Page 24 of Dirty Salvation

Rider had never taken it for granted. He loved every shitty inch of his club. It was his, and he wouldn't allow this tiny blip in their scheme to fucking mess with it.

Noise levels grew. He used the gavel at his right hand to grab the boy's' attention.

Each set of eyes turned to him.

"The woman. She's called Zara. I knew her a few years ago, for one fuckin' night, emphasis on the latter."

He didn't embellish on what he'd done to her the day after. It was useless info and he was already pissing in the wind not knowing what the fuck was going on.

And he feltoddlyexposed.

He'd never even told Hawk how he'd felt about Zara.

"Far as her being at theRebelsjoint, and the kid…looks like Hades' sick deal with keeping and selling woman." His jaw went like cement.

The clenched teeth jaw-tick showing how fucking pissed off he was.

Worse than that, he was angry. If he'd needed a fresh reason to kill that rattlesnake this was it.

As it was, he'd kill Hades for free anytime anywhere any given day.

If it wasn't tonight, then it would be soon. He'd make sure of it.

Rider met Hawk's gaze. Darkness shone through the pale color. It said everything Hawk wasn't;Are you fucking crazy, Rider? what the fuck are you doing, get rid of them both before they bring trouble to our doorstep.

Hawk would be right, heknewthat. Anyone else he'd be knocking their fucking head off for even thinking to bring people in, even if it was a rescue. Club came first. The safety and wellbeing of the club came first, no exceptions.

Only, Rider was making a giant exception.

Butcher had deemed her fine, just riddled with injuries and exhaustion. Rider had grunted his reply, picking her up into his arms, all his men had watched their president stride out of the common room carrying the woman, taking her down to his private room. He'd stayed with her only a few minutes before calling an emergency meeting.

That was an hour ago.

"What about that kid? We can't have her here if the sheriff comes sniffing around."

He told them what he'd overheard Zara say, about not going back. His brothers agreed they must have been part of Hades' fresh batch of women. Only some of Zara's injuries were old, she was covered in pink scars.

He couldn't get past that first glimpse of her then and now.

Such a contrast.

What the fuck had happened to her?

"She appears to have taken a shine to Lawless. The kid is obviously crazy." Snickers traveled.

"Jed said Helen knows someone who knows someone in social services, she'll get on that soon as she gets here."

Rider agreed, she couldn't stay.

He should hand Zara over as well.

He ground his teeth.Not gonna do that.

Not until he had answers.

So many fucking why's.

Goddamn, what had she said to him that night, her last words? he couldn't remember and it felt important to bring a good memory to the front of his mind before his fucking brain exploded. Scanning his memory back three years, nothing was coming, only the sweetness of her, the tight body stretching around his cock. And then later how she'd giggled before giving a mind-blowing blowjob. He'd never had a girl laugh before taking his cock into her mouth.