Page 66 of Ride or Dies

It was over, I realized suddenly. The Riders had come for me. All the strength ran out of my legs and my vision went gray.

Time started moving in funny little hops.

Tucker knelt in front of me, asking if I was okay.

Someone said that Harley was dead.

I asked if Clayton was alive and Mason said he was.

Levi saw the bump on my head and said he was going to kill Clayton.

Mason took the knife from my hand and tucked it away somewhere.

Tucker told me that Sweeper was going to be okay.

I was on the back of someone’s bike, my cheek pressed against familiar leather.

Jenna ran out of the clubhouse, crying and talking about how she never should’ve left me.

One of the old ladies poured me a drink while the rest helped Lara patch up the guys.

It wasn’t until I downed that shot that everything came back into focus all at once. The sounds and smells and colors, everything too vivid, too bright. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, then opened them to see Jenna and Isabel sitting across from me in the main room at the clubhouse, watching me with concern.

“Lara thinks you might have a concussion,” Jenna said. “But we didn’t want to take you to the hospital without talking to you first.”

“I’d rather not.” I gave her a weak smile. “I’ve had concussions before. I know what to look for.”

“Did you lose consciousness?” Isabel asked.

“I’m fine.” Judging by the look she and Jenna exchanged, they knew I was avoiding the question, but they didn’t push it. “I’d rather know how everyone else is.”

“Harley Quinn’s dead,” Jenna confirmed. “And Clayton did it in front of several witnesses, so he’s on his way to jail right now.”

“Rikki’s also been arrested for planting that camera in Levi’s room,” Isabel added. “We’re guessing she’s going to flip on Clayton for a reduced sentence.”

“He’s the one who broke into my mom’s place,” I said. “And he told the Cobras about us being at Rocky’s.”

“He’s going to get charged for all of that too,” Jenna said. “But probably not for kidnapping you, unless you want to press charges.”

“If I do that, it’ll get the Riders into trouble, won’t it?” I asked. “Because even though they rescued me, they did a lot of illegal shit to do it.”

“Right,” Jenna said. “But none of the Riders are going to ask you not to do it. It’s your decision.”

Something about her expression told me that someone had already made that suggestion around her, and she’d let them know that wasn’t going to happen. A part of me wondered if it’d been one of her brothers, but I didn’t want to know the answer.

Especially considering I hadn’t seen them since they’d each come to make sure I was okay.

It made sense, I supposed. After all, this all started because Jenna had volunteered them to protect me. If she hadn’t done that, nothing between us would’ve changed.

“Any update on Sweeper?” I twisted my fingers as guilt came surging back.

“He’ll be okay,” Jenna said, reaching out to take my hands between hers. “And no one blames you, so stop blaming yourself.”

I wasn’t so sure about that, but I let it go. “What about everyone else? Was anyone else hurt? I think someone told me before, but pretty much everything after Clayton shot Harley is a blur.”

“Some cuts and bruises,” Isabel answered. “Nothing serious.”

“They’re okay,” Jenna said softly. “All three of them are fine. And they’re around here somewhere.”

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