as good as dead. My brother doesn’t leave loose ends.”
He starts to do that nervous tick he has of rubbing his right hand over his shoulder a few times as he thinks about it all.
“You didn’t tell her shit about the club right?” His eyes don’t meet mine this time. I’m sure Ryder doesn’t want to believe that Sydney would rat us out. She loves him, and I know she feels something for me. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have been in tears as I walked out of her house.
“No. I ain’t stupid,” I grit out. I don’t like being questioned. They should know me better than that. I would never rat out my family. I wasn’t lying when I told them that Hallum didn’t matter to me anymore. He can go to hell for all I care.
“Good.” He turns and walks away while I’m left staring at his back. Sometimes I don’t fucking understand that asshole.
“She’s your fucking sister. You just gonna lie down while they call her a rat?” I ask him before he gets too far away.
He spins around to face me and comes back toward me, finger pointed at me. “Don’t say one damn word about her. This is your fault that she’s even in this fucking mess.”
“Says the guy who is the Saints’ dirty little secret. You are the motherfucker that everyone wants dead. All I am guilty of right now is falling for your sister and joining this family. He would have come after you either way. Don’t blame your bullshit on me.”
He just stares at me, silent and fuming. I know my words got to him, and I’m not sorry I said anything either. The truth is I don’t know who my brother is after. The only thing I know is that I can’t let anything happen to her.
If Hallum is really all that pissed at me for joining the MC, then I’ll walk away to protect her, go nomad and not lay claim to anyone. I’ll be on my own just like he wants, but I have a feeling he wants more than just me being isolated again.
There had been whispers about Ryder killing the one thing that Hallum cared about most. If you ask me, it was necessary. He put a stop to something that would have caused more harm than good and now Syd is suffering at the hands of her own brother and mine.
Prez ordered me to stay away from her, and now I’m going to do my best to do that. I’ll follow orders like a good soldier. Make it known that I don’t give a fuck even though it’s going to fucking gut me. I need my brothers to know that I am on their side, that the shit my brother does doesn’t have a hold over me.
Hallum can rain down hell on us, and I wouldn’t hold back. I'd kill the bastard if he came at us. I’d protect my new family, the one that I’ve been working my ass off to join.
Now, I just need to figure out my next move.
---
Present Day
She’s a part of me. No matter what I do to try and rid myself of her, I can’t. I feel like I can’t breathe now that she’s gone. I can’t go back to her. I would lose everything that I’ve worked so damn hard for.
I’ve been banned from seeing her again. Ryder has been going fucking insane because he can’t even see his little sister to find out why she even did it in the first place. She wouldn’t have turned her back on him like that. She wouldn’t sell him out. I know that for sure. It looks bad, fuck, does it look bad.
She was with the enemy. Fuck. I run my hand over the side of my head and stare at the bottle of gin that I’m about to down. Drinking her memory away won’t help. I’ll still wake with thoughts of her and the way her body felt against mine as she straddled me. The way it felt when I was inside of her. I feel my dick strain against my jeans and I hate that she still gets me going just with one thought. I need to feel her body pressed against mine one more time. I know that she isn’t a traitor, but I can’t fucking prove it. I wish like hell that I could change what happened so that I could have her in my arms right now. I would give anything…
I’m so damn screwed. Nothing will ever wipe the memory of her from my brain. I want her so damn bad that I’d risk everything for her. I’d protect her until my dying breath. I just need to know the truth, the whole damn truth.
Grabbing my phone, I dial the number that I’d called so many times that it was burned into my brain like second nature. I need to hear her voice and to make sure she’s okay. I have to, or it will eat away at me.
“Hello?” I can hear the tears in her voice. I know she’s fucking scared and I want to take away the fear. I want her to feel safe again.
“Syd,” I murmur closing my eyes to keep from letting my emotions show. I’ve always been good at keeping neutral, not letting anyone know what I’m thinking. It was my best defense, and I won’t be letting anyone see what she does to me.
When Prez demanded that I stay the fuck away from her, I remained passive. Like I didn’t give a damn if I saw her again, while inside I was dying. It was like the breath was being stolen right from my lungs.
“Is it really you?” she chokes out.
I’m sure she knows the rules. No contact. None at all. We leave her to fend for herself because she betrayed her family. A family that she never really knew until the day we met. That damn family barbeque where I first saw her beautiful face and long tan legs.
“Yeah, it’s me. I can’t stay away. I love you, Syd.”
Her sobs over the phone hit me right in the chest. I shouldn’t be calling her right now, but I can’t fucking help it any longer. I need to make sure nothing happens to her, I need to make sure she’s okay.
“I’m so sorry Hendrix. I wish I could take it all back and just tell you the truth the day I met you. I miss you so damn much.” More tears fall down her cheeks, or so I think. She tries to catch her breath, but it doesn’t actually happen. She just cries harder.
“I know, babe. I’m going to figure out a way to deal with this. I’m going to find a way to make sure you're safe. Just hang on a little longer.”
“I don’t know…He’s so mad that I can no longer have contact with you. He threatened my mom and dad. I’ve even had pictures someone took outside their house sent to me with threats. I’m scared.”
I close my eyes as I listen to the fear in her voice. The need to do something is taking over and I know I’m going to have to do this shit on my own. No one else will help me except maybe Ryder himself.
“I’m going to figure something out. I’ll call you later. Be alert and protect yourself if it comes to it. If you have a gun at the house, don’t be afraid to use it.”
“I love you, Hendrix.” Her voice is nothing more than a whisper, and I have to close my eyes to keep myself in check. I want to get on my bike and head over to her, but I can’t. I have to continue to make it look like I don’t care. That she means nothing to me.
“I’ll call you when I can. I’ll see you soon.” We say our goodbyes, and I hang up the phone. I can’t think of the shit that could go wrong with this. Instead, I leave my room and make my way toward Ryder’s.
Knocking on the door, I w
ait for him to answer. I know he’s here, I saw him not even ten minutes before I went to make the call to his sister. I knock again when he doesn’t answer and wait impatiently. When the door finally opens, he looks like I feel. It looks like he’s been running his hands through his hair for the last week and hasn’t shaved in longer.
“What?” he barks out.
I lean against the doorjamb so he can’t try and close the door and I say, “I need your help.”
“With what?” Frustration fills his tone, and I don’t take it personally. I know he’s pissed about the shit that is going on with his sister and how there isn’t a damn thing he can do to help her right now. Prez laid down the law, and we must follow it. No contact at all. Neither of us is allowed to reach out to her, but I’ve already broken that rule, and I have a feeling that Ryder might be joining me on that.
“I want to save your sister’s life. Please help me.”
“This is suicide, you realize that right?”
I shrug. I don’t care. “She’s worth it. I’d go to hell and back for her.” He crosses his arms over his chest like he did after she got kicked out of here.
“What do you have in mind?” He opens the door wider and motions for me to come in, shutting the door behind us.
I’m going to fucking save my girl, and I’m not letting anyone stop me, not even Ryder.
Chapter Eight
Sydney
The house is quiet.
I don’t bother turning on the TV or anything else anymore out of fear of someone getting in and me not realizing it. I have a gun sitting on the couch cushion on my right and my phone on my left. My couch is pushed in the corner of the living room so that I can see anyone who comes inside quickly.
My once normal life has been shattered into a million tiny pieces, and I don’t think that I’ll ever feel safe again. Everything has been turned upside down, and I just wish that things were different. I just wish that I could see Hendrix again.
The hollowness in my heart is painful. But in a way, it reminds me that my life is basically over. Sampson is going to kill me, I know it already. I won’t go without a fight, but part of me is ready. No one trusts me anymore and the two people who did at one time are banned from even speaking to me.
They probably don’t believe me either. Part of me doesn’t blame them. I mean, it looks bad. Everything that I’ve ever worked for and had is gone, and maybe if Sampson just got it over with, I wouldn’t have to continue to live in fear. Everything would be over, and I could be free.
I close my eyes as I think of Hendrix. I never meant to fall for him. The plan was for me to get him to fall, not the other way around. He invaded all of my senses and the moment his hands touched my skin I was done for. Hendrix Rylan is the only thing that matters anymore besides Ryder. I want to save them both, but don’t know how anymore.
A finger slowly runs along my shoulder as we sit outside of some shitty little dive bar. Hendrix promised me that we would do something couple-like because he wanted to show me off. Personally, I didn’t give a shit if we stayed in or went out. All I cared about was being with him. Getting to know the man that he is and kiss him. God, I love kissing him.
“You are thinking terribly hard over there beautiful.” I turn my head to look at him, and he’s got a grin on his lips.
“Just thinking how lucky I am,” I state. Hendrix grabs my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing my knuckles lightly.
“I’m the fucking lucky bastard.” He pulls me off the bench we are sitting on and brings me into his lap. “I have the prettiest girl on my arm, and I got the best family I could ask for. Nothing fucking better than that.”
“You are crazy,” I whisper, burying my face into his neck.
“You are beautiful.” He kisses my cheek before running his hand down my back, grabbing my ass and pulling me closer. Holding me tighter to him.
Falling for him will be the death of me. Not being able to hold him once this is over is going to destroy me. Nothing will ever compare to the way I feel when I am with him. It’s like everything stops. I don’t have a care in the world, and he continues to be the fearless, careless, sexy biker that I can’t get enough of.
The sound of a window shattering brings me back to the present, and I scurry off the couch and grab the gun. I point it toward the hallway where the sound came from and wait. I steady myself and take a deep breath as I await my fate.
As soon as the person comes around the corner, I don’t ask questions I just shoot. The sound of the gun going off is so loud, and the kickback is worse than I thought possible. Before I can even see if I hit the guy, I’m grabbed from behind.
Tsking fills my ears, and then his voice comes next. “Such a bad girl. You should have known better. You didn’t get what I wanted, and now you get to pay the price. But first, I have someone else here to show you just what happens when you fail.”
Fear is taking over. I try to get out of his grip, but it’s no use. His hold on me is too tight. I kick back at his shin, and he just cusses before slamming me into the wall. My head smacks against it so hard that I see stars and can feel blood as it starts to trickle down my skin.
“Don’t fuck with me little one. My big brother is going to hate to see you when I’m through with your tight little body. He’ll never want you again afterward.” I feel bile rising in my throat, and I wish this were all a nightmare. One that I could just wake up from and never have to deal with again.
Cries from down the hall get closer and then he spins me around, I see my best friend, Callen. She’s got tears falling down her cheeks and a cut just above her eye that looks like it’s been bleeding for a while.
When she sees me her eyes widen, and her lip starts to tremble. “You see, when I told you that I would kill everyone that you cared about, I wasn’t fucking around. She will hate you once I get through with her and I’ll let you watch the whole thing.” His tongue runs along my skin, and I grit my teeth.
I have to do something, anything. I can’t let him hurt her any more than he has already. Callen doesn’t deserve this, no one does.
Trying to pull out of his grip again, he takes the gun he took from me and hits me with the handle, dropping me to my knees. I cry out in pain, and he lets me go. “I already warned you, you stupid little bitch. I’m done trying to get this through your head. Stop trying to get away, it only makes it worse for you.” He leaves me on the floor, kicking me as he makes his way over to Callen.
He runs a hand along her jaw, and she closes her eyes, refusing to even look at him. “Pretty little girl. Do you want to know why you are going to be tortured?” She shakes her head no as more tears fall from her closed eyes.
“It’s a shame that your so-called best friend didn’t even protect you. All she had to do was get my brother to see the error of his ways and come back to me, but she failed. She let them kick her out of his life, and now we are here in this living room trying to think of the best way to make you bleed.”
Slowly pushing myself up to a sitting position, I wipe my forehead. The blood is covering my hand, and I think I’m going to be sick. Instead of focusing on all the blood, I push myself to stand and reach for the baseball bat that I had hidden under the couch.
Sampson has his back to me, still stroking her face, so I grab the bat and move toward him. When I’m close enough, I swing as hard as I can. The sound of the bat cracking against his body is one of the worst sounds I’ve ever heard, but it doesn’t even faze him.
As he turns to face me, I see the hatred and anger coursing through him. He’s pissed. He grabs me by the throat and chokes me, walking me back until he pushes me into the wall. My hands go to his forearms as I try to suck in any amount of air that I can, but it’s no use. I can’t breathe.
Black spots start to fill my vision, and soon my body goes limp in his arms. Everything goes black.
---
A hand slaps me hard, and my eyes snap open.
“Oh good, you’re awake.” His sinist
er grin fills my vision, and I try to look around to see Callen. I spot her tied to a chair over by the couch while I’m lying on the living room floor. My entire body hurts as I try to look around more.
It’s just the three of us now, and I can only imagine what he’s going to do next.
“You didn’t get to see what we did to her.” His grin gets wider, and I push away from him ignoring the pain as it radiates through my body.
“I’m going to kill you,” I whimper. The pain is almost too much. He looks down at my body and makes that damn tisking sound again. That sound is going to be one of those things that make me want to stab someone. I only need a knife.
“I have a feeling that brother dearest isn’t going to be happy with me after this…” He looks down again, and I suck in a breath. I don’t know what he means by that and part of me doesn’t care enough to find out. The only thing I want to do is find a way to get away from him and get Callen safe.
His hand runs down the center of my chest, almost in the same fashion as the night we slept together. “Unless, this one is mine…” He stops his hand over my stomach, pressing down on it causing me to cry out. This doesn’t prevent him from moving his hand farther down, and when he runs his hand between my legs, he brings his hand back up showing me the blood.
Everything in me goes numb.
Every ounce of my will to fight is gone in a just a few seconds.
The shrill sound of my phone going off is the only thing I register, and I don’t even know where it’s coming from. Sampson curses under his breath and then answers the call.
“Dear brother. I’ve missed you so. I’m sure your little girlfriend needs you right now. She’s a little bloody as is her friend.” He doesn’t say anything else, just sets the phone down on the floor next to me where I can hear Hendrix yelling over the line.
Sampson gets up from his place on the floor next to me and walks away, leaving me on the living room floor covered in blood.
