Raiden's Choice (A Ravens MC Novel Book 1)

by J. L. Leslie

“It’s more than that. We both know it.”

  Again, there he goes reading me and I can’t stand it. What good is an asset that can’t hide her emotions? When who is considered the enemy can see right through me?

  “Goodbye, Lincoln.”

  ~Luka~

  The moment I knock off work at the mill, I get a call from Kane. I’m needed for a delivery. The only reason I find this odd is because I never work on the weapons deliveries. I load the trucks and that’s about it. Dax is very protective about who works on the deliveries and I honestly don’t blame him.

  “Moses is behind schedule so Dax is going to let you take this one.” Kane explains when I pull up to the clubhouse. “He’s got the route in his office.”

  I knock on Dax’s door and wait for him to tell me to enter. He has a map spread out on his desk. A red line is drawn out on it, indicating where I’m supposed to go.

  “Moses normally makes this trip, but I let him drive the Nevada delivery since Kevin is still a little bummed up. Moses ran into some weather and is not back yet. I trust you to make the Sacramento delivery.” Dax explains. “It’s not a hard route, pretty cut and dry. This is your map. We don’t use GPS.”

  I don’t question him on why. I’m certain it’s so we don’t leave anything that can be tracked or traced in any way. I review the map and then fold it before putting it in my back pocket.

  “You’ll be delivering to Maxwell. I believe you met him at the rally. This is an inner club delivery so again, you shouldn’t have any issues.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Get one of the prospects to make you a sandwich for the road. I don’t want you stopping anywhere unless you need to fill the van up.” Dax instructs. “Burn the map when you’re done.”

  I give him a nod. I leave his office and let Oscar, one of the new prospects, make me two ham sandwiches. I grab me a bag of Doritos from the cabinet and a Coke from the fridge. As soon as my sandwiches are ready, I head out without saying a word to anyone.

  As I drive, I consider how a year ago, I wouldn’t have been on this path. After losing Haley, I despised everything about the motorcycle clubs in Verdana. In my mind, they represented violence and destruction, nothing more. Now I see that although violence and destruction are still part of what they do, the Ravens represent more. Lincoln will always be my brother, but the Ravens are becoming my brotherhood. I know Linc will never have that with the Rykers.

  I feel my phone buzzing in my pocket and see that Hatfield McCoy is my caller. After our meeting this morning, I hope he took heed to my warning.

  “Yep.” I answer.

  “Tomorrow your brother will be a free man. He’ll get credit for time served and two years probation.” Griffin Knowles informs me. “Call off the fucking transfer.”

  “Tell me, Griffin, does your girlfriend always smell so good?” I ask and I just imagine his All-American face contorting in anger. “I mean, I could smell her sweet perfume Monday and it just made me wonder what it smelled like between…”

  The dial tone sounds in my ear and I just laugh. I know I shouldn’t berate him about Raiden. I’m sure she’ll hear about it and it won’t make things easy for her. Hell, then she’ll be pissed with me, but sometimes it’s just worth it. Pissing off Griffin Knowles is definitely worth it. Especially since he played me like a fucking fool for weeks.

  I finish the drive to Sacramento feeling a little smug. I arrive at the delivery location ten minutes early. When I get out of the truck, I recognize a couple of the Sacramento members from the bike rally and I see Maxwell as he walks around to the back of the vehicle. He’s definitely a little intimidating. I don’t give a damn that he’s sixty. He’s probably in better shape than I am.

  “You have any trouble?” he asks.

  “No, sir.” I answer.

  He motions to his men and tells them to get the truck unloaded. “Last time I saw you, you were just a prospect. I see you’ve been upgraded.”

  “Uh, yes, sir. Just recently.” I reply with a nod.

  “Dax upgrade those other dipshits too? The ones that barely lasted ten minutes in that paintball war?” he questions and I laugh.

  “Yes, they got their cuts too.”

  I don’t mention that I was taken out by Raiden in that paintball war too. I did last longer though.

  “I guess Verdana doesn’t have much to choose from.” he grins.

  “That’s everything, boss.” One of the men informs Maxwell.

  “Have a safe trip back, kid.” Maxwell says and shakes my hand.

  I don’t waste time getting back on the road. I have to work my shift at the mill tomorrow and I’m anxious to see if Griffin follows through on his word and releases Linc. I only stop to fill up now that I don’t have dozens of weapons in the back of my truck. Then I make the drive back to Verdana.

  When I get back to the clubhouse, only a few of the members are still up. It’s nearly two a.m. Eric and Shane are playing pool and Niles and Hayes are watching an episode of Sanford & Son. I head back to Dax’s office to let him know the delivery is complete.

  Instead of him telling me to come in, he cracks the door open and peaks his head outside. When he sees it’s me, he lets me in and I close the door behind me. Raiden is seated across from his desk. I’m shocked as hell to see her here.

  “The delivery is done. No issues.” I tell him and he nods.

  “Raiden and I were just discussing the Rykers’ business endeavors. Turns out, my clerk at the courthouse has gone missing. We’re pretty sure they’ve found out she was faking the deeds.” Dax explains. “I have security at the businesses right now.”

  “What about the families?” I ask and Dax’s jaw clenches.

  “I don’t have enough manpower to protect everyone, Luka. Some of them left town and the ones that stayed are being protected.”

  “And what about their extended families.” I question. “The Rykers will go after them too.”

  “I’ll do what I can.”

  “That’s not good enough! Fuck the businesses, Dax!” I yell. “You have to protect the families!”

  “Don’t tell me how to do my fucking job, kid!” Dax stands, slamming his fists onto the desk.

  “We’ll have to figure this out later.” Raiden interrupts, standing also. “Right now, nothing is happening. You have eyes on Cal and the majority of the Rykers. No one is moving. Let’s just get some sleep.”

  “I want you stay here tonight.” Dax tells her, but Raiden immediately shakes her head.

  “I can’t, dad, you know that. I took a risk even taking a cab here tonight.” she argues. “I’ll be fine.”

  Dax doesn’t push the issue although I wish he would. I follow Raiden out and she slips towards the back door so no one will see her.

  “Let me take you home.” I offer.

  “I’m going to call a cab.”

  “Raiden, just let me take you.” I offer again. She turns to me and I can see the moment she relents. The look on her face when she accepts that she doesn’t want to deny me.

  She falls into step beside me as I walk to my bike. I get on and she climbs on behind me. The feeling of her arms wrapped tightly around my waist is exactly how this should be. We both know it. Now we just need to figure out a way to make it happen.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  ~Raiden~

  Luka’s bike comes to a rumbling halt at his apartment complex. I know he was supposed to take me home and I know I should tell him to do that, but I don’t. This is where I want to be and I need to do what I actually want to do. I don’t need to listen to the voice inside my head telling me that I’m fucking up. That I’m ruining everything.

  He takes my hand and leads me inside. I’ve only been in his apartment one other time. It was the night my dad and I confronted him. Originally, my dad had planned to just kill him, like he does with all other snitches. Then he’d decided to use him instead.

  “You want a beer or something?” Luka asks.

  “Sure.”
>
  He hands me a Corona after opening it for me and I lean against his table and take a long sip. As I look at him, a sudden sadness overcomes me.

  “Why do I get the feeling this is our last night together?” I ask him.

  “It’s not.”

  “Things were easier when we were walking around Wal-mart and then talking about Thunderstruck.” I say. “I still hate that song by the way.”

  “Things are still the same, Raiden.” he assures me.

  “But they’re not.” I argue. “Things with the Rykers are at their worst. I mean, Cal has more numbers than we do and he’s making big moves.”

  “But his people aren’t loyal. He only has more numbers because he’ll take anyone into his club and then he doesn’t treat them right. Dax can take those numbers from him if he wanted to. He just needs someone who’s willing to go get them.”

  I study Luka and the look he has. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying I have a brother in the Rykers and Cal has told me more than once that I joined the wrong club. Maybe he’s said that because he wants me with the Rykers.” he says with a shrug.

  “You’re not fucking serious right now.” I deadpan. “You want to join the Rykers?”

  “I want to put a stop to all of this, Raiden, and if it means letting Cal think I’m on his side, then so be it. Plus, I’ll get my brother back.”

  “What does my dad think about this?” I ask him and he doesn’t answer. “You haven’t told him.”

  “I will. I’ll talk to him about it, only because I’ll need his help to pull it off.”

  I cross the room and cup his face. “I’m against this, Luka, you have to know that I’m one hundred percent against this. I’m…I…”

  “I know.” He cuts me off, realizing that I can’t even say the words to tell him how I feel about him. I’ve never uttered those words to anyone except for Cal Harrison and I was a stupid fucking teenager then.

  “Please don’t.” I whisper. “Please don’t do this, Luka.”

  He shushes me with a kiss, silencing my pleas as his lips move over mine. His fingers tangle in my dark hair, pulling me closer to him. I love this man. I love him and I can’t even speak the words.

  The crushing feeling that this is it, our last night together, overwhelms me and a tear slips down my cheek. Luka brushes it away with his thumb and continues the soft caress of his lips.

  The normal heated rush of our movements is not there this time. We take things slowly, peeling each other’s clothes off one article at a time as we move into his room.

  Luka lies back on the bed and I crawl over him, trailing kisses over his abdomen and down his belly. I want to memorize every inch of him, every taste of him. I pull the head of his cock into my mouth and let my tongue roll over it. I love hearing him groan deep in his throat. I bob my head over his shaft while I stroke his member with my hand. I hum, letting the vibration roll over him until I feel him pulling at me to stop.

  When I sit up, he flips me onto my back and returns the favor, licking my seam from top to bottom until my insides are quivering. I’m still coming down when he turns me to my side and lies down behind me. Luka grips my hip and slides into me from behind. I arch my back, pressing against him as he thrusts in and out of my pussy. He moans and bites down on my shoulder, no doubt leaving a mark, but I don’t care. I just want this, with him, right now. Nothing more. Never anything more.

  “Come with me, Raiden.” he encourages me, whispering in my ear. “Fall apart with me.”

  Luka reaches around and teases my clit with his fingers and I cry out as I let go. I feel his warm release flooding inside me as he curls his arms around me. I lie against his chest, breathing heavily. He stays inside me, locked right where I want him to be.

  ~Luka~

  I wait in front of the jail and look for any sign of Lincoln. I know he barely made it here from the hospital before he received his release papers. I received a call from the jail clerk confirming that he would be released between three and five o’clock this afternoon so I took off early to pick him up. I borrowed our dad’s Mustang instead of driving my bike. I’m sure Linc didn’t want to ride bitch.

  As I’m waiting, I hear the rumble of motorcycles and I’m not surprised. I knew the Rykers would show up. At least, I’d planned on it. Cal Harrison slows to a stop just inches from the front of the car.

  “The public defender finally got Lincoln a good deal.” he comments as he climbs off his bike.

  “That’s what I hear.” I agree. I don’t comment on how the Rykers don’t provide their prospects with retained attorneys like the Ravens do. Lincoln possibly would have been released months ago had that been the case.

  “Where’s your cut?”

  He’s observant. Just the way I want him to be. I shrug as if it’s no big deal. “Fuck the Ravens.”

  Cal whistles at my response and looks back at the five Rykers who are parked behind him. “You hear that, guys? He said ‘fuck the Ravens’. Hmm, I don’t know about all that, Luka. You were loyal to them just a couple days ago. I mean, you held a fucking blade to my throat.”

  “People make mistakes.” I reply, calmly.

  “Yes, they do.” Cal agrees. “Why the sudden turnaround?”

  “I found the guard who worked the night of Linc’s attack.” I see the flash of worry in Cal’s eyes and I know there’s a flicker of doubt there. Maybe, just maybe, that guard told me the truth. “So, like I said, fuck the Ravens.”

  “I told you, you joined the wrong club.” Cal grins, obviously pleased that his payroll is still in tact.

  “I don’t need any fucking motorcycle club.” I shoot back. “I just need my brother.”

  I know making a comment like that will get under his skin. I see his jaw clench and I can practically hear the wheels turning in his head. He doesn’t like the fact that he can’t control me. In his eyes, every biker needs to be in a club. Preferably his.

  “I’m fucking free! Fuck you, motherfuckers!” Lincoln’s shout breaks through mine and Cal’s stare down.

  I laugh at how ridiculously happy he sounds. Finally, I did something right by him. He walks up to us, all smiles, and I don’t mention that his smile doesn’t reach his eyes. The mask he’s wearing is a good one, but it doesn’t hide everything from me. I know him too well.

  “Your brother here is a free fucking man, too.” Cal says, waving his hand at me. “Now let’s go get you that tattoo.”

  “Tattoo?” I interrupt.

  “Hell yes!” Lincoln cheers.

  “You should be proud of your brother, Luka. He’s getting branded today. He joined the right club. He’s an official Ryker now.” Cal explains.

  Lincoln grins like a fucking jackass chewing briars. The thought of him getting branded with a Ryker “R” nearly makes me sick and he’s ecstatic about it.

  “Later. Dad wants to see you first. He planned a fucking family outing.” I lie. I’ll take us out to eat just to make it look believable. Anything to postpone what the Rykers have in mind for him. I can’t let him be branded yet.

  Cal eyes me suspiciously, but caves. “It’s okay, Lincoln, go be with your brother. There’s plenty of time to catch up with us. We have lots in store for you.”

  I’m sure you do.

  Linc looks over at me and holds his hand out. “Keys.” he grins. “I haven’t driven in months so I’m driving this motherfucker.”

  I sigh, shaking my head, as I toss the keys over the car. “Do you even remember how to drive?” I tease.

  “Bite me.”

  As we climb in, the Rykers pull away. Linc cranks the Mustang and closes his eyes at the sound of the engine. I want to ask him to tell me everything. Tell me what he went through. What hell he saw while he was locked up, but I can’t. Mainly because I know he won’t, but also because I know I don’t want to hear it. He just needs to move on and forget this place ever existed.

  This is my little brother. The kid I taught how to ride a bike. The kid I us
ed to take fishing off Lawson’s pier. Now part of him feels like a stranger.

  “What was Cal talking about? You’re free?” he asks as he leaves the parking lot.

  “I’m not in the Ravens anymore.” I answer. I hate lying to him, but right now, I know where his loyalty lies.

  “And he bought that?” he laughs.

  “There’s nothing to buy, Linc, it’s the truth. I’m out.” I tell him.

  “He’ll want you to prove that.” he tells me. “And so will I.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  ~Raiden~

  “I don’t like this.” I complain, bursting into my dad’s office without knocking. I always knock. I know better than not to. I just don’t care today.

  The blonde in his lap scurries to her feet. Luckily, nothing was happening yet and I didn’t walk in on my dad getting his freak on. Blondie walks out of the office, trying her best to fix the smeared lipstick on her face.

  “What the hell, Raiden?” my dad growls. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

  “I called and told them I was running a little late. Flat tire.” I explain.

  “This is risky and you fucking know it.”

  I know it. I hardly ever stop by the clubhouse. It doesn’t look good for me to be seen here, but I’ve been here every day for the past three days though. Ever since Sonnie’s funeral.

  “Is this about that damn kid?” he questions.

  “I don’t think he should be doing this.” I tell him.

  “Well, he’s already doing it.” my dad informs me. “And if it’s going to work, I need you to act like you’ve always acted. Not like a fucking lunatic.”

  I cross my arms and stare at him defiantly. “This is your fault.” I never talk back to my dad. Never really question his decisions. Not much anyway. “I told you not to pick him. I told you his brother was a Ryker.”

  “Oh, it’s my fault?” he seethes. “My fault that you’re fucking up our plans? Your plan?”

  I visibly flinch at his words. They cut deep. So deep that I could just bleed out right on the floor.