Ryder (NOLA Rebels MC: New Orleans #13)

Prologue

PROLOGUE

RYDER

Age 18

I’ve grown up with Crystal Cartwright my entire life. She’s two years younger than me, but she’s always been in the thick of it with us boys. If it wasn’t her attempting to be part of our gang when we played cops and robbers, or trying to keep up on her bicycle when we took to the muddy hills of the mountains just for fun, she was bossing us around like she was in charge. And it used to be annoying — heck, it still is — but then she got cute overnight and the boys in our neighborhood were starting to notice.

I’m best friends with her brother, Luca, and my neighbor, Torin. Luca and Crystal also have a little sister, Casey, who is the exact opposite of her sister and has no interest in hanging out with us. Luca was pretty mean to Crystal growing up, never wanting her around because she whined all the time and got on all of our nerves, but I also felt sorry for her. She’s her parents’ little princess, and they smother her in bubble wrap.

Now she’s calmed down a lot and no longer wants to be part of our secrets, or hang out with us. Crystal is one of the most popular girls in school: cheerleader extraordinaire, she’s smart as well as cute and can cut you with words when she really gets mad.

If only our families got along, it would’ve been a match made in heaven since I practically live at Lucas’s place. He moved out into the pool house, so I don’t have to run into his folks.

Oh, both of our parents hate one another. While I’m from the wrong side of the tracks, Luca and his sisters come from a privileged upbringing on the other side of town.

They have a big home. Shiny new cars. Threads that cost a bomb, and all the electronics you can imagine. They holiday every year in Florida, or Mexico, or somewhere far away from here. I’ve always liked Louisiana, but coming from a small town where there are distinct differences between the rich and the poor, makes me want to leave this shithole behind and never come back.

Unlike me, they have loving parents, but they’re also strict. They’ve never really approved of my friendship with Luca, but they tolerate me because I try not to get into trouble. And then there’s Crystal. The princess . She gets everything she wants because she was their miracle baby after they thought they couldn’t have more. Then they had Casey, so I don’t know how that shit works. I’d go as far as to say Crystal’s spoiled, but she’d strongly disagree, which is funny because she wouldn’t know any different. Still, it never stops her hanging out on my side of town. In fact, it’s like her and Luca want to get away from their perfect little life some of the time. Slum it with the poor kids. At least Torin can relate.

My stepdad, Wayne, is a drunk, and I have a mom who would rather stay out late with her buddies than worry about being a parent. Nobody cares where I am or what I’m doing. My dad walked out on us, leaving mom with all the bills. Soon, we were packing up and moving when the bank foreclosed. I never saw my real dad again. I’ll never forgive him for what he did, or what he put my mom through. Then again, she was never really invested in being a mom. Then there’s my stepbrother, Stu, but he’s not even worth talking about. He hates me, and he blames me for anything and everything, especially his dad’s drinking problems which started long before he met my mom.

It didn’t help that growing up I had a stutter, and every now and again I still lose my words. Of course, Wayne and asshole Stu used to think it was hilarious to mimic me as a child. They don’t do that much anymore, but the sting still hurts when I think about how horrible they were. Worse than any kid in the playground, and always when my mom wasn’t around.

Now I’m eighteen, I’m on my own and I prefer it that way, but I’ve been looking after myself before I was even in double digits. It’s nothing new. I’m moving to New Orleans, and needless to say I won’t be going to college. We don’t have the money, and even if we did, I don’t have what it takes to stick out more years of my life in school. I’ll get an apprenticeship, or a job, or both. Anything to get out of Greenlark.

Neither Luca nor Crystal care that me and Torin are both from the other side of town. They don’t act like little rich kids. Even when Crystal is having one of her tantrums, she’s never unkind for the sake of it, nor looks down on others. Maybe that’s why I’ve always liked her. She’s kind. Thoughtful. Sweet.

I’ve always known Crystal had a schoolgirl crush on me, but I thought she’d grow out of it over time. I’m not gonna make it with my best friend's sister, but in the blink of an eye, something changed.

I sit back on the couch, recalling what happened a few nights ago…

I wake with a start, feeling someone slide under the duvet next to me. A few seconds later, my eyes spring open and I sit up ready to fight. Fighting is something I’m used to when my stepdad likes to throw punches. Hence, Luca let me sleep on the couch since their parents are away for the night. “What the fu ? —”

“It’s me, Ryder,” Crystal whispers.

I stare at her, my heart beating wildly when I remember where I am. “What’s going on?”

She’s wearing tiny sleep shorts and a tank that barely contains her rack; something I shouldn't be noticing even in my sleep deprived haze. My eyes snake down her body, and even in this dull light, I can see the rise and fall of her chest as she stares at me.

“I think you know.” She slides her palms up my chest and I recoil back. “We’ve been getting close lately ? —”

“Crystal, stop it. What are you doing?”

She doesn’t listen, snuggling her nose along my jaw. “Ryder, I’ve noticed how you’ve been looking at me, and I wanted to give you something before you leave town. I’ve thought about it a lot.”

I don’t want to ask, but the words still leave my mouth; “Give me w-what?” Oh, no. I can’t find my fucking words.

“Me.” She cups my dick and I shoot up off the couch. She rolls back, her eyes wide with confusion. Okay, maybe we flirted a few times, but nothing ever happened and nothing is ever gonna happen with Luca’s little sister.

“You don’t want me?” Her eyes look glassy, even in this light. Such a soft, shade of blue they don’t even look real.

I definitely didn’t say that. Crystal is beautiful, she always has been. A perfect face. Blonde hair that resembles corn silk. Athletic build with long legs. But that’s just the thing; she’s a kid. Even at sixteen, she has no clue what she wants. As appealing as having her for the very first time might be, I have to call her bluff. Her first time can’t be with someone like me. It should be special.

“N-not like this. This is wrong. You’re Luca’s sis-sister.”

She places her hand on my arm, just like she used to do when we were younger. When kids made fun and she was the only one who didn’t laugh at me. “It’s not wrong if we both want it. Come on, Ryder, don’t be a pill. It’s my virginity, not a marriage proposal. You’ve had sex plenty of times.”

I stare at her like she’s grown another head. Then her eyes dip and she giggles. Okay, my dick responded to her closeness, but that’s not the point. I cover myself up with the duvet, fearing it’s way too late to hide it.

“You don’t want to lose your virginity to m-m-me.” Why the hell is my voice so thick? Why the fuck can’t I speak? I feel like I swallowed a bag of marbles. “You need to go before Luca finds us.”

“He’s in the pool room, he’ll never know.”

“No, Crystal.”

“What if I don’t want to go?”

“Don’t be a brat,” I growl. “I kn-know you’re used to getting what you want.”

“That’s not all true, I’m not getting what I want now.”

“Spoken like a true brat.”

She narrows her eyes. I can’t deny it. I’ve been with a ton of girls, but they weren't my best friend's little sister. Me and Torin, hang out at the mall, or at parties where we meet girls. It isn’t like I’m forcing chicks to get with me. Apparently I have a baby face, and they like my dick. I’m blessed, but this blessing is staying right in my pants where she’s concerned.

“You could say it with a little more conviction,” she snaps.

I take a breath. I know I can control my stutter if I just fucking breathe… “Crystal. You’re a great girl, you know I like you, but as a friend. You and me just aren’t gonna happen, Sugar.” I have to let her down gently, hoping she’ll go away. The temptation of her splayed out like that before me, all breathy and needy, makes my dick throb. Focus!

Crystal isn’t used to being denied. Her nostrils flair at my rejection. Christ, I’m doing this for her own good! Can’t she see that?

“So what if I’m Luca’s little sister? I’m a woman now ? —”

“Not legally.”

She folds her arms over her chest. “You don’t want me.” I can see the tears in her eyes and it kills me. It fucking kills me.

I grip her chin. “Crys. You’re gorgeous, and any guy would be happy to have you in his bed, but you’re too young. You’re only sixteen. You don’t wanna do anything stupid you might regret.”

“So now I’m stupid?” She recoils, trying to get away from me.

“I didn’t say that.”

“I can’t believe this!”

“It’s not because I don’t want to,” I blurt, only making it worse. “I mean, you’re really pretty, but we can’t. It’s wrong, you’re like a sister to me. I could never forgive myself.”

“You’re really pathetic, you know that, Ryder?”

“Don’t be mad at me.” I try to catch her arm before she stomps off, but I’m too slow. “One day you’ll see that this was the right thing to do. We can’t lie to Luca.” And she’s only sixteen. I don’t do underage chicks…

“One day you’ll realize what you threw away.” Her eyes are filled with tears, her cheeks pink with humiliation. “And you’ll be sorry.”

“Crystal, don’t leave like this—” But it’s too late. She’s running away, taking the stairs two at a time to get back to her room.

I punch the pillow. Fuck.

She can say what she wants, but this was the right thing. How could I ever look Luca in the eye again after defiling his little sister? I couldn’t. That’s the short answer. I care about her too much. In fact, until this moment, maybe I didn’t quite realize exactly how much I cared.

I don’t miss the middle finger she gives me as she stomps up the stairs.

She might hate me now, but she’ll realize when she gets older that I don’t want it to be the asshole that took her virginity, and couldn’t offer her anything more. Because despite what she says, they always want more. Since I’m leaving town, how would that even be fair to her? She’s still a kid in my eyes. She doesn’t know what she wants, and me railing her will only complicate things. Even if she is right about one thing: I have been looking at her differently lately, but that’s on me. I would never act on it. Hell, I’ll beat anyone if they even touch her. We both know it, but it’s not because I want her for myself; it’s because I’ve known her since she was little. That’s what you do around here, no matter what side of the tracks you come from. You protect the ones closest to you. You protect them at all costs. I won’t be the monster she needs to be protected from. No matter what.

I cover my face with my hands, knowing she’ll hate me forever.