Ryker

Chapter Nineteen

I remain on high alert as I race through the city, trying to return to my hotel room unnoticed. I don’t know what I was planning, but on some level, I knew I was going to escalate this game.

Ryker tortured a woman, and I slept with him. I gave him something of mine that no other man has gotten—my free will. Now I regret it more than anything else I’ve ever done, and that’s saying a lot.

He is nothing more than a low-life asshole who spends his nights trying to tame women as some sort of power play. He could have gotten any one of Manzo’s guards, but no, he had to stoop so low to grab someone who had already been stuck in hell. It was a coward’s move.

When I make it back to the hotel, I see the lobby is almost full. I quickly scan the crowd to find a sign at the hallway entrance. I step closer to read what it says. New York City Police Foundation Annual Conference.

Fuck

It looks as if it’s ending. People exit the conference room down the right hallway and make their way either to the elevators or continue their conversations in the lobby. I try to walk toward the elevator without drawing too much attention to myself, which is hard to do considering my current outfit.

My hair is in a messy ponytail, and I’m limping from the blows from my fight a few hours ago. The dress I swapped with Jessica has blood splattered on it and a few rips from where they cut into her.

I press the call button repeatedly, frantically trying to get it to come faster. I’m about to say fuck it and head for the stairs when I hear someone call out to me. They used the name Sophie, so I hoped they were talking to anyone but me. The hope of that ringing true collapses when a soft hand lands on my shoulder.

I turn and let a fake smile play on my lips when I see the woman from Stardust. She is wearing a black blazer with a silk baby blue button-up shirt tucked into black slacks she paired with black heels. My eyes fall to her waistband, where a slight shine of a badge protrudes.

“It is you! I wasn’t sure I was seeing correctly. How have you been?

I press the call button for the millionth time. “It’s been a bit crazy lately.”

She gives me a soft smile. “Last time I saw you, you were covered in blood…” She trails off as she takes in my appearance. Her face falls, and she meets my gaze. “Are you alright? What happened?”

“I just had a nasty fall. Heels aren’t my best friend.” She knows I’m lying. I worked with her for months without any issues. “What are you doing here? You look all dressed up.”

Her smile falters for a split second before she comes up with an answer. “I had a school thing.”

I nod. “Psychology, right?”

She replies with a nod of her own, and thankfully, the elevator doors open. I step inside, and she follows. “Six, please. ”

I press the button, and the doors begin to close. When I look up, my heart stops, and I feel the blood drain from my face. Ryker, Lincoln, Hawkins, and Nolan walk in through the revolving door. Ryker's eyes meet mine, and a slow, knowing smirk tugs at his lips as the doors begin to shut.

“See you soon, Angel.” He mouths, and the doors close completely.

He knows what room I’m in. I begin touching each of my fingers to my thumb as the elevator begins to climb.

I pull out my gun, and the woman next to me stiffens. “You’re a cop,” I declare, my grip on my gun tightening. We both know her cover was blown when she entered my room at the hospital. When she doesn’t answer, I turn and point my gun at her.

“You kill me, and you will have six different departments after you. There are hundreds of detectives, cops, and agents roaming this building.” The quirky, airhead girl I used to work with vanishes, and in her place is… well, a cop.

“Do you have a room here?” She nods, and I smile. “I need to use it.” I look down at my clothes. I’ll need an outfit, too.”

She doesn’t say anything as the doors open. She holds her hands up and begins walking down the hallway towards her room. She pauses and looks over her shoulder when she stops in front of a door. “I need to reach into my pocket and get my key card,” she says.

I lower my gun and place it back in my thigh strap. “I don’t want to hurt you. I just don’t have time for games.”

She nods and opens the door. “I share a room. I’m not sure when she will be back. I would hurry.” She opens the closet and tosses me a similar outfit to hers, but instead of the baby blue button-up, it’s a soft pink. I scrunch my nose, and she chuckles. “If I had black, I’d give it to you.”

I release a sigh and strip down to my underwear. The door opens behind me, and on instinct, I pull out my gun and aim it at the intruder. A slim woman with curly, puffy red hair and fair skin covered in freckles, wearing a white button-up and black slacks, stands stunned in the doorway.

“Get in and shut the door.” I hiss.

She does as she’s told and exchanges a look with the woman behind me. “Peyton, what the fuck is going on.” She asks her, but I wave the gun over my shoulder.

“Go stand next to her.” She follows the instructions, and I place the gun back in its spot before getting dressed.

When I stand on my right leg, I wince and brace myself against the wall. Peyton takes a step forward, and I shoot her a glare.

“Bianca.” She whispers, and my glare hardens.

I try to pull the pants over my thigh straps, but they are too tight. I take it off and lay it on the floor behind me so they can’t reach it. Just as I’m about to button my pants, I pause and slowly lift my eyes to meet hers.

“What did you just call me?”

“Let us help. We know something is happening. If you let us in, maybe we could…”

I laugh and wince at the movement. “The only thing I need from you right now is for you to be quiet.”

“Bianca.” She pleads again, but I ignore her as I slip on the button-up. I quickly look at the redhead to ensure she isn’t trying anything .

I finish buttoning up my shirt and pull on the blazer before buckling the strap back around my thigh. It’s noticeable, but I hope nobody will ask questions.

“How did you know I was alive?” I finally ask now that I’m dressed.

She looks at the redhead, and they have some sort of telepathic conversation. She gives me a soft smile when she finally looks back at me.

“We knew you were alive for a few months before I first made contact.”

“You mean before you went undercover at the bar.” “Yes.”

“And what exactly were you planning on gaining from that?”

“You faked your death. We wanted to know why, whether your mother did the same or maybe you had some intel that might help our investigation.”

My jaw tightens, and I take a step toward her. “This isn’t a fucking game. These men that have been hunting me won’t just kill you. They will string you up, pack your guts into boxes, and send them to your loved ones. Consider this a warning for both of you to back off. Because they sure as hell won’t give you one.”

She winces. “I know this isn’t a game. This is my job. Work the streets and get intel. I know how dangerous it can be.”

I let a cruel smile play on my lips, and the other woman takes a step forward. “You think you know everything? You think you know this life? Let me guess, you became a cop as some sort of rebellion against your parents, or maybe you craved an adrenaline rush, so you went into vice.” I let out a humorless laugh. “You will end up thrown into the deep end, and you won’t know which way is up. The department won’t be able to save you.”

They both remain silent before they both nod. I let out a breath and start for the door. “Can you answer one question?” I pause and look over my shoulder. “Jeremy. I looked into him. He isn’t tied to the mob in any way I could find.”

My grip tightens on the door handle, and I look away as tears begin to form behind my eyes. I blink them away and take a deep breath. “I wouldn’t worry about him anymore. He died about a week ago.”

“How?” the redhead asks, and I feel the metal handle start to dig into my palm.

“Because he knew me. I suggest you both keep this interaction to yourselves. If anyone hears about this, you’ll be a target too.”

I crack the door an inch and listen for any sign of the men who could have followed me to this floor. It’s unlikely, but once they realize that I’m not going up to my room, they will start searching every inch of this hotel, starting with the cameras if they’re smart.

“Let us help you get out of here,” the redhead says as I slowly shut the door. I look around the room for anything that might help disguise me, ignoring her.

“Bianca, please. You obviously need it.” Peyton replies, looking frantically between me and the other woman.

“What’s your name?” I cross my arms over my chest, and the woman smiles.

“Cora.”

“What’s your job? ”

“I work in Vice with Peyton. We were supposed to stay together, but I got placed at another club a block away from Stardust.”

I nod and let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s your life. You can help me if you want, but if they see you- which they will- it won’t be pretty.”

“All we need to do is get you down to the lobby. It’s crawling with cops; they won’t be dumb enough to try something there,” Cora says as she looks between Peyton and me.

“Who are they?” Peyton asks, and I shake my head. “It’s best if you don’t know.”

“We need to know who to watch for,” Cora argues.

“Ryker Domincio and Hudson Hawkins. They each brought one friend.” I look over at the door. “If we are going to do this, we need to do it now.”

I reach into my bra, hesitating for a moment. If I hand this over, there is a possibility that they will take the folder for themselves. It has all the information for all of the families and every illegal thing documented for blackmail. That’s why Leo Hawkins had it in the first place.

If it got back to Ryker, Manzo, and Marcello that I was the one who handed it over to the cops willingly, my situation would get worse, if that’s even possible. But I don’t think I have a choice. If I go into that room, it will only be a matter of minutes before Ryker breaks down the door.

“I need my duffle bag and a folder I stuffed behind the dresser in room 1415. If you don’t think you can get in and out without being seen, then don’t bother with it. Don’t put yourself in danger if you can help it.” I hand Peyton the card, but don’t let go right away. Instead, I hold her gaze. “I’m trusting you,” I say with a clear warning before letting go.

She gives me her famous soft smile. “I’ll get this. Cora will take you down to the lobby.”

As we exit the room, Peyton takes the stairs while Cora and I casually walk towards the elevator. “Put your hair in a tight bun,” she whispers. It isn’t a style I would wear, but it also reveals most of my face. When I give her a puzzled look, she continues, “If you look like you’re hiding, you will stand out. You need to blend in.”

I don’t have it in me to argue with her over a hairstyle, so I do what I’m told as we step into the elevator. I try to make it look as neat as possible without any bobby pins, but I can tell without even looking at it that I look like a hot mess.

When the doors finally open, Cora and I both scan the crowd. She hooks her arm into mine, and I stiffen at the contact, but I don’t pull away. She leads me through the crowd, weaving between people, and I can tell she is heading for the conference room, where I saw people exiting when I first arrived.

“Oh shit.” She mutters and plasters on a smile as a man approaches us. He looks to be in his thirties but gives off the stereotypical frat boy vibe.

“Cora!” he says with a smile, “I was hoping to catch you. Have you seen Peyton? I thought she was supposed to come tonight.” He scans the room with a small frown. “Is she still undercover?”

I have to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing. His voice sounds exactly what you would imagine a frat boy would sound like. I guess I wasn’t too far off .

“She is, but she came tonight. We roomed together.” She pauses, doing a dramatic look around as if she was searching for Peyton. She might still be upstairs.”

He nods. “Well, when you see her, tell her to meet me at the bar for a drink.”

“How’s your job coming?”

He rolls his eyes, “Do you know how hard it is to run up the ranks? I thought it would be easy since he was taking in everyone.” His eyes finally land on me, and he smirks, extending his hand. “I’m Isaac, you are?”

“Sophie Gold.” I shake his hand and smile up at him. “What department are you in?”

“I’m still a Rookie.” I chuckle.

His smile widens. “Are you interested in Vice?”

I nod. “Absolutely. Cora and Peyton have been helping me prepare.”

“Whenever you’re ready, have Peyton or Cora contact me.” I furrow my brows. “You?”

He chuckles. “I’m the captain. I’m sure I can help get you the spot you want.” He places a hand on my shoulder, and the hairs on my arms stand on end.

I push through it, making sure to keep the smile on my face. “Did you know Cora and Peyton before Vice?”

He drops his hand and scratches his face. He seems like one of those men who wouldn’t be able to grow facial hair but would try anyway, making it come out patchy. “I did. Peyton and I are an item. ”

My eyes widen, and Cora’s grip on my arm tightens. “Oh wow, how long have you been together?”

“A few weeks.” “How’s it going?”

“I’m not sure.” He laughs. “This job can take priority sometimes.”

“You can’t let work rule your life. Do you work to live, or do you live to work? You don’t want to pass up on an amazing girl like Peyton because of your job.”

“It’s not me you should be saying that to.” He sighs. “Anyways, I’ll see you around, Cora, and it was nice to meet you, Sophie. Let me know if you’re interested in joining our team.”

“Will do.”

We stand there momentarily, letting him get engulfed in another conversation before continuing through the rest of the people. Thankfully, nobody else approaches. Other than a few waves to Cora, everyone else leaves us alone. By the time we make it to the conference room, it’s almost completely empty. A few caterers are still cleaning up, and a few people are chatting at one of the longer tables against the far wall.

“She’s taking too long,” Cora says, pacing after a few minutes of waiting. I tap my fingers against my gun to reassure myself that it’s still there.

A few more minutes pass before the doors open again. Peyton’s face is as white as a sheet as she runs over to me, panting. “There was someone in your room. I don’t know who, but I think they were hiding in your bathroom. I pretended to be on a call with my boss. I played it off as if we were investigating you. I think whoever it was bought it.”

“Did he see your face?” I ask as I take the briefcase and sling the duffle over my shoulder with a wince.

“I don’t think so. ”

I nod. “Thank you for your help.” I look around the room and lean in to whisper. “I would lay low for a while. There is a chance whoever it was will track you down for answers.”

She nods. “Be careful.”

I slide out the back exit of the conference room. I’m surprised when nobody is waiting at the exit. I make it down the alley and into a cab without an issue. I’m a little paranoid about how easy it was. Granted, I had help from two people, but it still seemed a bit too easy.

I have the taxi drop me off at one of the shady motels in Hawkins territory. It’s not too far from where I stayed with Jeremy. I toss the duffle onto the bed and sit, the spring jabbing me in the ass. I wince but don’t bother moving. I lay down and look up at the ceiling.

I won’t lie, I got comfortable with luxury living. The nice showers, the cushioned bed with fluffy comforters, all the way down to the view. Now, my view is a dark parking lot, a sign with only one working letter, a bed that I can tell will hurt my back in the morning, and I guarantee cockroaches are in the bathroom.

“Welcome home,” I say to myself as I crawl onto the bed and curl into a ball.

I’m not sure what wakes me, but I am on high alert. My heart is racing, and the hairs on my arms are standing on end. The feeling someone is watching me is palpable. I slowly get out of bed, pulling my gun from its holster that I thankfully hadn’t taken off. I quickly check the door, seeing the chain is still in place.

I look at the clock on the nightstand and see it is the middle of the night. By the time I had gotten Jessica to the airport, it was only about eight, and it took me less than an hour to leave the hotel. There isn’t any way someone could have found me in only a few hours .

With cautious steps, I make my way to the bathroom. The light is off, but thankfully, the door is cracked open. I check the closet before slowly pushing open the bathroom door. I don’t bother turning on the light. I can see his outline. As soon as the door hits the wall, he charges for me.

Stunned, I raise my gun and fire. I should have aimed to kill, but my dumb ass went for his shoulder. I run to my bed, grabbing everything and unlocking the deadbolt.

Before I can open the door, someone slams into me from behind, making me drop my bag. All the air rushes out of my body on the impact. I throw my elbow back, hitting him in the stomach. It doesn’t do anything but piss him off more.

“Let go of me!” I scream in anger as he grips my arm and flings me around to face him— dumb move, asshole.

I knee him in the crotch, and his knees buckle. Before I can run, He grabs my ankle and slides my feet out from under me. Landing on top of him, I let my hands catch most of the impact. I scramble to get up, but he huffs out a breath and rolls us so he’s looming over me.

I finally get a look at his face. Ryker fucking Domincio. Of fucking course . I go to headbutt him, but he forces my head back with his palm. “Get off of me!” I hiss and squirm.

“Stop. Fighting.” He growls, pushing my head down even harder. My hands fly up, and I immediately find the gunshot wound. I press my thumb into his wound as hard as I can, making him scream out in pain. His arm buckles, and he falls onto his side. I get to my feet just as another pair of large arms wrap around me.

Instinct takes over. I stomp my foot on his and fling my head back, hitting him in the nose. I wince as the pain caresses the back of my skull from the impact .

His grip loosens right as Ryker stands. Before he can regain his balance and fully stand, I grab his shoulders and knee him in the face. Now those two assholes have matching broken noses.

I turn, facing the second man, and my jaw tightens when I see Lincoln. His nose is bleeding, but I don’t have time to process anything else. I reach under my shirt and pull out two knives just as he charges for me.

I duck under his arms and turn, slicing his ribs as I do. He hisses out a curse. I hear another set of footsteps behind me, and I back up, keeping all the men in my sight. It isn’t just one man that enters, it’s two. Hawkins and Nolan.

“You have to be fucking kidding me,” I mumble to myself.

Without another thought, I throw my knife, hitting Hawkins in the leg and making him fall to the ground. I run at Nolan. I don’t expect him to let me go. He trained me for the most part. He knows all of my moves. I let out a breath, and he swings.

I duck and push him into the corner of the bed. His jaw clenches as he rights himself.

Where the fuck is my gun. I scan the room, finding it poking out from under the bed from where it slid when Ryker and I tossed it on the ground. I swallow and lift my chin.

“It’s not a fair fight.” He says, gesturing to my remaining knife.

I chuckle. “Four against one is fair?” I huff out in heavy breaths as I scan the room.

Hawkins is on the floor, gripping his leg where the knife is still embedded, Ryker is leaning against the wall, holding his shoulder, and Lincoln is holding his side. Before I can turn my attention back to Nolan, he slams me into the dresser. I cry out as I fall to the floor .

I kick him in the shins and drag myself back up, using the dresser for support. I twirl the knife around my finger before gripping the handle and swinging.

He blocks it easily, grabbing hold of my wrist and twisting. I allow my body to follow the movement, using it to gain momentum in my kick to his side. He stumbles a few steps and lets go. I twirl around when I feel someone approaching from behind.

I swing, hitting him in the jaw before I bring my leg up and kick him in the stomach. I overshoot and lose my balance, falling into Nolan, who is now behind me. He catches me in a tight hold. I try to get out of his grasp, but it just tightens more.

I turn my head and bite as hard as I can. He lets that hand go, so I grab him by the hand still resting on my shoulder and pull, kicking his feet out from under him simultaneously. He huffs out a breath as his back hits the floor. I roll off of him and reach for the gun poking out from under the bed, but before I can reach it, someone grabs my ankles, flips me over, and yanks me toward him in one swift movement.

He straddles me, pinning my arms above my head. I struggle under him, but it’s useless. I feel someone coming up from behind me, and when I tilt my head, I see Ryker scowling down at me. Before any words can be said, he leans down, pressing a syringe into my neck.

“Fuck…you…” I mumble as my eyelids slowly drift closed.