Page 38 of Ryder
She thinks over my words. “Yeah, I’ve always wanted more. And I guess Harlee is at a nice age now, but we haven’t been together long enough. I don’t fancy being a single mum to two kids.”
“You’ll never be single again. Look, If it happens, then it happens. It’s Gods wish.”
She laughs, tapping my chest playfully. “No, it’s us not taking precautions. We’re being irresponsible, that’s nothing to do with God.”
“It’s how they did things in the olden days,” I say, shrugging. “Stop overthinking it.”
“Yeah when women stayed home with ten kids and the men worked in the coal pits. Times have changed.”
I roll onto my side and tuck her hair away from her face. “The thought of you pregnant with my kid makes me happy, and ten kids would be amazing.”
She laughs again, “Not a chance, Ryder. I will not have ten little Ryders running around in this world, think of the poor women. It’s our duty to the world not to produce too many Ryders.”
I grin, slapping her backside. “So cheeky.”
Somewhere in my dream like state I hear glass breaking. I feel Neve nudging me and then she hisses my name in a desperate whisper. I open one eye. “Huh?”
“I heard a noise,” she whispers.
I roll onto my back and check the time. It’s four in the morning. I can’t hear anything but I throw my legs over the bed and slip my jeans on. I reach into my boot and pull out my knife.
“Stay here,” I whisper.
I step out into the hall and listen again. The lights are out and there’s no sign of torches or any sounds coming from anywhere. I move carefully, making sure to stay back against the wall. I low thud has me freezing and suddenly, a ginger cat runs past me, confusing me for a second. Neve’s never mentioned a cat before. “Ryder, you came?” Harlee stands in her doorway rubbing her eyes sleepily.
I glance back at the stairs where the cat ran, before tucking my knife in my back pocket before scooping Harlee into my arms and going back into her room. “What are you doing up baby girl”? I whisper. “Let’s get you back to bed.” I make a mental note to ask Neve about the cat.
“Will you be here when I wake up?” she asks as I tuck her in.
“Of course,” I promise.
Harlee’s expression changes from happy to horrified, in a split second. Then a sharp pain radiates through my skull and the last thing I hear is Harlee screaming and my eyes close.
Neve
I dive up from the bed the second I hear Harlee scream. I’d dressed while Ryder had gone off to check and as I rush towards her room, with my heart thudding in my chest, I call out for Ryder.
I freeze at the sight of Finn holding our daughter who is sobbing uncontrollably, desperately trying to get free. My eyes fall to Ryder and I gasp out loud as I take in his lifeless body. He’s bleeding from his head and the crimson fluid surrounds him, soaking into the pink fluffy carpet.
“I told you I was coming, Princess,” Finn sneers.
“Give Harlee to me.” I hold out my shaking arms, desperately reaching for her but he pulls her tighter into his chest.
“I’m going to tell you exactly what’s going to happen next, Neve. If you give me any trouble, I’ll take off her fingers one by one, is that clear?” I nod, not daring to argue. A large man appears behind me and I shrink away as Finn passes Harlee to him. She screams and I force a reassuring smile.
“It’s okay baby, everything is going to be okay just calm down.”
“There’s a car waiting for us downstairs. You do anything stupid and I won’t hesitate to carry out my threat,” says Finn.
“Please, Finn, let me take Harlee. She’s upset and if you take her out in this state, the neighbours will hear. Let me carry her and I can keep her calm.”
Finn nods his head once and the large man hands Harlee to me. I sigh in relief, squeezing her tight, and pushing her face into the crook of my neck so she doesn’t have to look at Ryder anymore. “Shhh,” I soothe. “You’re okay, mummy’s got you.”
The large man leads the way and I follow with Finn trailing behind. I pray that for once, Griff is home. I mean, it’s unlikely seeing as he’s been talking of selling the place. Since he came out to the club, he doesn’t need to hide away anymore.
I stare at his house as I slide into the waiting car, but his lights are all out, dashing my hopes. I place Harlee into the child seat and secure her, taking a hold of her hand and gently rubbing it. Finn slides in beside me, gripping my knee. “Good girl,” he praises.
We drive for at least half an hour before stopping at the metal gates of a large stately looking house. A man dressed in a suit approaches, opening the gates and we go through.