10. Ryder
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Stevie Howie
Gratitude rushed through me when Devina gave the code word to leave. After our second kiss, there was nothing I wanted more than to take her home and claim every part of her that she tried so hard to hide.
There was no way she didn’t feel what I felt. The way our lips ignited, the ease of our caresses, the desire to explore each other. It was all too loud to ignore.
She didn’t have to ask twice. Leading her with my hand on the base of her back, we made our way out to a waiting car.
Leaning to get in with her, I feel the vibration of my phone in my suit jacket. It’s Ronnie.
“This better be good, it is my wedding night, you know,” I try not to sound irritated, but I am. He wouldn’t call if it wasn’t important. Devina turns to me trying to translate my reaction.
“Russians, Boss. We have a lead and it needs to be dealt with now before they change locations again. It took two weeks to nail them down this time.” He explains.
Knowing I have to leave Devina makes me physically aching in all the worst ways. But this is part of the job. She must understand, considering who her father was – who her brother is.
I hang up and pocket my phone. How do you tell your bride that you are ditching her on your wedding night? I don’t want to assume I know where this would have gone, but judging by our last interaction, I feel like she wants me as much as I want her. Even though she is hesitant to admit it.
“You have to go,” she says.
“Yes. I don’t want to. This is the worst timing.” I run my hand through my hair. “This is a job we’ve been working on for a while and Declan will need to join us.”
Her eyes become distant. “Look, this isn’t real, right? This is an arrangement.” Something about the way she drags out the words makes my stomach churn. “A business arrangement? You aren’t bound to me, Ryde. I’ll see you. . . at home.”
She’s being too gracious about this. But perhaps she’s right. This is an arrangement and we both have our obligations in and outside of this marriage. Right now, mine is to find out what these guys are transporting and get them out of our territory. It was the reason her brother sought an alliance with us, to begin with. He simply didn’t have the manpower to accomplish the task.
I pull her closer to me by her hips until she is nearly on my lap. Her quick inhale of surprise makes me smile. “The staff will get you settled. Rest, take a bath, eat, read, whatever you want, it’s yours. Fiona will help get you settled,” I twist that pesky curl near her face, “I will be back before dinner tomorrow, little sparrow.”
My new business partner, as she would consider herself, is staring at me with muted disappointment. She either isn’t used to showing emotion, or she is exceptionally good at disguising it.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” There is a part of me that wants to be reckless, but she nods her head and rests her hand on my chest permitting me to leave.
Permission.Like I’m a fucking child. Me. Ryder Totaro, asking for his wife’s permission. I never thought I’d see this day.
I wonder if she even knows the effect she is having on me.
But we don’t have much time to consider such things. I kiss her forehead and seat her back in the seat next to me before sliding out of the car.
I watch as she is pulled away in the direction of our home. A home she doesn’t know. A home she will have to enter for the first time without me.
I have to get back to her as soon as possible.
* * *
We had a lead on where the Russians were keeping their new merchandise and I have to chase that down.
I pull up to a worn-down brick building and wait for Declan. I’m sure he is just as eager as I am to get these assholes out of our territory, but tonight is not about starting a war, it’s about gathering information. We need to know what they are pushing and who knows, it may be something I need and can leverage. Maybe there will be more than one way for me to screw Declan Sullivan over.
He pulls up in his obnoxious sedan. I guess I’m not one to talk as I secure my helmet on the side of my bike. We are both still in our wedding attire.
“Ryder,” he grunts in acknowledgment.
“Declan.”
“Let’s get this over with.”
“You read my mind.”
We walk a block to the back of the building. Peering around the corner I see two men waiting by the large steel door and I reach my hand back to stop Declan. Looking over his left shoulder he nods up towards the fire escape and I nod in agreement.
Luckily the window on the second floor was open enough for us to squeeze through. Hidden behind a stack of wooden crates, we look down to see ten women shackled by their necks and wrists. Seven men stand guard as they cower in a circle.
Declan and I look at each other, knowing that there is no way we would be able to take on this situation without the help of our crews.
A man with bright blonde hair enters the room barking orders, “Get them to the dock. The ship is already waiting. Crate 71459 will be left open for you. Boat leaves in an hour.”
The men grab the chains and begin to escort the women out of the room and into the truck that is waiting in the alley.
Declan is halfway out the window when I turn around and I’m on his heels quickly to make sure he doesn’t try something stupid. Once we scale the fire escape back to the ground floor we take a quick scan of the area and head back to the vehicles.
“This is worse than I thought,” I pinch my fingers over the bridge of my nose, “If we call everyone now, we can meet at the dock and take them out.”
“There is no time for that tonight, Ryder. We might make it, but the whole crew? They won’t make it on time.”
“Those are fucking women,” I stop in my tracks baffled that he’s not as enraged as I am after what we just witnessed, “Like your fucking sister, Declan, my wife. Are you seriously going to waste time arguing about this with me?” I seethe.
He lets out a pained sigh. His indecisiveness is making my skin crawl and it takes all of my energy to not shoot him in the face right now before I go take care of business. “I’ll call in a few on the way. You had better have a plan in mind by the time we get there. I’m not going in blind.” He walks past me towards his car.
My helmet is on and I’m already gearing up to leave when he turns back to approach me with a pointed finger, “And don’t ever bring up my sister again. I would do anything for her. Even let her marry your dumb ass.”
“Was that for her? Or was that for you?”
His stare turns ice cold, and his fists clench before we part ways.
We might hate each other, but we have a common enemy, which tends to bring people together.
I called Luca and Philippe on my headset and they were both within ten minutes of the docks. Breaking every speed limit to beat our crew to the location, I try to outrace the thoughts of the women we found shackled and broken.
Parking and jumping off my bike, I walk over to Declan and the five of his men. We don’t have a lot of force, but there is enough to put up a decent fight. If anything, the Russians will know we are on to them and maybe even scare them away. Who am I kidding? We’re about to start a war.
I dole out positions for everyone and before we split, Declan hands me a wooden box. “A bomb. Nothing too big, but if shit gets too crazy, it will be a good distraction.”
“Are you seriously trying to make your sister a widow already? I am not taking this.”
“Oh, let me,” Luca is all too eager and I roll my eyes, but hand it over.
“You just drive around with a bomb on you all the time?” I give Declan a curious look.
“Maybe one of us has underestimated the other,” he replies over his shoulder as he steps away.
“OK gents, it’s go time,” Ronnie announces.
One by one we pursue the guards. It only takes two falling for the rest to begin returning fire. “Don’t hit the container!” I remind our men.
Shots ring out and blood-curdling screams echo from inside the red container. One of the Russians took off by foot, but Philippe ran after him.
We approach the container door. “We’re here to help you,” I announce to the women in a quiet voice with my hands slightly raised. It’s then that I realize they aren’t women. They are girls. Young girls. The oldest is likely fifteen or so.
A chill makes its way down my spine remembering that Declan wanted to leave them—the heartless bastard.
“Keys,” Luca says in a hushed tone before tossing me a ring full of keys and I begin unlocking the padlocks around their necks.
“Let’s get out of here. Declan, have your men bring them to a hospital and text me when it’s done.”
“Will do, boss,” God, this guy is a bigger prick than I thought.
“We have a problem,” Luca looks back to us and announces as three SUVs make their way into the parking lot.
“Luca, get the girls out of here. Give me the bomb.” I order.
He holds out the box and I grab it as gently as I can. Guns, no problem. Knives, I want them all. But I have no experience with bombs, and I have no idea how much damage it can do.
Shots begin just as Luca reaches the fence of the container yard and into one of Declan’s vans before speeding away. Now I’m here alone and all I have is this damn bomb.
I set it and slide it as far as I can into the container before making a run for cover. My heart is beating so hard I can feel it in my ears.
Unfortunately, Declan’s little distraction was larger than I thought. It scared away the men in the SUV; and even took out two guys who had made their way closer. But I could also feel the heat of the explosion at my back as I dove. A piece of metal meets the back of my skull in the blast and everything goes black before I feel my body hit the concrete.