Page 48 of The Riders’ Reign

By the time I slip out of Jack’s hospital room, I’m grinning like a fool. For a short time, I forget about the shit waiting back at the club compound. All the planning that’s going on. The dangerous mission the guys must make. The fact that Ghost is still being held. For a brief, glorious moment in time, all I focused on was me and Jack.

Finally having him inside me was incredible. He’s so big, but it wasn’t just about the physical side of it. I wanted to feel him close to me. That connection. He has my heart now, and he owns it completely.

When I reach the visitors’ room, Zoo jumps up.

“Oh, thank fuck.” He scowls at me as if I’ve done something wrong.

What?

He stands, followed by the other two men, and stalks past me and out of the open doorway.

Zoo glances back over his shoulder at me. “Come on, Camile. We’ve got to go. Ace called, and shit’s going down at the club. He needs us back.”

“What shit?”

“I have no fucking idea. He called, said ‘shit’s gonna hit the fan, and I want everyone back as soon as possible.’ I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I could hardly interrupt you and the prez, right? But Ace sounds like he’s going to have my balls if we’re not back in the next thirty minutes.”

“We’ll just have to drive fast,” I say with a sweet smile to hide the sudden plummeting of my stomach.

What the hell has happened now? The high of being with Jack quickly fades. We hurry through the hospital, outside to the waiting bikes. I climb on the back with Zoo, being careful not to cling to him the way I would with one of my men. He brings the motorcycle to life and skillfully navigates the roads back to the compound, with the other two flanking us. I wish I didn’t know this route quite as well as I do now.

When we get back to the club, it’s to find Bruce standing by the gates. Zoo slows to a standstill.

“Park the bikes and go to the office.”

Zoo nods.

“Just you and Camile,” Bruce adds.

“What’s going on?” Becker calls from behind.

“Fucked if I know,” Bruce grouses. “All’s I know is that the lady and Zoo are wanted in the office with Ace.”

“Okay,” Zoo says. “On our way.”

We park the bikes and head into the office, passing through the bar, where Felicia is dancing all by herself to a rock song, and down the long corridor to Jack’s office where Zoo raps on the door.

“Come in.” Ace barks out the order.

We head inside, and I stop short, my breath catching. Sitting on a chair to the side of Jack’s desk, looking as if she’s had a death in the family, is Shelley.

Her face is pale, except for her cheeks and nose, which are blotchy. Her eyes are swollen, and her expression when she looks up at us is tormented.

“I’m so sorry, Camile,” she says, lifting her chin to look at me.

“What did you do?” I demand, the anger rising in my voice because I know, I just know, she’s got something to do with why Jack’s in the hospital and Ghost is being held captive.

“Princess,” Ace’s tone is a warning, “we all need to keep level heads here. Shelley fucked up, but she had a damn good reason.”

“What reason could ever be good enough?” I snap.

“Family,” Ace says simply. “Now, I need someone to go and fetch Bear so we can explain what’s going on and try to keep everything as calm as possible. You go, Zoo.”

As Zoo leaves, Ace comes to stand by me. “Princess, I need you to stay calm because shit’s so fucked right now, and you’re the only thing keeping me sane. If we let emotions get out of hand, the rest of the MC could hurt Shelley, do you understand?” His voice is so low, I’m sure she can’t hear.

“Maybe she deserves it?” I wipe a tear from my cheek. “He could have died, Ace.”

“He didn’t, and when you hear the details, you might not forgive her, but you’ll understand.”