Page 27 of Ryder

“I heard that,” Hawke shouted before finishing off his drink.

“Good,” Ryder replied, a small smirk appearing on his gorgeous face. Looking back at me, he shrugged. “You’re right. Even though it’s only been a day, I’m already attached to him, but I don’t think I’m up for the commitment.”

“What if I help you?” I offered, surprised the words came out so freely.

So much for needing time to think about us.

“I thought you said you needed time to think about whether or not you wanted to be with me.” His voice lowered as he spoke, and I knew it was because he wanted to keep our conversation as private as possible.

“We still have a lot to work through. Namely you telling me all about your daughter—the full story—but I’m not going anywhere, Ryder.” I smiled and snatched the puppy from him, kissing his furry little head before walking toward the exit to take him outside. Ryder jogged until he caught up with me, smacking me on the ass as he ushered me forward.

Ryder

Six days the lockdown lasted.

Six days of knowing Braylen was safe.

Six days of not knowing if or when we’d ever catch the break we needed to finally move forward and put a plan in place to end the war between us and the Reapers once and for all.

“We got a hit,” Marek shouted as soon as he walked into the clubhouse. “Chambers. Now.” He strode into our meeting room and everyone present followed after him. The only ones missing were Stone and Breck. I knew our VP was in his room with Adelaide, and while I didn’t have to guess what they were doing, it was gonna have to be cut short because we had an impromptu meeting.

After making sure Braylen was still asleep in my room, I rapped on Stone’s door.

“Go away,” he barked, grunting incoherently while I continued to bang on the door. I really didn’t need to hear them goin’ at it, but I had no other choice. His presence was needed, and I wouldn’t walk away until he answered.

“Stone. Let’s go.”

“What the fuck?” I heard his heavy footsteps right before he yanked open the door, looking at me like he wanted to kill me. I could see Adelaide in the background, lying on the bed with tousled hair and the bedsheet pulled up to her neck. She was laughing, which only served to make me smile. “You better have a good reason, brother.”

“Marek wants everyone in Chambers. Now. Then you can go back to trying to satisfy your woman.” I moved back as he swung at me, practically tripping because he was using the door to shield his dick from view. “Let’s go, lover boy,” I shouted over my shoulder as I disappeared down the hallway.

Walking into Chambers, I could feel the tension and worry pouring off every member. We probably all had the same question popping around inside our heads:When the hell will all this end?Unfortunately, there was gonna be more bloodshed before it was all said and done.

Once Stone joined us, throwing me another annoyed look to which I just smiled, Marek grabbed everyone’s attention when he started to speak.

“I just got a call that a guy fitting the description of the one who attacked Braylen was spotted going into the Overbrook. He’s not alone, though. Two other guys are with him.” The Overbrook was a low-class stripper joint close to forty minutes away, a place we knew most of the Savage Reapers visited.

“Who called you?” Jagger asked, looking around the room and seeing everyone present except one man. “Breck?”

“Yeah,” Marek affirmed.

“So what now?” Cutter asked, his stare darkening and looking none too pleased that his son was close to the enemy without any backup. “Are we goin’ to get ’em? Just give me five minutes and they’ll spill their guts, literally and figuratively.”

Cutter wasn’t shy about torturing when the situation called for it, but I’d have to intercede on this one, for at least one of the Reapers. The fucker who dared to put his hands on Braylen was gonna die a slow and painful death, whether or not he gave us pertinent information on his club. His fate would be sealed as soon as we captured him.

“I know our club has been through a lot over the past year or so, and normally I’d tell ya to be patient. That the time to react should be planned out.” Marek slapped the table. “But fuck that!”

A few of the guys shouted, “Yeah!” while the rest of us just nodded. Of course, we’d follow whatever our prez said, but we couldn’t hide our excitement that we’d be able to do something about our predicament sooner rather than later.

Marek doled out instructions like he always did, forever the leader. “Jagger, Tripp, and Cutter, you’re goin’ to meet Breck. Call him to find out exactly where he is. You know enough to stay in the background, showing yourselves only when necessary.” He withdrew a plastic baggie from inside his cut, tossing the package on the table and sliding it toward where they sat. Trackers. “Put these on any of their bikes you see.” The devices were small, would be virtually undetectable by the human eye, but for as high tech as they would undoubtedly be, they would only last two weeks. Three, tops.

The Reapers thought they were safe visiting the Overbrook, no doubt meeting whoever for deals as well as harassing the strippers. We’d never stepped foot there before, but we were always aware of their comings and goings throughout the years. We were just waiting for the perfect opportunity.

Looks like it’s here.

“I want in on this one, Prez,” I said, leaning forward and placing my hands on the table.

“And you will be. At the safe house, when they bring those bastards there. Take Hawke with you.”

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