Ryker (Kings of Korruption MC Book 1) (24 page)

I close my eyes and turn away from him, needing a minute to strategize.
 
How can I deal with this guilt ridden, sweet as hell Ryker?
 
I need to remember everything that went on before Krueger got ahold of me.
 
I need to or I’m going to fall back under his spell, and he’s going to crush what’s left of my heart into dust.

 
“Sleep, baby girl.
 
I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
 
He misunderstands my closed eyes for fatigue and that’s ok with me.
 
The less I have to deal with him, the better.
 
I want him to leave, but at the same time, I need him to stay.
 
His presence helps keep my fear at bay.
 
For me, Ryker equals safety.
 

I lay that way, my heart aching, eyes closed, face turned away for a few more minutes before sleep claims me, the darkness once again rescuing me from danger; even if that danger comes from my own heartache.

***

Ryker

Charlie’s been in the hospital for eight days now.
 
Three of those days were spent with her unconscious, and today they were finally releasing her.
 
I haven’t left this place once since arriving in the ambulance with my girl.
 
They’d almost lost her a few times.
 
Her lung had collapsed and she’d had a lot of internal bleeding, not to mention the huge amount of blood she’d lost.
 
After a lengthy surgery, several blood transfusions and four days in the intensive care unit, then four more to recover, she was finally able to go home.
 

Jase and Tease had spent a lot of time here also, waiting out in the waiting room for news on how Charlie was doing.
 
They’d been a huge help, bringing me food and a change of clothes when I needed them.
 
They both knew there was no way in hell I’d ever leave her again.
 

That douche fucker Jeremy had been here too.
 
He’d brought her flowers, and I have to admit, I was jealous as hell when she’d smiled at him and asked for some privacy.
 
I left the room without complaint, standing out in the hall, but I heard them in there.
 
She actually had a conversation with him, reassuring him that she was ok and trying to ease his worry.
 
She rarely talked to me at all.
 
That just about killed me.

Jase had dealt with the police.
 
They’d come to question me and I’d told them everything.
 
They considered my part in beating the hell out of Krueger self-defense.
 
Krueger was in the hospital for a couple days before being moved to the local remand center, awaiting trial.
 
He’ll be in jail for a long, long time.

As for Deed and the Devils, they were pissed.
 
Getting the cops involved went against biker code and I’d broken that by calling an ambulance.
 
I couldn’t bring myself to care though.
 
Charlie would have died otherwise, and there was no way I’d have let that happen.
 
I hadn’t spoken to him myself, but I’m pretty sure I can smooth things over with Deed if Gunner can’t.
 
It’s not like they can’t get their information from Krueger in jail.
 
They have plenty of brothers in custody right now, and they can get that dirty job done from the inside.

Charlie’s been quiet and I have to admit, I’m worried.
 
I’ve avoided bringing up Krueger, or that night, because I don’t quite know where her head’s at.
 
What she went through is enough to fuck up anybody’s mind and I want to protect her from any further pain.
 

Now we’re just waiting for the doctor to sign her release papers.
 
I watch Charlie sitting on her bed, eyes to the window, quiet.
 
Too quiet.
 
I’d give anything to know what’s going on in that head of hers.

Just then, the door swings open and Charlie’s doctor walks in.
 
“Alright Ms. Daniels, your release papers are signed and you should be ready to go.”
 
He offers her a smile.
 
She looks up at him, face blank and just nods.
 
A small frown creases the doctor’s face before he continues.
 
“As I’ve mentioned to your boyfriend here, you –“

 
“He’s not my boyfriend,” Charlie rushes out, sounding annoyed.
 
“Please forward all information to
me
regarding
my
care.”

I notice the doctor glance over at me, but my eyes are glued to Charlie.
 
This is the most emotion she’s shown since that first night she woke up, but I’m not sure I like the way she’s showing it.
 
Is she pissed at
me
?

Her doctor clears his throat. “Ok, well, as I’ve shared with Mr. Cole, you will need to have someone stay with you for a couple of weeks.
 
Your injuries are healing, but there is still danger of infection, and you have to be
sure
not to exert yourself.
 
I want you on bedrest for at least another couple weeks, at which point, we will reassess your progress.”

Tears shine in her eyes as Charlie listens to what I’ve already heard, her expression bordering on hopeless.
 
“Ok.
 
Um … ok.
 
I will call a friend and see if –“

I jump out of my seat, moving to stand in front of her.
 
Placing my hands on either side of her face, I lean in close.
 
“Charlie.
 
Look at me.”

She hesitates, then raises her eyes to meet mine.
 
Fuck.
 
The light in her eyes is barely even there anymore.
 
She looks so broken.
 
How can I fix this?
 
“Baby girl, do you really think I’m gonna let you go home and not take care of you?”

A tear slides down her cheek; I quickly swipe it away with my thumb.

“You don’t have to come home with me, Ryker.”
 
She sighs.
 
“I have friends.”
 
Her eyes harden and her jaw tightens.
 
“Real friends.
 
And they will be more than willing to come and help me out for a couple weeks.”

“Fuck that, Charlie.”
 
Frustration slowly creeps its way in and I try to keep it from coloring my voice.
 
“You’re coming home with me.
 
I’m going to take care of you.
 
Not some girl from work.
 
Not Dr. Douchebag.
 
Me.”

Her voice cracks and the tears flow faster now; too quickly for me to wipe away.
 
“You don’t have to do that, Ryker.
 
Krueger is gone now.
 
I’m not in danger anymore.
 
You don’t have to take care of me out of guilt.
 
I’ll be fi –“

Before I can stop myself, I reach out and grab her ponytail, sitting high at the back of her head.
 
I wrap it around my fist, then tug her head back firmly so she has to look me right in the eyes.
 
“Enough!”
 
I’m so far past frustrated now, barreling my way right through to anger.
 
Guilt?
 
She thinks I’m doing this out of guilt?
 
I see the doctor take a step towards me, but I ignore his ass and focus on my girl.
 
I need to make her understand.

“This has nothing to do with guilt.
 
Not one fucking thing.”
 
I’m breathing heavily, my breaths causing her hair to blow around her face.
 
“I’m going to take care of you because your mine to fucking take care of.
 
I should have done it from the beginning.”
 
I shake my head in frustration and groan.
 
She’s staring at me, eyes wide, lips parted in shock.
 
I’ve finally gotten her attention.
 
Using my fist in her hair, I bring her face closer.

Slanting my head, I place a gentle kiss on her lips.
 
She kisses me back just as gently, and I hear her swallow back a sob as she brings her hand up, cupping the side of my neck.
 
My lips still on hers, I whisper, “Baby, you’ve been taking care of everyone else your whole life.
 
It’s your turn to be taken care of.
 
Let me take care of you.”

A sob escapes her throat before she nods and looks up at me, tears streaming down her cheeks.
 
We stare into each other’s eyes for a moment before we hear someone clear their throat.
 
Shit.
 
The doctor.

We both turn to him and find him smiling wide at us both.
 
“Now that we’ve got that settled, here are your prescriptions, after surgery care instructions and your next appointment date.”
 
He hands a small stack of papers to Charlie, then looks to me.
 
“She’s to stay in bed as much as possible.
 
She only leaves it to use the washroom.
 
It’s very important that she maintains minimal physical activity.”
 

I reach out and grab her hand, giving it a squeeze before answering.
 
“Got it.
 
She’s in good hands, Doc.
 
Thanks.”

“Also,” he continues, giving me a hard stare, “she needs to be kept calm.
 
Getting her worked up is not good for her recovery.
 
Try to keep her happy, ok?”

I look down at her and kiss the tip of her nose.
 
“That’s the plan.”

Chapter Twenty

Charlotte

I’m going insane.
 
Two weeks I’ve been in this stupid bed and stared at these same damned walls.
 
Two weeks I’ve been staying at Ryker’s house, waiting for the doctor to remove his bedrest order.
 
That also means, it’s been two weeks I’ve been sleeping in the same bed
with
Ryker, enduring his sweet and protective side; I need to get the hell out of here.

It turns out, Ryker is pretty amazing.
 
He can be so gentle and kind.
 
Both of these he has been in spades since I got out of the hospital.
 
Each night I have nightmares.
 
I wake up in the night screaming, still feeling Krueger’s blade at my throat or teeth on my skin, his voice still ringing in my ears.
 
Each time, Ryker holds me and soothes me, eventually helping me get back to sleep.
 

We don’t talk ever about these nightmares.
 
He knows what they are and I know they bother him.
 
I can tell by the set of his jaw, and the look in his eyes when he asks if I’m ok.
 
The truth is, I’m not ok.
 
Though, other than the nightmares, Krueger never enters my thoughts.
 
I don’t cower from men or have vivid memories of that night while I’m awake.
 
He’s not the reason I’m not ok; the reason I’m not ok is Ryker.
 

He’d broken my heart.
 
He’d used my body, and while I’d been falling in love with him, he’d pushed me away.
 
Now, with him so near, it’s extremely hard to hold him at arm’s length.
 
He’s in my space all the time.
 
He brings me food and drinks, helps me to and from the bathroom, then waits outside the door, prowling like a mother lion, until I finish what I need to do.
 
Each day is filled with us, in his bed, watching endless Netflix marathons and playing video games.
 
Sometimes, he tries to talk to me and I can’t help but get sucked in.
 

He tells me about his past.
 
His father was a monster and his mother’s death was tragic.
 
He’d been through so much at such a young age.
 
I know what it’s like to be alone after the death of a parent.
 
He tells me funny stories about him and Jase, and growing up in the MC clubhouse.
 
His childhood was so very different from mine.
 
I answer his questions about my mother and sister, tell him about James and how I’ve never had many friends.
 
He listens intently, as if soaking up every little piece of information about me he can.
 

During these talks, I realize that Ryker is funny and intelligent.
 
He praises me over and over for being brave and strong.
 
He also tells me that he wishes he had met my mother, because it’s clear from my stories that I get my strength from her.
 
Maybe he’s right.

Through all of this, my heart keeps getting sucked farther and farther into a deep, irrevocable love for him.
 
The heart that he’d broke slowly mends and it seems to forget what he’d done to break it in the first place.
 
But my mind doesn’t forget.
 
I remind myself constantly that he played me for sex, then screwed that skank the very same night.
 
He said that I wouldn’t make a good old lady, and with the way he’d said it, I knew that he’d meant it.
 
I know he cares about me, and it’s clear he was scared for me, but now I just need to go home.