by Faith Gibson
“Fuck. This doesn’t make sense.” Ryker blew out a breath.
Xavier pushed away from the desk and clapped Ryker on the shoulder. “Lucy’s smart. I have no doubt she has a plan. We will find her. The first place we’re going to look is at the compound.”
“I’ll head that direction. Ryker, give Xavier my phone number. Xavier, you call me as soon as you have Josiah in custody and the compound locked down.”
Ryker’s phone beeped, indicating an incoming call. “Pop, that’s Lucy. I’ll call you back.” Ryker immediately switched over. “Lucy?”
“Lucy can’t come to the phone right now, but if you want to see her again, you’ll bring Anna to us,” a male voice responded.
“Don’t do it!” Lucy shouted from the background, then and “Oomph” sounded.
“I swear to—”
“No need for threats. I’ll text you the address. And if you don’t come alone with only Anna, Lucy here dies.” The phone disconnected.
“So much for no threats,” Stefan said. “Now what?”
Xavier flashed his fangs. “Now, we go get my daughter-in-law.”
“Are you really going to hand Rhiannon over to them?” Stefan asked.
“Yes, he is,” Rhi said from the doorway.
Ryker turned, surprised. He had been so focused on the phone call he hadn’t heard Rhi sneaking up behind him.
“Eavesdropping is rude, Angel.”
“So is making decisions for me.” Rhi stepped farther in the room and sat down in one of the armchairs. Turning to Xavier, she said, “Tell me your plan.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Rhiannon
Rhi knew she shouldn’t eavesdrop, but the conversation was about her in a roundabout way. Her father or Josiah had taken Lucy to get Rhi, and that wouldn’t do. Lucy was much more important than Rhi.
“There is no plan. We are not trading you,” Ryker said.
“Yes, you are. This is my decision. Everything that’s going on is because I ran away from Haven. Lucy is too important for you not to make the trade.”
“You’re important too. We’ll figure something else out,” Ryker argued.
“There’s no need. If you do what they ask, you get Lucy back.”
“But I lose you in the process.” Ryker’s dark eyes burned with something Rhi didn’t recognize. Wait, he would lose her? Did he want to keep her?
“Ryker’s right. We’ll figure something else out,” Xavier added.
Rhi felt like she was back at Haven where her opinion didn’t matter. She had thought things would be different with Ryker. When he kissed her and especially when he gave her an orgasm, she’d thought he saw something in her worth keeping. But I lose you in the process. Obviously, him wanting to keep her came with rules. Ones she didn’t want to abide. She escaped Haven to get away from controlling men. With a nod at Xavier, Rhi left the office, ignoring the biker she thought she had a future with.
“Rhi, wait,” Ryker called after her, but she kept going until she was back outside with the trees. She stopped at the one where she and Elijah had talked. Pressing her hands to the rough bark, she closed her eyes and inhaled, centering herself. She wanted this – the future Rory talked about where Rhi got a job with a florist or working in a garden somewhere. If she traded herself for Lucy, she wouldn’t get that opportunity, but it was the right thing to do.
Lucy was important to her family. Both sides. She was going to be a queen for goodness’ sake. Rhi was a nobody with a gift she no longer wanted. It did nothing but cause heartache. Elijah said Josiah used Rhi to heal people, but she didn’t even know if that was true or not. She couldn’t remember more than the snippets she saw in her dreams. If what Elijah said was true, she knew they were memories instead. Josiah wanted her back so he could continue using her to bring new people into Haven. She was his golden ticket, as Elijah called it.
Buzzing came from overhead, and Rhi opened her eyes to look for the source of the noise. A small white box was floating in the air a few feet above her head.
“Rhiannon, you aren’t safe. I need you to listen to me,” a voice said from the box. A voice that sounded like David’s.
“You want to talk to me now? After ten years of silence? I don’t think so,” she said to the floating device.
“I did what I thought was best to protect you, but I screwed up. Please, Rhi. You have to trust me.”
“Rhi?” Ryker called out, and the box flew off.
Rhi stepped into the trees and walked deeper into the woods. She didn’t want to talk to Ryker.
“Rhi, I know you’re out here. I heard you talking.” Leaves and twigs crunched under his booted feet. “Please, Rhiannon. Just hear me out.”
Rhi peaked around the large oak she was hiding behind. Ryker was searching for her, worry etched on his gorgeous face. She hated being the cause of his distress. Rhi wanted to be Ryker’s comfort. A source of happiness for him. Never sadness. Sighing, she returned to the edge of the woods. When Ryker saw her, his shoulders relaxed, and he quickly closed the distance between them, pulling her into his chest. Rhi wanted so badly to wrap her arms around him. To feel the safety of his embrace. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t allow herself to wish for what she would never have.
“Rhi, talk to me. Please.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. You’ve made your decision, and in turn, made my decision for me. I ran from Haven to get away from having my choices taken from me.”
Ryker pulled back, keeping his hands on her upper arms. “That’s not what I’m doing.”
“That’s exactly what you’re doing. Tell me your plan. How do you propose getting Lucy back without trading me?”
“The Gargoyles are going to Haven. They are impervious to bullets.”
“But Lucy isn’t. What happens if she gets caught in the crossfire?”
“You aren’t any safer than she is.”
“Sure, I am. Josiah needs me to help bring more people and money into Haven. He’s going to use me, not kill me.”
“And you’re ready to go back to that? The kind of life where you don’t have any say what you do or you’re made to do?”
“No, I never want to go back, but I will for Lucy. Besides, I don’t have any say over what’s happening now.” Rhi fisted her hands at her side, fingernails digging into her palms.
“I’m trying to keep you safe. I’m sorry if you feel like I’m not giving you a say in what happens, but this is what we do. I promise I’m not like Josiah or James or your father. I don’t want to make all your decisions for you. Just this one.”
Rhi wanted to believe him. “What about a compromise?”
“What’s your suggestion?” Ryker pushed her hair behind her ear, and Rhi couldn’t help but lean into his touch.
“Trade me for Lucy, then come rescue me.” Ryker started to argue, she could see it in his eyes, so she placed her fingers against his lips. “They’re not going to hurt me, but we can’t say the same for Lucy. They’ve already killed two of their own men.”
“You’re something else, Rhiannon Spencer. Your mother would be proud. I know I am.” Ryker touched his forehead to hers, his breath warm against her face when he exhaled. If he agreed to her plan, she didn’t know when she would see him again, if ever, so Rhi tipped her face up and kissed him. Ryker palmed her cheeks, tilting her head the way he wanted, and drove his tongue into her mouth. She had intended the kiss to be sweet, but it quickly turned heated. She memorized his flavor, savoring it. Her heart beat wildly, passion igniting her core. Rhi gripped the back of his tee, pulling him closer, until a faint buzzing reminded her of her father’s voice.
“We’re being watched,” she whispered against Ryker’s lips.
“What?” Ryker looked back toward the house.
“No. Up there.” Rhi pointed to where the noise came from. “It’s a flying box.”
“What? A flying box? Do you mean a drone?”
“I don’t know what it’s called, but right before you c
ame out, it was buzzing around my head.”
“Shit.” Ryker released her and looked around. He took several slow, measured steps, his feet not making any noise. He bent his knees and launched into the air, catching the drone. Ryker smashed the plastic against a tree, shattering it into hundreds of pieces. He then stomped it several times for good measure. “Let’s go,” he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the house.
As soon as they were inside, Ryker located Xavier. “We have a problem. There was a drone flying around outside.”
“It was David’s,” Rhi added.
Ryker frowned. “How do you know it was his?”
“He spoke to me. Or the box did. But it was his voice.” Rhi shrugged.
Ryker dropped her hand and turned her to face him, grabbing her arms tightly. “He what? What did he say to you? Why didn’t you tell me that part?”
“I didn’t get a chance before you went all Hulk Smash on it.”
Ryker released her and crossed his arms over his chest. She didn’t know if he got the reference, so she continued. “Never mind. He said he needed to talk to me, that I was in danger.”
“Yeah, from him.” Ryker released her arms and ran a hand through his already messy hair.
“Well, he knows where I am, so it’s probably a safe bet he’s going to show up at some point.”
“Shit. He’s always one step ahead of us. Even if we move somewhere else, he’s going to find you.”
“Then let me go back to Haven like we talked about. You get Lucy back, I’ll be back where he wants me, he leaves both your families alone, and you figure out a way to rescue me after you figure out a way to take him down.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Xavier said.
Ryker bowed up, and Rhi took a step back. “It’s a terrible fucking idea. Would you send Elizabeth to the wolves knowing they wanted to eat her alive?”
Xavier didn’t flinch at Ryker’s outburst. “No. But I don’t think Josiah wants to hurt Rhi.”
“No, he just wants to use her. When he figures out he can’t because we removed the chip in her leg, he’s going to be pissed that he can no longer control her.”
“I’ll take that chance. My choice, remember?” Rhi placed her hand on Ryker’s forearm and squeezed. “Please. Let me do this for Lucy. I trust you. I trust all of you. Now, I’m asking you to trust me.”
“Fuck.” Ryker studied the ceiling before turning to Xavier. “Do you think you and your Clan can get Rhi out of there?”
“Yes, or I wouldn’t suggest it. But if we’re going to do this, we need to get a move on. We need to get to the airport and intercept Tamian before he goes Hulk Smash.” Xavier winked at Rhi, and she grinned at him. Ryker tensed beneath her hand, so she slid it down to entwine their fingers.
“I’m going on record to say I don’t like it, but I’m putting my trust in you.”
Xavier inclined his head. “I won’t let you down. I need to make some calls, so if you’ll excuse me.”
“Since David knows where we are, should we find somewhere else to take all the mates?” Ryker asked Stefan.
“No. I’m remaining here. I don’t think it will be necessary once Rhiannon is back at Haven, but I’ve already called in more males to help guard my home.”
“How did you know I would agree to trading?”
“You aren’t the only one with a stubborn mate. We do what we can to protect them, but they have their own minds. Even though we might not agree with their choices, ultimately, it’s their right to make those choices.”
Claudia chose that moment to join them. She stood in front of Stefan and leaned her head back against his chest. “You’re damn right it is.” Claudia looked at Rhi and smiled. “I’m proud of you, Rhiannon. It takes a strong woman with a good heart to willingly go back into a shitty situation. But I know these males, and they will rescue you. I want you to go into this situation believing that. And you,” she turned her gaze to Ryker. “Know that we will keep Mac and Elijah safe while you’re gone.”
Ryker’s phone pinged. Rhi released his hand so he could read the message. “It’s the location for the swap. It says I’m to come alone.”
“Yeah. That’s not happening,” Sultan said. The large, bald male had been scarce for the last few hours. “We’ll put some distance between ourselves and you, but you aren’t going into this situation without backup. Guns or not.”
“You should take my SUV. It’ll be easier to blend in than your bikes will,” Stefan offered.
“I’d appreciate that.” Sultan gripped Ryker’s shoulder. “Ready to riot?” he asked, playing on Ryker’s biker name.
“As I’ll ever be.” Ryker turned to Rhi. “Are you sure about this?”
“I’m sure. I would never forgive myself if something happened to Lucy.”
Ryker pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
Rhi was putting on a brave front, when inside, she was silently screaming. She had no doubt it wasn’t going to be as easy as waltzing back into Haven and being forgiven for running, but she wasn’t about to tell Ryker that. She prayed to the goddess the Gargoyles were as fierce as they thought they were.
They stopped off in the living room to tell the others what was going on. Mac grabbed Rhi in a tight hug while Elijah looked like he was going to be sick. “Promise you’ll be safe,” Mac whispered.
“I promise.” Rhi gave her new friend a smile she didn’t feel. She glanced at Elijah and nodded. He was the only one who knew what she was really facing. Elizabeth and Claudia offered their own hugs, and Rhi let their warmth and caring wash over her. Since she didn’t have her mother, she accepted the love these two females were offering.
Ryker
Ryker was torn. He loved Lucy. She was family. He didn’t want to admit he loved Rhi, no matter how strongly his heart beat when she was near. How his breath hitched when she smiled at him. How he wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let her go. He knew love at first sight wasn’t a myth because of his parents. The pull to Rhi was like nothing he’d ever encountered. Not even with Juliette. When he finally let down the twenty-year-old guard he’d kept on his heart, he was able to see her for who she was and what she could mean to him. What she already meant. Ryker wanted Rhi in his life. He wanted to love her. To protect her. Build a life together. Yet here he was, sending her back to a prison she’d only just escaped.
It was Rhi’s choice to go back. To do this for Lucy. Ryker sighed, admitting her selflessness made him fall a little more in love with her. She was young in years but old at heart. Ryker didn’t know what all she had endured over the last ten years. Rhi had only touched the surface of her life. What he did know was his female was strong. She had to be to escape. To willingly go back to save someone else. Someone she’d only recently met. Rhi had no loyalty to Lucy, but she was doing it because she saw Lucy’s value to the family. A value she failed to see in herself.
They drove in silence. Ryker had so much he wanted to say but didn’t know where to start. Sultan was somewhere behind, keeping his distance in case David was watching. He was glad for the backup, but he didn’t want to do anything to screw up Lucy’s chance. Ryker’s phone rang through the Bluetooth in the SUV. He hit the button on the steering wheel to answer. “Go ahead.”
“Pull over. Pull over now.” Ryker had never heard his sergeant-at-arms panic, but there was no other word to describe Sultan’s tone.
Ryker flipped his blinker and merged into the slow lane so he could pull off to the shoulder “What’s going on?”
“Someone took control of the car. Moved us over to the shoulder, then all the electronics went out.”
“What the fuck?” Ryker’s vehicle picked up speed as though someone else were controlling the car. “Call Mayhem. Tell him what’s going on.”
“What is going on?”
“Someone else is in control of my car, and there’s not a fucking thing I can do about it. Give him the address of where we’re supposed to make the swap. I
have a bad feeling about all this.”
“I’m on it.”
Ryker looked over to Rhi. Her knuckles were white where she was clinging to the “oh shit” handle above her. His own knuckles matched hers where he gripped the steering wheel. Whoever was in charge of the vehicle expertly maneuvered it through traffic, taking a ramp twenty miles before the one that led to where Lucy was supposedly waiting. When they stopped at a red light, Ryker tried to open the door, but the locks were engaged. When he tried to unlock the door, nothing happened. The voice from the GPS was recalculating based on their unexpected departure from the highway.
“Unfuckingbelievable!” Ryker slammed his hands on the steering wheel, and Rhi jumped. Ryker tapped the brake, but nothing happened. He pulled the emergency brake, and the SUV slowed some, but not enough for Ryker to get them out of the vehicle. If he could break the glass, he could shift and… Fuck! “Call 911,” Ryker barked into the cab, but the Bluetooth didn’t engage. He punched the button on the steering wheel, and nothing happened. Handing Rhi his phone, he instructed her to use the emergency button on the home screen.
“Nine-one-one, what’s your—?” The phone went dead.
When it immediately rang, Ryker answered it, “You have to help us. Some—”
“That someone would be me. You might as well sit back and relax. Help isn’t coming.” The line disconnected before Ryker could curse the man on the other end.
“Fuck!” Ryker pushed the seat back as far as it would go and reached under the dash, pulling at any wires he could grab. His phone rang, and he answered without looking, thinking it would be emergency services. “We need help.”
“If you touch another wire under the dash, I will wreck your vehicle.”
“You son of a bitch!” Ryker sat back in the driver’s seat and grabbed his hair with both hands.
“I’m sorry,” Rhi whispered.
“Why are you sorry? No. This isn’t on you, Angel.” Ryker reached over and took Rhi’s hand. “Look at me.” Rhi’s eyes were filled with tears. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m supposed to protect you, and I’m not doing a very good job of it.”
