Resisting Ryder(56)
“Shh! Don’t draw any attention over here!”
“I want to puke,” Brooklyn whined. “Do you know for sure?”
“He’s pretty sure,” she said. “We just need your help.”
“My help with what? I’m not involved in any of this,” Brooklyn retorted.
“I know it’s asking a lot, but please just go along with this,” Stormy pleaded. “For your safety and mine.”
Brooklyn looked annoyed as she caved in and bowed her head. “Fine.”
The guys came back to the table.
“We better head home,” Ryder said. “Another gang is coming. Trying to start some shit. They want our territory. Pretty small time. We don’t want to waste our time with them.”
He winked at Stormy to let her know it wasn’t true. She figured he just needed an excuse to get Zander and Brooklyn home.
They left the bar in a hurry and rode back home, Brooklyn looking particularly displeased on the back of Zander’s bike.
“It’d be a nice night to sit out on the patio, don’t you think?” Stormy suggested as they got back to the condo.
Zander took Brooklyn’s hand and led her out through the sliding glass door, completely ignoring Stormy and Ryder.
“Perfect,” Ryder said. “You stand in the living room and keep an eye on them. I’m going to run to his room. Call my name if they start coming back, okay?”
Stormy nodded nervously. She watched as he reached into a hollowed out book on a nearby bookcase and pulled out a Ruger LCP gun and stuffed it down the back of his pants.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
“In case things get ugly,” he said. “I don’t want to scare you. I just need to be prepared. I thought I knew Zander, but now I’m realizing I don’t know him at all.”
He grabbed his phone, sent a quick text and stepped up to Stormy, giving her a kiss on her forehead.
“Some of the guys are waiting down the block,” he said. “If anything happens to me, you need to text Bruiser in my phone. They’ll be here in seconds.”
Stormy tried not to cry as she was overcome with fear. She kept a watchful eye on Brooklyn and Zander as her heart raced. She glanced over at Zander’s door as it was now wide open and Ryder was rifling through things. She wondered what he was looking for, but she knew it wasn’t the time to ask.
Within a few minutes, he came back out.
“God, what took you so long?” Stormy huffed. “I was getting nervous.”
Just then the sliding glass door slid open.
“Find what you were looking for?” Zander said with a crooked smile.
Brooklyn looked terrified as she shook her head and mouthed “sorry”.
“What are you talking about?” Ryder tried to act casual.
“He pulled a knife on me, Stormy! I’m so sorry!” Brooklyn yelled. “He threatened to hurt us all if I didn’t tell him what was going on.”
“Shut up, you little bitch!” he said as he shoved her back. She stumbled into the back of the outdoor sofa.
Stormy ran to comfort Brooklyn, but Ryder grabbed her arm.
“Stay here,” he commanded. His eyes locked on Zander as he reached back into his jeans to grab the Ruger.
“Ha,” Zander laughed. “Whatcha gonna do, Ryder? You wanna shoot me? You wanna get revenge for your brother’s murder?”
“I knew it was you,” Ryder said, seething. “How could you do that?”
“You said you wanted out,” Zander laughed. “I was just doing you a favor.”
“You sick son of a bitch,” Ryder said. He spat at Zander, who only laughed even harder. His laugh was almost maniacal and his face was twisted. “I loved you like a brother.”
Zander pulled out a gun of his own that he’d been stowing in a pocket holster.
“Two can play this game,” he said with a smile. “Go ahead. Shoot me.”
“I’ve killed a man before, and I can do it again,” Ryder said. “You of all people should know that.”
Zander swallowed and looked nervous but only for a split second.
“Do you have a death wish?” Ryder asked. “I’ll do it. I’ll fucking shoot you.”
“And throw away this life you’re starting with your brother’s precious, beautiful little widow?” Zander said. “You wouldn’t do it.”
Ryder stared at Stormy, who was fighting off tears.
“I bet she’s a fine piece of ass,” he said. “Don’t you know we’re brothers? Hellfire brothers share everything. You know that.”
“Leave her out of this,” Ryder commanded. “This is between you and me.”