Breaking the Rules (Roaming Devils MC #1) by Lexie Davis

legitimately did on the other half of the building. It kept the police off their back and money coming in their pockets.
    Ghost caught up with him when Ryker straddled his bike. For a biker, Ghost was fairly stereotypical. His long, chestnut-colored hair fell to his shoulders. He was muscular without being beefy and the tall stature was enough to intimidate. Ryker knew he couldn’t hold his weight in a fight. They’d had them periodically just to blow off steam and Ghost was a four-time loser to him. It was a joke, really, that Razor wanted him as his VP.
    “You need to get back to the clubhouse.”
    Ryker saluted him. “While you’re being my father’s bitch boy, tell him to fuck off.”
    Ghost pulled out a handgun and pointed it at him. Ryker didn’t even flinch. “You need to get back to the clubhouse.”
    Ryker stood. “You had better get that gun out of my face before you end up six feet under.”
    Something about his demeanor had Ghost retreating. Punk. The other man didn’t say anything as he straddled his own bike and started it. “If you keep acting with this rebellion, there will be repercussions.”
    Ryker watched as Ghost left. It took some serious balls to pull a gun on another member of the club. He knew Ghost would go back and report to his father about what had happened. The fucker was just there to keep him in line and give him the measly threat. Ryker’s hands shook as he gripped his bike and started it. He wasn’t scared of what his father brought against him. It pissed him off.
    The sweetness of the bits of cocaine he’d breathed in from the processing of it made him tingle with a need to have more. He was walking a fucking deadly line. He knew it and somehow he couldn’t seem to stop. He turned around and rode toward town. Ella had said that if he needed her he could come to her.
    He needed her.
    Bad.
    ****
    Ella stepped into her father’s hospital room, smiling at him. After a few weeks recuperating he was still on the mend but getting stronger and better each day. She leaned down and kissed his bruised cheek.
    “So how is my worst patient feeling today?”
    “Ready to go home.”
    “I understand. Your body, however, isn’t ready for that yet. You’ve still got at least another week in the hospital. Most of your swelling needs to come down, especially around your eyes.” She rubbed his hand. “Just live it up that there are people here ready to wait on you hand and foot, and that cute little CNA is willing to give you a sponge bath.”
    He chuckled. “After paying for all that education, I expected you to sign my discharge papers and sneak me out the back.” He glanced toward the door. “I need to talk to you. Privately.”
    “Okay.” She walked to the door and closed it. “What is this about?”
    “The Roaming Devils.”
    Ella did her best to hide her reaction. “What about them?”
    “Don’t think I don’t know, Ella. You got them to get me away from Young Blood.”
    When she didn’t say anything, he cursed. “What did you exchange with them? What did you do?”
    “I asked Ryker for some cocaine.” She shook her head. “He wouldn’t give me any. Not even a little bit. Razor met with me and our deal was I leave Ryker alone in exchange for them helping me. No harm, no foul.”
    “I don’t believe you.”
    She snorted. “Well, that’s the deal.”
    “Nothing illegal?”
    “No.” She hated lying to her father.
    “He wouldn’t sell you the coke?” her father asked. “Why?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe he didn’t have it.”
    Her father grunted. “He has it. The Roaming Devils are one of the largest coke dealers in the city. Young Blood was in competition with them.”
    “I don’t know about that. All I can say is that I didn’t do anything illegal and you don’t need to worry about either one of them right now. You need to focus on getting better.”
    “Your mother said that you were in trouble. That this whole rescue thing got you in