“You’re bleeding,” she pointed out.
I looked down at my hand to see the bruising at my knuckle. As soon as I looked at it, I felt a slight pain. The blood coated the tattoos on my fingers. “Yeah, well. A small price to pay.”
“I don’t know how to thank you for what you did back there. I don’t want to think about what would’ve happened if they had their way with me.” She stared down at her shoes.
I could see there was a great deal of relief there, but she was still a bit shaken by the whole thing. I couldn’t blame her. The Hell Riders were always out causing trouble, taking what didn’t belong to them. They didn’t care who got hurt in the process.
“You don’t have to thank me. Those Hell Riders are despicable. They give the rest of us bikers a bad reputation,” I explained.
“I could see how some could jump to that conclusion. Not me, though. I have reason to believe there are some good ones out there. After all, you did save me.” Her beautiful smile made my insides stir.
“You handled yourself well. Most people would be shitting themselves.”
“Thanks, I guess. Anyway, I need to get going. It was nice meeting you though, uh—”
“Ryker,” I said.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ryker. I’m Anna.”
“Anna.” I smiled. “Are you alone? I can walk you back to the main street if you’d like.”
“Thank you. That would be great.”
I walked her out of the alleyway, staying close to make sure that she didn’t run into any more trouble that evening. She looked like she was heading off somewhere. There was something about her that caught my eye, and it wasn’t just how stunning or strong she was. There was something underneath all of that, something that intrigued me.
I was curious about her, but I knew I had to keep those thoughts to myself. She had been through enough for the evening. And now it was time for me to send her on her way, making sure that she stayed out of trouble.
6
Anna
The bikers were worse than I thought.
What the hell happened to me back there? I needed to be more careful. How was I going to successfully snoop around their hangouts if I couldn’t avoid being kidnapped by some of them? That was not what I signed up for. I had to do a better job of protecting myself.
I glanced over my shoulder at Ryker walking me to the main street where I could safely catch a cab. I clutched the front folds of my beige coat with my heels digging into the cracks of the concrete. It was stupid of me to even try to cut through the alley in the first place. I should have known better, especially since I was aware that Coronado was crawling with bikers around every corner.
The ones that approached me weren’t like Ryker or the others that I had seen around town. They were angry, persistent, and acted like they always got what they wanted no matter how much their victims put up a fight. I almost became one of those victims tonight, and my legs still shook under my tight dress. The stupid dress I chose to wear just to get the attention of some bikers down at the Jackroller Pub. All so I could fish for information. I never expected to be cornered by a few of them in an alley, with no way to escape.
I don’t want to think about what would have happened if they had managed to snatch me and take me to some undisclosed location to do whatever they pleased with me. All I could think about was Hope, and how I needed to be there for her and protect her at all times. I took the job at the DA’s office so I could keep her safe and give her the life she deserved. Now I was starting to think there was too much risk involved in all of this.
I shuddered, trying to hail a taxi while Ryker stood next to me. I felt his eyes on me, studying my every move. A wash of emotion made its way into the expression on my face. He was concerned, but he didn’t pry, and I was glad he didn’t. I wasn’t in the mood to open up to a man I had just met, even if he had been the one to save me.
I couldn’t help but notice how charming he was and how he had managed to make those Hell Riders members back down. They coward away like scared mice at the mention of Ryker’s MC president, Lucifer. I didn’t know anything about their lives, but I could feel the curiosity creep up on me. I wanted to ask him about it before I flagged down a taxi, but my nerves were shot. And this man with his handsome face and chiseled body wasn’t helping.
His dark hair was slightly disheveled and begged to have my fingers run through it. His brown eyes were the amber color of whiskey and had hints of gold sparkling throughout. I could get lost staring at them. He wore a tight t-shirt under his jacket that hugged his body, revealing every curve of his muscled chest. And his snug jeans showed off the bulk of his thighs. I wanted him to turn around so I could see if his ass looked as good as I imagined it might.
I had to get it together if I had any chance of being a success as the new detective.
“So, who’s this Lucifer guy you were yelling about back there?” I asked, facing the street. I was too afraid to look him in the eye. I didn’t know how he was going to react to my question. I knew enough about bikers to know they were secretive and didn’t like outsiders prying.
I had to stay alert. Ryker may have saved me, but it wasn’t like I could exactly trust him either. I grew up being skeptical of men just like him, and that wasn’t going to change just because he saved me or because he was devilishly handsome. At least, not until he gave me a reason to believe he wasn’t as bad as the rest of them.
He seemed convinced the Hell Riders were cut from a different cloth than the rest of the bikers, but as far as I was concerned, they were all the same. They all had their hands in some kind of illegal activity, and to me, that meant they all deserved to be behind bars. I wasn’t sure if that was just my narrow way of thinking or the ideas put in my head by Harold. Regardless, it was the only way I was going to get to do my job.
I had to use this opportunity before it was gone, and try to get as much information as I could on the Black Souls while Ryker was still talking to me. I still had a lot to learn about the different biker clubs around town, who was at war with who, and what their ultimate goals were.
I just hoped Ryker wasn’t going to get suspicious of me asking questions. The last thing I needed was to lose the only lead I had.
“He’s the Black Souls MC President, and he’s highly respected around here. Some of the other bikers try to challenge that, but it’s all just rivalry. The Hell Riders have made their entire club on taking things from other people, and there are some of us that are just trying to get by in life,” he said.
“It sounds like he’s a good guy,” I said, even though there would be no way for me to judge that just from Ryker’s words. With all the rumors going around about the bad reputation these bikers have, chances were high, Lucifer was a bad guy.
“He is. All he’s ever done is protect the people he cares about. It’s what we all try to do.” He spoke with such conviction and care. Regardless of what I might think, it was clear Ryker cared deeply for this Lucifer character.
“Are they trying to hurt him?” I bit my bottom lip, wondering if I had said too much.
“When are they not? You saw them back there, they’re crazy.” He chuckled.
“Yeah, I suppose they are.”
I finally managed to wave down a cab. It stopped right at the sidewalk, and I turned to tell Ryker goodnight. I still had a million questions running through my mind, but I didn’t want to push my luck or stir suspicion. My heart began to race, and if I kept dwelling on the idea, I would back out of this before I had the chance to see it through.
I set out tonight to get a biker to talk. I may have gotten myself in some hot water, but I also found a biker who talked to me. Overall, it was a win.
“I hope you have a good night, Anna.” He stood next to the cab and smiled.
“I’ll try to.” I started to hop in the cab, but stopped myself. Take a chance, Anna. “I was headed down to Jackroller Pub, actually. I know this is going to sound crazy, but I was wondering if you wanted
to come. I should buy you a drink, you know, for saving my life.”
I offered a warm smile hoping that would get his attention. He took a moment to think about it, and I was so sure he was about to say no.
“Sure thing. You know, we can just take my bike.” He pointed over at his bike parked close to us.
I thought about it for a moment. It was risky, but it was the best way to get him to trust me. I couldn’t pass up on this opportunity. Ryker seemed nice enough and was certainly easy enough on the eyes. If nothing else, this would at least be enough to get him to talk. There was a part of me that strangely trusted him after what he did. I told the driver I changed my mind, and shut the door before I turned to face Ryker.
“After what just happened, getting on the back of a bike is probably the dumbest thing I could do right now, but what the hell,” I said, putting my hands up.
He chuckled and gave me a teasing grin. “You sure are trusting of a biker you just met.”
“Well, you can’t be worse than the ones we just ran into. I mean. you did save me from them. So, you can’t be all bad.” I smiled, and he laughed.
He handed me a helmet before I slipped onto the back of his bike. I clutched him tightly, and heat emanated through his t-shirt while he drove us down to Jackroller Pub. It felt oddly comfortable behind him and I liked the way his back felt against my chest.
The wind brushed over my skin, and the adrenaline ran through my veins as he picked up speed. I had never felt more alive. I wasn’t sure if it was because of what nearly happened with the Hell Riders, or the fact that I was way out of my comfort zone on the back of a bike with a man I barely knew.
It didn’t take long before Ryker pulled his bike over and parked. Jackroller Pub was busy when we arrived, and it was nice to be somewhere filled with people. Even though I was ready to start grilling Ryker for information about being a member of the Black Souls, I had to be smart about it. I didn’t want him to catch onto the fact that I was trying to get close to him so he’d tell me more.
There was a part of me that was attracted to him. I couldn’t deny the spark that ignited the moment I laid eyes on him. My stomach fluttered the moment he sent those Hell Riders bikers running all when he protected me. It spoke a lot to who he was, and what he stood for, but that only made me more confused.
I’d been led to believe that all bikers were bad, and that they didn’t have any redeemable qualities. The news media and the chief himself said bikers only ever wanted to cause trouble, but after seeing the way Ryker interacted with those other bikers, I knew there had to be more to the story. He led me through the crowd to the front of the bar, where I waved at the bartender.
“This is definitely the last place I thought I’d be tonight,” he said.
“Why is that? I heard you bikers love this place,” I replied.
“We do, but I have a lot on my mind.”
“Well, I’ve got time.” I smiled at him. “I came here to blow off steam. I had already had a bad day and then those bikers made it worse.”
“Trouble at work?” he asked, trying to make conversation.
“Yeah, I got a position at the police station, and I’ve been racking my brain ever since trying to figure out how I’m going to impress my new boss. He expects so much from me,” I explained, wondering if I’d just revealed too much. It felt so easy to offload that onto him. I hadn’t really had the chance to talk to anyone much lately, and it felt good to be open.
I had been bottling up so much of my worry and stress, contemplating whether moving back to Coronado was the right move or not. In the process, I’d completely forgotten how to be normal. I was tired of being on edge all of the time. The only way I was going to change that would be to go all in on what I wanted. I wanted to succeed at my job. I wanted to protect my daughter. And I was going to do whatever it took to make sure all those things happened.
“Ah, a cop.” He raised his brows.
“What’s that look?”
“Cops don’t like bikers around here. That’s just the way it is in Coronado. They think we’re all thugs.” He laughed.
“Are you?”
“Of course not.” He stood tall and crossed his arms over his chest giving off an appearance of pride. “See, the Hell Riders run around trying to make the rest of us look bad, stealing, armed robbery, but that doesn’t have anything to do with us. We started riding together so we’d have a place to go, a sense of community. It’s never really been more than that.”
I started to calm my inquisitive nature, wondering if I had been too quick to judge him by lumping him in with all of the rest of the bikers I’d heard about.
“It’s nice to know that there are some of you good ones out there. After tonight, I was getting ready to swear off bikers for good, and run in the opposite direction any time I saw one coming.” I downed my drink to hide the nervousness I knew had to show on my face.
He looked at me, smiling. “I can tell you’re tough, Anna. Not many people are brave enough to stand up to the Hell Riders the way you did. I’ve seen many men cower in fear before them. You didn’t. It was impressive.”
“I don’t know about impressive. I was outnumbered. I could kick and scream as much as I wanted, but if you hadn’t been there, I don’t know what would’ve happened,” I said, reliving that moment of fear. If Ryker hadn’t showed up when he did, I probably wasn't going to get out of there in one piece.
“The important thing is that you’re safe now.”There was concern in his eyes, like he was still worried about what happened to me. It was sweet, and I genuinely didn’t know how to feel about it. I was just glad that he was around.
I had a hard time looking him in the eyes, and there was something about the way he carried himself that made me nervous. I felt my body heat up whenever he leaned close, and I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had made me feel that way. I tried my best to stay focused, keep the conversation on the Black Souls. Things could very well spiral out of control if I ask one wrong question.
He was distracting me from getting what I needed, and I worried that would lead me off course entirely. The night had started off badly, but Ryker turned it around, and made me feel better. I wasn’t so afraid anymore.
“You don’t need to worry so much about impressing your boss. You’re a fighter, I can tell. I’m sure whatever he’s got you doing, you’ll get it done. You cops always do,” he said.
“Being a cop doesn’t automatically make me a fighter or guarantee success.” I responded, with a soft chuckle.
“Nah, I don’t believe that for a second..” He inched closer to me, staring deeply into my eyes. The liquor was starting to get to my head, and I was losing control of the conversation. I was letting him in more than I initially set out to do. I should have increased the distance between us, but I didn’t mind having him so close.
“It’s true, but being a cop isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’m just doing what I can to provide for my daughter. We only just moved back into town, and I need to make sure that she’s safe,” I said, and that was the truth.
“Ah, so I take it you probably have a husband at home too then?”
“Nope, it’s just Hope and I.” I watched his smile grow.
I could see from the spark in his eyes that our attraction to each was mutual. There was something brewing between us, but I had to shut it down before it got out of hand. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get myself to leave.
We spent the night talking about our pasts. We talked about what we wanted out of life, and it felt like I’d known him for years. He was different than I thought he’d be. He told me about how incredible it was to travel out on the open road, and do whatever his heart desired until one day he decided that enough was enough. He wanted to start feeling like his life had purpose again.
He told me about the day he met Lucifer, and how he joined the Black Souls. The look in Ryker’s eyes told me he thought of these people as family, and I had a feeling that he wou
ld do anything to protect them. After seeing how quick he was to jump in to protect me, a complete stranger, I knew that he had good in his heart.
He was quickly changing the way I thought about the bikers around town. I would have to do more digging if I wanted to find out who the real threats were to the city. Maybe the chief had it wrong, and the Black Souls weren’t the ones he needed to be concerned with. I saw the way the Hell Riders acted, and Ryker wasn’t anything like them.
They were cold, conniving, like they didn’t have a care in the world what happened to the people they hurt. That was exactly the kind of biker that deserved to be behind bars.
Ryker was different, and the more I talked with him, the more I wanted to learn about what this was all really like.
I finished my drink, getting ready to call it a night, when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, and stared at the screen before declining the call. The look on his face was pure dread, and I could see he was worried about something.
I wanted to ask what it was all about, but I had a gut feeling that I already knew. It had to be about the Hell Riders bikers and that Lucifer guy.
I didn’t know why, but I felt like there was something bad going on here, and I had a hunch if I wasn’t careful, I’d find out what it was.
7
Ryker
Who was this woman?
I couldn’t remember the last time I was so attracted to anyone, and so caught up in what she had to say. Her pale blue eyes and the creamy color of her light red hair with streaks of gold were striking. And the way that black dress clung to her curves and accentuated her long thin legs nearly did me in. But the moment she told me what she did for a living, I had to fight the urge to turn and run the other way. Getting involved with anyone who worked for the police would be nothing but bad news for the Black Souls.
Ryker: MC Romance Page 4
