Page 62 of Ride or Dies

“Stop jerking off and let us through,” Clayton snapped.

The guy looked up, eyes flashing like he was itching for a fight, but the moment he saw me, he froze. That didn’t last long, though. In the space of a heartbeat, he was raking his eyes over me in the kind of way that made me want to take a shower.

“I’m shocked you pulled this off, Pierce,” the guy said. His hand disappeared under the desk and something buzzed. “Make sure I get an early turn with her and I’ll get you some of the good stuff.”

As Clayton pushed me through the next door, I couldn’t help saying, “Nice friends you have here. Real classy.”

“Yeah, because the guys you’re fucking are real upstanding citizens.” He turned down a hallway instead of going toward what had been the factory floor.

“They wouldn’t sell or trade a woman for money or drugs or whatever the fuck they’re giving you for bringing me here.”

We stopped in front of a door. “You think that’s what this is about?”

“Come in,” a man called from the other side.

My first thought as I followed Clayton was how dark this room was, and not just because there was only one naked bulb hanging from the ceiling. It just felt dark, like nothing good ever happened here.

Then I saw the man behind the desk. Long, greasy dark-gray hair, and a straggly beard that hung halfway down a massive chest. A mustache that almost covered his mouth and looked as dirty as the rest of it.

“Evie Hayes, meet Harley Quinn, President of the Black Cobras.” Clayton dropped into a chair right next to the door, effectively blocking any sort of escape.

As if I was stupid enough to make a run for it right now.

“I’ve heard of you,” I said, surprised to find my voice even. “Your guys nearly killed me and my friend at Rocky’s.”

“It wouldn’t have been nearly if the Riders hadn’t shown up,” Harley said.

Clayton made an irritated sound. “It wouldn’t have been nearly if you guys had gotten there faster. I called as soon as I was outside, but it took you forever to show up.”

“You called him?” I sat down, all the strength running out of my legs as pieces started falling into place. “I was the target then. I almost got my best friend killed.”

“Well, that’s a yes and a no,” Clayton said. “Making you pay for everything you stole from me is what I get out of this, but the Cobras want Rider territory and you’re gonna help them get what they want too.”

Maybe I should’ve been focused on the second part of that sentence, but only one part was ringing in my head, my temper driving away everything else.

“What I stole from you?”

“Damn right.” Clayton leaned forward, his eyes burning with a sort of rage I’d never seen directed at me. “I was supposed to be the one who got discovered, who got to move to Nashville and sign a big recording contract. I’m supposed to be the big star. Not some chubby little slut piece-of-trash whore.”

“Wow, you really wanted to get a lot of insults into a single sentence,” I said. “Does that mean you’re the one who broke into my mom’s house?”

“I should’ve known you weren’t gonna be staying there,” he said.

“What were you planning on doing if you found me?” I wasn’t sure I really wanted to know, but another part of me needed to hear it. I had to understand just how deep his hatred went. What he was capable of.

He shrugged. “Only thing I knew for sure I wanted to do was break your hand. Make sure you’d never be able to play again. Anything else would’ve just been extra.”

“How long?” I asked. “How long have you been after me?”

“You know Becca James’ source telling people about your mom, and about you shacking up with the Riders?” Clayton grinned, looking very proud of himself. “That video that got leaked? I convinced one of the sluts to plant the camera, and I released the video. Kept my own private copy too. And I’m the one who found out you were coming back early for Jenna’s wedding.”

“Which my nephew immediately came and told me,” Harley said, drawing my attention back to him.

“Your nephew?”

“His mom’s my sister,” Harley said. “And family’s important. Especially when they gift wrap something like you. The second I heard you were coming back, I knew I could use you to take down the Bradshaws and anyone else in their ridiculous MC who supports them. Bedford is going to be mine.”

Well, shit. This was definitely not how I’d seen things going.

---