AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Princess, it kills me that you even have to ask.”
Princess.Did he really just call me that?Me?Lord, this man is ruining me.
“It doesn’t make any sense. You’re like this freaking Roman god with your muscles, tanned skin, and dark, broody eyes. You have a tight-knit family with the Savage Saints, a beautiful home, and I’m… me,” I end pathetically, turning my head away from him.
Rider doesn’t let me get very far. With one finger under my chin, he nudges my head up to look at him again. When I do, I can hardly breathe with the way his eyes are boring into mine.
“You, Sutton, are worthy of a safe place to land. You’re worthy of good things and people who care about you. Tessa is a good friend, right?” I nod, barely able to move as I drink in every word he’s saying. “Do you feel like you owe her for being your friend?”
I shrug. Truthfully, I still don’t know why Tessa wants to be my friend. She’s this brave, incredible, kind woman with a fierce heart and gentle spirit.
“Sutton,” he murmurs, brushing a few stray hairs out of my face and tucking them behind my ear. I close my eyes, memorizing how it feels to have someone like Rider care for me. “I don’t know everything about you or your past, but I promise you, relationships aren’t supposed to be transactional. I want to show you that. Prove that you’re worthy of good things because of who you are.”
“I…” My voice gets caught in my throat as tears threaten to spill down my cheeks. I shake my head no, unable to accept that, especially coming from Rider.
“Yes,” he soothes, his voice both commanding and gentle. “All you have to do is let me show you. Can you do that for me?”
“But…”
Rider lifts an eyebrow, transforming his usually stoic features into a more playful look. I love it. I love every new thing I discover about him. I’m still unsure why Rider seems determined to be so nice to me, but I decide to trust it. For now.
“Okay,” I finally whisper.
“Really? You’ll stay here?” He says it like a kid on Christmas morning, which is the most adorable thing he’s done yet.
“At least until all this food is eaten,” I remind him with a grin.
Rider returns it, and lordy, what that does to me. “I guess I’ll just have to keep cooking for you. Maybe I can get you to stay forever.” My eyes widen, but Rider just winks as he steps back from me. “I heard you have a big design project you’re working on. Why don’t you set up shop out here in the living room while I do some yard work? I’m trying to wrestle the overgrown and sorely neglected garden beds into shape, but it’s a bigger project than I anticipated.”
I nod, smiling as Rider gathers the plates from breakfast. I know it won’t last forever, but sleeping in, having food served up, and working on our separate projects sounds awfully domestic. Almost like we do this every Saturday.
Crazy, I know. But for now, I can pretend I have everything I’ve ever wanted.
CHAPTERFOUR
RIDER
“So that shithead thinks he can get the charges dropped?” Axel exclaims, his indignant tone echoing around the room.
Blade, the President of Savage Saints MC, called church about thirty minutes ago. After a check-in on current assignments and a briefing on upcoming runs, Prez gave us the bad news that Darren, the dirty sheriff we put away a few months ago, is trying to get out of prison on a technicality.
“Fuckin’ low-life,” one member grumbles.
“Shoulda put him six feet under instead of handing him over to the authorities,” another man grunts.
“Enough,” Blade roars, slamming his fist on the podium in front of him. “Slick, do you want to share your opinion of how I handled the situation again? Louder this time so everyone can hear?” The prez stares down the man who suggested killing Darren, daring him to say it to his face. “Didn’t think so.”
Slick at least has the decency to bow his head and shut the fuck up. Yeah, we’re all pissed off and frustrated, but questioning Blade is about the stupidest response there is. Savage Saints are loyal. We have each other’s back. We don’t fuck around with clubhouse drama, and that includes giving Blade shit.
“As we already know, Sheriff Darren is about as corrupt as they come. He has no moral compass and will do whatever it takes to maintain control over his police force and this town.”
“Even lay his filthy fucking hands on his daughter,” Hawk spits out.
I clap him on the shoulder and squeeze, letting my friend know I’m there for him. I understand why he hates that bastard.
Tessa, Hawk’s girl, has the unfortunate luck of being Darren’s daughter. She escaped the abusive piece of shit only to have him find her and drag her back into his clutches. Hawk, Axel, and I found her and brought her back to safety. Then we beat the ever-living shit out of him and threw him to the FBI after showing them evidence of the sheriff falsifying charges and assaulting his daughter.
I have a different reason for hating that despicable excuse for a human. Dirty fucking Sheriff Darren stole five years of my life. His false statement sent me straight to the slammer.
