Ryker (Kings of Korruption MC Book 1) (10 page)

“You’re not fuckin’ going anywhere, Charlie.”
 
He steps into the room, followed by his two buddies.
 
Reaper turns, closing the door behind them.
 
“This here is Reaper and Jase.
 
Reaper’s a trained medic and he’s gonna look you over.”
 

My eyes widen in shock and fear.
 
Reaper’s not looking at shit as far as I’m concerned!
 
I open my mouth to tell him as much, when he shoots me a leveling glare.
 
“No arguments.
 
You need medical attention.
 
While he’s takin’ care of you, we’re all gonna have a little chat about this Krueger guy, and why he’s lookin’ for you.”

Anna’s face crumples, and again, she bursts into tears.
 
She flops back onto the couch, burying her face in her hands.
 
“Oh God.
 
I am so sorry Char.
 
So sorry.
 
I never, ever thought he would find us.”

Ryker moves to stand in front of her.
 
“Who?
 
Krueger?”

Anna yelps and nods her head quickly.

He squats in front of her and pulls her hands from her face, looking into her eyes.
 
“How the fuck do you ladies know Krueger?”

Reaper distracts me by grabbing my arm and sitting me down in the chair.
 
He opens a small first aid kit, pulling out gauze and band aids, littering them across the table beside me.
 
He’s surprisingly gentle and maybe slightly less terrifying than I’d previously thought.
 
He tends my wounds while I watch the scene in front of me unfold.

Anna continues to cry and looks at Ryker.
 
Her sobs cause her words to come out in gasps.
 
“A couple months before we left, I borrowed money from him.
 
I borrowed some from a couple of the other guys too.
 
When I couldn’t pay them back from the money I expected to get from Mom’s inheritance, I avoided them.
 
They found me, and that’s when they broke my arm and beat the shit out of me.”
 
She takes a deep breath and looks to me.
 
“That’s when I made them a deal.”

“What deal?” Ryker growls.
 
I’m glad he did because I want to know too.
 
What did she borrow money from an MC for?
 
And why would she think she’d get an inheritance after Mom died?
 
What the hell was going on in her head?

“I … I promised them …” She chokes on another sob and squeezes her eyes closed in defeat.
 

“Damnit, woman!
 
What did you promise them?”
 
Ryker’s pissed.
 
He’s visibly trying to suppress his rage, but his voice rumbles with fury.

Anna yelps before rushing to answer.
 
“Charlotte.
 
I promised them Charlotte.”
 
She slaps her hands back over her mouth in fear, her eyes darting around the room.

Everyone in the room is frozen in shock.
 
My body goes stiff when I register what my crazy, stupid sister had just said
.
 
She’d promised them me?
 
What does that even mean?
 
Jase is still standing by the door, but he’s standing like a statue, a shocked, angry look on his face.
 
Even Reaper has stopped wiping the blood from under my nose, his hand still hovering in the air with the disinfectant covered cotton ball between his fingers.

Anna is frozen solid, fearful eyes glued to the man standing in front of her.
 
Ryker is frozen in place, eyes wide.
 
His body is vibrating and rage engulfs his features.
 
“What the fuck do you mean you promised them Charlotte?”
 

“Krueger told me he’d forgive all my debts if he could have my sister.
 
He wants her ... to own her.
 
He’s been obsessed since he first saw her.”
 
She shoots her eyes to me and whispers, “Oh Char.
 
I’m so sorry.”
 
Tears fall down her cheeks.
 
I can’t bring myself to care.
 
She’d intended to just give me to that ... psychopath?

“I was never gonna let him have you, Char.
 
I just wanted him to leave me alone.
 
They were gonna kill me!
 
I just – “

“Enough!”
 
The roar breaks the shocked vibe in the room and causes both me and Anna to jump.
 
Ryker spins towards me and stalks over.
 
Reaper has gone back to working on my battered face, so he kneels to the side, looking me in the eye.
 
“That fucker is not getting anywhere near you, Charlie.
 
I’m gonna deal with him.
 
Ok?”
 
I’m mesmerized by those blue eyes.
 
They’re looking at me, full of determination and anger, mixed with tenderness and something else I can’t put my finger on.
 
I nod my head slightly, not wanting to hinder Reaper’s work as he applies some sort of greasy ointment to my cut lip.
 
I’m in shock, my mind numb.
 
She was going to give me to Krueger?
 
What kind of person sells out her sister for a few dollars?

Ryker stands and looks to Jase.
 
“Head over to Charlie’s place.
 
Make sure that son of a bitch is gone.
 
I’m gonna bring her by later to grab some things and I don’t want him makin’ another play for her.
 
Take Mouse with ya.”
 

Jase nods and looks to me.
 
“What’s your address, sweetheart?”

I rattle off the address, my head spinning from everything that’s happened tonight.
 
Jase turns and leaves.
 
Ryker opens the door, calling out to him.
 
“Send Bone in here.
 
He’s takin’ Anna to the clubhouse.”
 
Coming back into the room, he shuts the door, then spins to face us.

“Alright ladies, this is how it’s gonna happen.
 
Anna, you’re goin’ with Bone.
 
He’ll take you to the clubhouse, set you up in a room and keep an eye on you.
 
No phones, no leaving.
 
Got me?”
 
Anna just nods her head, clearly not about to argue with a pissed off, determined Ryker.
 
Even though the jealousy I’ve been feeling flares again, I’m glad my sister has him to take care of her.
 
This is one mess I just can’t save her from.

“Charlie.”
 
My eyes shoot to him.
 
“You’re comin’ with me.
 
We’re gonna get your shit from your place once Jase clears it, then we’re headin’ to my house where I can keep an eye on you.”
 
He doesn’t wait for a reply, and right then, there’s a knock on the door.

His house?
 
Why would he send Anna to the clubhouse with this Bone guy and take me to his house?
 

Before I know it, Anna is gone with Bone, Reaper has patched me up, and Ryker is pulling me out of the tavern towards a very large, very scary looking motorcycle.

He reaches behind the bike and grabs a helmet, plunks it on my head, then reaches out to do up the strap, while I stand there unmoving.
 
When he’s done, he places a finger under my chin and lifts my face to meet his eyes.
 
“Baby.
 
It’s gonna be ok.
 
I’m not gonna let anything happen to you, and that fucker is gonna pay for hurtin’ you.”

Tears fill my eyes as I look into his and nod my head.
 
He grins at me, clearing some of the fog that’s been swirling around my mind.
 
Mmmmm.
 
Dimple.

After swinging his leg over the bike and turning on the motor, he looks to me.
 
“Hop on, baby.”

Approaching the death machine, I pray that I don’t make an ass of myself and send us both falling to the ground.
 
I’ve never been graceful, and I’m worried the size of my ass is going to make the bike groan in protest when I sit on it.
 
Ryker watches me while I send up a silent prayer before swinging my leg up and over the seat behind him.
 

“Hang on, baby girl.”
 
He has to yell to be heard over the sound of the bike’s motor.
 
I grab onto the sides of his leather cut and close my eyes tightly, glad that my place isn’t too far.
 
I’ve never been on a motorcycle before, it’s not something I thought I’d ever do.
 
Grabbing my hands, he jerks them around his waist, pulling me up against his back.
 
“I said hang on.”

I do.
 
I hang on for dear life as he lifts his feet, and then, we’re roaring out of the parking lot.
 
I’m barely aware of how fast we’re moving, my fear temporarily forgotten when I realize I’m pressed up against Ryker’s muscled body.
 
He smells of leather, and deodorant, and man.
 
It’s intoxicating.
 

I’m still shoeless, only wearing his long sleeved shirt over my torn pajamas.
 
I’m freezing my ass off, so I do my best to ignore the flutter in my belly as I try to press as much of myself as possible up against his hard, warm body.
 
My hands are pressed flat against his bare belly, under his cut.
 
Knowing that my hands are resting against his perfectly formed six pack causes my belly to flutter.
 
He turns, giving me a wink over his shoulder before placing a warm hand on my arm around his waist, giving it a squeeze.
 
I pray that he can’t feel my heart pounding against his back.

Before I know it, we pull up to my building, where Jase, and who I assume is Mouse, are waiting beside their bikes.
 
Jase walks over and offers me his hand, helping me off the bike.
 
His smile is warm and appealing, and I find myself smiling back as I send him a quick “Thanks.”
 
His grin widens and he continues to hold my hand, rubbing his thumb along the back of it in slow strokes.

Ryker is suddenly there, grabbing my hand from him, taking it into his own.
 
He glares at Jase, who smirks and puts his hands up in a surrendering motion.
 
“Apartment’s clear.
 
Nobody’s there.
 
The one bedroom’s a mess, obvious signs of a struggle.”
 
He looks at me and smiles.
 
“I gotta say though girl, Krueger is a fuckin’ maniac.
 
I’m impressed that you were able to get away with as little damage as you did.
 
You’re one tough little lady.”

I don’t know what to say to that, so I stay silent.
 
Ryker places his arm around my shoulder, squeezing tightly.
 
“Come on baby.
 
You gotta be freezin’ your ass off out here.
 
Let’s get you into some warm clothes.”
 
Turning, he leads me off to my apartment.

***

Ryker

I can tell Charlie is scared shitless to go back into her place.
 
Her body trembles, and I know it’s not just the cold causing it.
 
I keep my arm wrapped tight around her, leading her inside.
 
She looks around the living room, clearly expecting someone to jump out at her.
 

Placing my hands on her shoulders, I turn her towards me.
 
“Baby, nobody’s here.
 
You’re safe with me and you’re gonna stay that way.”
 
The fear in her face relaxes a bit before she nods and smiles softly.
 
The fact that I’ve calmed her fears makes me feel like the king of the fucking world.
 
This woman trusts me and feels safe with me and that blows me away; especially after everything she’s been through.

“Grab your shit.
 
Not too much.
 
Only as much as we can carry on my bike.
 
Try to get enough stuff for a few days though.”
 
Nodding, she starts for the short hallway.
 
Once in her room she freezes.
 
I come up behind her and instantly see why.
 
Her eyes are on a broken vase and flowers scattered across her bed and floor.
 
Blood spatters the white and green quilt and the bed itself looks like it had been used as a fucking trampoline.
 
Placing my hands on her shoulders once again, I give them a slight squeeze.
 
“Babe.
 
Grab your shit.”

She nods absently, still looking at her fucked up bed, then moves to the closet where she pulls out an oversized sweater and a pair of yoga pants.
 
Turning to me, then looking back to her clothes, she looks uncertain.
 
I continue to stare at her, wondering what the fuck is taking so long when she finally speaks.