Page 4 of Ryder
Panic takes hold of me. “No, Finn, the agreed time is noon. I promised her I’d watch movies with her.”
“Well you also promised to answer my phone call so you could speak to her. Jenifer is now having to spend time consoling our daughter because of you. I don’t need to remind you of what will happen if your shoddy behaviour continues around my daughter.”
I frown. I haven’t heard the name before, “Jenifer, who the fuck is Jenifer?” I demand, beginning to pace back and forth in frustration. We’d agreed to keep new partners away from Harlee until they were established relationships. We also said we’d tell each other about new partners so we could work out when to tell Harlee, together. I didn’t like the idea of introducing Harlee to people that wouldn’t stick around for long.
“Goodnight, Neve. And don’t forget the picture, or there will be issues with me returning her at all tomorrow.” I take deep breaths to calm myself, blinking fast so that angry tears don’t spill down my cheeks. I continue to pace back and forth after the call, keeping my hands on my hips and my head hung low. I’m so tired of his threats but he’s a lawyer and he knows all the right things to say to make me comply.
“Is that lover boy checking up on you?” Ryders rumbling voice startles me and I spin to look at him, my face flushing slightly when our eyes connect. I assumed he’d left.
“No,” I reply bluntly, my guard back up in place.
“I’m assuming you want to keep it on the downlow if you’ve just cheated. I’d also appreciate it if you didn’t tell my brother, he’ll get all stupid about it.”
I inhale an angry breath, what is it with men treating me like crap just lately? “Firstly, I’ve never cheated on anyone in my life. That was my very first and very final one-night stand. Secondly, I don’t have a clue who the hell your brother is, so I won’t be telling him nor anyone else for that matter, I’m not the kind of girl to gossip especially about myself.” I stomp away, not sticking around to wait for his reply.
I pass Mya in the hallway, “I’m going home. You coming?” I ask, holding out her phone.
She takes it and smiles. “Sure, let me just say goodbye to…” she trails off, looking at the man.
“Bear,” he answers for her. I roll my eyes, Mya never seems embarrassed by her brazen ways.
“You did what!” screeches Mya glaring at me in shock. I’d blurted out my surprise one-night stand with the mysterious Ryder, as soon as I’d closed my front door.
“I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t uptight, I know it sounds stupid, but I wanted to live a little.”
“And you thought you’d have sex with the motorcycle gang leader?” Mya laughs.
“Leader?” I repeat, “I thought he was just friends with Griffin. Is he important? Oh my god is he some kind of criminal mastermind, cos I’ll be honest with you, I thought he was a mute at first.”
“He’s the club president. I don’t know how it all works but he’s a tough guy, he’s got a lot of respect amongst the others,” Mya explains.
“They’re in a gang?” I ask. “Oh God, is Griffin dangerous? I don’t want them next door if they are.”
“Relax, they’re harmless.”
“I guess it doesn’t matter now anyway. He was good for my first one-night stand, but I won’t be doing that again. How do you do it? I felt so used,” I groan, making Mya laugh out loud.
“Neve, you’re so innocent.” She shrugs. “You go into it knowing you just need one thing, don’t expect any more,” she explains, “That way, you don’t feel used or let down afterwards.”
I don’t know how to turn my emotions off like that, isn’t sex about feelings and love? Without those, it feels cheap and dirty. “I did go into it knowing that, actually I didn’t even have chance to think about it, he kind of ambushed me. But it was the way he acted afterwards that threw me. He must have women falling at his feet looking the way he does with all that brooding manliness, and he made me feel like I was a dirty secret that he regretted instantly. He said something about not wanting club girls and ol’ ladies finding out?” I pour us both a large glass of white wine and pass one to Mya.
“Women that hang around and keep the guys satisfied if you know what I mean, most of them hope to get a husband out of it, become ol’ ladies to the guys, but most don’t ever get that.”
“What are ol’ ladies?”
“Women they make theirs. Like a wife I guess. If a biker claims his ol’ lady, she’s treated with respect by all members and protected by the club.”
“You’re like a mind of knowledge, how do you know all this? I have zero knowledge on motorcycle gangs let alone all their gang terminology.”
“I read books,” Mya replies.
“I don’t believe for one second that you read,” I tease, “Anyway I’m gonna hit the sack, I’m exhausted,” I say on a sigh. I drain the wine. “Are you staying over?”
She shakes her head and smiles. “I might pop back next door for a while, it’s still early to us single, non-parent girls.”
I climb into bed and reach for my mobile phone. I take a picture, just a headshot, showing my pillow in the background. I send it to Finn to appease his incessant need to know where I am. Within seconds my phone lights up with an incoming call from Finn. I sigh before accepting the call. If I ignore him, he’ll just keep trying. “Are you alone?” he asks, and I roll my eyes.
“Of course.”