CHAPTER 6
RYKER
When the ride starts to move again, I pull out my phone and dial. I hate to do it, I really wish I could enjoy this ride a little more, but I need to make sure Ezra is safe. She says the carnie who saw her was following her which is enough for me.
She’s not one for hysterics.
And I definitely have a few questions for Bobby. Maybe it was above board, but I doubt it.
“Show me the carnie again,” I tell Ezra and nod at her camera.
I snap a picture of her display just as Playboy picks up. “What’s up, Prez? Where’d you go?” He sounds chipper as fuck, and I almost roll my eyes.
His attitude is going to get him in trouble. Sometimes he forgets not everyone puts on a comedy mask to hide their pain.
But I’m sure as fuck not going to tell him about his own bullshit. It’ll either bite him in the ass, or it won’t.
“Meet me at the Youth in Government tent,” I growl into the phone, unable to hide how angry I am at the thought of my woman being scared.
My woman.
Fuck.
When I look into Ezra’s blue eyes, all I see is trust.
“Bring Sidewinder,” I add, not breaking our locked gazes.
“You want me to grab Snake, too? He’s right here,” Playboy offers and I can hear the curiosity in his voice.
“No,” I insist, “he’s with Graycie and that’s where he should be. He’ll kill me if she doesn’t have a good time at her first fair or if some shit goes down.”
I don’t give him the chance to respond or speculate on what my words mean because I hang up on him just as the ride glides to a stop at the platform where we get off the ride. After sliding my phone in my pocket, I offer Ezra my hand.
As her hand slides into mine, a feeling of possession roars through my veins.
Even though I hate to do it, I let go of her hand and gently lead her through the crowd while touching the small of her back.
I glance around, but I don’t see the man who was following Ezra.
If he saw her with me, it’s possible he’ll back off.
But if there’s something bigger going on here, he might do something stupid and desperate.
Ezra is more alert while we’re walking this time and I’m thankful. Earlier she zoned out and I could tell she was stuck in her head. Part of me was tempted to take her over my knee because she doesn’t really know if she can trust me.
Now, knowing what she had just gone through, she was crashing. Hard.
Thinking about her dad, the county’s fucking sheriff, not taking her concern and fear seriously has me wanting to track the man down and have a very serious conversation with him. He’ll judge the fuck out of me, but leave his own daughter out to dry? I just don’t fucking think so.
Ezra is mine and there’s no way I’ll be able to hold back from claiming her. She just doesn’t know it yet.
Once I get her to the clubhouse, I’m going to make sure she only has reasons to stay.
I shuffle Ezra toward the back of her tent space where we have a little more coverage. It looks like the bidding is done and the kids are looking over the sheets with their heads down as they focus. Jessi looks our way, clearly worried, but she’s also helping the kids.
I keep my gaze moving over the crowd, looking for my prey. Even though I don’t see him, I see Playboy walking up with Sidewinder.
Ezra stiffens next to me, but I slide a hand down her spine. “I’ve got you, Teach,” I murmur. When I glance down at her shirt, I can’t help but grin. “Nice shirt, by the way.”
She looks down and smiles, actually fucking smiles. Today her shirt reads: Don’t make me repeat myself – History.
When I look back up, Playboy is looking at me, his eyebrows trying to disappear off the top of his head. Sidewinder is glancing between Ezra and me, but his face is unreadable. Sidewinder has always been steady. Playboy has always been chaos.
I pitch my voice low, “Ezra saw Bobby buy a dog from one of the carnies.”
“Bobby Baskin?” There’s a little bit of surprise in Sidewinder’s voice when he asks the question.
With narrowed eyes pointed at my brother, I bite out, “Yeah. Him.”
“Am I missing something?” Playboy asks, clearly confused.
“He wasn’t buying just any dog,” Ezra pipes up, her tone leaving no room for argument.
My dick becomes a steel pipe in my jeans.
“You didn’t hear the way the dog was barking, growling, and snarling. It was like he was waging war while trapped in his cage. It sounded awful. It wasn’t some calm pet who was happy to be going to a new home,” she insists.
“Might be some kind of lead on the dog fighting bullshit,” Sidewinder offers, his eyes studying Ezra like he’s expecting her to come clean and say this was all some elaborate joke. But it’s not.
“Don’t know, but we’re going to find out.” I shoot meaningful looks at my brothers and they nod in understanding.
Ezra looks between the three of us, all towering over her, but before she can say anything, Jessi walks up.
“We have all the final winners. Josiah is taking the announcement sheet over to the booth. The winners will be announced before the cake eating contest,” her voice wobbles slightly and she keeps her eyes on Ezra.
Playboy snorts, his voice cocky, “I’m taking that trophy home this year.”
I can’t help but grin. He was beaten last year by two seconds. Because when it comes to a cake eating contest, it’s not about volume. It’s about speed and not leaving any crumbs behind.
It used to be a pie eating contest, but when Bunz Out opened, they started sponsoring the event. I’m sure it was a whole marketing thing on Lara’s part. I have to say it has worked for her. The bakery seems to be doing well, and she’s found a space within our little town.
Playboy loves taking shots at the woman. I’m not even sure why. It’s not like him at all to not be friendly, especially to women. With Lara it’s different.
She’s the kind of woman who is more than willing to stand up for herself. I don’t see the whole thing ending well, but I think he’ll have to find that out for himself. I’m not getting involved and it sure as fuck isn’t part of my job description.
“Thanks, Jessi,” Ezra breathes out, but I can see the tension in her shoulders.
She’s nowhere near as freaked as she was when she walked up to me, but she’s on alert. I fucking hate it.
Jessi yanks her friend a few steps away and as much as I want to reach for Ezra and tuck her into my side, I stop myself.
“What is really going on here?” Playboy asks the question, pitching his voice low to keep the conversation just between us. Sidewinder is looking at me closely like he’s expecting me to brush it off.
“She’s scared,” I answer. “When I stopped her, I could see the terror on her face. She asked me for help and I’m going to help her.
I can’t say if it really is anything, but we’re going to find out.
I noticed a guy watching her when we got on the Ferris Wheel, but it was before I knew what was going on. He wasn’t there when we got off.”
“You want her,” Sidewinder doesn’t soften his words, he just puts them at my feet and leaves them.
“More than you know,” I mutter. I look between them. “Do a sweep, find the carnie. I’ll send you a photo. Take him to the clubhouse. Keep an eye out for Bobby, even though we know he already left the fair. He could come back later. Pull whoever you need to get it done quickly and quietly.”
When I glance at Playboy he has a forlorn expression on his face. The man is practically pouting. It’s not a good look for anyone, let alone a fucking biker.
“You better fucking win this year,” I tell him and he perks right the fuck up.
Fucking hell. It’s like wrangling toddlers sometimes.
Ezra and Jessi’s heads are together and they’re whispering furiously. My brothers give my shoulders a squeeze as they nod and then walk away. Before I interrupt the women, who think they are much quieter than they are, I send Playboy and Sidewinder the picture I took.
“I’m just saying, you should have made your dad listen,” Jessi presses her best friend.
Her face is lined with worry and for a second, I remember the girl she was when she was friends with one of the club kids. They were tight. Then they weren’t.
“I might not have tried hard enough,” Ezra defends herself, “but you know how he is. He had made up his mind, and he wasn’t going to listen to me. He just walked away from me,” the hurt in her voice is clear to hear.
And it pisses me off.
Her own fucking father. That man and I will have some words, but not tonight.
When Ezra turns toward me, I raise my hands and tease, “Don’t let me interrupt you.”
“Is everything okay?” She looks around and I’m not sure if she’s looking for my brothers or the carnie.
I nod before reassuring her, “My brothers are going to take a look around and try to track down the guy in the photo. They’ll also have someone go and see about rounding up Bobby to,” I pause and clear my throat, “ask him a few questions about what he was up to tonight.”
Ezra narrows her eyes while Jessi’s eyebrows arch up toward her hairline.
“I can’t leave yet,” Ezra admits before catching her bottom lip between her teeth.
Without even thinking about it, I reach up and pull her lip free while my eyes lock on the small indent in her pink flesh. It’ll disappear within moments, but, fuck, in this moment? I want to add to it.
“No problem,” I assure her. “I know you have responsibilities here. I’ll stay with you and make sure you stay safe. We’ll go from there.”
Her shoulders slump and I have to fight the desire to pull her into my arms. Would she come willingly? Would she sink into me?
I’m at her six for the rest of the night and it only solidifies the feeling that Ezra is mine.
When it’s time for the winners of the auction and chili cook-off to be announced before the cake eating contest, we move close enough to the stage to see but not be swallowed up by the sea of people. My head is constantly on a swivel.
She glances up at me, something shy crossing her face.