Chapter Twelve

Neve

I lay Harlee on the couch but she doesn't even stir which worries me more. I find the Calpol and suck the right amount into the oral syringe and gently lift her head slightly before slipping it into her mouth and squirting it a small amount at a time, giving her a chance to swallow in between each small dose. I kiss her on the head and lie her back down, opening the nearest window in the hope a breeze will cool her down. I notice Finn getting into his car, driving away at speed and Ryder is with Griff. It's good to see the pair talking, since Ryder returned, I've not really seen them together at all.

Ryder eventually comes inside. "Griff's gone to get her some treats," he says, "I asked him to add Calpol to the list."

I smile gratefully. "Thanks, you didn't need to."

He goes over to where Harlee is sleeping and feels her forehead. "She's cooling down," he tells me and I nod in agreement. He then places a gentle kiss on her forehead and it melts my heart. "She looks just like you," he murmurs, stroking her hair away from her sweaty forehead.

"What did Finn say?" I ask casually. I can't deny I'm worried about his next move. They'll be no stopping him now he knows about Ryder.

"I reminded him who he's messing with."

"He's going to try and take her from me," I add, my voice wavering with emotion.

"He can try, but he won't win. Don't worry about it, Siren, I've got this," he says, coming to me and kissing me on the forehead. "Go sit with your baby and I'll make you a drink."

I want to believe him, but I know Finn too well, he will stop at nothing to show me who's really in charge. Today was a small win but it won't last. He'll make sure of it.

Griff returns and he looks like his usually goofy self. He hands me the bag of things to cheer Harlee up, most of which I can't give her without signing her up to a lifelong illness such as heart disease but I'm grateful for the gesture. He follows me to the kitchen, leaving Ryder watching over Harlee.

"How're things with you?" I ask casually.

He lifts himself up onto the counter. "If you're asking are me and Ryder okay, then yeah, we're good."

"Did you talk?"

He shakes his head. "We're not like that, Siren. Talking gives me the ick."

I laugh. "And things are good with you and Corey?"

He grins, "The best."

"How does he cope with you?" I ask, because I've wanted to ask since I found out he was seeing someone. "You're so . . . hyper."

"Corey is the opposite, which brings me calm. He manages me quite well, usually by sucki-"

"Sorry I asked," I cut in, before he can finish the sentence. "I get the picture."

"What about you and my brother?"

I fold my arms over my chest and lean back against the counter beside him. "He's full on," I admit and Griff laughs. "I feel like we somehow married and I didn't know."

"He likes to go in like a bull, he was never very patient."

"But, I'm really enjoying having him around. It's been a long time since I had a man around."

"Just be careful," says Griff, jumping down from the counter. "I'd hate to have to kill you if you hurt him." He gives me a wink then leaves.

By bedtime, Harlee has improved. She's spent the day lying on the couch with Ryder one side, and me the other. It's been a nice, relaxing day, and if Finn wasn't lurking in the back of my mind, I could have almost pretended this was my happy ever after.

I take Harlee to bed and when I get downstairs, Ryder is waiting to pounce. He wraps me in his arms and kisses me until my toes curl. "I've been wanting to do that all day," he growls, burying his nose into my hair and inhaling. "We need an early night," he adds, backing me towards the stairs.

"You're staying over?" I ask, arching a brow.

He grins. "I'm staying wherever you are from this night onwards."

His words make me feel warm inside and by the time we make it to the bedroom, we're both half naked. Ryder pushes me to lay on the bed, parting my legs and burying his face between them. I arch off the bed as his tongue works it's magic and I'm almost about to lose it when my mobile vibrates across the table. Ryder pauses, glancing up at me. "Don't even think about answering," he warns me, and he rubs circles on my clit. But it's no good now, the moments gone. The phone rings off but I bat Ryder's hand away, much to his annoyance.

"He probably wants an update on Harlee," I reason.

"Bullshit and you know it. He doesn't give a crap about Harlee."

"He's still her dad," I whisper, unable to stop the anxiety that's currently taken over my body.

"We're not doing this," snaps Ryder, crawling up my body and taking each of my wrists, holding them above my head. "You don't answer to him anymore." He kisses me, and for a second, I get distracted, wrapping my leg around his waist and tugging him closer. I feel him at my entrance and groan as he sinks into me. My mobile begins its vibrating dance again, but Ryder keeps my hands pinned beside my head, slamming into me harder and faster.

He pulls from me and takes my hand to his erection, wrapping it around and keeping his over the top, rubbing fast until he comes over my stomach.

He drops down beside me again, his breathing is fast and heavy. "Answer the fucking phone," he grits out.

"It's fine, he'll get bored," I mutter.

"Answer the damn phone, Neve. He ain't ruining our night with constant phone calls. Answer it."

I go to grab my top, I'm currently down to my underwear, but he snatches it away. "Nuh huh, if he's gonna video call, he gets to see the shit he doesn't want to."

I roll my eyes, taking my phone just as it begins to ring for the fourth time. I answer, positioning it so he can't see below my neckline. "You think I'll let you get away with what happened today?" Finn spits angrily. I notice the cut on the bridge of his nose and a swelling on his cheek.

"Don't you want to know how your daughter is?" I ask. My heart beats wildly in my chest.

"There is no way I'm letting you keep her now, not after this," he yells.

"It's not up to you," I mutter.

"Oh baby, you know I have people that can take her from you before sunrise," he threatens.

"I went back to the school," I snap. "I told them the truth, they know you hit her, it's all on record."

"And?" he growls.

"And no judge is going to let you take her after that." He laughs and I feel my panic rising. Ryder gently squeezes my knee in a reassuring manner.

"I'm a fucking lawyer, Neve," he screams. "Do you think any judge will listen to you over me? You're nothing but a hotel receptionist. These judges know me, we play golf together. I'm taking Harlee, trust me on that. By the time I tell them about your murderer boyfriend and how my daughter is around criminal gangs, they'll be begging me to take her." A tear leaks down my cheek and I glance at Ryder. "Holy shit is he there, in my bed?" snaps Finn. I shake my head. "Show me," he demands.

I sit straighter, using a hand gesture to tell Ryder to move out of camera view. He scoffs, snatching the telephone from me. "Of course I'm here, Finn, she's my ol' lady, or wasn't that clear from our conversation today." I groan, burying my face in my hands. "If I remember right, Ryder, you owe me a woman already. I'm taking mine back and I'll return her broken and messed up along with that little brat. I have a special place just for them, mother and daughter, I might even mention that to the judge, you know how these guys work right? The right offer at the right time…" he trails off, leaving the sentence hanging in the air.

"That sounded like an admission, Finn. Why would I owe you a woman?"

Finn gives a small laugh. "I'm coming for her, Ryder. And then I'll take your club apart."

Ryder disconnects the call, throwing the handset on the bed and staring at it. After a few minutes, he looks at me. "Don't ever ask me to fucking hide from him again." He's angry, I can tell by the pulsing vein in the side of his neck and the way he clenches his jaw.

"I don't know what to do anymore," I cry.

He swoops down closer, pushing his face into mine and placing a hand either side of my thighs. "Stop falling at his feet," he growls, "Stop acting like he holds all the cards. You belong to me, Neve. You. Belong. To. Me."

His words should terrify me, but they send a thrill through me. I want to be owned by this man. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him hungrily. He makes no move to touch me back, so I push up onto my knees. "Show me," I whisper against his mouth.

"Show you?"

"That I belong to you."

He growls, sweeping me into his arms and wrapping my legs around his hips. "You drive me crazy," he whispers against my mouth.

I smile "You should punish me for that," I reply, arching a suggestive brow.

Ryder

Every time with Neve is different. We go from making love to fucking like starved animals. But that was by far the best fuck I've ever had in my life. We're lying side by side, staring up at the ceiling, with the sound of our heavy breaths filling the silence. "Do you trust me?" I ask.

I feel her turn her head to look at me. "Yes."

"I want you to move into the club."

She gives a laugh and when she sees I'm serious, she turns on to her side. "What?"

"I can keep you and Harlee safe there."

"We're safe here, aren't we?"

"At the club, you'll never be alone. There are always people around to keep you safe. I think we need to take extra steps since he's threatened you."

"He always threatens me," she says, frowning. "It's nothing new."

"But this time, you're not going to give in. He'll make more threats when he sees he's losing the grip he had on you. And he might carry them out if you're easy to get to."

She sits fully upright. "What do you mean? You said you were dealing with that."

"This is me dealing with it," he explains.

"Won't me taking Harlee into a biker club make him angrier?"

"I can keep you safer there, Neve. Just trust me."

By the following morning, I can tell Neve is more nervous. She spent the entire night tossing and turning and when it was finally time to get up, she rushed out before I had the chance to pin her down and fuck her slow.

I call the prospect to bring me a car and ask him to take my bike back. Then, while Neve packs a bag for her and Harlee, I call Griff.

"Jesus, Pres, it's nine in the morning," he grumbles sleepily.

"I thought I owed you a conversation," I tell him and I hear rustling his end, like he's getting out of bed. "I'm taking Neve and Harlee to the clubhouse."

"To show them around?" he asks.

"No, brother, I'm thinking of making this a permanent thing. I wanna claim her."

"Shit, Ryder. Where the fuck did this come from?"

"She's it, man. I ain't looking elsewhere."

"Well you know I like her, and the kids great, so I'm happy for you brother. Really happy. I'll come over and give you a hand."

Neve

We arrive at the clubhouse. It's pretty much how I imagined it to look on the outside. There are three large shutters, two at each end are pulled down but the middle one is lifted halfway, giving us access. Inside, there's a bar to the left. Ryder clears his throat to gain his attention but it doesn't work, he continues to stare up at the small television hung on the wall. "Whiskey, this is Neve," says Griff. He looks over, giving a slight nod of his head. He then picks Harlee up, "And Harlee," he adds. She nuzzles her head into his neck and closes her eyes like she's shy.

"She's under my protection Whisky, you spread that around for me," adds Ryder and the old guy gives a salute in acknowledgment.

Ryder turns to me with a smirk, "Whisky don't talk, he had his tongue cut out when he was a kid so don't expect much from him. He's a great guy and he'll look after you, so you need anything, you see him." I give a nod, glancing around the bar area where there are wooden tables with four stools tucked neatly under each one. Ryder notices, "Whisky has a serious case of OCD, if you see a stool outta place or missing, put that shit back. He's smashed up the joint before now just because some crazy bastard stole a stool."

"Got it," I say, looking past the tables to the couches spread out, all pointing towards a large screen television hung up high on the wall. Ryder leads me in that directions and towards a large man laying on one of the couches. As we approach, he sits up, showing off crazy red hair and a bushy ginger beard. "Pres," he greets.

"Bear, this is my woman, Neve," Ryder replies.

"Aww she's a wee pretty little thing," he says, with a hint of a Scottish accent, "Is she your little one?" he adds, looking from me to Harlee.

I smile, nodding. "She sure is, Harlee. She's five." Griff hands her to Ryder and I groan. She's nodded off and I know I'll pay for that when she wakes.

"Great name," he says with a wink.

Ryder continues to lead me past the couches and towards some snooker tables. There are two more bikers there, one I recognise as Knox from one of Griff's parties and Ryder introduces the other as Smokey. So far, everyone seems nice and friendly and I begin to relax.

There are three doors at the back of the room. One is Ryders office. Next to that is something Griff refers to as their ‘church' which Ryder then explains is what they call their meetings in the biker world. The final door leads to the stairs. The clubhouse has three stories, but Ryder takes me straight to the first floor. The passageway has six doors and Ryder opens the second to last one.

"We'll get some things tomorrow to make it more like home for Harlee, this room's right next to ours and has a connecting door, see…" he demonstrates the door which leads between the two rooms. "We can leave the door open tonight in case she wakes and wonders where the hell she is," he adds with a laugh, laying Harlee on the white cotton sheets and pulling the blanket over her sleeping form.

He then props the door open and we go into his bedroom. I take in the dark woods and black sheets, frowning. "I know it's not great, I haven't had a chance to decorate since I came home," he says, shifting from one foot to the other like a nervous teenager.

I reach up and kiss him on the cheek. "It's perfect," I tell him. "We can work on the décor," I add, winking.