Chapter 22 Ryder
Ryder
Absentmindedly, I bring my hand to my face. I let my fingertips run over the spot where her lips touched my skin. It’s like she left an imprint, just like her scent is lingering inside the truck, and her presence never seems to leave my house.
I have to force myself to drive home, fighting the urge to turn around and make her come back with me. Driving on autopilot, I’m lost in my thoughts. I did the right thing by leaving her, I tell myself. She doesn’t belong with me…
All my internal rambling ends when I turn onto my road. Blue flashing lights from two police cars and an ambulance light up the street. All parked in front of my house.
What the fuck?
When I get closer, I spot Maddox’s bike on the front lawn, him standing next to it.
I park in the street, cut the engine, and hop out of the truck.
“Why the fuck are you not answering your goddamn phone!” he yells at me, loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear.
“What the hell is going on?”
“Someone called the cops hearing shots inside your house. When the cops got here, the door was kicked in, and the windows smashed.” I look past him, only now realizing the damage.
Then my fucking heart stops.
Mojo.
Pushing past Maddox, I run inside the house. A cop tries to stop me at the hallway, but I shove him down until I get to the living room.
There are two medics and a cop all hovering over my dog, who is sprawled out on his side, whimpering in pain.
“Is this your house?” one of the cops asks.
“Yes.” I kneel next to Mojo’s head, gently stroking his ear.
“Someone broke in and shot your dog,” the same guy tells me.
One of the EMTs is putting pressure on Mojo’s wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
“Where is your girlfriend?” the cop asks. “She might be in danger.”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“Do you know who this note could be about?” He points at the wall.
I look up and read the large black letters spray-painted on the wall.
Your bitch is next!
Fuck.
“Don’t let my dog die!” I yell at the EMTs as I jump up.
Maddox is standing in the doorway, reading the writing on the wall.
“Maddox, stay with Mojo, and get him to a vet. I’ve got to go.” I’m normally not the one giving orders, and the deep frown on his face tells me he doesn’t like this one bit. Still, I trust he is going to do this for me, whether he thinks I’m making a mistake or not.
The cop yells something after me while a second tries to stop me from leaving. I shove him to the ground, leaving him lying in the grass, and get into my truck.
With squealing tires, I take off, leaving my house behind in the rearview mirror and going back to the place I just came from. It’s a twenty-minute drive that only takes me ten minutes this time around.
Fucking Tucker, it has to be him. He is the only asshole brave enough to fuck with me.
When I get back to the Jenkins’ house, I half park in the street, half in the front yard. The truck has barely come to a stop, and I’m out of the car. Running toward the front door, I bang my fists on it hard enough to make the wood crack.
The door flies open, and James stands on the other side, looking at me perplexed. “Ryder?”
“Where is she?” Without an invitation, I push inside the house, frantically looking around.
“Ryder, calm down. What’s wrong?”
“Where is she?” I repeat as I storm into the kitchen.
Laura, Penny’s mom, is sitting at the kitchen table looking at me like she’s seen a ghost. Right next to her is Penny, concern written all over her face.
“What’s wrong?” Penny asks. Her voice has my panic simmering down at last.
She is here. She is fine. No one hurt her.
Relief washes over me, and I sag against the closest wall. Catching my breath, I close my eyes and let my head fall back against the wall.
“Is that blood on your hand?” James asks, and my eyes fly open.
Laura and Penny have gotten up from their seats. Now all three of them are standing in front of me, inspecting me with concerned eyes.
I look down at my hands and find smears of blood.
“Someone shot my dog,” I explain.
“Mojo?” Penny gasps. “Is he okay?”
“I don’t know. Maddox stayed with him. I came here,” I say, still looking at my hands.
“Who would shoot your dog?” Laura asks. The sound of her voice has me looking up at her. Taking her in for the first time. She hasn’t changed one bit.
She reaches for me, placing her hand on my arm and squeezing it lightly. Her touch comforts me like it always has.
“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up,” Laura coaxes, tugging me toward the kitchen sink. She uses a washrag to clean up my hands like I’m a child and not a man three times her size.
Penny moves with us, staying close to me but not close enough to touch.
When Laura is done cleaning me up, we all move into the living room. I take a seat on the couch, and Penny sits down next to me, while Laura and James take the love seat.
“It’s good to see you, Ryder,” Laura starts. “And I’m sorry it’s been so long…”
“It’s good seeing you too, and you don’t have to apologize. It’s in the past.”
“Thank you for taking Penny in when she needed a place to stay,” James says. I grind my teeth together, stopping myself from giving a response.
“I can’t stay long, and I’m taking Penny with me. I don’t think she is safe here right now.”
“What do you mean not safe?” Laura asks, worry lacing her voice.
“The guy who shot my dog, he threatened to hurt her too. I’m taking her somewhere safe. Until…” He is dead. “Until the cops find him.”
“You don’t think she’ll be safe here?” James asks, sounding just as concerned as his wife.
“I think it would be better if I go with Ryder,” Penny chimes in.
Laura and James exchange looks before returning their attention back to me.
“We’ll trust you. Just stay safe. Both of you.”
After a long twenty minutes of goodbyes and promises that we will be back soon, we are finally out of the house.
Just as we climb in the truck, Maddox sends me a text.
“Mojo is doing good,” I tell Penny. “He has to stay at the vet for a few days, though.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
I watch her buckle up before backing out onto the road. “Tucker broke into my house, destroyed it while he was there. We can’t go back there.”
“Oh… where are we going?” she asks, and I already know she will not like the answer.
“I’m taking you to the club. It’s the safest place.” It’s true. There is nowhere safer. Not only does it have a security system and cameras, but it is also where you can find most of the brothers. Some actually live there, but most of us just have a room to crash… or fuck.
“I know you don’t enjoy going there, but it’s safe, and that’s all we need right now.”