On my watch

––––––––

RAZOR:

As I caught up on things with Pete, he shared some good and disturbing news. The old man wasn't playing when he said he was getting too old for this shit. He was ready to give up the gavel and he was looking at several guys to come in and take his place. He knew I was the district president, so he also wanted my thoughts. Shit, he set me up for that job. He technically didn't have to get a president if the district one assumed some of the major responsibilities.

Knowing that I had Kylie in my life and rooting her in a permanent way, I quickly declined that. Pete said he knew that when he saw our hands linked. I'd never brought a woman to see him, forget, introducing her to him. A chick might have been at the bar but never in the vicinity of my president.

Kylie took a long time to come back. Almost ten minutes. An eerie feeling came over me as I immediately thought the worse.

"Do your bathrooms work?" I asked.

"Yeah, they workin'," Pete answered.

"I'll be back."

I stood up and walked to the bathroom. There was no gender-designated bathrooms, because this was a biker compound. Therefore, mostly men used the room and there was no need for other accommodations.

Wait!

She wasn't in there.

I quickly searched the area and there was no sign of her. No where. Trying to remain calm, I stepped outside and still saw nothing out of the ordinary. Everything was in place except my lady.

Coming back in the compound, I searched the entire area again. Pete must have seen something was off because he was headed my way.

“Where is she?” he asked.

“Gone.” My hands ran through my hair. “He fucking took her.”

Without me elaborating, the old man knew me long enough to know something was wrong and what to do about it. Pete held up his one hand and just like always, the music stopped and everyone came to a standstill.

“Lieutenants to the base,” he said just as calmly and put his hand on my back to move me out of the room.

There was some murmuring, but around ten guys made their way out of the door to cross over to the next place.

When we were just outside the base, Pete started giving out directions. “Fuzz, call the Manor base and get Razor’s VP and lieutenants over here now. Let them know his lady is gone and they’ll know what to bring. Get Dean on the phone as well.” 

“Got to go.” I started to walk away. 

“No, you got to be smart.” Pete was giving me his president’s voice, so I knew he meant business. “Let us help you with this. Your guys are coming. Tell us everything you know and I’ll get Lift to track it. You know he’s the best.”

He was right. I knew it and so did he. We’d been here before. Search and rescue. Sometimes they were ugly and sometimes they were simple. Now it was for me. It was mine and she was gone.

Almost stunned into silence because anything from my mouth would turn into a roar and Pete’s guys were holding me down. They were more than his guys; they were my brothers too. They would protect me, they would watch out for her and they knew she meant something.

An hour later, there was no word from Lift and my guys were coming through the door.

“We’ll find her,” was Apollo’s first words. 

“What’s the word?” Bronx asked.

He was asking whether to bring this man back dead or alive. Our club did not deal with violence as a practice, but we were no strangers to it. As a matter of fact, we were all highly trained in weapons, surveillance, and hand-to-hand combat.

The Legion of Guardians were based on the premise that we would keep the scales balanced and just, but what some didn’t know and those that needed to know was it meant by any means necessary. Some might have called us vigilantes but we made shit right.

This needed to be made right.

“What do you have?” I asked Apollo.

“The trail ended cold but it got hot again when I was looking into her old band. I have surveillance on the guy you decked. He is single but he wasn’t doing nothing as of two weeks ago. Fucking with some girl out of town. The other guy is sketchy. He’s the one I just started to tail. He lives in town, but at the local motel. People don’t live at motels and they definitely don’t live in local motels when they have a house in their name two towns over for an extended amount of time. Tate is over there now since the guys haven’t been back yet.”

“Good,” I exhaled.

Some amount of relief filled me but it was brief. I had to get her back.

“That’s good, but we need live intel now,” Pete added. “Can you get him on the phone?”

“Yeah,” Apollo called. “Tate, you in there yet?”

“Yeah, man, just...” he grunted, “got in.”

He was on speaker phone.

“Look alive. We don’t have him on radar yet,” Apollo said aloud.

There were at least thirty guys in the room and more than half of them were my guys. They weren’t all lieutenants, but they were brothers who heard what the hell happened and came to help. Some had on their cuts and others had on work clothes.

“Holy shit,” Tate breathed through the phone.

“What?” I grabbed it from Apollo.

“Razor, man, he’s been following her every fucking move. Looks likes for the past year or so. Even when she was still in the band.”

There was rustling over the phone and I saw Apollo talking with Pete.

“I’m gone.” I held up my phone. “Patch me through to Tate.”

“No, wait,” Pete yelled for me.

“Not waiting, Pete. My girl is in the hands of some psycho. Not waiting anymore. Patch me through to whoever I need to speak with, but I’m not sitting around here strategizing.”

“I’m with you,” Bronx moved towards me and so did Apollo.

“Fine, but let’s find out what we’re dealing with. We’ll put you on the live feed.” Pete nodded as I walked out.

“You take her house,” I pointed to Bronx. “You take that guy that I punched and get everything you can from him about this weirdo.” I pointed to Apollo.

“Where are you going?” Bronx asked as he held the clutch on his motorcycle.

“Ground zero.” I turned the ignition. “To this motherfucker’s house.”

We nodded and rode off.

******

KYLIE:

It smelled familiar but it hurt to breathe. It felt like something was sitting on my back causing pain to shoot up my spine and causing my head to hurt like a bitch.

There was movement in the dark room and then the heaviness was lifted off of me.

“You’re up.” A familiar man’s voice said but it was strained, like he was hoarse or he was trying to alter his voice.

Just like I was taught, I took inventory of what I could. There was a blindfold covering my eyes. My hands and feet were tied. I was lying on my stomach on a cement floor and there were lights in front of me.

“You. You. You have been bad,” the voice stuttered. “I’ve. Been. Watching you.”

“Justin?” My voice didn’t sound the same.

Holy shit. I think it was Justin. 

“You remember?”

“Justin, what’s going on?” I asked as my head felt like it weighed a ton. “Where am I?”

“I ask the questions.” His voice sounded far away. “You, you, you’re whoring around.”

“Uh, Justin what is this?”

A shrieking scream cut through the room and then unimaginable pain spread through my side, causing me to scream out.

Son of a Bitch!

When it registered what happened, I realized I was not dealing with the Justin I remembered. This guy was different, he just kicked the shit out of me, and I swear a rib or two broke.

“I told you,” Justin screamed. He was near me. Like really close. “I ask the fucking questions, you bitch!”

I could smell his putrid breath on my face as the spit hit my nose. He was really close to me because I could feel his body heat on my skin. My head reared back and with my eyes closed, I propelled forward, hitting my target. My forgotten rib be damned; it was fight or flight. There was a loud bang, like he fell on something. My hands were tied in the front, so I rolled over and tried to untie my ankles. Then I hit the ground with a breath-taking thud. The man had tackled me.

“You whoorrreeee!!!” he screamed as his clammy hands wrapped around my throat.

My hands were tied in between us, so I was able to push them up between us and break the hold of his left hand. Then I felt a sting across my face that sent my head whirling to the right as it was his left hand that struck me. He resumed choking me so I tried to squirm and use the momentum from my lower body to knee him off of me.

I must have succeeded because his entire body was no longer on me. There was ringing in my ears, but I heard other people and a scuffle. There were punches, screaming and things were moving.

Someone touched my shoulder and I screamed.

“Kylie, it’s me,” a familiar voice spoke in my ear.

Oh my God! It was Apollo.

“Apollo. Oh my God.” My body was hefted up.

The blindfold was taken off, along with the rope that bound my wrists and ankles. My eyes took some time to adjust but when they did, I saw Razor beating the shit out of someone. There wasn’t a fight; it was just him throwing perfectly executed punches in the upper and middle region. Bronx was standing next to him.

“Let’s go.” Apollo pulled me.

“Wait,” I said. “He’s going to kill that man.”

Apollo grunted and kept pulling me out of the underground space. We had to climb a ladder in order to get out. It was nighttime, but there were lights everywhere. There seemed to be every color. Bikes, trucks, cars and even an ambulance was coming. This was great because the lights and probably that last blow to the head had me going down.

My knees buckled under me and I saw all the lights dim but something caught my fall.

Or someone.

******

THERE WERE VOICES IN the room. They weren’t loud, but hushed voices like they were whispering. It was difficult to open my eyes but after several tries, I was able to see through one of them. When my vision cleared, I saw four guys and one had on a doctor’s jacket.

“Kylie?” a familiar voice whispered.

I tried to turn, but it hurt like a bitch to move. I grunted and remained where I was.

“Oh no, honey. Don’t move.” It was Shay.

I heard feet scampering around and saw the men turning their heads.

“She’s awake,” Shay called. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

“Hello Kylie, my name is Doctor Johnson. I’ll be the one asking questions.” He looked pointedly at Shay.

“That’s her friend,” Bronx added with a glare that even my one eye could pick up.

I raised my hand to see what was wrong with my eye but the doctor stopped me and said, “It’s in a delicate state right now. It has a patch on it and at this moment, we just want to rule everything out.”

All of this commotion and I still hadn’t seen my parents or Razor.

“Where are my parents? Where’s Razor?” I croaked.

"They just left out because your mom was feeling weak and uh, Razor, he’s on his way,” Bronx said.

“Just tell her the truth,” Shay snapped.

“There’s nothing to tell,” Bronx snapped back.

“Listen, you guys are upsetting her. Maybe y’all need to step out since this is her first time awake.”

“We’re not going anywhere.” Bronx’s eyes narrowed. “We’re Guardians and so is she.”

Dr. Johnson leveled his eyes on Bronx and said, “And I’m not? She just woke up and you are bickering. This is the last thing she needs. Now put a lid on it or I will have you all thrown out of here.”

Bronx folded his arms over his chest in a defensive stance like he dared the doctor to throw him out. Shay touched his arm and only then did he turn his gaze to her.

“It’s cool, doctor.” Shay rubbed Bronx’s arm. Then she nudged him and nodded. “Right?”

“Whatever.”

“Look, let’s catch up alright?” The doctor made his way to my bedside. “You have a broken rib and a fractured one. There’s a cut on your wrist that has been bandaged and your eye, we will know more tomorrow.” He nodded. “Besides that, you will be okay young lady.”

“Is my mom okay? Where’s Razor?” I asked again as panic begin to set in. My chest was tight, my hair was matted to my head, my palms were sweaty, and my body was sore.

“Honey, your mom is fine. She was just a little worked up,” Shay reassured. “They’re just down the hall. I’ll get them to come back, okay?” She looked to Bronx and continued, “Razor is just being detained with the Sheriff right now. He’ll be out soon. Wolf is there with him.”

“Who’s Wolf,” I asked.

“The club’s lawyer,” Bronx answered. “He’ll be here within the hour.”

I nodded as I knew Shay wouldn’t lie to me. As long as he was alright, I was fine.

A few more minutes had passed and I was back in la-la land.

******

RAZOR WAS THERE THE next time I opened my eyes. He had a somber look, but I wasn’t sure if that was because he had been locked up for reasons I didn’t know yet or I just looked like a beast or something. He wasn’t talking and was answering me with one-word answers. My parents were there and though everyone looked physically fine, the weary look in their eyes told me they were more stressed than they let on.

I was released and went home with Razor. There was still a patch over my eye and my wrist was bandaged up. They did not want to confine my ribs, so I basically had to be extra careful.

For three days, I looked in the mirror at the patch over my eye and the ugly bruises on my side. Razor helped to wash me but he was distant, and to the point that it was getting on my nerves.

This also happened at the hospital; so when I got out and it was still happening three days later, I finally lost it on him.

“Take me to my parents!” I exclaimed. “Now!”

“What?” he asked.

“You heard me. I want to leave.”

“Why?” he asked as he sat on the couch, like he had done for the past three days, staring at nothing.

Razor hadn’t touched me, barely kissed me and wanted to always check the surveillance on the house. He even had a couple of guys stopping in once every two hours. Bronx told me to let him do it and Apollo just grunted. Shay and Lori kept their distance because he was in a terrible mood.

“Because you are driving me crazy. I’m in pain, like real physical pain and now you’re contributing to my emotional pain,” I exclaimed as I started to climb the stairs one at a time.

“Wait, I can help you up.” He touched my arm.

“No, don’t fucking touch me. I can walk up the damn steps,” I snapped at him.

Razor was right behind me but I did not care one bit. When I reached the top stair, he cornered me against the closet door.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he growled.

I growled back, “You!”

His head drew back and his eyebrows closed in on each other, “What did I do?”

“You’ve been sulking for the past five days; at the hospital for two and here for three. I’ve tried to be patient, but I need some time. This is fucking ridiculous.”

“Sweetheart.” He sighed. “Wait a minute.”

“No. You’ve been ignoring me. Giving me one-word answers. Not sleeping in your bed and you’re driving me fucking crazy with the surveillance. You got the guy. So what is the actual...”

“He took you!” he roared. “He took you, broke a rib, fractured another one, cut your arm and fucked up your eye. He did all of that on my goddamn watch. Know how that makes me feel? Huh? I’m a fucking Guardian. The goddamn district president and my woman was taken on my watch.” Razor put his head down and growled, “My watch.”

“Razor, you found me. Okay? You found me. You’re going to beat yourself up for this? How long? Huh? Let me know because I’ll come back when you stop.” I pushed him away and walked toward the bed. “Cause if you think that your brothers or the other club think any less of you as their leader, you are absolutely wrong. If it wasn’t for you, only God knows where I would be. So sulk about the fact that I was taken and not rejoice that I’m back. That’s how shit works when it gets tough. I don’t want that. I thank God I’m fucking alive.”

I turned to see he was staring at me and his eyes were wet.

Shit.

“It was on my watch.” He shook his head.

“Have you forgotten, it was also on your watch that I was retrieved in less than eight hours?” I was about to get emotional. “Xander,” I said on a sigh.

Walking back to him, I pulled his face down towards me and said, “I know I don’t look the best right now, so I understand.”

His face reared back. “What the fuck? Shit, Kylie! That has nothing to do with anything.” He scoffed, “Woman, your beauty goes much beyond your looks. That’s for damn sure. I love you, no matter what. You hear me. That’s why I’m so fucked up. I almost lost you for good. That sorry excuse for a man was about to take you away from me. We were fucking minutes to hours away from you being gone and darling....” Razor put his head down. “I...” He sighed. “I wouldn’t be able to handle that.”

I pulled his face down and kissed him lightly on the lips.

“Razor, it didn’t happen, okay? I’m here; you got me. You’re still home to me. Always will be.” His face paled and the tear finally fell. This time, it was me who kissed it away.

“I almost killed him, Kylie. I would have too, if Bronx hadn’t pulled me off of him. Need you to know that.”

Shit.

“Now that would have made me mad, Razor. You not being in my life because you were behind bars. I would have killed you because that’s not something I could have handled. I get it Razor but I need you to know, I want the father of my children in their lives and not being seen behind steel gates.”

He nodded like he understood but I also was no dummy. I knew when I saw it, Bronx was the insurance. That man would have died at Razor’s hands and that was his VP’s role to make sure that didn’t happen; always watching his back. I’d have to thank him when I saw him again.

Suffice it to say, I didn’t go to my parents and Razor snapped out of his mood. I even orchestrated a guy’s night out, so he could get some male bonding therapy with his brothers. Even the Columbia chapter joined in. I had a sleepover with the gals.

A month later, my external wounds healed for the most part. The patch had been off for a while, the wound on my wrist healed but left a nasty scar and the bruising was gone on my ribs. They weren’t completely healed just yet so that made both Razor and I sexually frustrated. I’d helped him get off a couple of times a day but I knew it was just filler. My ribs had not been in any condition to withstand pressure, but even breathing heavy, laughing and having an orgasm was tough. It felt like I was going to die. We tried and it did not work.

There was no real cuddling, which also upset Razor as he was left just holding my hand and trying to encourage me when the pain set in. He knew I was trying to stay away from the painkillers. Sometimes, he’d force me to take them when I was in extreme pain. After five weeks had passed, the throbbing pain had subdued and wasn’t as consistent.

Amongst all the news surrounding me, my father had a dinner party six weeks later, where he proposed to my mother for the second time. I saw that they were getting closer, but I had no idea they would be making that leap. She emphatically said yes and it seemed like all was well with the world until I saw Razor’s face. He was smiling on the outside, but his eyes were faraway.

I knew it had to do with his family but he did not say and I did not push after our last conversation about them. That was one conversation we no longer had. Yet, I knew he was not settled about their current situation.

Once I was healed and settled, Shay and Razor set up a ‘She’s Back’ party for me at Peppers. It was more of an excuse to get me out of the house. I was not really in the partying mood because I could finally have sex with Razor and he wanted to attend some damn party for me. He kept saying that he’d make it up to me that night.

Frustrated was an understatement.

“So good to see you looking like yourself again,” Wiley said.

“How’d they drag you into enemy territory, Wiley?” I asked.

“Ah. Anything for you Kylie.” He smiled at me.

I gave him a hug and thanked him for coming. Mom and dad showed up and she flaunted her new rock. It was huge too. Dad said he wanted to start new, so he bought her a new ring.

As the party was underway, Guardians were definitely in the building because there were angel wings with Scales of Justice symbols with bikes on cuts draped across almost every guy’s back. There had to be other chapters in Razor’s district present because I’d never seen some of them before.

The deejay was playing mostly country music, but then some other kind started beating through the speakers.

It was a song from my old band.

Razor looked up and smiled at me from across the room. He was over there with Pete and some other guys while I was at the bar with Shay, Lori and my mom. My dad was mingling with some of the guys while we were gushing over my mom’s engagement ring.

The doors opened and four people walked through, but only one person I recognized. It was Razor’s mother and three tall men. They all were handsome and built like Razor. They all resembled the man I’d seen in pictures that Razor had shown me of his father so I assumed they were his brothers or related to him in some way.

I witnessed the moment he spotted them. His eyes grew wide and his mouth slightly parted. There weren’t too many times I’d seen that look on his face but it was there for a brief moment. Nostalgia, hope, and maybe even fear crossed his features but vanished as he wiped them clear like he often does. When his mom spotted him, she made the first few steps and he made the rest. The men followed behind her and stopped when she did. Some words were exchanged between the two of them. I was on pins and needles as I watched it like a silent movie playing out. I almost wanted to intervene but I’d done enough in regards to that union. A moment later, she opened her arms and Razor picked her up as she squealed in delight.

Tears panged my eyes as I witnessed the two, well five of them embrace. Shay saw it too and she had tears in her eyes as well. She leaned over and whispered, “You made that happen.”

“No.” I smiled. “They did.”

After a few songs from our album played, a deep voice came through the loudspeaker.

“Well, as you know this party here is to celebrate Kylie’s full recovery. Razor wanted to make a big deal out of it because it has been a hard and trying time for her and I’m sure for him as well.” The men jeered him. “However, he also wanted to let Kylie in on something else.”

Razor nodded at the guy and said in his sexy raspy voice, “Thanks brother.” He cleared his throat and continued, “Everybody in here knows what this is about, ‘cept her. Kylie Mills stormed into town, gave me nothing but shit and then snatched my heart right outta me. Fucked around, mended it together and then put it back.” Everybody started laughing, while tears were flowing from my eyes. He sobered and then continued. “It’s funny now, but that shit didn’t feel funny. Even worse was when I almost lost her. Worst moment of my life and I thank God every day that I got her back.”

Razor paused as if he was going to get emotional.

“Go on, brother,” someone yelled.

He smirked and then continued, “Kylie, come here darling.”

Oh shit.

Standing on shaky legs, I made my way to him. He smiled down at me and wiped my tears from my watery eyes.

“Love you, darling. Not sure what I’d do if I ever lost you.” His eyes bore into mine. “You,” he paused and I wrapped my hand around the wrist of his hand that rested on my shoulder. He exhaled and continued, “Never knew it could be like this. Never knew there was someone out there like you. Been waiting on you a long time and didn’t even know it.”

Razor bent down on one knee, went into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. I gasped and took a step back with both hands to my face.

He held out his hand toward me and said, “Marry me, Kylie. Promise you’re always first, darling. Always.”

“Razor,” I uttered in my hands as everybody in the place was hooting and hollering.

There was no way he could hear me but oh my GOD! Xander Razor Willis set up an engagement party without me knowing anything about it.

“Son of a bitch,” I said as I brought my hands down. “You set all of this up and I didn’t know.”

He smirked and then said, “That would’ve defeated the purpose.”

“Goddamit.” I shook my head.

Everybody laughed.

Razor stood up, picked me up and said, “That’s a yes. Everybody, she said yes.”

The place went up in celebration. If anyone knew Razor and me, they knew that was a yes. I couldn’t believe him.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. This caused him to drop me so my feet hit the ground and both of his hands were on my ass.

The two of us sat and kissed for what felt like hours but after all of the noise, the music resuming and somebody yelling for us to get a room, we pulled apart.

Shit, nobody knew the duress we were both under. No sex for two months, not even major fondling was hard for us.

Razor introduced all of us to his family including my mom and dad. They even invited them on the family getaway that we planned every few years. They talked amongst themselves, while I sat on Razor’s lap and let him soothe me with his presence like he usually did. My home, my safeguard and most importantly, my man.

As the evening progressed, I saw Shay speaking with Bronx. I could not tell what the conversation was about but she looked frazzled and he was simply livid. Bronx was a big man and when he was mad, he seemed to grow bigger. He was speaking sternly to her and the crazy thing and very unlike Shay, she was taking whatever he was saying. There was no sass and no attitude.

I still had yet to ask her about her taking him home that night. It completely slipped my mind but something was going on with those two. Razor kept telling me not to meddle in their affairs, and I kept telling him that’s what friends did.

Lori on the other hand, was not having a good night and if I had known it would have turned out to be as bad as it could get, I would have stopped her consumption of alcohol four Long Island Ice Teas ago.

The parents had left because they were old and needed to retire, both his and mine. His brothers and cousin, Wes, stayed. I planned to try to hook him up with Lori if she would get her head out of Apollo’s butt for ten minutes. Shay said she was through talking with her because she seemed to be stuck on getting her heart broken. Well, from Shay’s mouth to God’s ear, that’s exactly what happened.

Apparently, Apollo had been drinking too, so when one of Columbia’s members tried to get Lori’s number. She declined and said she had her eyes set on Apollo. Well, the guy went and told Apollo what was said and he lost his damn mind.

The crazy part about all of this was the timing. He started his rant right in between songs, so the place was quiet, meaning everyone heard every word.

“If one more fucking person tells me that Lori likes me, wants to fuck me or she’s claiming me, I’m going to knock them the fuck out. I don’t give one fuck about what she wants. She ain’t mine and I do NOT lay any claim to her or her pussy. So drop that shit. I don’t want her!”

Well!

At that point in the night, I was sitting right between Shay and Lori and the guys were at their table across the bar. You could have heard a mouse piss on cotton it was so quiet in there. The next song did not play and most eyes were on Apollo and the rest were on Lori. She immediately turned bright red and big droplets burst from her eyes. By the time Shay or I could react, she was up and leaving the bar. We ran after her but she had hailed down a biker that was leaving and was on the back of his bike.

“Who was that?” I asked Shay.

“Beats the shit out of me.” Her eyes were narrowed.

My blood was boiling and if I knew my friend like I knew her, we both had the same idea. We burst back in the bar going right for Apollo.

“You motherfucker,” Shay yelled.

The music had not turned back on but the conversations had started again throughout Peppers.

“Fuck,” Razor growled. “Grab Shay,” he instructed to Bronx.

“I cannot believe you,” I shrieked as I made my way around the other side of their table.

“She ain’t my bitch,” Apollo defended. “I’m fucking sick of people...”

“Shut the fuck up,” Razor barked at him as I lunged towards Apollo, but Razor used my momentum and put me over his shoulder.

Shay was over Bronx’s shoulder as well and we were being escorted out of the bar.

“I’m going to kick your ass,” Shay yelled to Apollo.

She was pointing, kicking and screaming how she was going to avenge her friend. The crazy part was I was doing the same.

“Stop,” Bronx yelled to her.

They got us outside and Shay yelled, “Put me down, right now.”

“No,” he yelled back and then said, “Watch who the fuck you’re talking to like that.”

Uh oh.

“I’m talking to you,” Shay snapped back and kicked her legs out.

Bronx slapped her on her ass twice and said, “Keep talking and I will tan that ass.”

I didn’t hear much else from her, but then Razor interrupted my show and said, “That’s our cue, sweetheart. Mind our business and go.”

“No, Razor. He did not have to do that to her. Publicly humiliate her in front of her entire town. That shit ain’t right.”

“Darling, this has been going on for years. I know that’s your friend but enough is enough.”

What?

“You’re condoning that shit?” I kicked as he still had me over his shoulder.

“Oh, fuck that. Their shit won’t mess with our shit, sweetheart. What we ain't going to do is fight about other folks. I ain’t had you in two goddamn months. I want you in every goddamn way. They are my brothers and that’s your girl, but fuck them right now.” He patted me on the ass. “Okay? Fuck them.”

The man had a point.

Two months of no sex.

Fuck them.

We drove home, put them aside and we fucked until we both passed out. Two months was a long time and we had a lot of making up to do.

When we did revisit our conversation about Lori and Apollo, Razor shared that Lori was damn near stalking the man at one point. He told her to stop and she backed up but was still always around. Telling people that she was with him and it was a turn-off for him, like she had no self-worth. That would be a turn-off for anyone, but she was still my friend.

Weeks later, Shay and I had not heard from Lori. It was like she fell off the face of the earth. Her parents said she quit her job, moved and did not leave a forwarding address. Shay nor I really dealt with Apollo after that. He was always around but as far as we were concerned, he was dead to us. Razor tried to address it with me but I was not and would not hear that shit. As far as I was concerned, as long as Lori was gone, so was he in my mind. It was stupid, since he had helped me with my situation, but he crushed my friend like a flea.

I just did not know how to reconcile that. I owed the Guardians my life and it was because of their hard work and dedication that I was alive. To commemorate that, after receiving permission to use their patch how I wanted, Shay and I went to get their patch symbol inked over my wrist where Justin cut me. He was trying to slowly kill me and it was them who prevented it.

WHEN I SHOWED RAZOR, he was speechless. He pulled me in for a tight hug and whispered, “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, Kylie. Don’t know what I did to deserve you but I ain’t never letting you go. Love it, darling. It’s perfect.”

A week later, Razor came home to show me his new tattoo. It was simple but it meant everything. My name tattooed across his ribs with connecting hearts on each side.

“Razor,” I gasped.

“Meant only for me, sweetheart. All mine.”

He pulled me in and kissed my hair.

“Love you.”

“I love you, Razor.” 

Thank you for reading Just Ride! This is book 1 in the Legion of Guardians MC Series.

Yes, you are right, there are some unanswered questions in book 1 that will be addressed throughout the series. Stay tuned for Shay and Bronx’s stories. Also, #spoiler – Lori comes back in book 2 and she and Apollo will have their own story in book 3.

The best way to stay tuned is my mailing and texting list!

Text EZXYLA to 313131