Page 49 of Ryder
Ryder
I look down at the little boy squashed into my side as he watches television, and smile. I should feel much happier but this memory is overshadowed by the fact I’m missing Neve and all I can think about is ways to get to her.
Alfie snuggles closer. “I think he’s getting sleepy,” says Sassy.
“Oh right, do you need a ride home?” I ask.
“Actually, why don’t I…”
She’s interrupted when Griff storms into the room. “Pres, we need to talk now.” I extract my arm from around my son and follow him to the office. “We don’t have time to call church. My guy just rang, he’s been given the location in advance. That never happens but apparently somethings spooked Finn and he’s acting all crazy. Word got around that his wife stabbed him. He’s been in hospital.”
“Shit. I hope he didn’t hurt her,” I mutter. “I feel so fucking useless just waiting around like this. We need to make a move, it’s taking too long.”
“You said you wanted to make sure you got them out together,” Griff reminds me.
“I know I did but if there’s a chance that Neve could be there tonight, then we need to go to wherever that location is.”
“The docks, he’s been asked to be at Purfleet Docks at Ten O’ Clock.”
I check my watch. It’s almost nine now and I needed time to gather some men. “Already on it,” grins Griff, reading my mind. “You go and kiss that kid of yours and meet me out front.”
I find Sassy sitting where I’d vacated, and Alfie nowhere to be seen. She smiles, “I put him to bed. It was way past his bedtime. Can we talk?” She stands and I glance at the door where I know Griff is waiting.
“Actually, Sass I need to go. We’ve got a lead and Griff’s waiting.”
“A lead about Neve?” she asks, and I nod. “Well then I really need to say this before you go. I miss you Ryder. I didn’t realise how much until you came back. When I saw you with Alfie, I knew we had to give us another go, for his sake. Before all that business with Alice we were great,” she says, rushing her words out quickly.
I swallow hard, she’s caught me off guard. I’d have given anything to hear those words all those years ago when I’d received my prison sentence. I used to lie awake at night racked with guilt about how I’d ripped my own family apart. “Say something, Ethan,” she whispers, placing a hand on my chest. “We could have the perfect life, just the three of us. Don’t we deserve that happiness?” My mind races, and I picture Sassy and Neve. They don’t compare, Neve is my future. Before I can answer, she reaches up on her tip-toes and kisses me. Her sweet-smelling perfume fills my senses, her soft lips parting just enough to swipe her tongue against my mouth, forcing entry and taking full advantage of my stunned silence. Her arms trail around my neck and she presses herself against me, moaning softly into my mouth.
“What the fuck, Ryder!” Griff’s voice startles me and I immediately step back, breaking all contact with her. “You’re like the black fucking widow, Sassy, waiting to pounce. You made your choice when you banned me seeing my own damn nephew. You told me you were too good for this MC and you’d rather die than be back here and yet here you are trying to lure my brother back to you.”
“I was upset, I caught my sister with my man. That’s in the past. I want a family for Alfie.” She turns to me, “I love you, Ryder, I always have.”
I rub the back of my neck, my heart twisting painfully at the thought of Neve. This all feels wrong and I turn away, “I have to go,” I mutter, heading for the exit.
Chapter Nineteen
Neve
“Wash,” orders Finn angrily. He drops a bar of soap on the mattress where I lay. He’d had two buckets of warm water brought down to the cellar, and the other two girls had eagerly washed, happy to feel clean again.
“No,” I mutter, turning my back to him and curling my knees up to my chest. I was still wearing the tatters of silver dress he’d ripped from me and I had no intention of stripping off in front of him.
“Fine,” he mutters, moving away. I gasp when cold water hits me, sitting up and spluttering. “We’ll do this my way.” He then whistles and two men come down the steps. I watch in horror as they each position themselves beside the mattress. “Hold her,” says Finn.
I scream in anger as they each grab a limb, pinning me to the bed. “Get off me,” I yell, trying to fight them off.
“You always have to be so fucking stubborn,” snaps Finn, picking up the bar of soap and rubbing it onto a sponge, “I asked you nicely.” He shreds the remains of my dress and begins to wash me. I don’t stop fighting, screaming at the top of my lungs until my throat aches in protest.
When he’s finished and is satisfied that I’m clean, he grabs a bucket of water and swills me. The two men release me and leave. Finn throws a towel my way. “Dry off and then dress in that,” he instructs, pointing to a dress sitting on the bottom step. “If you mess me around, I’ll call those men back and I’m sure they’ll come up with creative ways to make you comply.”
“What’s happening, Finn? Where are you going to take me. What did that man want and where’s Harlee.”
He spins back to me, pointing a finger in my face. “Fuck you, Neve. I don’t owe you an explanation, not after what you did to me.”
“Quit your bitching, you’re still, here aren’t you?” I yell angrily.
Finn shoves his hands in his pockets heads for the steps. “I told Ryder that he owed me a woman, what do you think I meant by that Neve?” He stops turning to face me again. “Alice was mine. We were meant to be, and he ruined everything. She died in his fucking arms,” he hisses, balling his fists.