Chapter 14
RILEY
His hand stroked slowly up and down my bare back, and the teasing tone between us eventually shifted. “You need to tell me everything, baby. So we can fix this together.”
I took a deep breath, my fingers tracing one of the tattoos on his pec. Then I told him about confronting Shawn, discovering his embezzlement, and the threats he’d made.
His muscles tightened beneath me. “Fucking bastard.”
I rubbed my cheek against his chest, then tilted my head back to smile up at him. “Can’t argue with that, but at least I got away from him with some evidence that might help clear my name.”
“You did?”
I nodded and explained about using one of the workstations to download every suspicious file I could find. Then how I’d checked to make sure it was still there after someone had stolen most of my cash from the motel safe. And the fear that had been chasing me ever since.
When I finished, Ryot held me tighter. “Where’s the USB now?”
That drive might be the only thing that could get me out of this mess, but I didn’t hesitate to answer. “Still zip-tied to the stamped sheet-metal dashboard framing system behind the glove box of the Mustang. I figured no one would ever think to look there.”
A deep chuckle rumbled through his chest. “Smart girl. Quick thinking.”
The simple praise made my cheeks flush hot, even after everything we’d just done. “You can grab it if you want. I trust you with my car and my life.”
His eyes darkened with emotion. He brushed his thumb across my bottom lip, a teasing smile tugging at his mouth. “Why does it sound like you think the car’s more important?”
I pretended to think about it for a second. “Maybe because I’ll need it to run away if you change your mind about me.”
He laughed before his expression turned serious again. Then he cupped my face with both hands and looked straight into my eyes. “I’m never changing my mind, Riley. I’ll take good care of both. I promise.”
“I know you will.” I pressed my cheek deeper into his palm. “Because you love me.”
“So fucking much, baby.”
He rolled me onto my back and kissed me until I was breathless again. When he finally pulled back, his dark green eyes were soft but serious. “Thank you for trusting me, baby.”
I brushed my lips against his. “Thank you for giving me reason to.”
He slid out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom for a moment, returning with a wet washcloth.
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to.” I blushed as he gently cleaned me up, his touch tender before he pressed a kiss to my inner thigh and pulled the sheet back over me. “Let me take care of you, baby.”
The quiet intimacy of it made my breath catch in my throat. No one had ever taken care of me like this.
I watched him pull on a pair of gray sweatpants, the sight of his bare back and the tribal tattoo running down his arm making me want to drag him back into bed.
“Do you have to go right now?” I asked with a pout.
Ryot chuckled and leaned down to kiss me again. “The sooner I have that USB, the sooner I can start fixing this. I’ll be right back.”
I enjoyed the sight of him walking out of the room almost as much as when he returned a few minutes later, USB drive in hand. Those gray sweatpants did incredible things to his butt, thighs, and dick.
“Got it.” He climbed back into bed and pulled me against his chest, tucking me under his chin. “From now on, I need you to promise me something.”
I tilted my head back to meet his gaze.
“Always be honest with me. Whatever happens, we face it together. Yeah?”
I swallowed, tears pricking at my eyes. “I promise.”
He kissed the top of my head, his arms tightening around me. “Good girl. We’ve got this.”
For the first time in weeks, the heavy weight I’d been carrying alone felt lighter. But then Ryot gave my butt a firm slap, making me yelp. “Hey!”
“Up, baby. We need to go to the compound.”
Suddenly nervous, I bit my bottom lip. The idea of facing Kane and the others with my mess made my stomach twist.
Before I could spiral, Ryot cupped my face with both hands and looked straight into my eyes. “No need to be worried. They’re going to have your back. You’re mine, and that’s all that matters.”
I let out a shaky breath and nodded. “Okay.”
We got dressed quickly, probably because he didn’t want to give me the chance to change my mind. I pulled on one of his hoodies over my tank top, loving the way it smelled like him.
A few minutes later, we were in the garage. I looked at my Mustang, his truck, and then back at his Harley.
“You sure you don’t want to take something else?” I asked. “It’s late.”
Ryot shook his head, swinging his leg over the bike. “No. I want to make a statement. Riding through the gate with you on the back of my bike sends a message nobody will miss. You’re mine.”
He handed me my helmet, and I climbed on behind him, wrapping my arms tight around his waist. The engine roared to life beneath us, and we pulled out into the night.
The ride to the compound was quiet except for the rumble of the Harley and the wind whipping past us. I pressed against his back, letting the steady beat of his heart calm my nerves.
Whatever happened next, I wasn’t facing it alone.
The prospect watching the gate waved us in, and Ryot parked in front of the clubhouse. My nerves kicked into high gear, but he stayed right beside me, one hand on my lower back as we walked inside.
“They’re waiting for us in Kane’s office.”
I’d never been in there before, and my stomach twisted into knots as he led me straight there.
The club president was behind his big walnut desk, Raze across from him in one of the leather captain’s chairs.
Edge stood off to the side, his arms crossed over his chest. Jax and Apex were at the conference table next to the bar.
Ryot guided me to the open chair in front of the desk, but instead of letting me sit there, he dropped into it himself and pulled me onto his lap. The open claim in front of all of his club brothers gave me a much-needed burst of courage.
Kane leaned back in his chair, studying me. “You came to Crossbend with trouble on your heels.”
I nodded. “Yes.”
Edge’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t tell Gauge what was going on.”
Ryot stiffened beneath me, a low growl building in his chest as he glared at his VP. I squeezed his shoulder, calming him.
“I’ve got this,” I murmured. Then I looked at Edge. “I realize now that I should have said something sooner. I was scared. I was on the run from a mess I didn’t know how to handle, and finding Ryot was so unexpected. I’ve never fallen in love before.”
The harshness in Edge’s eyes softened. He dipped his chin. “Yeah. It can fuck with your head when you’re going through it.”
Kane’s gaze flicked between us. “And now?”
I looked up at Ryot and smiled. “Now I know I can trust him with anything.”
His arm tightened around me. “Which means you fuckers need to stop grilling my woman and make it clear you’ve got her back the same way you have mine.”
Kane nodded without hesitation. “Damn straight.”
Raze leaned forward, all business. “We need to know exactly what went down that led to that arrest warrant.”
I gave them the quickest version I could. When I finished, Ryot reached into the pocket of his cut and pulled out the USB drive.
Jax’s eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas. “Fuck yeah.”
He crossed the room, snagged the drive from Ryot, and dipped his chin at me. “Good job bringing me shit I can work with. You saved me some time.”
While Jax moved back to the table and started downloading everything, Raze explained, “Tim Fleming is the one who pressed charges.”
My shoulders slumped. “He was my boss, the owner of the garage. Shawn’s dad.”
“I figured.” Raze raked his fingers through his hair. “Embezzlement of $100,000 or more is a first-degree felony. Carries up to thirty years in prison, same for probation, and a ten-thousand-dollar fine.”
I reached for Ryot’s hand and gripped it hard.
Kane rubbed his jaw. “The asshole must’ve thrown you under the bus the second his old man realized how much was missing.”
Raze nodded. “It’s the only thing that explains how long it took for the warrant to come through.”
Apex cracked his knuckles. “We should just take the two-and-a-half-hour ride to Jacksonville and beat some sense into Shawn.”
Kane shook his head. “Not yet.”
“With the cops involved, we need to be smart,” Raze agreed. “We dig into Shawn and his connections, work on clearing your name, then I’ll handle getting the warrant lifted.”
Ryot grumbled, “And once that’s all done, we will be taking that drive.”
The room filled with grim, approving nods. And I knew Ryot had been right about having the support of the whole club.