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He watched as the women slowed to huddle on the far side of the track. Nita was the last to join them, standing a little separate even though she nodded and replied to Diesel’s instructions. It looked like they were preparing to scrimmage, and Ryder stepped closer to get a good view.
As the women laughed and chatted, he heard a click and a muffled slam, and saw a blonde man appear from a door at the far end of the warehouse.
Ryder’s body tightened with tension as the blond man wandered toward the practice area. Ryder’s eyes narrowed.
So this must be Luke, he thought. The man walked like he didn’t just own the warehouse, but owned the women using the facility. The man wore a store-bought version of motorcycle club clothes, his leather jacket adorned with various patches that weren’t recognizable to Ryder. And Ryder knew almost all the clubs on both coasts of the US.
Despite Luke’s attempt to look tough, Ryder also noticed the absence of any real scars or marks on his pretty-boy face. It was as if Luke’s physical appearance mirrored his personality—spoiled, untouched by the hardships of life.
Ryder remembered Nita’s description of how Luke had treated her and the emotional manipulation that had chipped away at her self-confidence. A surge of anger welled up in his chest, making his hands clench instinctively.
“Uh oh, Luke’s here,” Casey said in a hushed tone, but Ryder was already striding toward the man.
Luke started walking slowly, then picked up his pace, and Ryder knew he’d spotted Nita. He was rounding the practice area when he saw Luke pick up a folding chair and hurl it onto the track, his face twisted with icy rage.
The spinning metal chair took Nita out at the ankles, and time slowed as Ryder watched her skates fly in the air, causing her to fall hard on her back, the wind knocked out of her.
A collective shout erupted from the Grunge City Girls, one of them grabbing the chair before it could hit anybody else. Ignoring the surrounding chaos, Ryder surged forward, leaping like a panther. He reached Luke in a flash, his grip tightening around the man’s neck as he threw him to the ground.
Luke’s eyes widened in surprise, then widened even more when Ryder cut off his air supply. When his face was a satisfying blue, Ryder loosened his grip.
“So, Luke… it is Luke, right?” Ryder asked, his voice a low mix of danger and dark humor.
“Yug,” Luke grated through a compressed windpipe.
“I’ll assume that’s a yes. I have a question for you. Would you prefer to walk out of here or be carried out?”
The laughter and noise from minutes ago had melted, leaving the warehouse bathed in silent tension and the low drone of the metal soundtrack. All eyes focused on him and Luke. He could tell the Grunge City Girls had skated up behind him, waiting for Luke’s response. He didn’t spare a glance to see if Nita was okay. Her teammates would look after her.
Luke shifted, the newness of his leather jacket squeaking. He croaked out, “I’ll... I’ll walk.”
Ryder’s gaze held steady as he released his grip on Luke. “Good choice,” he replied, his voice filled with a warning. “How about you never cross paths with Nita or the team again? What do you say to that?”
When Luke just stared at him, he tightened his hands around the man’s throat. Luke gurgled out, “I got it,” and Ryder released him.
He rolled easily to his feet as Luke stumbled to his. He watched Luke back away, taking the long way toward the front exit.
He turned his attention to Nita, who stood a few feet behind him, supported by her teammates. He walked to her, a mix of protectiveness and admiration filling him.
“You okay?” he asked and hooked his thumbs in his belt loops instead of sliding his hands around her face to check for a concussion. “Did you hit your head?”
“Naw, I just had the wind knocked out of me,” she replied.
“Fuck, remember the bout against the Jawbreakers? When you broke your wrist?” Slayberry asked, waving a hand like Nita taking a chair in the ankles was no big deal.
They all laughed, and one by one, the team returned to the marked off skating area.
“All you bitches better be gone by nine!” screamed Luke from the door.
“We’re shaking in our skates,” Diesel heckled back, making all the women laugh.
Luke glared at them, then slammed out of the warehouse.
“So that was Luke,” Ryder murmured, looking the rest of Nita over.
She looked fine, but he realized he was the one who was shaken. Seeing the chair flying toward her… it could have hit her in the head. Even with her helmet, it could have badly hurt her.
He shook the feeling off. She wasn’t hurt.
