Starting a Ryot (The Hounds of Zeus MC Book 3)

by Faith Gibson

  “Mac talked me out of going after him, but that didn’t stop me from telling anyone who would listen that he raped her. I never saw her after that morning. A week later, I was on my way to Haven with Josiah. Before I was taken, Gideon came to me and told me Mac had made her decision, and my leaving was for the best. I was devastated. I’ve spent the last few months in a hole with nothing to do but hate Mac for telling me she loved me, then leaving me without a word. At least that’s what I thought happened. It’s going to take me a second to wrap my head around the truth. I want to see her. If she can look me in the eye and tell me she still loves me, then no, I won’t bail on her.”

  Ryker tried to understand Elijah’s reluctance. He had been lied to. Had thought the woman he loved had chosen someone else. “I’d still like to take your picture and send to her.” Elijah shrugged and stood still. He didn’t smile, but he didn’t need to. Ryker snapped the photo and sent it to Mac’s phone. He was eager to give his baby girl some good news.

  “Are you hungry?” Ryker handed the menu over in case the kid decided he wanted something to eat.

  “I’m starving, but I don’t have any money.”

  “Don’t worry about that. Choose anything you want, and I’ll have it brought up to the room.”

  Elijah licked his dry lips. “Oh man. I haven’t had decent food in so long I wouldn’t know what to get. Uh, I guess a burger and fries?”

  Ryker placed the order with room service, adding a soda to the order. A little sugar would probably do the kid good. “It’ll be up in about twenty minutes.”

  “Are you really trading me for Anna?”

  “No, I’m not. Anna’s real name is Rhiannon, and she’s very important to me. The same way you are to Mac. I told dumb and dumber in there about the trade so they’d get you out of Haven. We are going to deal with John and Paul, then we’ll head back to where we live. New Troy is about three hours from here.”

  “What’s going to happen to Haven?”

  “We’re going to turn Josiah over to the FBI. My family and I don’t have enough firepower to go up against them and win. When we took down Gideon, we didn’t have that issue.”

  Elijah crossed his thin arms over his chest. “For brothers, their leadership style was totally different. I can’t wait to hear all about what happened with Gideon.”

  “I’ll tell you all about it on the ride home.”

  Room service arrived, and Sultan brought the tray to where Elijah had sat at the table. He didn’t wait to dig in.

  While Elijah ate, Ryker talked. “Do you know if John and Paul brought anything else with them besides you?”

  “Yeah. A couple of crates. They made me help load them.”

  “Excellent. The guns are part of our plan in taking down Josiah.”

  Elijah swallowed the last of his burger and wiped his fingers on the cloth napkin. “Why are John and Paul cooperating?”

  “They think we’re making the trade, but we have a little surprise for them.” Ryker called out to Spyder. When all the Hounds were listening, Ryker said, “We’re ready. Let’s get this shit over with so I can get Elijah home to Mac. Spyder, I want you to drive John and Paul’s vehicle and follow us to the warehouse. Hawk, go with him.” Ryker had called Lucy earlier and had her locate somewhere they could film the two Haven men with the guns. He still disagreed with Sutton about turning Josiah over to the FBI. Ryker wanted his revenge on Juliette’s behalf. Revenge that was harsher than being arrested.

  When he pulled up at the warehouse, Ryker asked Elijah if he wanted to wait in the SUV or watch from inside. Elijah opted to wait where it was warm. Ryker trusted the kid and left the car running with the heat on.

  Hawk pulled Ryker aside before following the others into the warehouse. He looked over Ryker’s shoulder where Elijah was waiting in the car. “Poor kid looks like shit.”

  “I’d say he’s malnourished from being kept in solitary and only fed once a day. We’ll let Rory feed him when we get home.”

  “She’ll definitely get some meat on his bones, but I was talking about his mental state.”

  “You heard what he said. His world was turned upside down in more ways than one. We’ll get him back to Mac, and hopefully she can convince him she loves him. If he needs to see a therapist, I’ll make sure that happens. Hell, all three of them probably need to talk to someone.”

  When Ryker and Hawk entered the building, Spyder already had the two males standing off to the side next to the crates. Using his phone, Spyder stood back, ready to record their confession. Ryker explained to John what he wanted the male to say, and with a little coercion, John looked into the camera and told who they were, where they were from, and how Josiah Talbert was building an army with stolen guns.

  “I’ve sent the video to your phone. Don’t you think this was a little too easy?” Spyder asked once they had John and Paul tied and sitting on the cold, concrete floor. The abandoned warehouse had been the perfect location to video a confession, even if they had to use their Gryphon voices to convince the men to say what Ryker wanted them to.

  Elijah was still waiting in the SUV, so Ryker felt he could speak freely. “Probably. But as long as the feds do their job and go after Haven, I don’t care. I wanted revenge for what Talbert did to Juliette, but dismantling his compound was our ultimate goal. Sometimes revenge isn’t done with claws or talons as much as we want it to be.” Those were Sutton’s words, not Ryker’s, but after a heated discussion, Ryker had agreed with his father’s plan.

  Ryker pocketed his phone after sending the video to Lucy to forward to the FBI. “I’m ready to be home, so unless you have anything else you want to question me about…?” Ryker wasn’t often a dick to the Hounds. Okay, yes, he was, but he was tired. He wanted to see Rhi, and he wanted to get Elijah to Mac.

  “Nope. You’re the boss,” Spyder said. “If you don’t need me right now, I’m going to hang around.”

  “Hot date with a waitress?” Hawk asked.

  “You know it. What about it, Ryot?”

  “Have fun. We’ll see you when we see you.”

  Ryker joined Elijah in the vehicle while the other Hounds went back to the hotel for their bikes with Judge taking Ryker’s. He spent the first part of the drive telling Elijah about taking down Gideon and asking questions about the kid and his life living in a cult. Like a lot of people, Elijah’s parents had joined Gideon when Elijah was young. But he remembered what life was like on the outside. He and Mac had that in common, and it was their dream to one day break free and live together in the real world. Ryker liked the kid. For as much as he’d been through at the hands of the Talbert brothers, Elijah seemed to have a level head on his shoulders. It amazed Ryker that someone raised in a cult could retain their values from before the brainwashing began. To him, it took a strong person to endure being subjected to such a primitive lifestyle. A strong person like Rhi.

  “You mentioned Anna was important to you. How did you meet her?” Elijah asked.

  Ryker frowned, wondering if the young man was being obtuse on purpose. “Her name is Rhiannon. Josiah called her Anna because it sounded less pagan, which she is. She and James were in town for supplies. He took her to lunch, and she ran out the back door of the diner when she told him she was going to the restroom. I was getting gas, and she ran past me and hid in a dumpster. I directed James the other way, then I talked with her and found out a little of what was going on. Something in her story made me realize she was running from the Ministry. We have been looking for Josiah ever since we took down Gideon. Rhi running away the same day I happened to be in town was nothing short of divine intervention.”

  “You believe in God?” Elijah asked.

  “I believe in a god. Not the same one Josiah preached about. Rhiannon worships her goddess. The male who is watching over Rhi and Mac believes in the old gods. Maybe the same one I call mine, maybe not. I think people can worship whichever deity they choose as long as it’s done in a respectful manner. Choose your god, but d
on’t dismiss mine just because it isn’t the one you were taught to believe in.”

  Elijah’s eyebrows were scrunched in thought. “That makes sense. It’s just hard sitting through daily lectures – because that’s what they were – about doing God’s will when the man speaking didn’t live the same life he demanded of others. I was punished because I loved Mac. Sent away because I tried to defend her even though I knew I’d get my ass kicked by men stronger than me. I might not look like much or have anything to offer your daughter, but I promise you I will figure my shit out. I will find a way to make a living and provide for her, if that’s something she still wants.”

  “I appreciate you saying that, Elijah. I don’t know all you endured living in a cult, but helping people reacclimate to the outside is what our family does. If you need to finish your education, we can make that happen. If not, we’ll help you find a job you’re interested in. As for Mac, she wants you in her life. I have to tell you though, with her scar, she’s been a little hesitant at going out in public, but the females in our family have been wonderful about getting her out of the house. You’ll need to be patient with her.”

  “Her scar?”

  “When the dog attacked her, it bit her face. It’s not as bad as Mac thinks it is, but she’s self-conscious about it.”

  “God, I hate that man. I know I’m not supposed to hate anyone, but Gideon and Josiah are the worst kind of people. If I were stronger, I’d return to the compound and take on Josiah myself.”

  “Well, I’m pretty strong, but even I’m not impervious to bullets, and from what I’ve heard, Josiah has an arsenal. It’s the only reason I’m turning him over to the FBI. If it were up to me, I’d tear him limb from limb with my bare hands.” Ryker was white-knuckling the steering wheel. He needed to not think about turning the car around and going after Josiah like he wanted. Not just for Juliette, but for Mac and Elijah as well. “Tell me about your education. I know from Mac and Rhiannon that once you are old enough, you’re moved from the classroom to a job. I never asked them, but are you given some type of diploma? Is the school curriculum legitimate?”

  “No diploma. As for what we’re taught, it was basic math and reading. Most of our studies focused on the Bible. If I need a diploma to get a job, I’m screwed.”

  “No, you aren’t. There are tests you can take to receive what’s called a GED. It’s as good as if you went through a regular school and received a diploma that way. Depending on some of the courses you weren’t taught, you might need to study some subjects, but you, Mac, and Rhiannon can do that together. We have several teachers who work with our family helping people just like you who didn’t receive the education you needed. Then you can decide where to go from there. If you want to go to college, you can.”

  “That would be nice, but I have no money. Hell, I don’t have anything. No clothes, nothing. What you see is what I have.”

  “Don’t worry about the money. You mentioned your parents taking you to the compound, but you didn’t elaborate on any interaction with them afterwards.”

  Elijah turned in the seat so he was facing Ryker. “As far as I’m concerned, I have no parents. They turned me over to Gideon and basically forgot about me. I don’t even know where they are, not that I care.”

  “Point taken. You have a new family now. Mac loves you, and we love Mac. That means you’re one of us now. I will warn you; our family is large and loud. I have four younger brothers, and they are just as protective of McKenzie as I am. If you treat her with respect, we’ll get along fine.”

  “I will respect her because I love her. She and I have so much in common. It was our love of animals that brought us together. When we worked side-by-side, we would talk about escaping the compound and finding jobs as veterinarians. We knew it was only a dream without having a proper education, but we would talk and make plans for someday.”

  “Someday is here, Elijah. At least it will be soon. Let’s get you back to Mac. She’s been putting off moving forward, so I think having you back in her life is going to be good for both of you. Talk to her and see if you’re still on the same page with regards to what you want to do with your futures. We’ll work with you whenever you’re ready.”

  “Thank you.”

  They spent the rest of the ride talking about the Lazlos and how they helped others in situations similar to Elijah’s. The young man impressed Ryker with the questions he asked and the insight he offered into the inner workings of the cult. Ryker had a good feeling about the kid. Now that Ryker had spent a little time getting to know him, he wasn’t hesitant in getting Elijah back with McKenzie. Having Mac on her way to healing would be one less thing to worry about, and Ryker could focus on his own happiness.

  The house where Xavier had taken Rhi and Mac wasn’t far from Xavier’s home. Ryker called when they were about twenty minutes out to make sure it was safe to bring Elijah there. David was still out there, and from what Xavier explained, Rhi’s father was not happy. Knowing what the man was capable of, Ryker was more concerned about David than Josiah. David was the one who invested the money for the compound. He had procured the weapons. Kept the compound hidden. David had the capability to manipulate databases. Get people new identities. According to Lucy, he was better with computer manipulation than she was. That was what troubled Ryker the most. How was he going to protect Rhi from her own father?

  Rhi was a grown woman in the eyes of the law, so her father couldn’t make her go with him unless he kidnapped her. Ryker wouldn’t put it past the man. He’d set off the chip in her leg to fill her with poison just so he had access to her in the hospital, only that backfired. Ryker could only imagine how pissed off the human was now that he’d failed. What Ryker couldn’t figure out was why he wanted her back so badly. Why turn your daughter over to a cult and ignore her for ten years only to move heaven and earth to get her back?

  Those questions would have to wait. Ryker pulled up to the stranger’s gate and was met by two males he instinctively knew weren’t human. He rolled the window down and introduced himself. The one closest looked off toward the house for a second, then nodded and allowed him to continue toward the house. Xavier was waiting outside for them.

  “How’s my girl?” Ryker asked as he approached the Gargoyle.

  “Which one?” Xavier deadpanned.

  The door opened, and a squealing McKenzie burst through and all but tackled Elijah. Ryker smiled at the happy reunion. He was ready for his own reunion.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Rhiannon

  When the bed shifted, Rhi smiled to herself, thinking it was Ryker who had come to wake her. She opened her eyes to find Mac sitting there, and her smile faded.

  “Don’t look so happy to see me,” Mac joked.

  “Sorry.”

  “No, I get it. You were hoping it was my dad. But good news; he’ll be here in about twenty minutes. I thought you might want to freshen up a bit.”

  “I would, but I don’t have my things.”

  “Manny brought them from Xavier’s while you were sleeping. Everything you need is in the bathroom. How are you feeling?”

  “Better, at least physically. I can’t believe David would poison me.”

  “Yeah, that’s pretty messed up, but if he’s in with the cult, it doesn’t really surprise me. They’ll do anything to keep their compounds a secret.”

  “I’m sorry for what you went through.”

  “Yeah, me too. But I’m getting Elijah back, and hopefully we’ll be able to have a somewhat normal life together.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well…” Mac shifted on the bed. “I think anyone who lives the kind of lives we did inside a cult is going to have issues. None of us come out of there equipped for the real world. We don’t have a proper education. We have been brainwashed into believing that way of life is the right way to live. We lived without any type of free will. Now, we all get to make our own decisions. It took me weeks before I felt like I could make a sandwich if
I wanted one. I felt guilty for turning on the TV when Dad wasn’t home. I would call him for permission to do just about everything. He was patient with me. Still is. But I’ve been thinking about that, and I believe having me around was getting him ready for you.”

  “Me? Ryker meeting me was a coincidence. He just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

  “Yeah, I don’t believe that. He was supposed to have gone out of town the day before, but the woman he was meeting with had to postpone.”

  “He was meeting another woman?” Rhi sat up against the headboard and rubbed her temple. She was still a little groggy.

  “It was a business meeting. But if she hadn’t canceled, he never would have found you. If he hadn’t rescued me, he wouldn’t know what to expect from you. If Kerrigan hadn’t been kidnapped, Uncle War wouldn’t have been led to the Sanctuary where I was. I think it’s all kismet.”

  “Kismet? What’s that?”

  “Destiny. Fate. I might not like what I went through to get where I am, but if it meant enduring all the crap so I got to be with my real family and get Elijah back? I’d do it all over again.”

  “All of it?”

  “Yes. What Lewis did to me was horrible, and I probably need therapy to deal with the nightmares, but I would endure it all over again to get to where I am. I just pray Elijah feels the same way.”

  “If he loves you like you love him, I’m sure he does.”

  “I hope so. Now, come on. I’m going to wait by the front window. Come find me whenever you’re ready.”

  “I will.” Rhi crawled out from under the covers and straightened them before heading into the attached bathroom. All her toiletries were waiting on the counter. Was Mac right? Was it kismet that brought her and Ryker together? After taking care of business, she rushed downstairs, wanting to be ready for when Ryker arrived. Joining Mac by the front window, Rhi could feel Mac’s excitement. Or maybe it was her own she was feeling.