Page 20 of Laying it Bare Biker Style: Ryder

I flipped him the finger as hesauntered out with Gage.

Once the room cleared out, I walked upto Remus. “What do you need, Prez? I can set up things with PyroDevils if you want. Determine how many to safely invite here andset up ground rules.” It didn’t hurt to try to lure him offtopic.

“You shouldn’t besurprised; I was informed about the incident with the girlsearlier, which included your new friend.” He raised his eyebrow atme. “I’m assuming the only reason Sage was included in therescuewas because shewas with Angel and Misti. Or is she now a member of ourclub?”

“It’s complicated,Sir.”

“Then uncomplicate it,Ryder. Most of the guys will leave her alone when she is herebecause of her circumstances, but I can’t answer for all of them orguarantee it. And we won’t punish. She won’t be assaulted, butshe’d be used and you know there is a difference.” His astute eyesstudied me unwaveringly. “Unless you claim her as yours. Are yougoing to make her your Old Lady?”

Fuck. Although it came as no surpriseRemus would see right through me as well. But what I wanted to giveher, I wasn’t able to offer. Not without her getting hurt in theend. But emotional hurt was just a hair better than physical hurtor pain at the hands of some monster. I released a huge sigh.“She’ll get my vest.”

“Do it for the rightreasons, Ryder.”

I nodded at him, not sure what theaction meant, and walked out to the main area to collect Sage andhead home.

The three girls lounged on one of thecouches laughing while a couple of the cunts sat at the bar withscowls on their faces.

I barely gave them a passing glance asI stopped in front of the couch and grinned. “Are you ready to headout? Aren’t you sick of these two yet?”

“We can go if you’reready.” She smiled at first Angel and then Misti. “Thank you somuch for befriending me. I didn’t really have that at all at theother club so this is really nice.” Sage’s eyes welled up withtears, but she blinked them away. “Once I get settled at work wewill have to plan to get together again. And spendmymoneyinstead.”

“Oh, Sage. There is stillso much we need to teach you.” Misti shot me a sly grin beforeturning her attention back to Sage. “Make sure you text us when youknow you are going to be here at the club with Ryder and we’ll makesure at least one of us is around.” Misti shifted her gaze to thebar briefly. “Because now that they know who the new girl isattached to, they are going to be like vultures.”

“Did they give her anytrouble tonight?” I growled between gritted teeth.

Angel gave me a weird look. “Notreally. They had a couple unsavory things to say, but they reallydidn’t have any ammo yet. But that’s alright because we have ourgirl’s back.”

Reaching my hand down to Sage, Itugged her up off of the couch. Then I led her out to my bike andwe headed home.

For the next three weeks, we got intoa routine. I drove her to and from work and during her off time,she sat at the garage and watched me work. Although occasionallyshe wandered into the other areas to check what the other guys wereup to. Yes, there were vulgar remarks made, but the guys kept theirhands off of her. So I didn’t have to growl too much. They merelylaughed anyway.

And I managed to keep my . . . wellnot my hands – she slept in my arms every night – but my mouth anddick to myself.

However, one Saturday morning, while Isat at the bar sipping my coffee, Sage shuffled into the kitchen,her face pale and tear stained and her eyes red rimmed. “I missedmy period.”

Four

~Sage~

Ryder blew his coffee all over thebar. “And you needed to share that with me, why? The girls didn’tbring you tampons or something?”

My eyes were wide and burned from allof the crying and horrified didn’t even begin to cover how I wasfeeling. I had missed my period last week, but brushed it off asstress. But my cycle had always been like clockwork, so now that wewere at the end of week two of missing it; I was terrified. “Whatif that guy. . . ” I swallowed hard, my stomach churning. “What ifI wasn’t just physically abused?” I slapped my hand to my mouth, tohopefully prevent my expelling the contents of my stomach all overthe kitchen bar, which would probably only be dry heaves, but Ryderwas trying to enjoy breakfast. “I don’t want to belong to him. Idon’t want any part of that Club.”

Swiveling on his stool, I caught theexact moment the pieces fell into place for him, as the severity ofthe situation crashed down on him as well, and he reached his armsout to me. “Actually you belong to us now. You weren’t anyone’s OldLady at Pyro Devils. We found you. They had dropped yourunconscious body out in the woods for someone to find. Well, wefound you and now you’re under my protection.”

I stepped in between his legs as hisarms wrapped around me and pressed my face into his sturdy chest,his heart pounding wildly; the only indication he was a bit rattledtoo. “But if he finds out, he’ll come for me. Not because he’llcare to be a good father, but because it will be someone else toown.”

“If anyone asks, we tellthem it’s mine. Let’s just hope the baby takes after you so thereisn’t a reason to question it.” He ran his hand through my hairsoothingly.

I was surprised it didn’tget caught in the knots. I had tugged my hands through it countlesstimes this morning when I had awoken and still no period. Standingin the bathroom with Ryder no longer in the bedroom, I succumbed tomy fears and curled up into a ball on the floor letting the tearsof frustration and panic pour out of me in body wracking sobsbefore attempting to get myself under some semblance of control.Even though I felt bad, I needed him. I was terrified. He had beenso caring and attentive since he and Grayson had found me, but hestill insisted he couldn’t give me anything more. But who wouldwant something meaningful with me anyway . . . especiallynow.Wait. What did he say?His words finally trickled into my riotous brain.“You’ll lay claim to the baby? Are you sure you want that?” Ididn’t tack ‘with me,’ on to the end of that question. “You don’thave to do that.”

“You don’t deserve to beshamed for what he did.” Ryder’s expression grew stormy for amoment, but then he gave me a gentle smile. “The time table willmatch up and as long as the baby looks a lot like you, we can pullit off. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. I’m not going to askpersonal questions, but you’re late enough it has you rattled. I’lltake you to see our doctor. She’s great. Dr. Kirsten Michaels, butwe call her Blooms.”

“It’s Saturday.”

“She’s in. And even if shewasn’t, we pay her enough that she’d step into her office if weneeded her.” With the hand not in my hair, he pulled his phone outof his pocket and tapped on the screen before exchanging some briefwords with whoever had answered. Ending the call, he slipped itback into his pocket. “How about a waffle or two and some juicebefore we head in. Let’s get some food into your stomach.” Hepressed a kiss to the crown of my head before standing and walkingto the refrigerator to grab a box of waffles from the freezer andtoast them up for me.

He finished eating his bacon and eggswhile I nibbled on a waffle and then we retreated to his room tochange.

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