Riding Him (Ghost Riders MC 5)

He rolls his eyes and leans back in his chair. Savage comes into the room and sits down beside me on the couch. Ham, Pres’ bulldog, follows him and sits on my other side.

“I was going to tell you before you went and got yourself kicked in the nuts.” I start to protest, but he raises his hand to stop me. “I need a shooter in the sky, and I need your skills on the computer. She’s got all the information you two need. And I know you didn’t want her in the club, but she is. So fucking deal with it. And I don’t want to hear about it from her when she gets back. Get your shit together with Violet, Scribe. She can hold her own against any of these guys, and she’ll be an asset to the club. Cas vouches for her, so she’s in. End of fucking story.”

I sit back on the couch and look over at Savage. He just looks at Pres and nods once, confirming what he just said.

At the end of the day, I’m going to do whatever the fuck Pres tells me to do. He was my commanding officer in the Marines, and he’s my club President now. I know he wouldn’t send me on a mission if I didn’t have to be there. So instead of fighting, I let out a breath and nod in agreement.

“Yes, sir,” I say and exit his office.

I get the stirring in my stomach as I walk out, like every other time I think about Violet. There’s been something about her that’s drawn me in from day one, something I can’t put my finger on.

There’s a way about her that’s different, and every time I’m near her, I get pulled in. I see the spark in her eyes that lets me know there’s more to her than she’s willing to show. There’s a vulnerability inside that she’s trying to hide, but I see it. I see through the sassy exterior that keeps people at arm’s length. The part that tries to push me away. I see through her threats and tough talk to the woman inside. I think because I’ve battled with my own inner demons, I recognize the darkness in her, as well as the light.

I did a lot of things I’m not proud of when fighting for my country overseas, and I think that kind of shit always leaves a mark on your soul. And for some reason, when I’m close to Violet, I feel that, and I want to hold her. I know she’d just push me away, so I cover it with jokes and cocky words. But there’s something about her that I see inside myself, and I want to get to know that better.

For all those reasons, I should probably stay away. But because of those reasons, I know I won’t. I’ve tried for long enough to voice my concerns about her being in the club, and it didn’t work. I know she’s more than capable of doing the job, but something inside me wants to protect her and keep her safe. I want to shield her from the dangers of the world, and her joining the Ghost Riders will put her in harm’s way at some point.

But even with all the reasons in the world, and all that I’ve stacked against her, I’m on my way to pick her up and carry out this mission. She’s on the team, and as much as I’ve tried to hold back, I don’t think I can much longer. Now I just need to convince her that trusting me is a safe bet.

4

Violet

“I think the guns you’ve got are good,” Cas says from behind me, making me turn to look at her. I’m a ball of nerves. Excitement and all kinds of other shit I can’t explain are pumping through me, and I don’t know what to do with it all. I don’t know how I kept a straight face in there through it all when I really wanted to jump up and do a fist pump. Then maybe throw up. I’m feeling way too much crap right now.

“Yeah, and I’m good with both of them,” I reply casually, but she just smiles and cocks an eyebrow at me. We still have a few guns in my truck that we’ve been training with, and even with soft plans in place for where we’re going, I’m not one hundred percent sure what I might end up needing. It’s better to have a few to choose from, just in case. I want to be prepared for almost anything.

“You did good, V. With some time, it won’t be so…” she shakes her head like she’s searching for the right word, making her dark ponytail sway with the motion, “…combative.” She snaps her fingers as she says the word, then takes a few steps towards me, her heavy boots crackling on the gravel beneath us. “You go and do this and show everyone you’ve got what it takes. I fucking know you have it. I can see it. Saw that same look once before when I looked in the mirror years ago.”