Page 18 of Ripper’s Property (Savage Knights MC: NW Chapter #4)

Rory

“ I knew you’d be down here.”

The hairs on my arms prick up as the old familiar voice disrupts the quiet of this tranquil place.

I close my diary, turning my head, seeing her back on my turf.

Not sure why she’s here or who let her in, but I gather this has to do with Montoya and the strip club.

Never got the details of Cherry’s involvement, but I know Rip saw her the other day.

“What are you writing in that little book of yours?” She moves in closer.

“How you love Ripper? How you want to fuck the man who’s been like a second father to you?

” She shakes her head in disgust. “It’s kind of sick if you think about it.

He’s babysat you since you were a toddler, and now you’re fucking him. ”

“What are you doing here, Cherry?”

I thought we kicked her ass out. If the guys are doing business with her, they should keep her on a leash. I’m not interested in listening to her judgement and I certainly won’t tolerate her disrespect. I don’t care whether she’s helping the guys or not.

“That’s a good question.” Her lips turn into an evil sneer. “I told the guys at the gate that I’d left my mother’s bracelet behind and couldn’t live without the precious family heirloom. But that’s not why I’m here. I came for the little princess who everyone worships so much.”

I swallow hard, my eyes darting through the trees, trying to see if the guys are close. If I scream, they’ll come to me. But then I see it. The gun in her hand. The barrel pointed right at me. Her finger locked on the trigger, as her evil eyes stare me down.

“If you shoot me, they’ll kill you.”

They’ll hear the gun go off and will never let her walk out of here alive.

“I’ve been told this little beauty has a silencer on it. But I don’t plan on killing you. I’m taking you with me.”

I rise from the ground, taking a step back, but the lake is behind me. My only escape is toward her.

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I shake my head.

“Oh, yes you are.” She nods. “If you want to see your dad alive, you’ll keep your mouth shut and walk right out of here with me.”

My dad? What’s happened with my dad? I try to think back to the last time I heard from him. He texted yesterday morning. Told me he’d give me a call last night, but he didn’t. My heart drops into the pit of my stomach and the panic starts to creep in.

“Now, come,” she urges.

When my nervous feet refuse to budge, she steps toward me and comes to my back, pushing me forward.

The gun is now pointed into my spine. I don’t understand where the guys are.

I don’t understand how she’d get through the gate and be left unattended.

And where’s Raid? He’s probably inside without a clue as to what’s going on out here.

Cherry starts leading me up the path, and I try to think of a way out.

“I never fucking understood what the appeal was,” she says.

“You’re just King’s kid. Nothing more than a spoiled brat.

Yet, all of them love you. I saw it in Rip’s eyes.

For a moment I foolishly believed I could make him mine, but now I have a man who treats me like a queen. And my man hates your fucking guts.”

Holy shit. She’s with Montoya. She’s dating the monster. If that wasn’t such a horrifying realization, I’d think of them as a perfect match. But all I can focus on is the fact that there’s a loaded gun at my back and my father is in danger.

“You’re not going anywhere with her.”

The deep voice cuts through the nervous pounding in my ears. Raid is blocking the path, standing before me with his gun locked and loaded.

“You better move, Raid, or I’ll shoot her,” Cherry warns and the gun digs in deeper.

He shakes his head. “You really think you’re going to get past me and my men? You really think we’re going to let you walk out of here with our girl? Did you get knocked in the head as a kid? You put a bullet in her, I’ll put one straight in your head.”

“If I’m going to die, then I’ll be taking her with me.” Oh my God. The gun makes a clicking sound and I let out a yelp, terrified. My life flashes before my eyes. “What’s it going to be, Raid?”

“Any last words, princess?” Raid asks, giving me a look. I feel like he’s trying to gesture something, but I don’t know what. “Rory, sweetheart, lower your head and say a prayer with me before you leave. It’s going to be all right.”

I finally pick up on what he wants me to do, and I fold my body in half. A gunshot rings out and I’m taken to the ground. Cherry’s limp body lying on top of me. I let out the scream that had been lodged in my chest, the terror rocking through me on a sob.

“Baby, you’re okay.”

The body gets shoved off me and Rip’s kneeled by my side, pulling me into his arms and holding me tight. I don’t even know where he came from. Maybe I was the one who was shot.

“It’s okay, baby. You’re safe. God, I’m so sorry. I should never have left you.”

I’m safe. I’m safe . But my dad… “They have him,” I shout. “She said that they have my dad.”

“No, princess.” Ripper shakes his head. “They don’t. That was just a ploy to get you to leave with her. Your father’s fine. Spoke to him this morning and he was miles away. Cruising with the guys.”

“I just spoke to him before Rip informed me that Montoya was heading this way,” Raid adds. “King is safe.”

“And Montoya?” I want to know whether I’m safe from that monster.

“Hawk and Dagger have him. The rest of his men are dead.”

It feels like a blur. Everything happened so fast. Nothing’s really registering. Maybe I’m in shock.

“I’m so fucking sorry, baby.” He hugs me tighter. “I’ve never been so scared in all my life. If I lost you…” His voice cracks. “I wouldn’t have been able to go on.”

“You really do love me.” It’s just now hitting me exactly what I mean to him.

He pulls back, cupping my cheeks in his strong palms, and I can see the tears in his eyes. The pain gripped around the edges. “Damn straight I love you. I love you more than anything in this world, princess. You fucking own me.”

My heart pounds inside my chest. There’s not a doubt in my mind of the truth in his words.

“I love you too, Ripper. Thank you for saving me.”

I don’t even know where he came from, but he appeared out of thin air. Raid must’ve known, trying to get me out of the way so Ripper would have a clear shot.

“Come on, baby. Let’s get you inside and cleaned up.”

I look down at myself and it’s the first time I realize I’m covered in her blood. The wicked witch in my fairy tale is dead now. She tried to poison me with her lies, tried to kill the princess of the castle, but my valiant knight saved me.