Ride Or Remember

CHAPTER 22

RYDER

“The funds have been transferred,” Kane announced, his gaze fixed on the laptop resting on his thigh.

Logan let out an excited laugh and clapped his hands together. “If jobs like this keep coming our way, I might just retire early.”

Kane snorted before looking up at him. “You know that’s a damn lie.” A chuckle escaped him as he shook his head. “You live for this life, Logan. We all do.”

Logan laughed because Kane wasn’t wrong. None of them had chosen this life by accident. The danger, the adrenaline, the brotherhood that came with wearing the club’s patch, it had become a part of who they were.

Picking up a glass of scotch, Logan crossed the room and placed it on the table in front of me.

“We found his location,” he informed me.

My expression darkened immediately.

The bastard had been one of our prospects, a man who had earned enough trust to gain access to the club’s systems. Instead of proving himself worthy of the patch, he hacked into my account, stole my money, and disappeared without a trace.

Until now.

“He’s staying with his sister,” Logan continued. “Just thirty minutes from here.”

Kane scoffed, shutting the laptop with a soft click.

“I guess he really believed we wouldn’t search close to home,” he muttered. “People always think we’ll look everywhere except right under our noses.”

I pushed away from the desk. “Get the car ready.”

Before anyone could respond, my phone chimed.

Without much interest, I pulled it from my pocket and swiped across the screen, but the moment I saw Liora’s name, my body stilled.

ARE YOU COMING HOME LATE TODAY? IT’S MY BIRTHDAY, AND I DON’T WANT TO EAT ALONE. PLUS, I MADE YOUR FAVOURITE DISH.

I stared at the message for several seconds.

I don’t have a favourite dish.

“We’ll move the meeting with Luca to tomorrow,” I said suddenly.

The legs of my chair scraped against the floor as I stood and reached for the leather jacket hanging on the stand nearby.

Logan downed the rest of his scotch before eyeing me suspiciously. “You’ve got somewhere else you need to be?”

I slipped into my jacket and headed for the door.

“Yeah.”

“I can drive you,” Logan offered as he tossed me a look over his shoulder. “You came here on my bike, remember?”

I didn’t argue.

Without a word, I walked over and climbed onto the back of his motorcycle.

“Where to?” he asked as he started the engine. The bike rumbled beneath us, the familiar sound vibrating through the air.

“Home.”

Logan turned his head just enough to glance at me. “I thought you said you had somewhere important to be.”

“I do.” I deadpanned. “And that somewhere is home.”

He blinked.

“Now move it,” I added. “Or I’ll ask Kane for a ride instead.”

Logan scoffed loudly. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” He shook his head in disbelief. “You used to avoid going home whenever you could. Hell, half the time we had to drag you back there.” He gave me another suspicious look. “And now you’re cancelling something as important as a meeting with Luca just to go home?”

“One more word,” I warned coldly, “and I’m getting off this bike.”

A grin tugged at Logan’s lips.

“Touchy.”

Shaking his head, he released the brake and revved the engine harder than necessary before pulling out of the clubhouse driveway.

An hour later, Logan parked in front of my porch.

He killed the engine and glanced toward the house.

“You want me to come in?” he asked. “I haven’t had dinner yet.”

“Order takeout,” I growled, heading straight for the front door. “She’s not your cook.”

Logan barked out an offended laugh. “You stingy motherfucker!”

I ignored him.

“You know damn well that woman can throw together a good meal,” he shouted after me. “And you’re keeping all that good food to yourself.”

I didn’t bother turning around. “f**k off, Logan.”

His laughter followed me all the way to the porch.

Pushing the front door open, I stepped inside.

Liora was curled up on the sofa in the living room, completely absorbed in whatever television series she had been watching. The soft glow from the screen illuminated her face.

The moment she heard the door open, her head snapped toward me.

For a second, surprise flashed across her features, then her entire face lit up.

A bright smile spread across her lips as she jumped to her feet and hurried toward me.

“You came home!” she exclaimed, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. “I didn’t think you’d actually make it home in time,” she said softly, still smiling like she couldn’t believe it.

That smile almost pulled one out of me too. Almost.

“Birthdays come once a year,” I replied, “but business can wait.”

Before she could say anything else, the doorbell rang.

One of my security men stepped in first, carrying a neatly wrapped box. He didn’t say a word, just handed it over and left immediately after.

I took the box from him and waved him off.

When I turned back to Liora, I held it out toward her. “It was last minute,” I said plainly. “This is all I could get.”

Her smile didn’t fade. If anything, it grew softer.

She accepted the box carefully, then looked down at it. On top was a simple cake, cleanly decorated, with an engraving written across it.

She stared at it for a moment, taking it in.

Then she lifted her gaze. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “I love it.”

I reached for her hand without thinking and gently pulled her toward the dining room.

On the table, I grabbed a butter knife from the cutlery set and placed it in her hand.

“Make a wish,” I instructed. “Then cut the cake.”

She hesitated for a second, then folded her hands in front of her, her eyes closing slowly.

Her lips moved as she whispered something under her breath.

I watched her, curious… almost distracted… trying to figure out what she would wish for.

After a moment, her eyes opened again.

She pressed the knife down into the cake, cutting through it.

“Happy birthday, Liora,” I said quietly, holding her gaze. “I hope you don’t have any reason to lose that smile.”

She bit her lower lip. “I won’t.”

I reached for a small saucer plate from the table and began cutting the cake into neat pieces.

“I wasn’t able to pick up any gift on my way home,” I said, still focused on the cake as I worked. “Is there anything specific you would like to ask for?”

Liora’s mouth opened slightly, then closed again, her fingers moving to her hair, tucking a loose strand behind her ear. Then she looked away, suddenly shy in a way I wasn’t used to seeing.

I took a slow step forward without thinking, then stopped myself, sliding my hands into my pockets, forcing distance between us.

“Go on,” I said quietly. “Don’t be shy.”

That was when she finally spoke. “I want to go on a date with you,” she mumbled.

I arched a brow, completely caught off guard by what she had just said.

“You had the chance to ask for gold, diamonds, silver,” I said slowly. “Tons of cash. A house. A car. Anything, Liora. You know that, right?”

She nodded immediately, still looking down at her feet. “I know.”

That made it worse.

“Yet you ask for a date,” I muttered, smacking my lips together as I dragged in a slow breath.

I exhaled again.

“I’m going to give you a second chance to rethink your choice.”

Liora lifted her eyes just enough to look at me from beneath her lashes. “I don’t want any of those things you mentioned.”

My eyes narrowed slightly.

“You’re still standing on wanting a date with me?” I asked, making sure I heard her right.

She nodded again.

“That’s if you’re okay with it,” she added gently.

I have already given my word and I’m not the type to go back his words.

I let out a low breath and tilted my head slightly.

“A date it is then.”