Reign (Riders of Apollo #1)

Chapter 8: Roman Hayes

He's dead. He is very, very dead and his friends are gone. I've also found a lot of money in his safe that I blew up with his C4 and I'm feeling awfully proud of myself right now. The body is being cleared up by a few prospects and I'm washing the blood off my hands in the kitchen sink.

As I do this, my mind drifts off to Peyton. She could be doing anything right now but knowing her she's probably chasing down some criminal and cashing them in for money. I'm still concerned though, I know she's a fighter and an incredible one at that but I don't like the idea of her risking her life for cash.

I think she's like me though, she needs to do it to have a purpose. To have a trade, something to fight for.

It's another three hours before I pull up at the club, Forger by my side. He has proved himself well today, he was able to secure our new fence and even got him to throw in a few things to sweeten the deal. 

He has a lot of potential, I'll give him that.

I hear her laugh before I even open the door and a small smile graces my face until I see the dark bruise on her cheekbone. I'm in front of her before I even realise it, her jaw in my gentle grip with concern in my eyes. "What happened?"

"Oh! Don't worry about that! Guess what!" She squeals and shakes me, her entire body giving off waves of excitement.

"What?"

"I got in a car chase and I made 750K today! I caught one of the most wanted people in the country and all I've got to show for it is a little bruise. Isn't that amazing?"

"I wish there wasn't any bruise."

"It'll be gone soon, plus I kicked the guy in the balls so hard his eyes rolled back. I'm sure I've stopped him from having kids, I do feel a little bad." I kiss the bruise gently and her eyelids flutter closed as her skin erupts in goosebumps. I like how reactive she is.

"Are you staying for dinner, darlin'?" Gears asks and her eyes flick away from me to him as she grins happily.

"I'll pay!" Peyton cheers and gives Gears a side hug, her smile is vibrant as she is quickly accepted into our ranks. When she saved Lexie's life her place was already secured but I'm not gonna let her leave now that I have her.

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We end up in a relatively posh restaurant and we're getting the looks from the rich. I mean a massive group of loud bikers with only two women in the fold is likely to get looks anywhere, but here we certainly don't fit in.

Peyton knows that but is quite happily chowing down on the steak from her seat beside me. 

Good Lord, she is perfect.

"Peyton, darling, what on Earth are you doing with these people?" I turn slightly and catch the eyes of a rich looking, designer wearing couple who are a few years older than me. She's wearing pearls and his watch looks like a Rolex, they are looking down their nose at us, sneering at our apparent lack of wealth. We probably have more money than them, we just don't live that shitty vanilla lifestyle where we work five days a week and report to other people.

This is bullshit.

"Because I can be, Karen." She rolls her eyes and takes a long sip of her drink, I feel her take a deep breath as if she is trying to calm herself before she turns in her chair and focuses on the couple.

"Oh my Gosh, honey! They hurt you, quickly, you can stay with us." The bloke makes an effort to reach for her but I stop him by grabbing his wrist. His eyes widen in fear as I stare him down. 

Fucker.

He shakes me off and Peyton rests her hand on my thigh, giving me a look to calm down. She knows that I'll rip their heads off, polite company or not.

"They didn't hurt me, I'm fine. They're basically family so can you piss off and keep your nose out of my life?" Karen and her man seem absolutely scandalised at her words and I turn back to the table so that they don't see me laugh. The others seem both angry and proud and I can tell her calling us family has hit home.

"They're making you so disrespectful, Peyton. What happened to the sweet girl we met the other day?"

"You offended her and her family. Can we be done now?" Karen huffs and storms out, her husband lingers, staring creepily at Peyton before he leaves as well. Getting in their overly expensive car to go back to their mansion and ignore each other for the rest of the night. "Jesus, sorry about that guys."

The night carries on with laughs and bickering, along with a little flirting between Peyton and I. We get kicked out at closing and Peyton walks over to Gears, about to get on the back of his bike since he gave her a ride here but I grab her before she gets there. "You're going on my bike." She doesn't argue, just shrugs, takes the helmet and climbs on behind me.

When we get back to the clubhouse, Peyton jumps off of the bike and shakes her hair out, making all my fantasies come true. I can tell some of my brothers are experiencing the same issue though and I clench my fists in my anger. "Right, I'm heading to bed. I will see you guys soon!"

I head into the clubhouse and pass my hand through my hair. I've never had a girl on the back of my bike before, gripping my waist with her slender arms and her thighs locked around me in an almost suffocating embrace.

I can imagine more than that.

I hiss at my thoughts. She's not safe with me, I've had a dark life, a dark past and I doubt she could deal with everything that I have done. 

Survival was the key and living was the fucking trick. 

I found the club and they saved me, gave me purpose. I can still taste the heavy metal of blood from when I was a child, the smashing of bottles, the clenched fists. All of it.

I don't want to. I never want to but sometimes I get triggers or smell something familiar and my brain submerges itself in its own nightmare. Sometimes it lasts for days and that's the terrifying part.

I grab a bottle of Jack and head up to my room, locking the door behind me. The boys know not to bother me, they know I have PTSD even though I haven't been in the war. My childhood was basically a war zone though and nobody here can help me out of the dark pit that I dig myself into every fucking time.

That's why it felt so different when I saw her. It's like I could sense her broken soul, her need for comfort and it called out to mine. I know I'm bad for her, if you think about it though why am I? If anything, I know how to treat her, how to help her and even more so she can help me.

Maybe I'm being stupid but maybe we need each other. I don't know, I guess we'll see. I don't even know that much about her, just that she calls out to me with the sly glances and gentle touches with the big smile and the pensive eyes.

Soon, Reign, soon.