“It sounds like a mafia,” I presume.
“Kind of is, when you think about it.” His confirmation of that assumption has my nerves drawn tight. What the fuck have I gotten myself into? I think I’ve asked myself that question more times this week than ever.
“How’d you know it was legit?” Surely a sixteen-year-old wasn’t out here meeting random mafia-like strangers for a supposed large sum of money.
“I didn’t.” He says dryly, his face etched in all seriousness now. “I bought my first gun the next night and had Hayden go with me to the strip. I won that race hands down, and the Vipers werepissed, but they kept making bets, and I kept accepting and winning every race. To this day, I haven’t lost a single one, and that’s how we got where we are today. We now have four consistent competitors that we race twice a month.”
“But… How is this dangerous? Like, for me? I don’t understand.” What he’s saying is a cool story and all, but none of it answers how I got abducted and damn near killed. I was fucking shot, and thank God it was only a graze.
He nods his head, pulling his lower lip between his teeth. “Yeah, I’m getting there.” He says with a grimace.
“So, I mentioned the Vipers and how they were pissed about losing. Well, they are constantly placing higher and higher bets. I have always wondered how they can placethose types of bets and always lose.” He waves his hand, changing the subject. “Anyway, they accuse us—also known as RAGE—of somehow cheating the races and stealing their money.”
“Wait, wait…” I blink quickly, trying to process this all. “RAGE?”
He looks at me, nods slowly, “Yes, that’s what my organization, or what you like to call it, mafia, is called. It’s my team. All these people you’ve met. The security, the medics, Jessie, Hayden,” He holds up fingers as he goes down the list. “Teegan, whom you’ve not met yet, but will soon enough.”
“Who’s Teegan?”
“Think of him as the jack of all trades. Without him, it would have taken me even longer to get to you.” He inhales sharply, “I owe him majorly.”
I can’t think of anything else to say, besides, “Wow.” With wide eyes.
His smirk is back, only briefly, before he continues. “Back to the Vipers. They have a grudge against me, and I think that’s why they took you, but…” His brows pinch in thought. “Evidently, we have asnakewithin the team, and I will have to lure them out somehow.”
So, the guys who took me were the Vipers. Good to know. “You think that’s how they knew to get to me? But why me?”
“Somehow, they knew you were important to me. I still have my suspicions on that, though.”
My lips flatten into a tight smile. What’s that supposedto mean? I’m not important to him, or I am? Why is that where my thoughts went, anyway? That’s not even important right now, Kelsey. The man literally killed people to get to me. Obviously, I meansomethingto him, or it was Jessie threatening his balls like she did Hayden’s.
“You didn’t happen to recognize anyone there, did you?”
His question catches me entirely off guard. Pursing my lips, I decide whether I should tell him about Lilith or not. I mean, I only remember her from a very brief encounter with my parents. So, technically, it doesn’t count, but I did recognize the guys from the bar that night with Hayden. “No, but I recognized those guys from the bar. Alejandro, I think was his name.” I half lied. Disappointment flashes briefly through his green eyes. Does he know I’m lying? How would he, though?
“You’re sure?” He prods.
I swallow and nod my head yes.
“Okay.” He smiles, but it’s not a real one. He knows I’m lying, but I can’t seem to bring myself to tell him about Lilith.
His hand comes up too quickly, causing me to flinch, anticipating the smack, but none comes. I shouldn’t worry about that with Ryder, my gut tells me he’d never physically harm me. He only brushes a loose strand of hair over my shoulder.
His face hardens, noticing my reaction. “I’d never hit you, you know that, right?”
Snapping my gaze to my lap, I nod softly. He hooks afinger under my chin, forcing my eyes back to him. “They’ll all pay for what they did to you.” He promises, and I believe him.
His phone dings with an incoming text, and it makes me wonder, “Where’s my phone? It was in my pocket when I tried escaping back at the house, but I guess they took it.”
He thinks for a moment, “I can see if Teegan can hack and track it, but I’ll have a new phone ready for you in the meantime.” He stands, offering me his hand, and I lay mine in his warm, calloused palm. “But it’s time for us to head home with ourcargo.” He winks, flashing a full grin that makes my thighs clench. This man does things to me, but I need to keep my distance as much as possible.
“Cargo?” What an odd thing to say, surely he isn’t referring to me.
“Graves and Rocky.” He says nonchalantly, like they’re nobodies. I mean, they are, but they’re also people who stole bits and pieces from me. Pieces I’ll likely never get back, and for that, I want to put them through Hell myself.
I look up at Ryder, tracing the sharp edges of his jaw where his stubble is growing out into a short beard. I fully turn to face him, “Can I see them, like after you have them tied up and whatnot?”
His brow lifts, and amusement glistens in those leafy-green, gold-flecked eyes. I had never really noticed the gold in them before. They’re absolutely stunning.
