“It looks worse than it is, trust me,” he groaned, barely able to get a few words out.
“I’m sure it hurts more than you’re letting on, Ryker.”
He shut the door and turned to face with his arms crossed over his chest. “Why are you here?”
I took his surprise to mean Lucifer hadn’t filled him in on me coming over. Ryker looked sad and defeated, like he was ready to throw in the towel before the fight even really began. I wasn’t about to let him do that. Seeing him like this finally helped me make up my mind.
“Lucifer called me. I would’ve come sooner, but I didn’t know. I’m here to help. If there’s anything I can do to help you get the justice you deserve, I’ll do it.”
He pointed toward his couch. “Might as well sit.”
“Let’s clean you up some first. Where can I find a towel?” I asked.
He let out a low growl and reluctantly pointed to a small linen closet down the hall. I ran some hot water on one of them before returning. I sat next to him on the couch and pressed it against his wounds. He winced slightly, but I held him steady. I couldn’t stop from looking deep into his amber brown eyes, wondering how he got into this mess in the first place.
I needed to know the whole truth if I was going to help him. I’d be going against Harold, but fighting for the truth was a risk worth taking. As long as I could keep Harold off my trail for a little while, I could collect the evidence I needed to prove the Black Souls weren’t the problem.
This was the right thing to do. The Hell Riders needed to be brought down, after what they tried to do to me, and now with what happened to Ryker.
“You didn’t have to come.” He reached for my hand and tried to push me away, but fought against him. I held my gaze on his. I hardly knew this man, but I was drawn to him in a way I’d never been drawn to a man. Not even to Hope's father.
I wanted Ryker to know I cared. I didn’t understand this connection I felt toward him. He was the first man that ever really stood up for me. My ex-husband sure as hell never stood up for me and no one ever stood between me and his fist. I spent too much of my life scared of that man. Whenever my ex-husband would hit me and yell at me, it made me feel so small and helpless. He told me every chance he got how much of a failure I was. Escaping his abuse was the hardest step I’d ever taken in my life.
I never thought I would ever be in the company of a man that would take the time to get to know me, and I was certain Ryker wanted to get to know me better. A man in his position should have turned and ran the other way when I told him I was a cop. But he didn’t. Instead he came back to me and asked for my help. That proved to me that he didn’t have anything to hide.
He’d been failed by the justice system before, and I wasn’t going to let that happen to him again.
He put himself in harm’s way to protect me. No one had ever done anything like that for me.
The more I got to know him, the more I liked him. We talked like we were long lost friends. Conversation between us was easy and natural. And while he didn’t divulge too much, I sensed he was willing to share all of his secrets with me.
It was the most refreshing thing I’d ever felt, and now I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure that he had the help he needed. It wasn’t going to be easy, and the closer we got to each other, the more complicated things were bound to become, but I didn’t care. For the first time in my life, I allowed myself to think with my heart first, and that was why I came here in the first place.
“I want to help you, Ryker. All I’m asking is that you let me,” I whispered.
He ran a finger down my cheek and across my jawline. He studied my face like he was trying to see into my soul. “Why, Anna? Why do you want to help when the chief just wants to throw us behind bars? He’s close enough now. They’re going to be on our asses soon, and I don’t know if we’re going to be able to stop them this time.”
“The bad guys have to pay, remember? I’m going to stand by your side through this, and I think your club would agree that you need my help. At least I know Lucifer does, otherwise he wouldn’t have called me,” I explained.
“What if we don’t win? What if this is all for nothing?”
I pressed my hand to his cheek, drawing his brown eyes to mine. “Have a little faith in me, Ryker. I’m good at my job. I’m going to piss off a lot of people going down this road, but I can’t let the Hell Riders get away with this any longer, and neither can you.”
The whiskey color of his eyes darkened, and I drew in a sharp breath. Heat surfaced between us, and the tension drawing us together made it hard to breathe. I tried to fight the urge to stay and fall into his arms. I wanted to forget all of the commotion for a little while, but I couldn’t. It was too reckless.
I pulled away from him, but he wrapped an arm around my waist and he brought me closer.
“Don’t go,” he whispered in my ear.
He brushed my hair back, and then lifted my chin until my eyes were level with his. Without another word, he slowly pressed his lips up against mine. His soft, gentle touch sent a shiver through my body. I kissed him back, and my body ignited with a feeling I’d never experienced before.
He deepened the kiss, and I was on fire, entangled in him and the allure of his demeanor. I wanted him to touch me, feel me, and run his fingers down every inch of my body. I didn’t want to leave until he did.
And from the look in his eyes, he wanted it too.
This was certainly going to complicate things between us, but I didn’t care. I wanted this man and I refused to walk away. And thank God, he wasn’t stopping this either.
I wrapped my hands around his neck, and pulled him closer to me. His lips traveled down my neck, searing my skin everywhere his lips touched me. I wanted more.
His hands cascaded down my body, sending chills down my spine. He pulled back and stared down at me. I was so lost in his kiss, it hadn’t registered that he had laid me back on the couch. “I want you, Anna.”
I answered him by unbuttoning my blouse, and he responded by ripping off his grey t-shirt.
My mouth watered the sight of his tattooed covered, rippled chest and abs. I’d never really given tattoos much consideration before, but Ryker’s were beautiful. The colorful display of art looked like the pages out of a story book.
I ran my fingers along his bulging muscles, and traced his tattoos. My eyes focused on a tree with butterflies swarming around it. “These are beautiful.”
“Thank you.” He grinned. The veins that ran up his arms pulsed and protruded to the surface of his skin as he flexed. “I’m gonna kiss you again.”
I nodded as he leaned down closer to me. His gold chain dangled above me, and tickled my chest. I basked in the thrill of it all. The time for talking was over.
He sparked something inside of me that made me want to give myself to him. I wanted to feel every inch of him, and my body ached for him to be inside me.
He read my body, understood every slight quiver I made under him, while he peeled off my clothes. He towered over me, caressing my face as he kissed me before making his way down to my breasts. His movements were more intense and needy as he pulled my bra down and took my beaded nipple into his mouth.
I gasped as he sucked on it lightly, and I felt myself getting wetter. “Please, Ryker.”
He looked up at me, and the heat underneath the surface of my skin increased to a near boil. “I want to taste you.”
I felt my cheek blush at his admission. He sucked and nibbled on my breasts before he kissed his way down my stomach and then licked along the edge of my panties.
I nearly cried out when he leaned back, taking away his body heat and leaving me cold. He quickly remedied that by pulling down my panties and pressing his lips to the top of my mound.
He made his way lower, kissing the inside of my thighs while I bit my lip. I desperately needed him to touch me where I ached. “Ryker.”
“I’ve got you, sweetheart.” I threw my head back
and moaned when his tongue softly licked up my pussy.
“Oh, my God.” My hips bucked from his touch. He grabbed hold of me and held my hips down as he sucked on my clit relentlessly, licking every inch of my pussy. It was the most delicious assault and I couldn’t get enough.
He licked and sucked and nibbled at me until I screamed out in agonizing bliss. Coming in his mouth was the most amazing sensation I’d ever felt.
“God that was beautiful, Anna.” He licked my pussy again and I shuddered. He looked up at me and smiled, clearly pleased with giving me such an intense first orgasm. “Fuck, you’re beautiful. I wanna make you come again.”
“I … I don’t … don’t know if I can,” I whispered.
“Oh, I bet I can make it happen.” He teased.
He kissed me hard and I tasted myself on his lips. I groaned when he extracted himself off me and stood beside the couch. His eyes raked down my naked body as he unbuckled his pants and slid them off. I watched with rapt attention as he ripped open a condom and gave his hardened cock a squeeze before he sheathed himself.
It had been a long time since I’d had a man inside me and when he positioned himself between my thighs and sighed in anticipation. He lifted my leg and rested my ankle on his shoulder to open me up to him. I nearly came again when his tip pressed against my entrance. Waiting to feel him inside was torturous.
He slowly slid inside of me and I moaned when he stretched me open. “Fuck. You’re tight.”
He didn’t penetrate me fully, but the feel of him inside was so intense. In slow, steady movements he pulled in and out, each time giving me of him. He slowly stretched me until I was primed to take all of him. He pulled out, leaving only his tip inside me, and paused.
“Don’t stop.” I cried.
“You feel so good, Anna.” He leaned down and claimed my mouth. “I want to fuck you so hard.”
“Please.” I lifted my hips and took more of him inside me. He pulled back and in one quick movement, he slammed into me until he completely filled me.
“Fuck,” we cried out together.
He grabbed hold of my leg and increased the speed of his thrusts. He did exactly what he said he wanted to do. He fucked me hard and fast, and nothing ever felt better.
“Oh, God. Ryker.” With every hard pump inside me, my body was that much closer to being pushed over the edge.
“Look at me, baby.” I struggled to catch my breath, and as hard as it was to find enough control to answer his demand, I looked into his eyes. “Come on my cock. Now.”
The way he demanded my body give into him was all it took to push me over the edge again. My body tightened around him and I felt him shiver as my climax consumed me. He didn’t let up. If anything he fucked me harder, eliciting multiple screams and spasms from my body. He hit me so deeply and so hard that he pushed me into another release before he finally joined me in his own release.
“Anna,” he cried, his voice strained.
He kissed me hard and deep. His tongue exploring and claiming every inch of my mouth. When he finally stopped moving inside, his body collapsed on top of mine.
“You’re amazing,” he whispered in my ear. We both panted, neither of us in control of our breathing.
I studied his face and watched his chain dangle against me out of the corner of my eye. I cupped my hands on his cheeks, pulled him down, and kissed him fiercely.
This was the most blissful I’d felt in months. In this moment, nothing else mattered except how great it felt to have him inside me.
Then, I was jolted back to reality. This was so unlike me. I didn’t fuck men I hardly knew. And I certainly didn’t fuck men who just got out of jail and could be in serious trouble with the law.
But something deep inside me stirred and told me this wasn’t just sex. I was drawn to him from the moment I met him, and now that I fucked him, our mutual attraction was clear.
This is what you get for thinking with your heart, Anna.
Shit. I cared about this man too much and sex only made it worse. And now I was going to jeopardize my job for him. It was only a matter of time before I was in the courtroom representing him. Assuming I didn’t find a way to get the charges dropped beforehand.
His life and the lives of the Black Souls MC members depended on it.
I couldn’t let them down.
I woke in Ryker’s arms, while he held me close, and I looked up at him to see that he was fast asleep. Hours after I’d left him on his couch, he showed up at my apartment. Hope had been asleep for a couple hours and I figured she’d stay asleep while we talked. I didn’t expect him to stay the night, but as soon as he kissed me, I was powerless to turn him away.
I tried to peel myself out of his hold, but the minute I got up, he stirred. I found my robe at the end of my bed and wrapped myself in it. When I turned around, I met his smiling face.
“I didn’t expect to stay the night.”
“Neither did I. I’m going to go check on Hope. I’ll be back in a minute.” I leaned down and kissed him before I left the room. It was still early and Hope wouldn’t be up for a while. I made my way into her bedroom to see her fast asleep. I ran my hand over her head, and brushed her hair out of her eyes. I loved how peaceful she looked when she slept.
When I made my way back out, a shirtless Ryker was in the kitchen with a few pans out, searching in my fridge.
“You’re cooking?” I asked, raising my brow at him.
“You’re not seriously telling me all of that didn’t work up an appetite,” he teased.
Right on cue, my stomach growled. “I guess there’s your answer.
He gave a light chuckle before turning back to my fridge. “What are you in the mood for?”
“I’ll have anything,” I said, smiling.
“Alright, French toast it is,” he said as he pulled the eggs and milk out.
My mouth dropped open, surprised by his willingness and ability to cook. “Sounds good.”
“Good. Let’s relax and eat. Then I need to tell you what I’m being charged with. It seems you and me alone leads to other things besides talking.” He smiled and leaned over and gave me a slow, thoughtful kiss.
I cupped my hands to his cheeks, and sighed. “Ryker.”
He pulled back and kissed my nose before turning to grab a bowl. “Don’t think right now. Food first.”
“I don’t know if I can wait for food. Just tell me the charges, Ryker. This is serious.”
“Is there anything you can do right at this moment?”
“No, I don’t guess so.”
“You need to eat. Can’t catch the bad guys on an empty stomach,” he said as he reached for me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed me before he turned back to cooking. If he kept kissing me like that, he wouldn’t get to finish cooking breakfast because we’d end up back in bed.
“Can’t keep you out of jail on an empty stomach either,” I said, teasingly.
“I’m glad we agree.”
I sat at my kitchen island, and watched him get started on the French toast. Ryker was already the sexiest man I’d ever seen, but seeing him in my kitchen cooking made my mouth water.
It wasn’t long before he was handing me a plate with three pieces of French toast. I took one bite and groaned. “Damn, this is good.”
He smiled as I scarfed it down like it was the last meal. “Glad you like it.
A half hour passed, and the plates were in the sink, the ingredients were put away, and the sun was starting to come up. Hope would be awake soon, and Aunt Fern would be here to take care of her while I had to get to the office.
But I wasn’t going to let Ryker leave until he told me what he was being charged with.
“Ryker, stop stalling and tell me the charges. I can’t wait any longer, it’s driving me crazy. I need to figure out what has to happen next to make sure you don’t end up in jail.”
“Drug possession with intent to distribute, stolen property, and human trafficking,” he said.
He didn’t meet my eyes while I stood there with my mouth hanging open. I couldn’t imagine how they got such charges to stick.
“That doesn’t make any sense. They picked you up outside where the Hell Riders were hiding out, right? As far as I know there were no signs of stolen property or human trafficking there. Drug possession maybe, but this has nothing to do with you! You’re not even a part of their club. The most they can get you with is trespassing,” I explained.
“Those are the charges. You know how the chief works, Anna. They’ll lump me in with the rest of them, and use me to get to the Black Souls. I don’t know why, but I have a feeling that the Hell Riders are going to get out of this one and I’m not. I feel like I’m the only one being backed into a corner here,” he confessed.
I needed to know if there was any truth to that. “Sit tight, okay? Try to stay out of trouble. I’ll see what I can find out.”
I got to the office early.
Ryker had gone home with a worried look on his face, but I assured him that I was going to find a way to get the charges dropped. I knew that would rely on me finding incriminating evidence against the Hell Riders, and something that Harold couldn’t ignore. I made myself a cup of coffee in the shared common room.
The sound of the printer ran in the next room indicating I was not alone. A moment later, Harold’s personal assistant came in with a stack of papers. She looked more worried than usual, dropping the papers down on the small kitchenette cabinet. Her dark hair spilled around her face until she pulled it back into a low bun.
I wasn’t even sure she realized I was there. I tapped her lightly on the shoulder, and she jumped with a high pitched squeal.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to startle you,” I said.
“It’s okay, everything’s got me on edge today. The place is a mess, and everyone won’t shut up about letting all those guys go.” She blew a strand of hair up out of her face.
“What do you mean? What’s going on?”
Ryker: MC Romance Page 8
