Breaking the Rules (Roaming Devils MC #1) (19 page)

****

After Ryker went to the clinic, he left to get a haircut, then met the guys at the drug warehouse on the outskirts of the city. It felt good to be back on his bike again. The hum of the engine beneath him while the wind blew in his face was as close to paradise as he’d ever get.

They made their drop and he went along with Superman and Vampire to find Razor. The last time they’d heard, he was in New Orleans. Knowing his father, though, he bounced around from charter to charter to gain acceptance and approval should Ryker be alive and come after him. But Ryker had a strong feeling he thought the club had turned against him. They were supposed to be a team, the two of them. The look in his father’s eyes when Ryker had pushed the knife into himself had told him that he’d won, had proven that even Razor hadn’t prepared for that alternative. He hadn’t dreamed of his son choosing a woman over the club. His blood was on Razor’s knife.

And now Razor was scared.

Not only did Ella know what happened, she’d lived to tell about it. And the biggest threat to them was her close relationship with her daddy. So much incriminated Razor to the point he had to think that the cops were all over the situation. A dead body. Ella’s father being one of the key players in taking down the Roaming Devils. God knew the man protected his only daughter. He’d definitely go after Razor for kidnapping and threatening to kill Ella.

Not to mention, the Atlanta chapter was the original that the founders had started. It was the charter that ruled all the other charters across the country. If it was okay for Atlanta, it was okay for everyone else.

Razor had fucked up royally and he knew it.

Ryker tried his best to keep his temper in check. Ella had taken out the stitches in his side from the first knife wound but the staples still remained. He and the guys went along with two prospects and two other members that could be trusted. When Ryker finally got the president title, he needed to do some house cleaning of the members that still remained. There were definitely a few that he thought were shady.

The seven-hour trip was easy enough. He pulled off near Montgomery to get something to eat and call Ella.

“Hey,” he glanced around the outside of the restaurant, “I probably won’t be coming home tonight. Some club business came up out of town and I need to handle it.”

“Where are you?”

“I can’t say. Don’t worry, though. I’ll be back sometime in the morning or maybe mid-afternoon.”

She didn’t say anything, which was exactly the response he’d expected. Ella was a worrier.

“Hey,” he continued, “when I get back, maybe we can go on a weekend getaway or something. Rent a room at a bed and breakfast in Savannah.”

“I have to work.”

“Yeah, but you get vacation days, right?”

“Yes.” She didn’t say anything for a moment. “Why do I think you’re doing something stupid.”

“Because you think everything I do is stupid.” He glanced over at Vampire, who had come back from the restroom. “I’m just trying to make up for the two nights we won’t sleep together.”

“Nice try.”

“I love you, Ella. You’re my dream girl.”

“Now I know you’re really up to something bad. Probably illegal too.”

“I gotta go.” He watched as the guys filed out of the restaurant. “Think about it. I’ll call you sometime tonight.”

He hung up and pocketed his phone.

“You’re fucking pussy-whipped.” Rooster shook his head. “There is no way I would ever call a girl in a parking lot and make plans for a getaway vacation. Fuck me. What has happened to you?”

Ryker took a deep breath. He didn’t know. When he thought of Ella, most everything else ceased to exist. He wanted to spend his time trapped in his own little world with her.

“She’s changing you, man. You’re going soft.”

Before Rooster knew what hit him, Ryker jerked him off his bike and shoved him to the ground, putting a big boot on his chest. He stared down at the prospect and pulled his knife out. Rooster glanced over at the others, desperately seeking assistance.

“I don’t really think I’m all that soft.” He rubbed the flat part of the knife along Rooster’s jaw. The man quivered, sweat dotting his forehead. “I could slice your throat right now and nobody would even notice.”

Rooster’s Adam’s apple bobbled. “You’re not going to do that.”

“You sure?” He tilted the knife so the very edge pricked his skin. “Don’t ever underestimate me. Just because I have a woman I love does not mean that I’m in any way, shape, or form soft. I grew up in this club. I’m just as deadly as my father, though not quite as impulsive. Don’t ever make the mistake of saying I’m soft again.”

He let the man up and put his knife back in its sleeve. “Let’s go. We need to get there before dark.”

Superman pulled his sunglasses on. “I hope he doesn’t try to skip. He’s pretty damn antsy.”

“He’ll be there.” Ryker pulled on his sunglasses. His father couldn’t hide forever from the club he supposedly loved.

The ride to New Orleans was mostly uneventful. The club was on the east portion of the city and they rode straight there. Ryker had called ahead before he left Atlanta to make sure the president of the chapter knew to expect them. He had a conversation about what went down in the club and how Razor had invited trouble with the cops to their door by kidnapping and threatening to kill Ella. The president sided with him fairly easily and promised to keep Razor entertained until they got there.

Ryker rolled to a stop outside the clubhouse, with his crew following suit beside him. The van was the last to pull in, and he’d already dismounted his bike by the time they got out of the vehicle.

The club was simple on the outside so it didn’t draw too much attention to what was on the inside. The big burly man standing by the door took one look at them and saluted Ryker before holding the door open for him and granting him entrance to the club.

A woman Ryker knew came toward him, smiling as she recognized him from across the room. A while back, Rizzo, the president of the New Orleans chapter, gave Ryker her company for the length of his visit. He couldn’t help smiling at the memory.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in.” She leaned up to kiss his cheek. “It’s good to see you, Ryker. You look sexier than ever.”

Her blonde hair and blue eyes were enough to draw attention to her from any man around the room, but the tight little t-shirt that covered her large, natural breasts was what got her the most attention. That and the little black skirt she wore. He smiled at her while she ran her fingers along his arm. They’d had some fun times together.

“Yeah, uh,” he glanced behind him, “guys, this is Beth. Beth, this is my crew.”

She gave them a sultry smile and one of the prospects blushed. Ryker laughed. The club was dimly lit and gave the impression that no one was around. Ryker knew better than that. The front room was usually for show and tell if the police came knocking. Deeper into the club was where the heart of the party was.

“Is Rizzo around?”

“Sure.” She smoothed her hand along his chest.

Beth held his gaze for what felt like minutes before Vampire coughed, “Ella.”

Ella. Ryker lifted Beth’s hand and kissed it. There was nothing between them and whatever had happened in the past wouldn’t happen again. But he couldn’t exactly erase his sexual history just because he was in a relationship with Ella. Things had happened. Plenty was good. Beth was great.

Ryker dropped her hand and glanced over at Vampire. “Subtle.”

Vampire shrugged.

Beth glanced between them before saying, “Follow me, boys.”

She led them deeper into the club. Ryker wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his father. An dispute between club members resulted in the two handling it themselves. One man didn’t run from the other like the pussy his father was. He was still fairly sure that Razor thought he was dead.

When they got to the main party room, Ryker spotted his father immediately, sitting next to Rizzo. He was smoking weed and laughing at something one of the women said to him. Ryker stalked toward him, getting close enough that when his father looked up, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

“Surprised to see me?” Ryker asked before he swung his fist at Razor’s face. Vampire and Superman got Sonny, and the two prospects got the other chapter member that had come with them. Razor spit blood to the side, staring up at his son.

“So the doctor saved your life.”

“Did you think she wouldn’t?” Ryker gripped Razor’s cut and dragged him up from the seat. “No murder charge for you, so you can come back to Atlanta where you belong.”

There were a few rules that the MC followed. The president was the highest ranking member and, generally speaking, he had the ultimate authority. While Ryker was now VP, his beef with his father was something that created club tension. They were divided, and Rizzo’s club knew it. The leadership had faltered and only one would be left standing.

The majority of the club wanted Ryker. He got along with most of the guys and he tried to push them in a different direction than coke and extortion. He wanted something a little more legal. Something that made a little more money to fill their pockets.

Now seemed to be that time.

They hauled them out of the club, tied their hands, and put black sacks over their heads. The guys knew to meet him back in Georgia, where they planned to take care of business the right way, so they had a long journey ahead of them.

“Thanks for keeping things peaceful.” Ryker slapped Rizzo’s hand and patted his back.

“Yeah, anytime, brother. It’s about time you got the leadership of the club anyway.”

He nodded. His father was a leader by force. It served him well for a while, but the other charters were tired of putting up with his shit. He walked into other people’s turf thinking that he owned the damn place. The lack of respect didn’t go unnoticed.

“Take care.” Ryker shook the hand of the VP. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“Will do.”

Ryker got on his bike and started it up. While the other guys wanted to stop for a smoke break, he’d quit the habit along with the coke when he’d finally gotten sober. Ella had never complained, but he knew she didn’t like it. Hell, he didn’t like it. Not really. He rode on ahead, leading the van down the road, with the guys following in behind. It’d just turned nighttime and he had at least seven hours of road to travel.

Chapter Thirteen

Ella didn’t like the feeling she got when she saw Ryker. The talk she had with her father lingered in her mind and the nagging feeling she had about his elusive behavior suggested that something else was going on. Something she didn’t understand and probably something he wouldn’t willingly volunteer information about.

“Hey, beautiful.” He smiled at her as he shrugged his cut off. He wore a black hoodie with his jeans and black riding boots.

She sat on the sofa, staring at him. “Where have you been?”

“Taking care of some business out of town.” He pulled the hoodie off. “I really need a hot shower and then I’m all yours.”

Ella licked her lips. How did she approach the conversation she wanted to have? “What kind of business?”

He glanced over at her. “Club business.”

She stared at him. “Illegal club business?”

He glanced toward the coffee table and saw the arrest file she’d had her father pull for her. His record was longer than she’d thought. Her father had also thrown in some case notes for some of the other members. Some of the stuff was pretty bad.

“Where did you get that?”

“My father.”

He rolled his eyes. “Let me guess, he’s trying to get you to see how terrible I am for you?”

“No, I asked him for it.” Ella shook her head. “I stupidly thought all you did was drugs. I thought that was what made you so bad.” She swallowed. “I didn’t realize that you regularly beat men to death with your bare hands. Or that you don’t even fucking blink an eye at someone shooting someone that is an enemy of yours.”

He propped his hands on his hips. He didn’t say anything and it pissed her off more. How could he expect her to trust him?

“I guess it’s a good thing I slept with you. Spared my life from your father’s sadistic ways.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what I was thinking. My mom is scared to death you’re going to beat the shit out of me and after everything that I read, how can I reassure her that you won’t?”

He walked over to the chair next to the couch and sat down. “Is that really how you see me? By some fucking words on papers written by people that hate me? I’ve never done anything to you to even suggest that I would hurt you.”

“But I’d be stupid to think that you couldn’t. What the fuck are we doing, Ryker? You say you love me, but I don’t know what that means anymore. Spell it out for me.”

He rubbed a hand over his face. “I risked my life to save yours. I risked my club to save your father. I try my best to show you that I care about you. Fuck it, Ella. I’m wandering in the dark here. I want you. I’m willing to do whatever the hell it is that you want me to do because of it.”

“Yeah, but for how long?”

He blew out a breath. “I wasn’t aware that our relationship had a time limit.”

She played with the edge of the pillow next to her. “You’re going to grow bored. You spent your entire adult life fucking anything willing and now you only want to be with me? I’m not convinced. How long will it be before you’re wanting someone new?”

He shifted in his seat, leaning forward so his elbows rested on his thighs. “You’re insecure about me being around other women?”

Insecure? Maybe. A little. She was more worried about him reverting to his old ways despite him saying how much he wanted her and loved her. They came from two different worlds. She wasn’t sure they really could mesh well either.

“Okay.” He sat back in the chair. “Fair enough. What can I do to convince you that you’re the only woman I want?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know if you can.” Tears filled her eyes. “You can’t exactly change your behavior overnight. You’re going to miss the excitement. The thrill of fucking someone new.”

He got up and moved to the couch. “What the hell is this about, Ella? What bullshit did your father put in your head?”

She pulled away from him. “Don’t blame him. You can’t even be in the same room with him for a civilized dinner. How did you really see us happening? I would give up my relationship with my father for you? That if we’re together, you’d never have to see him? God, I can only imagine the holidays. You’re going to force me to pick and choose and I’m not doing it.”

He rubbed his temples. “So I don’t want you because I want to fuck all the pussy I can get, and we can’t be together because I don’t want to be around your father? Have I got that right?”

“Don’t mock me.”

“I’m not.” He stared into her eyes. “This bullshit is coming from nowhere. I’ve been gone for one day and you’re calling it quits. Surprisingly after you spend the fucking night at your parents’ house.”

“You won’t tell me where you went or what you’re doing. It’s not coming from nowhere.”

“You think I went out of town to cheat on you?”

“I don’t know what you did.”

“I didn’t have sex once.” He scoffed, shaking his head. “I didn’t even masturbate.”

She stood. Their conversation was going nowhere. She didn’t know what he’d done out of town, but he wasn’t giving her any information about it. God, how did women live like that? She couldn’t imagine letting him do whatever the hell he wanted with other women and not being upset about it. She deserved better than that.

“I’m going to my parents.” She’d already packed a bag for the night. “I’ve got to sort out what I want to do.”

“What is the worst thing I could ever do, Ella? The deal breaker for our relationship?”

“Lying.” She said it without even thinking about it.

“And you think I’m lying to you right now?”

“You’re omitting the truth.” She reached for her bag. “It’s the same thing.”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Let me ask you something. Don’t the laws prevent you from discussing patient procedures with me? Isn’t there some kind of ethical conduct you have to abide by?”

She stopped, staring at him. “What is your point?”

“I’m not questioning you about your job. I’m not worried about you fucking some patient or not getting along with my dad. What’s the fucking difference?”

“My job is legal and yours is not.” She opened the door and walked outside. He was part of the club, grew up in it. If he wanted to, he could give in to his former temptations and where would she be?

She went to her car and got in. Distance would help clear her mind. Maybe she needed to cut her losses before she ended up dead too.

****

Ryker spent the entire day waiting for Ella to come back. When she didn’t, he decided to go out and find her. The cop’s house was in the suburbs of Atlanta. It was a place where he stood out like a sore thumb. He rode his bike to her old neighborhood, noticing immediately that the neighbors stared at him as he drove by. The cop’s house was at the end of the block and he pulled in the drive. Ella’s little white car was there and he couldn’t stop the thrill from bubbling up inside him. He wanted to see her. He wanted to make everything right again.

He got off his bike and went to the door. After pressing the doorbell, he waited. He hadn’t been at the house in years. And the last time he was there, he’d been carried out in handcuffs.

The door opened and Ella’s father stood on the other side. Ryker half expected the bastard to make him explain why he was there, but instead he moved out of the way and invited Ryker inside.

“Ella, you’ve got company.”

Ella came around the corner, smiling. Icing covered her fingers, and a little green blob marked her cheek. “What?” When her eyes met his, the smile drifted a little. “What are you doing here?”

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I missed you.”

She licked the icing off her fingers. “We were making cupcakes. I lost track of time.”

Ryker smiled at her. Her hair was pulled up, with a few tendrils falling into her face. She looked like she’d had a rough day.

“Do you want to try one?” Ella wiped her hands on her apron. “We tried a new recipe. You can be our guinea pig.”

“Yeah. Sure.” He followed her into the kitchen.

Her mother glanced up from icing one of the cupcakes. “Ryker. We weren’t expecting you.”

Ryker watched as Ella took a cupcake from the cooling rack. “Sorry to barge in.”

Ella handed him the plate with the pink-iced cupcake. “You’re fine. Try it and tell me if it’s horrible.”

He stared at the cupcake. He was fairly sure there was more icing on her than the food. He dipped his finger in it and licked it off. The sweet flavor made him smile. He lifted the treat and took a bite. It wasn’t horrible, so he nodded in approval.

“You like it?” Ella smiled.

“Yeah.” He took another bite. “Are you taking up baking now?”

“I’ve always baked.” Ella leaned against the kitchen island. “I just never have time or the groceries anymore.”

“Did you work at the clinic today?”

“ER.” She glanced over at the clock. “I pulled a twelve-hour shift. I’m really tired, but I wanted something sweet to eat.”

“You work too much,” her mother commented. “Margie said that her brother went to ER two nights ago. He saw you saving some man’s life in the trauma section.”

“Yeah?” She propped her chin on her hand. “I didn’t know he knew me.”

“I think it was your last name.” Her mother set the cupcakes she’d been working on aside. “He worked at the police station for a while with your dad.”

Ella shrugged and turned to Ryker. “Are you hungry? Mom fixed some beef stroganoff.”

“Uh, sure.” Ryker glanced over at her mother. “If that’s okay.”

Her mother gave him a tight smile. “Why wouldn’t it be okay?”

Ella ignored her and grabbed a plate. The food was on the stove and she dished him out a plateful with two bread rolls. She carried it into the dining room and set it at the table.

“I’ll get you something to drink.”

Ryker reached out and caught her hand before she could move away. Instead of saying anything, he leaned in to kiss her. His Ella. Everything felt right again when he had her in his arms.

“Are you planning on staying here tonight, Ella?” her father asked.

She jerked away from Ryker and turned. “I don’t think so. I need to do laundry. I’m running out of clean scrubs.”

He eyed Ryker. “You can wash the ones you wore today, here. You don’t have to go.”

“I don’t know. I’ll think about it.” She left Ryker with her father in the dining room.

For the first time of him ever getting close enough to a woman to meet her parents, he just had to choose a woman with a cop for a father. Ryker stood there, hands in his pockets, trying to figure out how to make that work. It was a rule of thumb that absolutely no cops were involved with the club. Not that Ella was really involved or, worse, her father. But the idea of having a cop in the family made other members twitchy with distrust.

“I know she left you to come here.”

Ryker took a deep breath. “Yeah. I’m sure it had nothing to do with what you told her either.”

“What I told her was the truth.”

Ryker snorted. “According to whom?”

“According to anyone with morals.” Her father turned so that he faced Ryker more. “You may think that it’s okay to play on the wrong side of the law, but you’re not going to drag my daughter down with you. She is a good person inside and out. She’s doesn’t belong in your gang.”

Ryker glanced toward the kitchen. “You think I don’t know that?”

“Then why drag her into your life?” He tilted his head. “Does she know about Razor going missing?”

Over the years, Ryker had learned to keep his expression neutral. It served him well when cops were around. “Why would she need to know that?”

“Because you killed him.”

Ryker met his gaze. “You have no proof of that.”

“Maybe not, but I know how things work. Razor was an evil bastard but he offended you. You wanted his title and you took the crown.” The disgust on his face didn’t surprise Ryker. “What kind of person are you?”

Ryker didn’t say anything. Ella came back to the dining room with a glass of tea in her hand and set it next to the plate she’d made for him.

“Are you two getting along?” she asked.

“We haven’t killed each other yet.” Ryker gave her a tight smile and pulled out the chair to sit.

She glanced between them. “I thought you had a truce.”

“I haven’t said a word.” He lifted the fork on his plate. “He’s the one bringing up bullshit.”

“I’m going to protect my daughter. If she can’t see the evil in you, then she needs me to.”

“Yeah? I wasn’t aware that you had any say over who keeps her warm at night. It’s a bit sick and twisted of you to even want that much control over her.”

“Stop it.” Ella pressed her hand against Ryker’s chest.

“My daughter deserves better than a criminal.”

“Pat, stop it.” Ella’s mother came out of the kitchen and stood by her husband.

“If I’m a criminal, arrest me.” Ryker arched an eyebrow. “Go ahead. I’ll go willingly.”

“You think you’re sly, don’t you?” Her father gripped the chair in front of him. “Ella, why don’t you ask him where he was last night.”