Ryder (Phoenix MC #1)

Thirty-Five

I woke in Ryder’s arms in bed, although I had no recollection of leaving the bar last night. Was this how it felt when he was drugged? My mind was instantly burdened with thoughts of how I could avoid hurting him, and try to be normal. I tried to move away from him, but his arms tightened, and he pulled me closer.

“Not yet, baby… Five more minutes.” He promptly fell asleep on me again, while I let myself relax and enjoy it. A few days ago, I wouldn’t have let him sleep so close, let alone wrapped around me like this, but that night… the one we shouldn’t have had … it had changed things.

It had given me back some of my power and strength. It had showed me that a man who’s willing to be drugged, and unconscious, for sex wouldn’t hurt me. He wouldn’t try to force me or overpower me, and it made it easier to trust him. I just wished that I could give him the normal relationship he deserved. Normal sex. I wasn’t sure if I would ever get there.

I must have fallen asleep again in the end, because the next time I woke, it was because a freshly showered Ryder was placing a coffee beside me, and a kiss on my forehead.

“What time is it?”

He grinned. “Almost eleven, sleepyhead.”

“Shit. I never used to sleep in so late.”

He sat on the bed, his own coffee in hand.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. You needed sleep, and you got it. Now, I have to go and meet Reacher, so we can get our little ceremony underway. You gonna be okay here?” His eyes were firmly on mine, but I understood the real question. Would I be here when he returned?

I nodded. “I’m not going anywhere, Ryder. Well… probably for a shower, but that’s it.”

He sighed, looking relieved.

“I’ll bring some breakfast back with me, or… I guess it’ll be lunch. Anything you fancy?”

I grabbed the coffee, and let the aroma fill my senses, sighing with pleasure.

“Anything is fine. Um… where do I have to get the tattoo?”

“You don’t mean where as in here or a tattoo parlour, do you? You mean where on that luscious body of yours.”

I nodded, although the way he described me always caused a little shiver of pleasure, because he saw me in a way nobody ever had, myself included.

“Is there like a specific place it normally goes?”

Ryder shrugged. “I have no fucking idea. I’m the first one of the new generation of us to take an old lady. Jock was the last, before my time here, but she died a few years back. He’s one of only three original members left with us.”

“So I can choose?”

Ryder’s eyes travelled over me, even though I was covered with the blankets, and not naked beneath them.

“The bastard in me wants it right where every fucker can see it, but at the same time, I want it somewhere intimate. But then, of course, I’d have to kill Has-Been for even touching you somewhere intimate, so it’s quite the dilemma.”

I sipped my coffee. “Do I have to tell you where? Or can I wait until he’s about to do it?”

Ryder’s hand tightened on his mug, but he shrugged a shoulder.

“It’s up to you, baby. Just know if he so much as looks at your tits, or anywhere more private that that, I’m gonna remove his eyes.”

Wow . “Where will yours be?”

He grinned, dragging the neck of his t-shirt down.

“Right fucking here, baby. Where you can see it as often as possible.” He’d gestured to the upper part of his chest, which was kind of where I’d hoped it would be. He had fewer tattoos that far up, almost as if he’d waited for me.

“I like the idea of that.”

A n hour and a half later, we were down in the club bar, which was full of bikers, and strangely, didn’t terrify me like it might have a few days ago.

There were two chairs prepared with towels over them, and Has-Been and another biker I didn’t know were setting out tattoo equipment. My heart jumped in my chest . It’s really happening .

Reacher cleared his throat, and the scattered muttering in the room died off instantly.

“Brothers, we’re here for an unprecedented event today. Most of us are pretty much hedonistic bachelors, but one of our brothers has taken it upon himself to shackle himself to an old lady! I know there was some concern about their union, but let me make this very fucking clear. Tori is Tori. Regardless of who her father is. We’re not entering into a marriage with her father. We’re welcoming Tori into our family. So, Ryder, and Tori… hell, I’ve never done this before. Let’s get on with the damn tattoos, so we can get drunk, yeah?”

I stared at Ryder. This was the big ceremony he was harping on about? He laughed.

“Yeah, Tori is gonna be my old lady, and if any of you bitches have a problem, I’ll see you outside after.” He turned to look at Has-Been.

“Love you like a brother, man, but you so much as look at her body, and I’ll tear those dreads from your head, and make you eat them.”

His words broke the awkward silence that had fallen after his first comment, as laughter broke out, and they all started ribbing each other.

Ryder grabbed my hand, and led me to the seat by Has-Been, before he grabbed his brother in one of those bro-hugs the bikers seem to do quite often.

“ Make sure you spell my name right ,” he muttered as he backed away, shooting me a smirk.

Then he dragged his t-shirt over his head, and took the seat beside me, bare-chested and ready for his new ink.

Stitch appeared with two glasses of vodka, which he held out for us, and then everyone raised a glass of whatever the fuck they were drinking, chanting our names. It was actually kind of magical. From there, everyone started milling around, and settling at tables, or on sofas, while two tattoo guns started to buzz.

Ryder held up a hand before his guy could even get started, and got out of his chair, pushing it right up against mine, then he sat back down, reaching for my hand.

“You okay, baby?”

I nodded. “Let’s get this done,” I turned to look at Has-Been, “I want it here.” I started unbuttoning the blouse I’d worn, while Ryder grabbed my hands, and cursed.

“What the fuck.”

I grinned, letting him hold onto my hands. I’d revealed the area below my collarbone, which was what I wanted. Almost exactly where Ryder’s would be.

“What’s your problem, Ryder? I want it right here.” I pulled a hand free, and pointed, and he grinned wickedly.

“You’ll pay for that later, baby.”

Has-Been had been watching us, and cursed under his breath.

“Ryder, you okay with this? There’s no way to avoid… uh… I’m gonna have to lean… on… stuff to get to it.”

“Tits, Has-Been. They’re not stuff,” I whispered, and he groaned.

“Jesus, woman. Ryder?”

He let out a long breath.

“Just don’t fucking touch anything unnecessarily, and don’t fucking get a boner.”

I was giggling as Has-Been gently cleaned the area I’d indicated, and then the tattooing began.

It burned. It was stinging. It was downright painful at times, but it was for the best possible reason. For us. A biker marriage, in many ways.

Ryder kept hold of my hand, and we lay back in those chairs as Has-Been and the other biker, apparently called Rocket, worked on marking us with each other’s names.

It was a slow process, long enough that we all stopped for drinks several times during the process, alcohol for us, and coffee for the tattooists.

It was the strangest experience of my life, and considering the things I’ve seen, suffered through, and done to others, that’s saying a lot.

Ryder watched me a lot during the few hours that we sat there, and when we were finally done, it was a relief to be able to move and stand up, and not have Has-Been hovering over me, his hands working so close to my breast. It was perhaps a dumb idea, but I’d wanted it where it could be seen, if I wore strappy tops or dresses, because I was proud to be his.

The area ached and stung afterward, but I didn’t care. Ryder pulled me up from that seat, and cupped my face with his hands. I could see how much he wanted to kiss me. How much he wanted some kind of physical connection on this momentous day, after what we’d just done, so I nodded lightly, knowing that I could handle this. Surely I could handle this. His eyes widened, and he mouthed the words ‘you sure?’ and I nodded again.

It felt like tension drained out of his body, that I hadn’t even known was there. He leaned closer, his lips brushing over mine. A light, sweet touch. He pulled back to look at me, his eyes on mine again.

“ More ,” I whispered, because suddenly I needed it too. His grin was still there when his lips crashed against mine, and then he was kissing me like he’d wanted to. Like I’d wanted him to. Like he owned me, his tongue plunging into my mouth, as he claimed me in front of his family. His brothers. It was everything. That one moment. Surrounded by the people who loved him. People who were accepting me, despite my faults and flaws. Who were accepting me despite who my father is, and what that could mean for all of them.

And most importantly, because it was Ryder , his hands on my face, his lips pressing urgently against mine. His tongue surging against mine, practically fucking my mouth. Wow. I hadn’t known just how amazing a kiss could feel until this moment. I guess it had never been the right person before, and now it was. I knew it, with every shred of my being. And not only was I his, but he was mine too.

Ryder

I never believed she’d let me kiss her, especially not here, in front of people, but it was fucking epic. She’d started out tentative, her eyes wide and nervous when I pulled back to check on her, and then she whispered one word; ‘more’, and I fucking gave it to her.

I knew I was kissing her hard. I knew I was kissing her like a possessive bastard. I knew that my tongue was practically fucking hers. But she was letting me, and more than that, she was kissing me back. I could have kissed her like that all fucking night, but for one thing.

“Get a room!” Someone finally yelled, and laughter broke out. We pulled apart, breathing hard, with me trying to hide a fucking raging boner, but she was smiling. Everything else didn’t matter, because she was smiling. I’d kissed her, and yet she was smiling . She wasn’t afraid. She wasn’t retreating. She didn’t even seem uncomfortable, or appear to feel awkward.

Someone handed us another glass of vodka each, so we toasted each other, and drank them, and then she leaned forward, and pressed her lips against mine. She fucking kissed me .

If someone else hadn’t come over to congratulate us then, I think I’d have tongue fucked her mouth for the rest of my life.

Brother after brother came to me with hugs, back slaps, the whole nine yards. Words of blessing and congratulation, and kind words to Tori. Welcoming words . Not a single brother stayed back, or refused to welcome her. They were my family, and I loved every fucking last one of them. No matter what else happened, I knew we’d be okay.

Because we were both where we were meant to be.